Dangerous Reality (6 page)

Chapter Nine

Ex-Best Friend

AFTER EVERYTHING THAT
had happened over the weekend, having to go to school on Monday was a big non-event. Liam knocked for me.

‘You took your time. I was just about to leave without you. Wait a sec!’ I grabbed my coat off the banister.

‘Hello to you too!’ Liam said.

After smiling my apology, we set off. Liam and I discussed everything that had happened over the weekend as we walked to school.

‘I’m sorry I got you into trouble,’ I told him.

‘That’s OK,’ he shrugged. Then he surprised me by adding, ‘Seeing VIMS at long last was worth it actually. Besides, my consolation was knowing that no matter how much trouble I was in, you were in more!’

‘Thanks!’

‘What are friends for?’ Liam grinned.

We were just getting to the part where VIMS had
discovered
us as the intruders in the testing room when we reached the school gates.

‘You should’ve seen your face when VIMS started coming towards us,’ I teased.

‘My face! What about your own?’ Liam said indignantly.

‘How would you know what my expression was?’ I scoffed. ‘The moment VIMS came towards us, you leaped up and took off like a cheetah in a panic!’

‘The cheetah who leaps and runs away, lives to …’ Liam’s voice trailed off.

I had just a moment to wonder at it before I was knocked to the ground from behind.

‘What’s the matter, Gimpy? Can’t stand on your own two feet?’

I didn’t need to look up to see who had pushed me. Matthew Viner. I called him Matt Vinyl behind his back. Of course, it was behind his back. I don’t have a death wish. Matt Viner. What should I tell you about him first? He can’t look at me without making some nasty comment about my leg or some other part of my body. What else should I tell you about him? He’s about my height but there’s more to him. He’s chunky, in a muscle-chunky way. He has lots of friends. Oh yes, and he hates me – everyone knows that. Nobody – including me – knows why, but it’s the truth. He can’t stand me. What else? Not much really, except that about a
year
ago he used to be my best friend and he’d been my best friend since infant school.

‘Come on, Gimpy. Stand up then. Or do you like grovelling on the floor?’

‘Leave him alone, Matt,’ Liam said quietly.

‘Stay out of this,’ Matt flashed back. ‘This has nothing to do with you.’

‘You’re a real hero, aren’t you?’ Liam told him scornfully.

I struggled to get to my feet. My leg was suddenly aching – the way it always did whenever Matt started in on me. I looked round. Liam was glaring at Matt. Matt knew it and he didn’t care. He wore the same contemptuous smile that he always did when he looked at me. The sort of smile you might wear if an ant or a fly challenged you to a punching contest. I looked at Liam again, wishing as I always did that he would back off and leave me to fight – and lose – my own battles. Matt came towards me. I knew he was going to push me over again.

‘Go on then, Einstein,’ I said bitterly. ‘Show everyone how clever you are ’cause you can knock me to the ground. Show everyone how you’ve only got two brain cells – one in each bicep. Ooff!’

The pavement was my chair again and my shoulder was throbbing from where Matt had just thumped me. I struggled to my feet. Liam tried to help me up but I angrily shrugged him off.

Matt’s fists were clenched. Then I saw his fingers straighten out as he relaxed. He gave me a bitingly scornful look. ‘I’m not going to hit you again. I’ve changed my mind.’

‘Let’s hope your new mind works better than the old one – you pathetic little weasel,’ I hissed.

It took him a couple of seconds to get it. But get it he did. And then so did I. Matt thumped my other shoulder. I scrambled up again as best I could.

Stay down, you moron, a voice inside me protested. But I ignored it – the way I always ignored my own good advice. I was going to show Matt that I wasn’t afraid of him. Actually, I was scared of him and we both knew it but that didn’t mean I was going to let him get the better of me. Matt drew back his fist and I knew he was going to punch my face. I tried to step back and my bad leg let me down by choosing then of all moments to stop working. I went down like a skittle – without Matt having to even touch me.

‘And stay there,’ Matt said scornfully. ‘It’s where you belong.’

‘Come on, Matt,’ Robert, his friend, said. ‘Dominic is a total waste of time and space. I don’t know why you even bother with him.’

‘Neither do I.’ That familiar contemptuous smile was back on Matt’s face.

I wanted to kick his ankles or at least outstare
him
, but as always I was the first one to look away.

His point made, Matt swaggered off with his friends.

‘Are you OK?’ Liam asked me. He put out a hand to help steady me. I knocked it away.

‘Yes, I’m fine. Stop fussing,’ I snapped.

Of course I wasn’t OK. It wasn’t bad enough that this had to happen, but it had to happen in front of him. I couldn’t have been any more humiliated.

‘I’ll see you later,’ I told him and I walked off, aware that my limp was even more pronounced now. I didn’t have to look behind me to know that Liam was watching me go.

I couldn’t concentrate for the rest of the day and more than one teacher told me off about it. I kept thinking about Matt, and trying, yet again, to figure out why he’d gone off me. I know I’m not the most riveting person in the world. I’m not stupid, but I’m not an egg-head genius either. And any sport that involves running usually doesn’t involve me. I can run, but when I do I reckon I look like a camel in a panic so I don’t tend to do it. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m just an average boy who’s maybe a bit more sarcastic than average, but that’s just my way. So why had Matt stopped being my friend? As I remember it, one day we were best mates and the next day we weren’t. No explanations, no accusations, no nothing. Matt started going around with Robert and Ace and that lot and it
took
me half a term to find a new best friend – Liam. Liam and I drifted together, mainly because we had no one else to talk to. Liam takes himself very seriously, just like Mum. Funny, but when I think about it, deep down I take myself more seriously than either of them. I hadn’t really thought of that before.

I spent all day trying not to think about Matt because every time I did, I could feel my face set into a plaster-of-Paris scowl. If only there was some way I could get back at him. Some way to show him that he couldn’t push me around because I’d push back. Some way of … And then I had it! A way to get my own back without getting duffed up! It wouldn’t be perfect, but it’d definitely do!

‘Liam, can you come back to my house after school this afternoon?’ I whispered.

‘You’re meant to come round to my house for tea – remember?’ Liam reminded me.

‘But this is important …’

‘No, Dominic, you’re coming round for tea. You’ve already put it off three times at the last minute. Mum’s bought cakes and all sorts and I’m not showing up without you again.’

‘But, Liam …’

‘Whatever it is, it can wait until after you’ve had tea at my house,’ Liam insisted.

‘Er, d’you two mind?’ Mr Brent drawled from the front of the class.

Liam and I instantly shut up. I was burning to go straight home to carry out my idea, but if I did probably neither Liam nor his mum would ever speak to me again. And whilst I didn’t mind about Mrs Greene, I didn’t want to lose Liam as a friend.

‘OK! OK! I’ll be there,’ I sighed.

‘What’s so all-fired urgent anyway?’ Liam asked, keeping a wary eye on Mr Brent.

‘I’ve had an idea,’ I grinned.

Liam regarded me, a dawning look of suspicion and alarm on his face.

‘Oh no! Please, Dominic! Not another of your ideas which is going to get us into all kinds of trouble.’

‘This one won’t. Trust me!’

‘That’s usually my first mistake,’ Liam sighed.

‘Don’t worry. You’ll love it.’

‘What is it?’

‘You’ll see.’

‘Oh dear!’

I had to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing at Liam’s tone. Today was going to be a great day after all. I was finally going to get my own back on Matt.

Chapter Ten

Revenge

TEA AT LIAM’S
house dragged on like an ant carrying a heavy suitcase. Liam’s mum was driving me bonkers – as always.

‘And how is your leg, Dom?’

Did I mention that I
hate
it when people call me Dom?

‘Fine.’

‘Does it give you much trouble?’

‘No.’

‘You were born with a defective leg, weren’t you?’

‘Yes.’

‘How long were you in hospital for while they tried to fix it?’

‘Ages.’

‘You poor thing.’

‘I’m fine, Mrs Greene, really I am.’

‘So brave! You poor thing!’

That was usually my cue to laser Liam with my ‘
please
-do-something-about-your-mother!’ look. Liam had the good grace to look embarrassed but he still let his mum witter on about my leg. I wouldn’t mind, but every time I saw her we always had the same old, tired conversation. Is it any wonder I kept bowing out of tea at Liam’s house?

The moment I thought it wouldn’t be rude to scarper, I was out of there! It was dark and cold as Liam and I walked to my house but it was preferable to listening to Mrs Greene spout on, it really was. Besides, all I had in my head was what I was about to do.

‘So what’s your brilliant idea?’ Liam asked. ‘Are you ready to tell me yet?’

‘How d’you fancy a trek to Matt’s house?’ I grinned.

‘Have you lost your marbles?’ Liam asked seriously. ‘Why on earth would you want to go round there?’

‘I’m not going round there,’ I replied.

Liam’s eyes narrowed. ‘You must be off your trolley if you think I’m going round there when you’re not!’

‘No, you’re not going either.’

‘But you just said …’

‘Come on! I’ll show you.’

From the expression on his face, I knew I’d intrigued him. I led the way to my house.

‘We’re going to visit Matt Viner’s house without leaving my back bedroom,’ I told Liam.

‘You’ve lost me.’ Liam shook his head.

‘Follow me.’ Opening the front door, I led the way into the house. In the hall, a light beside one of the buttons on our phone was flashing. I glanced down at the display. Seven messages! No way was I going to listen to all of those now. I’d be taking notes for Mum until next Christmas! We went upstairs and into the back bedroom where Mum kept all of her computer equipment.

‘I thought you weren’t allowed in here,’ Liam frowned.

‘Mum and Jack are working late. And as Mum says, what the eye doesn’t see, the heart can’t grieve about!’

‘You’re a real glutton for punishment,’ Liam told me. ‘Suppose your mum finds out?’

‘She won’t,’ I insisted. ‘But now for the good stuff. It’s get-my-own-back time!’

Liam didn’t say a word as we entered the room. He whistled appreciatively but that’s all. I’d never taken him into Mum’s work room before. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t allowed. In fact, Mum would do her nut if she knew I was in her special room! I’m only allowed in it when she’s already in there and usually not even then. But she wasn’t here and I’d make sure nothing happened to her equipment.

I whipped around the room, switching on the computer, the monitor, the remote link and the virtual reality system.

‘Dominic, what’re you up to?’ Liam asked, worried.

‘Watch,’ I told him.

It took three attempts to link up to the VIMS unit at Desica International. I’d seen Mum do it plenty of times but this was the first time I’d done it myself. Once the link had been established, I put my right hand in the VR, or virtual reality, glove. It was warm and slightly scratchy. I assumed that was because of all the sensors on the inside of the glove. I made a fist, then flexed my fingers. The monitor screen blinked on. We could see the VIMS testing area. I considered putting on the VR glasses but then Liam wouldn’t have been able to see on the monitor what I was doing. And I wanted him to see every single thing. He’d been there when Matt had shown me up so it was only right that he should see I wasn’t a complete wimp – that I could fight back.

‘Now what?’ Liam asked.

‘Now we’re going to have some fun,’ I grinned. ‘Watch! And learn! I’m going to take VIMS for a walk. Here we go!’

After a sudden lurch, it seemed as if the whole room was moving towards us. I pointed my index finger forward in the direction of the testing area double doors. VIMS started moving forward.

‘What’s going on?’ Liam gasped.

‘I’m making VIMS move forward. I’m going to make him leave the Desica building and make his way to Matt’s house.’

‘No!’ Liam stared. ‘That’s really VIMS moving?’

‘That’s right.’

‘How come we can’t see him?’

‘’Cause we’re seeing
through
him. We’re seeing everything he sees, looking through his eyes if you like,’ I explained.

‘You can’t take him out of Desica,’ Liam said, appalled. ‘You can’t just have him trundle down the street to Matt’s house.’

‘Oh, yes, I can,’ I laughed.

‘Dominic, see sense,’ Liam urged. ‘Someone’s bound to see him and then they’ll freak out and call the police and all sorts. And when your mum hears about it …’

‘Mum and Jack are probably up on the fifth floor in the computer room,’ I said.

‘Probably? I don’t like the sound of that.’ Liam shook his head.

I know I should’ve told him that VIMS was only in simulation mode. That everything he was seeing wasn’t really real. It was just an illusion, like a film being played back through the VIMS unit – but I didn’t want to tell him that. Not yet.

‘Don’t worry. I’ll have VIMS back in the testing area before anyone realizes it’s missing,’ I said.

I pointed my index finger forward again. VIMS’ surroundings appeared to move backwards, creating the illusion that VIMS was moving forwards. When it got to
the
door, I mimed turning the door handle. I watched on the monitor as the testing door opened. I pointed forward. The surroundings scrolled until VIMS reached the lift. I pointed at the control panel of the lift and said, ‘VIMS, press the button.’