I was twelve when it happened. I felt like the happiest girl in the world back then. My name was Willa Merciful, though I've changed it now. An anthology of short stories in the Mary Hades series. Including Shadow, Sister, and Messenger. Shadow: When Mary visits her Aunt Izzy's remote seaside bungalow, past and present collide. She soon realises a dark shadow hangs over her childhood memories, leaving her a task she would rather not complete... Sister: Susan Quirke, before she became Susan Hades--mother of Mary--goes through a transformation so extreme it changes her forever. Her younger sister Isabel can only watch. Messenger: Born into a doomsday cult, young Willa feels privileged to be one of the special people chosen to survive Judgement Day. But one day, Willa realises that life on the commune isn't as safe as she once thought, and not everyone in the family can be trusted...