Vengeance

Prologue

Prologue

"Good work today, keep it up!" The drunken lady shouted from over the counter, eyeing my every move.

"Yeah, thanks," I replied shuffling uncomfortably in my leather jacket waiting for her to dismiss me.

"You carry on like that young lady and you'll be making a fortune outta yourself. We don't find many youngsters your age who are this sensible. See most of them going out on the streets next minute they're coming in with shotguns and knocking their folks off their armchairs."

I nodded not really knowing what to say. Wow, it's unbelievable how much people exaggerate about teenagers now-a-days. I mean come on we're not really that bad, not even the ones on the streets.

"You can leave after ol' Barry's come with your wage sorted."

I sighed, a sigh of relief. I'd been waiting to hear those words all week; and I couldn't have been even more delighted when I saw Barry, the hunched back caretaker, limping round the corner holding my well earned wage in his hand. He handed it over to me, smiling in my face so that all his rotten, yellow teeth were put on display.

"Thanks," I said quickly before taking the sealed envelope and turning around on my heels, quickly making it for the door before the woman started with another one of her lectures.

The cool, winter breeze waved across my face making my auburn hair swirl around in the cool, chilly mist of winter. At last, I was free from this dump of a local shop. Yes, my parents made me work here for a while so I could earn some money before I could move out and buy my own place but I seriously don't see the point. It is a literal dump, you'd be surprised to get a few happy customers leaving the building once in a blue moon, it reminds me of one of those places like Knockturn Alley from Harry Potter. A place which isn't made for exploring or for people my age to be seen wandering around; and there you have my parents sending me into this place regardless of all the danger I'm being put in. Seriously sometimes I wonder how I manage to leave this place with my head still on the right way round.

I headed home before the darkness closed in on me, it was a ten minute walk to my house. The wind was getting stronger, hitting my face in every direction. I looked down trying to walk faster and at the same time trying not to bump into anything or anyone.

Finally after what felt like a good few hours of battling with the wind I made it to my street. I walked to my door and rang the door bell feeling drained out all of a sudden. My dad opened the door letting me in. I kicked off my shoes and hung my jacket and bag on the hook.

"How was your day?"

I looked up at him in disbelief, "Dad? Are you being serious?"

He laughed at me and then all of a sudden I was lifted off of my feet. "Dad, put me down, I'm all sweaty." I yelled kicking my legs in mid-air.

He laughed again. I loved his laugh, it was maybe the only thing that lightened up my day. He carried me on his shoulder to the bottom of the stairs before putting me down.

"Hey, go have a shower and get changed, then come downstairs your mom's making your favourite dish." He patted me on the back and winked before leaning in and whispering in my ear, "vegetable lasagne."

I smiled and ran up the stairs, into my room. Ah great. My psychology work was drooping off my desk and making its very own messy pile on the floor beside my desk. Just when I began to think my life was simple. I picked it all up and shoved it in one of the desk drawers. That's where you belong, I thought to myself proudly still feeling that sickening feeling of 'there's a lot to do' weighing me down. I looked at my computer screen, ONE NEW MESSAGE was flashing at the top. I clicked on it: