This was a story i wrote eons ago when i felt like writing something different. And if i get good enough reviews for it... i might just finish it. :)

The Bribe

A loud creak echoed throughout the house. Owen froze. There were two things that the noise could have signified as being there: one would be that his brother had come home early, and the second could mean that someone had entered the house without a key. This last thought made him shudder.

Owen’s muscles screamed in protest to his uncomfortable position. He had been hiding behind the hall bench upstairs for quite a while now. The reason behind this was that earlier in the week, someone had broken into the house but not stolen anything. The best Owen could figure was that they were not looking for something, but someone. And being only fourteen, this thought was not a pleasant one. Sure, most boys his age would not worry about it, but then again, most boys his age had a major ego problem, something that Owen had managed to tame around twelve years of age. Do not go thinking that he was a sophisticated, young, man, as might meet the eye. Because, honestly, Owen was just as hyper and sprouting as any other boy at his school. Pride was just something he had chosen not to allow himself to have.

Again, the house made an awful creaking noise.

“Must be a heavy person,” he thought to himself.

For a moment, Owen let himself believe a lie in saying that it was probably his brother. He tried to imagine Willy calling up to him that he had returned from work due to early release. He desperately hoped that it was his older brother as opposed to the criminals. But then, he heard footsteps. Slowly and cautiously did they climb up the steps. His heart beat so wildly that Owen was sure it was ready to pop out of his chest.

“Hello?” called a deep voice. Now he knew that it was not Willy, but definitely a man.

“Ssshh!” cried another man’s voice that was considerably higher, “That kid could be around here somewhere. I’ve heard that he knows how to fight pretty well.”

Owen stifled a chuckle. He was not a good fighter at all, but his lack of pride was made up in Willy who constantly was bragging on him. The two usually wrestled for fun on the weekends and Willy always lost on purpose and then would call Owen an athlete suitable for the Olympics.

“But it sounds quiet, Jay” the first man defended himself.

“I don’t care. Kids are capable of being quiet too, Mik,” argued Jay that must have been more of the leader of the two.

“Come on,” Mik urged, “We can take the kid if we find him. He’s all alone.”

“But we don’t want the kid, remember?” Jay replied obviously stopping him by the sound of halting footsteps.

“Who cares? We could even use him as a bribe to Willy,” he suggested.

“Maybe. But still, don’t think that it’s okay for us to be here, because it’s not. we need to find something suitable for a bribe and then get out,” he said. Then, they both began walking directly towards the bench!

Owen froze in his spot and barely allowed himself to breathe.

“I thought I saw something,” Mik told him, “I saw something over here move.”

“Well, move the bench and find out!” Jay ordered.

Panic set into him and he wanted more than anything else for his brother to come home right then. Just then, the bench was lifted out of its place to reveal Owen totally exposed.

“Well, well, well,” Jay said slimily with his grin matching his voice, “What do we have here?”

“You-you shouldn’t be here!” Owen said trying to make his voice sound stronger than he felt.

Jay folded his arms as his eyes squinted into slits. “I shouldn’t be here? Is that the best you can say?”

Mik tossed the bench over his shoulder as though it were a rag and then crossed his arms same as Jay. His shirt pulled taut across his muscular chest. Owen groaned inwardly. This would be fun.

“I’ll call the police!” Owen blurted out.

Mik bent down and in one swift motion had him by his collar and dangling in the air. “Oh, really?” he mocked, “We’ll see about that.”