Page 2 of Wild Blades

I discovered my hiding place when I tripped over the rug in the hall one day. I fell against the wood-paneled wall. It pushed open unexpectedly and the light from the hall shone through the gap into the secret space.

It was the day the exact same man, who my mom is still shouting at in her bedroom, was here too.

Their loud voices echo through the house as they continue to argue.

I wish I knew who he was.

Mom has never told me his name.

I asked Gretchen what his name is. Several times.

Every time I ask her, she pinches her mouth closed and draws an invisible line across it. A pat on the head is what follows with the same exasperated sentence. “Not for me to speculate, young man. That’s none ofourbusiness.” Then she cuddles me tight. Sometimes it feels like she’s trying to make up for all the ones my mom doesn’t give me. I’m not complaining. It feels nice and I will never tell her to stop. She smells of laundry detergent and she’s all squishy, so it makes me feel like I’m being hugged by a giant marshmallow.

I’m glad Mom kept grandfather’s housekeeper on when he died.

She’s the best. And funny too.

Something my mom is not. I often wonder why she doesn’t smile.

I wish I had my very own time machine so I could turn back time to discover the things I don’t remember.

Maybe it would show me if my mom was ever happy because when she smiles, she’s really pretty. Although she only seems to do that when the man across the hall visits.

I let out a huge sigh and drop my shoulders as I continue to stare out of the peephole.

It’s always the same. The man arrives. He kisses her. With tongue.Yuck. That makes me want to puke, and I gag every time he does that. They go into her bedroom. It goes quiet for a bit. Some talking and moaning, which I try to block out. As much as I don’t like it, we had sex ed at school last year, so I think I know what they are doing.

That makes me gag a bit more.

Double yuck.

Then the shouting begins. He shouts, she shouts back; he shouts louder then he leaves.

Next, she’ll come out of her room, eyes red from crying, then demand Gretchen make her cocktails. That’s why I try to sneak out of the house before things get too dark and gloomy and she has another of her roller-coaster mood swings.

I once used my calculator to work out how many of those she’s had. My calculation? At least a gazillion.

She gets mean and calls me names when she’s having adark moment,which is what Gretchen calls them.

My mom is the opposite of Amelia Bennett, the sweetest, most beautiful girl in my year at school. I really like her. She’s like sunshine.

I suddenly realize how eerily quiet the house is.

Glancing down, I check the time on my yellow and blue G-Shock sports watch Gretchen gave me for Christmas last year. It’s so cool. I can even swim with it and wearing it makes me feel like a proper grown up. The part I love the most about it, it’s in the colors of the hockey team I want to play for.

When I’m a famous hockey player, I’m going to thank Gretchen for being so nice to me and buy her a massive house, so she won’t have to make cocktails for my mom anymore. I’ll look after her the way she looks after me.

The time on my watch tells me I have five minutes before the man I don’t know the name of leaves. It’s the same time he leaves every week, which gives me time to sneak out of the house, grab my bike, and ride down to Ezra’s. I don’t want to stick around to hear more yelling.

The smell of freshly baked cookies drifts in through the small nook of my safe haven making my stomach growl in response. Gretchen’s double chocolate ones are the best, and that’s my signal to get the heck out of here. I’ll grab some to take to Ezra’s. He loves them as much as I do.

I take a final peek through the peephole to check the coast is clear and push the concealed door open. Crawling back out through the tiny space I used to fit through easily is becoming more and more of a problem as I’m getting older. I’m the tallest boy in my grade.

Pressing my hideaway door closed quietly, I tiptoe across the carpet, past my mom’s bedroom. I flinch when I hear the handle turning, then the sound of the door being dragged against the carpet.

I look at my watch again.He’s leaving early today.

I’m going to get into so much trouble. Mom has always made it very clear that I am not to be around when he is.Be invisible, Wade.

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