Chapter Six “ Patrick
Justin immediately started to panic. He called out for Vincent. Nothing. Justin started walking down the hallway heading toward the school entrance. He was listening for any signs of Vincent, but all he heard was the echo of his shoes walking down the corridor.
“Vincent?” Justin called out once more. Nothing.
Justin then took up a quick jogging place and he ran down the hallway, and ran over to the school entrance doors. Right in front of it was the security officer of the school.
“Hello. Did you see a small boy “ green eyes, about this height with a red backpack walk out of here in like the last 5 minutes?” Justin asked the guard.
“No. I’m sorry. But if you want me to page the school over the school speakers for him I would.” The school officer said, walking over to the front desk and grabbing a handheld walkie-talkie.
Justin nodded, and swallowed back a lump in his throat. All of a sudden, his legs felt like jelly. Plenty of bad scenarios went through his brain, including what happened if Vincent was kidnapped? What happens if he’s not okay “ and the police take him away from him? Justin started panicking again, and he went back down the hallway he came from.
He twisted doorknobs, most were locked, and the rooms that weren’t locked, Justin checked inside, but nothing.
“Vincent!” Justin called out once again, and then he heard whispering. He stopped in his tracks.
Justin walked back down the hallway, and he heard 2 kids talking in the boys bathroom. From what Justin heard, they were arguing about something. That’s when Justin heard his voice.
Justin went inside the bathroom, and he walked over to where he heard the two kids arguing.
“JUST DON’T DO THAT AGAIN. OKAY!” Vincent yelled at the wall, and he turned around abruptly, facing Justin.
“Vincent! Who were you talking to? Didn’t I tell you to stay out there by the door?” Justin scolded him, slightly shaking Vincent’s shoulders.
Before Vincent could answer him, the security guard came jogging into the bathroom, walkie talkie in hand.
“So you have found him. Okay.” He said, and then he spoke back to the walkie talkie.
~
“I told you to stay by the door. I was so freakin’ scared. You need to stop wandering around, okay.” Justin said out, frustrated with Vincent. He gripped his hands over the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white.
“But I was. And then-” Vincent began, and he became silent.
Justin glanced over at him, waiting for him to explain. Justin then changed the subject.
“And who were you talking to in the bathroom?” Justin asked quietly this time, knowing in the back of his mind who.
“Patrick.” Vincent said slowly, and then looking down. Justin shooked his head slightly, and then focused on the road.
Justin started to think about the drawing that Vincent made in school. It definitely gave him the creeps. Justin knew he had to come clean and speak to Vincent about everything one day, but he didn’t know how. Justin took a big sigh as he made his way to the house.
Justin saw a truck parked in the driveway, and Justin was confused. ‘Who could that be?’
He parked right next to the truck and he took the key out of the ignition. He opened up the jeep door and got out and he saw a guy by the front door, waiting for Justin.
“Hello?” Justin said, looking confused.
“You had trouble with the water.” The landlord said with a thick German accent. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and stomped on it and walked over to Justin. He was slightly smaller than him, he was probably around his mid 40’s, and his face looked tough.
“Oh. You’re the landlord. Yes, the water isn’t coming out of the pipes.” Justin said, motioning for Vincent to come out the car that it was okay. Few seconds later Vincent walked inside the house, his backpack dragging on the floor.
“Were you able to fix it?” Justin asked. The landlord grunted.
“How the hell was I suppose to fix it in the amount of time I just came here.” The landlord said angrily, taking out another cigarette and lighting it on fire.
“I just came here an hour ago. I’m trying my best “ you know I’m not a fuckin’ plumber. The only reason I’m doing this is because of Mr. Reilly. It’s not going to all get fixed today.” He took a huge puff of the smoke, and then glared at Justin.
Justin bit back his bottom lip and nodded slowly. “Well, how are we supposed to use the bathroom and-”
“This is the woods. You know that? We’re not girls. You don’t have a pussy. I don’t think your son has one either. Just use the woods until I fix it.” The landlord said.
Justin was getting a headache again; he didn’t have the time and the patience to argue with him. Justin nodded once more and he walked into the house and slammed the door on the landlord.
~
“Night time V.!” Justin yelled downstairs, as Vincent went scrambling for his toy cars in the living room.
Vincent hopped upstairs and into his bedroom, where Justin was waiting for him sitting on the chair next to Vincent’s bed.
Vincent deposited his toys by his closet and he crawled into his bed and under the covers. Justin tucked him in, and kissed his forehead.
“Night night Vinny.” Justin said, running his fingers over Vincent’s head. Vincent nodded sleepily.
Justin began to walk out, and he turned off the lights, leaving the night light on. Then the thought of Vincent and the incident that happened earlier today crossed his mind, ‘Who was he talking to in the bathroom?’
Justin turned around and faced his younger brother.
“Vincent “ who were you talking to in the bathroom?” Justin asked quietly. Vincent stayed quiet for a while, before he answered.
“Patrick.” Vincent answered him. For some reason, the name made Justin’s blood boil.
“No, Vincent. I want to know who you were talking to.” Justin said, this time for urgently. Vincent sat up on his bed and looked Justin is his eyes and said “
“Patrick.”
Justin ran his hands over his head, this time he was getting angry. “There’s no such thing as Patrick. He’s not real. You need to stop this Vincent. Stop this right now.”
“Patrick is REAL! What do you want me to do?” Vincent began to yell back at his older brother.
“I WANT YOU TO STOP! HE IS NOT REAL! YOU ARE PATRICK!” Justin yelled and he walked over to Vincent’s bed and started shaking him.
Vincent began to cry, and Justin stopped what he was doing. The thought of what he just done just sunk in. Did he just attacked his younger brother?
Justin began to hold him, but Vincent shoved him away. Justin felt shocked “ he felt rejected. He stood wide-eyed with his mouth half-open, staring at him.
After Vincent stopped sobbing, he wiped his face and glared over at him.
“Patrick is real.” He whispered, turning away from his brother.
Justin opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. Then he thought of the drawing.
“What about the drawing that you did today at school?” He asked, feeling chills flow through him just thinking about it.
“He drew it for me.” He whispered and he lied back down on his bed.
Justin stood there by the doorway, still feeling numb on this whole conversation with Vincent. His temple started to hurt again, but he wanted to ask his younger brother about Patrick.
“Why were you arguing with Patrick today?” Justin asked “ switching away from the discussion about the drawing.
“He gets jealous easily. I was playing today with Melinda and he tripped her and everyone said I did it and I got time out in recess today.” Vincent said in one big breath.
“And I told him I don’t want him to tell me what to do and leave me alone or else I won’t be his friend anymore. And he said he’s telling his mommy and he left when you came in and I haven’t seen him anymore.”
Justin nodded his head. They were in silence for 5 minutes before Justin walked over to Vincent’s bed and kissed him once more. “Good night.” Justin said. Vincent whispered good night to him and he fell fast asleep.
Justin walked out of the bedroom and pulled the door in “ leaving the door slightly ajar.
~
“JUSTIN!”
Justin woke up, and was greeted with pitch black, but an outline of Vincent by the side of his bed, pulling his arm.
“What-What is it?” Justin asked, sensing the panic in Vincent’s voice.
“He’s here.”
Justin got up out of bed, and he followed Vincent into his room, which had the lights on, nearly blinding Justin.
“What are you talking about?” Justin asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.
“Patrick.”
Justin looked over at Vincent “ who looked really scared. Justin had no idea what was going on. So him and Patrick aren’t friends anymore?
“Vincent “ Patrick isn’t here. He’s not going to hurt you - no one is here but me and you.” Justin said, trying to comfort him.
“Check outside.” Vincent said, staring blankly at Justin. Justin blinked, and he got up from Vincent’s bed and walked over to the corner window.
He pulled the blinds away and looked down and that’s when he saw him. Looking up at him with pitch black eyes. Patrick was real.
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