Marcus sat in his little upstairs bedroom, his head resting on the misty glass, watching the torrential downpour outside. A thunderclap rattled the home, jarring Marcus out of his slumber and into consciousness. An exhilarating exhale accompanied his abrupt withdrawal from the window. "Marcus?" Taking his gaze away from the dismal landscape beyond his window, Marcus turned to look at his elder sister, Sophie, who stood at the entryway of the house. ""If you want to say goodbye to Mom and Dad before they go for work, that's OK."" Following his sister down the stairs, Marcus nodded and risked a short glimpse back at his sister through the open window. A coat had been slung over his shoulders, and his mother was applying lipstick at the front door. As she looked in the mirror, she saw Sophie and Marcus coming down from the reflection. She grinned. 'I haven't seen you since the early hours of the morning. ""Can you tell me what my little bee has been up to?"" Marcus thought her voice sounded phoney. It caused his insides to twitch.