Page 33 of Beck

Beck shook his head. “Daniel tripped over a log as we were playing chase, and Lisa fell off a stone as we walked across the stream. The scrapes and bruises, including mine, were from running through the trees.” He paused. “I don’t understand.”

“I told you he wouldn’t admit it, but he needs somewhere with no other kids, I believe,” Roger said. “He might be a danger to them if this behaviour increases.”

The unknown woman scratched a few notes in her book. “Are you willing to keep him for a few more days until we can find a suitable place?” she asked Roger and Erika.

“We are. At least we know what to look out for.”

The conversation continued without his input, and he blocked them out, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. He hadn’t been there when Daniel and Lisa had hurt themselves, only turning up when he heard them shouting for help. In both instances, he had carried them on his back to the house so they could get some first aid. Never had he believed his actions would come back to haunt him—especially as he’d done nothing wrong.

Had Daniel and Lisa complained he had, or had Roger and Erika finally decided they were sick of him? It was most likely the latter because he believed he had wonderful friendships with Daniel and Lisa.

He tuned back into the conversation when the two unknown people, who he now believed were from social services, stood.

“We’ll be in touch as soon as possible. In the meantime, I would suggest keeping an eye on him and keeping him away from anyone else as much as possible.”

Beck’s denials stuck in his throat. He couldn’t be left alone. He couldn’t. He enjoyed being around people and hated it when he was alone. Alone was when the problems happened. Alone was when he got hurt. Alone was when… He blinked and shook his head. He just had to survive the next few days. Maybe they’d send him to a nice family, one who actually took care of the children they looked after.

“Don’t worry, Beck. We made sure to tell them you preferred being alone,” Erika said with a grin. She patted his head in mock sympathy. “Now, go to your room and stay there. You don’t leave for any reason other than using the toilet. If you do, you don’t want to know what will happen.”

Beck swallowed hard and followed her instructions. He was going to be alone. All day. Every day. Until he left this place.

Scared didn’t even cover what he felt.

“Yes, I do occasionally,” Drake said, bringing Beck back to the question he’d asked. “We talk on the phone all the time.

Beck wasn’t at all surprised. They were like peas in a pod. It was no wonder they had taken to Drake and not to Beck. They saw the same personality in Drake that they had themselves.

“That’s…good.” He stood. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have to get to work.”

Drake didn’t give an inch, and even though Beck was taller and more muscular than Drake, he was still that trembling child inside, wishing Drake would go away.

“Who’s your friend?” Drake asked, tilting his head behind Beck.

Beck frowned, glancing behind him, surprised to see Kole sitting there. That’s right. He’d come to the sandwich shop to get some food, and Kole had turned up. How had he forgotten? But now he remembered, he didn’t want to introduce them. He wanted Kole as far away from Drake as he could get.

“Hey, I’m Kole, and sorry, but we need to get these back to our colleagues.” Kole stood, picked up a bag Beck didn’t remember seeing before and nudged Beck’s arm. “Come on. We’ll be late.”

It got Beck moving, his eyes on the floor as he put one foot in front of the other. The closer to the door he got, the more his breathing increased.

“I hope to see you around!” Drake called, and it took everything in Beck not to burst into tears at the thought.

“A little further,” Kole whispered, and Beck held his breath until they turned a corner. “Now breathe.”

Beck didn’t breathe. He hyperventilated. He dropped his hands to his knees and bent forward, his lungs screaming for air. A hand rested on his nape, and he tore himself away, putting several feet between him and his assailant. His eyes darted around, only seeing one person with him, but he didn’t feel safe. He felt alone.

“I have…I…go,” was all he managed before he ran.

He ran and ran, arms pumping, heart pounding, legs screaming, but still he ran. And when he finally collapsed in exhaustion, he sank to the floor near a tree and closed his eyes to stop the world from spinning. Then he lay down, cushioning his head with his hand and pulling the other over his head, blocking out the world.

And there he stayed.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been wherever he was when he finally moved his muscles and uncurled himself, his entire body screaming at him from being in the one position for so long. He sat upright and rested his forearms on his knees, his handshanging free, while he let his head settle. He let his eyes wander around him, taking in the darker skies—which wasn’t any help with telling him the time because it was winter, and therefore, it became darker earlier—and the surrounding trees. He wasn’t entirely sure where he was, but he could rectify that easily enough by checking his phone. He didn’t want to, though.

Stretching his legs out in front of him, he groaned and then sighed, knowing he had to look. The phone beeped as he pulled it from his pocket, and he unlocked it. Several feelings flowed through him at the sixteen missed calls and twenty-one messages staring back at him. He was grateful to have people who cared to check up on him, scared that they would ask questions he wasn’t ready to answer, and tired. Just goddamn bone tired.

He took himself to his feet and stood there while he checked the messages. Ani had sent the most, Joey the second most. There was even a couple from Kole.

He dropped his chin to his chest. Damn it. Kole. He’d disappeared on him and left him at the shop, which was a shitty thing to do. Hopefully, he’d remembered his lunch.

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