I lay on my bed, the room filled with a warm glow from the lit scented candles dotted around my room. I had my earphones in and was listening to kicking and screaming by all time low.

When I arrived home, Aunt Sally had been at the computer, looking at clothes to order as usual. I don't think she would've noticed I had entered the bungalow if I hadn't cleared my throat.

"Oh, you're home." She smiled.

"Yeah. You did text me." I pointed out while taking my boots off. Russell waited for me.

"Yeah I know. Why did you leave?"

I didn't feel like telling her about the boys chasing me. She would probably say they wanted to be my friends or something stupid. Yeah, like throwing rocks is showing a sign of wanting to be someone's friend.

"I just wanted to go for a walk."

Aunt Sally sighed and walked over to me. She was quite a lot taller than me, even when she's not wearing heels. She put her hands on my shoulders and smiled.

"I know you're sixteen, but you must tell me where you are or else I get worried."

I smiled now at the patronising voice she had used. Yeah as if she really cared. She only cared because my mom (her sister) would get pissed off if anything happened to me.

I could smell the pasta and the sauce she was making from the kitchen. How I hated staying with my Aunt in the summer, all because mom and dad wanted a holiday together after a long hard year of working. Sometimes I wondered whether my parents really cared about me.

"Don't worry honey," My mom had said to me. "When we come back we'll take you on holiday. You may even be able to miss some school."

She always said that and it never happened.

Russell lay next to me, his eyes closed. I smiled and stroked his ears. If he wasn't here, I would well and truly be alone.

I was about to change my song when I remembered the pictures I had taken of the mansion. I changed song and then went onto my pictures. I had taken two in total. The first one was of the hand, beautifully displayed. Someone must go up to the mansion and cut out patterns in bushes for a hobby, I decided while studying the beauty the photo displayed.

Then I flicked to the next one and admired the gothic nature of the mansion. It must be so old. Then I stopped and looked at the window. Well, it wasn't really a window anymore. More like an abandoned rectangular hole that had once been a window. I zoomed in to what was a window.

"No way," I said to myself.

In the window was a face. That's all I could see. The picture itself was blurry but I could just make out a pale face looking back at the camera. When I studied the picture more, I could see outlines of hair.

"No way." I said again.

Just then my bedroom door opened and my aunt stood in the doorway.

"Dinner's nearly served," I heard her say behind my now turned down music.

I nodded and she left. I took my ear phones out and continued looking at the photo. I knew what my plans were for tomorrow.