"We alright lads? Tickets please"
"Yeah, sure thing. Here" Frank struggled to retrieve the crumpled tickets from his pocket, then slapped them down onto the driver's waiting palm.
"Got it. One for Thomas Lee," Said the driver, ripping it into half.
Leo took it and slipped it into his pocket. He didn't mind his new name; Thomas was actually the name of his great-grandfather on his dad's side, who was an excellent marksman in the army, a skill that had carried down the bloodline.
"And one for D- , Mr. Doe. We'll arrive in Richmond within two hours, enjoy your trip.."
Frank offered a quick thanks and ambled down the aisle in search of their seats without bothering to take the now ripped ticket from the driver.
"I guess we're at the back. Let's go," Frank said, turning to Leo and taking the lead.
"Hey, Frank, you never told me your new name,"
Once their suitcases were hoisted onto the overhead compartments and they settled into their seats, Frank let out a sigh, ready to catch some rest. He responded
"Oh yeah, it's Dill Doe. Anyway, wake me up when we get there,"
Of course
He then retrieved his book on English history and immersed himself in its pages, attempting to learn things about his new home. Time passed fairly quickly and in a few hours, they were in Richmond.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we've made it. Kindly grab your suitcases one by one and then form a single line to exit this bloody hot bus and continue with your plans." The driver announced while patting a cloth around his sweaty forehead
"Come on, we're here. Get up, Fr- Dill," Leo realised that they'd have to use their aliases.
"Alright, alright, I'm up."
As Frank got up from his seat alongside Leo, his shirt peeled off the leather seat behind him like a sticker, leaving a notable mark of Frank's posture. They picked up their suitcases by the handles and dragged them off the bus, now in the town of Richmond. The sight was captivating. The clear blue sky spread a heavenly-like glow all around, the sun's rays radiating well-being and happiness onto every bystander walking outside.
The modern, polished buildings housed numerous shops and businesses, bustling with people coming and going.
Greenery filled the area. The town felt like a jackpot of a place, worth billions. Leo and Frank stood there, still under the blazing sun, but now entranced by the view.
"Man, we did it," Frank said in a calm tone.
"Come on, I've arranged a hotel for us. It's not amazing, but it'll suffice for now, until we figure out our money situation. We're short on dollars at the moment,"
"Where is it?"
"Just down there actually" Frank said with an arm extended out, while having his head down and counting the rest of the cash on his other hand.
Leo traced and looked into the town centre where he saw a modest yet comfortably sized inn, It seemed well-maintained. They strolled over, taking in the town's scenery illuminated by bright street lights hanging overhead. They entered the ordinary-looking waiting room, drawing glances from others seated on the sofas in the lounge area. To be fair, Frank and Leo both looked like they had survived a night on a remote island; their appearance was dishevelled.
"Um, any issues, dears?" The lady at the front desk inquired.
"Yes, we've reserved a room for two, and our check-in time was now," Leo said.
"Let me check for you... Ah yes. Your room is the first door you'll see after going up the initial flight of stairs. Here's your key. Have a pleasant stay!" The woman at the front desk placed the key into Leo's hand and waved them off.
They walked up the initial landing and faced directly at the door which had a sixties look to it. Leo took the key from his damp pocket, inserted it into the keyhole, turned it and then pulled down the latch to open the door. They were met with the welcoming feel of the carpet underfoot. After spending the past week on a rough surface, this was a small luxury for them. The light brought a gentle hum, providing perfect illumination for the compact room. A small TV stood in the corner; any form of entertainment was valuable at this point. After being bored out at sea and sleep-deprived, they were now starving for some entertainment. Leo grabbed fresh clothes and was all set to hop into the shower and wash away all the dirt.
"I'm going to head out and explore the town. I'll grab some food for you when I'm back."
"Sure, see you," Leo replied with a nod to Frank.
He then proceeded to step into the shower, enjoying the feeling of fresh, clean water washing away the dirt and sweat. After a while, his mind felt rejuvenated. His hair and beard being short were easy to clean, but his hairy armpits were a challenge. Two hours passed, and Frank returned with some Donald's and a couple of small papers. Leo barely noticed the papers, as his focus was immediately fixed on the Lee's.
"FUCK YES! Thanks, man. What did you get?" Leo's
For the past two hours, he'd been watching the old movie "12 Angry Men" for the umpteenth time. Familiar with every scene, he knew the film inside out. They hadn't enjoyed a proper meal in a week, their packaged food had run out within a day on the boat. They had resorted to catching fish, which resulted in Frank getting bitten and his finger swelling for the next three days. When they did manage to catch fish, most were barely passable, some even tasting like they'd been dredged from the bottom of a landfill.
"Haha, I KNOW, I got this exclusive British item called 'Chicken Select' for both of us.,"
Unable to contain himself, Leo grabbed the bag and his Cola and immediately dug in. The taste was heaven on earth. The chicken's crispy outside was perfectly warm, delivering a satisfying crunch upon the first bite. The well-seasoned interior was moist and utterly delightful. Leo had never been so amazed by food before. While this happened, Frank took the remote and changed the channel.
Seating himself on the opposite side of the room, Frank watched the TV with anticipation. Leo finished his second strip of chicken.
"Come on, I've got this," Frank muttered aloud.
Leo looked at the TV. It was the British national lottery, announcing the winning numbers for various cash prizes. He grabbed some of the small papers and realised they were lottery tickets, lots of them, all in a plastic bag.
"Dude... how many tickets did you buy?"
"Like sixty, I think. I'm not sure," Frank replied, eyes glued to the TV, scratching at the lottery cards.
"HMMMM, And how of our money did you use?" Leo's anger being forced down in his mind with a titanium barrier of mental force.
"Huh? Oh I used all one hundred and fifty dollars. You know to increase the chances" Frank's eyes still penetrated towards the television.
Without wasting any time, he delivered a left hook to Frank's head. Frank flew off the bed and crashed onto the floor. Dazed, Frank held his head with trembling fingers, unsure of how to react. Leo's eyes had turned bloodshot, overwhelmed by a surge of violence, his ears rang with rage.
"Are you seriously telling me that we come to a foreign country, clueless, and you decide to ruin our only source of living for these FUCKING USELESS TICKETS THAT NEED A ONE-IN-ONE-TRILLION CHANCE OF WINNING?!"
Staring at Frank's face grated on him, he launched a football kick straight into his stomach, growling with venom. Frank whimpered as his stomach muscles contracted. Leo kept a piercing stare fixed on Frank who was struggling to breathe. He felt the same rage he had back in the woods, consumed by anger and the urge to destroy everything. The TV's voice cut through the madness.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, for our final one hundred and fifty million pound prize, the six numbers are: FOUR, ONE, ZERO, TWO, THREE , SIX," the announcement echoed.
Frank turned to the TV. He pushed himself up, as if he had never been hit in the first place. He rushed to the pile of tickets he had been scratching, Leo watching him closely, bewildered. He seemed to be searching for something specific. Then after about five minutes of constant searching, he found what he was looking for.
"OH MY... OH MY FUCKING GOD. YEEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
He jumped with uncontained excitement, pounding the floor with great force. Grabbing a chair, he slammed it against the wall, leaving a massive dent and breaking the chair into two. Frank didn't give a single care.
" WHAT HAPPENED?"
Frank didn't say a word. His hand, trembling with emotion, pointed directly in Leo's face, showing him a lottery ticket that had already been scratched. The numbers were displayed:
"4 1 0 2 3 6," the slightly crumpled paper showcased.
Against all odds, Frank had beaten the minuscule chances. He had won the one hundred and fifty million prize pool. Leo grabbed Frank and hugged him, lifting him up and spinning around in celebration.
"YEAAAHHHHHHHHHSSSS, YOU DID IT! YOU'RE RICH!!!" Leo's voice was even louder than Frank's, piercing through the walls and irritating the other hotel residents.
After cheering and screaming their hearts out, they finally settled down, catching their breath.
"Bro, one hundred and fifty MILLION," Frank said, gazing at the ceiling with a wide grin.
"Uhuh, Not to be a dick. When are we cashing it out?" He asked through a mouthful of food,
"I'll cash out my prize tomorrow. We were on a boat for seven days man…I'm desperate for some real sleep," Frank replied.
Without bothering to shower, he stripped off his clothes and jumped into bed. Leo quickly discarded his clothes as well. Eager to sink into the comfort of his pillow, he pulled the elegant covers over himself and was fast asleep within two minutes.
"We got pretty tired, so we decided to turn in for the night. The next day or so, we found ourselves overwhelmed by the amount we had. Instead of making sensible choices, we went on a shopping spree, buying designer clothes, you name it—anything that appealed to young men who suddenly had a lot of money to spare,"
"In your opinion, did Mr. Edwards' behavior change due to the money?"
"things took a turn for the worse…you don't even know how bad it got," Leo's voice trembled slightly as he spoke those last words.
"How so? Did Mr. Edwards commit any 'more than questionable acts' for a man of his degree?"
"Yes."
"I see... Well, it's safe to say that Mr. Edwards' nature didn't exactly remain unaltered."
"Well, mine did, to be honest." Leo admitted.
Now with a large sum of money, they were so overwhelmed by choices that they simply bought whatever seemed cool. Frank was looking as expected, Nike shoes, baggy creased jeans at the waist, and a work shirt riddled with small stains, its collar worn out. His silver-plated shades, once shiny, were now smeared with fingerprints. They cost him four grand. Leo had spent less yet looked significantly better. He sported a coordinated blue and white tracksuit, with the colours aligning between the jacket and the bottoms.
"Dude, don't you think we should dial it down a bit?" Leo asked.
"About what man? We're in the clear right now," Frank responded, eagerly checking if anyone was taking note of his outfit
"I'm talking about how we're spending the money. Remember why we came here? We need to keep a low profile. Your visit to the bank already caught the government's focus on us. They now know who you are and have your name, you were on the local newspaper. This isn't the kind of attention we need at the moment,"
Frank stopped, took off his stained glasses, shifted his body towards Leo, and looked him straight in the eye. A grin came upon his face. The mark from where Leo hooked Frank's face had disappeared. He didn't pay much mind to his words but Frank chose to forgive him the next day during their walk to the lottery building.
Although, it was probably because Frank was too caught up in his excitement over suddenly having enough wealth to feed a starving country.
"Dude, open your eyes for a second. We've been through hell for the past two weeks. It feels so surreal that we all of a sudden have this money in a new country. Yet look how good it is. If I'm smart with this stuff, I can be rich until I'm dead. I'm finally free from my past life, a new start. Loosen up," Frank said.
Maybe Leo had just been too paranoid all this time. It was unhealthy for him to constantly live in fear, not knowing what would happen next. He thought to himself that he was very detached from fun and wanted to experience what it felt like again. They had just become rich for a whole generation of lifetimes; he was crying over nothing
"Right, Let's have some actual fun. It's been a while." Leo had a smile on his face.
They went over to the shop. Rows of black suits waved at them, all looking very mystique and pristine. Ties and shoes had their dedicated stands, each one with a mannequin. Dare said, the mannequin was in better shape than Frank. One of the workers approached them. He had a look of disgust, as if they had just spat on him and insulted his family.
"No, no. We need to fix you lot up right away,"
"I'm the only one buying a suit, show us the way," Frank said
They proceeded to the suit section. As Leo walked throughout the shop, he glided his hands across all the suits, noticing the material felt very rich—too rich, in fact; these could've been made with pure gold. Frank's tried out varieties of suits. He emerged in a complete white suit with a black tie and black shoes. Leo thought it actually suited him; the other ones made him look like a pompous businessman.
"Oh, that looks lovely on you," spoke a harmonic voice to the right of Leo.
Leo turned in confusion to the voice, it was a woman. She was white, in a complete purple slit dress, her left thigh out on display. This woman also had bright red fingernails and her fingers were adorned with glistening golden rings bearing various symbols. She wore high heels that elevated her at least three inches up making her natural height five foot eight, and her extremely silky and long hair was a deep shade of purple, coming down to her shoulders. She had a small nose with well-spaced eyebrows, thin lips, and was wearing purple lipstick on them. From Leo's judgement she had to be in her late twenties.
"Th-Thanks,"
"Miss, sorry to bother, but this is an all men's store. What could you possibly need?" the worker asked her
"Oh, sorry to bother. I'm just browsing watches for my nephew's birthday. He's turning eighteen next week."
"Big day. Get him something good ," Leo joined in the conversation, happy to hear the news.
She hadn't even looked at Leo yet, and when she turned, her eyes widened a bit as she looked Leo's lanky frame up and down.
"My name's Tessa Vice, by the way. Nice to meet you,"
Leo shook her hand, feeling discomfort due to all the rings she had on.
"Ooo, quite a strong grip you've got there. What line of work are you in?" Tessa asked with a curious and light tone.
Fucking whore
He wanted to kill her. Within less than a minute of meeting each other, she was already showing signs of trying to engage him, just by glancing his way. She was too forward for Leo to consider talking to her himself.
"Yeah– independently wealthy,"
"Seriously? You guys are young as hell. What do you do?"
"We're young entrepreneurs babe. We built a business selling glass windows, and we sold the entire business to a larger shareholder for one hundred and fifty million. Now we're in England to retire early both at twenty one," Frank said.
"And I own all of it," Frank added, with one eyebrow raised and a smile showcasing all his teeth.
"Woah, one hundred and fifty million? You seem to be the real deal,"
Leo cringed at the sight of Frank's behaviour but didn't mind the focus not being on him. He was bothered by this woman, and to be honest, he wanted her gone.
"What are your guys' names? It feels like I know so much about you yet we're strangers, haha."
Leo's insides cringed even more as he felt the urge to leave the store.
"Well, darling, I'm Dill and this man right here is Thomas."
"Nice to know you two, Dill and Thomas. I'm running out of time, haha. I need to leave. Do you want my number? I'm going out tonight, and it'll be a pleasure to see you two lads there."
"We don't got any," Leo said dead-toned.
"Well, anyway, there's a club just a couple blocks away in the main town named 'virgo'. It's 30 seconds away from some dingy, run-down hotel called something 'Irish.' I know the guy who owns the club, I'll expect to see you and my friend Lana there" Then, without saying goodbye, she strolled off and out of the store.
"Didn't she say she was looking for a watch?" Leo asked
"Beats me," Frank said with a shrug.
"Shall we continue?" the worker spoke
They then proceeded to conclude their visit to the store, with Frank buying the suit and adding another diamond-plated watch.
The entire purchase cost them five thousand pounds which to both of them was nothing in comparison to the mother lode they had in the bank. As they walked back, the woman popped back into Frank's mind.
"Dude, we gotta meet her tonight, finally get some play here. We can get into the VIP section and she's got a friend who's probably looks as good as her, Lana? I think her name is,"
"Fuck that bitch man. She's too 'whorey' for me, I don't want to meet her again,"
"What, man? You know women can act and wear what they want, right? It doesn't make her a hoe just because she's revealing stuff. It's empowering for them,"
"Whatever man" Leo said, not bothered by Frank's words.
"Look, it'll be a double date. You're my homie, this is my way of paying you back for everything that's happened" Frank said while reaching out for a fist bump.
Leo understood that Frank liked these girls and needed him there. He hadn't even gone out with a girl for at least sixteen months and was eager to meet one again deep inside past all the events that have happened recently. Surely her friend Lana had modesty compared to her. He decided he was coming. He returned the fist bump and said,
"Screw it. I'm coming. Let's get back to the hotel and get ready."
"Yeah, about that. We need to get out of there soon enough. I mean, we can afford basically anything here, and I don't want her knowing we live in that place,"
"Yeah, you are right. But how are we going to keep up that lie you made about us being 'entrepreneurs'?"
"Eh, go with the flow, man,"
I'll flow your head in a fucking wall
They returned to their hotel room, which was now filled to the brim with various designer clothes and store bags that hadn't been cleared for recycling. Despite the town feeling like a maze for Leo and Frank. They struggled but eventually reached their beds, where the two would proceed to rest and chat about different things from their childhood. Time flew by during their lengthy conversation, the sun was now setting.
"It's getting late. Are you ready to go?" Leo asked.
"Yeah, yeah, let me just get my suit on," Frank grabbed the clothes and dashed into the bathroom, ready to change.
Leo took this as his cue to change into his new pair of black Prada shorts and shirt, along with a silver chain to go around his neck. When he finished changing, he noticed that Frank was still in the process of changing, he could hear muffled whispers beyond the door. He intended to respect Frank's privacy but curiosity got the better of him, He pressed his ear against the door.
"You've got this, no more bullshit. I'm getting something out of tonight,"
Leo sniggered quietly behind the closed door, stopping himself from bursting out loud. Though embarrassing, Frank's confidence seemed to have grown and after he stopped fidgeting from the suppressed laughter, Leo was somewhat proud.
Hopefully, he will do well with one of the girls tonight. Both men left the hotel and spotted Club Virgo. Its big neon sign hung straight over the building like a hat, but it mixed distasteful colours blending green and yellow with a hint of purple. The light itself was dim, with some letters brighter than others. There was a massive queue, likely due to it being summer holiday season, with numerous eighteen year olds eager to drink.
"Hey man, we know Tessa. Let us in," Frank said with some authority.
"Haha, you're funny. Get the hell back in line,"
Leo withdrew his hands from his pockets, prepared to step in if Frank's antics escalated into a confrontation.
"Yeah, sorry, big misunderstanding. This gorgeous woman named Tessa invited us to meet her, with her friend Lana, so could you just let us through? They know the guy who owns the place," Frank said with a peaceful manner.
"Oh… Lana, she said she was expecting two people,"
"Thank you, my friend," Frank added with a pat on the bouncer's shoulder as he walked past the doors.
Leo followed through, finally ready to have some fun. No more depressing nonsense and whining from him; all troubles were pushed aside as he eagerly walked through the neon corridor, right into the main opening of the entire club. He spotted a woman with purple hair that was standing out below the lights in the upstairs VIP area, along with another woman in pink hair.
"That must be Tessa and Lana," Leo said, having to shout right in Frank's face over the loud and bustling dubstep music pounding throughout the place.
Both of them reached the stairs, which acted as a gateway to the VIP section, and then they heard shouting from above.
"Russ, let them through; they're with us. Come here, boys!" said the voice of the woman next to Tessa.
The beefy security guard gave a hard nod in her direction, then let them through. They walked up the lit-up stairs, feeling the hard material beneath each step. Leo now saw the other person in a pink dress. Her pink hair being the most colourful thing about her. She was an east-asian woman. Her eyes were accentuated with heavy mascara and shimmering eyeshadow that caught the light when she blinked. Lana had high cheekbones and full lips painted in a matching shade of pink. She was also significantly taller than Tessa, standing at what Leo estimated to be five foot ten, just a few inches shorter than himself. He felt she had overdone herself, much like her friend Tessa. She stood up and faced directly towards Leo.
"You didn't tell me we were getting a pretty boy in here. My name is Lana babe,"
Leo waved with a taped smile, he was dying inside as he couldn't think of any responses to this greeting. Her slender arms parted from her sides and came out, boney and rigid. Her fingers fully apart and gliding away from each other as her hands opened wide.
"Where's my hug?"
"Somewhere else," Leo muttered, his voice devoid of life.
"You're hilarious,"
As she approached him with open arms, Leo was determined to actually keep the hug somewhere else. He used his right forearm to block her chest, then weakly shook her outstretched left hand with his own left hand. This resulted in an even more awkward handshake, but to Leo, anything was preferable to wrapping his arms around this promiscuous woman. He gripped her cold, skinny fingers and quickly moved them up and down.
"Oh... Well, that's okay too,"
Fucking kill me
"You were spot on about that grip though, haha,"
I'll happily strangle you to death, if that's what you think
"And this is also Frank, he's the money maker," Tessa said, herself now in a black dress, different from earlier.
"And don't forget multi-millionaire," He puffed his gaunt chest and walked into the mix.
The girls laughed in reaction. Meanwhile Leo's teeth were gritting, he fixated on the floor and focused his hearing on the massive base dropping beat around the whole hall of people. He blocked out the conversation, he'd rather get his ears blasted and burned out than having to hear these two promiscuous women talk anymore.
What the fuck am I doing?
"Thomas, is something wrong?" Lana asked.
"Just…..tired,"
"If you ever feel uncomfortable or need anything, just let me know."
"I'm good." Leo replied firmly. Still not keeping eye contact.
Leo's ears noticed conversation elsewhere and he glanced over, finding Tessa on her feet. She caught Leo's eye, then redirected her attention back to Frank, nodding along to his fake story about chatting and high-fiving with Michael Jordan at a basketball game, one he had front row seats too.
"Boys, I feel we should move somewhere secluded." Tessa said, seconds after Frank finished his story.
Frank's eyes widened, excited about what those words could mean. The girls started walking, Frank trailed behind, feeling giddy and gleeful. Leo, a bee without its stinger, followed. Ready to run if something horrid would happen. They went through a side door to the bar, leading to a dimly lit hallway with numerous double doors on each end, likely leading to separate rooms. The girls took the first doors to the right and walked through. Leo's eyes were met with an extremely red velvet room, with two massive king-sized beds opposing each other, candles lit everywhere, and rose petals surrounding the beds. Leo was now weirded out and had a strong suspicion about what was about to happen. Without warning, Lana shut the door and proceeded with,
"I've been waiting for this," as she grabbed Tessa, her nails digging into flesh as she yanked her into a wet, violent kiss that made Leo's stomach churn.
They writhed together, saliva dripping down their chins while Lana shoved Tessa onto the bed with enough force to make the springs screech. She crawled on top, pinning her down as sweat beaded on their flushed skin. Tessa's trembling fingers fumbled with the drawer, retrieved a leather gag crusted with old bite marks, and fastened it between her teeth. Meanwhile, Lana reached beneath the bed, producing a whip whose braided surface was stained dark from previous use. Frank dropped to his knees, his chest heaving as he watched with glazed eyes. Leo's insides convulsed, he could taste bile rising in his throat, burning and acidic. The urge to tear out his own guts and hang himself with them intensified as his vision swam. The room's red velvet now looked like congealed blood. Fighting back waves of nausea, he managed to croak out a weak
"I'm gonna get us drinks," he managed to croak, while the others didn't notice him at all.
He kicked the door open and bolted out, desperate to escape that hell-hole as fast as possible. His stomach was still stirring from the scene he had just witnessed. Pushing past anyone in his way, sickness surged in his mind. He brushed past the security guard who had let them in earlier and walked straight out into the dark street, the sun now completely gone. He was questioning why he had been so gullible and lenient. Those girls had seemed like creeps from the beginning, being the only ones there who looked 'that' way. Every time he thought of that room, a nauseous feeling clenched his throat, especially Frank. He had forgotten how fixated he was.
Just watching them was such disgusting and self-deprecating behaviour that made Leo feel like fly-kicking someone at that moment. He wasn't sure if he could control these overwhelming feelings that washed over him like tidal waves.
Eventually, he took off his chain and threw it into a nearby bin. He attempted to kick the bin, but it felt like his foot got stuck under a truck's tire.
"FUCK!"
"You look like you've got something on your mind, mate," came a Cockney-accented voice.
Leo glanced up, startled by the unexpected company. His attention was drawn to a man standing where Leo had just been, he didn't hear anyone behind him. He was wearing a tattered beanie with a sizable brown stain. Strands of short, unkempt black hair peeked out from under the beanie, trailing down his neck in filth. The man's face was smeared with dirt and grime, his teeth tinged yellow with a few black spots. With a bottle of beer in hand, he observed Leo with a smirk.
"Man, you need to get cleaned," Leo blurted out.
"HA, me clean? You're funny. I haven't had a good wash in a solid six months,"
"My name's James by the way," the man said, extending his filthy hand, which was covered in a fingerless glove.
"My name is Thomas…I've had a fucked night, you don't even wanna know,"
"Yeah, I really don't. However, I'll give you this advice that helped me out for a bit in my life. It's a quote from some bloke, no clue who. 'Our greatest glory is in never falling, but in rising every time we fall,'"
"Ha, to me, that's all bullshit but if it helps you, yippee. It's worked wonders,"
How does this pothead know this shit?
"Look, you don't seem the type, but you wanna take some of this. It eases me off too much, and I forget about all my problems." James said, while showing something to Leo.
"FUCK IT, GIVE IT,"
He had felt too much pain recently to bother with it anymore, not caring what chemicals were about to enter his body. Leo grabbed the fragile, plastic syringe from the man and injected it straight into his arm. His vision went wavy, his hearing became distorted, barely able to understand what the man was saying anymore. He felt all his problems go numb as he entered a trip inside his own brain.