by Angela Mack
“Here, I brought some food up for you,” he said, stretching over to hold the plate out to me. I smiled at him, my heart squeezing at how thoughtful he could be.
“Cheers mate.” I swung up into a sitting position, sitting cross-legged whilst chewing.
“What did you two have for dinner?” I asked around a mouthful of sandwich.
“We weren’t that hungry after the fish and chips, so just had some peanut butter on toast,” Ryan said, back to staring at the TV screen. I knew they must have still been hungry, they were always hungry, but they were both good at rationing our food well so it lasted the full week. We’d had a couple of instances in the past where the food hadn’t quite lasted, and none of us wanted to experience that again.
I put my empty plate on the floor, stripped off down to my boxers and crawled into bed.
“Don’t stay up too late,” I said, turning over so my back was to the TV.
“Mmmhmmm,” he muttered.
A little while later, I was not far from dozing off completely when I heard the front door slam. The force of the motion vibrated through the walls and I cursed inwardly.
I watched Ryan launch himself over to the TV, switch it off and jump back into bed, pulling the duvet up to his chin. We could hear crashing around downstairs, Big Mike not making any effort to keep quiet.
"Josh?" Ryan whispered.
"Yeah?" I whispered back, keeping my voice as quiet as possible.
"I think I forgot to put the Oreos in the den." Aw shit. They definitely weren't going to be there in the morning. The den was where we hid extra food so that Big Mike wouldn’t come across it and eat it all. I had a couple of gym mats in there, some random dumbbells, a skipping rope (all free from Gumtree again) and I’d fixed a metal bar to the ceiling so I could do pull-ups. I had also put a desk against one wall for Ryan and Georgie to do their homework at, as they got too distracted by the TV in our room. In the far left, back corner, there was a tall, narrow cupboard where we kept the boys' spare school uniforms hanging. We were careful to keep them separate from their other clothes, so they stayed as neat and crease-free as possible. There was nothing worse than a nosy teacher becoming ‘concerned’ if they didn’t keep up appearances.
At the bottom of the makeshift wardrobe, I’d pulled up the carpet and tugged loose one of the floorboards. We hid the extra food we wanted to make last there. Things like biscuits, an extra loaf of bread, a box of cereal, a couple cans of soup etc. Often Big Mike would come back from the pub with the munchies and could demolish half a week’s worth of shopping in one hit. So we made sure we kept spare food hidden away, just in case.
"That’s OK. I have another pack in my locker at work. I'll bring it home tomorrow," I lied. I would have to buy a replacement pack tomorrow. Georgie would be heartbroken in the morning when he realised Big Mike had eaten them all.
"I'm sorry. I should have remembered…" he berated himself.
"Hey. It's fine. Promise."
Loud footsteps began thumping up the stairs, heading our way. I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs. The footsteps stopped outside our room and I held my breath, waiting to see if he'd try to come in. It felt like an hour, but probably not even a second or two had passed when the footsteps continued and I heard a door slam elsewhere. I released a breath and heard Ryan do the same. Thankfully Georgie seemed to have slept through it. We’d have some peace for tonight at least.
◆◆◆
The shrill ringing of my alarm pierced my ears, waking me from my slumber. I groaned. I still felt exhausted and I desperately wanted to ignore my alarm and go back to sleep.
“Josh! Josh!” Ryan shouted at me.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m getting up,” I muttered, rubbing the sleep from my eyes with one hand whilst the other rifled under my pillow for my phone.
“No, no. It’s the phone, the phone!” Ryan sounded panicked. I blinked rapidly, trying to wake up faster. I located my phone: 6 a.m. I stared at it, confused by its silence. I looked over at Ryan and he was staring at me, terrified. Georgie was also awake and he was frozen in fear, eyes wide as he looked at me from his top bunk. The ringing continued and my brain clicked into gear. It was the landline phone ringing. Oh shit.
I scrambled out of bed, pulling on a nearby discarded pair of joggers from the floor as I raced downstairs to the kitchen. Please don’t wake up, please don’t wake up. I launched myself at the phone.
“Hello?” I asked breathlessly.
“I need to speak with your dad,” a gruff voice responded.
“He’s still sleeping,” I said. I hoped.
“Well, wake him up and tell him Bob has called in sick, so I need him to cover his shift. He needs to get here in half an hour or he’s fired.” And with that, the caller hung up. Shit, shit, shit.
"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU MAKING SO MUCH NOISE?" I heard Big Mike roar from upstairs, followed by thuds and the sound of glass breaking. I lurched back to the stairs, jumping two at a time. As I reached the top, I could see Big Mike standing in his bedroom doorway, fists clenched by his sides and jaw twitching as he ground his teeth. He was hunched over, his giant figure completely filling the doorway. He was shirtless, his gut hanging out over the top of his tracksuit bottoms. I could see the veins bulging in his thick neck as his face gradually started to turn a shade of crimson.
“You need to go into work,” I said, concentrating on keeping my voice low and even.
“What the fuck did you say to me, boy?” He squinted his eyes and took a couple of steps towards me. I could feel the adrenaline start to kick in.
“Someone from your work called. A guy called Bob is off sick and whoever called wants you to be at work in half an hour or you’ll be fired.” I sounded calm, but I felt anything but. There were a few seconds of silence. My pulse roared in my ears as I waited in anticipation.
Big Mike suddenly let out an almighty growl, something you’d expect to hear from an agitated bear trying to mark its territory. He began moving towards me, slowly at first but soon picking up momentum. He weighed at least thirty pounds more than me and although I was fit and well-practiced at brawling, I knew from experience that the likelihood of me winning this fight was slim to none.
Ryan chose that moment to poke his head out of our bedroom, glancing around to see what was going on. As Big Mike moved past him, he threw his hand out and slapped Ryan’s chest, propelling him backwards. There was a loud crash as Ryan broke his fall on something.
“DON’T YOU TOUCH HIM. DON’T YOU DARE FUCKING TOUCH THEM!” I thundered. Rage consumed me, dampening down the fear. Every encounter with this motherfucker was painful, sometimes excruciatingly so, but it was all worth it to protect my brothers. They had mostly escaped his wrath and I did my very best to put myself in the firing line, praying that he’d one day forget they even existed. As he neared me, I could smell the beer on his breath, and I smiled. Alcohol slowed him down and made him sloppy. Something I could take advantage of. I bent my knees, widening my stance and preparing to fight.
“You need to remember your place, you worthless piece of shit!” He swung a fist at my face and I ducked, side-stepping him as he barrelled past me and almost threw himself down the stairs. Wishful thinking. He turned with more speed and grace than a man of his size and inebriation should be able to. He used his momentum to hunker down and charge at me again, wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me into the air. There was a fleeting feeling of weightlessness before I crashed down to the ground. He reared a fist back, straddling my waist and pinning me to the floor. I struggled, but it was like trying to shift an elephant whilst laying on your back.
His fists started flying and I raised my elbows up, curling my hands around the back of my neck. I turned and twisted, trying to deflect his punches and keep him at a distance, something I’d learned to do from watching hours of YouTube self-defence videos in the library at lunch.
I felt one of his punches bounce off my ear and another hit my shoulder, dull pain radiating dow
n from the top of my arm. He was panting heavily and when he paused briefly, I lifted upwards to bear-hug him under his armpits. I yanked him back down with me so his head hit the floor behind us, raising my right knee to try and regain my footing. I pushed up off my foot as hard as I could, feeling my hip protest with the effort. I was trying to flip him over so I would end up on top, but the narrow hallway and his awkward, heavy bulk meant that I only managed to twist out a little from underneath him. I knew I couldn’t beat him from the floor. I had to get up.
I scrambled to a sitting position, kicking my legs out to try and improve my angle. One of my kicks caught him in the side, pushing him off of me further until I had the space to stand. I rose to my knees and swung a punch, landing it solidly on his cheek. His head snapped back and he snarled, twisting to face me. I was back on my feet and this time it was my turn to launch myself at him. I darted a glance into the bedroom and saw Georgie and Ryan huddled on my bed, holding each other. Ryan had a streak of blood down the side of his face.
“School! Now! Run!” I screamed at them. They disappeared from view again as I impacted with Big Mike. I rammed him into the far wall, throwing my shoulder into his chest. I stood over him and kicked him as hard as I could in the stomach. Stupid. He was too dense and flabby there for it to have an effect and he grabbed at my foot, shoving me backwards. Ryan and Georgie squeezed past me, their uniforms from yesterday hastily shoved on in disarray. I could hear them running down the stairs before the front door slammed. I exhaled a deep, slow breath. They were safe.
“You are going to regret starting with me this morning, you stupid shit!” Big Mike stood, laughing at me with a wild look in his eyes.
“Fuck off!” I shouted back. He ran at me and this time I didn’t quite manage to get out of his way. He shoved me hard, and once again I defied gravity. This time though, I didn’t land when I expected to. I fell backwards down the stairs, my legs going over my head, causing me to roll several times. My face cracked on one of the wooden banisters as I tumbled, my cheek burning. I landed hard on my left shoulder, my head spinning. The pain in my shoulder was instant and took my breath away. I could just about make out the kitchen in front of me, everything swimming in and out of focus. I willed myself to get up as I heard Big Mike thunder down the stairs behind me. The last thing I remember was seeing the empty Oreo packet on the kitchen table flutter to the floor. Then it all went black.
Chapter 5
Isabel
“Do you fancy going to the cinema tonight?” Jess asked as we made our way to the bus stop after school. It was a Friday night; I had officially finished my first week and it had been a complete success. I definitely felt like celebrating.
“Sure, what’s on?” Sophie replied as I nodded my agreement.
“There’s that romantic drama Pulse? Jess responded, waggling her eyebrows.
“I thought you said that was basically porn 'cos there were so many sex scenes in it?” I laughed.
“And? That’s exactly why we should see it! The critics said it was perfect for horny teenagers and hello, that’s exactly what we are,” she said, gesturing to us all with a flick of her wrist. I laughed again, shaking my head.
“We’re not all sex-obsessed like you, you slut,” Sophie ribbed good naturedly. Jess was definitely experienced in that department, although she wasn’t quite a slut. Not really. She’d just had a lot more sexual partners than me, and I suspected more than Sophie too.
“Come on, maybe you two can get some tips as you haven’t actually put it into practice yet." Jess looked pointedly at the pair of us. Sophie laughed it off whilst I went a little red in embarrassment. OK, so I’d had zero sexual partners.
We reached the bus stop and I was about to change the subject and suggest an action movie instead, when I noticed the little boy from yesterday standing outside Martins. He was on his own this time and he had his back against the shop window, his eyes puffy and red from crying. I tuned out Jess and Sophie’s banter, watching him to see if anyone else would turn up. A couple minutes ticked by and I could see our bus approaching. Jess and Sophie started to move towards it as the doors hissed open.
“Izzy? You coming?” Sophie asked, turning back to see why I hadn’t moved. I hesitated, torn between going home or going over to check on him.
“I’ll catch the next one. Just need to grab some things from the shop,” I replied. “Text me if you decide on a film.” Sophie nodded and I watched her climb in and take a seat next to Jess, waving as the bus left me behind. I turned and approached the boy.
“Georgie? It's Georgie, right?” I asked cautiously, trying not to spook him. He looked up, suddenly resembling a deer in headlights. He didn’t respond.
“I’m Izzy. We met yesterday,” I reminded him. He paused, unsure.
“You gave us fish and chips,” he whispered.
“Yeah.” I gave him a broad smile, trying to appear as friendly as possible. “Where’s your brother today? Ryan?” I asked. A sob escaped him as he shrugged.
“I don’t know. He was supposed to meet me after school like always, but he didn’t show up.” A tear slid out and he roughly palmed it away.
“OK, so what are you going to do now?”
“My other brother works in there,” he gestured with his head behind him to the shop. “But I forgot he doesn't work Fridays.” More tears were coming now.
“Hey, hey, it’s OK. What about your parents? I can call someone for you?" I asked, concerned. He shook his head.
"Do you live close by? I can walk you there. I’m sure your brothers are both at home waiting for you and this is some big misunderstanding,” I said, not confident at all in my rationalisation. I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“Are you sure? They’re OK? And you don’t mind walking me home?” Georgie looked at me hopefully, eyes shining.
“I bet they are absolutely fine, and I definitely don’t mind keeping you company on the way home. You know how to get there?” I asked and he nodded. I had no idea what had happened to his brothers, but I knew for sure that I couldn’t leave him on his own. It just didn’t sit right with me. He pushed off of the wall and started to head towards a traffic light crossing at the top of the street.
“Hey, would you like some sweets before we go? My treat?” Once again, I found myself desperate to erase the sadness from his eyes. He brightened instantly, a slight skip in his step as we headed inside the shop.
It had taken longer than I anticipated but several minutes later we emerged, Georgie carrying a bag bursting with sweets. It had been heart-breaking watching him agonise over what sweets to choose. You’d have thought we were in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, the way he was staring at all the shelves in awe. I ended up getting him near enough everything he looked at, even though I knew that much sugar in a boy of his size was asking for trouble.
We crossed the road and turned down a little side street, making our way down a steep hill. The houses were packed in tight next to each other, row after row of identical, square, red brick terraced houses. As we reached the bottom of the hill, Georgie veered left down a little alleyway and we came out next to a playground. It was overgrown with weeds, the pavement loose and cracked in many places. Groups of teenagers loitered close by, some on bikes and most with a cigarette dangling from their lips. Judging by the smell, I didn't think they were your typical Marlboroughs.
There was a swing set with only one swing, the second swing missing, with only two chains dangling in its place. A slide perched nearby, every inch of it scrawled in graffiti. There were several round holes dotting the ground, as if there had once been more apparatus present but they had been ripped from the earth.
Someone wolf whistled as we went past and I sped up a little, keeping Georgie very close. I was definitely not familiar with this part of town.
"How much further?" I asked, wary of the teenagers watching us as we went past.
"About ten minutes. Hi Ben!" Georgie said, waving to one of the youths o
n a bike. The boy raised his chin in a greeting, but then winked at me when he noticed I was looking over. I shuddered a little, uncomfortable in these hostile surroundings. Georgie turned down another alleyway and when we emerged, we were surrounded by more terraced houses. I had thought the other ones looked a little sad, but these houses were in a much poorer state of disrepair.
Instead of brick, these houses were clad in white wooden planks. Well, I assumed they were once white, but now they were greyish with peeling paint and patches of greenish-black grime. They were very small, about half the size of the other ones, and the front doors opened directly onto the uneven pavement.
Georgie's pace was getting slower and slower, as if he didn't want us to reach our destination.
"Everything OK, buddy?" I asked. He smiled up at me.
"My brother calls me buddy too sometimes," he answered instead. We turned down West View and Georgie stopped on the corner.
"I can get home from here," he said, looking down at his feet.
"No, I've come all this way, so I might as well make sure you get in OK," I said, frowning. This boy certainly didn't seem to want to go home. He hesitated and I could see him battling with himself, unsure what to do. Eventually he started moving and walked up to the door of number seventy-two. He stared at it for a minute or so.
"Do you have a key?" I asked and he shook his head.
"I forgot my keys and phone this morning," he sighed. He looked a bit young for a phone but hey, what do I know?
"When will your parents be home?" I asked and he shrugged. "OK, well let's see if your brothers are home." I knocked on the front door, listening out for noises inside. A minute passed with no answer.
