Chapter 10

*~*~* Tall Trees

"Marlon! Stop it!" Paddy laughed "You made me fall off a cliff. Look I'm last now!" Paddy moaned, gesturing to the screen.

"I am the Mario Kart champion, Patrick. Still yet to be defeated!"

"You've won once! And that was against Aaron!"

"I am still the champion!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Hey Marlon? Look out…" Paddy smirked

"PATRICK!"

"Yeah?"

"You just killed me! THAT is against the unwritten laws of bromance!"

"So is drinking all of my beer but you still do it!"

Paddy's mobile began to ring loudly beside him, both men were still locked in the battle as they reached the final lap of the game

"No no no! Could this of happened at a worse time? Marlon you're gonna have to pause it!"

"No way! You'll just have to call them back!"

"I can't ignore the phone Marlon! Pause it!"

Marlon sighed and paused the game "I'll get us some beers" He smiled as Paddy accepted the call.

"Hello?"

"Paddy…It's….You need to be here."

"Whoa, hang on, be where? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry Paddy! I tried!"

"Tried what? What are you talking about?"

"You need to come to Hotten General, fast."

"WHAT? What's happened?"

"It's Aaron…..He's….been stabbed."

"Oh my god. I'm on my way. I'll be there in ten minutes" Paddy hung up the phone and raced for his jacket "MARLON!"

Marlon appeared at the doorway leading into the kitchen holding two beers. His face dropped as he realised his friend's efforts to leave. "Where are you going…Oh god..It's not Rhona? Has she…"

"No, It's Aaron. He's been stabbed." Paddy sobbed

"Oh my god! Why? What happened?"

"I don't know. That was Liam on the phone. I need to get to the hospital now. Ring Chas now!"

eeeeeee

Paddy burst through the hospital doors, and saw Liam hunched over in one of the chairs, being consoled by a nurse

"Liam?"

"I'm sorry, Paddy, I'm so sorry!" Liam sobbed, accepting the vet's hug

"Liam you need to tell me what's happened."

"Me and Aaron, we were leaving the restaurant, we started walking towards Bar West and these guys started shouting things at us, We tried to ignore them and they chased us. One of them grabbed me and held a knife to my throat. Aaron tried to get him off me, and in the struggle, he got stabbed. I'm so sorry Paddy."

"Liam, It's ok. How bad is it?"

"They won't tell me anything cause I'm not family." Liam sniffed.

"Ok, You stay here, I'm going to see if I can find out what's going on."

eeeeeeee

*~*~* Mill Cottage

Chas and Charity cackled like a couple of schoolgirls as they enjoyed their night in, bottle after bottle of red wine slowly disappearing, DVD cases were strewn across the room, along with many empty packets of crisps and chocolate.

"So what's next then?" Charity asked, pointing to a large collection of DVDs. "Not another chick flick!"

"No. I think we should watch something scary." Chas laughed, clearly drunk. The laugh turned to a groan as the phone rang in the hall.

"You set it up babes, I'll get the phone" Chas smiled. She struggled to keep her balance as she stood, and wobbled over to the phone

"Hello?"

"Chas It's Marlon."

"How do Marlon! My lovely cousin! What brings your round?"

"Chas are you drunk?"

Chas hiccupped loudly down the phone "Maybe. Anyway, What's up?"

"You need to…."

"Ey Marlon! Paddy's there isn't he? Say hello for me!" Chas giggled drunkenly

"Chas will you listen to me?"

"Alright. Calm down, what's wrong?"

"You need to get to Hotten General."

"Why? What's happened?" Chas asked, feeling herself sober up already

"Its Aaron. He's been stabbed."

"No…."

TBC