The lost boy

Chapter 1

The street was deserted and quiet. Not a sound could be heard within the block- nothing. James walked down Bradford road, feeling uneasy. He walked to number 14 where his best friend Chris lived alongside his drunk parents and his anti-social sister. Chris had been with James since the second grade (James was upset about his mom leaving him and starting a new school, so Chris came over and comforted him) they were as close as anything, like brothers. They put it like this- Chris and James against the world because they found everyone else hostile.  

James knocked loudly on number 14. The door was opened by April- Chris's older sister. She didn't look happy; her body was skinny and frail; her blonde hair lay like dead strands on her head, her green eyes looked like snakes ready to attack. Her mouth was cracked, and she was wearing threadbare clothes, and she held a biro in her left hand; pen marks were all over her hand. April's jeans were creased around the legs and her socks were grey- they clearly hadn't been in the wash for a long time. James wrinkled his nose. 'Oh great, more company.' She said sarcastically.  She turned and went back upstairs. James stepped inside, and locked the door. He wrinkled his nose again; it smelt of alcohol and cigarettes. His ears pricked up; he could hear hysterical laughter coming from the living room. Walking towards it he could see Chris's parents and their friends.

'So that's what April meant by company.' James muttered to himself. Alcohol bottles were on the floor, on the tables, and in their hands. James went upstairs to look for Chris. He looked in his room; he wasn't there. Just a science book laid on the floor with crisp packets around it. On the bed, the laptop sat heating up the overturned bed covers, and the window was open letting in a cool breeze. James caught his bony body in the full-size mirror; his brown hair lay flat against his forehead; his clothes were tattered, and his eyes were hollow and...lost. He had to admit - he looked worse than April- what was wrong with him? All of a sudden the bedroom door jerked open. A boy around 15 came in, he had a healthy figure; green eyes; and blonde short hair. He stood dripping wet with a towel around his waist, and an asthma pump in his hand. 'Jesus!' the boy yelped. It was Chris, in a towel. 'James, what are you doing here?' Chris demanded, 'I said half-eight! It's eight o'clock now!'

'I-' James blinked.

'Get out of here unless you wanna see my you-know-what!' Chris said, grinning. James let himself out of his friend's room and breathed out. Chris was sometimes disgusting.

'Chris, how long does it take to put clothes on?' James demanded, rapping on the door. He could hear Chris mumbling something then the door wrenched open; a green shirt was jammed on to his chest and his jeans were pulled up to his legs- creased. His hair was stuck up at odd angles.  

'So, what do you want to do?' Chris said brightly.

'I don't know,' James shrugged, 'can we go outside?'

'Yeah.' Chris said going towards the door, he paused. 'Urm...'

'Yeah, I know-' James said, 'but it's not like...I mean it's just-...well...I mean- the towel-' James stumbled over words.  

'James, stop it, you weirdo, you're making things really awkward!' Chris laughed and slapped his friend on the back. 'Let's go!' The two of them ran out of the house, Chris grabbed his coat and shouted to his parents that he was leaving. They walked down Bradford road, James stuck his hands in his deep pockets and breathed out. 'You ok?' Chris asked cautiously, looking sideways at his friend.  

'Parents fighting again, seriously they might as well have a divorce.' James rolled his eyes- it was something his older sister, Lily, would do if she was alive.

'Oh, and I thought I was the unlucky one.' Chris sighed, 'yeah, avoiding them is probably the best thing to do now. Why don't you stay over?' he suggested.

'What, with your drunk parents and their drunk friends with your antisocial sister?' James asked raising his eyebrows.

'Yeah, you in?' Chris grinned.

'Yes!' James laughed. Chris was always the one to cheer him up when his parents were fighting. All of a sudden a car pulled up beside them. A gang came out; five of them, one of them was a girl. They all faced them, and the two friends noticed they had cobras tattooed on the side of their necks.

The gang. The cobras. Chris had encountered them once before in the park, he knew each of them by name - Alex, Dylan, Ricky, Josh, and Issac. If you came across them you were unfortunate.

'James run!' Chris grabbed his friend's' arm and they ran.

Chapter 2

'Get them!' a gang member shouted. Chris and James ran; their sneakers slapping against the paving stones desperately. But before they could get to the other end of the road, a boy with cap and the muscles took a shortcut and jumped in front of them. 'Get them, Josh!' the guy with the blonde hair shouted. He stood in front of the two friends, and not far behind was the other four.  They gathered around James and Chris.

The girl walked in front of them and sneered. 'I guess that you two heard of us- but weren't fast enough to escape.' She said.

'And what have we got here?' Dylan said, eyeing the two friends up and down.

'Just a pair of idiots.' Ricky said, smirking. 'And two expensive phones!' Isaac dug into both of James' and Chris' pockets. He pulled out the two phones, along with a keychain of a small trick box from James's sister- as a special gift on his 13th birthday- before she went to Belgium.

'If I don't come back.' Lily grinned as she pressed the keychain into her brother's palm. James remembered how she held him; it was as if all the worries in the world had disappeared.

'Give that back!' James shouted struggling out of Josh's grip, 'my sister gave me that keychain!'

'Oh, did she?' an evil smile played about one of the gang member's lips, from the description that Chris gave James, this one was Issac. He dropped the keychain on the ground and stamped on it repeatedly with his heavy boots, and every time he did it an ear-piercing scream filled the street- but not from any of them. Issac peered at the box curiously, 'what the hell?' He muttered.

'What was that?' Alex whispered her lips trembling. Tears watered in James' eyes as Isaac removed his boot to reveal the small trick box smashed to pieces. Chris caught his friend wiping his eyes with his sleeve. Trying not to cry. Rage filled inside of him for what Isaac had done.

'You're a right ass you know that?' Chris said addressing Isaac. Everyone stared at him, Chris gritted his teeth together, feeling brave.

Josh squeezed Chris' shoulder hard.'Anything you're planning to do square face will come back to you ten times worse,' he said.

Suddenly the air turned unnaturally cold, fluctuating all the warmness of the summer far away leaving their skin bare and cold; goosebumps ran up their arms. Issac grabbed James' cuff of his shirt, ripped him out of Josh's grip and throwing him against the brick wall. James cried out as his back collided with the hard bricks.

'What do you think you're doing, what was in that thing!?' rage and terror-filled Isaac's grey eyes.

'I don't know!' James said shaking.

'He's lying, Isaac!' Alex shouted from behind, James could sense the fear rising in her voice, 'beat the crap out of him!' Issac obeyed; making his hand into a fist and leveling it with James' face, Chris fought in Josh's grip.

'What was in there?' Isaac growled.

'I don't know!' James screamed.

Isaac shook his head, 'not the right answer.' He drew his fist back and punched James hard in the mouth, three times. He then threw James to the ground, blood spotted the ground, James felt around his mouth; blood covered his index finger.

'You're going to pay for that!' Chris roared; he wiggled and squirmed trying to get out of Josh's firm grip. Issac advanced on him. Another gust of wind made a shiver run down their spine; like there were icy fingers lingering on their backs, but not because it was cold, but because it was unexpected. Suddenly Alex screamed, everyone's heart almost jumped out through their throat.

Chapter 3

'What is it, Al?' Dylan asked, his voice cracking, he came over and grasped her hand.

Alex wasn't looking at him; she looked past him, staring at the middle of the road. 'I saw...' she pointed to the middle of the road with her free hand, it trembled as she pointed, 'I saw a girl...she looked like...' she suddenly turned around to look at the boy on the ground. Chris looked at James with an enquiring look on his face. James shook his head; blood was all over his mouth as if he'd been in a war. Dylan tried to get Alex's eyes to focus on him; an anxious expression coloured his face. 'What we did...' Alex's voice drifted off.

'Don't look now.' She suddenly said a possessed look crossed her face. As she finally got her eyes to focus on her boyfriend's, another shriek echoed through the street; Alex whimpered. The street lights went out, casting them into darkness. The gang started swearing as if their lives depended on it.

Josh let go of Chris who ran blindly to find his friend.'James?' Chris cried in a desperate hushed whisper, 'James!?'

'I'm right here,' James managed to get up to find Chris' arm and then Chris himself.

'I can't see a thing!' Chris said feeling James hand on his arm.

'What's happening?' James asked his voice becoming high pitched, he tasted blood in his mouth, but that didn't matter anymore. All of a sudden the lights came back on, one by one, making their situation worse. The gang was huddled on the side of the wall together, all apart from Alex. She was in the middle of the road- shaking.

Chris saw his friend's bruised body; blood was all around the mouth, and his ankle was a bit twisted.'James...' Chris said, 'you look terrible.'

'Yeah, well, they need to work on their anger.' James said wiping the blood off from his mouth, but only to get it on his hand.

'They just did- on you.' Chris said a small smile quirked up on the end of his mouth. James returned a weak smile. Suddenly, James saw something glinting in the dim light- the crushed keychain. James stumbled to get it, he scooped it up in his palm; it was cold, the little black trick box had a mirror inside, and it was just for a second when James caught a girl walking towards Alex, pale hand outstretched. She had straight brown hair; a brown coat with fur on the top, a jumper; a reindeer with a big smile was stitched on. She wore blue jeans with ice skates for shoes and she dragged them along with her- but the skates didn't make a sound, only silence, and the wind as she walks towards Alex.

It was James' older sister. Lily. 'Lily-?' he was broken off by a terrifying scream- Alex. Lights went off, and a second later, back on. The gang were still huddled, Chris was still next to James, but Alex...she had vanished. The only thing in her place was the writing - written in blood - Alex's blood. The gang and two friends circled the sentence; sending shivers down their spines.

Chapter 4

DON'T LOOK NOW

'James, let's got home.' Chris said, feeling sick and scared.

'No, Chris,' James said turning to look at his friend, his eyes hollow and slightly possessed. 'I saw my sister-'

'What?' Chris said, confused and scared.

'Look, I know it sounds mad, but I saw her, she took Alex.' James looked through the tiny mirror again.

Chris was getting really worried and scared now. 'We need to go.' He said slowly trying to get James to understand the situation at hand. He tried to grab his friend's arm. But James moved it out of his reach. 'Look, I don't know what's at work here but it's freaking me out, and we need to go!' Chris said starting to get angry and annoyed.

'Oi!' a voice shouted behind them - Dylan, 'where is she, where is my girlfriend?!' rage and anxiety swelled up inside of him like a looming storm. A part of James felt sorry for him, he understood the loss. Chris and James ran again before the gang could catch them. Cold air licked their skin- it was happening again.  They ran faster and further away from Chris' house. All of a sudden, as expected, the lights went off; James jerked into Chris. The air went cold, and they heard the shriek. James saw a reflection on a glass window, he could see his sister again, this time clearer - Lily was walking slowly towards Isaac; dragging her skates as she walked- but not making a sound, wearing the same clothes she had died in. Lily died on the lonely lake, ice hard at the time, she was terribly injured, she was pushed and thrust under the ice- that's what the firemen told James and his family. All James knew was that his sister was protecting him.

As soon as the lights went out they could hear the cracking of bones and a suffocating noise followed by the sound of a body falling on the road. The lights came back on, one by one, and there was nobody in sight- just the smeared writing, written in blood.

DON'T LOOK NOW

'What does it mean?' Ricky whimpered, and in that moment he saw her- Lily. She stared at him twisting her head like a snake inspecting their prey before their meal; dark circles were around her eyes. Ricky trembled, he stumbled back in terror.'Can you guys see her?' Ricky said.

Josh and Dylan looked at each other. ‘See who, man?’

It happened again, the lights went out and the scream echoed through Ricky's lips and then died out. The lights came back on and in Ricky's spot, there was the writing in thick blood.

DON'T LOOK NOW

'What's happening?' Chris said turning to James; his face was pale and his eyes had fear in them, 'what is she doing?'

James looked at his friend, 'she's protecting us.' He said softly. James looked past Chris: Josh and Dylan were circling the writing; their arms withering with goosebumps. ‘Hey, it's alright.' James said looking at Chris' face; sickly pale and he was shivering a lot. 'We can get through this, watch this!' James said his eyes twinkling.'Hey you!' James yelled from the distance he and Chris were to the last two members of the gang. 'You're the last two losers of your so-called "gang" and guess what? You're going to die!' James shouted mimicking "gang" with his two fingers. James could see Josh's hands clenched, and Dylan gritting his teeth and wiping off a tear that had come down his cheek furiously. James' outburst wasn't enough to raise their anger up to 100%. 'Your friends are dead!' he bellowed, his forehead was burning- he was starting to feel lightheaded. 'You have nothing and no one to continue roaming the street, your days are over!' that seemed to trigger them, for Dylan and Josh came bolting after them.

Chris and James sprinted away, they ran through the high street until they met a dead end. 'What now?' Chris said breathing hard, he took his inhaler out of his pocket, relieving his airways. James scanned the dead end, he spotted a gate at the end of the road, squinting, he could see a field over the gate.

'Over here!' James said running towards the gate, he jumped over it, Chris following close behind, and then Josh and Dylan.

'Where are we going?' Chris shouted at James in the rush. 'To the lake!' James shouted back.

They arrived there. They almost screamed; there were dead bodies around the lake. Not just any dead bodies, but the rest of the gang. Although it was dark the two friends could make out who each of them were; Alex was lying against a tree, brunet eyes wide open in terror. Isaac was lying flat on the ground, his throat was shriveled up and a puddle of blood circled his neck. Ricky was lying beside him, his mouth wide open as if he was still screaming, and then not far behind was Dylan and Josh- still living.

As soon as the Josh and Dylan saw their friends, rage and sadness welled up inside of them. 'Who did this!?' Josh roared shaking, dangerously. Sending shivers down the two friend's backs. Dylan ran over to Alex snapping his fingers in front of her eyes hoping against hope that she would open those gleaming brown eyes.

He held her in his arms and stroked her face gently. 'Al?' Dylan whispered desperately. He waited for a response even though he knew she was dead. Dylan closed her eyelids, cupped her face gently, and kissed her. A tear ran down his cheek onto her face as he drew away from her. He stroked her lenient tangled hair, and then he made her lay down on the soft grass.

James, Chris, and Josh watched him all feeling despair. Even Chris felt it, he now thought, he wouldn't be able to bare it if James died. He turned to look at his friend, to whisper, 'what do we do now?' Dylan suddenly twisted his head into their direction.

'YOU DID THIS!' He screamed, his eyes red with sadness he got up to his feet and slowly walked towards them, 'IT'S HER FAULT!’ James and Chris looked at each other confused. Dylan shook his head, recovering slightly, 'she was skating all alone,' he said in a softer voice, 'Isaac crept towards her first, then Ricky, then Josh and then me and then Alex! The girl...struggled. Alex didn't want to kill her, none of us did. But by the time we pulled her out of the water she...she died.' James' eyes watered, tears ran down his face dampening it, at what he was hearing. Chris squeezed his friend's arm.

‘You're monsters.' Chris said, 'how can you take a life away, a life that wasn't even yours to take!?'

'Don't talk to me like I'm the bad person here!' Dylan's voice raised. 'She was alone, vulnerable-'

'She wasn't alone!' Chris suddenly yelled. He let go of James' arm, 'I was there too.'

James turned to Chris, stricken, 'what?'

'I was there when they pushed her under the ice,' Chris looked guiltily at his friend, 'and I was there when they pulled her lifeless body out.'

'What?' James repeated, confusion and resentment rising in his voice, 'what do you mean?'

Chris turned to look at James fully, 'I liked your sister, James.'

'What? You were stalking her?' James said, his tone started to shake with rage.

'No,' Chris said shortly, 'just watching-'

'So when they came,' James said panic rising in his voice, 'you did nothing about it?!'

'I tried to, James,' Chris said, trying to defend himself, 'I tried to call the police, no signal, I wouldn't get to the nearest police station fast enough-'

'So you stood there and did nothing?!' anger and disbelief filled up inside James, he stepped away from his friend.

'What could I do?' Chris said. 'If I went out there and fought, they would've got me too and...we both would've died!’ James stood in shocked silence. 'You wouldn't want me dead...would you, James?' Chris' eyes watered. James was feeling: confused, stricken, and sick. But he didn't look at his friend, he instead looked at Dylan; standing beside his girlfriend, as stricken as James was.

Chapter 5

'Josh, don't,' Dylan said suddenly, 'Josh, no!’

The two friends turned to look at Josh as he did a run up towards them, his arms spread apart. And before the two friends knew it they crashed into the water. The water took them in knocking the air from their lungs. James struggled against Josh's grip, he craned his neck to see Chris freighting to get free but Josh's weight along with their own was dragging them to the bottom of the lake- they were drowning. James pleaded his sister for help them in his mind, straining to reach her because he figured out by now that there was a connection between his sister and him, and she would always come. Always.

There was nothing they could do, they were hitting the bottom of the lake now. All of a sudden, when they thought they were drowning, a knife shot into the water at a strong force and pierced Josh's back; his body suddenly went limp, his grip loosened completely. James unhooked his arm from him. Then swam to help his friend. Chris wasn't moving. Panic swelled in James' chest as he clawed his way towards him. As soon as he reached his friend, James' pulled his arm onto his shoulders struggling to reach the top. Kicking with all his might he crashed through the water surface. Gasping, James dragged his friend to shore. He suddenly felt a presence, he turned around quickly to see his sister; she held a boy in her grasp - it was Dylan who was still alive; whimpering, his eyes full of fear.

'Lily!' James exclaimed in almost a whisper; she had an ax close by. 'You're alive.' He breathed.

'No,' Lily shook her head, 'I'm not. I'm just a ghostly loom, a spirit. I have always wanted this revenge.' She shook Dylan as if he was a puppy who whimpered again. 'I don't know what I should do with this one,' she eyed him. 'It's funny what side you end up on isn't Dylan?’ Dylan nodded frantically. 'What do you reckon Jamie?' Lily said mocking Dylan's desperate attempt to keep his life. James was shocked, he had never seen his sister act this way, and it was as if the real loving and caring Lily had shriveled up inside this new Lily.

Before James could say anything Lily picked up the ax and made an attempt for Dylan's neck. She slammed it down and it made a satisfying crunch. 'No!' James suddenly yelled.

Lily dropped the boy and the ax and looked towards her brother. 'He did wrong.'

'Yes, I know.' James said, 'but that doesn't give you the right to take someone's life.'

Now it was Lily's turn to look stricken.'They murdered me,' she said slowly, 'they took me away from you - they took your friend.' Her eyes drifted to Chris.

James remembered Chris, and he bent towards his body. He dug for the inhaler in Chris' pocket and pressed it to his friend's mouth and pumped the air, then pushed his chest down, listening for a heartbeat. 'Chris?' James called, no response, he did it again. He slammed his hands down on Chris' chest really hard - Chris gasped for air; a bit of water poured out of his mouth, he spluttered. 'Chris!' James exclaimed, relieved.

'I'm so sorry,' Chris said, 'so sorry.'

'It's alright, it's fine you would've died as well.' James squeezed his friend.

'But your sister-' He began.

'Is here!' James gestured towards his sister. She was watching Chris and James in an almost furious maybe even jealous way. Lily's hand was held up in level with Chris' neck and it was slowly closing into a fist. Chris was gasping. 'Your pump!' James put it towards his friend's mouth again.

'Not - working.' Chris strained to say, his eyes were watering they drifted towards the girl, 'It's her.'

James looked towards his sister, her eyes were focused on Chris, and her hand was as if it was wrapped around Chris' neck squeezing out the air, slowly.

'Lily, stop!' James screamed, 'LILY!' He stepped between her and Chris and looked her hard in the eyes. 'I won't let you do this,' she looked at him, 'please, he's all I have left.’ James' eyes watered, he could see her hand slowly dropping to her side.  

Her voice cracked, but James could hear the real her behind her evil facade, 'They did this, they killed me and he stood by and watched.' James turned to Chris; breathing but his eyes were closed.  

'I'm sorry Lily, I know what they did, but this is not the way to take revenge.' James said, 'they would've had to live for what they did, with that on their conscience for the rest of their lives.' James walked towards his sister slowly, 'I still love you Lily, but I'm not sure I recognise you like this.' She looked around once more, and realisation hit her. For the first time, she saw the blood, the bodies and her hands with weapons in them. She dropped them with a soft thud on the grass. She then took her hands, and raked them through her hair, and collapsed suddenly on the ground.  

'I just wanted to keep you safe.' She whispered with her hands on her face. 'I didn't know I would do this.' She took her hands down and stared at her brother.

'Thank you for protecting me for the last time. I forgive you.' James said, and when he reached out to touch his sister's hand, instead of feeling the air, he felt her cold hand, like ice, in his. James looked into his big sister's eyes, and all that sorrow and fear disappeared, replaced with regret but happiness. She felt free now.

'I'll always be here,' she whispered, indicating to his heart, 'always.' And with that, every trace of her existence vanished, leaving the ground with bodies and weapons.

James realised - they needed to get out, otherwise they'd become suspects.

James crawled over to Chris' body, shaking him awake. 'Come on, Chris,' he roused awake, staring up at James' face.

'How can you forgive me?' He croaked, water rimming around his eyes.

'It wasn't your fault, I couldn't lose you too.' James helped Chris to his feet, handing him his inhaler. 'Are you feeling ok?' He asked, watching as Chris used his inhaler.

'I think so,' Chris said, 'And I think we better go before someone thinks we did this.' His eyes filled with horror at the scene before him; bodies lying around and inside the pond. Chris suddenly grabbed James' arm, 'look, the lake!' At that very moment, three words appear at the bottom of the pond.

DON'T LOOK NOW

'What does it mean?' Chris said, confused.

James looked around, finally realising, 'we need to go, now!' He grabbed Chris, but Chris pulled back.

'Our phones!' He said before James could say anything. James was glad Chris was there, always remembering things last minute and always being there when he needed him. Once they dug their phones out of Issac's pocket, they started to run again, once they were over the gate and on the road once more, they noticed that there wasn't blood or anything on the road or the paving stones, it had gone.

'She took care of it,' James said, breathing hard.

Chris looked at him, confused, 'what do you mean?'

James sighed, 'she's protecting me, protecting us. She made all traces of the bodies and the blood on the ground disappear.'

Chris bowed his head a little, and said quietly, 'why would she want to protect me?'

James took Chris, and turned him round to face him, 'it wasn't your fault, understand?' James shook his head, 'I don't want to hear any more about it, ok?'  

Chris nodded slightly, then he changed his tone, 'do you want to stay over still?' He grinned slightly.

'Yeah, ok.' James said. The two friends walked towards the house, shaken by what they had observed that night. Not saying a word to each other as they stalked through the night.

Chapter 6

The house was finally silent; no laughter echoed through the living room, and no anxious ticks or frantic muttering came from April's closed door. It was 12 PM, and the house was asleep apart from two boys who got food from the kitchen and went upstairs to try and get some understanding of what happened that night.

Chris looked a James' clothes, an anxious expression drawn across his face. 'James?' He said, 'do you want to take a shower and change your bloodstained clothes?'

James finally looked at his clothes, and was horrified to see blood on the cuffs of his sleeves and around his front. He quickly started ripping his clothes off, hands shaking, breathing rattled. His breathing became shallow, the room started to spin around him. James could faintly hear Chris yelling, then his arms around him. James' thoughts accelerated in his head, making him sick and dizzy; his parents shouting at one another, Lily dying over and over again, and the bodies and the blood...so much blood, James felt as if he may drown in it. Black dots started to obscure his vision, he tried to fight them. He could feel Chris holding him, and rubbing his back, saying things to try and calm him, but James could only hear screaming and could only see blood. James finally let himself be taken, all the thoughts drowned him, the black dots obscured his vision, and his body finally went limp.

Chapter 7

James was the first to wake up. He propped himself on one elbow on the bed, looking around him, his eyes wild. He was in Chris' room; long threadbare curtains, whitewashed walls with posters of a football team pinned to it, and the window partially open, letting a cool breeze through. It was early in the morning, the sun peeked through the threadbare curtains, allowing the room to fill with specks of light. Beside him on the floor, he could hear someone snoring softly. He leaned over; Chris was lying on his back in the same clothes he wore last night, still a bit damp from the pond. As soon as the word "pond" came to his head, all the memories of the previous night flashed before his eyes, ending with the panic attack and then the blackout. James slipped out of bed on the left side of the bed with Chris on the right, on the floor. James layered the bed covers on his friend's body, Chris stirred a little but didn't wake. Catching himself in the full-size mirror, James looked at himself in dismay; he was wearing nothing but his pants, remembering how he tried to take off his bloodstained clothes. Looking at his hands, he peered at his fingers - blood. It was coated with the tips, his fingernails red. His mind suddenly cast back, and he saw himself trying to resuscitate Chris, and as he was doing this, blood from the grass and the pond around him, dampened his clothes, even more, staining it crimson. Both him and Chris needed to clean themselves and throw away their clothes, James knew that otherwise what would their parents say? But James continued to stare at himself in the mirror, just standing, watching a pale scrawny figure, with hollow eyes.

'We should get rid of our clothes.' a voice said behind him. James turned around and saw Chris standing behind him, looking at him with emptiness in his eyes. James looked down at his bare body. 'You can borrow my clothes.' Chris said, throwing him a hoodie, t-shirt, and jeans from his wardrobe. Both friends dressed in silence, neither one saying anything, just throwing wary glances at each other from time to time. Once the friends were dressed, they put their bloodstained clothes in a bin bag and headed towards a dumpsite. It was 5:30 AM on a Sunday, so the whole house was asleep and didn't notice the two boys slipped out the front door.

They walked for a while in silence once more, they then took the bus, sat on it for a half-an hour with hardly anyone on the bus, then got off 30 minutes later arriving 10minutes before the dumpsite. James' hand shook with the bin bag, his fingers trembling, as his trainers tread through the gravel.

Chris must've noticed because he pulled James' elbow and turned him around to face him. 'Once we get rid of the evidence, we'll be in the clear-'

James shook his head, 'we have our DNA scattered all over the place!' He started to shake dangerously now, he could feel the air escaping from his lungs, he could feel the gravel shifting beneath him, his breathing became rapid - he was having another panic attack.

Chris sensed this, he dropped his bag and tried to calm James down. 'It's ok because you know what? We have an alibi, my parents were really drunk that night, and they might just think I was in my room with you. I left my door closed. April can account for you because she opened the front door for you, right?' He rubbed his hand up and down James' arm, calming him. Chris leaned in close to him, saying, 'but if we don't get rid of the evidence we might not have a chance.' Chris frowned for a moment, 'didn't you say she was protecting us, what if she got rid of the bodies for us?'

James' breathing became slower, calmer. The world stopped spinning, and he looked at his friend and could see the anxiety drawn on his face. 'I'm sorry.' He whispered.

Chris frowned, 'what for?' He then looked away from James, 'I'm the reason your sister is dead.'

James punched him in the arm, 'No it wasn't! Don't say that or I swear to god, I'll-I'll...!' James scrambled for words, then he remembered. 'I'll run away again!'

Chris narrowed his eyes, 'don't even think about it.'

The two boys remembered all too well when James couldn't take it anymore with his parents fighting and decided to run away. He came in the night through Chris' window, waking him up, and telling him his plan. Chris tried to stop him, James suggested that he should come with him, but Chris stayed, saying he had responsibilities at home. James left, with Chris protesting. James took the bus and continued its journey into the main part of London, hoping he'd find a vacancy and a place to stay for a 14-year-old boy. He found a hotel in Kings Cross London, and he managed to stay there a week with the stolen money from his parents. He had about 50 missed calls from his mum, dad, and Chris altogether. It wasn't until a week that someone came knocking loudly on the door. James looked through the door peephole and saw his parents standing there with an angry look drawn on their faces. James quickly packed his things and made for the window. He climbed out on the balcony, using other balconies as monkey bars. When he finally reached the ground, police were scattered here and there, looking for him. He heard a shriek and saw his mother up on the balcony pointing at him frantically. He started to run but was stopped. Chris stood in front of him, shaking his head. James punched him in the mouth and started to run, but was held down by about three police officers. They took him to the police station where he met with parents who scolded him and yelled, but James told them it was their fault and explained it to the officer, the officer nodded as though he understood, therefore he had a word with his parents alone. The officer then talked to James and told him that if he was to run away again, they would have for keeping him in a cell for one night. James told him, "at least I'd have a place to stay, away from them." But from then on, he decided not to anymore. When he came out of the police station, Chris was waiting there, with a bruised cheek. James didn't say anything to him for weeks, that it became two months without the friends talking to each other. However, later on, James climbed through his window and apologised, and Chris forgave him and made James promise not to run away again.

James swallowed, 'my sister's murder, wasn't your fault. It wasn't, ok?'

Chris nodded slowly, 'I could've helped-I'

'You would've died,' James said, 'I can't lose you too.'

They both turned towards the reeking dumpsite, walking towards it, they decided to go further into the middle where the bags were less noticeable. They climbed over garbage; rotten food, tissue, pieces of furniture, and all sorts. They put the bags under a wooden moldering board, stamping on it so it looked like it hadn't just been put there. The smell was unbearable, so the two boys turned and got out of the dumpsite as soon as they could.

Chapter 8

After running for a couple of minutes, the dumpsite was out of view, and they were on the main road once more, with cars starting to come more often, as it was getting later in the morning, coming up to 7 AM. Chris stopped running and took out his asthma pump; he was red in the face, choking slightly.  James waited, standing cautiously beside him until he recovered.

James suddenly had a flashback, he remembered someone, a boy, his older brother, Eric. Eric was watching on the stands, whilst James played football, he was 12 years old then. James' team lost and when it did, Eric ran into the middle of the field, picked James up onto his shoulders and stuck his middle finger at the other team and showed them his bum, then ran away with James towards a clearing where no one was around. Once they got there, he lifted James off, and they both fell about laughing. They continued laughing, and once they recovered, Eric took James to Nando's and then to the cinema. They stayed out so late that Eric was shouted at so much, that mum and dad were actually swearing at him, and Eric was swearing back. Lily was at boarding school so there was nothing she could do. For years Eric didn't get along with mum and dad because when he was 18 years old, he found something out, something we weren't supposed too. A family secret, they told him not to tell James and Lily. He didn't. But that secret made there be constant emotional tensions at home, so that night, Eric packed his stuff, squeezed James goodbye, telling him that one day he would come back for him and left. 3 years had gone, and James still remembered his promise. However, it was a while back when they heard that Eric had joined the army and they hadn't heard of him since. James' parents don't talk about him anymore, James wasn't sure if he even knew that Lily was dead.

It was then, that James finally decided something so important, he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. Chris had recovered, they jumped on the bus, and headed back home.

When they got off, Chris turned to him, 'you're very quiet.' He said.

James finally decided he was going to tell Chris, 'can we go to the park for a bit?'

'Sure, yeah,' Chris said, 'whatever you want.'

The two boys walked towards the park, their hoodies zipped up, and their hands in their pockets. The air around them was humid and almost suffocating. The trees around the park wore their overcoats proudly in the summer season, flexing their branches freely. The grass around them was flat and soft, and the morning sun made it shine pleasantly in the day. No one was in the park, it was just them. They sat on a bench, breathing out heavily. Last night and the morning had been hell, it was hard to believe it was over because it wasn't. If Lily hadn't got rid of the bodies, the police would find the bodies, finding the warning of DON'T LOOK NOW, and would trace the DNA to the two of them. But for one moment, one small moment, the boys believed that it was over and things could go back to normal, with James' arguing parents, and Chris' sober ones. James didn't think he could go back to that, he buried his face in his hands. After a while he could feel a warm hand on his shoulder, he looked up and could see Chris looking at him anxiously.

'Chris,' he began, swallowing.

'What's up?'

'I'm going to find my brother.' James said quietly.

Chris bolted up as if something bit him, and he glowered at James. 'You promised you weren't going to run away.' He said, his teeth clenched.

'This isn't running away,' James said, also standing up, 'I need to find him.'

'You told me that the last you heard from him, he joined the army!' Chris looked angry.

'Yes, but-' James started.

'That was one and a half years ago!' He was getting annoyed now.

'There is nothing left for me here!' The words came out of James' mouth before he could stop them.

Chris' face crumpled, James could see the hurt in his eyes, on his face. 'I'm not enough?' He said quietly.

'I didn't say that Chris,' James pleaded with his eyes for Chris to understand. 'My brother made a promise that one day he'd come back for me. It's been three years, I'm not sure he even knows that Lily is dead.'

'What about me?' Chris said, his head down. 'You're going to leave me?'

'I don't want to...' James suddenly had an idea, 'you could come with me?'

Chris' eyes widened, 'I can't believe how selfish you're being right now!'

'What are you talking about?'

'I could come with you, leave my family, my life and just go on this wild manhunt for your brother!?' His eyes flashed with anger.

'It was an offer!' James said, going red, 'fine, if you don't want to come with me, you don't have to. I don't need you, I can find him myself.' James started to leave the park to go home, Chris held him back.

'I need you,' Chris said softly, James looked at him; his eyes were shining with tears. 'Me and you, we're like brothers, I've always thought so, ever since the time where you punched Jimmy because he called me a retard or the time when you argued with the shopkeeper for not giving me all the change. You've always been a brother to me, and I need you.'

James squeezed Chris into a hug, 'I don't want to leave you, but I need to find him.' He looked at Chris cautiously, 'I do want you to come with me, but you have your family...' James said, 'but we could always come back, it's not like we're going forever.' He added.

'Well if we're going to do this,' Chris said slowly, 'how would we get by? You know, where would we stay, what would we eat, and also the very important one - where would we start?'

James shook his head; he hadn't thought all of this through. 'We'll figure something out,' he finally said. He looked again at Chris cautiously, 'if we do...are you going to come with me?'

Chris' face broke into a grin, 'yeah, of course, you don't know maps, I do. When you ran away, it was so obvious where you'd gone, I didn't bother telling your parents for another week!'

'You couldn't wait another two weeks?' James inquired, but he rolled his eyes, 'fine, you do the geography, you geologist!'

Chris frowned, 'you know a geologist is someone who studies rocks, right?'

James play punched him, 'get a life, man!' They both laughed, and that was when the boys realised, it was the first time they laughed properly since Lily died. They went silent for a moment then made their way back home. It was 8:15 AM when James got home. Smells wafted from the kitchen door; opened a crack. He inhaled fluffy pancakes,  maple syrup, and coffee. He trudged over to the kitchen, exhausted. When he came through the door, his mum was there by the stove, flipping the pancakes with her spatula. The sun shone through the glass windows and door, making the room light and gold, and making James hungrier. He hadn't eaten since he left home yesterday and that was only an egg sandwich, he just had to get away from his parents as soon as possible.

'Been at the Fletcher's?' Mum said, not looking up as he walked through and sat on the table in front of her.

'Yeah, I was with Chris,' James rolled his eyes, mum always referred to them as the Fletchers, not Allison and Rupert. Mum served them breakfast and they both sat in silence and ate it. They heard the pounding of feet on the stairs, and dad came into the kitchen in his dressing gown. He sat at the table with them, eating in silence. James could feel the tension building in the room, he tried to eat quickly before something happened, but it was too late. Dad spat out a mouthful of food on his plate, and then washed his mouth with orange juice.

Mum glowered at him, 'don't even think about eating anything I make again, Jack!'

'You put too much sugar, you know I can't have a lot of cause of my diabetes!' He scowled.

'Well, quite frankly, I don't care!' Mum tossed his plate in the garbage, then went upstairs, slamming the bedroom door shut.

Dad shook his head, taking the fruit and fiber off the shelf and eating that instead. James decided to make himself scarce, going up to his bedroom and lying in his bed. He lay there for a while, eyes closed until eventually, he fell asleep once more.

Chapter 9

When James awoke, it was 2 pm, he rubbed his eyes and stared at his window with a blank expression on his face. The events of the previous night continued to play through his head repeatedly. The next few weeks were going to be as if James was in hell itself, trying to climb out. They were.

Every day, James searched army groups, trying to find where his brother served or was serving so he could slowly find him. At the same time, Chris was trying to come up with a 6month plan on how they would survive because they both agreed, if they didn't find Eric, they would come back after 6months. In terms of school, James and Chris felt they needed to still learn and be educated, they found their work online and tried not to worry about the exams that they may not be there for, after all, they were nearly in year 10 and their GCSEs were coming.

3 months had passed when both James and Chris were ready to leave. They were 4 weeks and 2 days into school when James come over to Chris' on Wednesday night, and they went over the plan once more. They figured out where to take the bus from, and what train to get, and where and when they would stop and have a break. The whole plan was done to the last detail ending with an army base, more than 20 miles from where they were.

Chris was looking at James as he went over the plan when James noticed, he looked away as if he was hiding something. 'What's wrong?' James inquired.

Chris shook his head, 'nothing,' then he rubbed his hands over his face, 'I just-I mean...are you sure you're ready to do this?'

James thought for a minute, though he didn't have to, he already knew the answer, and Chris knew that. 'He promised he'd come back for me, I need to find him.'

'Ok, if you're sure.' Chris didn't look at James in the eye as he said this.

James reached over, holding his shoulder, 'you don't have to-'

Suddenly there was a knock on Chris' bedroom door, the two friends bolted up, took the papers off the bed and James stuffed it in his bag, doing his best not the crease it. Chris opened the door to find his sister in her jogging bottoms and cardigan with a compass for maths in her left hand. She stood there, silent for a few moments, looking between James and Chris as if she was trying to catch them in a lie.

April let herself in closing the door behind her and she continued to look at them both. 'I know what you're planning,' she finally said, 'you're planning to find him, your brother.' She looked at James; something like sympathy was read in her eyes.

James and Chris looked stricken.

'April, I-' Chris began.

'Save it, Chris,' she looked at him, 'were you going to tell me, or were you going to leave without  saying goodbye?'

Chris fell silent, he hadn't even thought about that.

'April,' James said, 'you can't tell our parents or anyone, I don't even know how you found out.'

April scoffed, 'you two have been acting really shifty. You spend most of your time together, always, and you distance yourself from other people, sometimes you two spend the night together, don't think I haven't noticed!' Chris swallowed as he looked at James, 'wait...' April suddenly went pale and her eyes widened.

Chris looked at his sister, 'what is it?'

'Are you two...gay?'

James sat down, Chris groaned with contempt. The two friends looked at each other for a moment, then fell about laughing. Chris pounded the bed with his fist as laughed. James leaned over and howled with laughter.

'Ok, ok guys, I get it,' April folded her arms, fiddling with the compass in her hand. James and Chris continued to laugh; it felt good, for one moment they didn't have to worry about what lay ahead, and their family. For one moment, they felt happy.

Chris recovered after a while, still giggling a bit, 'April, April, seriously?' Chris grinned at his sister, 'just because we spend most of our time together does not mean we're...we're...gay!' He started to laugh again.

'Yeah, Chris is like a brother to me.' James piped in, trying to stop himself from laughing again, he was surprised they hadn't woken up Chris' parents.

'So why are you looking for him, your brother?' April suddenly said; it went silent once more, 'if Chris is like a brother to you, why are you looking for Eric? He left you remember? Stop trying to take away my brother now, my family.'

'April,' Chris warned.

James shook his head, he hadn't realised how selfish he was being, breaking away Chris' family just because his family was broken, then he knew, that's why he was doing this, to try and find a family – his brother, he was the only family he had left, but when he looked at Chris, and remembered all the times Chris had looked after him since the second grade, he wasn't too sure. Chris was the brother he always wanted and was lucky to have, but James knew, he had to find his real brother, because he was out there, somewhere.

'I need to find him,' James said softly, not looking at either of them and just looking at his socks, 'he promised he'd come back for me one day, but I need him now.' He looked at Chris, 'you don't have to come with me, Chris-'

'No,' Chris said, ignoring him, 'we've been over this, I'm coming with you.' He looked sideways at April, 'I want to help, of my own will. If you ran away April, I would go look for you, and James would help too,' James nodded, 'I need to help him. He deserves to find what's left of his family, ok?'

April's eyes watered, shaking her head, she grinned, 'never thought I'd say this, but I'm going to miss you, Christopher, you're the only one who holds this family together, and I...I love you!' April suddenly threw her arms around her brother's neck, squeezing the life out of him. Chris returned the embrace, trying to breathe over her shoulder.

James decided to give them some time alone and went the bathroom. James looked in the mirror; his eyes were hollow but sharp, his face was pale, and his lips were cracked and dry. But he was smiling. Through all the mess they'd been through, he was happy, he was going to find his brother.

Chapter 10

Saturday.

This was the day planned. This was it, it was real. They were running away, they were beginning their journey, trying to find Eric.

James came downstairs, his rucksack was slung over his shoulder, with a sleeping bag rolled up beside it. James rested his bag by the front door, and started into the kitchen. His parents were sitting together, it was an unusual sight James hadn't noticed before; Dad was sipping his coffee whilst mum was telling him about her colleague at work and how she messed up a contract that ended in them actually getting a new client. Mum was laughing, dad was spluttering onto the newspaper in front him. When James walked into the kitchen, both his parent's eyes rested on him. Mum got up immediately, and threw her arms around him, kissing his cheeks with her rough lips.

'Have you packed everything, sweetheart?' Mum said grinning, as James used the palms of his hands to rub off his mum's kisses. 'Remember, camping isn't as fun as they say it is-'

'Don't listen to your mum, James,' dad said rolling his eyes, and folding his newspaper, 'she just doesn't like camping because the first time she went, she got bitten all over! And I had to spend all night helping her, smoothing down the lumps on her body, putting cream...' Mum glared at him, 'which was a very rewarding job of course because I love you, Honey,' dad added hastily.

'I'll be back in a week,' James said, grinning at the sight in front of him. It was the first time in months he'd seen his parents this happy, and cheerful, they were being real parents again, James was almost reluctant to leave, but he batted away that thought - he had to find Eric. It was lucky they had 1 week half term break, his parents wouldn't worry for a week, it gave them time. His parents hugged him one last time.

James' dad ruffled his hair, smiling, 'break a leg, kiddo,' James opened the door, and walked out of the house, grinning at his parents.

'He was joking!' Mum said, hastily, 'James, don't you dare come back with broken bones!'

'James, she means – comes back in a wheelchair!' Dad called from behind him.

'Will do!' James yelled over his shoulder. He heard a yelp from dad and then he was off to Chris' house, as his house was the closest to the bus stop.

He saw Chris coming out of his house – well trying to. His parents and their friends were pinching Chris' cheeks as though he was three years old,  saying goodbye. April was sitting on the ledge outside their home, disgusted. When she saw James,  she jumped to her feet and came bounding towards him.

'Promise me something,' she suddenly said, her eyes close together, a serious expression drawn on her face, 'no matter what happens, bring Chris back, look after him, make sure he's safe.'

'I promise.' James said, matching her gaze.

Chris bustled out of the house; his face red, especially his cheeks which were bright red from all the pinching and squeezing. He breathed heavily, then paused as he saw James' and April's expressions, 'what's up?'

'Nothing,' James said quickly, grinning, 'except the fact that your face looks like a tomato!'

Chris frowned for a moment, then rolled his eyes, 'they haven't even started drinking yet, and they're already hyped!' Chris looked at his sister, 'goodbye April, if we don't find him, we're coming  back in six months, that's a promise.' April looked at James; he nodded in agreement.

With one last squeeze, the two friends were off. They were going to find Eric, they had to.

Three months had passed when James and Chris were headed towards the 7th connecting army base they were told Eric was moved to. The two friends searched 6 bases for 3 months, one leading to the other. They stayed at motels here and there, and kept going further away from home, they were going from place to place by train, lucky to have enough money to get there. Each time they went to an army base, and they were told Eric Colten wasn't there, the two friends became quieter and quieter, not wanting to be the first one to say it was hopeless.

They arrived at RAF Croughton, Fairford, the 7th base. James approached the man at the desk; bald with a grim look on his face. 'Hi, I'm looking for my brother, Eric Colten.' The man raised his eyebrows as he looked at the two of us, and James knew why. They looked scruffy, and they hadn't washed in two days. The man typed the name into his computer, his eyes moving up and down the screen.

The man suddenly paled, he swallowed, looking at James. 'I'm sorry, son,' he said gruffly, 'but your brother is MIA.'

'Get them!' a gang member shouted. Chris and James ran; their sneakers slapping against the paving stones desperately. But before they could get to the other end of the road, a boy with cap and the muscles took a short cut and jumped in front of them. 'Get them, Josh!' the guy with the blonde hair shouted. He stood in front of the two friends, and not far behind was the other four. They gathered around James and Chris.

The girl walked in front of them and sneered. 'I guess that you two heard of us- but weren't fast enough to escape.' She said.

'And what have we got here?' Dylan said, eyeing the two friends up and down.

'Just a pair of idiots.' Ricky said, smirking. 'And two expensive phones!' Isaac dug into both of James' and Chris' pockets. He pulled out the two phones, along with a key chain of a small trick box from James's sister- as special gift on his 13th birthday- before she went to Belgium.

'If I don't came back.' Lily grinned as she pressed the key chain in her brother's palm. James remembered how she held him; it was as if all the worries in the world had disappeared.

'Give that back!' James shouted struggling out of Josh's grip, 'my sister gave me that key chain!'

'Oh, did she?' an evil smile played about one of the gang member's lips, from the description that Chris gave James, this one was Issac. He dropped the key chain on the ground and stamped on it repeatedly with his heavy boots, and everytime he did it an ear-piercing scream filled the street- but not from any of them. Issac peered at the box curiously, 'what the hell?' He muttered.

'What was that?' Alex whispered her lips trembling. Tears watered in James' eyes as Isaac removed his boot to reveal the small trick box smashed to pieces. Chris caught his friend wiping his eyes with his sleeve. Trying not to cry. Rage filled inside of him for what Isaac had done.

'You're a right ass you know that?' Chris said addressing Isaac. Everyone stared at him, Chris gritted his teeth together, feeling brave.

Josh squeezed Chris' shoulder hard.'Anything you're planning to do square face will come back to you ten times worse,' he said.

Suddenly the air turned unnaturally cold, fluctuating all the warmness of the summer far away leaving their skin bare and cold; goosebumps ran up their arms. Issac grabbed James' cuff of his shirt, ripped him out of Josh's grip and throwing him against the brick wall. James cried out as his back collided with the hard bricks.

'What do you think you're doing, what was in that thing!?' rage and terror filled Isaac's grey eyes.

'I don't know!' James said shaking.

'He's lying, Isaac!' Alex shouted from behind, James could sense the fear rising in her voice, 'beat the crap out of him!' Issac obeyed; making his hand into a fist and levelling it with James' face, Chris fought in Josh's grip.

'What was in there?' Isaac growled.

'I don't know!' James screamed.

Isaac shook his head, 'not the right answer.' He drew his fist back and punched James hard in the mouth, three times. He then threw James across the ground, blood spotted the ground, James felt around his mouth; blood covered his index finger.

'You're going to pay for that!' Chris roared; he wiggled and squirmed trying to get out of Josh's firm grip. Issac advanced on him. Another gust of wind made a shiver run down their spine; like there were icy fingers lingering on their backs, but not because it was cold, but because it was unexpected. Suddenly Alex screamed, everyone's heart jumped through their throat.

'What is it, Al?' Dylan asked, his voice cracking, he came over and grasped her hand.

Alex wasn't looking at him; she looked past him, staring at the middle of the road. 'I saw...' she pointed to the middle of the road with her free hand, it trembled as she pointed, 'I saw a girl...she looked like...' she suddenly turned around to look at the boy on the ground. Chris looked at James with an enquiring look on his face. James shook his head; blood was all over his mouth as if he'd been in war. Dylan tried to get Alex's eyes to focus on him; an anxious expression coloured his face. 'What we did...' Alex's voice drifted off.

'Don't look now.' She suddenly said, a possessed look crossed her face. As she finally got her eyes to focus on her boyfriend's, another shriek echoed through the street; Alex whimpered. The street lights went out, casting them into darkness. The gang started swearing as if their lives depended on it.

Josh let go of Chris who ran blindly to find his friend.'James?' Chris cried in a desperate hushed whisper, 'James!?'

'I'm right here,' James managed to get up to find Chris' arm and then Chris himself.

'I can't see a thing!' Chris said feeling James hand on his arm.

'What's happening?' James asked his voice becoming high pitched, he tasted blood in his mouth, but that didn't matter anymore. All of a sudden the lights came back on, one by one, making their situation worse. The gang was huddled on the side of the wall together, all apart from Alex. She was in the middle of the road- shaking.

Chris saw his friend's bruised body; blood was all around the mouth, and his ankle was a bit twisted.'James...' Chris said, 'you look terrible.'

'Yeah, well, they need to work on their anger.' James said wiping the blood off from his mouth, but only to get it on his hand.

'They just did- on you.' Chris said, a small smile quirked up on the end of his mouth. James returned a weak smile. Suddenly, James saw something glinting in the dim light- the crushed key chain. James stumbled to get it, he scooped it up in his palm; it was cold, the little black trick box had a mirror inside, and it was just for a second when James caught a girl walking towards Alex, pale hand outstretched. She had straight brown hair; a brown coat with fur on the top, a jumper; a reindeer with a big smile was stitched on. She wore blue jeans with ice skates for shoes and she dragged them along with her- but the skates didn't make a sound, only silence and the wind as she walks towards Alex.

It was James' older sister. Lily. 'Lily-?' he was broken off by the most terrifying scream- Alex. Lights went off, and a second later, back on. The gang were still huddled, Chris was still next to James, but Alex...she had vanished. The only thing in her place was the writing - written in blood - Alex's blood. The gang and two friends circled the sentence; sending shivers down their spines.