End of tomorrow

Chapter 6

"Morning," said Alessa's da gruffly as he sat down with a big mug of black coffee and a pile of toast on his plate. He picked up the newspaper and started flicking rough the pages.

"Morning dad," replied Alessa as she munched on her toast. "Anything interesting in the news?"

"No," said her dad, his head still buried in the newspaper. "Just someone staling canaries from other peoples' sheds"

Alessa went back to eating her toast. She found it weird she did not wake up to a dream as she normally did and she normally did and she had this feeling someone was looking for her. She had no idea who it might be but she felt they were very close.

"Morning," yawned Lily and James at the same time. They looked at each other for a moment before sitting at different sides of the table with James next to Alessa and Lily next to her father.

Alessa had an idea.

"James," she said turning to face her brother. "Can you drop me off at grandmas today after school?"

He nodded sleepily as his head nearly fell into his bowl of cereal. Alessa giggled at the sight.

She gazed at her empty plate. Alessa knew visiting her grandmother would solve her problem that others could not. The countless visits proved this she made to her grandmother since her nightmares began. Her parents had the belief Alessa visited her grandmother because of a granddaughter-grandmother bond. Even James had the similar belief.

However, due to old age, her grandmother's health had deteriorated for the worse but Alessa knew her grandmother always helped her, no matter what health she was in.

A horn interrupted her thoughts and a rush of footsteps was heard.

"Hurry up Lily," shouted Alessa's mother at a frantic looking Lily.

"I can't find the letter," replied Lily with a hint of panic in her voice. "I can't go unless they see the letter."

Alessa's mother held out a hand. It had the letter Lily had been searching for.

Lily snatched it and made a beeline for the door.

Soon after, there was the click of the front door, then a clunk of the car door closing and a quiet purr of the engine fading as Lily was taken to her research facility.

"Finish your toast Alessa so I can quickly drop you off," said her mother as she picked up her bag and her car keys.

Alessa nodded and picked up her plate. A jolt of pain in her head made her stop momentarily by the sink. She shook her head the images, grabbed her bag and sprinted out of the door after her mum.

*

Alessa was sitting with Sarah and Henry's group of friends, listening to one of Henry's friends, a geeky boy with thick-rimmed glasses, talk about Halo: Destiny - a game Alessa knew her brother was addicted to.

Alessa felt the need to do something to drive away the boredom shoved a spoonful of pudding in her mouth and looked at Sarah who had a glazed look. She knew she was pretending to listen to her boyfriend's interests.

Alessa smiled into and pudding at how sweet her friend could be.

Alessa let out a quiet yelp s Sarah elbowed her in her ribs.

She rubbed her newly bruised ribs as she looked up to see Sarah. She had finally given up pretending to listen to Henry's rambling and gave Alessa a mischievous look.

"What was that about?" Sarah asked, her chin propped on her folded hand. Alessa had the same thought that morning when she arrived in school to find Ethan waiting for her.