Not Having Fun

027

Chris turned 12 a few weeks ago. His rules changed, so his new home time is ten at night! That's so late! But it's okay, Mum says, since he's nearly a teenager. But it's only eight o'clock when he comes home - in a police car!

I watch from the window as Dad and Mum run out. They talk to the police and Dad seems really angry. He slams the door loud when they come back in.

"Dad, I swear I didn't mean to!"

"Get upstairs!" I hear Chris run up to his bedroom. "And get your trousers and pants off while you wait!"

I run out the living room. "What happened Dad?"

"Your brother is in a lot of trouble," he explains. "He vandalised a plant the library and he shoplifted from Tesco,"

"What's vandalised mean?" I ask.

"It means he hurt the plant, Max,"

"What did he steal?"

"A hot chocolate, of all bloody things," he sighs. "Go to your room Max," 

I run upstairs and lean against the wall separating Chris' room from mine. I hear Dad come up. Mum whispers to him. I hear Chris crying from the other side of the wall. Then I hear Dad take off his belt.

When he goes in, Chris cries harder. "Dad, I'm sorry... I didn't think! I swear it won't happen again,"

"No, it won't.  Get your arse over that bed,"

Chris must've bent over the bed, because I hear Dad start belting him.

SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK

He's belting him really fast. Dad is a fast spanker.

SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK

SMACK SMACK

Chris is thrashing and crying, I can hear his jeans kick against one another.

"Act like that again and I'll belt your arse purple, understand me?"

SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK

"Ow! Yes!"

SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK

"Ah-ow!.... I'm sorry..."

"Right, get yourself together and come back down. Your mum and I need to speak to you," I hear Dad put his belt back on. I hear him going downstairs, so I sneak into Chris' room.

"Hi!" I sit beside him on his bed. He's buried his face in his balled fists. He's sobbing. "Did you hurt a plant"

"Fuck off,"

"No, tell me what happened!"

"Go away!"

"Please! I think it's brilliant! You got to ride in a police car!" I grin. "Was it fun?"

"N, I knew I'd get smacked so it wasn't fun," he pauses. "But he did put the siren on to get through a red light. That was exciting!"

I grin at him. "But did you hurt the plant?" People who hurt plants are mean, because plants are living creatures and we aren't supposed to hurt them.

Chris goes downstairs after he wipes his eyes and blows his nose from all the crying. The belt seems to hurt so much, I never want to get it. When he goes downstairs, I hear Mum shout at him and then-

SMACK SMACK SMACK

The net day, Mum and Dad are still really angry at him. He's grounded for a whole month, and they took his Playstation.