Halfway There // Liam O'donovan

28

_THE VISITORS_
•••
EVIE'S POV
•••

It was super early, nobody had even woken up yet and someone was ringing the doorbell multiple times. Everyone reluctantly got out of bed and rushed downstairs. I slipped on my hoodie and some slippers before following after everyone.

"All right, I'm coming!" Tracy called as we got downstairs. She opened the door and a loud voice shouted.

"Get in there!" He yelled and shoved a boy inside. The voice was terribly familiar but I couldn't place it.

"Leave him alone!" Tracy said to the man.

"Come on!"

The boy dumped the bin bag he was carrying onto the floor.

"What is going on?" Tracy asked, raising her voice. Then the man came into view. Dennis. The care worker from Burnywood. And all the kids were Burnywood kids. They were all covered in ash.

"YOU!" Carmen yelled and ran at the boy who I recognised as Tyler- the one who stole all her stuff then beat her up. She grabbed him.

"Carmen!" Tracy shouted at her.

"He's the boy who stole all my stuff at Burnywood!" Carmen screeched, "And he is the care worker who did nothing about it!"

•••

As we were all up, we went to go have breakfast. It turned out there was a fire at Burnywood and the kids all have to stay here. That put me in a right mood. I'd beaten up two of the boys- Rick and Tyler. I remember Lizanne as well. She would stare at me and Sapphire like we were something rare or extraordinary and her subtle racism gave her a smack across the face. However the other girl, Kitty, I don't remember her.

"But why don't you know how long they're going to stay for?" Gus asked in a whiny voice.

"Because we don't know how bad the fire damage is yet." Mike said.

"I hope Burnywood was burnt to bits." Liam said.

"Same." I agreed, we both received a scolding from Mike.

"I wish Tyler had gone up in flames too." Carmen said.

"Carmen!"

"Wait until he nicks your stuff and then tell me about it." Carmen said and everyone turned to her, "What? If it isn't glued down, I'm telling you, he will have it."

Everyone seemed to listen and ran off.

After breakfast, we went into the living room. We were soon joined by the Burnywood lot at a game of pool.

"Nice!" Johnny said as Rick took a shot. I was sat on the sofa with my phone in my hands but I kept a steady glare on Rick.

"Can I play?" Lizanne said, coming in. The moment she walked in both Frank and Johnny seemed mesmerised by her. I kissed my teeth and sat a little straighter. She was immediately harassed by Gus which made me snicker.

"I have Tyler, Rick and Kitty's name. I need to know yours." Gus told her, his notebook open in his hands.

"Why?" Lizanne asked.