by C.T. Millis
Chapter 19
After Mr. Heckerman’s, he went to the gas station. When he made it to the parking lot, the rain crashed down on him like it feared its own death. Relatively dry, James entered the gas station. Peter nodded at him behind the counter.
“All the time, this weather!” Peter leaned over the counter to get a better view of the rain, “Wow, that guy’s in a hurry!” James looked to where Peter was pointing and saw Sophie’s dad jump over the curb and into the parking lot of the gas station.
Before James could move away from the front door, Sophie’s dad invaded the gas station.
“Your mom got a call from your principal, you pig.” Sophie’s dad grabbed James’ neck and started pulling James out of the gas station.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Peter shouted before he jumped from behind the counter and put himself in between James and Sophie’s dad. Sophie’s dad looked at Peter. James could see murder in his eyes when he hit him over the head and left the gas station.
He tore down the street and into the driveway. Leading James by the arm he pulled him up the stairs. Sophie’s dad did not stop his momentum if James tripped over his own shoes, which he did a few times, he dragged him a few steps before James regained his balance.
They were soon in James’ Mom’s room, standing in front of the empty open drawer that used to hold James’ Dad’s watches.
“Where are they?” Sophie’s dad asked, almost nicely.
“What are you talking about?” Sophie’s dad tightened his grip around James’ upper arm,
“Where are they,” in a menacing tone.
“I don’t know,”
“Well, then, let’s look.” Sophie’s dad made James go through his entire room, and when it got to the part where James was supposed to pull out everything from under his bed, he looked away. “That’s it, then, James go ahead and take everything out from under your bed.” James got on his hands and knees, and pulled out some pillow cases, a few sweaters, and the cardboard box shipped from the government.
“What’s that-” Sophie’s dad picked up the box, and surprised with its weight, set it on James’ bed. He lifted the top flaps,
“Jesus- you’re sick, this is going in the trash,” Sophie’s dad started going towards the door,
“No!”
“You sit down right there, don’t bother coming down for dinner.” James waited in his room until nightfall, and it seemed like as soon as the sun was down he got a massive headache. He laid down in his bed awake for hours, listening to the conversations downstairs die down, and his mom and Sophie’s dad to go to sleep.
