Paying the price by Lubna (short books to read TXT) 📖

just drop it!” James yelled and walking out the room, shoving his shoes violently on and rushing out the out the front door making his way to Scott’s on foot.

When James reached to Scott’s house he banged at the door, it took Scott just seconds to answer it.

“Jeeeeeez James, you’re ok, come in,” Scott said patting James on the back. James was really glad to see his friend; he shook his head and smiled.

“Hi to you too,” James said walking in and up the stairs to Scott’s room where he found Darren (another friend of theirs) sitting down.

“JAY, wow man! How you doing?” Darren said standing up, “I called your mum to see how you were and man was she in a state, great start to summer holidays huh?”

“You’re telling me, my mum Ha…Yeh well we aint really the best of friends right now,” James said sitting down making sure not to provoke the dormant pain in his back.

“Don’t worry she’ll get over it, my mum does, well she kicks me out first but then begs me to come back, I eventually do cuz I miss my decent food,” Darren laughed. Darren looked older than 16, he was big built and tall, with short spiky dark browny hair. He had green grey eyes that added a touch of softness to his hard looking face. Experience had made Darren more of an aggressive person to those who pushed the limit otherwise he was a great friend to those knew him well.

“Nice to know Darren, anyway Jay…tell us what happened?” Scott said sitting down and grabbing a can of cola.

So James told them the story of the night before every tiny detail, maybe exaggerated a bit more, but it was the whole truth. He hesitated a bit while explaining how his granddad looked, his breathing slowed down and he thought and then carried on. When he finished telling it all he breathed.

“Never gonna forget it, I’m telling you, its all clear in my head” he said shaking his head, his eyes watering slightly.

“Ahh, I’m sorry James honestly,” Darren said.

“So.am.I,” James said slowly, he sat and let his thoughts over take him His Pa had always been close by now that he was gone he felt alone and lost. His Pa was gone and was never coming back, just like his Dad. James felt a tear trickle down his cheek, quickly wiping it away, he sighed and knew he wasn’t going to get over the loss of his Pa. Running his hand across his leg, he felt a rectangular bump in his front jeans pocket. His forehead creasing he took the bump out and there he found the phone, the phone that he had grabbed yesterday while trying to get away.

“What’s that, you got a new phone then?” Scott asked

“No, it’s not mine…” James said staring long and hard at it as though it was about to speak.

“What do you mean?” Darren asked.

“Its his, the guy. The guy who…who killed my granddad…” James answered very slowly taking in the information himself.

“Your serious right, man you gotta check it you never know you could find out who they were, give it to me I’ll check,” Scott said grabbing the phone and flicking through it. They all sat there as the brightest out of all of them touched the phone as though it was a piece of historic artefact.

“So you’re telling me, this guy dropped his phone which contained a text which said something about an address, where you think they might be at right now? That just stupid why would they do that?” Darren asked looking confused, “Wouldn’t they fight back for it?”

“No Darren I don’t think they knew I had taken the phone…” James said rolling his eyes.

“But what reason would they have to kill an old man, someone may have told them or something I don’t know. Maybe they were being paid and this address is somebody they had to report back to? They must have needed to know where to go back to when they’ve done the job right? That address must have been in this phone there so the guys could have remembered where to go, after everything’s done maybe? Just look at it, why would somebody put their own address in their phone? They obviously would know it by heart, wouldn’t they, and this text was recent as well so it does kind of fit,” Scott said typing the address into the Google Maps his eyes wide and excited.

“Jeez Scott how many films have you been watching?” Darren said. But Scott shut Darren up with a gesture and showed them a picture of the area and its history. It was old factory, which looked as though it hadn’t been used for ages.

“So what do you want to do James? Tell the police or somin’?” Scott asked, after a few minutes of silence.

“We are gonna go there and find out who they are!” James said looking straight at Scott.

“Are you mad? Look at the place, no way James these guys are big. I saw them myself yesterday breaking down the door to you’re granddads house and just walking in, they killed him for no apparent reason what makes you think they wont break you’re legs?” Scott exclaimed his seriousness kicking in. He was always the logical thinker out of the 3. When something didn’t add up he was always against it until it made sense.

“I don’t care I wana find out what’s going on, like you said, why would they kill an old man for?” James said calmly.

“Well I don’t mind coming with you James…I don’t mind some fun,” Darren said smiling.

“What! Are you both MAD? No! Not at all its dangerous, it’s stupid!” Scott yelled his voice shaking, “We’re 16, well one of us,” he said looking at Darren, “what do you expect us to do?”

“Just find out who they are and why they did it,” James said getting feeling confident.

“Just leave it James,” Scott yelled

“Fine me and Darren will go, we’ll be fine without you,” James said standing up shoving the phone back in his pocket.

“No no, James, come on please man,” Scott pleaded but James made no sign of giving up and Scott knew that very well, “…fine I’ll help ok?” Scott said giving in, “But we got to plan and be careful, were only kids not James bonds sidekick!”

“Well, I am James aren’t I ha-ha, that was supposed to be funny,” James said noticing the lack of life in the room except for Darren rubbing his eyes, “Ok…so were gonna do it tomorrow, Scott you do your plan and what ever else and we’ll get ready?”

“TOMORROW…” Scott said his eyes wide open.

“YES SCOTT! Tomorrow I can’t wait any longer,” James answered emphasising on the ‘tomorrow’

“Wow, ok so we better get to work then,” Scott said.

“We’re on,” Darren said coming back to reality. Darren was smart but he didn’t really see the need to use his brain all the time; it was “Dormant” as Scott always said to him.

So all three of the boys sorted out what was needed to be done in preparation, they were awake quiet late making sure they knew what each of them were doing. James called his mum and told her he’d be staying round Scott’s, even though he felt it was unfair leaving her at a time like this, but he felt it had to be done. She wasn’t too happy about it but she said yes. Darren done the same and everything seemed to be in position; now they just had to actually do what they had planned.

Chapter 3

Next day

Monday

James, Scott and Darren were up at 6:00am; they were all tired from the late night but pushed themselves to get ready and pack the things they may need like: torches, penknives, phones, and a map of the area they were targeting which Scott had printed. About 7:00am they were ready and went over the plan again making sure they knew it all by heart.

“I still think it’s stupid that we’re doing this so quick, we can properly sort things out or even ask the police we don’t have to do this ourselves,” Scott said trying as hard as he could to persuade James but he wouldn’t budge, and if James didn’t agree nor would Darren so he had to tag along.

The three youngsters walked out the house; both of Scott’s parents worked early hours, so they didn’t really worry about being caught. They walked to the bus station and waited for the bus they were supposed to take. It took them about half an hour to get to the factory area, the atmosphere seemed dull and quiet, there was no one to be seen and no sound was made, it was as though time had stopped when the factory had stopped working. As the trio walked further and further they could see different cars parked out side the main door of the factory and a few people walking around with their arms crossed, they didn’t look very pleasant.

“Duck down we can’t be seen,” James said dropping down by the bin.

“Ok so we gotta get in without them noticing,” Scott said looking at both Darren and James.

“Umm well, I know this might not help but on my play station game when the assassins going to kill someone he throws a stone one way distracting the bad guys and then runs in…what about that ‘ey?” Darren said smiling like a 4 year old as though he’d just recited his ABC and was waiting for an applause.

“Wow well done Sherlock Holmes! NO.…” Scott said sarcastically but clearly worried. Not listening to the bickering of his fellow friends, James looked up above the bin and saw a small gap between two broken doors going into the side of the factory.

“Follow me,” James said crawling across the dry grass.

“Where?” Scott said squeaking. But James wasn’t listening he was already crawling forward making sure nobody saw them. It took them about 2 minutes to get to the side of the factory and James cautiously slipped in not waiting to hear Scott’s protest.

“Is it orite?” Darren asked.

“Yeh, get in…hurry,” James said helping both Darren and Scott in through the gap.

“Ok so what now?” Darren asked.

“There, look there’s a door come let’s check it out,” James said swiftly going towards the door. He put his ear to one side of the door listening for any noises but it seemed clear. He opened it, but what greeted them on the other side definitely made Scott squeal.

“Hello ladies,” said a gold toothed man staring right into their faces along with 5 other men, including Ray and Riley from the night before.

“S-sorry we were just passing by, you know, just p-playing around and that?” Scott stuttered.

“Oh really and p-playing what b-barbies?” Said one of the men behind the gold toothed man mimicking Scott’s stutter.

“Look he said we’re sorry and we’re going ok,” Darren said coming forward.

“Oh and your the feisty one are you? Well lets teach you a lesson on ‘why it’s bad to trespass’ ‘ey?” The gold tooth guy said, “Ray, lock ‘em up, we’ll sort ‘em later, ”He said to Ray behind him.

“Wait Rex, that’s the kid who was round The