13

Kaleen and Mark had rekindled their relationship, things had been tough over the last five years, but they’d got through it he so understood, he never pushed anything on her and never pressured her into anything. He loved her too much to ruin things between them.

Little did they expect Sandman to be released from prison, let alone escape, and not alone?

Kaleen was in the house watching television, the door opened, a girl with short blonde hair, and black highlights walked in. ‘Oh Candice you’re back.’

‘Yeah, Kay I’d like you to meet Ice.’ She said pulling him in.

Kaleen looked at him ‘Nice to meet you.’

‘You too.’ He replied shaking her hand.

She quickly pulled her hand away. ‘Is that why they call you Ice, your hand is freezing.

‘I guess.’

She looked straight at him his eyes like glass his hair a stony colour, shaven. ‘Haven’t I seen you before?’

‘I don’t think so.’ He replied. ‘Why?’

‘Just you remind me of someone.’

‘I remind everyone of someone, usually a big icicle in a freezer!’

They laughed.

‘Well we’re going upstairs.’

‘Sure I’m off out anyway I’ve got to meet Mark.’

‘See you later.’

‘Yeah sure.’ Kaleen said closing the door behind her.

Candice and Ice ventured upstairs and lay on the bed.

‘Your sister seems nice.’

‘Yeah she is.’

‘So, who’s Mark?’ he curiously asked.

‘Oh it’s Kaleen’s boyfriend they’ve been together since we went to college, they split for a while when she met Sandman, but they got back together when he left, they’ve been together for five years now.’

‘Who’s Sandman?’ he curiously asked not letting on he knew exactly who she was talking about

‘Oh this guy she met at the club in town, he was really charming she fell for him and he broke her heart. They had this big boost up before he left.’

‘What about?’

‘He wanted her to go away with him, but she wasn’t ready to commit to him in that way. Anyway enough about that.’

‘Sure.’

He leaned over placing his lips on hers kissing her, she returned his kiss.

Kaleen was sitting silent in Mark’s lounge his arm draped round her.

‘What’s wrong Kay? You’re not usually this quiet.’

‘Nothing.’

‘Come on Kay I can’t usually shut you up.’

‘Candice has got a new boyfriend.’

‘That’s nice, who is he?’

‘Ice.’

‘Who?’

‘Well that’s what he calls himself didn’t give his real name. I swear he’s been in a freezer he was freezing!’

‘Just be careful. Remember Sandman.’

‘Don’t remind me.’ Kaleen replied. ‘Anyway he seems a pretty decent guy.’

‘So did Sandman.’ Mark said pointing out the mistake she’d made.

‘True.’ Kaleen said, adding. ‘He did seem familiar.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I swear I’ve seen him somewhere before.’

‘Where?’

‘That’s just it I don’t know.’

‘Just be careful the both of you.’

‘We will.’

‘I’ve met her bro.’ Ice said excitedly.

‘Is she still as gorgeous as I remember her?’ Sandman asked.

‘She’s gone weird. Her hair’s short, well long on top black with blue highlights her hair looks shaven underneath dyed purple. She wears the weirdest clothes; a crucifix tee-shirt stripy knee high socks buckled boots that look two sizes too big. You’d never recognise her she’s in between a Goth and a greebo or a hippy you choose.’

‘I need to see her.’

‘I got these.’ He said, pulling a set of keys out of his pocket. ‘I had them cut for you. She didn’t even notice they’d gone.’ He said dropping them into Sandman’s hand.

He clinched his fist tight. ‘Cheers bro.’

‘There’s one slight problem.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Just a slight hitch in our plan.’

‘Spit it out!’ Sandman snapped impatiently.

‘She’s back with that old boyfriend of hers.’

‘Shit!’

‘What are we going to do? He’ll ruin everything.’

‘We’ll just have to keep him away, until we’ve done what we’ve come back to do.’

‘And what if it goes wrong?’

‘We’ll just have to take them with us. The police won’t suspect anything if we’re with them.’

‘What if they do?’

‘Chill bro, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. We’ve got old scores to settle first before we even think about getting out of this dump.’

Kaleen walked into the lounge after her shift at the Rock house she dropped her bag on the floor and took her jacket off slinging it across the back or the sofa, a shiver passed through her.

She turned. ‘Sandman!’

He smiled.

‘How did you get in?’

He waved a set of keys in the air then quickly shoved them in his pocket.

‘How did you get those?’

He walked towards her. ‘I’m not the only one that can take things without you noticing you know.’ He said getting closer.

‘What do you want?’ she asked, feeling herself start to shake.

‘Don’t worry I’m not going to kill you.’

‘So where did you get the keys?’ She said nervously. Not trusting what he said.

‘I believe you’ve met my brother. He goes by Ice these days, they used to give him ice baths must’ve drained him of his sanity. He got so used to the ice his body adapted to the temperature now his bodies froze through.’

‘Can!’ Kaleen shouted.

He placed his hand on her mouth. ‘Shh, she’s okay he won’t hurt her.’

Kaleen tried to scream, an expression of fear spread across her face and in her eyes, but no-one would hear her through the palm of his hand. She gave in falling silent.

‘Now are you going to talk to me?’

She nodded her head to say ‘yes.’

‘You’re not going to scream again are you?’

She shook her head to say ‘no.’

‘Good.’ He said, slowly taking his hand off her mouth.

She took a deep breath. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I’ve come to take what belongs to me.’

‘I don’t belong to you.’

‘I believe you’ve got something that belongs to me.’

She looked at him blank as to say. ‘What are you on?’

‘The sheet of paper out of your diary I believe you took it when we were on the beach. I want it back!’

‘Oh, that. Sorry I’ve not got it any more you’re too late. I destroyed it years ago.’

‘Bull shit.’

‘Do I look as if I’m lying?’ She snapped angrily.

He looked at her, her face didn’t move an inch, not even a smile, he looked deep into her eyes nothing un-nerved, still. ‘Never mind, I’ll take you instead.’

‘I don’t think so. I’m not going anywhere with you.’

‘Come on just the two of us on our own.’

‘You seem to be forgetting one important detail, you kill people, you knocked my sister out, and you tried to kill me.’ She said her eyes burning straight through him.

‘I’m sorry. I promise not to do it again. If! You come with me.’ He said flicking her hair. ‘What have you done to your hair?’

‘Nothing, just a new style. I changed it after you went. What happened to yours?’

‘Grew it.’

‘Nice.’

‘So what are you doing now?’

‘I work in the rock house the other side of town.’

‘Step up from that dodgy pizzeria you used to work in. new hair style, new job.’

‘Why are you here Sandman? Do you want more cash?’

He laughed. ‘Nagh, not this time.’ He said looking at her. ‘I want you.’

‘No way.’

‘Come on we were good together, weren’t we?’ he said moving close, making her nervous. Placing his lips on hers kissing her.

Footsteps echoed down the stairs, startling Sandman, he quickly pulling away from Kaleen. ‘Who’s that?’

‘Candice I expect, no-one else lives here.’

Candice walked into the lounge. ‘Hi sis.’

‘Hi.’ Kaleen said a little shaky.

‘What’s up sis?’

Kaleen angled her head tilted slightly to the left hand side, her eyebrows lifted, her eyes moved to the left hand of her sockets.

Sandman walked out from behind the door. ‘Long time no see.’

Candice stood gob smacked, her mouth dropped her heart leaped out of it. Not quite believing that he was out of prison, and in there house. ‘What are you doing here?’

Ice walked into the room.

‘I believe that you’ve met my brother, Ice, better known as Mackenzie.’

Candice looked at Ice still in shock from seeing sandman again, and that her boyfriend was his brother, was getting too much for her. ‘You – you’re his brother?’

He smiled.

‘Shit, you tosser!’ She said, turning looking at Kaleen. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t know.’

She smiled. ‘I know.’

Candice grabbed Kaleen’s hand.

‘What are you going to do to us?’

They laughed.

‘Nothing we just want somewhere to stay.’ Ice replied.

‘We won’t do anything as long as you keep stum.’ Sandman added.

‘This can’t be happening again, I can’t deal with this, not again.’

‘You’re going to have too, see we aint going back inside never! You see we’ve got scores to settle before we get out of here.’

‘And I suppose we happen to be one of them?’

‘No, I forgive you, both of you, the others I never will.’ He said looking at Ice. ‘Take her back upstairs, me and Kaleen we’ve got things to discuss.’

‘Sure bro.’

He grabbed Candice by the hand, she grabbed tighter onto Kaleen.

‘Let go.’

‘Come on don’t make things difficult for yourself.’

Candice looked at Kaleen. ‘Are you going to be okay?’

‘Yeah, I’ll be fine you go.’

Candice loosed Kaleen’s hand, Ice lead her out of the room and up the stairs.

‘Alone at last.’ He said moving forward, gliding his hand through her hair. ‘You know it looked a lot better before.’

‘So did yours.’

‘Sense of humour. I like it!’ He said gliding his hand down her face squeezing her lips together. ‘Now don’t get having any stupid ideas like you did last time, or I swear I’ll kill you got it!’

She nodded, her eyes filled with tears.

‘Good at least we understand each other.’

He loosed her lips, he leaned forward placing his lips on hers kissing her, tears rolled down her check.

‘You tosser! Why didn’t you tell me he was your brother?’ Candice snapped.

‘What would you have done if I had?’

‘I would’ve never have agreed to see you again!’

‘Exactly, this way we kill two birds with one stone.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Just we’ve got old scores to settle. That’s all.’

‘And we happen to be one of them right!’

‘Could say that, but he does generally love her, he don’t hate either one of you for what you done to him.’

‘He killed our mom just cause she didn’t want Kaleen to move in with him.’ Candice snapped stopping herself before telling Ice exactly what she thought of his brother.

‘Look, he’s got a short fuse that’s all, he flips every now and again he doesn’t mean to hurt anyone he just does, he’s a really nice guy.’

‘What! Like you!’ she replied sarcastically.

‘Yeah.’ He said moving forward to kiss her.

She pushed him away. ‘NO! You’re just using me to get to whatever you two came back to do, apart from make mine and Kay’s life hell.’

‘No I’m not. I like you, and I want to get to know you better, what do you say?’ He said smiling.

She looked into his deep dark eyes. ‘I-I don’t know.’

‘Please.’ He said. His eyes beginning to soften.

He moved closer, placing his lips on hers, his lips ice cold sending a shiver down her spine. He raped his arms round her continuing to kiss her she returned his kiss. His lips began to get warmer as they kissed passionately lying down on the bed.