Chapter 11

A fortnight has passed since that horrible night; Tea has lost all defiance and spirit. Jared abuses her non-stop. She has become a shell no longer speaking. Her brother, Alex had been taught by Quinn the finer points of thievery.

Alex sat alone in the warehouse, Quinn had gone and he wasn’t expecting him back soon. He had began to get used to Quinn’s infatuation with Marius, it could have been worse. However, what was really beginning to annoy him was Quinn’s secrecy. He knew next to nothing about the young man. His past was private he understood, but couldn’t Quinn be a little less closed.

Then again, was he being too secretive with Quinn? He hadn’t opened up to him. Alex shrugged more to himself and sighed. Was lack of sleep making him paranoid? He kept thinking of Jared and seeing him torture his Mother. She had thought him dead, what if he had stepped in, and she had seen him still alive? It was these “what ifs?” They were driving him insane. Why worry about people who were now dead?

Tea, his mother, his father and everyone he knew at the circus all were dead.

Alex’s new life was risky, but he did have a good friend t… Their he was going again with assumption. Quinn probably was using him for something. Alex had no friends. Tea had been right; he’d drove off anyone early on in life who was a potential friend. He wasn’t alone, but he was for Quinn may of well been a faceless body.

Just then, Quinn strode in grinning and said, “let’s go a cheap boozer and cop drunk!”

He then nearly fell over, but some how kept his balance. Alex laughed at this and replied, “Don’t you think ya had enough?”

Quinn leant against and door and shouted, “Nonsense…”

Alex sighed and stood up, well maybe he had hope yet?”

Quinn leant a door frame and just about gurgled coherently, “’Urry up!”

Alex laughed and walked out, stopping Quinn going for a swim about five times.

“Come on, I’ll tell yer a secret!” Quinn sniggered

Alex declined, leaving Quinn like a wounded puppy.

A while later they been round whole wharf and Alex exasperated, asked, “You sure, we’re going to a bar?”

Quinn had giggled and replied grinning stupidly, “It’s a mestery tour!”

Alex cried in frustration, “We’re lost, right!”

Quinn shrugged and carried on smiling stupidly, “No we go dahn 'ere, I swear!” He indicated by walking down this way.

Alex followed, not wanting the stupid drunk to get hurt. He watched Quinn hop on one leg down the walkway swaying back and forth like a tree. Alex was amazed at how Quinn kept balance.

He turned round and hopped back to him, “Wanna an 'oppin' race?” Quinn face was picture and a half he had a crazy drunk smile on face, wide-open blood shot eyes and red nose – red with alcohol consumption.

Alex looked at him bemused, “A hopping race?”

Quinn laughed, “Yeh!”

Alex stared at Quinn, as he began hopping again like some crazy ritual or dance.

“weeeeeeeeeeell!” Quinn inquired, still hopping up and down madly switching feet continually

Alex tried to reason with him, “What about the slavers, these people are heartless?”

Quinn laughed, “Slavers mavers, they don’t annoy me…!”

Alex looked at him bewildered, “Hold on, these are people who raped you’re sister to death and you don’t care!”

Quinn didn’t react at all he just grinned and replied, “They can’t rape me!”

Alex sighed and replied, “They don’t rape boys though!”

Quinn smiled knowingly, “I know!”

Alex folded his arms, and stood firm. “I’m not doing hopping race, bar first!”

Quinn eyes lit up, at the mention of more “drink” and before Alex knew what was going he was being dragged down the walkway by Quinn still hopping.

Alex arms flailed as he was dragged along by the half insane - fully drunk Quinn. After a while Quinn stopped hopping and instead led eagerly out the wharf into the closed off streets.

Alex considered stopping, but then again how smart was Quinn when he was drunk? Quinn had near walked off the wharf; had wanted a hopping race and not forgetting he was very drunk.

Alex against his better judgment followed, jogging until he caught up with Quinn who had now started singing loudly. His singing was loud and horribly off key. In his drunken state, he sounded strangely feminine and high pitched in his throat, swaying drunkenly.

Alex watched as Quinn jumped up down in a large puddle that went over his boots. He finally took in the alley, seeing as Quinn was in no danger. He now noticed it was raining lightly. The alleyway was long and each side were some home’s or small businesses – which Alex had no doubt were all mostly illegal. A shop that was a butcher had rats skinned, (white worms popping out of some of them) hung up by the tale, behind the dirty, cracked display window. Alex despite, feeling bile moving up inside his throat, ventured closer and peered through the dirt-encrusted window. In the inside, Alex saw large parcels shaped oddly and sodden with fresh blood. He pulled away not wanting to see anymore in the barbaric butcher shop.

Alex turned back; the stamping and splashing had ceased. Quinn was nowhere to be seen.

Alex took a deep breath and look all around nervously mentally scouring everywhere, suddenly he felt alone. He didn’t remember hearing Quinn stop the splashing or leaving.

He panicked trying to think where Quinn had gone, when he heard a drunken Quinn shout, “’Urry up, I won’t wait all day!”

Alex swung round, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red as he saw Quinn standing – no swaying.

He saw Quinn saw him blushing and shout, “I’m no a total fairy, wen drunk, but I do luv 'avin' a right good time!

Alex ran over to Quinn and followed him again. Until he heard loud boisterous music and came round the next corner to see a large building lit up and bursting with noise. Quinn nodded at him as if to say, we’re going there.

Alex gulped fearfully as the bar came into a view. A large one-story building that lit up the whole alleyway. The building was comprised of strong planks of wood put on to brick. It had many broken windows. He then heard a crash and saw a man come flying out the window headfirst.

Alex took a cautious step back and wondered if he really did want to go into this bar. Quinn began to swagger over to the main entrance. Alex groaned, cursed his luck and followed, staying close behind Quinn.

Quinn opened the door and walked in. Alex groaned, and tried to ignore the stench overloading his senses – it was all a mixture of alcohol, blood and sweat. That was only way he could describe the smell. The noise was a constant rabble of stuff like, “Try to out drink me!” and “Ladies and Gentlemen, try your luck at some of these games.”. Then there were the arguments, the loud lethal rows, which caked the floorboards in blood. Last of all there was the a woman dancer dressed is skimpy clothing that hid next to nothing and the bar keep taking orders from everyone.

Alex kept a low profile avoiding any un-needed attention, though Quinn was opposite, he was out drinking the champion and flirting with all manners of men and even the dancer was interested in him. He’d get his own back on Quinn for taking him here. He was just about to try detract Quinn attention from his fan club when he turned round and indicated for Alex to sit next to him. Quinn then ordered a drink and passed it too Alex.

He took the glass and looked at the mud coloured brew that was frothing slightly. Alex lifted it up and swallowed not wanting to look weak. The mixture burnt the inside of his throat, but he soon felt he needed more he couldn’t explain it, an obsession had over come his common sense all he could hear was more, must have more. He kept telling Quinn to order more non-stop.

He suddenly went mad when he realized his glass was empty again. He looked over to Quinn who stood looking at him puzzled, “Yer’ve 'ad enough, don’t yer fink!”

Alex knew Quinn was right, but the obsession was too much, he needed more; he literally begged the bar keep for more.

Quinn pulled him away from the counter and said, “I fink we’d better go!”

Alex stared at Quinn and muttered “Fine!” and drunkenly following Quinn to door.

Quinn then transformed and returned to drunken stupor. Alex may have been drunk, but he could have sworn Quinn had been sober when he had warned him off anymore drink.

Alex groaned, as he felt like there were two great drums pounding non-stop in his head. Quinn smiled cheekily and said, “Any chance of ‘opping race?”

Alex suddenly felt this would be very entertaining so began, barely keeping up with Quinn and falling over several times. It was only when he was behind that he tripped. Quinn fell headfirst and rolled over on to his back, just beginning to stand up, but Alex fell on top of Quinn awkwardly – very awkwardly stopping this.

Alex went to stand up blushing furiously and muttering sorry, when Quinn pulled him back and he smiled nervously tugging desperately when Quinn said, “Well, I guess ya like bein' on top!”

Alex eyes bulged, he pulled even more desperately sweating hard, and keeping a weak smile, hoping, so hoping this was a joke.

Quinn smiled and held him close; he shivered violently and spluttered quickly, “I-really-don’t-go-this-way-Quinn-your-nice-and-all- but-truly-don’t test-waters-like-this-so-to-speak-and-I’m-seriously-not-drunk-enough-to deal-with-this-situation!”

Quinn grinned and replied, “Wot waters…?”

Alex tried to speak, but his voice was still exhausted after his long tirade, Quinn continued smiling seductively, “Wanna make 'ot sweet luv.” Batting his eyelashes after he said it.

Alex pulled away from Quinn forcefully until he let go of him. He then ran, eyes wide open. Quinn stood up and shouted to him, “Good, I like ter play games!”

Alex ran like his life depended on it as Quinn pursued him. It was only after he had a run for a bit he stopped. There was no longer the squelch and splash that meant Quinn chased him. Alex turned round and looked for any sign of him. Seeing none, he retraced his steps. Lying on his front face down was Quinn. Alex bent down and asked, “If he was okay?”

Quinn groaned and rolled over showing a shard of glass caught into his lower chest. He glanced at the wound and replied off-handily, “It’s nuffink!

Alex shook his head and knelt down, “Let me check!”

Quinn leant up and backed away, “Really, Alex it’s nuffink”

Alex followed and began to unfasten the first top Quinn wore saying, “I’m only going to check it, that’s all.”

Quinn shivered as Alex’s hands touched him, he then whimpered and replied, “Alex ya deaf…, isit?…It’s nuffink.”

Alex sighed and carried on getting to third layer, for a second he felt something, then it was gone, he replied impatient and annoyed, “It could be something!”

Quinn whimpered then groaned replying, “I did try stop ya Alex, sorry!” He bent his leg back and plunge both his feet full on into Alex’s stomach.

Alex groaned as Quinn winded him and he fell over. Quinn was up in second and ran, Alex watched in alarm as Quinn sprinted, blood dropping from him fast.

Alex tried to shout stop, but he was still winded; so it came out too quiet, he groaned and stood up and ran after Quinn.

He saw as Quinn slowed down completely and fell over. Alex hurried over to see he was unconscious, he had to do something, he may regret it, but first he needed to stop the bleeding, for once he was thankful his parents had taught him how to stem serious wounds. Alex sighed nervously and undid his second last top. The first thing he saw was a rise in the chest, indicating a strong bone structure, but that made no sense now he thought about it. A large stain of red frequented Quinn’s stomach with a shard of glass as the centerpiece.

He eyed the shard of glass in Quinn’s stomach and slowly lifted the top up just enough to see the bare stomach festering with blood. Alex grimaced ripping a length of material off his trousers – winding it round his hand as a sort of glove; he began to try removing the shard.

As he grasped the shard, he tried once to remove it feeling the sharp piece of glass cut into his palm. Once again, he tried this time gripping harder and seriously cutting up his hand. (Even though make do glove had been suppose to stop that) This time he removed the shard with a loud cry and whimper from Quinn, in his struggle to remove the glass the top had slipped revealing the lower chest area.

Alex’s eyes fled to the ground, then he remembered her wound, Quinn was a girl, I’d never thought…Alex thought while he took his make do glove off briefly taking in his own cut up hand then covering her wound with the wad of material. He heard Quinn groan and her eyes lashes fluttered slightly.