Freedom

      Straight from the beach, all wet with sand, Neil went to the nearest phone booth on the street. As he walked, the tattered bag hanging on his shoulder slammed against his hip. From it, Neil took out a thin folder and dialed the first number on the list: a person who would give him a certain amount, his mother's person "for a rainy day." This one is first on the list, so the amount will be the smallest, and the information unreliable, but Neil was not upset: he did not need the information, and today he would withdraw everything he could from the accounts.       Today he would say "no" to living in ditches and abandoned buildings, eating from garbage cans and sleeping on the floor. Even if this was his last week, he would spend every penny.       There were no more than a dozen people on the list, but each of them was wiping out a larger and larger sum, and Neil smiled wider, dreaming of something of his own. The last one on the list named a place and a sum with so many zeros that Neil probably couldn't even imagine. Neil would collect the money from this safe place later.       Now there was the one who had always been off the list, there was no doubt about his loyalty. Uncle Stuart. Neil didn't want to call him and tell him about his mother's death until the very end, and the desire to get rid of everyone was a little selfish, but in the end he plucked up the courage.       A ring or two and Uncle picked up the phone. A rough male voice was heard on the other end of the line:       — This is a personal number. – just like that, no greeting, no questions. Neil’s throat was dry, but hadn’t he made a huge mistake, in a fit of euphoria, dialing a man like Uncle? Maybe, having learned about his sister’s death, he would kill him out of revenge? Or even worse, turn him in to his father...       Neil’s voice was hoarse:       — Uncle... Uncle, it’s me – Nathaniel. – his own name cut into his ears, and the subscriber was silent for a few seconds before loudly exclaiming joyfully:       — Oh, my God, Nathaniel! How are you? Where are you? Where is Mary? – the questions poured out one after another and Neil closed his eyes, somehow squeezing out a quiet and crumpled:       — She just died, father shot her, I'm at the beach in Seattle.       His uncle sighed loudly and Neil already thought that he would hang up, leaving him alone, but he only asked:       — I can take you, do you want? – Neil understood that it was safe and right, but he also wanted to be alone, to decide at least something himself, even if it led to a quick death. He answered firmly:       — No, Uncle, I'll be alone.       Uncle chuckled and mumbled something, but Neil didn't understand anything, but was very surprised when Uncle said:       — Remember this number and call as soon as you need help... And even just to chat, – he added a little quieter.       Neil laughed quietly into the receiver and hung up.

...

      Neil decided not to change his appearance right away, but just took off his brown contacts and waited until the roots grew out enough to cut his hair back to his natural color.       However, his plans changed as soon as Hernandez said the magic words: "Someone is waiting for you."       At first, his heart sank with disappointment that he hadn't had time to live or at least finish school, but then, when someone not from his father's family appeared next to him, and with such an offer, he almost squealed with happiness.       He was alive, he would play... And he also caught a glimpse of Kevin and, perhaps, Andrew Minyard. Neil assumed that they were standing there in case he didn't agree right away, although he didn't want to imagine what this little weirdo would do to "convince" him.       And so Neil found himself here, in an expensive salon, spending money from his mother's savings accounts on a pointless re-dyeing of his hair to its natural copper color.       He needed to make an impression, and dull brown hair wasn't going to help him do that, although Neil admitted he looked good with it.