MagicAnimalClub: Happenings

44: Loyalty

Davids POV

1 Month Later

I lay in bed, it was almost midnight. We were home. We were just after celebrating Rosie and James' 3rd Birthday, the 16th March.
Tomorrow I was leaving home to go to California for a week. I had my bags packed.
"I'm scared, David." Nicole said, looking up at me.
"Why?" I asked,
"I don't want you to get hurt." I looked at her eyes, they were about to tear up, I put my arms around her.
"Hey Nicole." I whispered, "everything will be alright." I hoped it would be okay, I hoped I could promise that. But I couldn't.

***

I got dressed, did my hair and my teeth. I was ready to go. Nicole sat on the sofa beside me, she gave me a quick kiss on the lips before my three year old children came running in.
"Why do you have to leave?" James cried, his bottom lip was sticking out and tears were streaming down his face. I gave both my children a big hug.
"I love you guys. I love you both so much. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" Now they were both crying,
"Hey, you two help out mum? You do the ironing?"
They chanted, "no!" To the amusement of Nicole and I.
"Alright, alright guys. Love you." I gave everyone a kiss, and wiped the tears from under the eyes of my children.
I lifted my suitcase and placed it in the back seat of my car before driving off towards the airport.

Nicoles POV

"When will dad come back?" I noticed the change from daddy to dad. They were feeling slightly more grown up now that they were three.
"About a week. Hey guys, are you excited about going to school next year?"
"School?!"
"Well- nursery, you'll love it." I said, pondering on my few memories of nursery.
"What do you do?"
"You play games, dress up, paint and go outside sometimes- there are lots of other children, and you read books and learn with them."
"What do you learn about?"
I couldn't quite remember that much, it was at least twenty-two years since I was there.
"You learn how to count." I guessed, although James and Rosie could already count to ten. Which, after I said this, they repeated the somehow endless numbers up to ten for ever!

When the others were playing I thought about who Joe might have killed.
I put all the information in my head, the sources from Beth and Joe.

December 13th..
"You wouldn't want your child growing up without a father.."
He was only anxious when he saw David...

Oh. My. God.

My eyes widened, I was on to something.

DAVIDS POV

****

I had arrived in California. I hired a taxi to bring me straight to Finnballs house.
Once I got to his house I noticed some bikes and buggies rusted and abandoned in the grass.
His children had died.
I knocked on the door. My chest filled with nervousness. Joe had already arrived, I had guessed. I didn't know how long he had been here.

I knocked again before I noticed that the door had already been unlocked. Confused and worried, I stepped inside the gloomy, dark house.

I tip-toed around into the kitchen. No one was there. I then walked into his office.
"Hey." I heard Finnballs voice before a dim light shone. I saw Finnball there, he hadn't changed, with Joe strapped with duct tape to a chair with tape around his mouth, feet and chest. His eyes widened when he saw me. I saw a gun on the floor, I tried to reach for it before Finnball could.
"Wow!" Finnball snatched the gun and fired it in the air. Shocking both of us.
"Your not a gun user too are you? Stampy here tried to shoot me."
I looked at Joe with shock and disbelief. He looked down, ashamed.
"Take the tape of his face, Finnball." I growled.
"Why? Haven't you spoken? My spies say despite how close you live to each other, you don't talk."
"I said take the fucking tape off his face." I repeated, with more anger and frustration.
"Okay, okay." Finnball ripped the tape off, Joe moaned with pain.
"Who are your spies?" I asked Finnball.
"I have only one," he lied,
"No you don't." I snapped. I shook my head, facing Joe, trying to get to the point.
"Joe who did you kill." I asked, his eyes widened slightly.
"Oh! You haven't even told him!" He looked over to me, "If he's your best friend you're not doing well!"
"Stamps..." I looked into his eyes, tears were streaming down his face.
"Oh dear oh dear, I've gotta watch both your hearts shatter into a thousand pieces. It's a pity. My kids used to love both of you."
"Just spit it out." I moaned.  Finnball glared at me. "Sorry."
"No! No I won't 'spit it out!'" He was furious, "no, I'll show you exactly what your 'BFF' did just for you!"
I was so worried, so afraid. All these months. All these secrets.
"Please!" Joe cried as Finnball opened up his laptop. Finnball turned around to face him.
"Joe I think it's about time." Finnball said, I actually agreed with him is time.

Finnball let Joe free before he pressed play and left the room, locking the doors.
I started watching the screen, I saw a hall filmed by security cameras. Two people were talking.
"I'm gonna be dead by the end of thi-" Joe stared to speak but I cut him off shushing him. I wanted to hear every single word.

I then heard a voice that I recognised on the film, but it was just yelling and cursing, I couldn't see anyone, no one was in view. We were then switched to an interrogation room. Finnball was there, as was...
No..

My dad.

Why is my dad here?!

"Dav-"
"Shut up!"
My eyes widened as I stared at the screen.
"So, do you have any family?"
"A wife and two sons."
"Are your sons in the war?"
"Yes, they are."
"What are their names?"
"I- I can't tell you that."
"Mr Spencer, if you don't tell me I'm going to have to find out the hard way."
"I.. Never. Never! Go kill yourself! Don't go near my family!"
"Fine then!"  Finnball pulled out a gun from his pocket and shot my dad in the hand, he shrieked with pain.
I put my hands against my face, my eyes were watering, I was so in shock, so angry.
" come with me. You're seeker now." Finnball growled at my dad as my dad tried not to faint with pain.

"The man I killed had no life, no family, no friends and doesn't mean anything to anyone."

The greatest lie anyone had ever told me.