Joshua Devlin was your typical 17-year-old suburban teenager; medium height, medium build, blond hair, blue eyes, fair complexion and a very neat and tidy dresser of today’s fashion. He had everything, and more.

His parents were of a very rich background, which allowed them to splash out and treat their only son to every wanton wish.

Everything was going great for the Devlin family, especially as Joshua had just been accepted into Oxford University to study in Law, something that his father had achieved at Joshua’s age, finally becoming a leading Yorkshire lawyer.

On the same day of receiving the welcomed letter of good news from Oxford, Joshua informed all of his school friends at Seacliffe High, who were pleased that he had succeeded in his life-long dream of being able to have the chance to follow in his father’s footsteps. The good news spread fast around the whole estate like wild fire.

By the time Joshua returned home from school, people that knew him and his parents called to their house to congratulate him personally.

Surprised at the amount of well-wishers for her son, Mrs Devlin showed a big sigh of relief when eventually Joshua walked in through the door. Shouts of congratulations boomed and echoed around the living room, the kitchen and dining room, where dozens of locals had been invited in to wait for his return.

In the living room one person stood out from the crowd. He was a tall, thin man dressed in all black: black trench coat, black suit, jacket, trousers, shirt, tie, socks and shoes. Even his beard and eyebrows were black.

“Hello there,” Joshua greeted the man.

The man did not answer he just stood and smiled as though being reminded of someone else by looking at him.

Turning away from the strange, silent, dark dressed man, Joshua was confronted by Mrs Alburne, the next-door neighbour from hell! With an agonising rasping voice shouting his name from point blank range, she began shaking his hand violently, while cackling away in an almost unsettling voice.

“It’s so good that you’ve taken you’re father’s advice, Joshua, who knows what the future will hold for you?” She droned on.

Making the excuse that he needed to speak with his mother, he quickly made a beeline for the kitchen where his mother turned to him with a widening smile.