Chapter Three

A stranger entered the housing estate from the eastern entrance. It was a rare occurrence, not many people ventured there. As the word spread people stopped what they were doing to see. was tall, but less than six feet. He had hair the colour of the sky on a sunny day that flowed almost down to his thighs. He was wearing a long leather jacket that finished way below his hair, almost dragging on the floor. Everyone stopped and stared. Someone entering the estate was a rare event, but someone of his stature, or apparent importance was almost unheard of.

"Shouldn't someone go and ask what he's doing here?" one of the kids on the estate asked.

"He looks like trouble to me," said another. "They always told us not to get involved with troublemakers. But we can't just let him wander in."

"You're right. We live in peace here, we don't want any trouble. Jamie said there had been a guy watching us for weeks, maybe that's him."

"He's been watching us?!" a girl said. "Yuk, I don't like that at all.  I don't feel safe having people watching me… He is rather nice looking though."

"Don't be stupid! That's exactly what he wants. He wants people to fall in love with him and trust him before he murders you!"

"You don't know that!" she protested.

"I saw it on a movie once," he replied. "The guy looked kind of like that too." The girl shuddered.

No one dared to go up to him, they were all too scared and awestruck, but Joelle was forced into it unexpectedly. Just coming out of Jamie's garden she literally bumped into him, her mind somewhere else.

"Oh… er… sorry," she mumbled, looking at the ground.

"Hey, it's OK," the guy grinned. Joelle looked up and suddenly found herself compelled to his eyes. They were ao blue they almost matched his hair, and deeper than the ocean. Realising she was staring she turned away from him and tried to regain her composure.

"Sorry, " she said again, blushing.

"You apologise a lot, don't you?" he smiled a soft smile. "Aren't you going to tell me your name?"

"Jo… Joelle," she managed to say.

"That's a pretty name. It's perfect for you." Joelle blushed once again. "So…" he continued. "You want to show me around?"

"Sure," she said, becoming less nervous.

"Do me a favour though. Stop these scary people from staring at me. I'm not an exhibit," he laughed.

"Guys!" she shouted in the loudest voice she could muster. "Go home!" She grinned as people began to scatter. Perhaps people were more scared of her, she thought.

"I just realised, I don't know your name," she said.

"My friends call me Ice," he replied mysteriously. As they walked off, Ice put his arm round Joelle's waist, and Jamie looked on from his bedroom window, a disgusted look on his face and tears in his eyes.

"Joelle!" a voice shouted as her and Ice made their way around the estate. She looked round to see a ten year old boy running up to them. He looked slightly nervous when he saw Ice standing next to her, but carried on until he reached them.

"What is it Lee?" she said to the boy, slightly annoyed about being interrupted.

"Zak stole sweets from Ash's house. I saw him doing it!" he announced proudly.

"He did?" Joelle was confused. Zak was usually such a good boy.

"Yeah, and I was watching, but when Zak ran away from the house Ash spotted me and told me off."

"All right," she sighed. "I'll have a word with Zak and see what I can get out of him."

"OK," the boy said. "Thanks." He ran off again, and as she watched him go she spotted Zak watching them from round a corner. As she shouted him, he disappeared.

"I'm sorry Ice…" she trailed off.

"I understand. You go and sort the kid out," he smiled.

"You know where my house is right?" she said. "Wait outside for me, I'll be back." She ran off towards Jamie's house.

"Jamie," Joelle said as she entered the pigsty that was his house.

"What?" he said, annoyed. "Why can't people just leave me alone?"

"It's Zak. Some of the other kids say he's been causing trouble again. I thought you -"

"Well you 'thought' wrong. I'm not his father you know," he said, bitterly.

"I've been thinking. You can't cope with him on your own any more. You've got enough to cope with looking after the house. After all, it is the biggest on the estate and not easy for someone living on their own."

"I'm fine!" Jamie shouted. "I swore I'd look after him after his parents died and that's exactly what I'm doing! So stop with the advice and leave me be." He stood up and making his way through the obstacles in his way, left the room. As he left, a figure ran into the room. Zak.

"You didn't tell him did you?" Zak asked in his quiet voice. "I didn't do anything, honest I didn't. It was Lee."

"Are you telling the truth kiddie?" Joelle asked, sitting Zak on her knee and playing with his hair.

"I'm not a kiddie any more," he remarked, his voice still innocent. "I'm a growed up." He pushed her hand away from his hair and jumped to his feet. Joelle couldn't help but smile. He pretended he was big and tough but his quiet naïve voice gave him away.

"What did Lee do?" she asked, still smiling.

"He stole sweets, from Ash's home, and then he told everyone I did it." Zak said, tears in his eyes. Joelle believed him immediately.

"Are Lee and his friends picking on you darling?" her voice became serious. Zak nodded his head and the tears in his eyes began to roll simultaneously down his cheeks. "Why didn't you tell Jamie?" she continued. "He would have helped."

"I wanted to. He's been so cranky lately. He's different," he said quietly.

"Different? How?" Joelle prompted.

"Like he doesn't care about me anymore," Zak admitted. Joelle stood up and put Zak back on her knee. She didn't care how tough he thought he was, he was hurting. This time he didn't try to stop her.

"You know that's not true don't you?" she looked at him and wiped a teardrop from his cheek. "He's just got some… problems." And she knew she was right. She just wished she knew what they were…