Grace

Nathan awoke that morning to the sound of a grumpy crow complaining on a branch on the old willow tree outside his window. He smiled, oblivious, but then, it hit him.
Today they came for him.
At first there was a panic, then a slow, numb feeling that set into his limbs, into his mind, into his heart, washing all over him and leaving a stale taste in his mouth. He sank back deeper into the sheets, pulling them over his head and trying to hide himself from the light of day, but the sun crept in, and his shelter was bathed in warm, glowing light.
He heard the flick of a switch, and quickly pulled the covers down.
"Wake up." she said sternly.
Lily stood over his bed with a bored expression on her face, her botoxed lips smothered in whore red lipstick and her eyes lined and surrounded by pink fake eyelashes. She looked almost tropical.
Nathan sat up in his bed and realised he was still in his clothes from yesterday, even his doc marten boots. He shrugged and swung his legs over to the side of the bed, and stood up.
Lily took a step back and looked him up and down.
"Tut tut you lazy piece of work." she said in a sarcastic tone.
Nathan smirked painfully and turned away, expecting her to leave as he reached under his bed and rummaged for a suitcase. He stopped after a while and realised she was still standing behind him. He emerged and turned his head to raise an eyebrow at her.
The look in her eyes was strange.
She said in an almost choked voice "I'm really gonna miss you kid."
Nathan laughed. "You've gotta be kidding me Lily."
Her expression remained unchanged.
He scowled. "Piss off." Nathan growled.
She looked almost hurt as she slowly turned away and quietly closed the door behind her. Nathan sniggered and returned to his packing.
He unzipped the suitcase and almost gagged at the smell that escaped. A rotting sandwich probably from his year 8 camp was inside, along with all of his old clothes, that also smelled just as bad.
He picked up the sandwich, which was thankfully in a container, and chucked the whole thing in his bin. All he did was spray some of his deodorant in the air to cover up the scent, and then some on himself (saves one from having a shower) and grabbed all the things he thought he might need for Smithville.
A few old shirts, two pairs of jeans with holes in the knees, a ratty pair of well-loved converse, and a few other bits and pieces, including his photo of him with Victoria and Tyler.
There he paused, remembering. He had only started dating Victoria this year, and though it started pretty hot and heavy, she was really looking for love now, love that Nathan couldnít give her. Nathan loved her body, not her. And that was perfectly natural to him.
Tyler hadnít been hanging out with him for long now. He was a bit of a wannabe, a sidekick. Helped him pickpocket and steal and all that. He helped Nathan steal the car, and bought him a new gun after he found out about the court case with the loaded weapon, and how Nathan had it confiscated off him.
Nathan sniggered at the memory. That kid would do anything he asked him to. Poor fool.
Nathan shoved the photo into the suitcase and zipped it up, lifting up the whole thing, which was still very light, and opening his door.
He pushed it mercilessly down the stairs, muttering an 'oops' as it landed with a massive crack. Oh well.
His father stood at the bottom of the stairs with a lit cigarette in his mouth, shooting Nathan a disapproving look before bending over to pick up the suitcase.
"Nah, I'll get it." Nathan said, rushing down to take it from him. His father nodded at him but remained silent. There was an awkward pause.
"Well, g'bye Dad." he mumbled, and pulled him into a manly hug, before quickly pulling back and patting his shoulder, and nodding a few times, unsure of what to do. There were shadows of tears in his fatherís eyes, threatening to break into reality, but Nathan gave him a reassuring grin, and his father smiled back reluctantly.
Nathan walked down the corridor, past the chandelier, past the Persian rug, past the portrait of the old family, and out into the world.
He blinked a few times, even though the day wasnít all that bright. It was a sulky English morning, gray clouds blocking out the sun and acting as heaven's shield from the wretchedness of earth, the ground damp and soggy and yet the sky hurt his eyes.
Today was going to be interesting.
Neither Lily or Dad came out to wish him farewell, and he accepted that with slight regret. He would miss his father, even Lily, or maybe he would miss hating her.
Nathan dragged his suitcase in the mud, splashing in small puddles and messing things up.
At the end of the long driveway was a black gate, and before he opened it, he turned back one last time and looked at his home, the mansion of it.
It was a Victorian style house, with magnificent windows and baby blue walls that made you think of home. The lawn was neat and the flowers potted and pruned back, roses just coming to the height of their bloom in the early summer.
Nathan turned back for what he had a feeling was the last time, and opened the gate.
Outside were two officers that were standing on the sidewalk, their uniforms clean and pressed, a bright contrast to his attire, and behind them was a rusty old bus, with the words 'Smithville Juvenile' painted and fading on the side. Already he was becoming more and more anxious and afraid, and Nathan wasn't meant to be scared of anything.
He nodded politely to the officers, who stared back with cold, empty eyes, and the bus doors opened with an unattractive creak, the police officers clambering in behind him as the doors slammed shut.
The bus driver stared bleakly at the road and his eyes followed raindrops on his windshield from earlier rain. The bus was completely empty, and behind the bus driver was, get this, bullet proof glass with scratches and dents all over it.
Even with so much room, Nathan wasn't sure where to sit, wondering if he was the only one for today, or if there were many more to come. And as the bus started to speed off with a groan and a shrudder, Nathan waited for the excitement of adventure to save him, or, if not, the cold feeling of dread sinking in.
But he was granted neither, only the numbness of walking down another one way street.