Crescent High

Chapter 2

As I stretched my arms out after a peaceful nights sleep, the early morning sun streamed in through the window, bathing the room in a golden light. The house was quiet, with all of my family still asleep, and it was blissful to not hear the sounds of video games. Jack and Michael were awake till one o'clock the previous night, light slipping out from under their doors. Shouting could be heard from their rooms as they snacked on crisps and other food that they had bought.
My cream armchair sat in the corner of my room, in my reading nook, which had floor to ceiling shelves overflowing with books. I threw off my covers, swinging my legs onto the dark wooden floor. It was cold to the touch, but very soothing to my hot feet after being tucked under blankets all night.

Slipping on my hoodie over the rest of my clothes, I slowly pushed open the door, making care not to disturb my sleeping family. Warmth radiated through my veins as I threw open the curtains on the living room's bay window. Birds tweeted outside, and there was a gentle breeze rustling the leaves on the trees lining the street.
I pulled on my converse and slid out of the door for a morning walk through the forest. The trickling water in the brook was a calm sound in the forest, always keeping me on the right path. However, I didn't really need it to navigate the dense woodland since I came down here every day to escape reality and be in a world of my own.
At school, I didn't really fit in with the other kids, much preferring to sit and read the novel that I had brought in that day. Not many of the kids thought the same way that I did, being more like regular teen-agers in an isolated village.

The sound of a twig snapping shook me back to reality, and I realized that I had strayed off the main trail. This part of the woods wasn't familiar to me, leaving me lost. I turned in a circle, looking for any sign of a path back to the village. There was nothing. Sinking down against a tree, I buried my head in my hands, hoping that someone would find me.
My hands fell to my sides, brushing the leafy ground beneath me. All of a sudden, I could see the way out, almost as if it was imprinted in my mind. I rose to my feet, and started sprinting to the place that I saw. Finally, I could get home.

📚

Emerging from the forest, I ran back to my house, hoping that my family hadn't woken yet. If they had, they would be fuming at me, demanding food. The door creaked open and I headed inside, making my way to the kitchen. I was still in awe of what happened in the forest; it was as if by magic that I saw the path home.

Silence filled the house - it was clear that I was the only one who had arisen from their slumber. My footsteps echoed off the cool tiled floor, seeming much louder than they actually were in the quiet of the morning. It was nice to not have to run around after my family for a morning, leaving me to do what I wanted for once.

Opening the cupboard, I took a Belgian waffle that my mother had bought yesterday, heating it in the microwave. The smell wafted around the kitchen, it was pleasant, and I knew that my breakfast would taste amazing. A few minutes later, I was sitting on the sofa in the living room, with a movie on, eating my breakfast. Chocolate sauce was drizzled on the waffle, and I had an American style pancake with maple syrup as well. It was like heaven in the mouth, and it was gone in seconds. Settling down, I threw a blanket over myself and began to watch my movie.

📚

The house shook as Michael thumped down the stairs, a sour expression on his face. "Get me breakfast, NOW!" he ordered. "I want pancakes, and bacon." With that, he skulked back upstairs to his room, and I could hear him switch on his game. Reluctantly, I got up and walked through to the kitchen, hoping that the parcel had arrived whilst I was in the living room. I had no such luck.

Once I had cooked Michael's breakfast, I took it up to his room for him to eat. He grunted at me, not looking away from his screen and I couldn't help notice how large he had grown, and how sickly he was looking. His eyes were red from all of the light from his games, and the bed beneath him was groaning from his weight. Jack was exactly the same, pale and unhealthy from lack of sunshine. I felt bad for them - if I tried a bit more to help them, they wouldn't be like this, but I was so busy doing the housework, that I couldn't spare any time.

A creak sounded outside Michael's room, and I could tell from the heavy footsteps that Jack was emerging from his pit of despair. Quickly, I left Michael to eat and hurried downstairs to see what Jack wanted. My brother was waiting in the kitchen, looking mean, and tired. "Bacon rolls, NOW!" he growled at me, his phone in hand. I started to fry some bacon for him, whilst he stood there, playing games even whilst in the kitchen. The salty smell wafted around, making me hungry, but before I could even think about having some for myself, Jack glared at me, in a way that said "Don't you dare." By this time, the bacon was fully cooked, nice and crispy, how Jack liked it, and I placed it on a roll and handed it to my brother.

"Here you go, I hope you like it." I smiled at him, trying to be friendly. His response was a scowl, then he slunk back off to his room to fester.

A knock sounded at the door, and I jumped. This would probably be my parcel - the final book in my favourite series, Magiker. Practically sprinting, I ran to open the door, a smile spreading across my face. Standing in front of me was a boy no older than myself, a satchel slung across his shoulder. "Reef," I cried, when I saw who it was. He was one of my friends in the village, and the son of the postman.

"Pa's ill today, so I'm doing all of the post. I have a parcel for you, and also a letter. It looks very fancy, maybe it's the wrong Feonyx," he joked, handing it to me. I slid my finger under the wax seal, in the shape of a book, pulling out a folded piece of parchment. Unfolding it, I began to read what it said.

* I had time on my hands, so I wrote Chapter 2 for you. The cover will be coming, but I feel that it is more important to get the core story down first. What do you think the letter that Feonyx received says, it will be revealed next chapter. The next update might not be so soon though, as I've just come back from half term, and will have homework to do. *