Revenge of the Rogue Angel.

Chapter 1- A new beginning.

Chapter 1-A new beginning.

The weather had turned, totally unexpectedly as the evening crept in. It was lucky that Christian and his older brother Ethan made it home from their after-school clubs before the frost set in hard.

Even feeding the animals outside in their hutches had required hats, scarves and gloves!

Where this weather had come from early in October was anybodies guess--there was no warning from the Met Office and weathermen all over the Country were stumped! Why, in this small corner of the South West of England had it frozen so quickly and so thickly?

Christian and Ethan jostled each other for the fire space, with Ethan always getting the upperhand, due to his two year age difference alongside his addiction to bench-pressing four or five times after school.

Finally Christian, at only twelve years of age realised he was never going to win the fight, and with a flash of brilliance decided to put the evening meal on, basking in the heat emanating from the oven.

Christian Sawyer was a small, yet gangly lad ; teetering on the edge of manhood, yet still so far away from there in his eyes.

It was tough to say the least at the bottom of the ladder, both at school and home.

Ethan was top of everything-a straight A student, excelling at every sport he tried and 'Mummy's perfect angel' at home, although the reality was very far from her ideal!

Nothing that Christian could do would ever match up to the 'oh so high' standard set by his fourteen year old brother and as such, ended up being a bit of a loner at school-- the typical scenario where the nerds don't want you 'cos you aren't clever enough, the jocks, well that one kind of speaks for itself and as his brother was considered some kind of god at school, Christian really didn't have a cliquè to fit in to. Consequently, he tended to just sit and draw at recess and lunch, with the occassional person talking to him if they had been ousted from their group, only to return to ignoring him when they were forgiven!

The jocks did what they wanted to him and this ranged from physical violence to signs on the back, to toilet dunking--the usual type of immature behaviour. It was pointless reacting or reporting the bullying because, after all, how could such an all-round god as Ethan Sawyer be responsible for such behaviour as he was such a sweet boy-- if only they knew!

Christian replayed todays events in his head; apart from two kicks and ink in his rucksack, he actually got away quite lightly today. Maybe, just maybe they were getting bored of picking on him now. His thirteenth birthday was tomorrow and he would be one of the oldest in Year 8 then- maybe he could start acting like it, although where he was supposed to develop attitude from overnight was anyones guess!

With a sigh, he resigned himself to his underdog status and set the table for tea.

Even the family dog, Rufus, preferred Ethan, yet Christian was the one to feed and walk him!

With that thought, Rufus barked, signalling the arrival home of his Father.

"Evening boys, it has got hellishly cold out there-- I am glad you got home okay."

Christian smiled in acknowledgement of the kind gesture, but Ethan being his usual cocky self just looked as if a piece of dirt had walked in and ignored him--definitely his Mothers son!

James Sawyer was a gentle, humble and unremarkable character, yet his docile manner made him perfect for his job at the animal shelter. He seemed to have a way with animals; not so much with people, apart from his youngest son who he related to greatly.

Given Ethans' personality and arrogance, he was able to walk all over his Dad and James did little to rectify this- anything for a quiet life and especially anything to keep his wife, Patricia onside.