A Mystery

Chapter One

It was summer 2014; the breeze blew across my pale face. I watched my sister run around the sandy path way in her pink dress, a smile across her face. 

"Be careful Katie!" I called out to her, she was bare foot and spinning around. I'm really protective over her. She's the only proper family member I have left.. 

When my mum was here, I lived with her, Katie, and my step-dad (Katie's real dad). My dad and mum split not long after I was born, which is sort of upsetting but it happens. When my mum died in that accident.. we had to get away from our home town. Everything there reminded me of her, our house, the shops and even the sun rise..

So now, we live far away from everyone I once knew, in a small town just beside the sea shore. Its very quiet and peaceful here.. there isn't many neighbours. I'm quite a happy person now, I'll never get over what happened to my mum, but I know she's watching over me and Katie. 

"Come play Josh!" Katie shouted opening her arms, I rolled my eyes and joined her; spinning her in the air and laughing. 

Our house is small, its in the corner of the tiny street that only a few people live on. We have three neighbours, and they're all eldery so I don't really have much friends. But I'm fine with that because I'm used to it, I'd rather be alone in my head with thoughts than with a 'friend'.. because something usually happens when I develop a relationship with someone.. And its usually a fall out or they move away, or I move away.

"Josh, come here" Mike said waving me over; Mike is Katie's dad, I live with him.

"Yes?" I said approaching him. He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled.

"Can you look after Katie while I go to the market to get dinner?" he said, I nodded. The market is a half an hour walk from where we live, and its the only way we can get food. Mike headed off and I took Katie inside as it was getting dark.

"Josh?" Katie said jumping onto my lap, I set my book down at looked at her.

"Yeah Katie?" She paused a moment and looked down while playing with a lock of her hair.

"When will mummy be back?" She said looking up to me, I could see the fear in my sisters eyes. I held back my tears and looked up.

"Mummy never left us Katie, she's with us right now, see?" I said pointing over to an empty spot in the living room. Katie sat up and turned around, she looked everywhere then back to me.

"Josh, I don't see her" She said with sadness. I turned her around and pointed into the corner again.

"Look closer, she's right there. She's wearing her light blue hoodie that she always wears and her ripped jeans" She squinted her eyes while concentrating.

"Mummy come back!" She shouted while jumping off my lap, she ran into the corner and sat down on her knees looking up.

"Come back mummy, we need you" She said again, I quickly sat down beside her and gave her a cuddle.

"Katie, she never left, don't worry.. she's always here" I said with a smile, even though I was breaking down inside. 

She slowly stood up and held out her hand to the air, gripping nothing in her hands and walking out of the room.

"Katie where are you going?!" I shouted as she walked up the stairs.

"Mummy is going to read me a story" She shouted, I smiled and sat down again.. watching the fire bounce off the coal around it.

The door suddenly slammed, I jumped up and peaked out the living room door; It was Mike.

"Wow you scared me" I said putting my hand to my chest, he laughed and walked passed me.

"Where's Katie?" He said again.

"She just went to bed" I said with a smile, I started to walk up the loud creaking stairs and into my bedroom.

My life revolves around stories, books and fictional characters, they're my only friends. For my 15th birthday Mike bought me paints, I'm not really good at painting or any sort of art but I tried, and boy did it work out. 

I painted my whole room, it looks like outer space; all the planets are lined up along my pale blue wall. On the ceiling is where the sun is, it surrounds my light and its different shades of yellow and orange. It looks magical, which means I'm quite proud of myself..

"Josh time to go to sleep" Mike said peaking into my bedroom, I nodded and jumped into bed snuggling up and turning off the light.

"Good night mum" I whispered to myself.

"Good night Josh" She said in my head.