Authority ▲ Ksimon

Smuggle

Words:(2932)

Simon

It must've been an hour of constant driving until a street sign catches my attention.

'Whitechapel, 5 miles' (I'm American allow it.)

I thank god, tired of the stares I am getting from other drivers in this nice ass sports car. The past few hours have also given me time to think. I don't do well when my thoughts get too comfortable. They wander to the darkest places in my mind, in this case JJ. I really regret drugging him, the guilt won't leave my chest as I turn into the exit of the vacant town. It slowly vanishes as I look around the clearly empty town. There is the occasional family crossing the street, but it doesn't compare to the strip JJ took me to. It seems pleasant, but I know things aren't always as they seem. The Sidemen house is a good example; I remember waking up to a cold floor and the scent of cigarette smoke. Feels like forever ago.. Now I wake up every day to the warm embrace of JJ in the house I now call home myself. I never realized how much has changed until now.. It's a good change.

I turn into Jubilee, the atmosphere quiet and the streets clean. Besides these factors, my stomach drops at the fact that I have to face Nick. I try my best to parallel park into a vacant spot, letting a breath of relief out and throwing my head back against the leather headrest.

I narrow my eyes to the dash before pulling it open in hope for a source of protection. I don't care if he is my brother, I'm not going in there without a weapon. I let out a sound of surprise when a pistol falls onto the car's floor, letting out a loud thud under the passenger seat. I quickly pull it up, opening it to realize it is fully loaded with protection on. Perfect.

I pick up the papers that fell out along with the gun, focusing on one file in particular. It's stained, wrinkled to the point of ripping, almost as if it was crinkled up in a ball. I squint, trying my best to read the smudged writing.

Olajide Olatunji

June 19, 1993; currently 22

Diagnosis: Drug abuse, Bipolar behavior, depression.

Royal London Medical Center, 2015

I throw it back into the dash, feeling like I've invaded his privacy too much. It was two years ago, he's probably got it under control. Not the bipolar part, but hopefully the drug abuse. It breaks my heart just thinking of JJ being depressed. He's too happy for that, too pure. He helped me get out of a void I was stuck in. Without him, I probably would still be stuck with my parents; or being fucked by Ethan. I shutter, remembering that night clear as air. I trust Ethan to an extent; I don't trust how he treats me around JJ. He means well though, they are a family after all. I'm just glad JJ took me with him, fate has a funny way of setting things up. In this case, it was a full on kidnap.. but I'm okay with it.

I snap out of my trance, pulling the key out of ignition and stepping out onto the hard pavement. I pull the gun into the side of my joggers, pulling my oversized 'SDMN' top to cover it's obvious indention. I feel my nerves increase as the sun starts to set, memories from my first night in London returning. I shouldn't have came alone, but I need to do this alone. I keep my head low, walking fast as I look for the numbers Tobi drilled into my head.

'342 , 342, 34-' I whisper, making sure to take in my surroundings every couple seconds. I think I found my new fear as I walk past the wide alleys, teens shouting and elders smoking in their shadows. It's no longer an eerie sight to me, it's... threatening. I came from a town where you could walk to anywhere with no concern. This town is a whole new story.

I freeze as I make it to 340, fear rising as anticipation takes over. 'C'mon Simon, you didn't drive an hour to pussy out' I mumble, continuing a couple feet to 342. It seems normal enough, a decent size with the blinds shut from the inside. Better than the Sidemen house, they barely have any windows. I let out a deep breath before walking up the indention of the street and up to the front door. I let out a faint knock, but am met with silence. I knock again, louder this time, but I am once again disappointed when I get no response. I decide to walk around the back, hoping to find an entrance to break into.