Sam

I wake up in my cold, empty flat. I've lived here for forty-something years and it still doesn't feel like home.

True, it might feel a bit cosier if I actually put more furniture in it than a bed, a table, a fridge and an oven and hob.

But still, it would never truly feel like home unless I had Amelie by my side. I truly need her. My craving for her to be near me, to hold her and kiss her and just be with her, increases every day.

Why is she doing this to me? I thought when she changed me we would be together forever and we would be happy.

So why is she so determined to push me away?

My mobile phone rings and I flip it open to see who could be calling me and interrupting my thoughts.

Michael. My grandson. Well, that was unexpected.

"Hello Michael." I say carefully. For some reason, whenever that boy calls me or when I see him, it means trouble.

"Hey Sam." He never has called me grandfather, even when he was a little boy. "Um...am I interrupting anything?"

Always so to the point. Never time to chat about his life with his grandfather.

"No, can I help you in some way?"

"Er...yes, actually. It's pretty urgent."

Oh God. What's he done now?

"What's wrong?"

"Claire's gone. She's been locked in her room for the last few hours and we've just opened the door and she's not there. She's packed all her stuff up and climbed out the window, I think."

"Why was she in her room?"

"Er...Shane and her have had a fight or something and they're both pretty upset."

Bloody Shane. Claire really deserves better than that slacker but he's the only one she wants apparently.

"So you want me to look for her?" I conclude

"If it's not too much trouble, that'd be great. Because Eve's got to work and I can't go out in the sunlight at all." I can hear the disgust at his condition in his voice "No, wait. Crap. Neither can you!"

"I've got a car, Michael. And I can be out for a few seconds without burning, if it's absolutely necessary. So if you promise to stay in the car, no matter what happens, you can come too."

Michael's own car was destroyed in a fight or a riot or something like that. The amount of problems that boy gets himself into is incredible.

"Okay! Great! Can you come around my house to pick me up?"

"I'm on my way."

I hang up and put on three enormous coats to run out to my car. I take a deep breath and open the door before sprinting to the car, shutting the door with a gentle kick.

I'm inside the car, throwing the coats onto the back seat in less than four seconds.

Please Claire, don 't do anything stupid.