It's not alright

chapter one

"Mom?" I call, rubbing my eyes. I sigh, and look at the snow gently falling outside. Where was she? It's her day off. She promised me that she'd show me how to do proper zombie make up for Charles film. I just don't understand. I hate the place where she works. A couple of years ago, a man called Robert Langley was crushed to death there. I don't understand why she just doesn't apply for a safer job.

"Joe, c'mon. Get up!" Dad yelled, opening my curtains. I groan.

"It's Saturday" I whisper, before crawling down back into the warm bed.

"You going to be with Charles today?" I hear him ask, opening my closet.

I nod from underneath the covers.

"Cary gonna be there?" He then asked, pulling my quilt down.

"Yeah, why?"

"Tell him try not to set fire to anything. From me personally"

I laugh, and nod. I've been friends with Cary since kindergarten, and he's always had a fascination with explosions and fire works. I'd say it affects him, because on the 4th July last year, he almost set a house on fire with a rouge firework.

When dad leaves for his shift at work, I finally rise from the depths of my bed. I make my way over to the walkie-talkie on my dresser and quickly press the speaking button.

"Charles? You awake, over?" I say, kicking my pyjamas under my bed. As soon as I do that, I get a reply.

"Get your ass over here with the make up, over" he said,spluttering at the end. I laugh, but soon stop. Dad's car pulls into the drive. He's supposed to get back at four.

"I might be awhile" I call into the walkie-talkie, not even saying over at the end. I felt as if there were something in my stomach churning. Nerves. Why was I nervous?

"Joe, come here" dad whispered, worry in his eyes.

"You're supposed to be a work" I say, sitting on the couch.

"I know. But you've got to listen to me"

I know by the tone of his voice that it's serious.

Before he even starts to speak, he begins to cry. I look up at him. Dad never cries. Jackson lamb never ever cries.

"It's your mom" he whispered

"she's-dead"

"Dad, this isn't time for sick jokes" I whisper, my throat feeling like it's closing up.

"I'm so sorry" he whispered, just as Charles parents walk into the sitting room. I get up, and run to my room.

Never to emerge again for three days. I stayed in my room three days straight after that. Charles tried to contact me with the walkie talkie. Cary threw sparklers at my window. Preston and Martin visited dad, but I stayed put.

A few days after I came out my room, dad handed me a locket. Moms locket. He gave her it when I was born. "Here" dad says, throwing the locket.

I take it and keep it safe in my pocket.

Moms funeral was the hardest day of my life.

Everyone was so quiet; everyone seemed scared to speak to me. All the time it kept the locket grasped firmly in my hand. There was no way I'd ever let go of this locket, it was mine. It was precious.

The snow had fallen thickly for a few weeks, so after moms funeral, most people went straight home. Cary, Charles, Preston and Martin all came to our house, but I stayed outside most of the time. I sat on the swing, staring down at my hands.

later that day I overheard Charles' parents telling him off for talking about what my mom looked like inside the coffin. Crushed to death they say. A huge steel thing fell right in top of her. That was written in the local newspaper. No one even told me how she died. I only found out the day of her funeral.

Probably at around three o'clock, I noticed a run down yellow car come speeding down the street. I looked up, frowning. Bit late for people to pay their respects.

A blonde haired man stumbled out, clutching a bottle of alcohol.

Mr Dainard. he walked towards the house, staring at me the whole time. It looked as if he were glaring at me. I straightened my tie, and looked back down. As soon as that man entered the house, I could hear smashing glass, yells. Then, dad emerged.

I look up at him, my eyes clearly widening. My hair flopped down in front of my eyes as I stared at the unfolding scene.

"I'll be back soon son" dad shouted, hand cuffing mr Dainard. He put him in the back of his sheriffs car and drove away, the sirens blaring.