Storm Clouds (Crimson Hills Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 1

The best stories begin with the unexpected; with a journey into the unknown, or a surprise arrival on an otherwise uneventful day. Perhaps a long-lost family member finds their way home, or a bolt of lightning crackles through thick air as a storm rolls in. Perhaps a mystery is revealed, or someone receives an unsigned letter through the post. The worlds are often filled with magic and intrigue – the people complex caricatures of humanity.

Unfortunately, life is not always as exciting or spontaneous as fiction. Life is a daily, monotonous grind, where nothing seems to change for better or worse, and the characters only seem to get older, not better. Kathryn Duncan's life was no exception.

Kathryn never quite understood why her life felt so mediocre, especially when compared to the stories she would read at two-AM by the pale glow of her dim reading lamp. Especially since, when compared to her friends, Kathryn's early years were as tumultuous as they come. Her mother died before she could recall, and her father passed away in a car accident on the eve of her seventh birthday. Since then, Kathryn had lived with her elderly Nana and her cousin, Bridget, whose mother also perished in the same accident as Kathryn's father.

The greatest tragedy a child can experience – the death of a parent – and Kathryn had experienced that twice in the first ten years of her life. It seemed small to her, though. It was just her version of normal.

Normal. She'd never been anything more.

Kathryn's story begins not with the unexpected, but the mundane: her first day as a Year 11 student at Crimson Hills Academy.

"Hurry up, Amber." Kathryn moaned, leaning up against the chipped scarlet lockers in the hallway of the science building. "I have Lit first period."

"I'm going as fast as I can, boo." Amber mumbled, smearing berry-red tint onto her pursed lips and hiking her navy-blue pleated skirt to her waist. She unfastened the top two buttons of her C.H.A uniform polo-shirt, emblazoned with the school crest, then proceeded to fluff up her choppy, mousey-brown, shoulder-length hair.

Amber-Rae Miles, Kathryn's best friend, was also the bane of her existence. She spent too long worrying about her appearance, almost always making Kathryn late to her lessons. She didn't look like the type to bother with her appearance, usually found wearing baggy army shirts and skinny jeans. Her hair looked effortlessly messy, but Kathryn knew it took Amber half an hour to style it that way. Even the smoky eye makeup she wore looked hastily applied – a look Amber had cultivated over the years. Admittedly, Amber always looked effortlessly cool. Though, as much as she appreciated Amber's dedication to her appearance, with it being their first day as Year 11 students, Kathryn thought Amber might have made more of an effort to be on time.

"I'll leave you behind..." Kathryn teased, and began walking towards the doors at the end of the corridor.

"Kat, wait!" Amber whined, tossing her makeup back into her locker and running to follow Kathryn. They pushed through the double doors into the main school, where students aged eleven-to-eighteen moved up and down the narrow halls.

Crimson Hills Academy. The public school that served not only Brookfield, but the surrounding villages. It was small considering its pupil population, and was often overshadowed by the neighbouring school – Lancel House Private Academy. Their close proximity gave the schools more reason to foster competition. Lancel House were known for their prominence in academics and the arts, while Crimson Hills Academy focused their energy on the Sports department.

Kathryn, although favouring the Private Academy, had ended up attending the public school. She wouldn't be eligible for a scholarship, and her Nana couldn't afford the tuition on her pension payments. Plus, her friends were at C.H.A.