Chapter 1

It was a bleak January evening. Rooftops covered in snow, grass dusted with frost and ice on the stairs of the grand hall in Troon. Some fairy lights wrapped around lampposts lit up in the distance, twinkling onto the road as if crackling like thunder.

Jake zipped up his jacket and slipped on his hat, trembling with cold. The wind screeched as it blasted through the gaps in the apartments above. The town hall was quiet but not completely. Jake could hear the hustle and bustle from the checkpoint and TVs blaring in the distance most likely from Jake’s family’s flat.

He walked up to the checkpoint and waited patiently in the line. Peering over everyone’s heads in the distance he could see the gate close to the richer part of Troon. Where the fancy golf club is, all the massive mansions and top rated spa’s.

”Bring in the next one!” demanded the guard. Sighing loudly he held out a rather large hairy hand and Jake presented his passport. ”Where are you off to lad?” asked the guard, looking up at Jake.

”I’m doing some deliveries for my family’s business.” Jake replied, trying to smile through the awkwardness of the guard staring at him. The guard reluctantly nodded his head. Now Jake was in the home stretch. 

A few minutes later, Jake was on his way to make his deliveries looking around the town all the beautiful houses stood tall. Here the windows were clean, cars were shiny and the people chatted in a civilised way as if they were perfect. Jake wished he could live on this side of town, where he belonged instead of being called a foreigner. 

Taking a small path down Bentick Drive, Jack lowered his head trying not to attract any attention to how different he looked from everyone else. Always be aware of the people around. you his mother had told him.

He took a glare around his back only to see a strange man running at a rapid speed towards him. The man clench one fist and grabbed Jake with the other. His touch was like no other, it was cold and hard. He pulled him into an alleyway under the shadows.

”I’ll have that!” the man exclaimed, grabbing Jake’s parcels. There was silence. ”and any other valuable items you have!” Jake gave the man a hard hit with his fist and a bump with his foot, and ran off up the dark alleyway searching for any light but it was a brick wall, dead end. 

Jake started to run up a four way point at the alleyway which led to a bigger path. Jake didn’t sop running, he was afraid for the man to catch up. ”What is he going to do to me?” Jake said to himself. He was still running then he caught site of a smashed window, a couple of seconds later he had jumped through and his behind the window ledge. Jake could hear the man’s footsteps following, but they stopped and turned the other way.