Home

Everyone needs a place to call home. Our home is where our life is and it should be filled with the people we love, our friends and family. Home should make us feel warm and safe, like nothing in the world can harm us while we are in our home. It is our beacon, our safe haven that we know is always there for us at the end of the day. A home is abundant with memories, family dinners full of fun and laughter, rainy days inside playing games and staying in pyjamas all day. Everyone needs a place to call home.

So why do I never want to go?

"Indy! What are you doing out her? It's freezing!" I hear a concerned voice across the road that snaps me out of my train of thought. Mrs Monstrone was looking at me with a baffled look on her face. She was always very kind and looking out for me. "I'm ok Mrs Monstrone. I was just getting some air." I project back to her, over the sound of the wind roaring past us like it's a never-ending truck trying to pass.

Mrs Monstrone has a big family, including 5 beautiful kids, three boys and two girls, her parents, who live above them and her and her husband. She has so many people to look after, I feel bad that she is worrying about one more.

"It's getting dark, would you like to come in for some dinner?" I am so hungry and there is no doubt in my mind that there will be absolutely nothing for me to eat at home but another mouth to feed means the more work she has to do and the longer her family waits to sit down and eat together.

So, I lie.

"Oh, no that's quite alright. I'm not that hungry and my mother will probably have some food waiting for me at home, but thank you so much for offering." Her face turns from happy and inviting to sad and distressed. I turn and start to walk up my street but I feel my stomach drop inside of me. My eyes start to go blurry and I feel a tear drop run down my cheek. I see a figure in the corner of my eye and I quickly realise it's my friend Caroline. She must have noticed me looking upset because her eyes are staring at me and her face is pale, like the life has been drawn out of her. It looks like she has seen a ghost.

I don't think she's ever seen me cry. I never show my down days. I always try to put on a smile, no matter how awful I feel inside.

She runs up to me and throws her arms around my shoulders, pulling me in tight. At first, I'm rigid and tense but her hug makes me release and melt into her arms. We stay like this for a moment and I feel her tighten her grip before she lets me go. I give her a half smile with my eyes looking straight into hers, thanking her for being such a good friend to me.

All of a sudden, I feel a cold shiver run down my back so I pull my coat closer towards me. The peaceful silence of the night fills my ears, I walk up the stairs to my front door and the silence is broken with a scream as soon as I turn the doorknob. My whole body starts to shake and I walk inside with my head down. No, please no... I try to run straight to my room but it's too late, he's found me.