1 Jane

I rushed along the rough cobbled streets as my feet started to ache. I strained to catch my breath while moving to the rhythm of my feet. Here it was gloomy and unpleasant and nowhere to go; only following the directions of the tight buildings looming over me like a forest of stone. I didn't know why I was running' I didn't know where I was running. I only knew I couldn't stop running.

I heard deep footsteps behind me, getting louder and louder per second. I didn't stop running but I wanted to know who or what was following behind.

I didn't want to look back, but my neck betrayed me. I squinted my eyes and just made out a figure, holding something sharp, running after me.

"Who are you?" I yelled at it.

No reply.

"Who are you?!" I called out again and hoped it would reply.

Yet no sound was made. At this point I was terrified and getting irritated.

"Who are you? Goddammit, answer me!"

As soon as my feet stopped moving, tires screeched and horns beeped then everything went black.

"Hello?" I spoke to the shadows ahead of me.

"What do you want?" I cried into the darkness.

This time it did reply.

"We both know what I want, Jane."

He walked out of the shadows. Liam. He had a jet black, mohawk and sharp grey eyes. He had pale skin and a scar going across his left eye. A nasty grin displayed across his face as he walked closer and closer.

"No! Go away, stay away from me. Leave me alone!" I screamed.

Tears were streaming down my face as I looked left and right for an exit. We were locked in an empty room without any windows or door. I shut my eyes and hoped I was dreaming, and then slowly opened them just to find myself backed up in a corner and tied to a chair with a ticking time bomb under it. My hands and legs were tied and my mouth was stuffed with a greasy cloth so I couldn't make a sound. I groaned trying to twist my way out of the restrains. Liam chuckled to himself, which made me look up at him in confusion to what was funny.

He towered over me and gave me the nastiest grin then crouched and tilted my chin up, so my eyes were locked to his grey lifeless ones.

"The thing is Jane," he started as he released my chin and stood up, walking away, "I have loved every single day of my life since when we were together..." he turned to look at me, "...and now that's over"

He grabbed the greasy cloth and yanked it out of my mouth then launched it to the other side of the room.

"Well you can't blame me now can you? You always came back home late, drunk with another girl in your arms! Every. Single. Night! What was I supposed to think of you? I raised my voice while angry tears clouded my eyes.

"Give me another chance" he insisted while keeping his eyes locked onto mine.

"No, never. Let me go!" I struggled to free myself and he chuckled again, this time it was forced.

"Sorry Jane, but if I can't have you..." he leaned in closer and whispered into my ear "...then no one can..." Just like that, he disappeared into the shadows and the timer started beeping.

"No! No! No!" I screamed

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP...

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP

I wake up to the sound of my alarm. I've had another one of my night-mares. Again. I sighed then hit the dismiss button on my phone as I rubbed the dry tears of my eyes and groaned while rolling out of bed.

I slumped to the bathroom and tidied myself up, then held up my hair in a messy bun. It was only nine thirty so I dressed up and decided to make chocolate chip pancakes for me and Alex.

Alex is my ten year old brother, and one thing I like about him is his obsession to my chocolate chip pancakes. I smiled to myself remembering what he said a few days ago with a smile and his arms raised right up,

"If i were to live in my own world, it would be a chocolate chip pancake world with a chocolate river!"

I chuckled at the thought while making the pancake batter and spreading it on the pan.

I flipped the pancakes and left them to fry while I make hot chocolate for him and tea for myself. I turn off the stove and set the table while humming a familiar tune my mum used to sing to me as a kid.

While I carelessly plonk the pancakes on my plate, I found myself eyeing the photo of me, Alex and Amanda.

Amanda is my twenty-two year old best friend. We live with each other and can't live without each other. She works as a bartender at a night club called Night Beats and I work as a waitress at a Cafe.

When I reached for the fridge I notice a note that I missed. It read,

'Emergency family meeting;

Won't be back late.

-Amanda

(PS. I left some milk for you)'

And a bunch of love hearts at the end.

I giggle and let the note slip out my fingers into the bin. After five minutes I hear thudding footsteps coming from upstairs.

"Well someone's awake," I mutter to myself. I hear the toilet flush and rushed steps coming down the stairs.

Alex dashed to the table, looked at me and grinned.

"I smell pancakes!" He practically jumps on me and hugs me tight with his tiny frame.

Alex is a good kid. He has golden brown curls and light green eyes just like me. We look alike apart from our skin color; he has slightly paler skin than me due to his condition.

Alex suffers from heart arrhythmia, a condition where your heart beats too slow or irregularly. I have been searching for many jobs so I can get enough money to pay for his cardio version a procedure that will restores his normal heart rate. A heart attack caused his condition which still remains and unanswered question, how did he get a heart attack? Memories of my family fill my head.

I shake my head to wipe the thoughts away as I hug Alex back,

"I knew you would wake up so I made pancakes!" I make my voice sound full of enthusiasm.

"Yay!"

He raced to one of the chairs and stuffs half a pancake in his mouth.

"Mmhhhhh, dats soo gud…" He muffles in between mouthfuls.

I sit next to him and munch on my pancakes, while listening to Alex hum the same familiar tune.