The Clock Strikes 11

News

I was drawing perfect circles on my worn out notepad. First sign of madness is what people say about that kind of thing.
"Luna come down stairs!"
I jumper at my uncle Gibbley's loud voice cutting through the silence of the house and echoing off the dark wooden floors and through the empty corridors. This house had been my home all my life. I'd never known what happened to my parents, but it had alway been a uncomfortable silence until someone changed the subject. I'd lived with my Auntie Kathy and my two cousins, four year old Alfie and sixteen year old Steven and my uncle Gibbley.
That was until the accident five years ago.
Since then it's just been me and my uncle, who pulled me our of school to home tutor me and turned us both into hermit crabs.
The wooden floor creaked under my light frame as I walked out my bedroom to the landing at the top of the stairs, leaving over the banister and looking down to my always disheveled looking uncle. His grey hair poking out in all different directions no matter how many times he nervously smoothed it down, a white shirt that looked like it had lived on a teenage boys room for a week, his gold pocket watch poking out the poker, and creased trousers. He was as close to a made scientist I'd ever seen, which is funny as he used to be a science professor before he quit his job after the accident, hiding away in his study writing papers that were published in science magazines instead. The closest he got to socialising was the food delivery guy that came ones a week yet his social life was still better then mine.
"I have some news!" he said excitedly he his flamboyant way that always made me smile.
"good or bad?" I asked cautiously.
He threw his head back and laughed loudly. "oh Luna, the glass is always half empty with you. It's good news silly! Ive just been on the phone to Prince Town School." Prince town? That was at least four hours away, what would they want from my crazy uncle? "They need a temporary science teacher while there's is off and they thought they'd give me a call." He was smiling bigger then the Cheshire cat, big yellow stained teeth from smoking a pipe for over twenty years glaring up at me.
"How are you going to travel four hours there and back every day?" I asked, his logic completely going over my head.
Suddenly it hit me. The cold sence of dread washed over me and my hands and feet went numb. I knew exactly what he was going to say now
"We're moving!" he cheered excitedly. "And this weekend! They have helped us find a lovely little house and everything."
It felt like my heart was in my mouth and the blood was rushing into my ears, tears pricking in my eyes. I didn't want to move, I was happy with my little exsistance here.
Just then the huge grandfather clock chimed loudly though the house
One.....two.....three....
"Lunch time!" My uncle sang happily.
This was not going to go well.