Little Shelby Girl

Part 15. Think quick

Vive's POV

I'm standing frozen in the hallway of the house, still a bit shocked because of Tommy's reaction. Sometimes he really scares me. I know I should not have listened to their conversation in the first place, but still. He can be mean sometimes. I walk into the kitchen where Polly is still sitting at the table. She gives me a look.

"So, you little traveler, going off by yourself in the early morning, leaving me a note."

I knew she didn't like that and probably was pretty pissed off at me this morning, but well, I was mad at her so that makes us even.

"Sorry, I should've waited till you were awake and ask if I could go first." I admit.

"Also, not so good at keeping a secret aren't you?" I feel embarrassed and look at the ground. "I really didn't mean to! Really, it just, was a slip of the tongue."

She smiles, "It's fine, I would have told Tommy anyways and I'm already glad you feel better after our long walk from yesterday. Now let's do some schoolwork together, what about that?"

I nod as a grab my books and take the seat next to her.

She helped me with my homework until the late afternoon.

Then to our surprise, Arthur enters the room and tells us he want to eats at the house, together. I'm happy. You see, Polly and Tommy were wrong by making that comment about him being a 'problem'. Arthur's doing fine, he just needed some time for himself. The three of us eat together, we laugh, tell stories and it really has been a while since it was cozy in the house. An hour later, me and Arthur do the dishes while Polly is busy with, God knows what.

I turn around a few times to figure out where she's so busy with. Arthur sees it and starts to laugh.

"She's having a date, but shhh, you don't have this from me" He whispers at me while drying the last plate. I smirk at him "How'd you know that?" whispering back. He makes a funny gesture to his face, "look at her."

Now I see it too,  Polly's all dressed up, fully in the make-up, I haven't seen her like this in a long time.

"Alright Arthur, you watch Vive okay? Don't know when Tommy will be back, but yea, what's new eh?" She says in a sarcastic way, raising her eyebrows. As she puts on her coat she gives us a handkiss before leaving the house.

---

That evening, I sit in front of the fireplace reading a book Polly gave me last week. Arthur is in the kitchen counting the money of todays cash boxes from The Garrisson when I hear knocking on the front door and the following sound of Arthur walking to the hallway.

That must be Tommy, but he has a key so why does he...

"EH! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS! FUCK OFF!"

My heart drops as I hear Arthur scream. My body freezes. I want to stand up, but my body resists completely. I try to figure out what is happening at the door. I finally put my book to the side and my body's moving. I sneak my way into the kitchen, still hearing stumbling from outside and loud talks.

I climb on the kitchen counter so I can see what's happing outside. I see a black car in front of the house and four men. Two men holding Arthur on his both arms, preventing him from moving, one man's holding a gun to his head and another man is standing in front of him reading something of a paper he's holding. I cover my mouth with my hands as I want to scream out of a reflex. What the fuck is this?!

What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?

I hear Arthur snarling to the men. "You are the Shelby boss right?" The man with the paper speaks in a calm way. He's wearing a hat, he has a mustache and a walking stick in his left hand.

I can't really figure out what else he's saying and it seems like Arthur is more busy with the men that are holding him than with the questions he's been asked.

Then the man with the stick nods en gestures to the car behind him.

"Take him" are the only words he speaks while stepping aside.

Before I know it, the man with the gun puts a sack over Arthur's head and the other men push him into the car.

Fuck!

I try to climb off the counter as quickly as a I can and I ran over to the front door.

"NO! STOP! Arthur!" I yell as I sprint up to the front door, but I am too late. I stand in the doorway, staring how the car turns around the corner of the street. I stand in the doorway for a few more minutes looking into the empty street, trying to process everything that happened in the last five minutes. Why did they take Arthur? What has he done? Not a single person on the streets I can ask for help.

What the fuck have I done? Stupid, stupid, stupid, fucking climbing on the kitchen counter instead of helping your own brother.

I finally close the front door and walk back inside the house. What do I do? I'm all alone right now. Maybe I should go to Johns house, or should I wait till Tommy gets home? But when will that be, could be tomorrow morning? John lives very nearby, I need to go to him.

I start to feel the same anxiety, as a few weeks ago. The feeling of being trapped. I am too afraid to move and I make by body sit on the ground, burying my head into my knees as I try to keep my breathing under control. Doesn't work. Tears streaming down my face as I try to figure out what to do.

I know I need to go to John but I am too afraid to move. I feel the panic attack taking over my body. What if they kill Arthur?

I sit there, on the cold hard ground. Thinking of the worst scenarios.

Then I hear noise coming from the hallway. Maybe the man with the stick is coming back for me now.