The door of the garage would be open. Not because anybody had ever used it in the past 6 months, but because nobody felt the need to lock it. Drake walked past the two cars on the driveway, David behind him.

'So do you also go to school in Perdido Beach?' David wondered.

'No.'

'No? Why not?'

'I just go to a different school. If you don't understand then why did you ask?' Drake almost snapped. It felt better to be himself.

David was silent for a while. Drake wondered whether David regretted coming. But the boy seemed desperate enough to enjoy any company.

'I just thought it would be nice to already know somebody, you know.' It pleased Drake hearing the boy had withdrawn a little. 'But at least my sister is there too. She is just a year older than I am.'

'Great. You got a big family?'

'Nah, just my sister, father and me.'

'No mother?'

'No mother.'

Drake wondered how his life would be without his mother. All the woman was good for was nagging at him and his father. Drake had often had the urge to hit her, but he had managed to keep himself as calm as possible every time she told him what to do, and just ignored her. Yes, it would be better without his mother. But he couldn't get jealous of this stupid wimp.

David followed him through a small door leading to the musty garage. Inside it was very dark and it took some time for Drake to find the light switch. Once the light was on the room seemed even filthier. It was mostly an empty space since the cars had been placed outside but whatever was there, was covered in dust. Drake walked along shelves with stacks of cans on them. At the back there were some toys Drake hardly ever touched when he was younger. There was a small bicycle. Behind it a box with in it soccer balls and the like. But no baseball bat. Drake had taken that one to his room and placed under his bed. Just like he had done with the hammers and the pairs of pliers that once belonged to his father. Something he regretted now. They would not be that useless here.

David, who had stayed close behind Drake, was the first to notice a small box with two controllable toy cars. As he sat down to pull the box towards him, he said, 'Wow, that's awesome. Maybe we can race against-'

But he didn't finish his sentence. Because Drake had grabbed his shirt and pulled him up again. He swung his fist as hard as he could and hit the boy's temple. David did not utter. All he did was stare with his dark blue eyes. Obviously confused.

Drake was still holding onto his collar. 'Let me make something clear to you, we're not here to play with some stupid cars, OK?'

'But… You, you said-' David stuttered.

'Let me finish!' Not that good to talk too loud. His mother had probably gone off somewhere, but it was better not to take risks he had learned. Or she would start nagging again about everything. That he should behave. That he shouldn't be at home that much and find a hobby to distract himself. That they should pay another visit to the psychologist for violet kids. Better be quiet.

'We're here so that I can tell you something, Dennis.'

'David.'

'What?'

'David, it's David. You said Dennis so-' For the first time David saw how cold Drake's eyes were. There was something missing in them and that frightened David even more than the fist. He shut his mouth. Nothing he could say would make this situation better for him.

'Just shut your mouth, moron. I'm in charge around here and just so you know, you listen to me all the time okay? Whenever I ask you to do something, you do so. Whenever I ask you to shut up, you do so. And if I say that you have to lie to other people, you do so. Do you get that?' His grip had tightened. David's pupils had become huge. His eyes were emitting both fear and disbelieve. Now that Drake could feel the boy breathing, he realized how close their faces were.

Still no answer. Drake raised an eyebrow. 'Do you get that?'

Finally he nodded.

'And what are you going to say when they ask you how you got that bruise on your head?'

David felt a huge pressure. He wasn't good at lying or coming up with lies. And right now the last thing he was capable of was thinking straight. 'I… I don't know. I'll just say…' He felt sweat running down his face. Then he got hit again. This time it was his jaw. But not as hard as the first time.

I shouldn't break his jaw, Drake thought. The midget would not be able to talk himself out of that. 'Think faster!' He said.

'I, I just hit a lamppost when I was running.'

Drake smiled. 'Alright. Now be good and get away from me.' As he let go of David, he felt him breathing more calmly now. Then David turned around and walked away.

'O, and one last thing,' the boy had almost reached the door now, desperate to get out. But still turned his head to listen. 'Don't think you can get away from me, Dennis, don't think that. And especially don't lie to me or betray me. Because I will find you. My father has a lot of guns and it won't be the first time I shoot someone. Don't ever betray me.' He looked him a last time in the eyes and caught a submissiveness that made Drake gloat.

'Okay,' he said just loud enough be hearable. 'Okay.'

Then the door closed.

The sun was almost set. Drake could see the red colored sphere disappearing in the sea from where he was walking. Red. A nice color he'd say. Like blood.

Drake had felt more positive after he met David. He had decided to watch a movie tonight. He walked home with the horror film he had rented. Of course one he wasn't allowed to see but luckily he knew a boy whose father owned the store. It was nice to have some connections. Especially when they were afraid of you.

Most families were having dinner now. Drake was glad they didn't do that in his family. He would just get home and ask his mom to dump something in the microwave.

As Drake approached his house the first thing he saw was that the lights inside were turned off. Not really a surprise. He was used to his parents suddenly leaving and always brought a key. What did surprise him was that he saw the St. Bernard laying in front of his house. Coming closer he saw someone else, sitting on the railing of the porch. It couldn't be David, unless he had suddenly decided to wear dresses and wigs.

'You must be Drake,' a girl's voice said. Now it was easy to tell she was his sister. She had the same brown hair, with some blonde streaks. It was curly and ended a little further than her shoulders.

'That's right,' he answered. This girl must have a lot of nerve, he thought or be very, very stupid.

She jumped off the railing and landed in the grass. Unlike her brother she was tall. Not as tall as Drake of course, who had always been tall for his age, but she came close. She walked up to Drake. The dog followed her with his eyes, but did not move. From a closed distance Drake could see the deep blue eyes. Like a deep sea in which you can swim down, but never reach the bottom. The same as her brother. Only she looked with them in another way. Like she wanted to see more than was visible. Of his previous thoughts, Drake decided the first one was true.

She smiled. She was definitely not the most beautiful girl Drake had ever seen. But she probably was the most interesting one.

'Great. I need your help.'