But when will that be, and what will have happened in the meantime?
Andrew watched Frankie, who was kneeling beside the coffee table that was now turned right-side-up. He was emptying a small plastic bag onto the glass surface and a small pile of fine white powder was building up. Frankie’s girlfriend – Michelle – crouched beside him with a small makeup mirror. She was using it to sweep the substance into several parallel lines. The twins stood watching nearby like baying dogs, almost drooling at the sight of the powder in front of them.
Then there was Davie, Frankie’s younger brother – little bro. Andrew watched the boy sitting beside Pen and couldn’t work him out. He was as complicit in this as the rest of them, but something about the expression on his face told Andrew that Davie was not enjoying any of this.
In fact it looks like the kid wants out of here as much as I do.
While everyone was busy doing other things, Andrew took the opportunity to test his bonds. He wriggled side to side, trying to loosen the adhesion of the duct tape that held him to the chair. At first the tape started to give a little, but then the plastic bunched up and became unbreakable. There was no chance of getting free.
Which means I’m fucked.
Andrew watched while Frankie and his entourage began snorting the lines of white powder, their noses twitching frantically as the substance entered their bodies. Frankie’s regular twitch had now gone into overdrive.
“That’s good shit,” said one of the twins orgasmically. Andrew couldn’t tell whether it was Dom or Jordan.
“Innit,” said Michelle. “Fuckin’ heaven.”
“Not too much,” Frankie told them. “We can’t zone out when there’s shit to take care of.”
Michelle cackled maliciously then sauntered over towards Andrew. She patted him on the cheek hard enough that it was almost a slap. “You ready to party, old man? You want some of this?” She rubbed her fingers against Andrew’s lips and forced past to his gums. He tasted the powder on her fingernails and suddenly his entire mouth went numb. He spat, trying to clear his mouth.
She removed her hand and Andrew stared her dead in the eye. He said nothing, but privately thought about how disturbing it was that such a young girl could be so devoid of remorse or appropriate emotions. There was no telling how far these messed-up teenagers were prepared to go. Andrew looked across at Pen who was looking back at him from beside Davie. She had the same anxious expression on her face that he no doubt wore on his. Both of them were afraid, but both of them were also indignant of the injustice taking place inside their home. There was a look on Pen’s face which told Andrew that underneath her anxiety was a steely determination to not give in to these thugs. He felt exactly the same way.
Our home, thought Andrew. The one place we’re supposed to feel safe. I won’t let a bunch of uncontrollable kids take that away from me.
Frankie switched the television on and turned up the volume, then gave Andrew a catlike grin. “Don’t want people hearing the screams now, do we?”
Andrew swallowed a lump in his throat. Things were about to begin. He felt like he was sitting on a rollercoaster climbing up the very first hill about to take a horrifying plunge.
Michelle clapped her hands together. “Sweet! Friends has just started. That shit is so funny.”
Frankie pulled Michelle’s arm so that she spun to face him. “We’re not here to watch bloody Ross shag Rachel.”
Michelle’s smile sunk away and she nodded. She looked like a chastised child.
Frankie really has a hold on these kids. What a difference a few years of age can make. They almost look up to him like a father.
“You guys keep an eye on things,” Frankie told the group. “I’m going to check out the kitchen.”
“What for?” Davie asked him, an apprehensive tone to his voice.