Ariana.

"You don't care about what's best for me!" I spat at my dad, regretting it immediately.

He laughed, coldly "Oh, I do" My dad grabbed my wrist tightly; I screamed in pain "Shut up" He threw me on the floor kicked me hard in the stomach. I coughed, hardly breathing.

"Please stop" I whispered, begging. It was no use; I knew he couldn't hear me.

"See you same time tomorrow, princess" He laughed sarcastically, silkily and slammed the back door.

Painfully, I stood up and picked the photo that my father had smashed, it was of course a picture of Hannah and me.

Same time tomorrow, princess.

That's all I could hear, his voice, full of hatred and coldness.

I lay on the floor for what felt like forever...

Hannah would be home in half an hour. I sighed and dragged my body off the floor and up the stairs for a shower.

After I had a warm shower, I dried my hair and left it in its natural curls. I pulled my black jeans over my legs and a plain black top. I live in Iceland with one of my mom's old friend's, Hannah. Iceland is cold most of the time, even when the sun is shining so I put on a grey jumper and lay on my bed.

I hate my life, it's as simple as that. My mom died years ago in a car crash and my dad beats me half to death when Hannah's at work. The only good thing that goes on is Hannah is a mountain guide, so on the weekends we go on amazing adventures. I dragged my legs off my bed and looked in the minor. I had dark brown hair, long and naturally curly and shining sapphire blue eyes. I was skinny, but curved, nothing like Hannah. She had blonde medium length hair and electric blue eyes, skinny and every boy's dream.

I heard the front door open "I'm home" Hannah's familiar voice filled the house as the front slammed shut.

"I'm in my room" I shouted back and jumped to my feet. The normal route for my day was: wake up, breakfast, brush my teeth, get dressed, wait for Hannah to leave, get beaten by dad, have a shower to get rid of the bad smells, cool the new bruises and wash away the dry blood and then Hannah comes home and we'll sort out what we have for dinner. I ran downstairs to Hannah; she was in the kitchen, searching the fridge for a readymade meal.

"What do you want for dinner Ariana?" Hannah asked, throwing out a week old tuna salad.

I made a face at the salad "Definitely not that" I said, Hannah turned and looked at me "Okay, okay, um, surprise me"

"Okay, I'll surprise yo-" There was a loud knock on the front door. Hannah shouted something in Icelandic.

"I'm sorry I don't speak Icelandic" A voice called back and Hannah opened the door. I leaned to the side to see who was there. I saw two guys; a young man looked in his thirties, who had short pale brown hair, high cheekbones, a strong jaw line, straight nose and green eyes. He was wearing a brown jacket, a grey shirt and a plain white undershirt, green trousers and brown shoes.

The over guy was around my age, thirteen. He was different from the man; the boy had messy brown hair, which was hidden under a brown beanie, he had lighter skin, high cheekbones, a strong jaw line, a straight nose, full lips and hypnotising hazel eyes. He was wearing a whites T-shirt, a brown undershirt, and a hooded sweatshirt. He was extremely attractive and gorgeous.

They both stared at Hannah in amazement. The boy's eyes looked at me for a moment, I looked back at him, trying not to blush.

"Hi, can I help you?" Hannah asked nicely.

"Hello" The man said, the young boy focused his eyes on him.

"I'm Hannah" She said, extending her hand for the man to shake.

"Oh, how do you do? Hi, I'm Trev- I'm Professor Anderson and I'm visiting from America." The man said "And this is…"

"I'm Sean" The other interrupted.

"My nephew"

"Hi Sean" Hannah shuffled aside to slide me into view "This is Ariana"

"Your daughter?" The Professor asked, giving me a polite smile.

"No, I was the best friend of her mother, until she died; I've looked after her since she was four" Gee, thanks Hannah for telling my entire life story.

"I was wondering if I could possibly speak with… Sigurbjorn Asgeirsson?" The professor asked.

"Well, um... Sigurbjorn Asgeirsson is dead" Hannah answered them sadly.

"Dead?" Sean said, shocked at Hannah's response.

"Yeah, he died three winters ago" Hannah told them, I looked at the strangers.

"So, do you run the institute?" The professor asked.

"Nobody does. There is no institute," Hannah said, confused.

"But there was a sign down the road that said …" The professor started, but Hannah interrupted.

"Progressive volcanology was a failed idea…" She explained to the two guys.

"Oh, I see… Did you work with him?

"No, no, he was my father".

Hannah made four cups handed a cup to the professor, Sean, me and herself. Hannah looked at the Professor, as if to say what the hell are you doing here at this time? He then pulled from rucksack a book; it was a copy of A Journey To The Centre Of The Earth by Jules Verne. Hannah looked at the cover, then at the professor, confused.

"Yeah" Hannah said." I know it. What about it?" She turned around and the hot chocolate.

"Ah, well, this book belonged to my late brother, Max. Max Anderson. We believe that he may have been in contact with your father."

"Your brother was a Vernian". The professor, Sean and I stared at Hannah, confused.

"What's a Vernian?" Sean asked, he was sitting in the chair next to mine.

"Someone that believes that the writings of Jules Verne were an actual fact. I mean, he was a Science Fiction writer" She put the warm hot chocolate in professor's, mine and Sean's cups." And he had his society of believers, regarding on him like a visionary." She sat down on the chair beside the professor." My father was the biggest Vernian of them all".

"My brother was no Vernian" The Professor defended his brother. Hannah grabbed the professor's copy of the book and I opened it in a page, it was covered in scribbles, or notes. Then, she closed it and grabbed her father's copy.

She opened her father's copy at the page which was practically identical to the professor's "This was my father's copy" She showed the professor the similarities "Take a look." The professor looked the notes, then at Hannah. " See, the markings are exactly the same. Your brother was a Vernian"

"Wow" Sean spoke. "My dad was kind of… out there"

"You didn't even know him, Sean" The professor told him, shaking his head slightly.

"I'm started to think you didn't either" Sean snapped at his uncle, taking Hannah's father's copy.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hannah asked confused, setting her hot chocolate on the small coffee table.

"I'm a scientist, I'm a professor. I'm here because there are seismic sensors and we think we should check into it. That's the reason why we're here. Plain and simple," The professor explained.

"Okay," Hannah said, "you know there's no road up North. I'm a mountain guide: I can take you there, professor."

"Thanks, that'd be great."

"No problem, Professor," Hannah said as she put her father's copy back on the shelf.

"Call me Trevor," The professor said

"You can call me Sean," Sean added, I grabbed my hot chocolate and Sean's eyes whipped round to meet mine, I looked into the depths of my hot chocolate.

"So, it would be five thousand krónur to go up there". Hannah said, wiping her hands on her legs.

"Five thousand krónur a day? No problem!" Trevor said, acting cocky.

"An hour" Hannah corrected, as she saw how Trevor's expression changed. My eyes widened at the amount.

"Hannah, isn't that a bit much?" I asked her, she shook her head.

"I'm serious Ariana. That is the usual price for the mountain's up north" Hannah informed me.

"Well, it's true, you learn something new every day" I said to myself, setting my hot chocolate down and wrapping a blanket around me.

Sean looked at me, then Hannah "Do you accept rolls of quarters?"

I let out a giggle at Sean's comment.

"Whatever you can pay me in, really" Hannah said "Would you like to stay the night? We'll have to be up bright and early, yes Ariana, early" I groaned, I'm not a morning person.

Hannah decided to let Sean sleep in my room. I, being polite let him sleep in my bed, whilst I sleep on my futon window still. He, meanwhile, was being a gentleman and insisting that I sleep on the bed and he sleep on the futon.

"Sean, I'm serious, you're going to sleep on my bed, end of. You're a guest, Hannah raised me with manors" I said, ending the discussion.

"Thanks, I owe you one" Sean smiled at me slightly.

"We're going to climb a mountain tomorrow, of course you'll owe me one" I said playfully and pulled the duvet from my closet. Sean laughed at my joke.

"Night Anna, can I call you that?" Sean asked, lying down in my bed.

I smiled my back to him. No one has ever given me a nickname. "Yeah, night Sean" I smiled at him and pulled the duvet around me. Tomorrow, this amazing adventure would begin.

I'll play the game
But I can't stay
I've got my head on straight
And I'm not gonna change
I'm not gonna change

I'll win the race
Keep up with the pace
Today's the day
That I start to pray
You can't get in my way

I... I'll get by
I... I'll Survive
When the world's crashing' down
When I fall and hit the ground
I will turn myself around
Don't you try to stop me
I... I won't cry

I found myself
In Wonderland
Get back on
My feet again
Is this real?
Is this pretend?
I'll Take a stand
Until the end