The figure stepped into the light underneath the lamppost, they were wearing almost all black along with a black hoody. I couldn't see their face as the shadow of the hoody covered it well and they were some distance away down the street. They paused and began looking at the dressing gown tied to the lamppost.
I kept as still as I could as I didn't want to be found. The figure pulled something out of the bag on their back and cut the dressing gown off the lamppost, they then rolled it up and put it in their bag.
"shit" I said quietly under my breath, what did they want with my dressing gown? I kept still and noticed the figure look around then continue along the street walking closer towards me. I focused on the figure but then had the fright of my life.
"Hey you boy! What are you doing in my garden!" an angry man came towards me with a wooden walking stick. I'd been so focused on the figure I hadn't noticed him come from the side of his house with a bag of rubbish. "Get outta here!"
I was completely terrified, he could only see my face peering over the wall so he had no idea I was naked.
"I'm sorry" I pleaded "can I just hide here for 2 more minutes?"
"no you bloody well can't!" he shouted "your ruining my bush, get out!" he started poking me with his stick which caused me to jump up a bit.
"you bloody youngsters going round with no shirts on when it's as cold as this" he bellowed "get out my bush!" he continued to poke me.
The figure heard what was going on and ran over. "damn, what next?" I whispered to myself.
The figure walked up to the man "having trouble?" he said. Straight away I recognised that voice, it was Zack! I suddenly felt incredibly at ease and comfortable, it was as if all my problems had just dissolved.
"Yeah, this bloody fool in here is squashing my bush!" he shouted at Zack "and he won't get out."
"I think I know why" Zack said "I
just saw him get in a bit of trouble round the corner and I was just looking for him to give him back his stuff that they stole"
"what did who steal?" asked the man now beginning to calm down. "this neighbourhood gets worse every day"
"All his clothes" said Zack "some gang's idea of a sick joke"
"you're joking, bloody cretins!" the man said "here, stand round him while the poor lad gets dressed."
Zack passed me the bag which turned out to be my school bag and then both him and the man stood in front of me with their backs towards me.
I opened the bag and underneath my dressing gown in the main compartment I found some fresh white boxers and socks, some black tracksuit bottoms, a grey polo neck shirt and a pair of trainers all out my bedroom.
I pulled on the boxers first and instantly began to feel better. I pulled on the bottoms next, feeling a great warmth as I pulled them up. I then moved from behind the wall and pulled the shirt over my head which blocked out more of the cold air. I sat on the wall and brushed my feet off with my hands, they were filthy and had stones stuck to them. Zack and the man turned around.
"Nearly done bud?" Zack asked "bet your pleased to see me.
"sure am" I replied "I thought I was done for then"
"well you did squash my bush" the man said now in a much calmer tone "but it seems as though you aren't to blame"
I pulled the socks onto my feet and slipped on the trainers.
"all done!" I announced and I rolled the dressing gown up and put it back in my bag.
"why do you have a dressing gown?" asked the man with a puzzled look on his face.
"it's a long story" Zack replied "but thanks for all your help sir"
"no problem at all" he said, now seeming as nice as ever "are you sure your ok though lad? That's quite an ordeal you've been through"
"yeah, I'm fine now" I said "sorry about your bush"
"don't worry" he said "But I'll be keeping a closer eye out here in future"
"I don't blame ya" Zack said, he then turned to me "come on, let's go home"
Zack patted me on the shoulder and we began to walk away.
"you look after yourselves lads" the man shouted "you don't know what could be around the corner"
"we will" I shouted back. He was right, Tom was still not finished with us.
Me and Zack walked up the road together and once we were out of earshot of the man we began to talk.
"Thanks so much dude" I said with a beaming smile "your an ultimate lifesaver!"
"no problem buddy" Zack said "like you were saying earlier we look after each other now right?"
"Right!" I said "but I definitely owe ya for that"
"You sure do" Zack laughed "I'm starving" Zack looked at me and winked.
"HaHa" I said "no problem, let me just see if I have any money."
I opened my bag and managed to find my wallet. I'd spent all my cash in the hardware shop.
"sorry buddy" I said "looks like I'm all spent out"
"too bad" Zack replied "guess we'll have to go back to yours"
"yeah dude" I agreed "There's some money stashed away at home, we'll order pizza!"
"That sounds perfect" Zack smiled "then we can watch that DVD of yours"
"true that!" I replied "I need to seriously sit back and chill after today"
"Awesome" Zack said "I was thinking the exact same thing."
We reached the top of my road.
"Zack, I'll race ya to my door" I laughed "I can see you found my favourite pair of trainers" I said while pointing to the pair of black trainers on Zack's feet.
"Sorry dude!" Zack smiled "they fit like a glove and feel like cushions on my feet"
"don't apologise mate, your welcome to them" I said patting him on the back "you ready?"
"sure am" Zack said smiling "3,2,1, Go!"
Zack charged off and I chased after him. Zack was a fast runner but I ran as fast as I could go and managed to catch up with him. We reached the gate to my house which was open, I legged it up the path to the door but Zack placed his hand on the door a fraction of a second before mine.
"haha I blame the bag on my back" I joked "your a good runner though"
"well that was a close one" Zack laughed "we'll have to try that again sometime."
"definitely" I agreed "where did you put the key Zack?"
"It's here" Zack said as he dug the keys out of the flowerbed in the front garden "Just in case Tom caught me somehow"
"good thinking" I said as Zack passed me the keys "let's get back in for the final time tonight"
I opened the door and grabbed my school shoes which were still on the doorstep and went in Zack following me.
Hey Zack, there's a pizza menu in the drawer underneath the phone" I said "pick what you want and order me a meat feast"
"sure thing" Zack replied and he headed over towards the phone to order up "what's the address here?"
I walked over to Zack and found him a letter on the phone table with my address on it "here use this" I said.
"cheers buddy" Zack replied "I'm gonna go for the hot and spicy pizza if that's good with you?" Zack looked at me with a slight smile on his face.
"Anything you want" I smiled back "I'm going upstairs to clean my feet yet again"
"sure" Zack smiled "see ya in a minute"
"ok mate" I replied back and I kicked off my trainers in the hallway dumping my bag and school shoes next to them then I ran upstairs to the bathroom.
I left the door open and began to fill up the bath. I sat at the edge of the decking and pulled off my socks, chucking them on the floor. The soles of my feet were black with dirt.
Once the bath was filled up with enough water I turned the taps off and rolled up each of the legs of my tracksuit bottoms to my knees. I then sat at the edge of the bath on the decking and placed my feet in the water.
I sat there for a moment thinking about everything that had just happened. I hadn't told Zack about Toms plans for the weekend yet and although the ordeal with Tom tonight was terrifying and extremely upsetting Zack saving me made me feel really good.
I started to rub some soap into my feet when Zack came in. He'd took the hood off his head and all his spikes were gone as he'd washed his hair earlier. I also noticed he was barefoot and mustn't have wore any socks with my trainers which I thought was unusual.
"hey mate, the pizzas are all ordered" he said looking pleased "they said they'd be here in about 20 minutes and it's all gonna cost about 15"
"Awesome!" I replied "would you mind grabbing the towel I left in my room so I can dry my feet off?"
"no problem" he said and he left heading upstairs.
I finished cleaning my feet and waited for Zack to bring my towel. I was still waiting for the best time to tell him about Toms plans for us.
Zack eventually came back and he took me by surprise as he was now wearing what looked like nothing but a towel around his waist with another in his hand.
"Here ya go buddy" Zack said handing me the towel in his hand.
"why have you got changed mate?" I asked him finding it difficult to take my eyes off him again while I started rubbing my feet dry.
"Hey, they weren't my clothes so I thought I'd put them away for ya" Zack replied with a cheeky smile on his face. "though I've still got the boxers on under here if that's ok with you"
"oh I don't know about that" I joked "which of my boxers did you wear?"
"you joker" Zack laughed "here I'll show ya"
Zack pulled the towel from around his waist revealing a tight pair of black boxer briefs.
"haha mate, yeah you can keep them" I laughed. "I'll find ya some other clothes in a bit.
"cheers buddy" Zack replied "I guessed you wouldn't mind me taking them."
I smiled back at Zack who had now wrapped the towel around his waist again and I pulled my socks back on inside out, so I didn't get any dirt on my feet again.
"come on" I said and I headed downstairs to the kitchen and opened up the tin where all the money is kept and pulled out a 20.
"wow, there's a bit of money in there" Zack said "is that all yours?"
"nah, it's my parents money" I replied "since they both agreed to stop smoking they've been putting all the money they would have spent in that tin"
"clever" Zack said "though they shouldn't really leave that much money round the house"
"yeah, I know what you mean" I replied "but i do find it useful"
"I like it" Zack laughed
Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door.
"That must be the pizza" Zack said excitedly and he ran over towards the door.
"Zack I'll get it" I called after him "I'm slightly better dressed for it"
"Blimey, your right" Zack laughed. "I'm so hungry I completely forgot"
I walked over to the door and pulled it open but it wasn't the pizza we were expecting.
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