The Corruption of Innocence

Chapter 5

Shrieking with joy, Jack's little legs pedalled with all their strength as he raced through the streets, amusing himself by almost running people over and listening to their curses.

He sped up the lane towards the open country and zoomed off through the hills and Parsonage Wood, where he went even faster, having been told of the demons and werewolves that lived there. He came to Slaughterford and continued his journey, still smiling with joy, until he entered a graveyard and dismounted so he could walk up to the gravestones and read the names, something that he liked to do. Names like Dick Long and Ramsbottom made him laugh, and this day was no exception as he was left rolling on the floor with laughter at the name James Tinycox.

Approaching the boy rolling across the floor was Philip Device and two friends who had a nasty reputation in the local area. Jack didn't notice as they came towards him but heard someone sniggering and sat up immediately to face them. Seeing Philip, Jack bounced to his feet and bent over to pick up his bicycle.

"Not so fast," he was told.

"What do you want?" he asked in a shamefully squeaky voice, one that made the three boys laugh.

"What you doing rolling around on the floor? Are you a dog?" one of the boys asked, and Jack could tell by his voice that he was slightly older, maybe twelve or thirteen. Jack felt his pulse rise and swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Let me past," he said, taking his bicycle and beginning to move. Philip held out an arm across Jack's chest to stop him in his tracks and then violently pushed him to the floor. One of the boys grabbed the bicycle and smiled at his friends victoriously.

"I've always wanted a bicycle."

The three boys chuckled amongst each other and Philip watched Jack pitifully as the boy unsteadily rose to his feet.

"That's mine," he told them. The boys' smiles vanished, and Philip stepped towards him.

"What did you say to me?"

Jack's lips trembled and the next words were spoken out of a mix of fear and frustration.

"I said that bicycle's mine! I've wanted it since Christmas!"

"Aw, he's wanted it since Christmas!" one of the boys mocked, pouting. Temper grew in Jack like ivy climbing up a building and it devoured him swiftly and with ease.

"Don't you mock me, you flapadoodle!" Jack screamed, before kicking the boy in the shin. Whilst the other boy comforted him, Philip moved towards Jack, forcing him to walk backwards until he tripped over and fell on the floor. His angry enemy pinned him down by the wrists, his nails digging so deep into Jack's white flesh that specs of blood appeared.

"That boy may be a flapadoodle but I'm certainly not. You'd better watch out because I'll come to your home and I'll shag your mam and your sister, and I might even shag you if you don't watch your mouth. You think just because you're a pretty little boy I'll take pity on you – I won't."

Jack spat in Philip's face.

"You couldn't imagine the things that go on in my family. I'll get my dad and ma on you and then you'll be crapping yourself."

"My dad's a murderer and rapist, you know," was the reply as Jack was driven into the ground. Wrists stinging, he had to bite his lip to stop a painful scream escaping his mouth.

"My dad's a rapist too"

"That's nothing compared to what my dad did to my mum and me and my siblings."

"I get tied to a chair if I'm naughty..."

"You shut your face, you meater. You don't know nothing about me."