Chapter one

Five-year-old Shannon lay asleep in bed unaware of the things that lay ahead for her. Her sisters Hope and Chelsea where asleep on their beds at the other side of the room, too. Her brother Mathew was also sleeping soundly in his room beside theirs. Mum and Dad where in their room getting ready for bed themselves, talking about how the summer holidays had sped away! No one suspected anything. No one knew that the very next day would change their lives, indeed that very night, and especially the life of Shannon Paige Wilson . . .

 

They were an ordinary family, living in the ordinary country, in an ordinary cottage, in the ordinary County of Down in Northern Ireland. They were well known to all their neighbours, and especially the Closter family. They were a well-loved family, and yet no one was able to prepare them for what lay ahead for them.

 

As I have already said, the Nelsons lived in a big cottage in the country. It had an upstairs as well as a cellar below the kitchen. There were four rooms a big kitchen, a fair sized good room and a lovely garden. Their nearest neighbours where the Closter family, who were very friendly with them. Their son Patrick was a good friend to Mathew, even though Mathew was a few years older.

 

Shannon was in no way a spoiled child. No, neither was eight-year-old Hope or ten-year-old Mathew, but the one who was spoiled rotten was three-year-old Chelsea. Chelsea was not the type who yelled and shouted all the time because she did not get her way, no, because she did not have to because she always did get her own way. Hope and Shannon had to do everything that Chelsea wanted to do; they had to play the games that Chelsea wanted. Often times Hope and Shannon got together and complained about Chelsea, when she was having a nap.

 

Shannon was glad for school. She was glad it was starting back again tomorrow. In addition, that was not only to get away from Chelsea, for as it happened Chelsea would be going to school three days a week now. No, Shannon was looking forward to school because she would at last get to see her best friend, Rachel Brown. School was the only time she ever saw Rachel, because Rachel was not allowed to come over to Shannon’s because she would “leave out” Chelsea and Shannon was not allowed to go over to Rachel’s because Chelsea would have no one to play with. It was the same with Hope. Really and truly Shannon was not having a good start to her young life.

 

That day had been a Sunday. Shannon loved Sundays, and especially that Sunday because Sunday school had started again. She loved her Sunday school teacher, Miss Burns. She loved Sunday school but she really did not like Church, because she had to sit still, and listen to the minister, who talked about things that she did not understand, and he talked for so long. Nevertheless, she did love Sunday school. That day all the children who had returned to Sunday school again got a special book and a whole packet of sweets and come the end of the year she would have earned herself a Bible. However, because this was Chelsea’s first year at Sunday school, she did not get a packet of sweets, and off course, Shannon had to share her sweets with Chelsea. Mathew and Hope where in a different Sunday school class to Shannon and Chelsea, and Shannon wished with all her heart that she was in a different one than Chelsea, but then she would have to give up Miss Burns! But not even Miss Burns could prepare Shannon of what would happen the next day.

 

For Shannon these summer holidays had been the longest holidays ever, why at Christmas time she had thought the holidays would never end, but at last they were over. School will be starting again tomorrow, and boy was she glad. Probably she would get a whole sermon from her mother before they went to school the next morning, telling her to be extremely nice to Chelsea, and to play with her at the break times. Aw well, at least she will see Rachel again! Man, she couldn’t wait!

 

The best thing that Shannon had been her big brother, Mathew, she loved Mathew so much. They were the closest two in the family, even though there was a five-year difference between them. They enjoyed going outside and playing with the ball. Mathew would play all sorts of games with his little sister, and would never push her of when Patrick came up! In fact she loved it when Patrick came up, because Chelsea would be playing with Louisa and she would be able to play with the boys and they always would let her play with them and never get annoyed with her. She loved them both! Her favourite game was playing hid-and-seek with the ball, and she also loved football, and especially when she played with Mathew and Patrick �" girls against boys! Of course the boys would let Shannon win, but she always thought she had really won! The boys wouldn’t disappoint her and tell her that they had cheated! Hope was glad when the Closter family came up, which was often! When they did she was allowed to look after the baby! She loved playing with little Rachel, far better than playing outside with the ball. But she was quite happy when they were not up to because she loved to read!

 

Playing outside with Mathew and the ball was great fun until Chelsea awoke and demanded to play with them. They would have to let her have the ball, and then she would run around with the ball and not give it to anyone! Which I may say was quite natural for a three-year-old girl! Anyway Mathew and Shannon did not like it!

 

One day they had got themselves into a bit of trouble! They had been playing with the ball and now Chelsea was out and wanted to play too. But Mathew and Shannon ran away with the ball. At first Chelsea thought it was all a game so she ran around after them, but when they would not give her the ball she went crying to her mother. And that did it! Mrs Nelson came outside.

 

“Could you two please play with Chelsea? Give her the ball Mathew, she’s only little.” Scolded Mrs Nelson. Mathew gave his little sister the ball. “Thank you. And don’t let me see or hear you doing that again. It’s very selfish. Do you hear?”

 

“She’s selfish!” Pouted Shannon. “She always gets what she wants.”

 

“Shannon!” Shouted her mother, outraged. “You self-centred girl. Go to your room instantly!” Shannon stormed to her room.

 

But all that was then, behind her. She knew not what would be in front of her. Right now she was asleep, Hope and Chelsea where asleep; Bobby was asleep, Mr and Mrs Nelson where asleep. Their neighbours where all asleep. Everything was asleep and still outside, except the one man who was silently opening the window of the kitchen. No one heard him as he climbed into the kitchen and ascended the stairs noiselessly . . .     

Author's Note

Any help with titles would be great