Chapter 4
Charlie’s POV
“Nicky, Austin. What the heck is going on?!” I asked horrified at the red fist-mark on Nick’s face. ‘Why did Dan hit him? What did he mean about the prison cell? I million and one questions streamed through my mind but Ashley seemed to have the same thoughts as I did because she said “I think you need to tell us what that was all about and why you minded so much that we were near them, they don’t seem that bad … well to us anyway” she amended glancing at the mark on his face.
“We should get you two to class” Austin said quietly, he seemed worried about something probably this whole morning debacle though he didn’t seemed shocked by the violence like I was , neither did Nicky. “I’m not going anywhere until you explain” I told him folding my arms in a very final way. “We’ll talk in English okay?” he pleaded brushing my hair out of my eyes “Fine , but you better tell me everything” I gave in catching his hand and letting our hands drop to my side. I grabbed the sleeve of Ash’s jacket and forced her to walk with us, Nicky deliberated for a second and then followed behind us, glancing over his shoulder as we disappeared around the corner. Nicky and Ash vanished through the classroom next door to ours and I opened the door slipping inside with Austin behind me. “Sorry” I said to Miss Holden and she nodded, she was one of the nicer teachers I had thank goodness because we had missed a considerable amount of class. I ripped out the centre page from my exercise book, folded it in half and started to write the note:
Now spill it, tell me everything
He picked up the piece of paper, glancing at my words grinding his teeth together apparently weighing up how much to tell me:
Okay, well me and Nicky’s dad left ages ago. Before we were born and mum was left to look after us but we had very no money so she used to take food from shops for me and Nicky, but you have to understand she was a very good person and of there had been another way then she would never have stolen anything but one time she got caught and sent to prison. They didn’t have any free cells here in London though so they moved her to somewhere in Holland. We haven’t seen her since we were about eight and we’ve lived with our granddad since but he’s too sickly to look after himself let alone us aswell but we don’t have anyone else.
I read it and looked at him feeling awful but still wanting to know how this “gang” thing came around:
I’m really sorry babe that sucks, it must be hard but how did it lead to all this?
Well I was out one day two years ago with Nicky and we bumped into Dan and this group of boys. And well… we got talking and he asked us if we would join his gang, the Rippers. I said yes, Nicky didn’t want to but I talked to him afterwards and made him join with me. I’ve always felt bad and even told him we can quit but the thing is with Dan, once you’re in there’s no turning back. Not unless you’re fine with him and his followers taking away everything that you love or that means something to you. You see Charlie, that’s the way he works.
Oh … so you mean he won’t let you leave? If you did leave he’d hurt you until you came back? Because if that’s how it is then that’s just crap!
Oh, he will let you leave, in a twisted roundabout way. But he will have his revenge, he’ll hurt the person or people that you love whether it be your brother, sister, girlfriend or whatever. I’ve seen it happen so don’t think lightly about it, Toby left and they kidnapped his girlfriend Katie and killed her in front of him… he’s never been the same since but Dan got him back. He always gets his way in the end
I couldn’t bring myself to formulate an answer; it was just too horrible to even think about. What a twisted man Dan was , controlling people like that but even worse if they chose a new life outside this gang then he would pursue them and kidnap their loved ones until they hurt enough to do what he said. I couldn’t quite comprehend it all , but the bell rang half way through thinking this and I heard it as though from a distance or like I was underwater and could only dully hear the sound. But Austin snapped the book shut and I came back to earth again , this time the still-shrieking bell amplified until my head started to throb.
