The Hog

Chapter 12

Publishing mix up, please read chapter 11 first (I know the irony of it, right)

I'm asleep on the couch- I'd been watching tv- when a demanding knock sounds on the front door. Who could it be? Frank came in early today and I heard his door slam hours ago. The knock comes again.

"Frank! Francisco!" It sounds like my neighbour's voice.

He knocks again. This time I check the time, 23:34 pm.

I wrap myself in my blanket and go open the front door.

"Francisco thank goodness, is Isabella here by any chance?" Henry looks like he has been crying. Isabella is his five year old girl. I shake my head .

"Can you get your father, I want to ask him to help with the search." I've never seen an adult break down like this.

"I don't think Frank can..."

" Henry what's going on?" Frank cuts me off. Henry quickly explains the situation to him. Frank pats his shoulder and looks to me, " Go get us flash lights and put some shoes on."

My mouth hangs open when he says this. " Hurry up, a little girl is missing and we are going to help find her." he says. There are dark circles under his eyes and I can see by the colour of his eyes that he is experiencing a massive hangover but he pulls his boots on and takes our jackets off the hook. Henry is saying how grateful he is when I get back with the flash lights. We go out, shut the door and Frank reaches for my hand and holds it. I haven't held my father's hand since I was about seven and that was about seven years ago. Frank notices my surprise , " We don't need more than one little girl missing tonight."

We walk down the bock and join the voices shouting Isabella's name. I try to focus on the search but my attention goes back to our locked hands. The way Frank is holding me is so gentle and caring.

******

To: amytyson@yahoomail.com

From: f.daies@gmail.com

Subject: I need you.

Hey Amy.

I know I haven't replied to your letters and emails for the past six months. I had nothing new to tell you. Frank is still a drunk. I'm still known as Hog. I still mostly hate my life, apart from you and Jeremy.  Your life is so colourful and different I just didn't want you to feel like I was dead weight that you were lugging around. You've been gone for four years now so I just wanted you to know that is was okay to let your old life go- to let me go.

I know what you thinking, pathetic right. Okay so I was feeling depressed when I came to these conclusions but then after the fourth and fifth email I thought I'd just carry on letting my inbox fill up. I'm so sorry for that. If you are angry with me and choose to ignore this completely I'll understand.

So something new has happened in my life. I think you remember Thomas Greyson, he was in our tech class in grade 8. Tall with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes that look like they know your deepest darkest secrets.  Well about two months ago Thomas caught Jeremy and Mr Dixion making out behind the gym. He took pictures of them. Jeremy told me what happened and- after shouting at him for continuing an affair with a substitute teacher that he should have ended long ago- I took matters into my own hands. I thought my reputation as Hog would be enough to threaten Thomas with so I attacked him by his locker and kissed him in front of everyone. That was supposed to do the trick right?  Two weeks later Thomas pulled the same stunt on me only he started blackmailing me with Jeremy's pictures. His blackmail involved digging holes in his back yard. I dont get the thing with the holes but I did it anyway to stop him from exposing Jeremy and getting Mr Dixion in trouble.