Cry for Help by Steve Mosby Read Free Book Online Page B

undergrowth. In the canopy above, the sunlight could hardly make its way through; it came down scattered into fragments, casting small patches of dappled brightness on the leaves and trees. This should have felt idyllic and peaceful; instead, it felt full of menace. But I couldn't turn around now.
    A minute later we reached the occupants of the other car.
    Three of them were little more than burly black shapes leaning against the trees, arms folded. More of Choc's crew. They looked like they'd been waiting around here a while, killing time. The fourth person was Eddie Berries. He was kneeling in the grass, his head bowed. Most of his long hair, ripped from that ponytail, now hung down to his thighs, and he was hugging himself and shaking.
    I hesitated slightly, then took another couple of steps.
    Choc and Cardo walked up to Eddie. I glanced to either side. It wasn't even a proper clearing here - just a large enough break between the trees to accommodate us. And far enough away from anything for us to be undisturbed, I realised.
    What the fuck have you got yourself into here?
    The quiet settled in my heart and set it humming, and I stared down at Eddie. Whatever he'd done to Tori, he was a pitiful sight right now: terrified and feeble.
    'He didn't think we'd find him.' Choc sounded proud. 'But never overestimate a junkie, right? Get the fuck up.'
    When Eddie didn't respond, Choc kicked him casually in the side of the face and knocked him over.
    The electricity in my chest lurched up in a spike and stayed there.
    'Get up, you piece of shit.'
    After a second, Eddie climbed unsteadily to his feet. When he was as upright as he could manage, he wrapped his arms back around himself, head still bowed, body still trembling.
    He said, 'I'm sorry--'
    Choc palmed him in the forehead, knocking his head back.
    'Look at me when you're talking. Act like a man.'
    Eddie did as he was told and kept his head up. But his gaze wouldn't stay in one place. He was looking everywhere and nowhere: too frightened to meet anyone's eye. Choc began pacing back and forth in front of him, like a lion held back by imaginary bars.
    'You know what you did, don't you?'
    'I'm sorry. I don't know why--'
    'What - you need a reason to be sorry or something?'
    Eddie shook his head. He hadn't figured out that it didn't matter what he said: there weren't any magic words that were going to get him out of this.
    You neither.
    'I mean, I don't know why I did it.'
    'You want me to give you a reason to be sorry?' Choc slapped him on the side of the head. 'Is that what you're saying?'
    'I didn't mean to.'
    'What, you just slipped?' Another slap. 'Like that?'
    They weren't the kind of blows that would even leave a bruise, but the low-level violence was just as ugly as a proper beating. Choc was like a cat playing with a mouse.
    'I've just been to see my friend in hospital. She'd never lay a hand on anyone, and yet you thought it was all right to hurt her.' Choc moved behind him now. 'You think you can hurt my friend and get away with it?'
    Another bullying smack.
    'You fucking piece of shit.'
    And suddenly, he had a handful of Eddie's hair and was pulling him off-balance, his grip so tight the knuckles went white and the muscles in his skinny arm stood out. Eddie shrieked, but Choc hauled him over and pressed his face into the rough bark of a tree, leaning into him with all his weight, like he was trying to push him through it. Grinding slightly - four seconds, five, six - Choc's face contorting, concentrating on hurting . . .
    My heart hitched, tumbled over itself once, then carried on.
    Finally, he released him.
    Eddie's face was mottled and blood-picked down one side, his expression frozen in pain, like a baby in the quiet, shocked second before it begins screaming. He reached up to his cheek in disbelief, but Choc knocked his hand away.
    'Big man now, eh?' Choc sniffed, then glanced back at me, nodded at Eddie. 'Come on over and say hello.'
    My legs felt shaky, but I did