3 July 2012
Vincent couldn’t
remember how long he’d been locked in the room for. All he could remember was
waking up and finding himself in an unfamiliar place. His head had been pounding,
but he was glad he was in a soft warm bed.
‘Where
am I?’ he asked himself as the room came into focus. He knew instantly that
something wasn’t right. For one thing, his bed wasn’t as soft and comfortable
as this and for another, he could smell spaghetti bolognaise. His mother had
never made spaghetti bolognaise, but that was because she didn’t really cook.
Looking
around the room, he saw the tray on the table and automatically reached out for
the juice. Without thinking he drank it all in one gulp and almost choked. It
took a while for the coughing to stop, but once it did, he started on the food.
It was delicious and he finished it quickly, secretly hoping for more.
As
his memory started to come back, Vinny realised he had been kidnapped. It still
hadn’t fully sunk in, but he was starting to accept his situation. The only
thing he couldn’t understand was why he had been kidnapped. His parents weren’t
rich and his father didn’t work for any government agency or anything like
that. His mother was a teacher and his father a bus driver. What did his
kidnappers want with him and why hadn’t he even seen them yet?
Vinny
started crying as he remembered his parents and what they must be going
through. Even though he’d never been as good as they’d hoped for, he wasn’t a
bad child either and he just hoped his parents would do everything they could
to find him.
Looking
around the room for anything that could help him, Vinny decided to try the
door. As he got to his feet, he felt dizzy and almost fell over. Steadying
himself on the bedside table, he cautiously made his way over to the door and
started banging as loud as he could.
‘Please,
let me out,’ he shouted, but even though he used all his strength, his voice
just wouldn’t come.
Feeling
weaker by the second, Vinny decided it was best he go back to the bed. As he
tentatively made his way across the room again his legs began to feel heavy and
he stumbled, crashing face down onto the floor. Unable to find the energy to
get back up again, he lay there and closed his eyes until once again sleep took
him. Just before he was completely engulfed by the darkness, he felt a pair of
hands turn him over and slowly start to drag his limp body.
***
Jack
waited a few minutes before releasing his wife. He then got up and went to the
locked door across from the living room. Placing an ear to the door, he stood
and listened for a few seconds before deciding it was safe enough.
Taking
the key out, he unlocked the door and opened it slowly, bracing the handle. As
he looked in, he saw Vinny lying unconscious on the floor. He then looked over
at the tray of food just to make sure before entering the room.
As
he turned Vinny over, Vinny gave a little moan which almost caused Jack to let
him go with fright. Taking a firm grip of his arms, Jack dragged the boy back
to the bed and struggled to get him back onto it.
Once
Vinny was back in the bed, Jack picked up the tray from the table and left the
room, locking the door behind him.
‘What
happened?’ asked Margaret as Jack entered the living room with the tray of
dirty dishes. She was paler than usual. The last few days hadn’t been easy for
her.
‘He
collapsed on the floor,’ replied Jack. ‘I had to drag him over to the bed and
lift him back into it. Turns out I’m not as fit as I used to be.’ Jack gave a
false laugh.
‘I’m
sorry honey. I never meant to put us in such trouble,’ Margaret trembled. ‘It’s
just that… It’s him,’ she continued.
‘I
know, my dear,’ replied Jack walking over to Margaret and put a reassuring hand
on her shoulder. ‘And it’s no trouble at all. You know I’d do anything for
you.’
Margaret
gave a slight nod and smiled. ‘I think I just need to get some rest,’ she said
as she lay back in her armchair and closed her eyes.
‘Let
me know if you need anything,’ said Jack as he entered the kitchen. He then
washed the dishes and started heating the rest of the spaghetti bolognaise for
his and Margaret’s dinner. Then the doorbell rang.
Jack
rushed out the kitchen, taking a quick glance at Margaret to make sure she was
still asleep, and answered the door.
‘Can
I help you?’ he asked the young girl on the doorstep. She was wearing a school
uniform for the school down the road and carrying a rather heavy looking red
schoolbag. Her long black hair was tied back in a pleat with a pink bauble
holding it in place.
‘I’m
looking for my friend Vinny,’ she said.
Jack
started at her in shock for a few seconds before he composed himself, ‘Who?’ he
asked.
‘My
friend Vinny,’ replied the girl. ‘You know? The boy from the news that the
police are looking for?’ she said sounding annoyed that he didn’t know.
‘Oh,
you mean the schoolboy who’s gone missing?’ asked Jack, hoping he sounded
sincere.
‘Who
else would I be talking about?’ asked the girl.
‘Who
are you?’ asked Jack starting to feel a little annoyed by the way he was being
spoken to by a schoolgirl.
‘I’m
Jas,’ she replied. ‘Vinnys best friend.’
‘And
why are you looking for him?’ queried
Jack. ‘The police have already been round and asked me about the boy today.’
‘Like
I said, I’m his best friend,’ repeated Jas as if this made perfect sense.
‘Besides, the police aren’t asking the right questions.’
‘What
do you mean not asking the right questions?’
‘Well…
the police think Vinny’s ran away, but I don’t,’ explained Jas.
‘So
what do you think has happened to him?’
‘He’s
been kidnapped, of course,’ she said as if it was obvious.
‘What?
Kidnapped? How do you know?’ Jack spluttered as he tried to control his nerves.
How could this little girl know so much already? They’d been so careful to keep
the boy quiet and hidden away. Yet here she was, standing on his doorstep,
accusing him of kidnapping. It just wasn’t possible.
‘Well,
he wouldn’t just run away now, would he?’ she continued as if it was obvious.
‘I would know if he was unhappy at home. Like I said, I’m his best friend.
Vinny tells me everything.’
Jack
stood and listened to Jas as she babbled on about her friendship with Vinny. As
she talked, he realised that Jas didn’t actually know anything. She only
suspected Vinny had been kidnapped and was ‘pursuing her own line of enquiry’
as the police would have said.
‘Anyway,’
she continued. ‘Like I was saying, Vinny was happy at home. He was even
starting to get better grades at school. Why would he want to run away? Plus,
all his things are still lying at home. I saw them when I went to see his
parents.’
Jack
nodded as Jas spoke, and let her speak without interrupting. Maybe he could
learn something from this girl about how to handle the boy. Then they wouldn’t
need to keep drugging him.
‘Why
would he run away without taking any money, or clothes, or food with him? It
just doesn’t make any sense. He’d even forgotten his phone at home the day he
disappeared and he definitely wouldn’t go anywhere without that.’ Jas paused
for a few seconds and stared at Jack.
‘Is
something the matter?’ he asked her.
‘Well…’
she began. ‘It’s just that by this time, people have usually closed the door on
me,’ she explained. ‘Why haven’t you?’
‘Because
that would be rude,’ replied Jack. He’d never even considered closing the door
on Jas, no matter how annoying she might be. It just wasn’t in his nature to be
rude to others.
‘Oh,’
said Jas, still looking confused.
‘Would
you like to come in?’ asked Jack when Jas failed to speak again.
‘Um…
I’d better not,’ she finally said. ‘My mum always told me not to go into
strangers houses.’
Best
advice your mother could have given you, thought Jack as he nodded in
understanding.
‘Was
there anything else then?’ asked Jack.
‘Of
course there is,’ replied Jas. ‘I haven’t even asked you anything yet.’
‘Then
ask away,’ smiled Jack. Even though he was a patient man, he had a limit and
this girl was almost there. All he wanted to do now was close the door and go
and get dinner ready. It was already past seven and he didn’t like to eat too
late as both he and Margaret found it hard to digest food later in the evening.
‘The
last time I saw Vinny was as we were leaving school the day he disappeared,’
said Jas. ‘He said he was going to walk straight home which would take him
straight past your house. I don’t suppose you saw him?’
‘What
day was that again?’ asked Jack. His memory was excellent, but he wasn’t going
to let Jas know that. Let her think he was forgetful.
‘It
was the first of April. You know? April fools day?’ she told hm.
‘Oh.
I think I was at home, but my memory is so bad these days,’ said Jack.
‘Sometimes I don’t even remember what I had for breakfast.’
‘Great.
Just what I need,’ said Jas exasperated. ‘A forgetful old guy. So does that
mean you never saw anything?’
‘I’m
sorry, but I don’t think I’m going to be much help to you,’ replied Jack trying
to look sombre.
‘Well
if you do happen to remember anything, just let me know.’
‘How
do I do that? I don’t have your number,’ Jack pointed out.
‘You
won’t need it. I’ll be around a lot,’ replied Jas. ‘After all, I can’t give up
on my best friend now can I? He’s probably in the clutches of some maniac.’
Without
even saying bye, Jas turned and walked away. Jack watched her as she went to
the next door neighbour’s house and rang the bell before closing the door.
‘Who
was that dear?’ asked Margaret when he entered the living room. She was sitting
up in her armchair with a blanket on her knees.
‘Just
a girl looking for the boy,’ answered Jack. ‘But don’t worry, my love. I took
care of it. She thinks I’m a forgetful old fool. I doubt she’ll come round here
again.’
‘Oh,
dear,’ trembled Margaret. The colour had drained even more from her face. ‘Who
was she? What did she ask you?’
‘It’s
okay, Mags,’ said Jack sitting on the arm of the chair and taking his wife in
his arms. ‘It was just a school girl looking for her best friend. She doesn’t
know anything and I’m going to make sure i
Lost Treasure - Chapter 2 • Opuss № I