Becoming The Part - Chapter One

Inside the home of number 24, Riding Road, London, there lives the Millers: a family of four who have always lived what you’d call a normal life. They are like any other family; if you saw them taking a drive or walking down the street, you would just see them as any normal loving family.

Robyn, a twenty-year-old girl dressed in jeans and a cropped hoodie with shoulder-length brown, curly hair and crystal blue eyes, walks down the curved staircase, ending just before the kitchen door in which she enters. The kitchen is rather modern; a counter sits in the middle of the wooden flooring, with a table and chairs set a few feet away from it, placed in front of a wall of glass doors, looking out on to the garden. Robyn has always hated those doors. There are no curtains on them so when you look out to the garden at night, it is pitch black and the only thing you can see are the silhouettes of the very few plant pots that are the closest to the doors.

Connor, her younger brother by four years, is sat at the marble kitchen counter playing on his phone. She notices his brown hair has started to grow out, flopping to the side slightly, making him look just that bit older.

He barely looks up at his sister as she makes her way to the fridge. “Hey.”

“Hi.” She laughs slightly, not quite understanding her brother’s interest in video games. Robyn gets a bottle of water out the fridge and leans over the counter whilst she opens it, facing her brother. “Where’s Mum and Dad?”

Connor shrugs. “Upstairs probably.”

“Do you know what we’re doing today?”

“Nope.” He pops the ‘p’ the way he always does when he clearly doesn’t want to be disturbed.

“Okay.” Robyn sighs as she leaves the room to go upstairs.

She soon finds her parents - both mid-forties with dark straight hair resulting in Robyn wondering where her curly-hair genes come from - in their room packing suitcases.

Robyn leans against the doorframe and folds her arms over her chest. “You getting ready to go to Aunt Amalie and Uncle Garry’s this weekend?”

Her mother looks up at her and smiles. “Yeah. Are you sure you don’t want to come?”

“You know I can’t.” Robyn says. “I have my cheerleading competition this weekend. Besides, I have to babysit Connor anyway since he doesn’t want to go.”

“I’m sorry we’re missing it. We just haven’t seen everyone in a while.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it.” Robyn smiles. “Anyway, what are we doing today?”

“Well, I found an old house with National Trust that I really want to go to.” Her father states.

Robyn and her mother share a look as if to say ‘what the hell’ telepathically to each other.

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun.”

Robyn laughs slightly. “Okay, Dad whatever you say.”

“It will be!” He exclaims. “We’ll get to look at all the old brickwork and the ruins and how houses used to be made.”

“Yay.” Robyn remarks sarcastically. “I’m pretty sure houses are made the same way. You know, put a bit of cement down, put a brick on it. Put a bit of cement down, put a brick on it.”

“What’s this about houses being made?” Connor appears behind Robyn.

Robyn looks at him. “Dad wants to take us all to an old house today.”

“Cool.” Connor nods and Robyn looks over to her father to find him with a smirk on his face, causing her to roll her eyes at him.

“Whatever. Let’s just go."

A black Audi pulls up outside Osterley House: a beautiful lavish mansion with grand stairs leading up to sizeable pillars exhibiting the entrance. The family get out of the car and stretch out their limbs, achy from the long journey.

“Look at this! Look how beautiful it is.” Robyn’s father exclaims in excitement.

“Yeah, Dad. It’s pretty amazing.” Robyn’s voice strains slightly as she stretches out her back.

“I read up on it.” He gets out a few pieces of A4 paper, printed with all the ‘interesting’ information he found out about the place. “It was built in the 1570s for banker Sir Thomas Gresham who bought it in 1562 and—”

“Yeah, Dad. I’m going to stop you right there.” Connor pats him on the back. “Nobody cares.”

The family shut their car doors, the A4 sheets of paper being chucked back into the car, and make their way up the stairs into the house.

Robyn knows this is a routine they just can’t break. They’ll go somewhere and her father will research every tiny detail about it whilst her mother doesn’t have a care in the world. That’s the difference between her parents. Her father is interested in the little things, things hardly anybody finds interesting. And her mother is completely laid back all of the time, most of the time being completely done with any kind of drama in the family. She usually leaves the room or stands and listens, waiting for everyone to stop shouting.

The four of them wander around the house, looking at the elegance of each room. They find themselves in a grand hall big enough to fit their entire house in.

“No doubt Dad will have a what-he-calls-interesting fact about this.” Connor mocks.

“Actually—” he begins, the whole family groaning.

Robyn shoves her little brother. “You had to say that didn’t you.”

“Sorry!” Connor sighs. “I didn’t expect for him to actually have a boring fact about it.”

“When does he not have some useless fact about anything?” Robyn argues.

Eventually, lunchtime comes around and they set up a picnic blanket on the grass outside, placing down all the different sandwiches, and sausage rolls, and scotch eggs that Robyn’s mother had brought.

“So, kids.” Robyn’s father smiles. “What do you think?”

“Surprisingly, it’s not as boring as I thought it would be.” Robyn says, eating a sausage roll.

“Yeah. It’s pretty cool.” Connor adds, making his way through a bag of crisps.

“I told you it would be fun!” Says their father.

Their mother laughs. “It’s usually not, though. You usually say ‘oh this place will be great’ and we go and it turns out to be closed or nothing like you described.”

“But this time it’s good, right?”

They all nod.

“Yes, Dad. This time it’s good.” Robyn replies.

“You see, I told you it would be—”

Their mother rolls her eyes. “Oh shut up and eat your sandwich.”

Connor and Robyn can’t help but laugh slightly as their father sticks his bottom lip out, looking just like a puppy that’s been told off.

This is the kind of family dynamic they have; no matter how much they annoy or upset one another, they always seem to find a happy place. And as in every family, the father is the most childish. Despite the incessant bickering and mocking of one another, Robyn wouldn’t exchange her family for the world. Her family is her home and without them, she would be lost. If she was somehow alone in the world, this is the family she’d wish for.

The end of their visit to Osterley House soon looms on them and they jump back into the car to head home. Robyn is watching out of the window as an abundance of trees go by, the quiet crackle of the radio filling the air. As she looks out at the trees, she swears she sees a deer run past.

Robyn always has little beliefs of the world pop into her head when she’s lost in a moment. And she can’t help but think how animals must feel when they see a vehicle drive by. The thought of the amount of animals that have been run over and hit stings Robyn’s eyes as she feels them become wet. Humans create chaos and destruction. Why should they be able to run the world?

“You okay?” Connor snaps her out of her trance.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

Connor frowns slightly. “You’re crying.”

Robyn lifts her hands to her eyes and wipes them, feeling the moisture from her tears transfer on to her ring-covered fingers. Robyn has a small obsession with rings, believing that they make her hands look pretty. “I’m fine. It’s just this song.”

Connor raises an eyebrow. “Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley makes you cry?”

“Yeah...” Robyn attempts to come up with an excuse. “It’s just sad that he was so talented and he’s not around anymore, you know? We weren’t alive to hear his new music or anything.”

“Right.” Connor gives her a judging look but turns back to his phone anyway.

Robyn goes back to looking out of the window, staring at the woods rushing by the car, seemingly never-ending.

The family arrive back home and enter through the door, being embraced by the darkness of the night. Robyn flicks on a light as her mother goes through to the kitchen to cook and her father and Connor head for the living room. Robyn decides to follow her mother and sit with her whilst she cooks. This has become something of a routine now. Robyn will sit and talk about her thoughts and what’s gone on in the day whilst her mother will cook. And especially today, their conversation is engulfed by the scent of chicken curry.

“I was thinking of getting Connor tickets to see Elton John for Christmas, what do you think?” Robyn asks as she rearranges the flowers placed perfectly in the middle of the counter.

“I think he’ll love that.” Her mother tests a spoonful of curry. “Oh god. That needs more garlic.”

“Do you want any help?” Robyn questions.

“No, it’s okay.”

Robyn laughs. “You’ve never liked me getting involved in your cooking.”

“That’s because I’m a control freak. You know that.” Her mother smiles. “I’ve been thinking, you haven’t met up with any of your friends in months. Actually, now that I think about it it’s probably been about a year, maybe more.”

Robyn looks down. “I don’t really have friends.”

“Why not?”

“I guess I’m just too chaotic at times.” She shrugs. “I don’t know. Besides, I don’t need friends when I have my family.”

Her mother stops cooking for a bit, shifting her full attention to Robyn. “Of course you need friends. You can’t depend on your family for the rest of your life. It’s not healthy.”

“I just don’t know where to find any friends.”

“Yes you do.” Her mother says. “You just refuse to make any.”

Robyn looks down at her hands. Maybe she does refuse to make friends. Maybe she prefers to have her family to depend on because no matter what, they won’t leave. They’re her blood. They’re her life.

“Okay,” her mother smiles, “dinner is served.”

Robyn and her mother join her father and Connor in the living room, passing them their dishes as they sit down.

“We’ve picked out a film.” Connor holds up ‘Inception’.

“Not that film!” Robyn groans.

Connor raises his eyebrows. “This is a two and a half hour masterpiece.”

“It just confuses me so much. It’s so hard to follow. Are they in a dream? Are they in reality? What’s going on?” Robyn says.

“I don’t care.” Connor states. “You chose that soppy movie last night. I choose the movie tonight.”

“You love Notting Hill and you know it!”

“Okay!” Their father cuts in. “Let’s stop arguing about movies and watch the damn thing.”

The white morning sunlight breaks through the slits of Robyn’s blinds, the brightness of it all causing her to stir and her eyes flicker open. She goes through her every day morning routine: takes a shower, tries to control her curly hair and gets changed into jeans, a t-shirt and a black denim jacket before making her way downstairs.

“Morning family.” Robyn smiles as she enters the kitchen where her mother is making pancakes, her father is sat behind his laptop and Connor is watching TV.

Her mother looks up at her. “You’re in a good mood.”

Robyn shrugs. “It’s a sunny day. Something about a bright day puts me in a good mood.”

“I second that.” Connor lifts his hand as if he’s in a lesson, but never takes his eyes off the TV. “This is a once in a lifetime thing for England. When it’s bright, everyone in the country either goes out or gets high off the sunlight.”

“Since when did you two get so cheesy?” Their mother asks.

Only now does Connor take his eyes off the TV. “Excuse me, I am not cheesy!”

“Yeah and you claim to hate Notting Hill and we all know you cry every time you watch it.” Robyn smirks.

Connor sits upright, defensive. “Well Dad cries at Paper Towns!”

Their father looks up at them. “First of all, she made him leave her behind and second of all, what did I ever do to you?"

“Sorry.” Connor raises his hands as if to surrender then turns back to the TV.

“Why is it that all we argue about is movies?” Their mother sighs. “Is this what the world has come to? There are more important things in the world than who cried at what movie.”

“Preach!” Connor raises his hand again, and once again doesn’t look away from the screen.

Robyn laughs. “And yet all you do is stare at a screen.”

“I never said I was proud of it.” Connor argues.

“Anyway!” Their mother interjects, sensing an argument brewing. “Breakfast is ready.” She places four plates of pancakes on the table and the family sit down together to eat.

The house fills with orange light as the twilight assists the afternoon to morph into night. Robyn walks into her parents’ room, where they are finishing their packing. “Do you want any help?”

“We may need your help taking the cases down the stairs but apart from that, I think we’re done.” Her father smiles.

Robyn nods and grabs one of the cases by the door, carrying it down the stairs. “CONNOR! MUM AND DAD ARE LEAVING SOON!” She shouts.

Connor appears on the landing just outside his bedroom and looks down to Robyn, who has now reached the bottom of the stairs and is propping the suitcase up against the wall. “Jesus Christ. No need to shout.” He joins their parents on the way down the stairs, meeting Robyn at the bottom.

“Thank you for your help.” Their mother delicately pats Robyn’s back as she passes her.

“I would have helped if I knew you needed help.” Connor mumbles.

“It’s okay.” Their father laughs. “Your sister only helped because she offered.”

Robyn looks at her parents. “So I guess this is goodbye for the weekend.”

“Yep.” Her mother pulls the family into a big group hug that explodes into a heap of giggles as they suffocate each other. “Look after each other.”

“We will. Have fun in Brighton.” Connor says and their parents nod then they leave the house with one last wave goodbye before they get into the car and drive away; Robyn and Connor watching from the door.

Robyn closes the door and turns to Connor. “What do you want for tea?”

“I think Mum bought us a pizza.” Connor follows Robyn into the kitchen.

“That should be easy, then.”

Connor laughs. “Yeah it should be easy if you actually remember to take it out the oven before it burns like last time.”

“That was not my fault!” Robyn holds her hands up in defence. “You could have taken it out as well. I don’t see why I have to do everything.”

“Because you’re the oldest and an adult.” Says Connor.

“And you are sixteen. You should know how to make pizza by now.” Robyn turns the oven on.

Connor rolls his eyes, giving up on arguing. “Anyway, what do you want to watch tonight?”

Robyn smirks. “You’re letting me choose the film?”

“Oh god.” Connor steps back in regret. “It’s going to be some musical or something isn’t it?”

“You betcha. How about The Sound of Music?” Then she starts singing. “You are sixteen going on seventeen. You should learn how to make a bloody pizza.”

Connor nods. “Actually, I don’t mind The Sound of Music.”

“Good because I wasn’t going to pick something else.” Robyn smiles sweetly, almost sarcastically as she puts the pizza in the oven.

Robyn and Connor are sat on the couch, finishing the rest of their pizza with The Sound of Music reaching its half-way point. Connor’s phone lights up and starts buzzing. Robyn looks at him as he looks at the contact.

“Can you pause the film, please?” Connor asks. “It’s Joe.”

Robyn nods and picks up the remote, pressing the pause button as Connor swipes to answer the call.

“Joe?” He questions and then he pauses for a long period of time, listening to what is being said on the other end of the line. His expression seems to go through every emotion possible to man in the space of a minute before finally he starts to tear up and puts his head in his hands, fully breaking down. But he doesn’t say anything back to Joe. He just holds the phone to his ear as he sobs.

Robyn watches him, both with concern and confusion. What could possibly make Connor so distraught? She doesn’t know if she should try to talk to him but no, he’s on the phone. If she talks to him he might miss something that is being said. Her mind goes to all the horrific places, thinking up the worst possible scenarios of what could be happening. But no, she’s just over thinking as usual. She tends to do that a lot. Over think. It’s kind of her specialty. Sometimes it helps, though. She’ll over think something so much that she’s prepared for the worst to happen. And sometimes the worst does happen. It’s kind of like her sixth sense.

“Yes I will.” Connor finally speaks into the phone. “I am so sorry this happened to you. This is horrifying. I can’t... I can’t even process this. Alright. I’ll call you when I get out to let you know that I’m okay.” He finally hangs up.

Robyn feels as though she’s waiting for hours with suspense but in reality, it’s only seconds as her brother turns to her. “What was that all about?”

“We have to leave. Now.” Connor stands up abruptly.

“What?” Robyn frowns. “What’s going on?”

Connor paces the room for a while, his hand to his forehead as he tries not to faint. “Joe is in a taxi with his mum right now. They just escaped their house after...” He breathes out heavily as tears come to his eyes again out of pure fear. “Oh God... Some guy broke into the house and killed Joe’s dad right in front of them. He went for Joe and his mum but they got away in time.”

“What?” Robyn struggles to comprehend what she’s hearing. “Wait a minute. Joe lives a few doors down from us.”

Connor nods. “He and his mum are calling everyone on the street to warn them. We have to leave.”

Robyn stands up, her body finally kicking into action. “Of course, yeah. Of course. Go to the door. I’ll get some money for a taxi and the keys from the kitchen.”

“Okay.” Her little brother runs out of the living room and sits on the steps at the front door, getting his shoes on.

Robyn can’t help but notice how young he looks right now. The youngest he’s looked in years. Something about the sheer panic and fear masked across his tear-stained face with the added feature of his red, blood-shot eyes makes him seem so innocent in this moment. And Robyn’s heart aches. Because she wants to protect him with dear life but she doesn’t know how to do that when she is so terrified herself. She doesn’t even know if they’ll make it to the end of the street alive.

Robyn urgently runs into the kitchen and grabs the keys from a bowl on the counter along with a couple twenty-pound notes that are left in the bowl. She takes out her phone and dials the taxi service number that she knows off by heart. She never learned how to drive because it stressed her out too much so she usually has to use a taxi. She can’t help but think that being able to drive would be much more useful at this moment in time. As Robyn slips her shoes on, the taxi service answers.

“Hi. This is urgent. I need a taxi to get to Riding Park Pond now! You have to get here NOW! My brother and I will meet you there please just get there—” Robyn stops talking as she looks up to those glass doors that she hates so much. And then she remembers something. Something very significant. She forgot to lock the garden gate.

Robyn looks out of the glass into the dark abyss of the garden, nothing visible for miles. The garden could stretch out hundreds of yards and you wouldn’t even be able to see a few feet from the glass. She suddenly feels extremely vulnerable, becoming instantly aware that the only thing separating her from whatever lurks outside is just a pane of glass. Her head jerks slightly to the left as she swears she sees something move in the distance. It’s just her imagination. It’s okay. It’s just her imagination. Right?

“COME ON!” Connor shouts desperately from the front door. “LET’S GO!”

Robyn doesn’t reply; she continues to stare out into the crisp, jet-black night. Her feet seem to be glued to the floor. Even if she wanted to move, she wouldn’t be able to. The terror that is pitted deep in her stomach seems to be weighing her down as it tells her to stay and make sure there is nothing in the garden. Maybe if she watches for one more minute and nothing happens then they’re safe. They have to be.

This time she vows that she definitely saw something move through the grass.

“Miss?” She realises the taxi service are still on the other end of the line. “Is everything okay? We’ve already sent one of our drivers to the pond.”

Robyn doesn’t take her eyes off the glass doors. “Yeah. I’ll be there soon.” She murmurs before she hangs up and puts her phone in her pocket.

From the silent night, she hears one of the plant pots in the garden shatter. She can hear her heart thumping up to her ears as her eyes search the garden intensely for some kind of movement. She feels the warmth of her blood rush through her veins.

And then Robyn abruptly screams at the top of her lungs enough for her vocal chords to shatter into pieces. A man dressed in entirely black clothing has appeared at the doors holding a blood-covered knife up; a menacing smile stretched across his face.