Jason and Justin

Chapter 28 Sunday morning

Justin POV

I shot straight up in bed letting out a loud no as the sound of screaming filled my mind. The others looked at me in concern as desperately tried to catch my breath. Once again I could hear the thud, the sickening crack of bones and more screaming. And then then pitiful sobs.

Please stop I thought as I held my stomach which in the process of doing somersaults. Get out of my mind.

"You okay?" Jason asked.

"I'm fine." I said sharply as the cries of pain echoed in my head. Jason looked as if he was going to say something but I quickly jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom closing the door behind me.

I then leaned against the sink, my body trembling as sweat broke out across my body. In my I could see a red balloon drop from my hand down down a stair tower. I could hear the laughter as a door opened below and the balloon would it the target. Once again I could hear the gasp which followed by a loud thud and then screams.

Anguished screams that bounced off the walls of the stair tower. And then feel the fear as it gripped my heart. And then the sobs, the pitiful sobs.

"I'm sorry." I said my voice breaking, my body shaking harder, my legs grew weak, I was certain I was going to be kissing linoleum at any moment. I tightened my grip onto the counter clutching it for dear life.

A cloud of shame and grief hovered over me as I said "I'm so sorry."

"Justin." Jason said from the other side of the door. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." I said as I sat on the floor trying to compose myself. "I'll be out in a minute."

I just need the screaming to stop I thought as I clutched my head. Please stop.

Jason POV

I stood at the door resisting the urge to rush inside and find out what was going on. Something was bothering him and he was certain it more than just a bad dream.

"Is Justin okay?" A worried Billy asked.

"He's fine." I replied assuredly. "Why don't you guys head to breakfast and we will meet up."

"Okay." Tommy said who did not seem convinced by my assurances.

"I need to go to talk to Jason for a moment." Billy said.

Tommy nodded and walked out.

"I need you to do me a favor." Billy said once the door was closed. An awkward look crossed his face telling me whatever this favor was he was not comfortable asking it. "A girl named Allison is probably going to try to call Tommy. I can't go into details why but under no circumstances is he to talk to her. If she calls and you or Justin I need you to tell her that Tommy can't talk to her and let me know that she called."

"Sure." I said non chantly. "I'll talk to Justin and make sure he is on board."

"Thank you." Billy said with a sigh "Because if he talks to her and his parents find out he will be in a lot of trouble."

"You mean like having to go to Dean Spratt's office for a paddling kind of trouble?" I asked.

"No, I mean being pulled out of school and sent to one of those homes for troubled until he is eighteen." Billy said to my utter shock and dismay.

"They would do that to him." I blinked in surprise. "They would send that sweet kid to one of those horrible places just for talking to some girl."

That's nuts I thought.

"Well she is not just some girl." Billy said hesitantly.

"Oh." I said. "They must not really like her."

"No, they do not." Billy said. "Nor her parents Tommy." His body tensed as he spsat. He looked as if he really wanted to end the conversation. "But that is really all that I can say."

"I understand." I said. "But don't worry I'll do my best to make sure he does not speak with her. I don't want Tommy sent to one of those torture factories."

I would not even wish that on my worst enemy.

"Thank you." Billy said. I could tell that he was just as disgusted by the idea as I was.

The bathroom door then opened and Justin walked out. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Justin said somberly as he walked past us to our dresser.

I flashed him another worried look and then turned back to Billy who said "I better go catch up with Tommy. I'll see you guys at the commons."

"See you."

Billy walked out and I turned to Justin who was pulling a pair of white socks from the drawer. "You okay?" I found myself asking even though he obviously was not.

"I had a bad dream." Justin said as he closed the drawer. He then looked at me his face pained. "About Mrs. Kershaw." His voice broke as tears began to fill his eyes. "And what I did to her." He then walked over to our bunk bed and sat on my bed. "If anyone should be sent to a home for troubled teens it's me not Tommy. I'm the bad kid here not him." He then buried his hand in his face.

I was about to say something when the phone rang. My first impulse was to ignore it, after all my brother needed me at that moment and whoever it was can wait.

But then I realized who it was probably and felt a nervous flutter in the pit of my stomach. Ignoring it would be a very bad idea not just for me but Justin as well.

I slowly walked over to the phone trying to steel myself for the unpleasant conversation I was about to have. Very unpleasant.

I picked it up at the third ring. "Hello."

"Took you long enough." My father angrily said.

"Sorry."

"Save it." Pete ordered. "Did you talk to your sister?"

"I tried." I said pushing back my trepidation.

"What do you mean you tried?"

"I tried but she wouldn't talk to me." I told him. "She hates me as much as she hates you."

"Boy I told you, that you needed to talk to her." He snorted.

"I'll try dad."

"Not try." Pete said forcefully. "Do. You will talk to her, you will convince her to let us see Wyatt, or I'm going to bring down on both of your heads. You understand me."

"Yes, dad." I stuttered.

"Good." Pete said. "I expect to hear from you by tomorrow evening and you better have good news or we will purchasing a bus ticket for Justin and bringing him home."

"Yes, sir."

He then hung up without a goodbye. I then hung up the phone and rested my forehead against it and let out a breath of exasperation.