He was running. Out of the villa, down the terrace steps, past the pool, onto the beach and into the depths of the jungle. He did not stop. He did not dare to look behind him. He just ran. He could hear footsteps behind him as he dodged through the trees and vines; they were close.

"they are coming for you Alan.."

"No! stop it! Get out of my head!" Alan screamed as he ran further and further from his home.

"they don't love you, they want to hurt you…"

"No they don't, they care for me!" he tried to reassure himself.

"Why don't you turn around and prove it..."

Alan resisted the urge to turn around and confront his tormenters.

"What have you done to them? Let them go!" Alan's mind was swimming as he jumped over roots. Why were they after him? What did he do wrong?

"They hate you Alan. You should have died in that avalanche, not your mother. They blame you.."

"Stop—it. Stop it—please." Alan was crying now, tears streaming down his ashen face. He was finding it hard to breathe; he was choking on the lump in the back of his throat. He swallowed hard to remove it but it did not move. He started coughing, he was dizzy and disorientated. He lost his footing and fell… and fell… and fell…and all went dark.

"Open your eyes Alan. They are here. They want to see you open your eyes Alan..."

Alan fluttered his eyelids slightly. He tried to stop himself from seeing what he saw next, but his blue eyes were forced open. As he lay on the ground he took in his surroundings. He had fallen down a slope that led to a stream and he had landed just at the edge of the water on his stomach. On any other occasion, Alan would have loved his surroundings at this moment. He groaned as he rolled over onto his back and froze.

"See, Alan? They are here. I told you so. Did you really think that you could outrun them?..."

He looked up at the five faces that were glaring down at him. Anger and hatred filled their eyes. The lump in Alan's throat reappeared as he five bodies descended on him. Alan tried to scream but no sound came out. He tried to yell for his family but then it hit him… These five people who were trying to hurt him, these five tormenters were his family.

The faces became clearer and he saw John, his second oldest brother with a sneer on him face as he lent down to Alan's level. Virgil, his third oldest brother, a look of triumph on his face and he simply stood and watched Alan cry. Gordon, his fourth oldest brother, his red hair like a flame as he too descended on Alan with a look of pure evil. Alan cried out as someone restrained his flailing arms behind his back. He turned to see his father, angry like never before holding him down to the ground. He closed his eyes. "This can't be happening!"

"Oh, but Alan it is. They hate you, look at them. They are trying to hurt you. Even your own father!"

"No!" Alan yelled out as all went dark and pain shot through his now limp body.