18

Thursday night Kaleen and Candice had gone to work unaware that Sandman and Ice had followed them and were lurking in the shadows behind the Rock House. Lying in wait for Seth to raise his ugly head.

It’s three thirty Friday morning everyone had left the Rock House and only a few of the staff were leaving.

‘See you later Kay.’

‘Laterz Seth.’

Kaleen and Candice walked away not knowing that they were being watched. Seth walked across the pavement outside the club. Sandman and Ice followed him with one eye whilst the other was fixed on the girls.

They watched the girls disappear round the corner, Seth walked past the back of the club Sandman and Ice appeared from out of the shadows.

‘Sandman, Ice I – I thought you were banged up?’ Seth said, stuttering.

‘We were, but now itspayback time.’ Sandman said. Grinning.

Ice walked to the back of Seth so there was nowhere to run, no escape.

‘I aint done nothing.’ Seth replied his voice a little shaky.

‘That aint what we heard is it bro?’ He said looking Ice straight in the eye.

‘No it aint, so you better start talking.’ Ice said grabbing Seth by the scruff of his neck.

‘I aint. Honest.’

‘Well we heard different didn’t we bro?’

‘Yeah we did.’ Ice said digging the knife’s blade into Seth’s back. ‘So you better start talking.’

‘Okay, okay as long as you promise not to kill me.’ He said his voice trembling shaking repeatedly.

‘We promise don’t we bro!’ Sandman said.

Ice winked at him to say ‘of course we promise, NOT!’

‘It was all his idea, Jaden, he said you deserved to be put away for what you did.’

‘So if he asked you to jump of a cliff you’d do it?!’

‘No, you deserved it after what you done to Kaleen and as for him he’s a freak he needed to be punished for even being there when you killed your parents. You pair of sick fuckers.’

‘We’re brothers when one feels pain the other does too we stick together.’

‘You picked a fight with the wrong guys Seth you really did.’ Ice added. Tightening his grip.

‘What are you going to do to me?’ he asked his eyes full of tears his knees knocking together. His voice trembling with fear.

‘Nothing…..yet!’

‘What!’

‘First I want to say something.’

‘What?’

‘Do you fancy Kaleen?’

‘Yeah-why?’

Sandman’s anger grew raged, his blood boiled his serious frown appeared. Ice dug the knife further in.

‘She deserves better than you. With you out the way I thought there’d be a chance.’

Sandman shoved his face into Seth’s looking blank at him, his fluorescent eyes glazed. Seth’s lips trembled.

‘Stay away from her!’

‘Why you aint her boyfriend.’

‘I’m back now. She’s mine no-one else can have her!’ Sandman said placing his hands into his pockets.

‘What are you going to do?’ Seth asked his eyes following Sandman’s hands.

Sandman pulled out two daggers holding them across one another slashing Seth across his chest. ‘Now stay away from her.’

‘Eat me!’

Ice manuvered the knife.

‘You promised.’

Ice moved forward whispered in Seth’s ear. ‘Guess what! We lied!’ Ice said jabbing the knife into his back, Seth’s face drained, turning pure white.

Ice loosed Seth. The lifeless body dropped to the ground face first the knife standing straight in his back, Sandman and Ice walked away.

Saturday night, Kaleen and Candice were at work.

‘Where’s Seth?’ Kaleen asked Broaden.

‘I aint saw him.’

‘Strange he’s usually here by now.’

‘He didn’t turn up for work last night either it’s not like him not to turn up he usually rings when he’s not coming in, and he hasn’t.’

‘I thought I hadn’t seen him last night.’

‘You two were close weren’t you?’

‘I wouldn’t go that far. We’re good friends that’s all.’

‘Well best get back to work he’s probably sick or something.’ Broaden said walking away.

‘Yeah.’ Kaleen replied. ‘Shit I hope he didn’t bump into Sandman or anything he just knows how to get to me, and where my weaknesses are. I hope he didn’t kill him for what I told him.’

Kaleen walked dazed out of the staff room and behind the bar.

Kaleen was unable to concentrate on work all night, her and Candice sat in the lounge after work unable to sleep they’d slipped away from Sandman and Ice and were sitting on the sofa having a coffee. ‘What’s up Kay?’

‘I don’t know how to say this but I don’t think that they came back to kill us.’

‘Then who?’ Candice asked curiously, sipping her coffee.

‘Well the police came round a few days ago they’d found a body Jaden Brighton they said he worked with Sandman and Ice they seem to think that they killed him. I asked him but he denied it, now there’s Seth he hasn’t shown for work for the last couple of nights I think they killed him too.’

‘What are you going do?’

‘Confront them I suppose.’

‘Is that wise?

‘I don’t know, but I need to know. I can’t take any more of this shit.’

‘I can’t take any more of this shit full stop.’

Kaleen grabbed her mobile.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Calling Mark.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘He’ll know what to do.’

‘It’s ringing.’

‘You have reached Vodafone voice mail please leave a message after the beep.’

‘Shit the voice mail’s on.’

‘What are you going to do?’

‘Leave a message.’

Beep

‘Mark it’s me phone the police Sandman’s back. DON’T COME ROUND, DON’T CALL ME OR ANY THING JUST CALL THE POLICE!’ she hung up and put the mobile back into her pocket.

‘I need a fag.’

‘So do I.’

Candice reached into her bag for the box of cigarettes taking two out of the box, she passed one to Kaleen.

‘Thanks.’ She said taking it off Candice placing it in her mouth lighting it.

They both smoked there cigarettes and had their coffee, deciding they couldn’t face going to bed and sleeping next to Sandman and Ice they talked for a while then fell asleep on the sofa.

Sunday afternoon Kaleen had decided to confront Sandman, but was it the right decision?

Candice and Ice were sitting on the sofa in the lounge. Kaleen was pacing back and forth.

‘Will you sit down you’re making me nervous.’ Ice said.

She ignored him and continued pacing up and down.

‘Kay sit down.’ Candice said. ‘You’ll wear a hole in the carpet.’

‘I can’t!’ she said turning facing Ice. ‘Where’s your brother anyway?’

‘I duknow, bathroom! You seem a little edgy today.’

‘If I do it’s your entire fault yours and your brothers.’

He held his hands up. ‘Sorry.’ He dropped his hands. ‘Just chill!’

‘Chill, I can’t chill I need to speak to him.’ Kaleen snapped.

‘What about?’ A sleepy voice said.

Kaleen jumped turned. ‘Sandman.’ She swallowed. ‘Didn’t hear you.’

‘Well.’ He said, looking straight at her.

She looked at him, not knowing where to start.

‘What do you want to talk to me about?’

‘Was it you?’

‘Was what me?’ He asked not knowing what the hell she was going on about.

‘You killed Jaden then you killed Seth didn’t you?’ she snapped.

He walked forward. ‘Look I already told you I wouldn’t be still here if I did.’ He put his arms out to hug her.

She placed her hands in front of her to stop him. ‘Don’t touch me!’

‘Babe!’

‘Just don’t.’ She shrieked dropping her hands, looking at Candice. ‘Come on we’re out of here.’

Candice pulled herself up and walked over to Kaleen.

‘Where are you going?’ Sandman asked, Ice jumped to his feet.

‘Away from you! I can’t take this shit anymore, I can’t stand to be around you anymore!’

Kaleen and Candice headed for the door, Sandman leaped in front of the exit blocking them in. ‘You aint going anywhere!’

‘Yes we are!’ Kaleen snapped angrily.

‘You aint going anywhere without us.’

‘Yes we are!’

‘No you’re not!’ He snapped back.

Kaleen tried to go passed him he grabbed her wrist. ‘Let go of me!’

‘NO! We’re coming!’

‘No way!’

‘Yes way, now where’s the keys.’

‘In my bag.’ She replied almost in tears feeling like screaming out in pain his grip felt so tight.

He grabbed her bag. ‘Where are they?’

‘In the side pocket.’

‘They better be!’

He searched through her bag, pulling out the cigarettes and lighter. ‘We’ll take these too.’ He said shoving them into his pocket, then delving once more into her bag.

He finally grabbed the car keys. ‘Let’s go.’ He said, slinging the bag down.

‘We aint going anywhere with you!’ Kaleen said, trembling, lips shaking.

‘Yes you are or we’ll kill the both of you.’

She turned; Ice had wrapped his arms firmly round Candice a knife to her throat tears in her eyes tears of fear hoping that she’d choose the right answer to keep them both alive.

She swallowed turned back to face Sandman. ‘Okay.’

‘Good choice. Come on let’s get out of here.’ He said dragging her out of the house with Candice and Ice following behind.

He passed her the car keys, she tried three times to put the keys into the door her hands shaking. ‘Come on!’ Sandman snapped impatiently.

‘I’m trying my best!’ She snapped opening the car door. She pulled the keys out of the key hole. Getting into the car shutting the door behind her. ‘I wish I could just leave, but I can’t leave Candice with them they’ll kill her!’ She leaned over pulling the lock up on both doors, they all got in to the car shutting the doors behind them.

‘Let’s go.’ Sandman said, looking a little agitated.

She put the key in the ignition it spluttered. ‘Shit!’

‘What’s up?’

‘It won’t start.’

‘Well try again!’ He snapped.

She turned the key ‘come on, please start I want to live I don’t want to die!’

The car finally started she backed off the drive slipped into third and drove down the road.

Ring –ring.

‘What’s that?’ Sandman asked.

Kaleen took her mobile out of her pocket, and pressed the answer call button. ‘Mark hi.’

‘Kay what’s going on? I’ve just got your message, why did you ask me to call the cops? What’s up?’ Mark asked cramming everything he wanted to say into one sentence not waiting for an answer to each question.

‘Nothing.’ Kaleen said her voice shacking.

‘What’s the matter Kay? You seem a little shaky.’

‘Nothing.’ Kaleen replied trying to concentrate on the road.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yeah I’m fine.’

‘You don’t sound fine.’

‘I am honest.’

Mark felt it was time to ask her what was really going on he could tell she was lying it was in the way she was speaking to him all jittery.

Sandman grabbed the mobile off her slinging it out of the window. ‘Now he can’t talk to you anymore.’

‘Are you fucking crazy have you lost it? I was talking to him!’ Kaleen snapped.

‘So!’ Sandman said bluntly. ‘You don’t need to talk to him anymore.’

‘He’s going to know something’s wrong now, are you crazy?’

‘NO! You are keep your eyes on the fucking road you’re making me nervous.’

‘As long as you get that away from me. You’re the one that’s making me nervous.’

‘Okay as long as you keep your eyes on the road!’

‘I will now get rid of it!’

He removed the knife away from her. Putting it into the glove compartment.

She looked back. ‘Are you alright Candice?’

‘She’s fine.’ Ice replied.

Kaleen looked at Candice tears rolling down her face a knife placed firmly on her throat.

‘Put it down.’

‘Keep your eyes on the fucking road.’ Sandman snapped frantically.

‘Not until he removes that thing.’

‘Bro move the fucking knife before we all fucking die!’

‘Sure.’ Ice said.

Ice pulled the knife away from Candice’s throat putting it into his pocket.

‘Thank you!’

‘Now keep your fucking eyes on the fucking road!’ Sandman snapped.

She turned back. ‘What’s up Sandman my driving freaking you out?!’

‘A little, please just keep your eyes on the road.’ He said getting nervous and agitated.

‘Where are we going?’

‘Just drive!’ He snapped.

‘Take a chill pill I only wanted to know where we were going.’

‘I’ll tell you when we’re nearly there. Just drive!’

‘Okay.’ She replied tumbling round.

‘What are you doing now?’ He asked nervously.

‘Looking for some tunes’ He replied. ‘I can’t drive without any tunes it helps me to concentrate.’

‘Keep your eyes on the road I’ll look.’ Sandman said giving her one of his frowns.

‘Sure.’ She replied fixing her eyes back onto the road.

He opened the glove compartment scanning through the CD’s. ‘Aint you got any decent tunes?’

‘There’s some Metallica in there somewhere.’ She said.

Sandman finally found some decent tunes he slipped the CD into the player and pressed the play button. After skipping a few tunes Enter sandman started playing.

‘How appropriate what a CD to choose just right for you this song aint it?!’

He smiled, turned his head. ‘Are you two okay? Is this okay for you?’

Ice stuck his thumb in the air as he was busy giving Candice mouth to mouth he rapped his arm round her.

Sandman turned back. ‘Looks like they’re having fun!’ he said placing his hand on Kaleen’s leg leaning forward kissing her neck.

‘Get your hands off me!’ she snapped.

He shot back frowning at her, she felt his eyes burning through her.

‘Sorry I can’t concentrate.’

He moved away, slumping into the seat, his hands placed firmly on her leg.

‘And that hand I can’t think straight knowing it’s there.’

‘Sure.’ He said. Slightly upset, but he didn’t want her to crash the car. He removed his hand off her leg and pulled his cap over his eyes.