Stranger Girl

The News Report

"ARRRRRRRR NOOO!" I heard a loud ear piercing scream and panting. I shot straight up and so did the others. It was Luna, she must have had a nightmare.

"Luna!" I hugged her and she cried on my shoulder. I could feel her shaking and her tears falling onto my shoulder. The others just sat there looking concerned.

"Luna, what’s wrong, calm down you're shaking loads."

"Sorry I had a bad nightmare." She stammered.

"It's ok now you're with us." Comforted Charley.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked. Luna shook her head. Charley went off to get some tissues. Luna was still shaking so I tried to calm her down, I wiped away her tears and calmed her down. We must of all fallen asleep whilst the film was on. I checked the time (it was 9:16pm) and mum still wasn't back.

*Text* "Mum where are you?"

*Text*"Sorry I will be back soon."

I was getting worried and I hoped that she would be back soon. I put on another film and we all watched it...again. Luna had rested her head on my shoulder and Charley and Jasmine were playing with each other hair. Scott I think was on YouTube but I couldn’t tell, but he had his headphones on. I was going to get a drink but I then realised Luna had fallen asleep.

"Guys, can one of you get me a drink please." I pointed to Luna.

"Yeah sure." Said Jasmine. She passed me over a drink and I managed to drink it awkwardly without choking. We carried on watching the film for another hour until I fell asleep. I didn't wake until morning at 5:42am. I opened my eyes and looked around the fort. My laptop had replayed the movie, so it was still playing and the others were still asleep. Luna wasn't on my shoulder but was still laid on me, so I couldn't move. Charley had fallen asleep curled up in a ball in the corner and so had Jasmine. Scott had fallen asleep to YouTube so his phone was still playing videos.

I carefully moved Luna and quietly crept out the fort. I searched the house, but my mum still wasn't back. There was no car in the driveway and I had 3 missed calls. I started to panic so I frantically rang mum, but there was no answer. I sat on the stairs debating all the reasons on why she wasn't home. She might have just been leaving so late that she had to sleep in a hotel. I tried to convince myself that something hadn't happened to her. I waited for 2 solid hours but she never arrived. I started pacing up and down the hallway this managed to wake Scott.

"What you doing mate?"

"Mums not back. I'm getting really scared." I panicked.

"Don't worry she’s probably in a hotel. Have you called?" Asked Scott.

"Yeah no answer. Bloody hell where is she?" I whispered.

"I don't know." Scott whispered back. Scott walked me back into the living room. I tested to see if the power was back on, which it was. So I turned on the TV, only quietly though. The local news came on and the main headline was "Gas explosion in a street in Brighton, 10 dead and many injured, we will keep you updated as this story develops." My eyes suddenly widened as I observed the picture more.

"Wait...that’s. Oh my god! That’s where mum is!" I shouted.

"No, it can't be." Said Scott.

"No it is...Ashton Grove. No what if she’s dead?" I started crying.

[Updated]

"Wait let me check." Scott ran outside in a frantic panic. He spun round and looked around the skyline. He was checking to see where the smoke was and he shouted that it is the street where my mum was. I felt fear, panic rush through me all at once. I couldn't lose my mum, I would end up being like I was when my dad died. The tears were rushing down my face now and I had a sudden moment of madness. I ran out of the front door and ran down the street. I heard Scott shouting after me.

"Tom! Where you going?!" Shouted Scott. "Charley, Jasmine, Luna help me!" I ignored them shouting after me and I kept on running. I wiped the tears from my face as they fell and I pushed through any civilians on the streets. My heart was beating so fast and I was panting for breath. I just ran and ran, I knew where I was going. I could hear the others calling me, but I didn't care. The only person who knew where I was going was Charley. Round the corner over the bridge, through the woods and there, I had arrived. This was the place where I used to go when I was little. It was a tiny stretch of beach with pastel shells dotted over the beach. The sea lapped up against the beach and there was a wood behind it. The trees towered over part of the beach, so it's hard to spot and find. But one day me and Charley were wandering and exploring and we found it, we made a map and hidden signs so we could find it again. I knew the route to like the back of my hand now.

I sat on sand and cleared my head. I heard someone calling me, but I took no notice. I laid on my back and watched the clouds, I was finally alone. I made pictures out of the clouds. Then I heard footsteps behind me. I quickly sat up and turned to see Charley stood there, she gave me a look of relief, anger and sorrow.

"Don't you do that ever again! Running away isn't going to solve anything." Charley said sternly.

"I needed to clear my head." I replied.

"But you could have told us where you were going."

"Yeah, but I didn't want anyone to follow me. But you did anyway."

"Look Tom, your mum might not be dead."

"Yeah but what is the chance of that? Hmm with my luck!" I shouted.

"Only 10 people dead. Out of all of street."

"And many injured. They could be serious and she could still die."

"You don't even know if she’s been hurt."

"But what if she has. I'm going to be alone and in depression again and...” I started crying again and trailed off. Charley ran and hugged me. I cried on her shoulder for ages, I was so scared and hurt, I was praying for my mum to be alive.

"Tom whatever happens we will be here for you." I then heard my phone go with the classic iPhone noise. I felt a glimmer of hope, Charley eyes lit up and my whole body tensed up. I quickly grabbed my phone and on the lock screen was a text.

"Charley she’s alive! Charley she’s...” I shouted with joy. I jumped up.

"I know!"

*Text* I will be home soon. Sorry about that, they closed the street off so I couldn't leave. Mum xx

*Text* I thought you were dead. xx

I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders, and a lot of relief. I was so pleased, someone out there was looking out for me, I had a feeling it was my dad. I looked up to the sky and whispered "Thank you dad." I ran out of the woods and back across the bridge to see Luna, Jasmine and Scott stood there. They saw I had a beaming smile on my face, and they smiled too. They didn't even ask because they had already guessed it.