I Escaped, But Only Just - Part 10: Trapped

In the days following, I dealt with what had happened in exactly the way I'd dealt with anything else I couldn't handle - by blocking it out and refusing to think about it. I went to school as normal and practised the piano in the afternoons. But the problem of Les wasn't about to go away. He lived just a few doors away. He and Robin were friends. My parents liked him.

About a week later, he cornered me in my bedroom, punching me hard in the shoulder.

'If you do that again, I'll tell my mum about the other night and you're get into trouble,' I said, taking a step back from him.

He placed his sneering face close to mine. 'Say anything, and I'll batter you. And I'll tell your mum it was your idea.'

Footsteps on the landing interrupted the hushed conversation. 'What's going on?' Robin demanded.

'Nothing,' Les said. 'He's upset about his music teacher going off to live in Israel and he's throwing a bit of a tantrum.'

'Oh,' Robin said, and laughed. 'That's because he fancies the music teacher. Everyone knows she's moving to Israel to get married. He's jealous.'

'F*** off,' I shouted. 'That's not true. She's moving there because her parents are emigrating. She told us this afternoon in class.'

'He's in another of his bad moods,' Robin said, laughing. 'He's been like it all afternoon.'

Les smiled at him. 'I'm off now to do the paper round, but come round later.'

***
'So what's with the long face all the time?' Robin said afterwards, imitating our mother.

'I keep telling you, I'm getting sick of Les, always here and interfering.'

'And why the bad mood?' he went on, in the same silly voice.

'Didn't I just tell you? I'm fed up with Les.'

Robin was silent for a few moments. 'Yeah, I know what you mean. He's a bit aggravating. He gets on my nerves.'

'Has he said anything weird to you?'

'Not really. It's mainly him and Trudie and their stupid fainting games.'

'I wish he'd move to a different area. Then we wouldn't have to see him anymore.'

'Don't be like that. He's harmless really.'

'I can't stand him. And I don't want to go round there tonight.'

'Okay, stay here then. But I'm going.'

A car pulled up outside. Robin went to look out of the bedroom window. 'It's Mum,' he said, giggling. 'And she doesn't half look in a bad mood.'

***
'No,' she said, folding her arms in the hallway. 'The man's coming round to the look at the Accounts tonight and we'll need some peace and quiet. You'll have to go to Les' with your brother. And wipe that sulky look of your face - because you're not too big for a good smack.'

***
We set off about quarter past seven. Les' parents had already gone out by the time we arrived, but his sister was there, sitting on the sofa with two of her school friends. The room spelt of cheap perfume and talcum powder. There was no sign of Les' awful pimply mate Dennis, thankfully. Les passed a pack of cigarettes around. Sulkily, I took one, staring down at the carpet as I smoked while Les and one of the girls on the sofa traded insults.

'Ugly b***', the girl shouted.

'Look at yourself,' he said. 'Hanging, with spots all over your face. You're selfish and horrible and...

'Shush,' Trudie shrieked, pointing to the TV in excitement. 'It’s about to start.'

'Tell your brother to stop picking on me before I hit him with my hairbrush,' the girl shouted.

'Yes, knock it off, Les,' Trudie said.

'Oh, you're just a pair of slags,' he said, in his camp voice. 'Now shut up. My friends *NC and Robin are trying to watch the tele.'

The bickering continued throughout the programme. Afterwards, Les told me to play something on the piano. His father, apparently, had studied music and there was a piano in his house, although I never normally played it. I obliged, scowling, then returned to the sofa, accidentally knocking over a pile of books.

'You stupid b***', he shouted, leaping to his feet. I jumped back, startled, but he'd already reached me. He was raising one of his hands, whacking me over my head. He hit me again, and then again, pushing me onto the sofa.

'My dad's going to kill me now,' he snarled, leaning over me so that I was lying on my back. His eyes took on a crazed expression, a frenetic mixture of blue and green. I tried to throw him off, but he was too strong for me. Placing his hands around my throat, he began to squeeze,

'No,' I tried to say while everyone else simply watched. I was struggling to breath. He was strangling me.

'Don't ever do that again,' he said, finally releasing his hands from my throat.

***
‘Why didn't you stop him?' I said to Robin on the way home.

He shrugged. 'He was only having a bit of fun. It got out of hand I admit that, but he didn't mean anything by it.'

'I don't believe you. He could have killed me back then.'

'No, he wouldn't do anything like that.'

'Yeah?' I said, striding off. 'Well, you can get lost. Both of you can.'