Caitlin

Female | Teen | under 3 minutes
Starts on page 17

EXTRACT: The music pulsing through my bones. So loud it fills up my brain and crowds out my thoughts. My head’s pounding from the amphetamine. Dancing so fast you’d think the whole world was on fire. And then, this is when it happens. This fucking explosion in my knee. My skin rips apart and I can see my bones, and they’ve turned to ash, crumbling, and I fall fast and hard to the floor. My hands stretch out to catch me and smash right through the floorboards. Fuzzy edges. Through the concrete, and the whole room rips apart.

Caitlin

Female | Teen | 3 to 5 minutes
Starts on page 26

EXTRACT: On the couch under my doona. Presets blasting on my iPod. Mums out getting hot pies and red bull and chocolate and magazines- anything to distract me. My phone screen flashes up- Unknown number. Not now. Where’s mum? Block call. Flashing again. Unknown number. Block. Flashing again. One voicemail received. Delete. This is bullshit.

Caitlin

Female | Teen | under 3 minutes
Starts on page 34

EXTRACT: I feel sick. Gross and heavy. My useless cloudy heart and foggy brain. Couldn’t sit up even if I wanted to. Your fucking stupid voice - “There’s no friendship to swear on, Caitlin" - smashes me in the chest. And I’m falling- backwards- off a cliff- hurtling towards the sea- right toward the cosmic barrier where the desert and the ocean meet.