The Shadow Setters Book 1: Prominence

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jason hauled the last of the boxes that remained in the hallway into their new holding area then promptly made a large mug of tea before slumping at his favourite chair in the kitchen whilst moodily consuming its contents. Mixed emotions clouded his mind as the mornings events sat uncomfortably with him. He had thought that his father had purposely stayed away from the unloading. Jason didn't really have a problem with that but what he did have a problem with was being left alone in a strange new house in the middle of God knows where with the reality of isolation stretching out in every direction. 

The thought had first popped into his mind when Jason had discovered strange marks on the walls in the rooms downstairs. They gave the appearance of veins with strange circular rings protruding sporadically from its main stem. It had immediately caught the young mans keen eye as it had shone up from certain angles, almost resembling a snails trail. On closer inspection, Jason discovered that its surface was sticky to the touch, similar to the consistency of tree sap. Strange. He even thought briefly to contact his father on the subject for two reasons; firstly to ask him what he thought of it and was it a structural thing? (Not that he knew a thing on houses, especially ancient ones as this. Straw clutching came to mind) and secondly, just where in the hell was he? 

It wasn't until he had checked his phone that he realised that he had no signal and remembered David telling him that up here, when the weather conditions were unsettled (which seemed to be every day) it had a way of interfering with the network coverage. Great. Even if there were axe murderers residing somewhere in the house, a cry for help would count for nothing if the weather was having a slightly off day. 

Returning to the thoughts of the tasks of the day, Jason knew that his father was not the physical, manual hands on type of guy that Jason was and still to this day that difference in them surprised the both of them. The youngster always yearned to ask whether it was a characteristic that he had inherited off of his mother but had never acted upon it when the opportunities arose. He did not really understand why he couldn't speak about his mother to his father; he could only put it down to the fact that when he had tried to do so when he was much younger, David had made his son feel awkward, making him squirm when her existence was questioned. That feeling had stayed with him into his teenage years and even when all he wanted to do was ask a simple question about her, he had bit his lip and thought better of it. 

The absence of his father during the unloading and the added irritant of the stick boy and West Ham putting unwanted negative thoughts in his mind about the future between him and Katee had chewed away at Jason's patience late into the afternoon. Jason moaned constantly to himself and also at a now freed Kato by accident. He was now adamant that he was going to have a pop at his dad for lumbering him with all the skivvying. That was if he ever decided to come home. Eventually David returned with a summoning toot from the BMW adding fuel to the already blazing irritation simmering away within Jason. He sauntered out to meet his father only to be met by a car that was bulging at the seams with endless carrier bags and an added insult to his son by requesting that he help unload the car. Just as Jason felt the hinges fall off his patience, kicked in by his boiling over temper, the inevitable explosion was defused amongst the slave ranks when David handed him the first available bag on the front passenger's seat. 

'This is to say thanks for what you're doing and to help you cope with all those long winter nights we seem to be having.' 

'What's this?'  

'Mind reading isn't one of your skills boy. Open the bag and see for yourself.' 

Upon opening, Jason discovered a Maelstrom games console and copious games and extras that filled the carrier bag to bursting point. They were the latest next generation games machines, very sought after and very expensive.