THIRTY- SIX

From that day I rarely ate, I always cried and I lost my social status.

My mood swings were much stronger and I began to bully Lucille. Ms. Lucy didn't like that but she never punished me as she knew the reason.

I was having a lesson one Autumn afternoon when I got a video call. It was an unknown number, I answered it and began to shed tears...

"Mark..."

"Tommy, it's so great to see you again."

"I miss you."

"I miss you too, but I can't come for a visit yet...what happened to you? You look sick."

I looked at myself and I looked skinnier than usual and my usual was really skinny.

I couldn't look into his eyes, because his worry would have given me guilt as to how I had been behaving.

"Tommy, have you been eating?"

I slowly shook my head, then he said,"Tommy, I want you to be safe, that's why I am away. Don't give Oleh the pleasure of seeing you suffer, okay?"

I nodded then looked back at my instructor who had waited for me to finish, with a vibrant smile on my face.

I immediately after class, went to apologize to Lucille for yelling at her earlier.

"It's okay Tommy, I know you miss Mark."

I just nodded and sat by her.

Lunch was ready soon and I cleared my plate first then ran to do my homework. Ms. Lucy was confused.

I was labelling the parts of a paramecium when my room door opened and I saw Ms. Lucy.

"Ms. Stone, how are you?"

"I'm doing great, how are you doing?"

"I'm also doing great, why did you ask?"

"Well you're acting... different all of a sudden."

"Different how?"

"You're more...how do I say it...you're more... happy."

"Oh yeah that, it's just because Mark gave me a call."

"He did?"

I nodded.

"Wow, that's new, the first time in over a month."

"Maybe Oleh prevented him."

"Maybe...do you need some help with that?"

"Oh, okay."

She came to sit by me.

At the same time, Mark was tied to a chair, with a handkerchief on his face and gallons of water being poured on his nose. He couldn't breathe until they stopped, fifteen seconds later.

Oleh was absent, but Mr. Nelson wasn't, he said,"Oh naughty Marcus, we told you no contacting that rat and yet, what did you do? You contacted him..."

Mark was breathing heavily as his nose and head severely hurt from the water that entered.

"...if you do something as risky as that again...there will be consequences, the boy might not live to see his next birthday."

Mark yelled and struggled, but the ropes were too strong, as Mr. Nelson laughed.

Mark yelled,"How could you be so heartless?! He's just a child! You have Aqua, what more do you want?!"

"To see my greatest enemy suffer, that's just business."He said, raising his arms in a carefree manner.

Ms. Lucy, Lucille and I were watching a movie at seven in the evening when there was a ring on the doorbell, I went to open it and the postman said,"I have a package for a Tommy Hawkins."

"That's me."

"Oh, okay, sign here and there."

I signed and took the package, I hadn't ordered anything so I took it to Ms. Lucy before.

She went into the kitchen to open it and she immediately closed it.

Lucille and I came to ask her what it was but she didn't tell us and she threw it away, all she said was,"Some people really hate you."

I gulped.

Ms. Lucy pondered when she was alone as to why Oleh and her partners will send me the head of a deer, with blood allover it.

She just dismissed the thought and went to continue watching the TV.

I was watching the news the next day and saw that Aqua bolt(the fusion of the two companies) was making a farewell party for Mark.

Mr. Nelson gave a speech and said...nice things about Mark. But I could tell it was just to look good before the cameras.

That night I didn't sleep in my room, I slept on the mat Mark used to sleep on and looked at the stars. It was about ten in the night, but I didn't feel the least sleepy.

I lay on the mat till everything turned darker than night...with my eyes open.

I wanted to shout but the person covered my mouth too then suddenly, I felt a sharp and small pain in my neck and dozed off.

I woke up, still in Ms. Lucy's mansion and was glad it was just a dream...but it wasn't.

I saw a note right beside me and it said:

Hello Timmy,

Love from your brother's fiancee.

I just wanted to tell you the truth, when we get married, we're moving out of the country and you'll never see him again...

I began to shed tears but I cleaned them quickly, I had to stay strong for Ms. Lucy and Lucille and find a way to rescue Mark.