Breathing heavily, she ripped out her earphones, the fast beats of Calvin Harris’s ‘Summer’ having done their job. Hands resting on her back, she walked in circles hoping it was still too early for anyone to have noticed her. As she took in the empty street, she brought herself back to her own reality – a bored housewife going out for a run.

Not for much longer.

Checking her fitness watch, she was amazed at the power of her imagination and the impact on her speed – she’d improved by three point five seconds. She’d always listened to music during her runs, but it was the first time she’d used visualisation. She’d come across the idea on a Ted Talk the night before. Chris thought she was addicted to Ted Talks – she consumed them eagerly, her brain soaking up the information. It didn’t matter what the topic – her dedication to self-improvement bordered on the obsessive.

Sharing her new time on Facebook, Claire started the short walk back home. It was just after six in the morning and the last Friday of the summer holidays before school started the following Monday.

*

‘Good run?’ asked Chris, as he came into the kitchen and gave her cheek a kiss.

‘Yep! I got a new personal best this morning. Twenty point four minutes.’

‘Brilliant!’

She watched him buzz around the kitchen, grabbing a piece of toast and putting it between his teeth while helping himself to coffee and reading emails on his phone. She marvelled at his ability to be so alert within seconds of waking up. It had taken Claire almost thirty minutes just to get out of bed and put on her running gear.

‘Going for a shower,’ he told her now as he headed to the bathroom to get ready.

After taking a quick gulp of coffee, Claire started to prepare Jamie’s breakfast. She put the bowl of cereal on the table, along with his milk, and went upstairs to put her ear to his door. She presumed he was still sleeping. She would leave Jamie for another fifteen minutes, she decided, while she finished her coffee. Joshua would probably sleep until at least nine a.m., but she liked to keep Jamie on a bit of a routine during the holidays, especially with school starting in a few days. Besides, she’d promised to take Jamie to Manchester today, so he could choose his new school bag and pencil case. They were planning to make a morning of it, go for lunch and maybe to the cinema.