AFTER A LONG HOT SHOWER Thomas Butler finishes drying himself and stands in front of the bathroom mirror brushing back his wavy damp hair with his fingers. On the cabinet beside the sink is a neat row of tubs and tubes containing hair wax, body moisturiser, face moisturiser, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash.
His phone pings.
His date’s name is Jack and they have been communicating for a few weeks now, exchanging horny pictures and talking about all sorts of stuff, not just sex stuff. He is smart, hot as hell. Thomas is beyond excited.
He quickly moisturises his body and face, brushes his teeth and gargles with an acidic purple mouthwash that stings his gums. Dipping his fingers into the wax, he massages it through his thick brown hair and styles it like a young Hugh Grant in that movie, whatever it was called. He hurries out of the bathroom and down to his bedroom, where he changes into freshly pressed chinos and a fitted white polo shirt.
From the dresser he lifts his bottle of Dior Homme Sport and sprays his neck with the glorious lemon-and-woody scent. He grabs his wallet, phone, keys and coat and heads down the hallway.
He stops at Spence’s room. The door is open. Spence looks up from his desk.
‘Well, look at you, Tommo,’ he says in a singsong voice. ‘Got a hot date tonight?’
Thomas smiles wryly and is surprised he doesn’t flush. ‘Maybe.’
Spence’s face lights up and he jumps up from his desk. ‘Bloody hell, mate. After all these years you’re finally on a date! Who’s the lucky girl? It’s a girl, isn’t it?’
Thomas pulls on his overcoat and looks away. ‘Fuck off, Spence,’ he replies with a grin.
‘Course it is!’ says Spence. ‘I can’t wait to tell Binks. That’ll shut her up once and for all.’
Thomas feels a twang of irritation and opens the flat door. ‘Just don’t say anything, Spence. It’s none of her business.’
‘Right, right, our secret. Who is she, Tommo? Do I know her?’
‘You know her very well.’
‘Fuck! I’m dying to know. Who is it? Tell me!’
Thomas hurries out the door. ‘It’s your mother, Spence.’
Thomas hears Spence laughing. ‘Fuck you! Make sure you do everything my asshole father couldn’t, you dirty bastard!’
Across the street Thomas sees a silver Toyota Prius parked on the side of the road. The driver is silhouetted by the light spilling from the grocery store. A man and woman stroll toward it and speak to the driver, but he shakes his head and they walk away. The driver turns and seems to be looking his way. Thomas crosses the road and looks in through the passenger side window. The driver is wearing thick black-rimmed glasses and a flat cap.
‘Taxi for Thomas?’ he says.
The driver nods and as Thomas jumps inside he activates the central locking and the engine kicks into life. Thomas has no idea where he is going. ‘It’s a surprise,’ Jack said.
They drive through the backroads for twenty minutes heading west and out of town, which is unusual but he doesn’t question it. He takes out his phone and messages Jack.
A few moments pass but Jack doesn’t respond. Thomas sighs and slips the phone back into his coat pocket.
The driver turns off a dual carriageway and onto a dark slip road.
‘Where are we going?’ asks Thomas.
‘We are almost there,’ replies the driver. His accent is foreign. Eastern European, perhaps.
Thomas shrugs and sits back.
The car slows and passes through an old iron gate that is covered in uncut and neglected trees and shrubs. Up ahead he sees an old building, a crumbling gothic manor house with turrets and battlements across the roof. It has church-like windows which are boarded up and others that are empty and black. The path to the house is overgrown with weeds and grass. The front door is slightly ajar, a greenish light seeps through the crack.
‘I am to wait for you both here,’ says the driver.
Thomas feels a sense of relief that they are not staying. He recalls Jack mentioning that he has recently bought an amazing new place. Is this it? He gets out of the Uber and walks towards the door and hears classical music, like a string quartet, coming from inside.
His phone pings.
He takes it out. A message from Jack.
Thomas frowns and hears breathing. He turns and jumps.
The Uber driver is behind him. He is tall and broad.
Thomas steps back. ‘What do you want?’
The man doesn’t respond.
Thomas turns to walk away but the man is suddenly on top of him and drags him to the ground. He is strong. Much stronger than Thomas. The man is choking him with the crook of his arm. He tries to scream for help but can’t even breathe.
Oh God. no . . . please, please no!
Thomas feels himself weakening. He struggles but black spots appear before his eyes. His vision begins to blur and suddenly he is no longer conscious.