JAKE'S PUNISHMENT

Chapter 9 - MEET THE FAMILY

Jake spent several days sulking over the loss of his mattress and begging forgiveness in the hope that Sir would give him his mattress back. However, he would not budge and said that Jake would need to work harder to earn his mattress back. Jake didn't really understand just exactly is was he was expected to do, but in the end, he learned that it was to express remorse, saying he was sorry and that he wishes he died instead of Liam. He was to say this repeatedly, over and over every day.

More weeks passed by and Jake wanted to see the sunshine and feel the fresh air on his face more than ever. He wanted to see his parents, he wanted to taste nice food instead of the crap Sir was giving him day in and day out. He wanted to be free. Eventually, the day arrived when something different was about to happen. Sir arrived at the doorway with another person, the first time Jake had seen anyone else in the entire time he had been there. Jake was naturally alarmed by this sudden development, but upon studying the face he realized that the other person was the man who had been watching him at the pub that night with Billy. God, that felt like a mullion years ago now in Jake's mind. He remembered being really irritated by Billy and his mates that night, but he'd do anything to be back there now instead of here. In fact, he'd do anything to turn the clock back to before he even ran Liam down and killed him.

Sir introduced the other man as his eldest son Danny but stressed that Jake should address Danny as Sir too

''I saw you in the pub that night without a care in the world you little bastard'' Danny snarled at him

''I was just trying to get on with my life'' Jake said, trying to appeal to Danny to show some mercy ''it's not that I didn't care about what I had done, but I had to get on with my life too''

''How nice for you'' sneered Danny ''at least you had a life to get on with unlike my baby brother''

''I am so sorry Sir, I really am'' Jake said for what felt like the millionth time. He knew it wouldn't do any good but he had to try again anyway.

To his surprise, Sir began to lower a ladder down into the basement, while Danny produced a gun and pointed it at Jake. Jake couldn't hide his terror

''Please, what are you going to do to me now?'' he said, clearly terrified

''Relax, we're not going to shoot you if that's what you think'' Danny replied ''we want you to come up here now and we don't want you trying anything clever, so just to make sure you don't we have this gun. We will use it if we really have to''

''What's going to happen when I get up there?''

''STOP ASKING QUESTIONS AND GET YOUR STINKY BUTT UP HERE NOW YOU LITTLE RAT!'' Bellowed Danny ''YOU'LL FIND OUT SOON ENOUGH''

Jake jumped to his feet and walked to the ladder. He began to climb it

''GET UP HERE QUICKLY, I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT AROUND ANYMORE'' Yelled Danny

Jake arrived at the top of the ladder

''On your knees on the floor'' Sir ordered

Jake did so, and Danny had the gun on him the entire time. Sir produced a pair of handcuffs and restrained Jake's hands behind his back

''On your feet!''

Jake struggled to his feet, Sir had to assist him a little bit

''Now move!''

Jake moved along briskly. Sir had a hand on his arm and guided him along fast. They went up a flight of stairs and into a kitchen. Jake looked at the garden through the windows, it was a bright sunny day outside. The first time he had seen daylight in weeks. He paused for a moment to look at it, wishing he was outside now.

''KEEP MOVING YOU TOSSER!'' Yelled Danny, before grabbing Jake and dragging him along roughly. Jake tripped and fell to the floor as he was pulled along. Danny dragged him to his feet again

''YOU STUPID LITTLE PRICK!'' He screamed

''I'm sorry Sir, really!'' Jake was finding Danny much more terrifying than Sir

He was dragged into a lounge room. The room was lit up by lamps, as the curtains were pulled blocking out the natural daylight. Jake guessed this was to prevent anyone from outside looking in and seeing him

In the room were three other people. Another man, this was the other man who had been in the car with Danny when he was snatched. A woman who Jake recognized as Liam's mother from the day he was sentenced, and a girl who couldn't be much older than 16 or 17

'It's time for you to meet the rest of the family'' Sir explained ''Here is my second eldest son, Alex, this is my wife and Liam's mother Lorraine and this is our daughter and Liam's younger sister, Chloe''

Jake somehow felt brave enough to ask a question ''have they known I was down in the basement the whole time Sir?''

''Oh yes,'' Sir replied, ''But I was waiting for the right time to introduce you to them. I wanted to wait until they were ready to face the monster who killed our precious Liam''

''It was an accident, honestly, it was and I am sorry'' Jake said, trying to appeal to these new faces to show mercy but again knowing it was probably a waste of time doing so

''You've been down in the basement for 3 months'' Danny informed him

3 months really Jake thought to himself, it felt more like 3 years!

''You were on remand'' Danny continued ''But now it's time to sentence you properly''

''Sentence me?''

''Yes, you will stand before us and be sentenced for your crime. Not today though, it's gonna happen within the next few days. You will be given a chance to plead your case first''

''Dan and I are going to be the prosecutors'' Alex said with a nasty smirk

''I volunteered to try and defend you'' said Chloe, speaking at last ''someone has to do it, it's only fair''

''Good luck with that one Sis'' said Alex with a chuckle ''it's a waste of time trying to defend this piece of trash''

''So what is going to happen when I am sentenced?'' asked Jake ''what are you going to do to me?''

''We don't know yet do we you halfwit'' replied Danny ''we haven't decided on the sentence yet, you will find out on the day''

''Can't you just let me go'' pleaded Jake, tears running down his face

They all began to laugh cruelly, mocking him

''Looks like poor little Jakey is gonna cry!'' sneered Alex

''Get him back to the basement now please'' said Lorraine, speaking finally ''I can't bear to look at him!''

Lorraine turned away in disgust

''Come on, time to take you back'' said Danny, dragging Jake out.

Jake glanced at Chloe as he left. She gave him a sympathetic little smile like she felt sorry for him or something. She had a kind face he decided, she seemed different to the rest of them, more gentle and less angry

Jake smiled back as he was led away back to his prison