Authors note: FOOLED YOU! Update for y'all :D
Several days had passed before I was able to get up out of bed. It was only a concussion and had worn off by the next day, but Cheryl (who still believed it was the flu) insisted that I got at least three days of bed rest before I went anywhere.
I carefully made my way down the living room, where Cheryl and Brendan sat, tea in hand, staring at the television. They barely noticed me until I sat down.
"Oh, hey babe. Feel better?" Cheryl asked, giving my hand a squeeze.
"Yeah, M-must have just been a bug." I told her, glancing over at Brendan, whose gaze still rested on the television.
The mood in the room seemed very down for some reason, like the day after a funeral. Then I remembered… Saturday… we should have been in Dublin today.
"Something came for you today, Steven." Said Brendan, gesturing towards the coffee table, "Didn't say who it was from."
Cheryl leaned forward to pass it me before I could react, "Here, must be a late birthday present."
It was a small box, wrapped in brown paper. The label read "To Ste, happy birthday."
Inside was a mobile phone. Not a cheap one, either, a blackberry!
I opened the box and the phone fell into my hand, "Oh my God!"
Cheryl gave a squeal, "Oh, babe! Who sent it?"
"I-I don't know…" I checked the box all over, "It doesn't say…"
Brendan was studying me carefully, "Steven… do you have any friends who would send you this?"
I thought carefully. Doug, from school, had mentioned something about being sent a phone by mistake "Not sure… Doug maybe…"
"Doug?"
"Yeah. He's my mate. He said that someone sent him a phone by mistake and he couldn't return it.."
Brendan nodded slowly, "Okay, Steven. I believe you."
He didn't seem very convinced.
To be honest, neither was I. Why would Doug send me a phone he could just as easily have sold? But who else would spend that much money for a phone for me? My mum? The Queen would send me her crown before that happened.
We watched TV for about an hour, while I studied the phone's many different applications I'd probably never use. Cheryl broke the silence with a loud clap,
"Right, let's not sit around moping all weekend, eh? Let's go out for lunch, on me!" She gave Brendan's knee a slap, "Get up, Bren, get dressed, both of you!"
I'd had nothing but soup and dry bread for the past three days, so who was I to argue. "Thanks, Aunt Cheryl!"
"Shush, you, you guys both need a treat." She grinned, ushering me upstairs.
I stood by my bed, fiddling with the phone, wondering why I'd need such an expensive phone for about five contacts when a call came through from an unknown number.
Confused but curious, I accepted and pressed the phone to my ear, "Er… hello?"
"Hello, Steven. Remember me?" came a cold, horribly familiar voice from the other end.
The phone almost slipped from my grip, "… No…"
"Thought you'd gotten rid of me, huh? We made a deal, young Steven. I've been keeping my end, so far…"
"P-please…" I stammered, my heart hammering in my throat.
"Be quiet, Steven. Somebody may be listening… we won't want anybody finding out about our little arrangement, now would we? Keep it our little secret, won't we?"
I made a small noise of protest, but kept silent, feeling like I might throw up again.
"Good boy. That shirt looks really good on you… nice and tight…"
My legs went weak and I fell down onto the bed, my heart pounding in my ears. I daren't look around.
"Oh, don't be scared, Steven. I won't hurt you… as long as you do exactly as I say. Do you understand?"
I nodded.
"Good boy."
My skin crawled.
"You're going to put down the phone, take off your shirt, nice and slowly… and pick up the phone again."
I let the phone slip from my fingers as I rose shakily to my feet. I wanted to be sick, I wanted to break down in tears, I wanted to run to Brendan and let him hold me and tell me everything will be okay like he used to. But I wasn't a child anymore, I couldn't rely on Brendan. Not anymore… now, Brendan was relying on me, and he didn't even know that the little boy crying from the burned hand was the only thing between him and death. The reality was staggering, and it was all I could do to keep myself from falling.
I felt the weight of Walker's gaze, where ever it was coming from, resting on me as gripped the ends of my shirt. I wanted to yank it off and get it over with, but I remembered, slowly…
As the cold air touched my skin it felt like ants, making me feel itchy, dirty. As the shirt fell to the floor I felt the cold nipping at my arms and chest. I brought the phone back to my ear; I could hear Walker's breathing, loud and heavy.
"Very good, Steven. Are you cold? Nod if you are."
I nodded.
"I can tell… your nipples are so hard, are they hard, Steven?"
I gave a jerky nod.
"Yeah… I like that." There was a long pause of heavy breathing, "… I'll let you get dressed now, Steven. After you've had your little meal, tell them you're meeting a friend. You're going to go to the park and you're going to get into the back of the silver car. If there is anyone with you, any police, or you don't show, you and Brendan will die tonight. And Cheryl too. Understand?"
I choked down a sob which was lodged in my throat, nodding as a tear fell.
"See you later, Steven." Walker whispered down the phone, followed by a dial tone.
"Steven!" Cheryl's voice from downstairs made me jump violently, dropping the phone, "Are you ready yet? You know how Bren gets when he's hungry, love."
"Coming!" I called down, "Just… a few mimutes!"
"Is everything okay, pet?"
"Y-yeah… everything is fine… I promise."