Page 85 of I Am the Messenger

Well, I must say, I'm very pleased with myself. There were three names carved into that great rock at the stones of home, and I'm quite sure I've fulfilled everything I had to do.

I walk down to the river with the Doorman and head upstream to where the names are in the rock. It gets a little rough for the Doorman on the way up, and I look at him, disappointed. "You had to come, didn't you? I told you it was going to be a hard one for you, but did you listen?"

I'll just wait here, he replies.

I give him a pat as he lies down and I keep going up the river.

As I climb the large stones, I feel a pride swelling in me. It's a great feeling to be going there again in victory after the uncertainty of my first visit.

It's late afternoon but not hot, so I'm barely sweating when my eyes hit the names.

Immediately, I notice there's something different. They're the same names, but next to them, there's also a tick scratched in, obviously for each time I completed what I had to do.

I'm very happy to see the first name.

Thomas O'Reilly. Big tick.

Then Angie Carusso. Another one.

Then...

What?

I look at the stone in disbelief, as the name Gavin Rose is still naked and alone in the tick department.

I stand there with my arm bent around my body, scratching my spine.

"What do I still need to do?" I ask. "Gavin Rose was as complete as they come."

The answer can't be far away.

A few days pass, and the end of November is near. It's getting close to the Annual Sledge Game. Marv's been calling me up, still agitated about my apparent lack of interest.

December hits, and two nights before the game, I'm still nervous about Gavin Rose and that invisible tick on the stone. I've been back there and there's still nothing. I hoped whoever was doing that part was just running late, but there's no way three or four days could pass. Whoever's running this would never allow that to happen.

I'm having trouble sleeping.

I'm irritable with the Doorman.

When I haven't slept again after Thursday, I go to the all-night chemist at the top of Main Street to get something, anything, to help me sleep. I should have saved some of the sleeping pills I slipped the man from Edgar Street.

As I walk out, I notice a group of boys hanging around across the road.

Nearing ho

me, it becomes obvious that they're following me, and when we're all standing at an intersection, waiting for the legs to go green, I notice the voice of Daniel Rose.

"This him, Gav?"

I try to fight them off, but there are too many. At least six. They drag me into an alley and handle me in much the same way I took care of Gavin. They club me with their hands and hold me down and all take turns. I can feel blood crawling across my face and bruises showing up along my ribs, my legs, and my stomach.

They enjoy themselves.

"Teach you to mess with my brother." This is Daniel Rose making conversation. He kicks me hard in the ribs. The loyalty hurts. "Come on, Gav--take the last shot."

Gav does as he's told.

He reefs a boot to my stomach and forces his fist into my face.