The Real Monsters Beneath Their Skins

His breath was uneven and unsteady while he’s talking to this mental psychiatrist named John Foster. His brain felt like it’s going to explode anytime, his ears turned read and he could feel the boiling blood inside of him started to eat him out. This man stated that he deserved Effy than he did and it was the most ridiculous thing that Cook ever heard.

This mental old man even worse than Cook himself.

He couldn’t believe that his Effy—his Cleopatra—even would mesmerize this old man. Who wouldn’t anyway? However, it’s a total cock up to find this old man was interested with a kid like Effy. He’s a pedo! This doctor was fucking mental, he hurt Effy, and he hurt Freddie. He killed his Fredster! And Freddie was right on what he’s written on that love red book.

Cook should have figured it by himself earlier. Dr. Foster wanted to hurt his Effy.

Cook stared with his dimmed blue orbs at Dr. Foster’s eyes, straight to his soul with full of hate look.

“I’m a fucking waste of space” Cook started. “I’m just a stupid kid. I got no sense. Criminal” he said seriously without losing eye contact with this wanker. “I’m no fucking use, man. I am nothing. So please… Please get into your…” Cook half smirked “You know…bonk…” he twirled his finger near his temple to show how crazy this Doctor had been up to.

Trying to screw up Effy. But nobody would hurt his Effy, Cook convinced himself.

“That you killed my friend!” Cook gritted his teeth. He couldn’t rely he just said that. He just assured himself that his best childhood friend was murdered. “I’m Cook,” he stated calmly.

“I’M COOK!” and with hefty sound, Cook’s fist was connected to Foster’s jaw. Foster stumbled a bit, rubbing his jaw in pain as Cook roared like a lunatic. He came again to Foster, consuming that mental old man with continuous deathblow. Their commotion messed the Dr. Foster workroom pretty bad, because Cook threw Foster’s body everywhere he could.

Foster didn’t just stand there being immobile, but he groaned and gave back his strength to avenge at Cook’s wild fists. Foster did the upswing of his baseball bat toward Cook and it literally broke Cook’s jaw. Cook fell down to the floor, his back hit the work desk that made Freddie’s old belonging dropt to the floor. Blood was streaming down from the crook of Cook’s lips.

While Cook moaned in pain, Foster ran forward to Cook and gave him furious death swings. The bat hut Cook’s left arm and Cook could heard a loud crack from it. He knew Foster just broke Cook’s arm. But Foster didn’t stop there because he sung the bat again to Cook’s face sending Cook backwards. “What’s with you, pathetic, kid?” Foster laughed.

Cook spat the blood out from his mouth and came to Foster in a flash. He punched Foster’s right cheek and gave his hard elbow on his stomach. Cook cornered him to the wall as he pushed him to the wall, leaving a very loud thump at Foster’s back.

Foster’s eyesight got blurry, and his growing bruised eyes winced at the pain. He didn’t want to lose at the battle, and he actually had a bat on his hand. Therefore, when Cook’s off the guard taking his breath, Foster swung his bat on Cook’s stomach, making him lost of total breath. Foster pushed the bat up to Cook’s neck and then pinned Cook’s down to the ground.

Foster was on the top of Cook with enrage filled his eyes. Foster held Cook’s neck firmly with the bat and he let out the laugh.

“See how the world ends, kid” Foster laughed victoriously, holding Cook’s breathe with his baseball bat he formerly used to torture Freddie. Cook was out of breath, Foster truly held up his breath and he even couldn’t speak any words. Cook moaned breathlessly with his hand tried to reach something for defend himself. “You’re just gonna end up like your friend, Frederick. You’re just gonna meet him soon”

“Be fear, kid. You’re coming to the end” his firm grip got tighter as Cook tried to manage his breath. “You’re a worthless criminal, no one wants you, not even my Effy,” Foster added with furious glare he sent to Cook.

Cook wasn’t afraid of Foster. He wasn’t afraid of his approaching death. He was afraid of Effy, because if he died, no one would know about this wolf in sheep costume, no one would know this monster that could hurt Effy anytime. No one could protect his Effy. He’s afraid of losing Effy, losing Freddie, losing his friends. Nevertheless, he wasn’t afraid of losing himself.

Cook shut his eyes to concentrate because he just needed to reach something.

“I deserve Effy, Cook. I deserve my Elizabeth Sto—“ before Foster could continue his words, Cook made good to reach something sharp on his hand and stabbed Foster’s back. Foster roared in pain so he backed up, trying to reach something on his back that happened to be scissors. Cook was breathless, but he wouldn’t lose a chance of winning.

He grabbed the baseball bat on the floor and avenged back the death swing on Foster continuously.

“No one can judge me!” Cook barked when he swung the bat on Foster. “Not even a fucked up pedo like you!!”

“Because I’m COOK! You hear that!” Cook kicked the old man’s stomach repeatedly until the old man lost his conscious. Cook stopped there with quivered body there. Foster’s blood was on his hand.

The baseball bat was dropt from Cook’s hand while he watched the lifeless body of Dr. psycho Foster lying there. Cook’s feet backed away and hit the work desk. He sunk in there and started to cry out his eyes. He pulled up his knees up top his chest as he pulled the bloody t-shirt of Freddie to him.

He hugged the t-shirt and cried on it with good memories of him, JJ, and Freddie replayed on his brain.

“Fredster, my man” he whispered “I fucking need you, man. Where the fuck are you!” he kept tearing out his eyes, mourning to his best friend.

XXX

“I’m coming to Harvard,” Thomas said while he’s talking to Karen. They were sitting on the floor near the mirrors in Freddie’s shed. That night was Freddie’s birthday, without the presence of the birthday boy, the kids threw a mini party there. Hoping that Freddie would probably happy.

“That’s such a brill, Tommo! That’s an ace of you!” Karen couldn’t help to grin and congratulate Thomas.

“No it’s not. I’m going to the States, Karen. The U.S.A, without Panda”

“Well I know that suck, Tommo. But, it’s your chance to live up your life. You’re having a college life. Isn’t it wonderful?”

“I know,” Thomas said at last before they both fell in silence. Karen smiled slightly at Tommo before her eyes was met to Panda’s uneasy look.

Abruptly, Karen’s cell phone buzzed inside her pocket. She quickly let it out and found Cook’s caller ID.

“Cook? Where are you?” Karen said through the phone.

“I... I think… I think I kinda found your bro, Karen,” Cook said with sorrow in his voice that Karen couldn’t make it out.

“You f-found Freddie!?” Karen gasped aloud, making all the kids inside the shed stopped talking, and all the attention were now on Karen and Cook conversation.

XXX

Eight kids were standing in front of Dr. Foster’s door with hesitant look in their eyes. Karen walked ahead and rang the doorbell while the other kept asking the same question about Cook and Freddie’s presence in Foster’s residence.

“Why is Freddie here anyway? Somebody can explain it to me?” Panda asked

“Cook just called he’s here” Karen shrugged before the front door opened and revealed Cook with awful look. Blood was staining his t-shirt, his left eye was in horrible condition, and he couldn’t move his left arm. Bruises started to show in some part of his face.

“Cook!?” JJ gasped “What the fuck!?”

Cook didn’t respond much, “Just in you go, lads” he motioned his head to the kids to get inside.

Effy was looking at Cook while she winced, “What happened?” she whispered as the eight kids walked inside the house. Cook didn’t reply Effy, he just stared at the girl with awful look. “And where’s Dr. Foster?”

Cook still kept the silent while he led the kids to the workroom of Dr. Foster.

“Why’s this house so creepy?” Katie commented, “And I don’t see Freddie anywhere”

JJ walked by Cook’s side to check on his best friend, he watched Cook’s sorrow eyes and he looked like he wasn’t Cook who JJ knew. He’s the different Cook. “Cook, what happened to you?” Cook only shook his head aimlessly and then they finally reached the pitch-black workroom.

“We can’t just break into Dr. Foster private space, can we?” Naomi asked while she found Cook’s eyes, “Where’s Dr. Foster?” and then Cook turned on the workroom.

The kids gasped when they found the awful mess in that workroom. Effy saw no one but Dr. Foster lifeless body in the corner room. “Fuck it! That’s Dr. Foster! What happened to him!” Effy ran to Dr. Foster’s body and checked him. He turned her horrid look at Cook, “Cook! What happened to him!?”

Cook exhaled while he let out spliff from his pocket and lit it up. “That pedo did this to me,” he said as he pointed the mess on his face before he inhaled the spliff.

“What? But why! That’s fucking impossible. Cook, he’s my doctor!” Effy half screamed.

“No, he’s not, Effy”

Effy walked approaching Cook, “You’re fucking mental! Why you did this to him!?”

“Effy! He’s a pedo! He loves you!”

“What?” Effy couldn’t make out what Cook had said to her.

“He wants you, Effy. He fucking wanted to shag you up. He was near the Freddie’s shed before and I saw him so I followed him. I broke into his house and found that stuff!” Cook screamed while he pointed Freddie’s stuff near the desk. “He caught me and he said something about wanting you! He wants you, Effy!”

“You’re ridiculous, Cook” Effy looked at Cook with confusion look.

Naomi walked to where the Freddie’s stuff laid. Her eyes widened when he found the stuffs were wrapped in plastic bag. She found Freddie’s t-shirt was drenched with fresh blood.

“What the fuck is this?” Naomi pulled up Freddie’s t-shirt as the other heads turned to Naomi.

Karen gasped and ran to Naomi, snatching Freddie’s t-shirt “It’s my brother’s! It’s Freddie’s!” Karen faced Cook, “Cook, where is he!?”

Cook didn’t reply Karen and faced down.

“Cook! Where the fuck is Freddie!” JJ pulled Cook’s collar “Where the fuck is he!?” JJ’s grip was shaking with eyes built some tears.

Cook threw JJ, “I don’t know, man. I don’t know” Cook threw the spliff and started to whimper. “He fucking killed Fredster. I don’t know”

Emily gasped and leaned on Naomi, “No Cook, you’re lying. Just tell us where the fuck is Freddie” Emily bit down her lip and hugged Naomi, crying on her chest. Naomi was crying as well. Karen and Panda burst out in wild tears while Thomas tried to calm them down. Panda hugged Thomas and cried wildly.

Effy was standing near Dr. Foster’s lifeless body. She was all-silent like statue. Her eyes weren’t showing any emotion, but her breath was shaky.

“Freddie… Freddie... my brother…” Karen cried while her make started to smudge. Her weak body suddenly passed out on the floor with while Thomas and JJ helped her.

“Katie,” Cook called “Just get the cops now, they have to arrest this sick doctor”

“Cook,”

“Katie just do it now, please”

“But they will arrest you as well”

“I don’t fucking care. They need me as the witness anyway. I don’t care if they will jail me again. I just want this freak rot in jail!”

Katie was hesitant at first but moments later, she sighed and tried to call the police.

Cook found Effy’s feature was immobile. Her sapphire eyes showed something horrible while she deadpanned. She wailed for a moment before she stormed out from the workroom. Effy ran away from the house as Cook called her name. The other kids said that Cook needed to calm her down and so Cook ran to catch Effy.

Effy didn’t cry when she ran, but her eyes sporadically glanced to her surrounding. The voices started to call her again. The imaginary people started to eat her out again and that’s when she heard Freddie called her name. Her back of mind kept playing trick on her brain.

Effy ran along the deserted neighborhood while she started to laugh. It was haywire as her pace found the wasteland where Freddie usually skated there. She didn’t hear Cook’s call but the strange voices clouded her mind.

Suddenly someone crushed her into a bone-crashing hug as she found Cook’s pale blue orbs.

“Cook… h-he’s calling my name” Effy stuttered as she chortled maniacally. “He’s there…”

“Effy… don’t” Cook hugged her struggling feature. “Effy…” he said before he even tore himself.

Effy punched Cook’s body while she laughed, but it turned out into sorrowful roaring cry. She hugged Cook tightly with quivered body. She hid her moist eyes on Cook’s chest. She didn’t get use to cry toward males. However, when it came with Freddie the man she ever loved, it scathed her inside. It pushed her to the end of cliff.

“I love him, Cook. I really do,” she wailed. She pulled away and then took Cook’s cheeks before she collided her lips onto his in pain. Cook kissed her back with forced passion since he wasn’t in a good state.

“Freddie loved you too, Effy. I’m here to take care of you while we’re searching him” Cook said, “We gotta find him. I’m fucking sure that bollock is still alive somewhere” Cook cried his eyes out as he tightened his grip on Effy.

“I can’t do anything without him, Cook. I need him, I can’t live without him!”

“That’s what he said when he almost lost you, Eff. Now you must not give up for yourself. We have to find him. Come on, we need to get back”

“I can’t… I fucking can’t. His belonging is still there. I can’t fucking see at that bloody t-shirt. He was bleeding hard, Cook”

“C’mon, Eff. You were a tough girl. I know you can go through this. Freddie needs us”

“He’s fucking dead! Don’t you see it, Cook!”

Her eyes wandered randomly as if she’s in tripping state.

“Eff,” Cook cupped Effy’s cheeks as he stared her straight into her soul. “Listen, Freddie’s alive. I’m sure about it. Don’t get all barmy like now, we need to stay tough. The cops will get this out”

Cook kissed her gently on the lips and hugged her for the last time, stroking her beautiful curly hair. He pulled away and took Effy’s hand to get her back.

They intertwined their hands as Effy leaned on Cook’s side stressfully. They walked back to Foster’s residence. Cook figured that Effy still mopped around about it, she looked really vulnerable, even more fragile than when she is about to cut herself. Because it’s about Freddie McClair.

As they reached Foster’s residence, they saw blue and red lights illuminated around there. there were a couple of police’s squad car and an ambulance. They saw the other kids were standing outside. Karen gave Freddie’s belonging to the cops as Naomi and Karen were talking to a police who apparently asked some question to them.

They also saw the paramedics had lifted the immobile figure of Dr. Foster up into the ambulance.

Cook and Effy got nearer as they heard a loud “Freeze, James Cook!” in unison. Cook let go Effy’s hand as Cook rose up his hands. The police surrounded him with gun pointed at him.

“Easy, man” he said as the police started to cuff him.

“You’re under arrest as fugitive, Mr. Cook. You’re going to get this harder than before because you have bailed” the police said.

The police cuffed Cook’s hand and roughly brought him inside the police car.

“Sir, he’s one of the witnesses,” Naomi said to the police who have been asking Naomi and Thomas “He reached this place first and saw everything in Foster’s”

The police nodded and scribbled something on the notes as Cook was shoved inside the car with grin on his eyes. He waved at the kids with grimace and assuring look, telling everything is going to be all right. But the kids didn’t show any grimace like Cook did. They all were showing their mourning look instead.

Effy stared at Cook’s eyes with her smudged look and Cook sent some tranquility message to her before the police excused themselves from the kids. It felt like Cook could read her mind, he mouthed about finding Freddie and about him loving her.

“I love you, Effy” Cook mouthed from the inside of police car.

Karen and Naomi were following the police to get inside the squad car because they’re needed to be asked about questions. Effy and the rest of kids except Karen and Naomi stood there watching the police cars and the ambulance faded out from the sight.

Freddie McClair wasn’t there. Freddie wasn’t there anymore in Effy’s side.

He’s lost. No one knew whether he’s still alive or dead. All they need to do was finding him. At least finding his dead body if he’s dead already.

XXX