Three, Two, One Read online

Three, Two, One

  Short Story by

  L.V. Waterman

  Light, Speed, Time Prequel, The Photon Lock Series

  Copyright 2016 L.V. Waterman. All rights reserved.

  Cover by Lpixel

  Editing by Victory Editing

  Special thanks to James Hartley

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places and events are either the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  *

  ‘I’m telling you guys, I really heard it this time. Listen!’ the blond girl said, her eyes wide with unease.

  ‘Becca, how many times? It’s an old house. It’s windy outside. There’s always been weird noises.’

  ‘I know, I know. But it was different. Like someone moaning or breathing funny. Not heard that before.’

  The girl with big brown eyes only grunted in reply.

  Large snowflakes raced round in a frenzy outside, tapping on the cracked glass of a small dormer window. The derelict Victorian attic was freezing in the semi-dark, with only a handful of candles scattered about the wooden floor. Their portable heater struggled, pumping air that was barely warm.

  Whack!

  The brown-eyed girl gave the heater a hearty smack.

  ‘Sani! You made me jump,’ Becca said, panting.

  ‘It’s knackered.’

  ‘No, it’s not. It just can’t cope in this cold. Poor thing.’ She looked round at the metal bucket that they normally used to catch leaks with in the rainy season. A couple of faintly charred timber logs lay miserably inside it. ‘Maybe we should try the fire again?’

  ‘Pointless. Like I said, nothing to keep it going with,’ Sani insisted, then focused on the third girl instead. ‘You’re quiet. What are you doing?’

  Vicky had been listening to the other two bickering, mostly about the strange noises in the house. Like they usually did. It had become an annoying déjà vu.

  Her dark auburn hair falling to her face, Vicky slowly rummaged in her coat pocket. She glanced from one to the other before reluctantly pulling out the two things she was poking around for.

  ‘Don’t judge,’ she said in a low voice. She then put the cigarette between her lips and held the lighter in front of her face. Her hand trembled.

  ‘What the heck?’

  ‘Are you insane?’

  The two spoke at the same time.

  Vicky was silent, continuing to stare at the lighter.

  ‘You’re fourteen,’ Becca pleaded. ‘They’ll put you in prison!’

  ‘Don’t be stupid,’ Sani said and looked back at Vicky. ‘How did you get one, by the way?’

  ‘How’d you think, genius? Nicked it off my brother, of course. He won’t notice.’

  ‘Yep,’ Sani said to Becca. ‘She’s rebelling. Said the other day it’s only a matter of time before she’ll do something crazy.’

  ‘Hmm…’ Becca seemed to agree, though still appeared deeply concerned. She then tilted her head to the side and said, ‘Why didn’t you just say his name? It would have been funnier. Nicked it off Nick.’ Chuckling, she covered her mouth.

  ‘That’s pathetic and not even remotely funny.’ Sani rolled her eyes. ‘You only want to hear his name ’cause you fancy him.’

  ‘I do not!’

  ‘Oh come on, I’ve seen you. It’s ridiculous. He’s too old for goodness’ sake.’

  ‘Twenty-three is not old. Anyway, I do not.’

  ‘Do…’

  Vicky finally lit the cigarette, unnoticed by the other two. Their constant nagging at each other for things that didn’t matter were doing her head in.

  Awkwardly breathing in the smoke through her mouth instantly made her choke. She grasped her throat, her lungs feeling like they were on fire as she struggled, coughing and spluttering.

  ‘Are you okay?’

  She was vaguely aware of Becca patting her on the back and Sani whipping the cigarette out of her fingers. Trying to catch her breath for what seemed like forever, she started to open her eyes and wave her hand to leave her alone.

  Becca and Sani resumed their seats on the floor, both no doubt eagerly awaiting to have a go at her.

  Her breathing easing and slowing down at last, she made one more grunt to clear her throat.

  ‘Disgusting!’ Vicky croaked.

  The two girls exchanged glances, and both smirked.

  ‘What is? The cigarette? Or the fact that Becca fancies your brother?’

  ‘Both,’ Vicky replied firmly and had another bout of coughing and patting herself on the chest, while Becca continued her unconvincing counterarguments. Her voice died out soon enough, drowned into the noise of the snowstorm outside. The still-flickering cigarette lay crushed to the side, oozing out the last few puffs of smoke.

  ‘Are you done being an idiot then?’ Sani’s gaze at Vicky was serious for a change.

  ‘Yes,’ she said miserably. ‘Remind me to never do that again.’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘Because we have something to cheer you up anyway,’ Becca said beaming and went to unzip her bulky rucksack.

  ‘What are you talking about? You mean you two are going to stop useless arguments?’

  ‘A present,’ Sani clarified.

  Vicky scratched her head. ‘It’s New Year’s Eve. Not Christmas Eve.’

  ‘I know.’ Becca held out a small box, covered in sparkly red wrapping paper. ‘But you got us stuff, and ours was just delayed in the post. You know how it is during this time of year.’ She thrust the box to Vicky. ‘Open.’

  ‘You guys… I said don’t worry about it.’

  The girls giggled and rubbed their palms together as Vicky began tearing the paper away. She took her time, teasing them and unable to stop her own smile spreading.

  The uneven strips revealed a portion of a picture of a dark grey object with a round glass bit in the middle. Somehow she recognised it immediately.

  ‘You didn’t,’ she whispered.

  ‘Oi! Stop guessing before you’re done unwrapping!’ Sani was furious.

  Vicky shook the remainder of the paper off to the floor, revealing a slightly tattered white box with a picture of a Polaroid camera on it. Temporarily, legible words struggled to form in her mind.

  ‘Well?’

  ‘What do you think?’

  ‘Guys. You… really shouldn’t have! This must have been expensive,’ she said, turning the box round in her hands. ‘I mean, I love it, but… I don’t know if I can accept this. After what I got you.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ said Becca. ‘It wasn’t that much, so don’t be silly.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes.’ Sani hesitated. ‘Okay fine, if you must know, it was second-hand from the Internet. So stop being a muppet.’

  ‘Oh!’

  ‘Thought it was kind of obvious – look at the state of the box. Not exactly new, is it?’

  Vicky grinned. ‘Cool, that makes me feel better. And I don’t care if it’s second-hand, pre-owned things are much more interesting.’

  ‘Yeah!’ the girls said in unison.

  ‘I love it!’ She leaned over for a double hug with them. ‘Thank you.’

  Feeling her eyes getting damp, Vicky was glad for the semi-darkness.