Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 130955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
He stormed up the elaborate staircase with cast iron railings and walked down the corridor, past paintings in golden frames Mom and Dad had gotten to fit the genteel style of their home. Like the imitation antiques, those were modern pictures pretending to have been painted in the nineteenth century, of people in costumes, still life, and the long gone family dog, Rufus, posing on an old-fashioned settee with Radek in a sailor uniform, of all things. He’d been ten at the time that picture had been painted and still had had short, tidy hair.
The family portrait, however, hung in a niche close to a little bench by the window, depicting them all in modern clothes, and had been done in hideous pastel shades. The painter had tried to tickle their egos, because Mom looked younger than she used to be back then, Dad—slimmer, and Radek’s fifteen-year-old depiction had few freckles, when in reality his skin was equally red as it was beige.
He hated that painting as much as the oppressive need to conform and show off it represented. Dad had forced him to cut his hair for it, and since then, Radek had only trimmed it on occasion to keep it fresh. By now, the ginger mane he was so proud of reached his buttocks and Dad would have hated it. But Radek didn’t live for other peoples’ approval.
And that was exactly why he wouldn’t be spending Christmas with his witch of a mother. Enough was enough. She could rant about him to Mrs. Irena all she wanted, but at least he wouldn’t hear any of it.
He grabbed the backpack he’d left in his room yesterday but hadn’t even opened, and rushed back down the stairs as his throat pulsed to the frantic rhythm of his heart.
“I’m leaving!” he shouted on his way down the stairs. Mrs. Irena stood within sight, clutching a blanket to her chest. It seemed she wanted to say something, but he was first. “Merry Christmas.”
And with that, he was out of the door, back in the cold, back where the sun hurt his eyes. But at least he still had enough time to reach the forest cabin and hop into Jan’s car before he too went home.
He tried to call him, but there was hardly any connection in this goddamn village, so he trudged through the snow on foot again, glad to get a breather after the argument with Mom.
Most of his friends had already left by the time he’d arrived, but Jan was still there, enjoying a joint on the narrow balcony sandwiched between the two slopes of the roof. He waved at Radek from up high, clearly happy with himself. He was wearing the black fur-trimmed jacket Radek had given him as an early Christmas present, and sweatpants.
Radek was about to tell him what had happened and ask him for a ride to Cracow, but then he remembered last night and the need for mischief hit him in full force. He couldn’t pull pranks on his chronically-ill mother but there was someone else who could bear the weight of Radek’s anger and general disappointment.
“Come down! I’ve got a plan,” he yelled to Jan with a grin, desperate to shake off any resentment toward his mother. He wanted to forget about her for the rest of the day and just throw himself into fun, sex, and greasy food.
Jan frowned, rubbing his head. “Plan? What? I promised my parents I’ll be home in the evening,” he said and tossed what was left of the joint into the snow below before exhaling a huge cloud of smoke.
Radek spread his arms wide. “I lied yesterday. Mirek didn’t save me. I met this forest ranger and he sort of arrested me. He was so full of shit and self-righteous. I want to go home with you, but we need to teach him a lesson first.”
Jan frowned. “What? Radeeek… Why are you always lying about shit?”
Radek spread his arms. “The guy manhandled me and took my rifle. Don’t you wanna avenge me?”
Jan shrugged, his tempting lips crooking. “I don’t know… You kinda deserved it for using a rifle drunk.”
Radek’s brain exploded with fury. “Fuck you! I can’t believe you just said that. You know what? I’m so done with you! I can’t believe you won’t take my side! What kind of boyfriend are you?”
Jan scowled at him from above. “You said you don’t want a boyfriend.”
“Well, now I definitely don’t! We’re done! Don’t call me again!” Radek spun around and started walking. Again.
Why was Jan not apologizing?
Why was the world against him?
He rubbed his eyes because they prickled from the cold and the harsh sunlight. He’d just take Dad’s old car and drive to Cracow on his own.
But first, he would make the forest ranger suffer.
Chapter 5 – Radek