Lewis was 13 and looked up to his brother James before he was unfortunately sentenced last year for supplying drugs to the nephew of a judge. James was now locked up for 9 years. James friends however, still frequented the house to check up on Lewis and his mother. They did this instead of visiting James in prison. Kieran was at the house every other week and would usually come with gifts to keep Lewis out of trouble and helped his mother by buying clothes and groceries. She was a night nurse and was rarely home when James was ‘working’ the streets from their living room before his incarceration.
One day, Kieran took Lewis to the side after his mother had went to work and asked him a favour. James had been locked up for over a year now and not once had Kieran asked for anything from anyone in the household.
“Hold this for me yeah, I’ll pass you something tomorrow for it. I just heard jakes might be passing through tonight” said Kieran
Kieran stared at Lewis, waiting for his response
“Listen little man, James is my brother, so you, as his little brother means you’re my brother too ok… so just hold this for me tonight and I swear, I’ll be back tomorrow and we’ll all be cosy ok”
“Ok then” said Lewis nodding before resuming watching the TV.
“Good man, give me 5 minutes, I’ll be right back”
Kieran stepped out of the house, manoeuvring around the clean clothes that hadn’t been ironed that were obstacles on the floor to reach the door. He left Lewis home alone, who was watching Nickelodeon, passing the time before going through the music channels and hearing Kieran re-enter with the spare key entrusted to him by his mother.
“I got you some chicken and chips Lew. Here… eat this.”
Kieran put the cardboard takeaway box in front of his eyes, “Bossman put extra ketchup on it, I know you like your chips covered in sauce, your brother told me that init..”
“Thanks Kieran” Lewis replied, taking the box and tucking in.
Kieran sat back down on the sofa and waitied for Lewis to finish the food. When Lewis got up to put his food in the bin, Kieran stopped him with his hand
“I’ll handle that little man. Pass me that and I’ll give you what I asked you to hold for me yeah”
“Ok… thanks” Lewis passed the box. Kieran smiled.
“Now hold this yeah,” Kieran put his hand under his hoody and pulled out an item covered in a towel, “here you go, put this under your mattress for me will you? I’ll grab it tomorrow when your mum leaves for work”
Lewis nodded his head, took the item and went to his room, leaving the item on his bed for the time being before coming back to the sitting room.
“Good man. I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll lock you in ok?” Kieran said
“Ok. Thanks again for the food Kieran”
“All good”
Kieran left the house as Lewis continued watching the TV before going to bed not too long after.
The next day after school, Lewis was watching TV again in the sitting room and waiting for him mother to leave for work.
“Lewis, grab my coat will you?” she shouted from the kitchen, “I’m running late again so need your help. There’s food in the oven you just need to put in the microwave ok?”
Lewis went to the front door and grabbed her coat off the hook, meeting her in the kitchen
“Here you go mum and no problem. I’ll eat when Kieran comes by”
“That boy coming again? I told him to go visit your brother instead of coming here. He don’t listen to me. You need to stop letting him in.”
“I don’t mum. He has a key…”
“Who give him that? You know what, I’ll ask your brother when I go see him next”
“Mum…”
“Yes, hurry, I got to go”
“When can I visit James?”
She looked at him, pausing while buttoning her coat, “Soon, Lewis, soon. I just don’t want you to get wrapped up in what he did”
“Ok…” Lewis replied, “Have a good night at work then mum”
“God willing son, eat your food ok, I love you”
She kissed him on the forehead, finished buttoning her coat and left.
Lewis went back to watching the TV. 20 minutes later he heard the door open as Kieran entered the house
“Little man, I need you to be quick, can you grab that thing you been holding for me?”
“Sure…”
“Take this too for doing this”
Kieran handed Lewis an envelope with £500 inside of it
Lewis’s eyes lit up and Kieran laughed seeing his reaction.
“That can cover the groceries for a bit can’t it? I got to kick little man, so that’s a thank you from me, now if you can grab that item yeah?”
Lewis smiled, filled with joy as he ran to his room
A bang hit the front door, Kieran swore under his breath, “Ah fuck” as he went back towards the door
The front door banged again, Lewis shouted from his room “Who’s that?” grabbing the item
Kieran turned back to shout back, “Don’t worry about i…”
The door banged again and came off it’s hinges. 2 men in masks and black tracksuits stormed into the place and grabbed Kieran, throwing him to the floor and started kicking him in his stomach.
“You think you’re a big man yeah? We got you now you prick!” shouted the one, smaller and wider than the tall trim accomplice who was kicking the harder of the two.
The tall one, amongst the debris caused by the door coming through, went down to the floor and grabbed Kieran by his hoody, staring him eye to eye, “So what happened to our cut then? You think you can do a job and then disappear with our money yeah? Where’s my money and where’s his money?”
Kieran, blood spilling from his lip smiled, “Fuck off Dan, and you Mark. Look at you bitches, following me to he…”
Dan smacked him and blood went onto the carpet
“Now listen Kieran, where the fuck is my mone…”
A clicking sound resounded round the room; Dan and Mark looked up and saw Lewis holding a pistol in their direction
“Can you please leave Kieran alone?” Lewis said, smiling, “You’re interrupting Simpsons”
Dan and Mark looked at each other as Lewis interchanged who he was aiming at. He was 10 feet away from them, far enough to make an impact.
They both put their hands up and Dan stepped away from Kieran.
“Don’t do anything stupid little man” said Dan
“Please leave. My brother showed me how to use one of these” Lewis replied
Kieran got up and pushed Dan towards the door
“Get the fuck out of here” he shouted, “little man here is a killer!”
Dan and Mark didn’t take their eyes off Lewis as they left the house and street, Lewis following them until they left his road completely.
Kieran give him a high five after lifting the door up and sticking it back in place
“I’ll get this fixed tomorrow Lewis. My bad about that, I didn’t know them man would follow me. You did me a solid though. I owe you for that”
“No worries Kieran” Lewis said smiling, “there were no bullets so I’m glad I didn’t have to shoot them. I checked just before coming out”
“You could’ve fooled me! You’re just like James”
“Thanks” Lewis replied, smiling with all his teeth showing. He then sat down and resumed watching the Simpsons.