TORN E-Book

Robert McDermott

• Herausgeber: Robert McDermott
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

Mike has a steady job, a dependable girlfriend and straightforward life. He meets Belle one night and is forced to ask himself the question. Is it all enough? Follow Mike as he finds himself torn between loyalty and lust.

Leseprobe

TORN

Mike was late again. Flying through traffic in a vain attempt to make up for lost time; he fumbled over words to explain why this time he had a legitimate reason to be late for work.

“More red lights! Come on give me a break.”

He slapped his hand off the dash board and sighed. Things had been vastly different when he was younger. Popular in school and a straight “A” student the sky was his limit. Nowadays he worked in a data management office. His role was to process raw data into manageable and saleable information. Seven years ago Mike took the job as a stop gap while waiting for something better to come his way. That’s when he met Lucy his live-in girlfriend; she had been working in another department. They got on well and had a lot in common and while having nights out to blow off steam after work the relationship just seemed to be the next step strangely enough. It was convenient to them both, someone to work with who you trust and also feel comfortable with around the house. Lucy had received a promotion a year or two later but they stayed together. It was strange for a while not having someone to chat to on the way to work but Mike got used to it. Recently though, he missed the fact that Lucy would stand at the bottom of the stairs at home and yell at him to hurry up or they’d be late. Most days she left before him, she had eventually moved into management for another firm and her career had gone from strength to strength. Lucy was organised and somewhat driven, not the most talented but what she had she used to climb the ladder and this gained Mike’s admiration.

He pulled into the company car park and scanned for a space.

“Seriously? Why me?”

Just as he was about to lose his temper he spied a car parked over two spaces

“Tosser” he sighed “Bleeding Porsche drivers” He figured he might be able to squeeze in but with multiple attempts failing he finally gave in. He drove into the corner of the lot with a clear no parking on it. Slamming the door and running to the entrance he still had no excuse for why he was late, nipping through reception with a nod from Denise the receptionist he raced up 3the three flights of stairs. Nearly collapsing when he reached the top he steadied himself while he caught his breath. Scanning the room for Gregory the manager he nipped into his desk before anyone could notice. The clock on his computer read 9:15; it wasn’t a matter of whether Gregory had noticed but rather when he was going to pull Mike into his office...

A voice piped up from the other side of the desk divider, muffled through the sound of crunching a biscuit under his teeth.

“Mike you’re in the crapper mate.” the voice came from Brian, a man with a chubby face holding a wide but harmless smile

“I know man, I know” Mike grimaced nervously back at Brian

“Well you would be only Gregory has a family emergency. Apparently his Aunt May is very unwell”

“Thank you Aunt May!” said Mike as he leapt from his seat and fist pumped the air.”

“But I need co-operation” Brian’s smile widened

“Co-operation?” Mike knew Brian wasn’t a sell-out but fear still pricked him

“Nothing bad mate, but do you know the way Lucy hasn’t been letting you play Age of Warriors online this past while?”

“Yes” Although relieved, Mike knew exactly what Brian was going to ask. Age of Warriors online was an online game, Mike had been good at it but recently Lucy had been finding him chores to do instead.

“You give me your celestial sword and when Gregory asks what time you arrived in at I’ll tell his 8:55”

“How about 8:30?” Mike retorted trying to get a something extra in the deal.

“Come on man you want him to believe me don’t you? You’ve haven’t been in that early since Lucy left all those years ago”

“Fine, I’ll transfer the sword to you tonight”

“Pleasure doing business with you”

Mike grunted back at Brian. He may have been a great co-worker to cover for him but at the same time he took something Mike had worked six months to get.

“Tell me mate, how are you and Lucy this weather?”

“Fine, why do you ask?”

“Well I’m fat, I live with my mother, I’m a data processor by day and by night a wizard of the ninth order in a fictional universe, my life is girlfriend free and hearing about yours is as close as I come at the minute.”

“You know if you gave up gaming, joined a gym, ate healthily you’d pull easily”

“Mate I didn’t say I wanted a relationship, it’s just nice to hear about others. Look at it this way. Since Lucy moved in with you have you been happy?”

“Of course”

“Really? And you’re still at it like rabbits?”

“No relationship is like that after seven years. Lucy and I are comfortable with each other and don’t need to be at each other every minute”

“Did she spin that to you?”

“...Yes”

“So you’re happy?”

“Look Brian I have data... processing stuff to do, and yes I’m happy, love is a learning experience and I’m learning”

“Does it not kill you that you can’t game online anymore?

“Kinda...” Mike stared at his screen and sighed

“But look at it this way Brian, people need to grow and change and that’s what I’m doing”

“For the better?”

“I believe so and so does Lucy. She taught me how to cook”

“A valuable talent...beans on toast?” He laughed as he asked

“Roast Salmon with rye and horseradish crumble if you must know” Mike looked chuffed with himself for even remembering the name

“Tastes like crap, doesn’t it?”

“Yea... It does man. I’d prefer steak and chips any day”

“Look mate let’s get some work done here and then I’ll treat you to a bacon and egg bap this morning, how does that sound?”

Mike stared at Brian for a few seconds

“Brian... You’re the man, you know that?” Mike held out his fist for a fist bump

“It’s hard to be humble but I try.” Brian touched fists with Mike to reciprocate

Mike left work that day feeling like the gods were on his side for a change. Not only did he get away with arriving late into work but he earned a free breakfast bap out of it. It was while he was enjoying this moment that the fact he parked illegally sprung to the forefront of his mind and his canter became a sprint to the car. There it was sitting where he left it, the car park mostly empty now left Mike’s car looking more abandoned than usual. There plastered to the front of his car was a parking ticket.

“Sixty quid! Lucy’s going to kill me”

He ripped the ticket off the front of his car and stuffed it in his pocket before climbing into the car.

Chapter 1

Mike pulled up into his driveway and tumbled through the front door. It was his night to cook dinner as Lucy worked late on Tuesdays.

“I’ll nip upstairs and send that thing to Brian before I forget. He logged onto his account and transferred the item. Just as he was about to log off a notification came through.

“Once more for old time sakes” It was Brian

Mike sent a quick reply back declining the offer and went to leave but another pinged through as quick.

“You sure? 5 mins mate”

“Fine 5 mins but I got to cook dinner shortly. With that Mike began to play with Brian.

It wasn’t until he heard the door close downstairs that he realised. A cold shiver went down Mike’s spine like someone was walking over his grave. He could hear the click of Lucy’s heels on the tile floor. The sound stopped momentarily and Mike held his breath hoping for some miraculous event to take place to halt the impending doom that was coming his way.

“Mike?” The voice came gentle at first then louder

“Mike!” If I come up there and find you on that computer then there’s going to be trouble.

In a blind panic he looked round the room for ideas. Quickly he switched the computer off.

“Jump out the window and come in the front door he thought to himself; make out like I went for exercise. No, it won’t work I’d never make it down without breaking a leg.” He thought harder as he heard the footsteps reach the bottom of the stairs,

“MIKE!” the voice was steely and cold

“Crap she’s going to kill me” and just with that he spied a jar of vapour rub and plastered it on his neck, undoing his shirt buttons as he proceeded to rub it down his chest before finally plastering some on his nose.

“Ah” he winced as some got in his eyes. He pulled out a box of tissues just as Lucy walked into the room.

“MIKE! What...?