Locked Away - Book 1

Chapter 11

Friday has come around. It's been a weird few days. Come Wednesday morning Tyler has acted weird. He's talked to me but only said the necessary. He's avoided being alone with me as if I had the plague. But I still find him looking at me. Giving me little looks whenever he thinks I'm not looking. It gives me hope.

"Hey." I manage to find Tyler alone in the hall while heading to the bathroom.

He turns back and looks at me. I can see his brain running through what to do next. Debating whether to run or confront.

"Hey." He chooses the second option.

"So..." I catch up to him. "I'm excited for game night... that is if you still want me to come."

"Oh... yeah." I can see his hands visibly shaking. "Of course, you should still come." He can't make eye contact. "Bode is very excited to get to know you. He's already called being on your team for Twister."

"Oh? Well then you should be scared, I'm very flexible." I see that fake smile he's had these past few days turn into a small, but very real, one.

"Good. I should get going before I get in trouble."

"Okay. I'll see you tonight."

The rest of the day goes by fast. That is until I get home. I sit and wait in my room, waiting for the time to leave. But it never seems to come.

"Hey! Boy! Come here." Fuck me.

"What?" I shout from my room.

"Come here!" I regretfully get up and walk out to the living room, where Roger is sitting on his chair with a beer in his hand.

"What?"
"I need you to go to the store. We need stuff."

"Well, I can't. I'm going to my friends tonight, remember?"

"Friend? I thought that was a joke." His big belly laugh makes me angry. "Just go to the store first. The list is on the counter."

"No. You go."

"Boy! You live here for free! If you want to continue that then you better go to the store."

"It's a mile walk each way."

"Then you better get going."

"Or I could just use your car." He laughs that stupid laugh once again.

Why is murder illegal?

"Why are you such a prick?" I thought it, then it came right out of my mouth.

He doesn't have to say a word for me to know how angry he now is. He stands up and immediately throws his beer down to the floor, glass shattering and beer splattering everywhere. I can see him getting red.

"You little punk!" He shouts, charging towards me.

As I prepare to move back and avoid him, my body freezes. I get this sudden drop in my stomach. I feel ready to throw up. Then Roger pins me up against the wall.

He's strong for an alcoholic loser.

"You will do what I ask you to do. And you will do it without a single word spoken." His voice is quiet and deep, trying to be intimidating.

"And you will take a breath mint before I pass out."

He then swings his fist and punches me in the gut.

Fuck!

He steps back, letting me fall down to my knees. A sudden cough, makes blood shoot out from my mouth. At that exact moment, that fire in me is stoked once more. But this time it burns. My entire body shakes. I can feel my bones aching. They snap just a little. Everything in me feels pain.

"What the fuck!" Roger looks at me as I look up at him.

He looks afraid. I've never seen him like this before. He's freaking out. He immediately steps back until he trips over his shoes and falls to the floor. As we're at eye level with each other I find myself urged to leap forward. Not like a person, but like an animal. I feel my throat aching to attack. I want to tear him to shreds. As I stare into his eyes and see the fear in him, then smell the pee that just wet his pants, I finally begin to breathe. I manage to hold myself back just a little. Just enough to get up to my feet and run out of the house.

The cold air feels good, but my heart won't stop racing. It's just like before, but it's not stopping. I start walking faster. I hope that some fresh air will calm me down.

"Hey. Eliot." I recognize the voice right away, Tyler.

I take a deep breath in. I let it out. Then I turn and see Tyler pull up in his car.

"Hey."

"Is everything alright?"

"What?"

"You've got a little..." He points to his lips.

"Huh?" I reach a feel the wet blood on my lips. "Nothin'." I lick my lips.

"Okay." He knows. "Want a ride? I'm headed to the same place."

"Sure. Thanks." I get in.

"So... did Roger do that?" It's sweet he cares.

I just look at him and look back ahead at the road.

"If you need to talk to anyone about it. Or you just wanna get out of the house... call me."

"Thanks." I feel my eyes watering up.

I wish it were about Roger. I wish I knew what was happening to me.

We eventually pull up to Key House.

"Let me get you another shirt." He says as we walk into his house.

"Thanks." I can already feel my stomach begin to hurt as I walk.

"Hey, Eliot!' Bode and his mom walk into the main room.

"Hey, Bode." He's a sweet kid, I can tell.

"How are you?" She smiles until she sees the little bit of blood on my shirt.

"I'm good." Lie. "Excited for game night."

"Me too!" Bode shouts and runs off into the living room.

"Are you sure?" She walks up closer and is about to place her hand on my arm when Tyler comes running down.

"Here you go." Tyler throws it to me and as I reach in the air to grab it I feel the pain in my stomach and it causes me to wheeze a little.

"What happened?" She looks concerned and I'm starting to feel panicked.

"I'm good. Bathroom?" I can feel my voice shaking along with the rest of my body.

"Down the hall and first room to the right." Tyler looks to his mom.

"Thanks." I put on the biggest smile I can manage.

I quickly rush off to the bathroom and immediately feel tears coming down my face. My teeth start chattering as the pain becomes intolerable. I start trying to take deep breathes in and out, but it only makes it feel worse. So I take a seat on the toilet. I start listening to my heart racing. The more I listen to it, the more it distracts me. I hear as It begins to slow down.

"Eliot?" Tyler's outside the door.

"Sorry. Just taking a shit."

He says nothing in return, who would?

"I'm good. I'm good." I whisper to myself. "I'm good. I'm good." If I say it enough, it may just become true. "I'm good." I open the door, Tyler standing right there. "I'm good."