Colour Kill

Chapter One

Three years ago.

"Joel... Joel !" My mother screams from downstairs. "Joel Jones get down here, NOW!" My mum screams again, her voice cracking at the end. This can't be good. Tired of my mum's screaming, I decide to take matters into my own hands. I storm over to my brother's room and without even bothering to knock first, I let myself in. Joel lays on his bed, with his hands above his head as he nods along to the loud music coming from his headphones. Aggressively, I swipe the headphones off his head as he jumps up with a fierce look of anger on his face. "What the hell sis! I was listening to music" Joel exclaims. I roll my eyes at my brother. "Mum is calling you ass-hole and she is pissed" I tell him smugly. Joel lets out a groan throwing his head back, then he climbs out of bed. I follow him as he walks down the stairs. Joel stops abruptly and turns around to me. "Is there a reason why you are coming down as well ?" He asks annoyed.
"Are you serious, do you actually think I would give up an opportunity to see mum kick your arse?"

Joel and I walk into the kitchen to meet our mum, her eyes are narrowed in anger. On our kitchen island, there are a few bottles of vodka, that I know for a fact are my brothers because my mother would never be caught drinking cheap vodka like that and also, I went with him to buy them because there was a party that night and I had to beg Joel for a bottle. "Joel Jones, If you are going to have friends over please, for the love of God, throw away your cheap vodka and dispose of the ends of your joints please, before your father sees and blows a fuse" Mum snaps angrily at Joel, as I stand behind my brother's large frame chuckling. "Sorry mum" Joel says as he picks up the bottles trying not to laugh. "Oh mum before I forget to tell you, I'm going to the mall with Casey tomorrow" I tell her. Mum's face sinks. She exchanges a look with my brother. "What, what's' the matter?" I ask looking at them both. My mother's facial expression instantly changes from its previous worried state to her usual smiley and warm face that has carved all those laugh wrinkles that decorate her face. "Nothing, honey, just be careful, really careful" She says.
"Mum it is just the Mall" I explain to her now confused, my eyes darting from my brother and back to my mother. I try to catch Joel's eye but his eyes stay on the floor.
"I know my dear, but just be careful, just stay on the lookout for ... you know, danger" She says her smile now vanishing.
"Mum, not now we will tell her soon, not now" My brother says, with a warning glance. "Honestly, what has gotten into you two, tell me what?" I exclaim. But before they get to answer my dad shouts his arrival from the front door.

As soon as he walks in my brother scrambles away taking the vodka bottles with him. "Daddy!" I shout, throwing my arms around his neck automatically forgetting about how strange my brother and mum were acting before. "Hello princess, how are you?" He asks as he walks over to give my mum and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm great, I was just about to go into the garden and read my magazine, how was work" I ask inspecting my nails, gosh I can't believe I have allowed them to grow so untidy, they definitely need a new coat of polish. "Long and tiring" My father sighs, his face creased with wrinkles from all the years of long and tiring work hours.

Grabbing a pot of pink nail polish and a magazine, I wander off outside in the garden and sit on the white bench at the back of it. It is an exceptionally beautiful day. The sun is a staggering jewel in the sky and the lush green grass tickles my feet, sending a thrilling sensation of happiness through my body. The light summer breeze gives the usually suffocating summer heat a hint of coolness. I flick through my magazine peacefully admiring the latest summer trends. And thank god, that finally, flower crowns are out of fashion, if I see one more person wearing a flower crown at another music festival I'm going to go ballistic.

Once I'm bored with reading my magazine, I start to carefully apply the pink nail polish. When it has dried, I start to make my way back to my room. By the time I'm back inside, the sun is setting, allowing stunning beams of orange and gold to illuminate the green on the trees. "Oh honey, by the way, tonight we are ordering pizza and your dad and I thought we could watch a film as a family, we have not done anything like that in a while" My mother says. I raise my eyebrows at her, we never normally do things as a family, we are all always too busy. "Oh okay sure, have you checked with Joel and made sure he is not going out?" I ask.
"Yes he is staying in tonight, he says he is excited"