7:52am

It happened for the fourth time.

I’m sitting at the kitchen table, a spoonful of cereal halfway to my mouth, milk dripping into the bowl, when everything freezes. Mums hands stop, poised over 3 half-packed school lunches. Louie and Tamara sitting beside me at the table are also frozen, mid-argument, a last bite of toast caught between Tamara’s small sticky fingers. I can even hear Dad’s electric toothbrush stop from the bathroom down the hall.

The house is silent. Still. The only movement comes from the dust particles as they float slowly through the golden sunlight streaming in through the window.

I carefully put my spoon down and look around. This has happened before. Three times. All within the last week, and there’s nothing I can do about it. The first time it happened for a minute, the second was about 10, the third was 30 minutes.

I sit there and wait, trying to calm myself. I glance over at Louie, his mouth open saying the word ‘stop’ as he stares with a frown at Tamara. It’s hard to believe he really can’t see me. That he will have no memory of this moment, it won’t exist for him - for any of them. I turn back to my cereal. I’m bored.

“-OP TAMARA”, and we’re back

“Louie stop shouting” mum says, continuing unbothered with the lunches.

“No but mum she-”

“Are you finished your breakfast?”

Louie sulks in his chair, Tamara smiles at him gleefully chewing on her toast.

“Finish your juice and then brush your teeth” mum says.

We all get out of the house on time that morning (making that the third morning in a row - approaching a record!)

School is school, but at least it's the last day of term 2! So the teachers are more relaxed, the tests are mostly finished and us year 12s get free food at lunch. Thankfully no more freezes. Me and Elena make sure we’re ready as soon as the bell rings. I’m going straight to her house to get ready for the party tonight. It’s Jason B’s party, and most of the year level is invited, except for like the weird quiet kids that noone talks to anyway, that’s what Elena said. Me and Elena spend the afternoon getting ready at her house. I put on the outfit that I had smushed at the bottom of my school bag all day, we brush our hair, draw careful eyeliner wings and take lots of photos. At 9:30pm we leave, the party started at 9 but Elena said we should at least wait until 10.

The party is so much fun and we get swept up in it as soon as we enter. There’s music blasting from a couple large speakers placed around the house, the fancy doors to the outdoor deck are pushed all the way open and there are people outside and inside, talking, dancing, laughing, drinking, moving, eating, smiling, everyone is having a good time. I let a big smile spread on my face and Elena pulls me through the crowd, an equally excited smile plastered on her face too. But thats when everything stops. Again. My heart drops.

Not now. Seriously?

Every single person in the room is frozen, there’s no talking, no laughing, the lights are still and even the music has stopped. Elena’s hand is still locked around my wrist and I can’t get it free. I guess I’m stuck here. For however long. Suddenly I see a little flicker of movement, from the corner of my eye. I whip my head around. Surely a trick of the light? But not a single light is moving, or flashing.

Then I see someone, someone else, who is moving. He has just come out of a doorway and is staring right at me. I haven’t seen him before, but he looks confused, I imagine I look confused too. I’m waiting for him to say something but he doesn't. He just turns, and walks back through the doorway. 

“Wait - please” I try to walk after him but Elena’s grip on my arm won’t budge. I can’t follow.

I hear movement from the room and he emerges again.

“Um…” Now that I have his attention I don’t know what to say. He starts moving towards me slowly and I don’t know if I should be relieved or scared. I decide on a wary middle ground. He stops walking when he is right in front of me. 

“What is your name?” he asks with unwavering eye contact,

“Vivi”

“Vivi” he pauses, “I represent her royal majesty Horatia, timekeeper of the overworld, and we have been searching for you. It’s time to return to your mother at the castle, and fulfil the prophecy”.

What the fuck.