prologue - The Test Of Time

England - 2017

"DIANA, HURRY UP YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE!"

I hear my mom's voice yell from the bottom of the stairs. I roll my eyes and quickly start grabbing stuff for school, before glancing at my reflection in the mirror as I rush past.

My long black hair has soft curls almost reaching down to the top of my jeans, I briefly imagine it short and inwardly shudder. I love how it makes me feel, like a security blanket around my small frame.

At only five foot two inches tall I am 'petite'. My father always calls me his 'petite fleur de lune'. I never minded when I was younger but coming up to my sixteenth birthday I'm still shorter than I had expected, given the height of my parents.

My blue eyes look back at me and I check my make-up one final time.. "yes, you can do this" I pep talk to myself.

I quickly scan the room, mentally making sure I have everything needed for my final exams. Finally leaving fucking secondary school, I am so excited to go to college after the summer and start my applications for university. One step closer to my dream of studying anthropology!

I race down the stairs to my mother who is in the kitchen. She's watering her bloody plants and talking to them like she birthed them! She's in her night gown as usual, not a care in the world. Fluffy slippers adorn her feet and she manages to look effortlessly beautiful.

The same dark hair is swept up into a messy bun and little pieces frame her face gracefully. Her dark brown eyes never once stray from her concentration on the plant in her hand.

I watch her momentarily, gently she wipes each leaf of a plant. A process I've watched her do throughout my life and now seems as normal to me as it does her.

"Okay I'm going now" I say walking over to kiss her cheek.

"Have you got everything?"

"Yes"

"Well good luck, not that you need it. And don't forget we're going out for dinner later to your favourite restaurant. The table is booked and dad should be home by then .... As long as his flight isn't delayed. I've also invited Bonnie since you two are practically joined at the hip" my mother says trailing off, getting a distant look in her eyes.

"Mom.... Mom are you ok?"

"Huh, oh, yes dear" she says shaking her head and looking down. "I think I have one of my migraines coming on"

"Well I've gotta go, hope you're better by the time I'm home. I'll see you later, love you!" I shout out as I head for the front door.

I walk the short distance to my school, popping on earphones along the way. "Cue my power playlist" I say to myself whilst thinking about the university I am desperate to get into, far away from the quiet, picturesque village I was brought up in.

I practically skip into the school hall. Nothing was going to kill my vibe. I had back to back exams all day but knowing how hard I'd worked my ass off, I'm more than ready to get this part of my life over with, I was practically humming with excitement!

I was two exams down when I start to get this horrible sick feeling in my stomach. I clutch my water bottle hoping it will pass if I take small sips. I take a few steady deep breaths hoping it will pass in a moment. It's just nerves I tell myself.

I feel a burn start to creep up from my stomach to my neck, making my face flush. I quickly glance around to see if there is anyone else suffering from the same intense, sudden heat in the room. Everyone is sat in silence, focused on their exam paper. With the exception of a few people who clearly haven't prepared, so aren't even trying.....Losers I thought to myself.

The burning sensation seems to pool in the back of my head and neck and I could feel a pressure forming at my temples. Fucking great! I thought... Trust me to come down with the world's fastest fucking superbug at a time like this!!

A thin sheen of sweat starts to form on my forehead and I can feel my heart racing in my chest.... What the actual fuck is wrong with me?

My hands feel hot and sweaty, I drop my pencil wiping my palms on my jeans. I suddenly feel hyper aware of everything and everyone around me, every pencil scratch against paper, every breath taken, all whilst my head is gently pulsating and the clock ticking on the wall suddenly seems too loud..... tick tick tick....

Picking up my pencil once again, I take a deep breath and try desperately to focus and finish this exam - like my life literally depends on this one! I just need to finish this one and I can crawl back home and die in bed. Fuck the other exam, this is the one that counts.

A buzzing sound catches my attention and I look up to see the teacher trying to discreetly leave the room to take a call. My stomach is rolling and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna hurl my guts up any second. I breathe deeply, both of my hands now gripping either side of the desk in front of me, the exam long forgotten. The pressure building in my head with each passing second.

Tick...tick...tick...

As if this couldn't get ANY FUCKING WORSE! I glance round the room looking for a bin - ANYTHING to hurl in. The sweat is beading on my forehead and I swallow hard trying to keep the nausea down. I know if I leave the hall without permission, I will forfeit the entire mark for this exam.

FUCK, FUCK, FUCK! I start to feel angry, rage like I've never felt before starts to replace the nausea and I grit my teeth glaring daggers at the teacher for taking so long. She's probably talking to her fucking boyfriend... Not very professional at all.... I am raging. I refuse to fuck up everything I've worked so hard for. I don't care if I projectile vomit over everybody in this fucking hall. I will not leave this room without a grade and OH MY GOD I'm going to rip that fucking clock of the wall!

Tick...tick...tick...

I watch her through the glass door, just hoping she will come back in so I can ask to be excused.... I see her face drop and she mouths the words "oh my god" .....her free hand raises to cover her mouth as if whatever she just heard was horrifying, her head looks up and instantly her eyes search the room before landing on me!

Tick............tick............................tick...............

Time suddenly seemed to slow down. All the noises that irritated me paled into the background and blurred around me. All I can feel is the heat in my head and all I can hear is my heartbeat, thumping in my ears and all I can see is her.

Walking towards me.

Her face is paler than I remember and her eyes are glassy. Her bottom lip is trembling slightly and she opens her mouth to speak but I can't focus or hear her words over my heartbeat thumping...

She gently reaches for my hand saying words I can't hear and tugs me in the direction of the door. I mindlessly follow her, being tugged along by her shaking hand. My arms and legs feel strange like they don't belong to my body but move regardless and I imagine myself looking like Bambi trying to walk on legs for the first time.

My mouth is dry and my stomach is churning like a washing machine on spin cycle. In my head I'm trying to piece some coherent thoughts together but it's scrambled and I can't decide if she's removed me from the room because I look as ill as I feel or.......

I can see other teachers waiting.....

I can see their pained faces and how they are looking at me.....

All the while they keep talking and I can't hear anything except my rapid breaths and heartbeat pounding in my ears. My head feels like someone shook a bottle of fizzy pop inside it and there's heat, so much heat I'm sure I'm sweating profusely. But my limbs feel so detached from my body I can't even lift my hand to my forehead to touch it.

They're looking at me....

The headteacher behind his desk, me sat in front. The teacher from the hall next to me holding my hand which may as well belong to some else. Two teachers by the door standing ....

And they're still looking at me....

The head teacher said something, he must have because he's waiting for a response.....

They're all waiting....

Then suddenly I hear it and the teacher holding my hand jumps back in fright letting go.

A scream, a scream so loud it sounded like it was coming from inside this room. I scan the room to see where it's coming from.

They're all looking at me......

The teachers all swarm towards me and I try to speak but realise the scream is coming from me.

I try to stand up but fall to my knees and see sweat falling onto the floor and my hands.... No, not sweat .... Tears.

It's me who's screaming and I don't know why I can't stop. My heart beats louder in my ears. I gasp in air to try to stop myself and gag, vomiting all over the floor.

I crumble into a ball feeling completely detached from my body, my mind clinging on barely. I blink as darkness starts to take over and I vaguely feel a tugging from somewhere.

I let the darkness take over and float away and the spoken words drift around me like smoke in the black void of my mind.

I'm so sorry, your father has passed away....

We're going to take you home to your mother....

Somebody get doctor Thorne....