H for Hartley [EDITING, not updating until present chapters are re-written]

Chapter 1 - The Hand Reading

This story begins with a bell.

Well, technically it is a fake bell, but a bell no less.

I tried to open my sleep infested eyes as I heard it on that Monday morning, blinking a few times to try and get used to my surroundings.The light was beginning to stream into the darkness through my window, and the room became brighter as the clouds moved away from the sun.

BRING, BRING, BRING

I quickly slammed my hand onto the annoying, repetitive alarm clock my from under my covers, silencing itself and making me groan. I sighed full of tiredness and pleaded with myself to go back to sleep as I placed my hand on my forehead to feel my messy dark hair. My waves were tangled over my face and around my neck and shoulders, intwined in unhealthy tight knots. I was positive that it was going to be a bad hair day, and on the first day back of all times!

Today I was going back to school after the summer break. It was back to the teachers and homework. . . The long painful hours and the annoying classmates. . . It was going to be fantastic. Although for some strange reason, today felt different than any other.

I felt something. . . Bad was going to happen today.

It wasn't just pre-school jitters, it felt more like a vision. . . Or a destiny. I've never felt anything like it in my life, nor have I ever felt so sure. It was like something was in line for me to do. . . And that it was my job to furfil it. But it had an evil sense about it, something that was unnatural and ungodly.The most fustrating part was that I didn't even know what that 'something' was. Maybe. . . Maybe it was because of my dream?

I had the strangest fantasy last night. I can't remember most of it, but some parts were incredibly vivid. Like. . . The eyes. There was a pair of hazel eyes, staring at me while they were surrounded by darkness. I couldn't even see the person's face, just those breathtaking bright eyes. I knew I was dreaming at that point because no one could ever have such hypnotising iris's like that. . . It was just fictional but I almost. . . Hoped that they were real.

I forced my head to look to my left, and saw the time at 7.00am. I liked getting an education, but why did I have to wake up so early? Please. . . Maybe just another minute. . .

I closed my eyes for a brief second, but quickly flung them open again. No, will power I told myself. I knew a minute would turn into five, then thirty, then a hour. . . And I didn't want to be late on the first day back to school no matter how tired/lazy I was.

I slowly pulled the covers off of me, feeling the horrible morning coldness attack my bear skin and dragged my body away from the silk, warm, comfortable mattress.

As I walked to the sink in the bathroom, I nearly stumbled with dizziness but quickly put my hands around the rim of the bowl to catch myself. I almost jumped out of my skin as I felt the bitterness from the cold titles, slither into my size six feet.

I narrowed my eyes as I gained my balance again, adding more irritation to my already, confusing morning. As I began to brush my teeth and feel the soft bristles scrub my canines, I realised that my aunt could probably help me with my mysterious feeling.

She is kind of psychic. Well, she reads your hands and tells you your future. She only considers it as a hobby, but I wonder sometimes if she is ever predicting the truth. I once heard that a young girl came to my aunt to ask about her future with a boy she had an affection towards, and my aunt replied that they would become married and live a long, happy life.

Bonkers, right? Well, the very same girl became the boy's wife after they finished high school, and lived together for fifty years. I don't see that as a conicidence or an answer based on luck. My aunt definitely has something like a sixth sense or a talent, and luckily I was curious enough to ask her about it.