James felt an icy hand across his mouth, as he was dragged from his car. Suddenly he was forcefully thrown into the back of some kind of van, as James began to fall unconscious, he looked at his kidnapper who stood hooded in the darkness. James could not see his identity but what would happen next would haunt his soul and chill the blood in his heart, ending his perfect life.
Forever.

*                                              *                                               *                                 *

                                            TWO DAYS EARLIER.

James Lenton walked into his college, a deep smile stretched across his face. He walked towards a crowd of teenage lads, slapped two of them on the back and proudly said, “ Nailed it.”
“ No way dude!” exclaimed one of the boys.
“Ah come on Jared, anyone would think you doubted me,” he moved closer, “ tell me you didn’t doubt me?” James’s tone was slightly menacing, made even more so by the strange smile etched on his face.
Jared reared ever so slightly. Jared was not one to be intimidated, his muscular build and sheer frightening presence, for most, was enough to mean, that most likely, he was the one usually being intimidating.
“ No, of course not, always knew you would.”
“ Ah I’m just fucking with you Jared,” James said his tone now eased from anger, “though trust me Steph was gagging for it, and she had some great technique too. What do you think Peter?” James had now turned his attention to the other boy he had slapped on the back.
“ Yeah nice going James.” 
  Peter and James had been friends for years, when James and peter had met though it was not friendship that these two shared. In fact James used to make Peter’s life hell, he was a bully, but since he stopped and agreed to help peter through school, their relationship, though not always perfect, had been much better. However peter was still seen as the runt of the group, he had ginger hair and freckles, many believed James only kept him around for fun and someone to take the mickey out of. Peter stayed for one reason and one reason only, protection from bully’s. Sometimes an ally like James was the only way to survive.

“ I know Pete, but I could not expect you to understand, I mean your a virgin mate, probably ain’t seen a pair of tits like steph’s in your life eh?”
“ That’s true yeah but-”
“ ah shut up mate we got class, oh and Jared?”
“ What?” Jared retorted, his body still not fully relaxed.
“ She really does have some great boobs, firm as hell.” James started laughing whilst performing a squeezing motion in mid air.
The group left for class.

later that day Peter saw Steph, he noticed how, unlike James, she was not smiling or gossiping with her friends about the previous night, instead she was sat alone, her head pointing towards the floor. Peter walked over to her.
Steph was beautiful, with long flowing locks of auburn hair, wonderful green eyes that glinted when the sun caught them just right, though today they seemed dark and empty. She wore clothes that flattered her figure without showing too much flesh.
“ Hey Steph.” Peter tried not to look as if he knew what had happened the previous night.
“ Don’t Peter I know that you know what happened last night, I heard him tell you earlier.”
“ Steph I am not James, I haven’t come to take the piss out of you, it just seems like whatever happened James is a little more happy about it than you are.” Peter tried to sound as if he could be the shoulder she needed.
“ Yeah, I thought the jumped up prat would be happy about it.” A small tear welled in her eye.
“ Jumped up prat?” Peter asked inquiringly with a questioning look on his face as he stared at Steph. She looked up for a second, her eyes were bloodshot as if she had been crying earlier, her mascara had run slightly down her usually glowing cheeks.
“ I don’t want to talk about it Pete.” Steph retorted. She got up to leave.
“ You did want to do it right?” Peter asked, he knew there was something wrong but he hoped his suspicion was wrong.
“ Yeah of course I did.” However her answer sounded a little less than convincing.
“ You don’t have to lie Steph.”
“ I’m not, trust me, I did want to I just-” she broke off.
“ What?”
“ Leave it Peter.” With that Steph walked away, leaving peter to his thoughts that now had started swimming around in his head.
 How far had James gone to be popular, would he go too far?
 Just then a voice rang out across the courtyard.
“ Oi!” Peter turned to look round and was confronted by James striding across the yard, chest puffed out. “ Ginger, what did Steph say then?”
“ huh?”
“ Steph?” James paused for a second, “ Brown hair, cute looking big boobs.”
“ Yeah yeah I got you, she didn’t say anything”
“ Oh you weren’t looking for sloppy seconds were you?” James had a dry smile on his face.
“ That is disgusting and quite wrong James, your sick, why do you talk like that and about Steph as well?” Peter was getting angry now.
“ Oh get a grip, its a joke you great twat, and Steph was just a girl, if you wanna go there you can, be my guest.” He said his last word and strode away, just as Jared walked up to Peter.
“ Don’t let him get to you man.”
“ He thinks he can say this shit and no one will care, he thinks what he says hurts no one, well I think its about time he realized what he says does hurt people!”
“ oh, I’m sure he knows, but we take it that’s the rule.”
“ What rule?” Peter asked his eyes widened now.
“ He takes the piss from time to time, and we don’t get bullied, that’s why we are here hanging with him.”
“ Well I’m done with it, he has taken too many piss takes over the time, he has taken too many liberty’s out of us both to be fair, and now he has taken the piss out of Steph.”
“ Why what did he do to Steph?” Jared asked, he tried to sound like he had no idea what Peter might be talking about, but in truth he had been thinking the exact same thing Peter had.
“ I don’t know yet, but I have this horrible feeling Steph didn’t want what happened last night.” Peter said. He could see by the lack of surprise on Jared’s face that he had thought the same. However instead of bringing it up he decided it may be best to play along, if Jared did feel the way Peter did he would tell him out right.
“ You mean he-” Jared broke off, he could not say the next word, it sounded so wrong to him. He knew James was a user of people but even he could not believe he may have gone so far.
“ No, no I don’t think he-,” Peter paused for a second, “-did that, but maybe he made her think that she wanted to, I mean you go with James your popularity goes through the roof don’t it?”
“ Mate you are talking some crazy stuff right now, maybe you should chill for a bit!” Jared did not believe in his own words, for the first time ever he was now doubting James and his true intentions.
“ No Jared, I wont let him put anyone else down including me.” With that Peter turned on heel leaving Jared to mull over the conversation he had just had.

*                                                   *                                           *                                *

The next day dawned bright and fresh, just the same as Peter’s mind.
As he set off for college he decided that he would borrow his dad’s van as his car was not quite in full working order, he had no idea why he had not taken his mum’s car instead but somehow his dad’s van seemed the best thing to take.
As he pulled into the college car park he noticed he had parked at the side of James’s Chevrolet pick up truck.
BANG!
A loud bang on the side of Peter’s van made him break from his thoughts.
BANG! BANG!
“ Hey ginger, what you doing in this rust heap.” James stood outside his window, a laugh stretched across his face.
“ Oh for the love of god will you shut the hell up James.”
“ Hey you wanna watch what you say mate.”
“I’m not the only one who should watch what they say.”
“ Meaning?” James asked, his face no longer had any form of smile upon it, he flexed his muscles as Peter’s response came.
“ Exactly what I said James, I said what I meant and I meant what I said.” Peter stepped from his van, rucksack in hand. “ Now some of us have stuff to do.” He hoisted his bag over his shoulder, and walked away remaining calm, however James stood nowhere near calm as he burned his eyes into the back of Peter.
James was shocked, rooted to the spot, he had never been spoken to like that by someone he deemed inferior to him.

Lunch time came and still James had not spoken to Peter about the events of the morning, but that was about to change as he spotted him in the canteen. However James would wish he had never spoken to Peter that day.
“ Peter.” James shouted. “ What the hell was that this morning?”
“ What in God’s name are you banging on about this time James?”
“ Well I think you may recall saying to me I should watch what I said?” His voiced was tinged with a deep anger.
“ As you recall,” Peter started, keeping his cool, yet not backing down, “ I said I meant what I said and said what I meant.” Peter spoke harshly whilst keeping his eyes fixed on James. “I don’t believe I need say anything more, I am sure you got the point.”
“Look here Peter, I don’t know what has got into you but you should watch that tongue of yours.”
“ Oh i’m sorry I must have missed the induction when we joined this friendship, I didn’t realise you could say anything you wanted to me and could not say a word to you, just you aloud to take the piss then yeah?”
James’s face was now red with anger, his hands clenched into fists, as he moved closer to Peter, he stood inches from Peter and spoke slowly and menacingly, “ If you want to go back to how you were before me go ahead.”
“ Before you?” Peter laughed, “ I was bullied by you before we made this alliance! Nothing has changed, its just now the only bully I have is YOU!” His forcefulness on the you stunned James for a second as he took a step back. “ I thought when I befriended you, or you befriended me whichever you want to call it, you would stop completely from bullying me and name calling and all the rest of the childish shit you do! Seems not.” Peter started to turn away but before he could James stood closer to him now pointing at him, his finger an inch away from his face.
“ Look here Peter, I only befriended you originally because I thought the bullying issue you had was getting out of hand, you know I started to feel bad for you, plus you were intelligent so tests were a doddle you know?”
“ Ah so you used me then?” Peter words shot from his mouth with a great force behind them however James was not going to back down.
James suddenly lashed out pushing Peter to the floor, it had perhaps been a little more than James had expected but he showed no sympathy what-so-ever.
“ I have done so much for you, I have got your rep up in this shit hole, you are safe in this college now, however if you don’t choose your words more carefully you might find that safety is no longer there, I don’t think you need me to explain any more than that.” He turned leaving Peter on the floor but before he left, he took one last look at Peter on the floor, and with menace and loathing in his eyes, said simply, “ that’s not a threat by the way its a promise!”  With that he simply walked away.
Suddenly a hand came in front of Peters face, he took it and pulled himself up, it was Jared.
“ You want to watch your back there mate, James has a habit of getting people back for stuff.” His voice was not however one of concern it seemed to be one of warning.
“ Trust me he wont get a chance to get me back, i’m going to show him just how much he has messed with my life, you see Jared, he had me brainwashed but i’m not quite as brainwashed as I was and now I see exactly what he has done and how he has done it. It is time someone told that piece of crap what he has done and where he can get off!”
“ Peter don’t do something you will regret.” Jared looked slightly scared, his voice deep with concern.
“ I wont do something I regret Jared.”
“ Good.” Jared relaxed slightly, but Peters next comment would chill his veins.
“ You misunderstand me Jared, I’m going to do something, its just I wont regret it.” Peter now had a twisted smile etched on his face.
Peter said no more about what he meant by that comment even though for the rest of the day Jared tried his best to get him to come clean.

The end of the day arrived slowly for the boys, and most of the students were ready to go home, James certainly was.
Outside the sky had darkened, a feeling of foreboding came over James but he would tell no one this.
“ Right Jared, i’m out mate.” He said, just then he noticed over Jared shoulder Peter’s face rounding the corner, a look of pure hatred etched upon it, “ Peter.” James said no more instead he took his keys from his pocket and proceeded to the car park.
Peter turned to Jared, his face expressionless and said simply, “ I’ll catch you later, I have something to do.” With that he walked away calmly.

James felt an icy hand reach across his mouth, it had something in it on what felt like a cloth, James began to loose consciousness, but not before he was forcefully thrown into what seemed to be a van. As the darkness approached James’s brain he looked out in front of him, his kidnapped stood hooded in the darkness, he could not see his identity. However what would happen next would scare James more than he had ever been scared before, his blood would run cold and his perfect live would be lost.
Forever.

As James passed out he felt the van roar into life, the engine shuddering and jerking him around, this was it.
That night James would loose his life.

James awoke some hours later to blurry images. Someone was moving in front of him, he could hear their footsteps pounding the floor, he tried to move his arms but found they had been tied behind his back.
He tried to speak, trying with all his might to keep his voice from showing his panic.
“ What the hell is going on? Who are you? and Why am I tied up?”
“ Oh come on James you know who I am, the rest I can tell you later. All in good time man, all in good time.”
“ Peter is that you?” James’s voice now could not hide a slight tinge of fear. His vision returned in time to see Peter leaning over him.
“ Oh there we go, I did tell you didn’t I?” Peter said a deranged look in his eyes, “ Stop or you would regret it, now you have to regret it instead, well isn’t that a shame!”
“ Peter why are you doing this man?” James was no scared and no amount of trying to hide that could.
“ I’m doing this to show you how much you have hurt me and everyone around you, you don’t care about anything do you?”
“ Of course I care that’s why I have helped you with your bullying problem at school, think about it you are no longer bullied by those guys are you?”
“ No James your right I am not, but you see the problem is I am now being bullied by you, granted not as much but it still makes me feel so small and that is not better at all!” Peter was so angry his words spat from his mouth.
“ I’m not bullying you, its just a laugh.”
“ I have told you I don’t find it funny, i’ve told you to stop but you wouldn’t now I have to make you stop before you destroy everyone’s lives. First mine then you hurt Jared and now you’ve done the same to Steph, its about time you learnt one thing, you can’t do that and expect someone to not retaliate!”
“ Why didn’t you tell me man we could have worked something out, which preferably did not involve me being thrown into your dad’s crummy van!”
“ There you go again just can’t stop taking the piss can you?”
“ Ok,” James said a nervous twitch in his voice, “ I did not mean that, I just meant if you had talked to me non of this would have had to happen.”
“ I tried that James, didn’t work.” Peter was speaking slowly now so James could catch every word and it would sink into his brain, “ I have tried and failed, you don’t listen because all you hear is some whining crap in your head, you hear yourself and you think you are god because you saved me from the bullies, but in fact you are just the same a good for nothing coward!” Peter paused for a moment, looked at James and said  “ I will give you a moment to think about how many people you have hurt, then we shall see how sorry you really are!” With that Peter walked away.

James surveyed his damp and dark surroundings. He seemed to be in some kind of disused factory, there was no windows the only light came from the skylights in the roof. There were a few puddles of water on the floor underneath the parts of the skylight where the glass had dropped out over the years. Peter had gone round the corner, he could still hear him shuffling around and dragging something heavy across the floor.

Meanwhile back at the college, Jared walked into the car park, the air cold and silent, but sat beside a large tree was Steph, staring at the ground her arms clasped tight together.
“ Hey Steph what’s up?” He asked as he approached.
She looked up, for a moment she seemed so lost in thought it took her a few seconds to realise just who was speaking to her, till finally she managed to say, “ I’m waiting for James, I need to talk to him.”
“ Why is everything ok?”
“ I want him to stop spreading stuff around about the other night.”
“ Oh right, well I am afraid you are flat out of luck love he has gone home about an hour ago I reckon.”
“ Cant have, his car is still here.” She pointed towards the far end of the car park, and sure enough the black Chevrolet pick up was sat there, unmoved since earlier that day when it had pulled up.
“ Ok so that’s odd, I said bye to him ‘bout and hour ago I know I-” Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks. He remembered Peter had walked out of the door after James, at the time he had thought nothing of it.

Could Peter have taken his revenge on James?
Would he do something like that?

Jared and Steph walked across to James’s car, they found it was unlocked.
“ James would never leave his car unlocked he loves this thing.” Jared asserted. Just then something caught his eyes.
Something was glinting at the side of the car.
A set of keys. On them a key ring marked:
Chevrolet.

‘These are James’s keys,” thought Jared, ‘ had Peter done something as he hinted he might.”
“ What’s that?” Steph asked bringing Jared from his thoughts.
“ I think they are James’s keys.”
“ If those are James’s keys and his car is unlocked then where the hell is James?”
“ I think I might no where he is, or at least someone who does.” Jared did not want to admit to himself that his friend may have done something to James that had truly crossed the line.
“ Who?” Steph looked at Jared, her face searching for an answer.
“ Peter.”
“ Why would Peter known anything about this?”
“ Peter was really getting down with all that James was doing, I think he may have done something to James to teach him a lesson.”
“ You think he may have taken him somewhere, to beat him up like?” Steph’s voice strangely held no sign of panic for James.
“ Either that or something much worse.” Jared was now worried not for James but for his friend Peter.
“ Where would he have gone we have to stop him.”
“ I may have an idea, lets go, we have to be quick!”
They ran to Jared’s car and within moments they were tearing out of the college car park.
The race was on. Would they be too late? Were they already too late?

“ So had time to think have we James? how many people have you hurt then?” Peter had returned, his eyes still wild with madness.
“ Look I know some of the things I do are a bit, by the knuckle so to speak, but its no reason to do this to me, just let me go and we can talk about this.”
“ Well let me think,” Peter paused for a moment as if contemplating the idea, “ no deal!”
“ Come on man this is not something you would do, what changed?” James was now trying to keep Peter talking as he tried furiously to free his hands.
“ You were what changed James, you changed me, you see you have no idea what its like to sit there in bed at night, so terrified because of bad dreams, wondering what will happen the next time you go to school, wondering if your friend is your friend or doing everything he can to keep you down.” Peter explained in the only way he knew how. If James was going to truly understand he had to understand what it was like for Peter. “ You see you have no idea what it is like to go through your day wishing someone would come along and end it all, in any way they can, wishing beyond anything you could make it stop and the pain and torment would go away, but you see James,” Peter knelt in front of James, looking him dead in the eyes, his face contorted with rage, “ they never do, there is no end. No one helps, no one stops it, and no one cares. Then you came along, and hallelujah, I thought for once my prayers may have been answered, and then what do I find?” Peter paused hoping James would finish the sentence for him.
“ What?” James asked.
“ I find that in fact you are the nightmare I should have feared the most, the one I trusted, the one I thought had changed, was the worst one of all, the pathetic hypocrite standing tall on the battlefield, allies against the masses, but inside just the same twisted evil little shit!” Peter had now lost his cool collective composure, he was now shaking violently. “ I have to admit though, you had me fooled for long enough, believing the rubbish that fell from your mouth, I didn’t see it coming, I thought for once my prayers had been answered and then it dawned on me, I wasn’t scared of the bullies, I was scared of you and how much damage to me you would do.”
“ Peter, i’m sorry, really I am, I didn’t know, I just thought it was a bit of fun, you know lads having a laugh, pissing around.”
“ That’s just it, you had fun while I sat slowly destroying myself. Well it stops today, because its all gonna change. You see, I’m stronger than ever, I am better than ever, and I can see the truth, about you and about everything else, I wont be the fool James.”
James’s mind was racing now, what could he say to convince Peter to let him go?
“ Peter, you’re not a fool, I agree, but this is stupid, I know you’ve snapped, you have lost it, and I get why, trust me I do, but this is not the way to sort it out, I mean punch me, fight me, don’t be my friend, but whatever you are going to do here don’t do it.” James was now pleading with Peter, he saw no alternative.
It really was do or die.
“ Ah but you see, if I do any of those things, I become-” Peter paused to look at James again fixing him with an icy stare, “ Like you.” Peter gave an evil grin. “ Why would I want to be like you? Why would I want to lower to myself to such a degrading manner? When what I can do, is simply make you feel as terrified as I have been feeling, there will however be one small difference between you and me.”
“ What’s that?” James asked, not sure if he ever wanted to hear the answer.
“ When I asked for a release, for the pain to go away and everything to end, I never got my request, you on the other hand, will be granted the request for it to end, because by the time I’m finished, you will be begging me to make it stop, for the pain to end.” With last chilling message Peter got up and walked away.

James struggled with his bindings, but they were so tight he could not seem to loosen them, his wrists were getting sore from trying, so for a short while he gave up.
The end was near, and James would regret the day he ever crossed Peter Silsbury.

Jared pulled up outside an old abandoned warehouse, three blocks away from the school. As he did he noticed Peter’s van parked in a secluded space at the back of the loading bay doors.
“ That’s Peter’s van, come on before it is too late!”
Both Jared and Steph jumped from the car and tore across the yard as fast as they could, to a door that stood slightly a jar.
They listened, but heard no noise.
Little did they know they were about to be too late!

Peter reappeared in front of James, he was carrying a knife in his hand, to James it appeared to be an old kitchen knife, with serrated edges. Peter held it aloft.
“ Lets see how tough you think you are now!” Peter had a crazed evil look in his eye.
“NO!” Cried James, terror gripping his entire body.

Outside the two friends, Jared and Steph heard the piercing scream, and burst through the door to be confronted by a scene that chilled their bones.
Peter was standing over James the knife inches from his cheek, already a small cut had appeared and blood slowly dripped down James’s face.
“ Peter!” Jared shouted, suddenly Peter stood bolt upright, his blade missing James’s eye, but what could only have been millimetres. “Put the knife down come on, this isn’t the way man, its just not.” Jared and Steph moved closer to Peter, slowly, arms outstretched.
“ You’re protecting him, this worthless piece of crap!” Peter said as he pointed the knife at James, who flinched.
“ No way I am not protecting James, I am here to protect you, from doing something stupid where there is no return.” Steph said as she edged forward, now in reaching distance of Peter, she held out her hand as it came to rest on the wrist of Peter. “ Personally I can’t say I have not thought of how good it would feel to do away with him, but you just can’t, its not right.”
“ She is right man, we ain’t here for James, we are here for you. If you do this, that’s it your lost for good, banged up in a prison cell, for that worthless piece of crap as you call him, is that really worth the hassle, is he worth your life,” Jared could see the knife falling slightly, so he continued, “ I think James has got the message, I don’t think he is going to ruin your life any more,” he turned to James, “ are you James?”
“ No I wont, I wont even talk to you, I wont come anywhere near you.” James tried to keep his voice straight but he could not hide the slight waver of panic.
“ No I wouldn’t want that.” Peter said as James’s heart sank to the floor. “ I want you to hang around with me, so that everyday you can remember what happened here, and you can be just as scared as I was!” Peter now had another evil grin across his face.
“ Sounds like a plan Peter, now let him go!” Steph took Peter’s hand and took the knife away from him.

Peter bent down and untied James who staggered quickly to his feet holding the pole he had been tied to for balance a look of relief on his face.
“ Be warned James, you do anything to hurt any of us and you will be back here and next time we wont come and stop Peter!” Jared spoke in a harsh voice.
James nodded, as Jared pointed towards the door, gesturing him to leave. However before he reached the door Jared called out, “ Oh and James, don’t forget we were not here for you we only came for Peter!”
“ And James?” Called Steph, James turned, and whilst moving backwards toward the door nodded, “ Don’t touch me again, and certainly don’t come anywhere near me!”
“ Ah James one more thing.” Said Jared.
“ Please Jared I just want to go home!” James was scared, the only thing he had in mind was getting out of the warehouse and running as fast as he could.
“ Don’t even think about telling anyone what happened here, because if you do, Peter won’t be the one you have to watch out for, it will be me, understand?” James nodded, “ Oh and you want to turn left outside the door, you’re only three blocks away from the college, you should be able to find your way back and I believe, these are yours, you wont get far without them!” Jared threw James his car keys, and as James caught them he ran break neck speed from the factory and into the night beyond.

 
“ Reckon that will stop him?” Said peter moments after James had fled the warehouse.
“ I think it will have done, if not he knows what he will get!”
“ Yeah but do you reckon he will tell anyone about this?” Said Steph, her mind weighing heavy slightly.
“ Oh i’ve got a funny feeling we wont hear anything about today, but one question Peter, if we had not got here when we did what exactly would you have done?” Asked Jared tentatively.
“ That is for me to know and you to never find out, now, question for you guys, what happens now are you going to still be my friends?”
“ Well considering its what we all wanted to do I see no reason to break our friendship, just try not to do this again, I know when a man snaps-” Jared broke off his sentence.
“ Just out of interest Steph,” started Peter, “ what did happen between you and James anyhow?”
“ Well nothing really, I did go to his and I was going to do it with him, but when I took off my top I saw his face and he was looking at me like a piece of meat!” Steph had a tear in her eye again. “ I knew he just wanted sex and I don’t want that, so I left. I was so pissed when he started going on at college about how we had sex and all that, anyway that’s the past I am sure we have heard the last of that rumour.” She brushed away her tears and the strode from the warehouse into the dark and cold night.

No one spoke of that day, what had happened and why. They continued to hang around with James although they were the only ones who knew why he coward slightly when Peter was talking to him.
However from that day on the perfect life of James Watson was over, he feared someone, and from that day onwards he knew exactly what Peter was going through, and for once he truly hated himself for making Peter feel that way.

A man can change, and he will change when his life falls apart around him, that is one thing that will never change in the world.
James Watson learnt the hard way, that when a man snaps, you never know what he might do, to regain control.
James Watson had a perfect life, no worries no cares, now that perfect life was over.

FOREVER!