Life's a Dreamboat - 10. Chapter 10

All Thomas can think about is his phone sitting in his open car.

Did Zack hear anything? Is he calling the police? Did the security guard come out?

The car swerves hard round corner, Thomas tries to concentrate. There’s way out, he just needs to think.

The car swerves again and Thomas tries to hold on tight onto whatever he can latch on to.

He should know this, he should. The smell of the old car makes him feel nauseous, as if this car has been sitting in junk yard for a long time.

Before he can think again, the car goes over a large bump and Thomas bangs his head on the roof hard.

He blinks as he tries to hold on again while the car speeds up.

What the hell is the driver doing? Where are they going?

Wait, there’s a light, an emergency release handle he can grab. Thomas goes to reach for it, the car races over a large bump and Thomas hits his head twice as hard and is thrown back.

Everything goes black again.

Then suddenly a bright light. Voices.

‘Get him out.’

Thomas is squinting at the torch lights in his eyes as he is pulled out. His feet barely touch the ground when hands grab at him and he is dragged about.

He is trying to open his eyes more, the torch lights darting in all directions.

He feels sharp blades of grass around him.

In a field, maybe? It’s so dark, there’s figures everywhere.

Why can’t he see clearly? He wishes he can see where he is.

Thomas is forced onto a chair, a very thin unsteady chair. He can see faces with masks on now.

He can see his brother. Thomas stares down his brother down.

Adam barks, ‘Go on then.’

The people around Thomas hold him down while tying ropes around him to the chair.

‘What are you doing?’ Thomas asks Adam, still staring him down.

Thomas then notices in the corner of his eye, one of the people has their phone up.

They’re filming this.

Swallowing the lump of fear in his throat, Thomas looks back at his brother again, ‘Going to beat me up in a field then?’

‘You are the most selfish asshole I’ve ever met,’ yells Adam, pointing at him. ‘Mom had a nervous breakdown because of you.’

Thomas can feel the ropes tightening around him, ‘You guys hate me this much.’

‘It’s all about you,’ Adam narrows his eyes. ‘Isn’t it, Sophie.’

Thomas grits his teeth, ‘Thomas. My name is fucking Thomas.’

‘No one is going to call you that anymore,’ Adam says, almost smirking. ‘We’ve told everyone in that building you work in the truth.’

One of the guys holds up an old photo of Thomas. Thomas’s heart sinks hard.

‘Every person who came out that building got a lovely picture and explanation,’ Adam crosses his arms. ‘Someone has to tell truth, and it was never going to be you, Sophie.’

‘Thomas!’ Thomas yells.

Adam sees red. Thomas closes his eyes and feels the impact of Adam’s fist against his cheek. Despite his face stinging, Thomas opens his eyes and stares back at his brother.

‘You’re so deluded,’ one of the guys says.

‘Yeah,’ Adam agrees, rubbing his fist. ‘We will make you remember who you really are, Sophie.’

Despite his jaw aching, Thomas mutters out loud, ‘Thomas.’

More fists land on him, blow after blow. Thomas closes his eyes, clenches his fists, feeling the ropes burn around his skin, feeling each set of knuckles on him. The seething pain makes him angry. He can’t protect himself, all he can do is close his eyes.

These are coward punches.

After the last blow, his eyes feel swollen slightly. He opens them the best he can and with the metal taste of blood on the tip of his tongue, Thomas utters, ‘Easy target when I can’t fight back.’

‘You’re a joke, Sophie’ sneers the guy, holding up the phone, recording.

Looking sideways, Thomas tries to glare at him.

‘My name is Thomas,’ he says through his teeth. ‘You can beat me up all you can, but my name will never change.’

‘Your name is Sophie!’ roars Adam, grabbing Thomas by the face. ‘You think I like doing this? I don’t know how else to make you see sense.’

‘You’re insane,’ Thomas murmurs.

Adam frowns and slaps him hard. Thomas can taste more blood in his mouth, filling up.

Thomas spits the blood at his brother.

Adam stands back, ‘When you die, your grave stone will say Sophie.’

His heart pounding, Thomas still replies back, ‘When you die, your grave stone will say cunt.’

Someone goes to hit Thomas but Adam stops them. Adam just shakes his head, biting his lip.

He smirks, and goes into his pocket, ‘Well, let’s change everything right now.’

Thomas hears the click of a blade. He feels sick. He wriggles in his ropes. That awful fear crawls along Thomas prickled skin.

His brother is cruel, is he cruel enough to do what Thomas is thinking?

Then sirens.

Police sirens.

The most beautiful sounds Thomas has ever heard. Despite the pain and blood, he can breathe.

The people around stop, and look around at each other. Adam snarls at Thomas. He lunges at him, pulling them both down to ground.

The ropes around his feet loosen and Thomas kicks out at his brother.

Then he feels it. The sharp pain in his leg.

Looking down, he can see the blade sticking out. The top of his left carf.

Thomas can’t stop staring at it, the shock of seeing is harder than the pain.

He roars out, screaming, hoping the sounds of sirens can hear him back.

Adam yanks the knife out of his leg and Thomas leans his head to side and instantly throws up, his throat burning and his stomach in agony.

The rest of the people scatter around as the sirens are deafening. Cars scrapping along the road, men shouting.

The sounds are so intense, there’s lights everywhere. His body hurts so much.

Thomas’s eyes roll in the back of his head.

***

He’s been coming around now, and is feeling more focused. Thomas knows he is now in hospital. His leg has been saved and covered in bandages.

He has been given pain relief but he dares not move around too much in the bed. He has been placed in a small calm room away from all the dramas and intensity of the rest of the hospital.

The lights in the hospital are much softer.

It doesn’t feel real.

Nurses and doctors have talked at him about what’s happened but it isn’t going into Thomas’s head.

The relief of being somewhere safe is overwhelming. He endured time.

The police officers have come in. They are talking at him too. Telling him they’ve arrested his brother.

‘Going away again,’ Thomas murmurs.

The officers look confused.

‘He’ll just be back out again,’ Thomas’s voice is so deflated.

One of the officers shakes their head, ‘It’s very different this time, sir. He will be going away for a long time.’

‘The others too,’ adds the officer.

Thomas looks over at them, ‘Who called it in? Who called yous?’

The officers exchanged looks. One of them replies back, ‘We want you to rest now. We will come back later on with some questions for you.’

‘I’ll answer it all now,’ Thomas tries to sit up but winces in pain.

‘We will come back later,’ one of the officers gives a soft smile. ‘You need to rest, sir.’

There’s a knock at the door, one of the officers goes over and opens it.

Zack.

Zack’s eyes are raw red as he has been crying hard.

He sniffs and nods at the officers, ‘Thank you, officers.’

The officers nod back, and leave the room.

Zack closes the door and walks over to Thomas. Before he says anything, he reaches out and holds Thomas’s hand. He holds it tight while he looks his leg. Reaching out, he gently touches Thomas’s swollen face.

‘Thomas,’ Zack says.

Just hearing his name back to him, Thomas closes his eyes and can’t help the tears that come out.

Opening his eyes, he blinks and he croaks, ‘They told everyone about me. They were filming.’

‘The police have got them all,’ Zack says, his voice low. ‘If I was in the office...’

‘Don’t, Zack,’ Thomas says, quietly. ‘Don’t do that to yourself.’

Pausing, Zack reaches over and holds Thomas’s other hand, ‘When you are finished here, I will take you home, okay.’

‘Might need some time off work,’ Thomas gives out a little sad laugh.

‘You’ll need help around the house,’ Zack says. ‘Walking around, cooking, mental health support.’

‘Yeah.’

‘I won’t let you be on your own for any of it, you do realise this.’

Thomas smiles at him.

‘It also gives me chance to prove that I can also cook for someone too,’ Zack brushes his thumbs against Thomas’s knuckles. ‘The soup student becomes the soup master.’

Thomas laughs as his eyes fill up again.