Bad News One Shots

Luca notices Linc

The swing creaked reassuringly as he swung gently back and forth. He had gotten his breath back now and his heart rate was beginning to return to normal. Ray didn't normally try to find him when he got away: Lincoln would have to come home at some point and Ray knew it. If he wanted to continue what he had started then he would, even if he had to bide his time.

Lincoln shifted in his seat and pain flashed through his back. He hated that fucking belt, with its oversized cartoon buckle. Ray had been so pleased with it when he had got it for a quid at the boot sale. Pleased to discover what damage he could do with it. Lincoln had thought several times of 'misplacing' it, but that would only make Ray madder. Belts aren't like socks that get lost in the wash or keys that fall down the back of the sofa. Ray would know that he had taken it. And to paraphrase the Incredible Hulk: you wouldn't like Ray when he was angry.

Lincoln pushed his hand into his pocket and drew out half a cigarette. After a few tries, his lighter cooperated and the flame flashed bright, illuminating his bruised face in the dim light. He pulled hard on the cigarette, inhaling the smoke deep. He loved the menthol cigarettes and he liked even more the warm feeling that filled his now freezing body.

He hadn't had time to grab a coat and the mid November breeze was beginning to chill his bones. Like so many times before, he had scrambled for the door and fled with only what was left of, and on him. He had learned to always wear shoes in the house.

He would only run from Ray when his Mum was out. She was working a night shift as a nurse and wouldn't be back until 6am. She knew what Ray did; he did it to her, less often now though. Ray seemed to have shifted his attention in that area to Lincoln, after Lincoln had hit him once when he was trying to stop him beating his mum. He lectured Lincoln that he had to do this to help Lincoln be a man but Lincoln knew that wasn't true. Lincoln didn't know why he did it but it was undoubtedly for Ray's benefit, not his. That much he knew. Still, Lincoln wouldn't run when his mum was there; though she often urged him to. He didn't want Ray turning on her when he was angry with him.

He would make sure that he slipped in after he thought Ray was asleep. He'd been drinking heavily so Lincoln guessed he would be passed out by 1am. Lincoln would creep back in at least before his Mum got in. He didn't tell her about all the beatings; he didn't want her to worry. He'd hoped to keep this one to himself, but thrashing his back with the belt hadn't extinguished Ray's anger tonight and he could feel his eye was swollen where he had been punched. The same eye was still a bit black from a week ago; maybe by the time his Mum saw it after school tomorrow, the swelling would have gone down and it would just look like a continuation of the previous attack. Maybe, maybe not.

He sighed at these thoughts and as he pushed off his heels, the familiar creaking began again.

Sergeant Luca strained his eyes across the parking lot. He turned to his colleague.

"Greggs" he asked, "Is that one of those kids from the other day?"

Greggs squinted in the same direction. "Looks like it. I recognise him. I've picked him up a few times before."

Luca nodded and looked at his watch. "What is he 14/15? It is almost midnight. Shall we?"

Greggs nodded and they walked briskly towards the rusting playground.

Lincoln had his back to them and was too deep in his thoughts to hear their approach.

"Well, we meet again"

Lincoln looked up to see the two Policemen in front of him.

He sighed and took a final pull on his cigarette.