Our journey started off in San Francisco but we weren't there for long as we drove, suddenly the scenery changed and we were driving down a road facing a sandy beach.

'Spain' Alice said enthusiastically; I was really happy that she jumped with us. It felt weird when she jumped with us without me holding her hand. I smiled at her and stretched out my hand behind me and held hers.

Our moment in Spain didn't last; suddenly we were in France, under the Eiffel tower. I remember coming here with my French class and standing at the top, Alice and I weren't dating then but I knew I loved her at that moment. I remember exactly what she was wearing, it was a red dress and a black leather jacket and in the sun she looked perfect. She later told me that she noticed me staring and that I was apparently I looked dazed; she thought I was sick.

My memory was stopped by the speed of the car, I let go of Alice's hand and turned around. Maybe Griffin did win a street race and it was then that I realised where we were; I had seen it in a fast and furious movie. We were in Tokyo, I felt like I was in the movie moving at a million miles per hour on nitrous oxide. Then I realised Griffin's trick; he was jumping 10 feet forward dodging cars and stepping down on the pedal.

Griffin then drifted around the corner and we were in Times Square, New York. I have never been here before but I have seen it in thousands of films and it looked better than I expected. It was lit up and beautiful; I suddenly felt so small in the world, I'd never seen anything lit up like this. Then I looked behind me and was proved wrong as Alice's face lit up and the lights around us shone on her face. Her short brown hair lit up with purple lights and her cheeks blushed. Everything around me became insignificant compared to her in that moment and then she smiled at my face.

'Just like France' Alice said while smiling. I blushed back and smiled.

'Can you guys stop being so lovey-dovey' Griffin grimaced.

'Are we there yet?' I said in a childish manner. Alice and Griffin laughed, they understood the reference.

'Almost' Griffin said. Then the car landed near a mountain, compared the weather we had been experiencing it was relatively cold.

Alice and I looked to Griffin, wondering where on earth we were and why he didn't choose a warmer place to end the journey.

'W-W-Where are we?' I stuttered due to the cold.

'Scotland of course, I decided to settle here, it's remote, quiet' Griffin sighed.

As a reaction to the temperature I reached out for Alice and held her to keep her warm; this protective action was second nature to me. In a split second, Griffin jumped away. My first thought was how could he just leave us here but my second was to walk into the wind he left behind. I didn't realise this was what was on the other end of the jump and as I walked into it with Alice we had jumped too. Then I found myself staring at Griffin inside this room, it didn't look familiar but it was warmer inside.

'Well, I was going to clean first but seeing as you followed me-' he stopped to glare at me for a second and then continued, 'there is no point.'

I could hear Alice laughing behind me, she always laughs when she sees a mess as if she is saying 'typical boy' in her head.

'Sorry, but I didn't know I could follow you' I mumbled.

'You're one of the very few than can' Griffin mused.

'How exactly did I follow you?' I questioned.

'Through my jump scar' his voice hinted there was a 'duh' at the end of that sentence.

'I'm going to pretend I know what that is…' I rolled my eyes.

He sighed and then explained, 'We jump, yes? Well the wind and energy we leave behind is called a jump scar and if you have the power to jump then this energy is enough to take you wherever the previous jumper went.'

'Ohh cool, so only jumpers can do it?' My voice was excited by the new knowledge I'd acquired.

'Yes but paladins use electricity machines to strengthen the jump scar to create a wormhole so that they too can follow us' he shuddered at the end of the sentence.

'Why do these paladins attack us?' I asked frustrated.

'Because we are jumpers and they don't believe we are allowed to have the power we do' he supressed all through his reply.

'Jealous much' Alice laughed.

I decided to get comfortable in the sofa in Griffin's house but his house didn't look like much of a house. It looked like it was made of wood like a hut. There was a kitchen area which only had an oven and stove, and then there was the living room area where I was sitting. It had a TV hooked with games, an old sofa and a table with a plate of half eaten food on it. The rest of the house was decorated with clothes and glittered with food. As I assessed the room, I noticed that there wasn't a bed or stairs leading to an upstairs. So I assumed he slept on the sofa, I shifted up for him so sit down but there was someone stopping me.

It was poor Alice, she was silently sleeping next to me; after the adventure we had been on I bet she's tired. When she slept her face smoothed out, expressionless but cute. It was times like these when she resembled a baby or a pixie; if I ever told her that she would roll her eyes I bet.

'Aren't you a tired too?' Griffin whispered.

'Not really' I lied trying not to yawn. He just smiled in response.

'So, what's your story Griffin?' I tried to sound casual but he was mysterious and I wanted to get to know him.

He laughed at my questioned and said 'what do you want to know?'

'I dunno' chagrin rushed to my cheeks and I blushed.

'Tell me your story and from what you tell me, I will answer my story' Griffin smiled.

'Erm, I live with my uncle and Alice' I looked to her and smiled 'she is my next door neighbour. We've been friends ever since I was five. That was when I moved to live with my uncle; I used to live with my mum but then erm well I don't know what happened.' My face dropped as I said, 'maybe she couldn't cope having me. I didn't know her well but I remember her face. I dream about her sometimes, I remember the day she left me well. She looked scared but I guess I'll never know why.'

Griffin's face was thoughtful and he seemed interested in what I was saying so I continued.

'I first jumped when I was 12' I am now getting use to the term jumped instead of teleported which I have used ever since I knew I could do it 'it was really funny I was on my way to the supermarket and a lorry came at Alice, my uncle and me. I thought I was a goner but then I jumped outside onto the car in front before the lorry hit the car. Then I jumped back down near the car, it happened really quickly only Alice saw it happen. After that day Alice and I turned my jumping into a hobby of ours and we started discovering things about it, together. It was sort of our thing, y'know?' Before that moment his face was calm and thoughtful but as I looked at his face now his expression was tense and I suddenly understood. His house has been oozing this truth but I didn't pick up on it. He is alone. That's why it hurt him to hear about how I wasn't and to see how I am not. Alice never leaves my side but his side is always empty.

I was suddenly too interested to carry on with my story so I asked his what his was, 'So, Griffin what's your story?' His tense face relaxed again and then it looked pained. I could tell his story was going to be a painful one to tell.

'I jumped first when I was five, it was very public and so I had to move San Diego. My parents were later killed by paladins when I was about nine. Then I was taken in by Consuelo, his niece Alejandra and friend Sam. Then to avoid anything happening to them like my parents, I built a lair in San Diego. It was much better than this dump, it was secret and cosy but it was exposed to the paladins and staying there was no longer safe so I made this place. I couldn't be bothered to make this home feel like my lair because that was more home than this place. Anyway, I tried to carry on with my life; went to karate classes and ran with the law. Soon enough one of the paladins, Kemp caught up with Consuelo and Sam.' He was quiet for a couple of seconds and carried on, 'they were killed and I couldn't save them. I told Alejandra and made sure she was safe so she didn't suffer the same fate.'

With his words my eyes began to blur but I quickly wiped by eyes before Griffin could notice as he was staring at the ground. I was just thankful in that moment that, that hadn't happened to me. I was protected from living a life of pain like Griffin did, I am lucky that I haven't had an encounter with the paladins until I saw that couple. That memory was distant, even though it hadn't been more than a month. But it felt like an eternity had past. Griffin continued with his story, when he looked up I could tell I wasn't the only one melancholy.

'Then I met Elaine Vera but I just call her EV.' His face twisted with pain when he said her name. 'EV and I became very close and at 16 we started going out, I loved her so much.' His voice broke at the word love then his face screwed up and turned sinister. 'Of course the paladins got to her family they killed her father and kidnapped her mother and brother. I saved her mother and brother but I couldn't save her father. She was very angry and we decided it would be best if we didn't see each other anymore. Then I realised it all came back to the paladins and I had my revenge. That was when I joined the war.'

I opened my mouth but now words came out, his story was definitely more detailed than mine. So much has happened in his life and he seems scarred by it. I put my hand on his shoulder and said calmly, 'I'm really sorry, man.'

'It's okay, it's not your fault' he replied.

'Why do the paladins come after your family and friends?' I mumbled.

'They hurt everyone around you, no one is safe unless they are with you all the time' Griffin's voice was low and tense.

I couldn't reply, I just looked to Alice and held her in my arms and tears rolled down my cheek.

'What about your uncle?' Griffin wondered.

Shock struck me like lightening as I realised my uncle was home and unprotected. Griffin understood my face and said, 'Go, check on him. I will stay with Alice, I promise.'

I trusted Griffin's promise and I stood up and jumped to my room, at home. My room felt cold and strange. I was instantly scared. Something was wrong. Something was really wrong.