Murder Ashore

muder ashore

Disclaimer: If there are any references in this story to real people then it is a complete coincidence. All characters are entirely fictional and have no purposeful reference to anyone.I'm not sure if 'Murder Ashore' is a name of an excisting book or movie or whatever else. I have researched it and haven't found anything excisting of that name, so if it is i am not trying to copyright it.

Chapter 2 - So Close to Freedom - released December 14 - 19

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Chapter One - Difficult Diploma

"Another essay concluded and done" I exclaimed while I grinned looking particularly pleased with myself. Let's start fresh, my name is Tim (or Timothy which ever works for you) unfortunately I am currently revising for these exams leading up to my graduation. My family isn't astronomically big, with me, myself and I. Oh well I suppose my mum dad and little, petulant brother, Johnny counts as well. Let's just say that Johnny likes to live in a world of his own were no nobody matters and he can roam freely and nothing will slip him up along the way. Sometimes I wonder why he even bothers with life he isn't really a normal person when you think about it: eat, sleep and live on his 'can't live without' computer, to be honest I see him more as the family pet. Not sure what type though I get an urge that a dog is just too active and enthusiastic to be anything like Johnny. Putting that all aside (personally, I don't know why I gave him the time of day to talk about him) my exams are coming up on two short and revision - packed weeks, fun. Fortunately for me I am not alone on all this fuss just to get a slip of paper saying my name and that I have passed a few tests; I have my best bro friend, Nathan that is taking a slightly more laid-back approach than I am. He has a 'rota timetable' that he is apparently following, I mean like every time I phone him to help me with my revision he is on his 'half an hour break', if someone gave me a pound for every time he made that pathetic excuse I wouldn't need to bother with this revising id have enough money to do what I want when I want.

"Timothy, honey, Valery's on the blower" bellowed my dad trying to be as embarrassing as humanly possible. I quickly snatched the phone of my dad to see what Val wanted. Val's a great mate I hang out with her and the rest quite frequently we always have a right old laugh.

"Hiya, Tim, how's the revision going" Val softly said down the phone.

"You know, I would much rather gauge my eyes out than look at that mind exploding revision again" I retorted to her somewhat ridiculous question. " Haha! You should really take a break you know you've been at it for hours, I've only done three essays and two maths exams" Val claimed proudly

"'only'" I said shocked.

"Oh, Tim you never fail to make me laugh!" Val burst out laughing.

"Alright then, I'll see you in school. These history questions aren't going to answer themselves." I ended the conversation. I was literally willing to do anything than do this repellent history, I hope to God that this will all be worth it in the end and that graduation feels as good as it sounds.

Tiger is another member of the group that I forgot to mention. She's erm... well, a girl that can clearly fend for herself and doesn't need anybody to stick up for her. A look against her and well you will wish you had never waked up that same morning. Believe me. I've been there. Decided to play a joke on her and ended up in a leg cast for the next six weeks. Never make that mistake, for your own good. Once you get to know Tiger she's a passionate young woman that wants things that only come true that might not happen. However she has devised a plan that she normally gets what she wants anyway. But for this she thinks that if she waits long enough she'll get it. Which by the way I never objected to her plan, not because I was petrified of the consequences but because I like confidence in people, as I know that I lack in it and also because I am terrified of her too.

Oh right. Again I forgot to mention what Tiger actually wants. Well she desires royalty and her own ice - cream truck (like who doesn't). But most of all she wants her family to be reconstructed with her mum and dad re - married and living together like all of her friends family. I'm not going to lie I died a little inside when I heard the innocence of her dreams, a strong, feisty girl, just wanting a fully loving family, well I suppose a female like that would want a soft, naive dream. Having problems with friends or family is usually why people are so rough these days, at first you think they're thugs with their life going nowhere, but if you look deeper sensitivity is unravelled. Hopefully, Tiger gets her perfect family she dreamed of, although I've seen her parents, I don't think it's happening anytime soon (I didn't say that by the way, my leg is fine not broken)! If Tigers happy then everyone's happy. And if Tiger's elated, there's obviously something wrong.

"Tea's ready, Tim." Mum screamed up the stairs.

"Coming!" I yelled back at her.

As I sat down to the meal mum and dad seemed a little odd. I had a hideous thought that they were going to start to ask awkward questions and expect answers. I was right. Well sort of. They wanted to ask me questions, just about something else. "Tim, we know you've been revising really hard lately and me and your father think it's time you took a break. Anywhere you'd like to go. You know as an adventure."

"Really? Mum I'm almost 18. Don't you think I'm a bot old to be going on kid's adventure holidays with my parents?" I questioned after a second delay.

"No, honey we mean with your friends. Like Val, Nathan, Tiger and David." Mum patronisingly said, as if I were stupid. David has been a good pal to us all through the years. We met David in secondary school when he was as nervous as anything, I wasn't, and I tried to play the cool card. I didn't exactly work but at least I didn't look like a nervous wreck. We adopted David into the group when we bumped into him at lunch; I accidentally tripped him over ending up lying in a plate of baked beans on toast. I suppose he's just like the rest of the group as whenever we hang out, David is there too, and only difference is I've known the others longer. Since Year 4.

At first I thought it was a fantastic idea to get away from my parents for a week, but when the reality set in I realised that graduation wasn't going to happen on its own.

"Thanks for the offer guys, but there are a few reasons why I can't take you up on that offer" I depressingly sobbed to them.

"Look son, if this is about your revision, one week in the sunshine won't do you any harm. What will do you harm is getting a crick in your neck from being cooped up in that room of yours all day" Dad calmly spoke to me. Johnny looked across the table at me (I didn't even see him arrive at the table; to be honest I've been doing a pretty good job of ignoring him completely for around seven years now). "I'll go if you're going to pass it up," Johnny squealed to mum.

"Absolutely not! Johnny, you do absolutely nothing for anyone and besides, there's no time to be on a laptop all day if you're going in this sort if holiday," Mum exclaimed, looking pretty pleased with herself.

In the heat of the moment, I couldn't let Johnny get the holiday; I lashed out and said "yeah, I'll go!

" Just let me set a date with me and my friends."

I scurried up the stairs to think about what I had done. I had no time. No money. And most of all no plans to do anything.

Suddenly I realise, I was so close to freedom away from worries family and revision! I have to go and make the plans. Pronto!

A few days passed and I still hadn't mentioned the plans to any of friends. For that matter I haven't even thought about them, what so ever. Since my birthday is coming up in a few weeks (January 12) my mum and dad decided that they would contribute to the cost, which is a huge help towards me actually going. Currently I have so little I don't even want to think about it. Yes, I'm sure you've wondered if I was lazy and didn't work for money. Well, of course I do. I work in a small diner, called Holly's Hopeful Diner, it's a decent job (compared to what my friends have, they mostly do paper rounds and work in corner shops) it doesn't earn to bad either. Ok so now you're probably wondering why I have no money, I'm a spender, not a saver.

Once I've worked it out a bit ill know how hard to work. At the moment I am so close to freedom.

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Chapter 2 - So Close to Freedom - released December 14 - 19