“Thomas… What err what happened to your eye” Josh stuttered desperately trying to get to his feet while trying his best to hide his camera from view and slip it back into his messenger bag. “Don’t act dumb Rowe, you sent that little psycho bitch after me” “no I didn’t, you know how she is, nobody can tell Sam to do anything, you should have seen how she put Mr Lee in his place this morning” Josh said smiling trying his best to steer the conversation away from violence.
Bruised eye twitching at Sam’s name, Thomas snarled “just shut up! I’m not going to hurt you, Sam made that clear, but that doesn’t mean this is over Rowe, she won’t be here to protect you forever, you are nothing more than a pet to her, and once her amusement runs out she will throw you aside. You won’t be the first and sure as shit not the last, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to Samantha Jennins” Thomas said scowl turning into a dark and self-satisfied leer.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, we have been friends for years,” Josh said definitively not wanting to acknowledge that he has had similar thoughts, never being able to understand why someone like Sam would ever want to spend time around him, let alone be friends despite the hit to her reputation and potential backlash from her family.
Still smiling Thomas said, “You know it’s true two plus two just doesn’t equal four when it comes to you two, makes a guy wonder what angle she must be working, and how long until whatever use you have to her runs out, and then you’ll be left wide open no body in your corner.”
Biting the inside of his cheek in an attempt to hold back the anger coursing through him, Josh had no doubts that before the end of the week, he would have developed an ulcer. Pushing past Josh who was still in the midst of controlling his ever-growing anger, Thomas left with only the noise of a ticking clock as his last remark “tic tok, tic tok”.
Breathing deeply trying his best to force any thoughts besides the next breath out of his head, a task that Josh was finding harder and harder to accomplish as the day went on, Josh didn’t know where all of his anger comes from, the therapist suggested it may stem from his unresolved feeling towards his father, an obvious answer and to Josh anyway only half of one, because even when he manages to go a day without thinking about his father the anger is still there, always ready right below the surface.
The rest of the school day past just like the first half, Josh being unable to focus all the while he couldn’t help but her more and more gossip about what Sam did, each time the story seemed to stray further from the truth, leaving Thomas with several broken ribs and a concussion on top of his black eye.
Walking home thoughts on nothing but Sam and how she was missing for the rest of the day, Josh checked for the third time that he had Sam’s notes safely tucked away in his bag, just like she had asked. Hand rhythmically slapping against the massager bag, as he debated on what to do, coming to a split decision Josh turned on his heel with determination on his face.
Hand rapping once, twice, three times before the door finally opened showing a stone-faced man with grey only just starting to touch his temples and mar the otherwise perfect head of golden hair styled in a firm and authoritative way that must have taken years for him to master, a mastered it was the man standing before Josh arguably held more sway in the Hartwood that the Mayor himself.
“Erm good evening Mr Jennins, I brought Sam the notes from today, is she home yet?” “Josh I understand it is your fault I was forced to arrive late to my meeting this morning because I had to collect my suspended daughter from school today.” Mr Jennins said voice as cold and empty of emotion as his face.
Sweating hand lightly tapping on his bag unaware of his nervous tic playing up, “that wasn’t my intention Sir I’m sorry for any inconvenience that I caused, I did try to stop her, but you know what Sam can be like when she sets her mind on som…” *thud* Josh gasped as the pain from a fist to his stomach cut off his sentence and had him wheezing for breath on the floor doubled over.
“So you're blaming this on my daughter then? Maybe if you weren’t so weak show wouldn’t have needed to be suspended for fighting your battles for you.” Hearing the quick patter of bare feet running on a hard wood floor, Josh could see Sam running to get past her father in an effort to help Josh.
“Samantha! Do not help him, you’ve done enough for this boy already, do you see what happens when you help the weak, they will always come back begging for me, you did him no favours today, you may not see it but he will suffer for your actions today.” Freezing in place eye lowered and meekness soaking into her posture, all she could say was “yes father, I understand thank you”.
“Good now get to your feet Josh your done spending time around my daughter, I allowed it because I thought it would help her learn a lesson on her own, but it seems I was naïve to think she was ready to learn it yet. Now go home and remember your place in the future”.
Getting up hands still holding his stomach pain shooting through his abdomen Josh tried to catch Sam’s eyes “Sam I’m sorry I didn’t mean for” “Samantha go inside you need to study since you missed your classes today” Mr Jennins said steel in his tone hard and unyielding, reinforced by the absolute confidence that his order would be carried out. “Yes father,” Sam said still not looking up and walking past the towering form of her father.
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“Sam?” “You see she understands what must be done, now it’s time for you too,” Mr Jennins said “I don’t care for your infatuation with my daughter, and from this point forward you will pay her no mind, if she talks to you excuse yourself from the conversation and leave. If I hear otherwise I will be forced to take matters into my own hands once again, and your actions may have dire consequences for your mother and brother, think about that the next time, you feel like stepping above your station in life.”
Walking down a dimly lit road, stomach still sore from where Mr Jennins fist made contact Josh did everything he could to hold back the tears burning behind his eyes, his nose and throat blocked with emotion, making every breath sound ragged and forced, the sound of his distressed shoe slapping the ground playing like a sad pathetic soundtrack to the spiral of depression Josh found himself going down.
Sam was the only friend that Josh had and the only person outside of his mother and brother that he cared about even a little, the rest of the town could burn for all Josh cared, but instead, it was Josh’s life that was up in smoke. Unemployed again, more hated than ever and now more alone than he had been in years. How could one day mess things up so badly? And what was with Sam? It was like she was being controlled by that man, Mr Jennins Josh felt the anger start to eat at the sadness and self-pity the name stoking the fire inside of him ever higher.
Josh was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of a car speeding behind him, the sound of the engine ramping higher and higher with no sign of stopping, turning away from the road so as not to be recognised and provoke whoever it was behind the wheel, Josh waited for the unknown car to pass him by, the sound of cheering and howling? Barely audible above the raw of the engine and squeal of rubber.
Josh counted to five before turning back around, facing both the way home and the direction the car went, with no sign of the car the moon framed the road and woodland on either side like a portrait painted with a soul-crushing emptiness in mind. Though not quite full it gave off just enough light to supplement the intermittent lampposts, ensuring that Josh could make out the many potholes that promised he would be limping home if he stepped in one wrong.
“Home sweet home” Josh said with bitterness heavy in his voice looking around at the dilapidated and rundown homes on the ‘poor’ side of town, his eyes tracking over each and every imperfection, Josh used to wish and dream to be on the other side the nice side of town, until he learned the hard truth that just because a house looks nice on the outside that doesn’t mean the interior isn’t rotten to the core. If he didn’t know better he would think that they were two totally different places and not at all the same town.
Stepping through the door way, being sure to take his shoes off as soon as the door closed behind him, a silly habit but one that was so firmly engrained into him at this point, Josh didn’t want to add any dirt or mess to the house or to his mother’s burden. Though he was the one who normally did the general cleaning, he wanted this to be a safe place, the house wasn’t perfect but that didn’t mean Josh would treat it any different than he would a mansion.
“Josh! Is that you?” the sound of Elizabeth Rowe rang through the moderately sized home, “who else would it be Mum?” “Don’t get smart with me Josh, I don’t have the energy for it right now” cowing his head in shame Josh said, “Sorry Mum yeah it’s me what’s up?” “That’s better, thank you. Could you come into the kitchen I need to talk to you?”
Walking to the fridge and getting a glass of orange juice before taking the seat opposite from his Mother, Josh nursed his drink waiting for his Mother to get to whatever unpleasant news she had for him. Josh could see his mother’s eyes darting around like they do when she was anxious and unsure, throwing her a bone Josh asked “what did you want to talk about mum?”
Elizabeth was uneasy she knew exactly how her son was going to react to the news she had, and she didn’t blame him for it she hated that he had to grow up so damn fast, her little baby didn’t get much time to be a kid before a crushing amount of responsibility was forced onto his shoulders. But on the other hand, she knew she had no choice but to rely on him.
“Well Josh” his mum started “I’ve managed to find you a new job, I know it’s a bit soon considering what you’ve been through”, “mum that’s great news, and I told you I’m fine you don’t need to worry, so what’s the problem your acting as though you had something terrible to tell me,” Josh said with a barley forced chuckle, the most he could manage right now. “The thing is the job it’s self normally I wouldn’t ask this of you, I wouldn’t even mention it, but the money is good and we are just falling deeper and deeper into debt, I have no choice sweetie I’m sorry”.
Josh watched confused as his mother started to sob in front of him, “Mum it's fine, if the money is good that’s all that matters, what’s the problem? You know I’d do anything to help you out” Josh said trying his best to comfort her. “I know” she hiccupped “I don’t deserve a son as good as you” “mum don’t talk like that, what’s the job I’m sure you're just blowing whatever it is out of proportion”.
Looking up tears heavy in her eyes she said “it’s them Josh” “them? What do you mean? Mum I don’t understand” Josh said really starting to worry now, “the bodies Josh it’s the bodies, the cemetery needs night workers to keep up with the increase of dead bodies, they need somebody to dig the graves”.
Gulping Josh sat back in his chair eyes glossing over as the memories of the corpses paraded in his mind, the smell of the blood and gore thick in his noise, the weight of eyes on him watching suspecting. “You can’t be serious right?” forcing her words out of a fresh bout of sobs “I’m so sorry Josh I know how you must feel about this, but there’s nothing else, this is the only job worth taking in town right now, nothing else comes close to the pay of this one, and lets you stay in college!”
“Then I’ll drop out, I’ll start working full time” “No!” Elizabeth shouted voice firm, loud enough to start Josh “you will not give up on your dreams, I’m sorry that I need to ask this of you, I really truly am but there’s no other choice at this rate we won’t be able to pay next month’s bills, I can barely mange to this month”. “Okay mum,” Josh said, “I’m so sorry sweetie, I know you must hate me, I hate myself, I am so sorry.”
Standing and walking round to wrap his small world-weary mother in a hug he whispered, “I don’t hate you mum, never and I don’t blame you either. I blame him and this town they are the ones at fault not you mum, both me and Nathan know how hard you work for us, and we will never forget that, I promise.”