Chapter 1

I remember it like it was just yesterday, mainly because I've since used Magic to really enhance my memory but that's not relevant, the point is the memory is crystal clear and I'm going to tell you all about how an ordinary day turned extraordinary.

When the day began I didn't think that it would be anything too special. I'd been back at school for three weeks and I was already back into the depressingly normal routine.

My birthday the week before hadn't been very interesting. In fact it was more awkward than anything and only outlined how badly my family knew me. Sure Cass knew I was pretty smart and Brent knew that I was interested in girls after I'd asked him for advice but there was nothing else which we really had as common ground, which is particularly awkward on a day when everyone seems to pay attention to you.

I never really understood the fuss. Granted the presents were always nice but what purpose did the celebration really serve? Congratulations on surviving another year! Like it's a great accomplishment? Pahh!

Anyway like I said, I had no expectations for anything besides the usual monotonous grind that day. For the most part I was right, school was the usual drag broken up only by the chance to chat with the gang and sneak a quick kiss from Em at lunch.

But as I arrived home that afternoon everything would begin to change...

I had my headphones in as I was walking up my road toward my house. I'd stuck around for a while after school with Em and waited while she was picked up before I walked home on my own. Despite her repeated protests about my doing this, it didn't bother me much. I liked bobbing along with my headphones in every now and then. Kind of therapeutic you know?

I was completely oblivious to all else as I bobbed along to some Red Hot Chilli Peppers, I was listening to Dani California and I was trying very hard to not start miming playing the drums or bass. Something about the Chillis always made me want to groove, you know? It filled me up with energy or something. It's hard to explain. But I bobbed along oblivious to all until a felt a tap on my arm.

I promptly jumped about a foot in the air a let out a very manly noise that definitely didn't make me blush. Malcolm, our streets postman, for that was who had interrupted me, just chuckled and smiled at me knowingly. I pulled my head phones out and tucked them into the collar of my shirt.

"You nearly scared the crap out of me there" I said trying to make light of the event.

He laughed good naturedly and reached into his post bag and pulled out a package about the size of an A4 pad but thicker.

"Got this for you, figured I'd be lazy and save myself the walk." He joked as he looked through his bag and pulled out a couple of letters and handed me them too.

"Need me to sign anything for this?" I asked as he handed me the package and the letters.

"Nope" He replied cheerfully. "Have a nice day lad." He said as he wandered off again.

I mumbled some kind of affirmative response as I headed up the garden path pulling my keys out of my pocket. I managed to get the door open and as I came into the house I noticed it was quiet and realised that I was the first of my sibling's home and dad was obviously still at work while mum must still be asleep. Her working nights meant that she'd sleep until about six when she'd get up and we'd help make dinner before she'd leave.

I went through the living room into the kitchen and looked at the letters. One was addressed to 'The Occupier' the other two for 'David Walker' so I dumped them on the table and looked at the package.

It was a simple cardboard box, which on closer inspection was actually larger than a sheet of A4 paper and at four inches thick much heavier. There was a stuck on label which had clearly been printed off some kind of computer as the type was perfectly spaced and neat. I found this odd. The package itself looked mundane yet someone had gone to the trouble of printing off an address label instead of just hand writing it. But why?

As I checked to see who the package was for I noted something odd. The label simply said;

The Odd One Out.

Walker Family.

This raised a couple of questions in my mind. A) If there was no address how did this package find us? Walker is a very common name after all. And B) Who was sending me a package?

That I was the odd one out wasn't even in question. My family are all tall, athletic, redheaded and have green eyes. I'm the complete opposite. I'm of average height, Coal black hair and icy blue eyes. Yet for some reason for reasons I've never been able to discern I'm the only one who has ever doubted that I'm my dad's son. Odd huh?