Prologue
12:00 am
I wake up screaming. At once I know somethings wrong. Then I figure it out. My door has been left cracked opened the hall light shines through the crack big enough for only a mouse to fit through. I walk out into the hall just as I hear the front door slam shut. I run down the stairs and into the living to look through the window. I get there just in time to see a shadow walking quickly away from the house and across the street. I run up to my room. I turn on my light. With the screamingly bright light hitting my eyes I quickly scan the room. My eyes fall on a silver envelope on my nightstand. I stand there in shock for a little while then I slowly walk over to the light stand and pick up the silver envelope. Somehow I feel that whatever is written on the inside of the envelope is important.
Chapter 1
It’s been four years since I got that silver envelope and I still don’t have the guts to open the envelope. I just know that something terrifying is in there. Something about my past.
I don’t know much about my past except from what the grown-ups say. They say that my parents died in a car crash when I was two. I don’t believe them. Every night I wake up screaming drenched in sweat from a dream but all I can remember is fire and smoke. It’s so real and terrifying that I can’t bring myself to tell anyone especially my aunt and uncle who brought me to England and raised me every sense I can remember. I have a sense that they know something about how my parents died but every time I bring up my parents they get angry.
“Autumn! Come here and eat your breakfast your going to be late for school!” I jolt and look at the time “Crap” I say under my breath. its 7:31. I know I’m going to be late for the bus and I'm going to have to walk to school. I run down the stairs into the kitchen pick up a piece of toast and start out the door. when Lela my aunt looks around the corner. “What is that hideous thing that you're wearing? Go change. ”But mum” I protest. “Don’t but mum me, go.” she said. Sulking I go up the stairs and change into something different. As I walked down the stairs she smiles at me and says “There you go that’s better.” I am in a baggy T-shirt and jeans.
With a frown I run out of the house and sprint down the street only to run into a large solid object. I look up and smile finding that it’s only my best friend Derek. Strong, lean, and tan. Basically cool kid memo going on with him. But since he hangs out with me he’s at the bottom of the pack.
I say “Nice outfit.”
“Thanks,” he says “you too.”
I look down. In my loose jeans and lousy shirt I’m far from looking good. “Lier,” I say.
He follows after me and we walk in an awkward silence until we see the school in sight.
Derek has shaggy brown hair that he has to constantly flip out of his eyes.. Then I look at his face. I have known him too long to think nothing is wrong so I say casually “What’s up?”
“Oh nothing much”
“Yah ...Right”
“No truly it’s nothing” he says looking intensely at me.
“Ok. Whatevs.” I say walking faster knowing something is up but that’s just fine with me if he wants to be like that. Just then I hear the bell ring. The sound is a loud trilling sound that drowns out all thought. I don’t know how the people that live right by the school can put up with it.
During math my mind starts to wander back to the conversation between Derek and me. I know something is bothering him and I want to know what it’s. But instead I just went ahead and became prickly and offended walking away like a stupid child. Thinking back on our conversation and how Derek wouldn’t tell me what was troubling him I remember the silver envelope that was left for me at midnight when I was 12 years old and how I haven’t had the guts to open it or the guts to tell anyone about especially Derek cause I know he would freak. He’s a little too protective. So I’ve just left it in the drawer on the dresser.
