Lost Game Notes (Novel)

Chapter 19: Mind Space

 The earth shook and rumbled, threatening to cave in. Alex curled his fists into the earth. His heart dropped out of his chest, shattering in the abyss beneath him.

"Alexander!"

A sharp slap on his backside had Alex jolting out of his semi-conscious state, eyes flying open to see Lawrence's bitter face. He was dressed immaculately in a pressed suit, his russet hair slicked back with a boat load of gel. The strong scent of aftershave washed over Alex and he rolled over, groaning.

"So," Lawrence spoke, his voice like gravels crushing together. "If I hadn't returned for some papers and found you here, you would have slept through the day, hm? Now get up and go. You're already an hour late for school."

Lawrence turned on his heel and strode out of the room, and Alex listened to the click of hard shoes on the wood floor fading. He must be running late himself, otherwise he would have dished out a punishment for sure. He fumbled for his phone and squinted at the numbers that popped up on the screen. Sure enough he was an hour late.

Alex ran a hand down his face, and mentally cursed himself. He tossed the sheets back and fell out of the bed, feet hitting the cold floor. He would he lucky if he wasn't expelled or, at the least, suspended that day. It would be the third time this month, though there was a legitimate reason this time. Nightmares could keep anyone awake.

Alex was ready in a few minutes, tugging on a hoodie and jeans. He tripped down the stairs to find Lawrence, resting his elbows on the top of the sofa, talking on the phone and staring at the clock on the mantel.

He straightened when he saw Alex, and motioned for him to come over. Alex threw his backpack over a shoulder and hesitantly obeyed.

Lawrence broke his animated conversation to say, "Get in the car."

Alex stared at Lawrence in astonishment. He was already turning to head for the door.

"You're driving me to school?" Alex demanded, numbly.

"You heard what I said," Lawrence snapped, followed by a cheery, "oh, no no, sir—not at all! That was Alexander... Yes, my kid. Children, you understand."

Alex flashed Lawrence a scowl and went on outside, fingering the switchblade in the pocket of his hoodie. He had thought of taking his pistol, but had decided against it at the last moment. It was far too risky. Regardless, if that stalker ever showed up, he would be prepared, gun or switchblade.

Alex slid into the passenger seat of the car, wondering if there were ulterior motives to Lawrence driving him to school. Maybe not, just this once. Maybe Lawrence was just being nice since the school was in the same direction as his work place.

Lawrence got into the car just then, strapping on his seat-belt and ordering for Alex to do the same. Maneuvering the car out of the drive, he said causally enough, "Where did you go, last night?"

Alex rolled his eyes, propping his elbow up against the door. "Why are you always asking me where I've gone?"

"Because you don't tell me."

"As if I would."

"Well, I'm asking you to." Lawrence spoke through gritted teeth, gazing at the road ahead of him, slowing the car at a stop sign.

"I was at Sky's," Alex lied. "He's tutoring me for math."

He didn't mention Sky was acting as though Alex didn't even exist, and vice-versa. Was there now some invisible ward between them? That would be typical. Nothing ever worked out for him.

Alex didn't expect Lawrence to fall for his deception. but he did. "You were studying?" He cast Alex a look, the faintest trace of approval behind the shades he had put on.

Not willing to dig himself further into a pit, Alex shrugged. Thankfully, the rest of the ride was silent, apart from the occasional call which Lawrence picked. Alex said nothing.

The car rolled to a stop in front of the school and Alex was all too grateful to hop out. He didn't brother saying goodbye. He jogged up into the school, skirting down the halls to his class.

Miss. Blyton looked up from her desk when he burst in and scowled, the plastic in her face straining. "Alexander Brooke. Late again. What is your legitimate pardon?"

The ruler smacked the desk without rhythm, and Alex dipped his head. "I overslept."

He tuned out whatever the teacher had to say—he knew already—and hastened to his seat, not wishing to pull attention to himself. A deep voice chuckled, but he chose to ignore it. His eyes ticked around the class, and he noted with surprise Sky was absent. Sky never missed a day.

He caught be the last part of what Miss. Blyton was saying. "... Sky and Elmo, too." She sounded agitated.

Alex glanced over and saw Elmo's seat was empty as well.

"No good reasons," Miss. Blyton lamented, folding her arms and sweeping a condemning, cold glare over the students. "The mother could have waited for after-school, and the socks! Well, isn't that just ridiculous!"

She was talking to herself more than to the class, and half the students weren't listening anyway.

But Alex was. The mother. That must be Miss. Anton, having another of her spells. And socks? Everyone knew about Elmo's phobia for mismatching socks.

It was then that a brief knock on the door interrupted the teacher's steam.

Miss. Blyton fairly roared, "Who is it?"

A pleasant, clam voice replied. "Officer Stagg, ma'am. May I come in?"

Miss. Blyton's face flushed and she adjusted her glasses, patting her hair down. She called, "Of course, officer! Come right in."

The door was nudged open, and a chorus of giggles and tittering broke out around Alex. He groaned, sliding down in his seat. Here was the part when he would glance over at Sky and exchange eye-rolls. But the uniformed officer with tanned skin and auburn hair that stepped through the door did look handsome, although he would never say it aloud.

Officer Stagg greeted Miss. Blyton with a polite smile, speaking in a voice too quite to hear, to the students' disappointment. Miss. Blyton fluttered her lashes and nodded, hoop earrings swaying. Alex shook his head in disgust, wondering why her ear-lobes hadn't torn clear with all that weight.

Officer Stagg didn't seem entranced with Miss. Blyton's awkward, plastic beauty, which brought sighs of relief from the girls. Instead, he turned and fixed his eyes right on a student at the back. Alex knew without turning back that it was Jude.

"So," he spoke with authority, propping his hands on his hips and casting a glance over the class. "Juniper Simmons. How have you been holding up? Not causing any trouble, I presume?"

The students let out unrestrained laughter.

"Hey Jude! You hear that?" A student cackled. "I wonder who Juniper is. Isn't that a tree? The one growing outside the school?"

Officer Stagg looked a little stunned at the clamor of noise, but recovered quickly. "Yes, Juniper is a type of tree. As well as the name for our town. I would be quite honored to have a town named after me."

The look he pointed to a red-faced Jude was not one of sympathy.

"I'd like to have a word with you, Juni—Jude. Outside, please." Officer Stagg turned on his polished boots and was gone, right out the door.

Girls let out dreamy sighs, none of which was Erin, Alex noted. She waved, then hunched back over her book, scribbling on the paper. But, unfortunately for Jude, an officer asking you to see you outside your class 99.9% meant trouble, and some of Jude's male rivals picked up on that.

"Jude is in trouble, Jude is in trouble," a generously-sized boy hooted, and others picked up the chant until Miss. Blyton sneaked up and smacked the back of his meaty head with her trusty ruler.

Jude and Officer Stagg disappeared out of the classroom, and Alex stared after them. Miss Blyton's voice droned on, students hunched back over history books. Alex pressed back a sigh and did the same, eyes skimming over words he didn't really see. Instead, he saw the frosty glare Jude had tossed his way just before ducking out of the door. The image stayed in Alex's mind throughout the rest of the class, driving his eyes towards the door more than once.

What did a policeman need with Jude? Did it have to do with Alex? The bell rang, shattering through his thoughts and bringing him back to the present – a notebook filled with lines spiraling all over the page. He clapped the book closed, darting a look at Mrs. Blyton. Thankfully she was busy tagging after another student, rambling off about homework.

Alex shot out of his chair and hastened to the door, throwing his hoodie over his head and ducking past Mrs. Blyton. To hell with whatever punishments she wanted to pour out on him. He needed to find Jude. He went outside, trailing around the corner to behind the school-building. Jude, who had been resting his back and a scuffed shoe against the wall, pushed himself off the wall, blowing out a puff of smoke. His eyes locked on Alex.

"Is this a coincidence?"

Alex scowled, almost wanting to turn back, but he steeled himself in place. Any pretense of being nice disappeared. He dropped his backpack on the ground, cracking his knuckles." Don't play dumb. You know I take this shortcut every other day."

"Or do I?" Jude spoke around the cigarette in his mouth, his narrowed eyes looking Alex up and down.

Alex began to step back, but he was too late. Jude grabbed his arms and wheeled him around, slamming his back against the brick wall.

Alex groaned, tasting blood on his tongue. "This is getting seriously old."

"I believe you know what I'm going to say." Jude leaned closer, the cigarette's glowing butt mere inches away from Alex's lips. A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes.

Alex tried to think, but his thoughts ran crazy in his mind, tumbling over each other like the spirals in his notebook. "Get on with it already. I'm going to be late home and Lawrence would kill me."

Jude smirked. "Daddy issues?"

"No," Alex snapped, wishing he hadn't said anything.

"Well listen up, kid. I'm giving you one more chance. Join the Shadow Haunters today and I won't decide to hurt you."

Alex huffed out laugh of disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. You sound like a commercial break on television."

"You forget the things I can do to you right now," Jude's grip tightened on Alex's arms.

Alex felt the muscles in his jaw clench. "Dare you try anything and I'll kick you where the sun doesn't shine."

Jude snorted a laugh. "Brave, but I hardly think you have the guts. What's it going to be, kitten?"

That nickname undid him. Alex twisted out of Jude's grip, the rough brick wall skinning the backs of his arms, and swing a blind punch. His aim was off, and Jude reached to grab his wrist, but Alex stumbled back, throwing his backpack unto his shoulders.

"That's right! Run you coward!" Jude snarled after him. "And watch your back."

Alex almost missed a step at his last words, but yelled back, "Over my dead body!"

He pushed on, perspiration trickling down his neck, legs beginning to burn.

It made sense now. Jude was the stalker. It made his pulse quicken, more so because it didn't seem quite right. Jude wouldn't run from him in a million years. But who else would have the audacity to stalk him? The nerve? That a complete stranger would follow him around didn't settle well in Alex's stomach. At all. It was taking too much of his mind space.

He didn't bother looking over his shoulders, or "watching his back" as Jude put it. All he wanted to do was get home, and hopefully Lawrence wasn't ready and waiting with a cloak and scythe.

Little did Alex expect what was in store for him.