One

Tick tock, tick tock. Tick tock, tick tock…

One night in November, Jack was asleep at his desk, face down in some take-away BBQ chicken and veggies. He’d picked it up after studying till almost 9pm at the local library, and then he kept going when he got home. Well at least he’d eatensomething. His parents often found him slumped over his school books after they’d returned home late from work too, his messy brown hair draped over his unremarkable hazel eyes. They cared about him, but were equally busy and distracted by their own lives.

Jack was a studious, self-absorbed 16-year-old, who cared about nothing other than getting ahead at school, and getting the best results. He had aspirations for a career in business, accounting, or maybe even law perhaps, so late nights and little sleep were a good start to any corporate career. Once a popular student, Jack had been close to his family but he had no time for games now, no time for friends, and definitely no time for his younger sister Mia.

That same night in November, Mia was curled up downstairs on the old chesterfield couch in the living room. Her brother had promised to help her with some maths homework, but it was close to midnight now and she’d started to watch an inappropriate late night TV show instead. No one was there to stop her, why shouldn’t she do as she pleased? Her parents were still out – they were always out – and she could hear Jack snoring upstairs. She wasn’t worried about him, she was mad. He’d promised to help her, he’d promised to help her many times, but there was always something more important…

Tick tock, tick tock. Tick tock, tick tock…

When the clock eventually clicked over past 12, Mia got off the couch and changed int