CHAPTER 1

I woke up and sat bolted upright in my bed, terrified by what I just witness. My messy long black hair swifts softly in my face; I gradually move toward the edge of the bed. My hands cradle my sweaty face, my breathing slowly regains from what I just saw "was that real?" I thought it "felt so real." I dragged my hands down from my face, catching my clock just turning to half-past eight.

"Shit... I'm going to be late!" I shouted as I zoomed across the room, grabbing whatever I could from the stack of worn clothes chucked onto the chair that I left from the night before. Sniffing them to make sure they are worthy enough to be worn again. Finding myself navy blue jeans, a black vest, and a long sleeve blue plaid shirt. Madly I sprayed on some deodorant and perfume that sat out of place on the floor of a messy room of a teen; Clothes everywhere, bed unmade, and enough washing up to open a restaurant. I rushed over to the back of the room, where I stayed in the only cleaned room that I have ever kept- my bathroom. I roughly putting on my makeup, teeth brushed, and hair into an almost perfect ponytail. I dash swiftly back into my room, picking up my black ripped shoulder bag hanging from the bedpost and my oversized sketchbook hanging out from under the bed. I looked at the clock as I stood back up, which now sits at half-past nine.

"What the hell..." I frowned.

"Why not give us some more extra time" I focus on the clock and twist my hand anti-clockwise to my delight as the clock flashes back to quarter past eight.

"There we go," I whispered to myself. I quickly pat down my trousers, looking for my phone.

"Ahh, I don't have time for this." swiftly, I move my arm across myself and One by one, everything around me cleans up after itself; clothes folded nicely back into the wardrobe, plates, and cups disappeared, the duvet flattens itself across the bed even the overloaded washing has gone.

"Nice and tidy. Ah, there you are. 100 percent charged and ready to go." I reached over the bed, picking the iPhone from the pillow. Placing it in the front pocket of my bag, I roughly shove the charger into the bag. I grasp onto my half-ruined sketchbook and bag on my shoulder. I rushed down the stairs, nearly knocking over my idiot younger brother, Ben.

"Watch it, Iris. You're not the only one that's running late, you know?" he annoyingly shouted as I awkwardly pulled on my tight black leather boots.

"Wait... I swear it was nine o'clock" Ben looked at his watch taping on it." Oh, tell me you didn't?

"Did what? Ben″ I winked at him, running over to the dining table sitting at the bottom of the living room wall, a table that has only carried books and fruit bowls. I wouldn't call it much of a dining table when it is only used at least once. Picking up two half-red green apples sitting there from last month's shopping. The only house on the block that food doesn't rot too much. I guess it could be a money-saving tip. At least the environment loves us. I gently throwing one into my bag and another, taking a massive bite, juicy but partly bruised just how I am feeling today. Just need to get this day over and done with. I set down the bag and book on the table.

"Anyway, I have a two-hour final exam today; I really can't afford to be late" I jogged over toward the kitchen into the fridge, reaching in and grabbing a sealed water bottle. Closing the door behind me; the back door swings open with an echoed voice flying in.

"You should think of that when you kept spending most nights watching that dumb teen vampire show," calmly shouted Nathan as he walks through the door, shutting it behind him, carrying a big red tool kit. Nathan chucks the toolbox gently on the kitchen counter.

"What the hell... Why is the sink full of washing up?" Nathan picks up a spoon hanging on to a bowl. He rips it off, placing it back in the sink. "And the washing machine overloaded, again" he opens the washing machine, seeing all the mixture of my clothing falling out like an avalanche. "3rd time this week. Don't either of you know how to do your chores without the use of magic, please?" Ben walked into the kitchen, eyeing up the overloaded sink and washing machine.

"Well...I... We've been busy, you know stressing about school, right Iris?" Ben croaked.

"Yes, you know what teenage life is like, but we are just glad to have a strong, smart big brother, like yourself," I replied.

"Well, as your big brother and your guardian; after school, I want you both to get it sorted and when I say no magic, I mean no magic! I got an eternal day myself with work and meetings so you both have to cater yourselves tonight and if you guys are ready for school, then let's get going." lectured Nathan. As he rushes out of the kitchen, picking up his car keys.

"Finally," I replied. "I got a huge art exam and I can't miss this one. It takes like seventy-five percent of my grade. So I need this."

"I see you taking it all seriously, Iris.." questioned Nathan.

"Not being funny Nathan, but you told us to be a bit more human than we normally are," replied Ben as he grabbed a coke can from the fridge, making his way through and placing it in his bag.

"I know I asked you guys for this, and I'm proud that you both take this well. Ah Ben, are you still in need of the necklace for today?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, please. It's for my history assessment," replied Ben.

"It's all about family heirlooms, how history can..." While Ben continues talking. Nathan runs out into his room upstairs. Just by the entrance of the staircase, Nathan pulls out the painting off the wall opposite his bed. Inside sat an old rusty metal safe. He reached in, cracking the dial around, clicking it in place. Nathan pulls the handle on the door and swings it open. He slowly reaches in, grabbing an unmarked rectangle box covered over with a red, strained rag. Softly opening the box, Nathan laid a very light green old amulet in his hands, slowly brushing it against his fingers. Swiftly shutting the box, he brings it toward his chest, holding onto it, and closes his eyes. Ben continues talking on and on about human history. I got to admit the more he talks about them, the more I just want to go back home. Even though I have never been there, it's still home to us. Nathan slowly walks down the stairs holding onto the box.

"As you know, this amulet has been in our family for generations, so please look after it," Nathan persisted, pushing the box to Ben's chest. Ben nodded in agreement.

"Also, you're going to get some pretty interesting stories for it all," added Nathan. I pick up my shoulder bag and sketchbook, rushing over to the front door. Unlocking it from the latches, I gently jog toward a large black, 5 door truck. From the wheels to the bumpers and all in between, the car always sat there beautifully against the other outdated vehicles. I have always admired Nathan's cars, always got the best ones, never keeping them for much more than a few months, but this one brings memories, no bad ones, just good. Brings back life to the family. The big proud headlights shone just as bright as the morning sun, the leather interior burning against your skin in the summer, tackling with the metal of the belt you have to wear. The tires that held the shiny metallic rims I could even use as a mirror for my makeup.

"Shotgun!" I shouted as I waited impatiently by the car door with a half cocky smile on my face.

"God, You're such a child!" yelled Ben. As he comes out of the door with Nathan behind him, beeping open the car door. I slipped into the front seat, making myself comfortable and drawing the seat belt across to me. Nathan got into the car, turning the key clockwise. The engine gives out an enormous roar just before the car moves along the road. I reach into my bag, tackling my sketchbook as I reach out for an iPod that has been shoved in there for a month. I nearly forgot I ever had one. Resting the earphone in my ears and hitting shuffle, a heavy drum and guitar solo bounces through my eardrums. Rock is the only genre that has meaning to me; it's more than just music, it's a type of emotion whether that rebellion, power, or strength. Rock gives you that jolt in the morning when you jump out of bed, the feeling of being alive, a feeling of being connected or belonging to something. The sound of a rock star singing voice gives me Goosebumps and adrenaline to get me through the day. It helps a lot whether I'm sad, happy, angry, or even scared. Rock is my support, and some days it is the only support I have or have ever needed. Just like a drug.

"Iris! Are you listening?" Nathan asked.

"Great, what now?" I thought. I huffed as I yanked out my earphones.

"What?" I replied in haste.

"Look, I know it hasn't been easy these past couple of years, but we have to work together on this; We are the last ones in our coven. We need to keep things in order, like the use of our magic, which includes washing up, dirty laundry, and your late morning routines. Stop being lazy, get up and do it the normal way." Nathan lectured. "I just think it is best for us and easier to live our lives as much as all these people live, after losing our parents and Melinda..." I rolled my eyes and continued to stare outside of the window; watching the trees swaying by, children running to school with their parents rushing behind them. The joy of being a child; with no worries about getting a date at the school dance, dealing with exams, or controlling your powers so that you don't blow up your next-door neighbor dog. As a child, you at least get to be anything you want to be a 2 headed dog- done or walk on water- easy. We always have our imagination just changes when we get older.

"Mum and dad wouldn't want either of y..."

"Look, Nathan. Our parents are gone and they are not." I cleared my throat. "Coming back," I interrupted Nathan. "Can we just talk about this after school or later tonight, please? I just want to get this day over and done with."

"Fine later than. That includes you, Ben. I need you guys to come home straight after school. No ifs, no buts and for sure no coconuts." Nathan chuckled. Ben nodded at Nathan through the rear mirror. I closed my eyes and put my head back into position, earphones back in.

Nathan told us about our parents once we were older enough to understand everything. Our parents Edmund and Julie were attacked and killed. I was only six years old and Ben was just a toddler himself. I have trouble remembering anything about them; whenever I try to remember, all I see is blood, floods of it, dripping around me just like a waterfall. Sometimes I hear screaming and howling. For Ben, of course, he remembers nothing at all; he was only a toddler, so it is much more different for him than me, but something is different. Sometimes I have this feeling that he's not even real in some ways. As for my sister Melinda, she was the oldest sibling. Last year, she was found dead in the woods near to our home. Even now we still don't know what exactly happened. Her throat was ripped out and found a few feet from her body. This is probably the first time Nathan even said her name in the last six months before he locked himself away, talking to himself, being distant. His way of mourning, I guess, everyone got their way of dealing with things, but then one day he back to normal, stopped questioning everyone. Since then he has been working with the sheriff's department, day in day out. Working himself to the bone; most nights I stay awake just waiting for him to come home plus catching up with the latest shows too helps.

"Guys, we have arrived." Nathan pulls up the car outside of the big dread building we call the school. Only a year left at this place and it can all be so much different. Thinking of heading somewhere different, a place I can call my own, and more freedom I can imagine, plus not being moaned at for using magic to get the pizza grease out of my favorite top.

"Come on, Iris, you got your exam to do?" Nathan said as he turned to give a soft smile. I know I give him a hard time, but these past couple of years it just never gets easy, there's always something happening or being thrown at us. He will always protect us, what big brothers are for. Every time we have to change who we are, what we are, sometimes it feels like he is not proud of what we are.

"We're here already? I must have dozed off or something." I frantically replied. Nathan nods, open, given a half-smile. I reached down to grab my bag, shove in the iPod and earphones. I push the door open, followed, followed, open, gradually pulling myself out of the car, swinging my bag over my shoulder, shutting the car door behind me. Ben followed, slamming the door.

"Have a great day, guys. Good luck in your exams and for the love of god stay out of trouble!" Nathan shouted as he zooms off down the road. I turned to Ben.

"Let's just get this day over and done with. What do you say?" I asked Ben.

"You got that right. See you lunchtime, sis," Ben said as he walked off as joined his loudmouth friends. I rushed over the enormous doors, dodging past a group of jocks throwing around a football like monkeys throwing feces at zoo windows. Few things get them excited. I pushed open the door just minutes before the bell rings. I carry on dodging everyone through the corridor like Mario jumping over shells and goombas to get to the princess. I mean not as the same as doing the only exam of the day, but you get my point. Thank the gods it's only one. As I move swiftly past people, I notice additional posters being planted across the walls... more children being missing.

"It's the tenth one this month." I overheard someone say. This town gets crazier and crazier each day. Finally, I reached the wide-open door to my inevitable doom. The smell of fresh dry paint huts my nostrils. "Ah... mummy's home."