Status Zer0 Page 18

No sooner than the voice was heard that it was gone.

We almost decided to pretend we had not heard it had it not been for the sound of sound of stepping on a dried branch and breaking it.

‘A fair point.’ I said turning towards the bush.

A head popped-out out of the bush. It was John’s. There were a few leaves from the bush on his hair then. He got up waved his hand at me even though he was right in front of me. ‘Yo’ he said. I smiled back at him thinking about how he sat there and watched as I got punched. Just my kind of guy. He looked confused as to why I smiled.

‘Who is he?’asked Bradley.

‘He’s the kind of character that’s there not to make it seem like the protagonist is speaking to himself all the time.’

‘I am not your side-kick or anything.’ John insisted uselessly.

‘Who is he? Do you know him?’ Bradley asked again.

‘Don’t you remember him?’ I asked Bradley.

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Well, neither do I.’

‘Stop talking in fucking riddles and tell me who that ginger fatso friend of yours is?’ asked Bradley.

Apparently Bradley did not know what a riddle was but I felt charitable that day so I let it slide. I also wasn’t that keen on angering him either, now that the attention was not on me.

‘That’s John. He claims to be our former classmate.’

‘What do you mean ‘claims to be’?’ interjected John.

We both ignored John’s interjection.

‘John-- who?’ asked Bradley.

‘John Calvin.’

‘Ah now I remember that weird ginger geek who I suspected... before I got to know the petty rapist, his assholeness the cunt.’

I was about to nod but my neck froze when the last part sank in.

‘It’s Canvas. John Canvas. Who the fuck are you talking about?’ squeaked John.

So John was sensitive about his name. From now on I shall call him Calvin. What? I am an asshole. A petty, rapey, one at that. I must live up to my infamy.

Bradley waved his hand as if that would make it so that this conversation never happened.

‘We have wasted too much time on this... already.’ he sighed and then looked at his expensive-looking watch. ‘My head hurts speaking to you for five minutes. I wonder how this is going to do any good to Claire but if that’s what Doctor Skinner says then I will get your ass in there if that’s the last thing I do. ’ Bradley declared.