Free The Collector Book One: Mana Leak by Daniel I Russell Page B

and turned off the set.
    “Oi! What did you do that for?”
    “We’re here to talk, Adam, not watch TV.”
    “Well, what is it? This is so fucking lame; we’re not kids you know.”
    “Don’t use that kind of language, Adam. You say you’re not a child, but you still act like one, don’t you?”
    Jake sniggered. “A classic, Mum, really.”
    “Shut up, Jake.”
    He fell silent but shared a cheeky sideways smile with Adam.
    Taking a deep breath and clutching the ring tightly in the middle of her fist, Jenny began her lecture.
    “Right, you two. We need to sort out a few things. First off-”
    “Forget this, I’m going to the garage,” said Adam, rising from the sofa.
    “Sit down,” said Jenny. Her voice wavered. “I’m not finished.”
    “Well, I am. Jay, you coming?”
    Jake nodded and also stood.
    “I’ve held back and put up with your shit for far too long,” Jenny blurted. “You’re not going to get away with everything again. You have responsibilities! Look at these.”
    She spun around, grabbed a handful of letters from the mantelpiece and threw them at the twins, who had crossed half way to the door. The papers drifted down and fluttered around them, as though they walked through a giant snow globe.
    “They’re bills! You can read them if you like. Then maybe you can get it through your thick skulls how much trouble we’re in.”
    The boys stood rooted to the spot. They’d never seen their mother fly off the handle like this before.
    “Why can’t you get jobs?” ranted Jenny. “Are you that lazy? Are you that fucking useless?”
    Jake flinched from his mother’s use of the f-word.
    This is weird.
    “I work every hour,” she continued. “Every goddamn hour just to put food on the table, and keep the bailiffs off our backs. And for what? This?”
    She kicked the coffee table, sending empty crisp packets and cola cans spilling over onto the floor. She showed no sign of pain in her slippered foot.
    “You could at least clean up after yourselves!”
    Jenny sucked in a deep lungful of air. She seemed to be struggling to catch her breath.
    Adam and Jake lingered in the doorway, shell-shocked at their mother’s sudden outburst.
    Jenny’s hand returned to the ring.
    “Well? Haven’t you got anything to say for yourselves?”
    The boys stared at the carpet.
    “This is it. I can’t afford to keep this house, feed the pair of you and fork out for court fees and fines! I mean, robbing Mrs McGuire, what were you thinking?”
    Jake swallowed. “You’ve already had a go over that.”
    “Yes, Jake. Yes I have. And I will keep having a go at you until you learn.”
    She dragged in another long, shaky breath. Glistening drops of sweat gathered at her hairline.
    “First thing tomorrow, you two are going down to the job centre.”
    Adam sniggered. “No way.”
    “What was that, Adam? Finally got something to say?” Jenny shrieked.
    “No way am I going to the job centre.”
    “Well you’d better…or else.”
    “Or else what?” He sneered.
    “Or else you’re on your own. I’ve had it.”
    Jake laughed. “You’ll kick us out? Do me a favour…”
    “You don’t think I will?” she demanded. “Try me.”
    “Come on, Ad,” Jake said to his brother, “this is stupid. There’s no way she’d turf us out.”
    “And what makes you so sure?” Jenny growled.
    Jake turned from the door and confidently strode towards his mother. He appreciated that she’d caught him off guard. The shouting, the swearing, kicking the table: just shock tactics. He knew he had her on the back foot now. The threat of being kicked out of the house meant nothing. He stopped in front of her and leaned in, his face inches away from hers.
    “You,” he spat, “will never make us leave because you’re too pathetic to cope on your own.”
    Her hand cut through the air with amazing speed. Jake heard the slap before he felt it. He rubbed his throbbing cheek, eyes still locked with his mother. Her tears had