by RR Haywood
‘Oh don’t be silly,’ Marcy says kindly, ‘you’re lucky. I remember my first time. God it was awful. I was so drunk and he was a disgusting pig.’
Lilly snorts a laugh and gently pulls back.
‘It’s easy to forget how young you are,’ Marcy says, examining the girl closely as she smooths Lilly’s hair back. ‘It’s normal. What you’re feeling now I mean. Your hormones will be all over the place for a few days but it’ll settle. Nick adores you, you know that. Don’t doubt that for a second. We all adore you.’
Lilly nods again, the composure coming back steely and cold.
‘Good girl,’ Marcy says, seeing the look coming into Lilly’s eyes. ‘New world now. New rules. With us it’s safe but fuck everyone else…you are so beautiful, Lilly,’ she smiles warm and sad, worried and full of hope all at the same time. ‘We’ll go soon. Howie won’t stay here, you know that right? Nick will want to stay here with you but he won’t. He’ll go with Howie the same as the rest of us but that doesn’t mean Nick doesn’t want to stay with you…’
‘I know,’ Lilly says quietly. ‘Nick said how many you face sometimes…’
‘It’s insane,’ Marcy says, meaning every word. ‘Howie needs Nick…but…what you did before, you do that again if you need to. If you have to kill then do it. Don’t hesitate. Don’t let it get bad enough that you can’t react.’
‘Okay.’
‘Good,’ Marcy says, holding a serious expression that melts as she smiles and winks. ‘Now, did you use a condom or are we all having babies in nine months?’
Two
The boat glides gently onto the beach, the hull scraping on the soft sand. Dawn and the night is still lifting but the promise of another scorching hot day is there to be seen.
Maddox goes first, leaping over the front onto the sand and turning quickly to grab the front of the boat to hold it steady. He offers a hand.
‘Thank you,’ Pea says, taking his firm grip to drop from the boat.
‘Sam?’
‘I’m fine,’ Sam says coldly, avoiding eye contact to clamber from the boat herself.
Maddox shows no reaction but offers his hand to the next person instead, ‘Joan?’
‘No thank you,’ she says brusquely.
‘Kyle?’ Maddox says, looking at the craggy face. ‘Want me to take that?’
‘Ah now, that’ll be a kind thing of you,’ Kyle says, passing the basket over before jumping deftly down onto the sand.
‘You move well for an old man,’ Joan says with an arched eyebrow.
‘You move well yourself,’ he says, smiling kindly as he takes the basket from Maddox.
‘I don’t overeat,’ she says stiffly. ‘Shall we? No point in dilly-dallying here all morning. I cannot abide dilly-dallying.’
‘Oh I like a dilly dally now and then,’ Kyle says easily.
‘Are you being rude? I cannot abide rudeness.’
‘Ah you’re a feisty woman so you are there, Joan.’
‘Do not use that Irish brogue on me young man.’
‘Irish you say? My accent is not Irish.’
‘Your voice is Irish. You are Irish. I tell it like it is.’
Pea pulls a face at Sam who shrugs and scowls at Maddox trying to smile at her. She’s got a rifle on her chest and a pistol on her hip. Joan and Sam the same. Maddox might be armed but he’s outnumbered and so the confidence is there to show overtly what she thinks of him.
They thread round the piles of goods on the beach to gain the road. Walking down towards the lone figure of Dave standing like a sentinel with his legs planted and his rifle held ready but lowered.
‘Morning, Dave,’ Joan says, her tone as blunt as ever.
‘Morning,’ Dave says, his tone as blunt as ever.
‘Are they up yet?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good. We’ll take over watching. You can go and eat. Tell Lilly everything is fine in the fort. Billy slept soundly. The children are all fine and the rest will be over once they’ve finished eating.’
‘Dave,’ Maddox nods respectfully once Joan finishes issuing her instructions.
‘Maddox. You will not come into the house.’
Maddox holds still, his face impassive while he thinks quickly. ‘I’ll wait,’ he says.
‘You will wait outside. You will not provoke my team. You will not speak to Mohammed. Do you understand?’
‘I understand, Dave.’
‘You will address Mr Howie as Mr Howie. If you pose any threat or risk to my team I will kill you. Do you understand?’
‘I understand.’
‘If you point your weapon towards any members of my team I will kill you. If you show anger towards any member of my team I will kill you. I am only not killing you now because Mr Howie has not told me to kill you. If Mr Howie tells me to kill you I will kill you.’
‘Fuck me,’ Sam mouths, wincing at the dull tones that sounds so much worse for the absolute certainty projected within the words.
‘Good stuff,’ Joan says, nodding at Dave. ‘I like a man who speaks straight. Needed to be said. Chest straps,’ she says, holding a bag out for Dave.
Dave nods, takes the bag and starts walking towards the house.
‘Kyle has bread,’ Joan says after him.
‘Kyle is trusted. He can come into the house.’
Joan looks at Kyle sharply, raising yet another eyebrow as he smiles back, toothy and full of mischief.
‘Will you look at that now,’ he chuckles, following Dave.
‘Irish,’ Joan says.
‘Maybe I am…or maybe not…’
‘Irish,’ Joan says, watching the old man enter the house and go straight into the lounge then switching her gaze to look at Sam and Pea. ‘Stop that grinning right now.’
‘Such a flirt,’ Sam says.
‘Flirting? Women my age do not flirt. We converse.’
‘That was flirting,’ Sam says, pointing at the front door.
Joan tuts, huffs and stands stiff. ‘It was no such thing.’
‘Someone coming already,’ Maddox says, staring up the road as three women move out to see a white van coming towards them. ‘I’ll take this one. You get coffee and…’
‘You are not in charge here, Maddox,’ Joan cuts across him, her tone biting in delivery as she strides out to motion at the driver, telling him where to stop. Maddox hides the flinch at the sharpness of her tongue and walks across the road. It will take time to win them over again. He knows that.
The white Ford Transit stops next to Joan who takes in the adult male driving and the adult female in the front passenger seat. A sliding door on the side. Pea and Sam hold their rifles as taught by Joan, ready but lowered. Maddox stands back, his rifle also held ready and lowered as he fixes his eyes on the sliding door.
‘Welcome,’ Joan says in that curt tone. ‘How many of you?’
‘Er…’ the woman hesitates, looking at the man. ‘Was it six we picked up?’
‘Six,’ the man says with a nod.
‘So six…seven eight…nine…ten…ten of us,’ the woman says, nodding at Joan. ‘The rest are in the back…’
‘Obviously,’ Joan says, pulling the sliding door back to look inside. She counts the people, reaching ten and nodding once. ‘We’ll need to check you all. Out you get…’
‘Is that the fort?’ The woman asks.
‘It is,’ Joan says, leaning into the van to take in the six exhausted filthy looking children. Three white kids, three Indian kids. ‘Your children?’ Joan asks.
‘God no, we found them,’ a woman in the back of the van says. ‘About twenty miles back…the two older ones were pushing the rest in a wheelbarrow. Said they’d been attacked all night and had to run for it…bless ‘em, half delirious. Keep talking about that actor, Paco Maguire?’
‘Paco,’ a small voice murmurs.
‘What was that?’ Maddox asks, striding towards the van.
‘Tired children,’ Joan says. ‘We’ll have to…’
‘Yeah,’ the woman says, shrugging and lifting her hands. ‘They’re exhausted…’
‘About Paco,’ Maddox presses.
‘That one,’ the woman says, showing confusion on her face and pointing at a little Indian boy.
‘Hey,’ Maddox says softly, touching the boy’s shoulder. The boy mumbles, opening his eyes that close again as he drifts back off to sleep. ‘Wake up,’ Maddox nudges him gently, holding a soft tone.
‘I think they need rest,’ the woman in the front of the van says.
‘Hey, wake up,’ Maddox nudges a bit harder, the boy blinks and looks with wide eyes at Maddox. ‘Hi, what’s your name?’
‘Rajesh,’ the boy says, clearly frightened. He looks round for his big sister, reaching out to grab her arm. ‘Subi…Subi wake up…’
‘What?’ Subi says, blinking awake to look in shock at Maddox.
‘You said Paco?’ Maddox asks, ‘Paco Maguire? The actor right?’
Subi nods, her face showing fear. ‘He got us here…and Heather…’
‘Get Howie,’ Maddox says, calling out to Sam and Pea.
‘Whatever is…’ Joan starts to say.
‘Now. Get Howie now,’ Maddox says. ‘Heather?’ He asks, looking back at the Indian girl.
She nods, wide eyed and moving to shield her little brother.
‘You’re safe now,’ Maddox says. ‘You’re at the fort…who is Heather?’
‘She found us,’ Subi says. ‘With Paco…’
‘Are you sure it was Paco Maguire?’
‘I am sure,’ Subi says.
‘What on earth?’ Joan snaps, furious with Maddox for interrupting and talking gibberish about an actor.
‘They got the dog from Paco,’ Maddox says, running towards the house. ‘She killed him…’ he goes through the door as Blowers steams from the lounge door slamming him back outside.
‘Fucking prick,’ Blowers growls, pushing Maddox away, his face twisted with hatred.
‘I need Ho…I need Mr Howie,’ Maddox says, still holding his hands away from his body.
‘You need a fucking spanking,’ Blowers seethes. ‘You fucked with Lani…you locked her in the hospital…the boss said on you, Maddox. Remember that? He said that. He said on you…’
‘Blowers, I need to…’ Maddox words cut off as the punch hits him full in the mouth.
‘He fucking said on you…’ Blowers says, pacing after Maddox scrabbling back. ‘Come near us and I’ll kill you…’
‘Easy now, son,’ Kyle’s hand comes to rest gently but firmly on Blowers shoulder.
Maddox stares up at Blowers then past him to Cookey and Nick both hard faced. Two girls he doesn’t know, one blinking furiously and the other with a huge cut down one side of her face. Lilly strides out. Her face a mask of composure.
‘That’s enough,’ she says, her voice cold as ice.
‘Yes, Ma’am,’ Blowers stands down instantly, showing Maddox that Lilly has authority. He even turns to nod at her, giving respect with that discipline.
‘What the fuck?’ Howie asks after rushing down the stairs and now staring between Blowers standing over Maddox and Maddox lying on his back. ‘Maddox? What…fuck me…is that bread I can smell?’
‘Kyle made it,’ Cookey says.
‘Smells so nice,’ Howie says, ‘morning, Kyle.’
‘Morning, Mr Howie.’
‘Maddox, what you doing down there?’ Howie asks.
‘I tripped…’
‘I hit him,’ Blowers says without apology.
‘Fair one,’ Howie says, ‘you pulled the punch then?’
‘Just a bit,’ Blowers mutters.
‘Paco…the kids in that van said Paco got them here,’ Maddox says, rushing the words out.
‘Do what?’ Howie says.
‘Paco Maguire,’ Maddox says, still on the ground and wanting to get up but sensing that getting to his feet right now might not be the best tactical move. ‘They said Paco Maguire got them here…with a woman called Heather…said they were attacked all night…twenty miles from here…’
‘Paco’s dead,’ Howie says, ‘get up…Blowers, don’t punch Maddox again.’
‘Roger that.’
‘Can I?’
‘No, Blinky.’
‘Sir.’
‘Where are these kids? In that van?’
‘Yeah,’ Maddox says, moving slowly back to his feet while holding his hands away from the pistol on his belt. ‘Can I pick my rifle up?’
‘Eh?’ Howie asks, ‘er yeah sure…don’t point it at anyone’
‘What’s going on?’ Paula asks, coming out and sniffing the air. ‘Is that bread?’
‘Kyle made it,’ Cookey says again.
‘Smells so nice. What’s going on? Maddox? Who hit you?’
‘I did.’
‘Christ, pulled the punch then,’ Paula says, blinking quickly. ‘He’s still alive. Bloody hell that bread smells nice. What is it…if anyone says bread I will be cross.’
‘Bread rolls,’ Cookey says.
‘Ooh get me one, Cookey. Howie? Want a bread roll?’ Paula says.
‘Yeah, yeah I’d love one cheers.’
‘Want jam?’ Cookey asks.
‘He’s brought jam?’ Paula asks. ‘What flavour?’
‘Dunno…Kyle?’ Cookey asks, turning round to see Kyle has gone back inside. What flavour jam is it?’ he calls out.
‘Blackcurrent.’
‘Blackcurrent,’ Cookey says.
‘Ooh yeah, yeah bread and jam,’ Paula says, pulling her hair back then tutting on realising she doesn’t have a hairband.
‘Here, Paula…’ Charlie says, sliding one from her wrist.
‘Thanks, Charlie…er…I can’t let it go now…’
‘I’ll do it, ponytail?’
‘Yeah please, nice and tight…thanks.’
‘Boss? You want jam on your roll?’ Cookey asks.
‘Yeah please, mate. Everyone else having jam?’
‘I’m having jam,’ Clarence says, walking out. ‘Blowers?’
‘Yeah, cheers, Cookey.’
‘What the fuck? I’m not making everyone’s.’
‘I’ll help you,’ Charlie says.
‘Fuck yes! Best day ever. Maddox got twatted and me and Charlie are gonna fall in love making jam rolls.’
‘Right so…oh yeah, Paco?’ Howie asks, finally turning back to Maddox. ‘Paula, some kids in that van said Paco got them here.’
‘Paco Maguire? I thought the dog killed him.’
‘She did,’ Clarence says.
‘Can’t be then,’ she says obviously.
‘Go and ask,’ Howie says.
‘Me?’
‘Yeah, you’re good with kids…’
‘You want me to ask if a dead Hollywood actor brought them here?’
‘Yes.’
‘The same bloke you all saw being killed by Meredith.’
‘Um…yes.’
‘Okay…fine. I’ll go and ask that then.’
‘And they said they were attacked twenty miles away.’
‘By the dead actor or someone else?’
‘Dunno I wasn’t there…’
‘Wasn’t where?’ Marcy asks, walking out to look at Maddox’s bleeding lip questioningly.
‘I did,’ Blowers says.
‘You did?’
‘Yeah.’
‘He’s still alive.’
‘Didn’t hit hard.’
‘Lucky you,’ Marcy tells Maddox.
‘Want a bread roll with jam, Marcy?’ Cookey asks.
‘Bloody do I? Yes! Yes please, Cookey.’
‘Marcy, give me a hand,’ Paula says, nodding at the van.
‘With what?’
‘We’ve got to ask some kids if a dead actor got them here.’
‘That makes total sense,’ Marcy says.
‘Kids said Paco Maguire got them here,’ Ho
wie says.
‘Paco? He’s dead…didn’t Meredith kill him?’ Marcy asks.
‘She did,’ Clarence says.
‘And they said they were attacked twenty miles away,’ Howie says.
Marcy nods, nothing in this world is surprising anymore, apart from the smell of fresh bread that is. That’s surprising. And jam too. ‘Okay,’ she says simply, following Paula to the van.
‘Do Pea and Sam and Dave’s mum want a bread roll with jam?’ Cookey shouts from the house.
‘Sam? Pea? You want a bread roll with jam?’ Howie calls out. ‘Is Dave’s mum with you?’
‘At the van with Paula and Marcy,’ Pea says, ‘and er…only if there’s enough for you first.’
‘She is not my mother.’
‘Got loads,’ Cookey shouts from the house.
‘Howie…Nick…come here,’ Paula calls out.
‘Me?’ Nick asks, ‘why me?’
‘Something needs burning down,’ Blowers mutters.
‘Funny,’ Nick says, walking past Maddox, ‘prick…’
‘Nick,’ Maddox nods politely.
‘What?’ Howie asks, reaching the van with Nick and seeing Meredith’s arse and tail poking out the side opening.
‘Meredith,’ Marcy says, motioning towards the dog.
Howie and Nick go forward, exchanging what the fuck glances before seeing Meredith sniffing every child within the van. Not just sniffing but examining, assessing, inhaling deeply and whining while doing it with a keening noise that comes from her throat.
‘She won’t hurt you,’ Paula says again to the children inside. ‘She loves children…’
‘And penises,’ Nick whispers as Howie snorts a laugh.
‘Nick,’ Marcy laughs, hitting him on the arm.
‘She’s going nuts,’ Paula says, ‘look at her…think she can smell him?’
‘Dunno, have you asked her?’ Howie asks, getting a look in return.
‘Why am I here again?’ Nick asks, worried that his bread roll with jam will get eaten.
‘She’s your dog,’ Paula says.
‘She’s not my dog,’ Nick replies then looks at Marcy, ‘she’s not my dog.’
‘Nick, think she can smell something?’ Howie asks, watching Meredith closely.
‘I don’t know, Boss. She’s not my dog…er…yes, yes she can…may I?’ He goes closer, watching Meredith and the way she moves from hand to hand. Pushing her nose to open fingers to smell palms. She stops at the smallest child, a little Indian girl who grins widely at the dog and starts rubbing her head. Meredith keens more, her nose moving over every inch of the girl.