CHAPTER 5 #3
He lunged as I tried to shove the paper into my pocket, but he was faster. He grabbed my wrist and yanked my arm up like he meant to tear it off, a pained yelp leaving me.
“What are you hiding, boy?”
“Leave him alone!” Squeeks yelled, grabbing his arm. He ignored her, just pushed her away with his free hand. I twisted, barely pulling myself free as I grabbed her hand. “Just go to our room,” pushing her towards the stairs.
“You think you’re clever, eh? What have I told you about keeping secrets?” turning the paper over as if it were coated in poison.
“Who the fucks Chester? He ya boyfriend or something?” I didn’t speak. Just tried to keep still, keeping calm as I couldn’t be arsed to fight with him today.
“What’s goin’ on?” My mum slurred, dragging her feet from the living room, wearing yesterday’s makeup and nothing decent.
Danny turned to her, waving the paper. “Your boy here is following in your footsteps.”
Mum blinked, rubbing one eye. “What?” Stepping closer as she took the note from Danny’s hand.
“Not a bad shout y’know. Maybe it’s time,” Danny said, looking me up and down like I wasn’t even a person. “Needs to start payin’ his way.”
I froze in place, trapped between them as he decided my fate.
He looked at her, shrugging his shoulders.
“Cocky little shit, but he’s not ugly. Bet there’s a market for this kind of thing. Pretty boys, clean skin. I mean, apart from those fucking freckles. Could make us a few grand easy.”
Mum didn’t laugh; she just stared at me with glazed eyes, already calculating numbers.
“Be more useful than I’ve been lately,” her voice turned my stomach.
“You can’t be serious,” I whispered.
She shrugged, as smoke from her cigarette weaved across her face with shaking hands. “You’re not a kid anymore Screech. The world doesn’t wait for you to grow up. Well, they didn’t for me, that’s for sure.”
I hadn’t noticed Danny leaning into my ear. “Could always use your sister instead.”
My eyes shot him a hateful glare.
Danny grinned, “Plenty of people like ‘em young. Especially ones that don’t talk.”
I pushed past my mum, the fear and disgust written across my face. “Don’t you dare touch her.” I spat.
Danny chuckled low, “You don’t get to say ‘no’ in this house boy.”
“Fuck off,” I hissed, voice barely a breath as Danny smirked towards my mum. “I swear…” I added, voice rising now, “You ever come near her like that, and I’ll slit your throat in your sleep.”
The air crackled. Even Mum stepped back, a flicker of something human in her face, guilt, or fear. Danny didn’t move, didn’t speak. He just stared at me like he was trying to decide whether to hit me or laugh.
I snatched the crumpled number from her hand and backed up toward the stairs.
Squeeks was waiting at the top, eyes wide as tears pooled at the corners.
She hadn’t said a word the whole time, but I knew she’d heard it all.
I put an arm around her and led her back to our room, locking the door behind me.
The evening seemed to drag its feet into the night as the light in our room dimmed. My body sprawled on the mattress beside Squeeks, drifting in and out of sleep. I kept my hand on her back, so that she knew she was safe.
Around two, maybe three in the morning, I pulled myself from the mattress as I needed the bathroom.
A subtle click of the lock sounded in the room as I looked back at Squeeks; she stayed unmoved as I slipped out the door.
I let out a sigh instantly as I caught Danny leaning against the wall—shirtless and swaying.
The shadow of something smug curled at the corners of his mouth. He had been waiting for me.
Danny shifted, taking a step towards me. “C’mon, just a sec. Won’t take long.”
I didn’t move, just looked at him with confusion, but before I knew it, he had grabbed my arm. Pulling me firmly, as if I were a suitcase he needed to drag downstairs.
“I said, come on.” Giving my arm a final yank as his pace quickened.
Light from the telly was glowing across the walls, blaring some late-night reality show. Mum was on the stained sofa; her legs tucked under her like she didn’t belong to this world anymore. Probably off her face on some shit Danny had given her.
Across from her, in the chair, sat a man I didn’t recognise. Well-dressed, with greasy, slicked-back hair and a thin, creepy smile. He stood to his feet as I entered, adjusting his clothes. I didn’t speak, my eyes wide as Danny pushed me forward.
“Go on,” he said, “stand up straight.” I stayed where I was, furrowing my brow at the man. He took a long look, head to toe, like I was a piece of fucking meat on a shelf. The way his lip tugged at the corner of his mouth put me on edge. His hands tucked together tightly in front of him.
Danny leaned in, slapping his hands on my shoulders. “Well, here he is. Quiet, but not soft. Strong little thing.” A dirty chuckle left Danny as if that was a desirable credential.
The man raised an eyebrow, “How old?”
“Fourteen in two months, but he’s clever.
Learns quickly.” My fists clenched as the man circled me, feeling the weight of his eyes.
The judgement. The hunger. He didn’t touch me, but I still felt it.
I looked at my mum as she still hadn’t spoken, still hadn’t looked at me.
Just riding the high and chain-smoking, one after the other, like she could disappear into the smoke.
“She’ll agree,” Danny said, pointing towards her. “Won’t even remember come morning,” giving an obnoxious snort as the man glanced her way, agreeing slowly. I couldn’t breathe, I felt like I had turned to glass, and if I made one wrong move, I would shatter.
“Price?” the man asked. Danny licked his teeth, crossing his arms.
“Be a pretty penny to take the V, my friend. But I’m sure we can come to some arrangement for discounts after that.”
The words twisted in my ears, curdling as their meaning settled. “Take the V.”
That was when I knew.
My skin didn’t just crawl, it tried to escape me.
I wanted to unzip myself and flee this body, this room.
The way Danny smiled, lips slick with greed, teeth gleaming with something feral.
His hands, still warm on my shoulders, gripped me in place.
I looked at my mum once again, my eyes pleading for her to stop it.
It was useless; she was still staring at nothing, fogged in her own poison.
And that man, watching me with empty eyes.
There was nothing there, no conscience or fear in his words.
Just the suggestion of ownership, of deals struck in smoke and silence.
But that was enough.
Enough to make me want to scream, tear the walls down with my bare hands, or claw through my chest to rip out whatever trust I’d ever had in anyone.
“I’ll kill you,” I whispered as the room froze.
Danny leaned in, “What?”
I turned to look at him over my shoulder.
Right in the eye. “You bring him near me, and I’ll gut you in your sleep.”
The man chuckled just once and stepped back. “Feisty,” he said, “Maybe too feisty.”
Danny grabbed me closer, his nails biting at my skin. “Say that again boy, and you won’t see morning.” But I was already shrugging his hands off me, walking out of the room.
As expected, Mum still didn’t look at me.
I took a moment before re-entering our room, breathing heavy and still in a state of complete astonishment at what had just happened.
A part of me had thought they were taking a joke too far, which wouldn’t have been the first time.
But this time, they went there, trying to sell me off to make a quick buck.
My body shivered as I retreated to the safety behind the door. Squeeks had turned in her sleep, murmuring something under her breath. Clicking the lock, I sat down on the floor, back to the wall, knees up to my chest.