by G Mottram
She didn’t start to walk, however. She just stared at him, seeming like she was deciding something. ‘You’re going to be a wreck until we get this over with, aren’t you?’
‘No I’m not…,’ Jason started then slowed down. ‘Get what over with?’ Any small amount of cool he might have had was slipping away fast.
‘This…’ Tanya said softly. She brought both hands up and slipped them around the back of his neck, leant forward and kissed him for one long, delicious moment.
As she pulled away, Jason’s head was already spinning. This sort of thing really didn’t happen to him.
‘Better now?’ she asked.
His eyes focused on Tanya’s face, on the soft lips that had just been on his. ‘Umm, not quite’ he said, ‘maybe one more would do it...’
Tanya grinned and shook her head. ‘Mmm – definitely losing your jitters. Come on.’
She took his hand again and led him up to the front gates. A convoy of dirty buses packed with Drunken Abbot kids was pulling out passed ambling groups of well-dressed village pupils.
Paddy Chubb, Silent Hill’s ‘caretaker’ was manning the gates this afternoon, with two of his three assistants. Although he’d only been at Silent Hill for a week, Jason had glimpsed Mr Chubb many times out of the classroom windows. He and his assistants didn’t seem to do any normal caretaking type work like picking up litter or fixing things. They just patrolled around the school grounds and manned the gates.
Paddy must have been well into his forties, a tall man, well-built and tattooed on both, permanently bare, forearms. He’d a flat face and eyes that seemed to pop out and look around the side. His assistant, Morton, was tall and skinny but in a wiry muscled sort of way. He’d lank, dark hair to his shoulders whereas Paddy shaved his head almost bald.
Tanya grinned at Paddy. ‘I have a guest Paddy - we’re off for pizza… and things.’
Paddy grinned back. ‘I bet you are Tanya, darlin’.’ He had an East London accent and sounded like a ham-actor in some early evening soap. He took out some sort of high-tech palm top computer and a stylus which looked completely out of place in his big, rough-skinned hands.
‘Now, then – wot’s ‘is name?’
‘Jason – Jason Willow,’ Tanya said, glancing up at Jason and smiling. Jason grinned back but it faded quickly as he noticed Morton staring at him with something like a snarl contorting his mouth.
‘Jason… W-i-l-l-o-w,’ Paddy said, writing Jason’s name onto the palm top and tapping the screen a few times, ‘mind you see ‘im signed out yourself at the outside gates before ten or security will come lookin’ for ‘im and you don’t want that, do you.’
‘Oh, I’ll get him home to bed on time, don’t worry,’ Tanya said, pulling Jason a little closer.
Morton shifted, clenching his fists and making the sinewy muscles in his bare forearms flex. Paddy shot him a glance then grinned at Tanya.
‘You do that my girl – remember you ‘av responsibilities living where you do. Get him out well before curfew – those security boys aren’t nice people to mess wiv’.’ Paddy’s eyes flitted across to Morton again then back to them.
Tanya just waved and pulled Jason out of the gates. ‘Ugh - he’s such a creep.’ Tanya whispered.
‘Who? Chubb? He seemed alright,’ Jason answered, glancing back. Chubb was busy signing out another couple of guests but Morton was scowling after them.
‘No of course not – Chubby’s a sweetheart. I mean Morton. He’s asked me out about eight hundred times.’
‘I can’t blame him for that,’ Jason mumbled, casting a glance at her.
Tanya stopped and faced him. ‘Ahh - you’re really quite sweet, aren’t you?’
Jason couldn’t stop his stupid grin in time and Tanya laughed and slipped her arms around his neck again, rising on tip-toes as she moved to kiss him.
BANG, BANG, BANG.
They pulled away from each other and span around. Hammering on the upstairs windows of a Drunken Abbot bus were half a dozen Skins. Hairy was among them, his face pressed up against the window and his studded tongue licking the glass in long, slimy streaks. The others all started making a whole variety of disgusting, suggestive movements.
‘Prats,’ Jason said, returning a suggestive movement or two of his own as the bus pulled away. ‘I can see why those losers are fenced out of here.’
Tanya dropped her head and looked down. A moment later, she took in a deep breath and turned back to him with a slightly faltering smile on her lips.
‘Are you okay?’ Jason asked. ‘Just forget about them – they’re not worth thinking about until they need dealing with.’
She nodded, but her eyes started to glisten.
Jason tentatively took her hand and she squeezed his fingers.
‘I’m sorry,’ Tanya said, ‘I’m just being stupid. You’re right - we can pretend they don’t exist here most of the time - they don’t often manage to get in to the village.’
‘You mean the Skins break into the village sometimes? Even with all the fences and cameras…?
Tanya nodded. Watching the bus disappear below, they set off down the school hill.
‘Sometimes. I don’t know how they get in… but they always come looking for a fight… with anybody.’
‘Don’t worry - if anything happens tonight, you just run and I’ll hold them off.’
Jason meant it as a joke but Tanya slipped her arms around his neck again and she kissed him - longer this time and more fully. He breathed in a hint of her sweet perfume and edged his hands around her waist to return her kiss. When, long moments later, she pulled gently away, her eyes were shining.
‘Come on, my knight in shining armour.’ She smiled at him and tugged him along by the hand.
He could not believe he’d said that corny line, even as a joke. Still, the result was pretty good.
They were half way down the school hill. Darkston village spread out before him, beautifully landscaped down the gentle slopes and back up a second hill to the monumental black abbey gatehouse less than a mile away. For once, not rushing through the village in a filthy-windowed bus, Jason had a chance to take in the scene of old thatched cottages rambling along terraces punctuated with large, houses with red tiled roofs and tree shaded gardens. He could see at least half a dozen immaculately kept parks and greens with old fashioned lamp posts every twenty metres or so.
Then he started to chew his bottom lip. From up here he could clearly see Drunken Abbot pressing up around the village despite heavy screening by trees and hedges. The great steel fence glinted between the greenery, holding the grey, dilapidated buildings at bay.
‘It’s just like somebody’s plonked toy town in the middle of a city slum,’ Jason said.
‘Come on then, Noddy, catch me,’ Tanya laughed and dashed off.
The next hour or so was one of the happiest Jason could ever remember. Tanya took him on a grand tour of Darkston which was interspersed with lots of teasing, chasing and kissing. At each new turn everything was just perfect - no litter, every building freshly painted, every garden manicured. Any other time, it may have seemed a bit too perfect - like the set from the Stepford Wives film or The Prisoner series, but right now, it fitted right in with his mood.
The villagers they passed all played their part in the chocolate-box village scenario as well. Everyone seemed to know everyone else. People stopped for a chat, smiled and waved to each other. The tea rooms - one in each park and also in the main parade of shops - were filled with women of all ages and young children. With school over for the weekend, the town’s teenagers had all piled into a couple of squeaky-clean burger joints like something out of 1950s America.
He was with the perfect girl in the perfect town and nothing should have disturbed his joy. He tried hard to ignore it but every so often the illusion was disturbed – here a glimpse of the perimeter fence, there a steel watchtower looming over a perfectly thatched roof. Security guards watched them pass from the tops of those tower
s but worst of all were the scores of security cameras.
Jason had quickly realized the reason for the big, old fashioned lamp posts set at such regular intervals - they each housed a turning, zoom lens camera. More often than not the cameras whirred around to follow the two of them as they passed. The feeling of someone in a darkened security room watching his every move sent a chill down Jason’s spine.
Tanya had quickly picked up on his unease. As they wandered through the cobbled streets she frequently pulled him into quiet corners, small alleys and tree groves that were screened from the sweep of the camera’s glinting black lenses.
After an hour or so, Jason noticed Tanya begin to glance at her watch. Finally, at about five o’clock, she announced she was starving.
‘Let’s eat something then,’ Jason suggested. ‘Burger maybe?’
‘No - pizza.’ she announced. Then after a second’s thought, she said ‘There won’t be so many kids there and it’s a little more romantic than a cheese burger and fries don’t you think?’
Jason smiled. ‘Do we get candles and soft music?’
Tanya sidled up to him and toyed with collar of his polo shirt. ‘We don’t need it… Romeo.’ She kissed him quickly, then grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
‘Come on, I know just the place.’
***
“Just the place” turned out to be Little Italy - a small Italian restaurant with an umbrella-sheltered terrace where you could watch the world go by… and they could watch you.
Tanya chose a table near to the pavement. After much debate, they ordered a large Quattro Stagioni to share and a jug of Doctor Pepper.
Vaguely Jason wondered when to let Dad know he was going to be late home. Just how he was going to get back to Darkston Wick was also something he should have thought about. He decided he’d call from one of the old fashioned red phone boxes scattered around the village – perhaps Dad would pick him up. Still, all that could wait for later – he didn’t want to seem like a little boy phoning his daddy.
He reached for Tanya’s hand under the table. She gave his fingers a quick squeeze but then gently pulled her hand away and took a sip of Dr Pepper. Was she nervous being on display with him for half of the Village to gawp at? She chose the place.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked. ‘You’ve gone a bit quiet.’
Tanya attempted a smile that didn’t quite ring true. ‘Oh I’m just hungry... where’s this pizza?’ Instead of looking back into the restaurant for the food however, Tanya’s eyes flitted along the pavement.
Jason decided chatting might help. ‘Tanya, I don’t know anything about you… apart from you’re gorgeous.’
She flashed a small smile at him but it quickly faded. He carried on anyway. ‘So what’s your surname? What do your folks do? Where do you live? All that sort of stuff.’
Tanya finally focussed on him to answer. ‘Well, my name is Tanya Elli Baxter, my father is a chemical analyst in the brewery and mum works part time in a lingerie shop just around the corner.’
Jason gave an evil grin at the mention of lingerie. Tanya didn’t notice however - she glanced down the street again as she reeled off more facts.
‘We moved to the village about four years ago when Mr Brash head-hunted Dad from Manchester. It was a great deal, we got a gorgeous house really cheaply as part of his salary or something.’
Just then a camera whirred to focus on them from across the street. A few moments later it panned away.
‘Doesn’t all this security bother you though?’ Jason asked.
‘You get used to it after a while – learn where the hidden cameras are and talk quietly around the ones with microphones and all that.’
‘It sounds like a nightmare.’ Jason said.
‘Well we need to keep the brewery secrets… secret, don’t we? There are loads of companies who want to find out what makes our beer so popular and that could put everyone here out of a job.’
‘I suppose so.’ Jason said.
‘Besides,’ Tanya continued, glancing at the nearest camera, ‘it also helps to keep the village safe from the Drunken Abbot lot.’
Jason nodded. Did she know there was anything more to it than that? Would she feel happier knowing that all the security was to keep out something far worse than town thugs and industrial spies?
The pizza arrived and Jason started to cut Tanya a slice.
‘Oh no, this is the last thing I wanted,’ Tanya interrupted, stiffly.
‘It’s what we ordered…’ Jason began but his voice trailed off as he followed Tanya’s gaze down the street.
The creepy assistant caretaker, Morton and another nineteen or twenty year old lad were crossing the road towards them. Morton had swapped his dark blue work uniform for jeans and black, sleeveless vest. Both of them had their mean little eyes fixed on Tanya.
‘Who’s Morton’s little friend,’ Jason asked, stopping cutting the pizza but keeping hold of the wide bladed knife.
‘That’s Billy,’ Tanya whispered, ‘another caretaker. He’s just as rank as Morton.’
The two caretakers swaggered over and stopped right in front of their table. A low, flower-planted wall was all that stood between them.
Morton put one foot on the wall, crushing a bright yellow pansy and leant forward. He grinned, white, level teeth failing to hold back rancid tobacco-breath.
‘What you doing with this wimpy kid, Tanya? You could be with me.’
‘Go away Morton – you know I’m not interested.’ Tanya said, drawing back in her seat.
From the corner of his eye Jason saw other diners were turning around. He kept his focus on Morton and Billy.
‘You know, I think I’ll stay - I like the view.’ Morton ran his eyes over Tanya’s blouse.
‘Yeah,’ chipped in his mate, Billy, ‘I like the view as well.’
Jason had had enough. ‘Bugger off, Morton - Tanya doesn’t want you anywhere near her and nor do I. Go get a life.’
Morton and Billy both turned towards him. Morton clenched his fists, showing his sinewy forearms again. He leaned further forward, crushing more flowers underfoot. His breath really did stink. ‘Shut your mouth you skinny little…’
Jason didn’t give him time to finish. Snake quick, he slapped the pizza knife across Morton’s throat. Morton jumped back, his hands flying to his neck – they came away slimed in red.
‘You slashed me… I’m dying.’ Morton pressed his hands back to his throat while Billy frantically tried to pull them away to see the damage. People on the other tables were half out of their seats and staring; one man stood up and started folding a napkin into some sort of bandage.
Tanya stared at Jason open mouthed, shaking her head slowly.
Jason smiled, held up the pizza knife and mouthed ‘flat edge – it’s pizza sauce.’
Tanya took a moment to realise what he was saying then burst into a laugh. Jason grinned back.
The manager and two waiters rushed out to see what the noise was and Jason coolly asked ‘Could we have another knife please, this one has touched something… unpleasant?’
Morton realized there was no pain and no blood gushing out anywhere and stopped shouting. He pushed Billy’s hands away and pulled out a bit of melted cheese from his lank, greasy hair.
One by one, people at the tables grasped what had happened and returned to their meals with more than a few sniggers. The man with the napkin sat down, quickly laying the cloth back across his lap. The manager ushered the waiters back inside, handing one of them Jason’s pizza knife. He stayed on the terrace however, watching.
Morton stared at Jason. ‘You’ll pay for that, you little prick.’
Jason looked back coolly. In a quiet voice he said ‘Just think if I’d decided to turn the blade a little, Morton… think very hard about it.’
Morton’s face screwed up but he didn’t come any closer.
The manager started to walk down the steps to the pavement. ‘Get out of here, Morton Locker, or securit
y will be paying you a call this evening… I’m sure your father wouldn’t thank you for that now, would he?’
Morton stared balefully at the manager for a moment then spat and slouched off.
The new pizza knife arrived and Jason began serving again.
‘Wow, how did you do that,’ Tanya asked, ‘it was almost like Fast Eddie?’
Jason kept his eyes down, concentrating on the pizza. ‘Uh – my dad. It’s part of a martial art thing he teaches me and my sister – he calls it flick fighting… it’s all about just touching pressure points and stuff.’
‘Whatever it’s called, it certainly got rid of that creep.’
‘Well you’d better keep me around to protect you,’ Jason said, cringing inside the moment he said it. This girl was turning his brain to mush.
Tanya rubbed one foot up and down his leg under the tablecloth. ‘You do make me feel all sort of safe… although…’
‘Although…?’ Jason asked
‘Well if you were in the Brash that probably wouldn’t have happened at all.’
‘But you are in the Brash and they still bothered us,’ Jason answered.
‘I’m not really,’ Tanya paused for a moment, ‘I’m just sort of associated with them. I don’t do any training or anything.’
Jason put his cutlery down – he didn’t feel particularly hungry any more. ‘Are you just here to persuade me to join the Brash or something?’
Tanya glanced at the security camera. ‘I’m supposed to talk to you about it, yes.’
‘And that’s the only reason you came out with me?’
‘To start with but… well you’re really nice and we’re sort of hitting it off aren’t we?’ She slid one hand over the table to rest on his.
Jason grunted but didn’t move his hand away. This wasn’t exactly a surprise and at least Tanya was being honest with him.
‘Well, I don’t know if I want to get involved in this whole gang thing,’ Jason said. ‘I mean, Eddie seems like a nice guy and I really want to get some training but I don’t want somebody telling me who to fight in the Pit so they can win a few bets and ordering me around all the time.’