If I just sit here silently in the dark then they won't find me. If I stay crammed in the corner of the room behind the solid oak chest of drawers curled up in a ball then surely they won't see me. But what if they hear me? My breathing is a noise. My heart is pounding in my chest so hard that I'm sure they'll hear that as well. I've got no chance of making it out here alive. I can hear the footsteps echoing across the room. I can feel their thick dark shadow looming over me and their hot sticky breath getting closer to me. Trapped. Nowhere to run. Okay calm down, close your eyes and imagine your happy place; beautiful green meadows with a dainty little stream running through the middle. It's summer; the skies are bright blue and the clouds white and fluffy. I can hear the water trickling down the stream and the birds chirping their summer song. I'm sat there on the soft green grass wearing a floral dress with my fingers dancing in the cold water. I'll keep my concentration on my safe place that way if they find me I won't even notice as they take my life. Flowers. Streams. Meadows. Flowers. Streams. Meadows.
The cold breeze from the window sends goose bumps shooting down my spine making me shiver and wake up. I did it. I survived the night, which puts me up to 3 nights in a row I've managed to hide and escape from them getting me. I take a deep breath and rock my body forward so that I can see round the corner of the drawers. It's clear, they're gone, and I'm safe. My whole body aches from being stuffed in such a small space while I sleep. Hesitantly I stretch out my legs and arms as the dull ache radiates throughout my body. Crawling out from the corner of the room with the rough carpet on my knees I look up at my alarm clock. 6:58am. Woke up just in time for my alarm going off. Monday morning, that means I should probably find wherever my uniform ended up and get dressed for school. I quickly throw my pyjamas on my bed and pull on my uniform. I tie my hair up in a neat little bun while walking across to the bathroom. I twist the bathroom tap on and cup my hands under the running water to wash my face. Cold water is always refreshing and wakes me up in the morning after a stressful night. I look up at the mirror with the water trickling down my face, dripping off my check and realise the bags under my eyes from lack of sleep over the weekend. I drag my feet back down the hallway to my room while dabbing my face dry with the soft towel. Back in my room I chuck the towel onto my bed but miss so it slides onto the floor, it can stay there. I grab my makeup bag and sit in front of the mirror. Have to look my best for school. I can't let anyone know.
Once my makeup has been applied and my hair neatened I make my way downstairs for some breakfast. Mum is still in bed, perfect. I grab a bowl out the cupboard and swirl some milk round it then leave it on the side. This way she will think I've eaten a bowl of cereal. I look at the time, 7:45am. Running up the stairs I shout down the hallway to my mum that I'm leaving for school. I grab my school bag from behind my bedroom door and run out the front door leaving it to slam shut behind me.
The bus stop is only a 5 minute walk but I still pull out my headphones from my blazer pocket, plug it into my phone then begin scrolling through the endless songs I have downloaded. It's a typical grey Monday morning in England, everything is dark and the rain clouds are gathering like usual. Frost sparkles in the street lights on the grass and flowers through the thin blanket of fog. Keeping my hands in pocket stops them going completely numb from the cold. Everyone that walks past me is staring at me. Did I not put enough makeup on? Is there something on me? Do I really look that bad? I keep my head down and walk faster to the bus stop but I can still feel the piercing eyes of others staring at me. What if they're following me? My heart starts racing and I walk fast. I look over my shoulder, there's no one there which mean I'm safe and got nothing to worry about. Approaching the bus stop I can see my friend's all stood there chatting and laughing so I turn my music off and wrap my headphones up and stuff them back in my pocket.
Chloe turns round and as she sees me instantly runs towards me; she must have had a good weekend. She starts telling me all about her amazing weekend but she talks so fast when excited I can hardly understand what she's waffling on about; something to do with her Auntie taking her out shopping and buying her a beautiful bracelet and loads of new clothes. I don't know the last time I got new clothes and the only jewelry I have is a pasta necklace I made when I was about 5. The old yellow school bus pulls up just in time to save me from this conversation.
