The Best Thing He Ever Wrote

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

I walk inside the corner store slamming shut the door so hard that hits the metal frame with what sounds like a gunshot.

I'm so stupid!

An idiot!

How could I have been so blind?

I flip the open sign on the door to closed and head around the back of the counter. I lean up against the wall and slide down so my knees are up against my face. I feel like I'm dying- not even that. I feel so much worse. That knot in my stomach grows and it's now beyond throwing up or being sick. It's as though it's just going to grow and grow through my entire body and then explode. Shredding me into so many tiny pieces that no one will even see that I'm dead. I'll look like dust.

I can feel my body shake and I've never felt this rage ever before, it's so strong that I'm weak. So strong that it might just kill me.

Why hadn't anyone told me?

Why hadn't I figured it out for myself?

Why are you so damned quiet Sydney?

Why didn't you tell me?

I stand up and balance myself, my knees take another wobble and I have to stop breathing for several seconds to make them stop.

Please, Sydney, say something!

Tell me that she was playing some sick joke!

I move to the front of the store pacing it with such fast movement that I'm almost running. I squeeze shut my burning eyes. And then in one outburst of anger I push everything from the counter down.

“Shit!” I shout kicking the sideboard of the counter.

'Shit' is an understatement, almost a compliment in this scenario. I don't think any word or thought, action or emotion can describe it, it's almost like it’s too strong that it's nothing. Like I'm not even here at all. What would Johnny have said if he'd known, or my family? What about Sydney's parents? I'm as bad as Percy, I could even be worse if that's possible.

I'm almost an accomplice in his murder.

I've been working for the man who killed my best friend.

The man who ruined so many people's lives.

Percy- worse than the devil himself.

“What happened in here?”

I turn to find Percy fiddling with a ring of keys behind me -oh how I could ring his neck- he eyes the mess on the floor; the cash register that's spilt its coins all over the lino and the broken bits and pieces. Percy's eyes link mine and they linger there for a very long moment. How hadn't I noticed? I can see as clear as anything the insanity buried inside him, the killer of my best friend.

And would Sydney want revenge?

What does he want me to do?

“Brandon, are you ok?” Percy asks taking a step away from the door, a step closer to me.

“Shut up!” My voice breaks, “Who the hell are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I'm sorry, let me start again.” I pause as my mouth turns even more to sand paper, “Where the hell do you go when you’re not here?”

He's silent, his entire body frozen. Is he even here at all?

“Do you go and run other people over? Is that your sick hobby? Do you then make their friends and family work for you? Do you lie to them too?”