Where the mermaids live [5/5]
Whumptober prompt 23 (Prompt 23 has actually fallen on day 23! Complete accident!)
Gordon decides to cheat on an important test but is caught by the school bullies. They are happy to let him keep the grade as long as he does something for them. Gordon knows he's getting in deeper than he should, but the consequences go far beyond what he expected.
Trigger warnings for blackmail, drugged and drowning.
Chapter 5: What’s a whumpee gotta do to get some sleep around here?
The final chapter in the story, though I was a little hesitant about what punishment to give Gordon considering the circumstances. I believe he’s earnt a lesson but he’s done a lot of wrong things to get there.
Read on AO3 or FFN or below
Gordon’s brain banged against his skull, but it was nothing compared to the pain in his chest. Each breath brought a wave of pain from the broken ribs. The ribs Virgil had broken when he’d saved Gordon’s life. The confusion Gordon had woken up from was long gone. They had he had tried to commit suicide, and his father and brothers had been beside themselves with worry, not understanding why he’d do such a thing and wondering what they’d missed. Their worries had changed when Gordon’s blood work came back and LSD had been found in his system. No one had known Gordon to do drugs. Virgil had stayed by Gordon’s side the entire time, nothing making the young man move. All Gordon wanted to do was sleep, but all his brothers were in the room and their attention was firmly on him. His father entered the room and sent everyone out with a stern look.
“Gordon. We need to talk.”
Gordon nodded. His brain complained about the rocking motion and he had to swallow back the bile that threatened to rise. He was going to have to come clean. It was the only way to explain to his dad what had happened. There was no saying how bad the punishment will be.
“Explain why you were taking LSD and how you ended up almost drowning yourself.”
“I didn’t take it. I cheated on that test and some boys at school caught me. They blackmailed me. They would show the pictures to the head if I didn’t steal some alcohol for them.”
“You stole alcohol?!”
The anger in his father’s voice sent a chill down Gordon’s spine.
“Yes.”
Gordon dropped his head down, not wanting to see the rage in his father’s features. Those piercing blue eyes could go right through you. Gordon had been on the receiving end of one of his father’s stares multiple times, but this time was different. He crossed the line. He’d performed a criminal act and it put his whole future in jeopardy.
“You thought it was better to steal than own up?”
“No. I thought it was easier.”
“These boys were the ‘friends’ you said you were meeting in the park, right?"
Gordon continued to confess to his bedsheets, putting all his strength into not shaking. His ribs throbbed but he pushed through it.
“Yes. I met them there and gave them the alcohol. They insisted I stay and share some food with them. I didn’t want to but I was hungry and I still wasn’t sure if they would tell or not. So I ate the tacos they gave me. That when I started seeing the flies, which they said they couldn't see, but they were laughing at me. I think they drugged me.”
“So you didn't know you were taking it?”
Gordon snapped his head up and stared his father straight in the eye. His vision rocked, his stomach churned but he had to show his dad he meant it.
“I didn’t know I was taking it. I would never do drugs. Coach thinks I could make the Olympic team. I can’t have drugs on my record.”
It was a plea, but his father relaxed slightly, hand running through his greying hair.
“You scared us, Gordon. Especially Virgil.”
“I didn't mean to. It was the mermaids, the hallucination. I believed them.”
The guilt in Gordon had been nibbling away at him. The concern in Virgil’s eyes the whole time they had been in the hospital had been haunting him. Gordon knew he owed his brother big time. His father’s hand fell on his shoulder.
"I'm disappointed in you, Gordon."
A mix of anger, frustration and relief was etched into his father’s expressions. The room was silent for a while, and Gordon lay back. He felt his father's disappointment fill the room and the space between them. Guilt churned inside him. Slowly, his breathing steadied, despite knowing there was a punishment to come. Exhaustion had seeped into every muscle of Gordon’s body. Lack of proper sleep, physical activity and coming down from a high had mixed together to weight him down.
“They really think you have a shot at the Olympics?”
Gordon startled slightly, his eyelids had been drifting closed when his father spoke. Gordon tilted his head so their eyes met again.
“It’s why Coach was so adamant that I pass the test as I can’t afford to miss training for a semester.”
His dad nodded, head supported by his hands.
“You’ll be missing it for at least six weeks so those ribs can heal. You promise that that was the first time you’ve taken drugs.”
“I promise it was.”
“And you won’t do it again?”
“Never.”
Gordon was certain that that would be the only time. He’d had a bad trip and there was no way he’d risk having another, even if everyone around him was doing it.
“On your first day back at school you will go to the headteacher and admit to cheating. You will apologise to your teacher and ask to resit the test again. If you don’t get a passing grade you will accept the punishment and be off the swimming team for a semester.”
Gordon nodded, knowing there was more to come.
“As much as I want to report this to the police, I will hold off. You will take me to the shop that you stole from and you will pay for the alcohol twice over from your pocket money. If the owner wants to take it further I won’t stop him. You will also be grounded for three months with no pocket money. There will be no exceptions, no friends can come over and if I need you to babysit Alan you will do so without complaint.”
Another small nod.
“If I ever find out you've stolen, cheated or done drugs again, that's it. You will get what's coming and will face the full consequences. If that means kissing goodbye to your Olympic dream, so be it. Understood?"
"Yes, father."
"I’ll let you rest now. I’ll hold off explaining to your brothers what happened for a day as I believe it should come from you. You can spend the night thinking of how to tell them and what you're going to do to thank Virgil for saving you life. Goodnight Gordon.”
“Goodnight Dad.”
Gordon was left in the room with so many thoughts swimming through his head. Tears slipped silently down his cheeks. His body and mind screamed for sleep but it refused to come. He owed his brothers an explanation, and he knew he had let them down. He hoped Virgil would forgive him. Staring up at the ceiling, another tear of exhaustion escaped from his eye. Gordon lay waiting for the exhaustion to overwhelm him and bring the rest he needed.
