Дмитрий Леонтьев – Don't trust anyone (страница 13)

“So when I heard from you that your parents had bought you a scooter, we decided you’d be the victim,” Robert interrupted Stephen.

“Are you nuts?” Kevin reacted. “You must be sick!”

“No! It will make a great video for YouTube. I bet there’ll be tons of views,” Robert responded and high-fived Stephen.

“I think we should repeat it some other time with someone else,” Stephen suggested. “By the way, guys,” he added, “when I was behind these bushes I noticed something…”

“Yea, it must be another ‘fun’ joke of yours. I’m not buying it,” Kevin interrupted.

“No,” Stephen sounded serious. “While I was waiting for you and getting dressed up and adjusting the camera in my phone, I detected something strange over there,” he pointed to the side with his finger.

“Let’s finish this stupid conversation now and get out of here, my mother must be already worried about me,” Kevin said.

“First let’s finish digging out this grave, otherwise Jake can suspect something,” Robert said.

“But I’ve already made a video about it,” Stephen intervened.

“What was in your bag?” Kevin asked Robert ignoring Stephen’s words.

“Some trash,” Robert answered smiling.

“Look at this…,” Stephen pulled out his hands and wanted to show his classmates something on the screen.

“Better help us,” Robert asked them, “you’ve already messed up by revealing yourself ahead of time.”

* * * * * *

“We’ve done it, at last,” Kevin declared dusting his hands off the soil.

“It’s really late, we must go home,” Robert pronounced.

“Why don’t you believe me?” Stephen asked already in his regular clothes.

“Believe what?” Kevin asked him slightly nervously.

“I’m telling you – over there, behind these bushes there’s something strange,” Stephen repeated louder.

“Well,” Kevin sounded disgruntled, “let’s go. Show me your stupid place and then let’s go home. My mum’s already called me twice.”

Robert stood up and chuckled with satisfaction.

Stephen switched on his mobile phone, found at last what he was looking for and stretched out his arm towards Kevin.

“I also want to see it,” Robert said coming closer to Kevin.

“It’s a strange place. There was something captivating about it. I can’t explain,” Stephen said.

“How long did it take you to get there?” Kevin asked with a sour face. “I can only see your feet on the screen.”

“Low battery,” appeared on the mobile screen.

“Let’s get going!” Kevin said firmly. “It’s really late.”

“F*ck!” Stephen reacted looking at his mobile.

“You are a loser,” Robert said and started going to catch up with Kevin.

“I’ll send it to you later, via a social networking site,” Stephen shouted behind them.

“I suppose you can do that,” Robert replied. “Hurry up now. I'll give you a ride home.”

“Bullshit,” Stephen muttered and ran after his friends. “Wait for me, please!” he added.

CHAPTER 7

“Where have you been all this time?” Linda asked Kevin before he entered the door.

“I…I was,” Kevin wanted to explain.

“I’ve been worrying about you. I called you several times but you didn’t answer,” she sounded annoyed.

“And riding around at night is also dangerous,” Fred said coming from the bedroom with a cup of coffee.

“I know, I am sorry,” Kevin apologized at last, “but I’m absolutely fine.”

“Promise me, sweetie, not to do it again. And, please, always answer my phone calls,” Linda begged.

“I promise, mum,” Kevin answered. “Where’s Max?”

Fred and Linda looked at each other.

“Max must be with you,” Fred answered. “It ran right after you.”

“What?” Kevin asked perplexed. “I didn’t see it. Max isn’t with me.”

“Jesus!” Linda reacted touching the head with her palm. “Should we start worrying? Why didn’t you stop the dog ?” she asked Fred nervously.

“I tried,” Fred replied also a little nervously. “Max was in the yard near me. When Kevin opened the gate and started the motor, Max was running around him as if in a frenzy. As soon as Kevin rode off, it rushed out through the gate and followed Kevin.”

“I told you to follow Kevin in the car…” she began to say.

“It’s not the first time, honey, when Max runs away,” Fred interrupted her.

“How far did you see Max following me?” Kevin asked worriedly.

“We should call the police,” Linda suddenly suggested.

“Take it easy, sweetie,” Fred said, “it’s not a big deal.”

“Then you should go look for him,” she yelled. “Where is it now?”

“Are you sure you didn’t see Max?” Linda asked Kevin.

“No! I also didn’t hear it barking. Max normally barks when it runs behind,” Kevin said.

“It’s too early to get alarmed,” Fred told them. “I suppose Max will be able to find its way home like before and by midnight it should be here,” he added and took a sip of coffee.

CHAPTER 8

“Where are you, Max?” Kevin asked still lying in bed.

At half past 10 pm. Kevin already did not know what to do with himself. He blamed only himself for not closing the gate behind his new scooter. Kevin wished he could just close his eyes and see all the nice things he could do during the day, but when he did this he could only see Max’s muzzle. Once he pressed a little his eyelids with the index finger and the thumb of his right hand and one tear appeared in the corner of his left eye.

“I’m a fool,” he said to himself in a trembling voice, “wasn’t worth it… riding all the way there,” he added.

“You must come back home,” he pronounced. “Or tomorrow I’ll start looking for you.”

The door opened and Linda came inside.

“Hey,” she said, “how are you?”

“I am so sorry,” Kevin sounded guilty.

“You shouldn’t blame yourself…” she began to explain.

“But it’s my fault,” Kevin interrupted her.

Linda quietly sat down on his bed.