Book Read Free

Fall of the Cities_Branching Out

Page 41

by Vance Huxley


  “Cripes, don’t spread that idea. He’ll be in permanent hiding or too knackered to spank any scroats that need it.” Liz turned towards the door, then chuckled. “I’m not going to tell anyone, not until after Valentine’s. There’s a book on if you pair end up walking home together, and where you end up. I’ll make a killing.” Fergie and Harold watched her go, both wearing big smiles.

  “Ow.”

  “You said to strike while my opponent is distracted.”

  Harold shook his head. “I’m not sure you need any lessons for that.” They both set themselves, wooden machetes and sticks poised. “Ready?”

  * * *

  Doll wasn’t up to machete practice yet, but she felt much better by Valentine’s. Doll insisted on coming to the dance, wearing her Stetson and boots, but bowed out of any competition this time. The Barbie doc had warned her to take it easy because although Doll’s lung had healed well enough to be up and about, she hadn’t to strain it yet. Lenny blushed when Doll announced that the first time she strained herself, he would be the lucky boy. Then he had to suffer the teasing when Doll explained she only meant a dance, though if the dance went well?

  Liz wore a big smile when Stewart Baumber walked Fergie home because the fifty-eight-year-old ex-caretaker would definitely be a safe escort. Harold walked Louise to her home, not Fergie’s. By now everyone had worked out that men didn’t float Louise’s boat, but at least one Barbie Girl did. Though how the quiet thirty-one-year-old graphics designer had managed to land the exotic, flamboyant Chandra, or the other way round, kept speculation alive. The gossip radar did go on alert when Celine agreed to Roy walking her home. Celine swore Roy wasn’t in any danger, or not until her skirt hem strayed a lot higher, at least above her knees.

  Somehow having Doll back, teasing at least one man, cheered everyone up. They had felt better after the General had his nose bloodied, the high spirits persisting through January even while the food at the marts grew less and less. The new refugees were particularly happy about the number of Bloods who died. The newcomers were rapidly being absorbed, and had already been infected with the cripes. Now some were experimenting with all and any gods, dressing up and competing at the dances, or finding new gnome names for their new hats. A few joined in learning new ways of using a machete, and how an iron bar could make them much more dangerous.

  The proof that their fighters really were dangerous meant many residents began to feel more secure. The neighbours were finally starting to treat Orchard Close as a true enclave, a force to be reckoned with. Some of the guards on the gate even started to swagger, just a bit in front of the visitors. Harold suggested stopping them, but his advisors reckoned the gangsters expected that from real fighters and would actually respect Orchard Close more. Harold knew hand-to-hand would be much worse than defending from cover, and concentrated on making sure the fighters could back their swagger up if the worst happened. The rest were enjoying the peace, but Soldier Boy didn’t expect that to last.

  CHARACTERS IN BRANCHING OUT

  ORCHARD CLOSE ENCLAVE

  Harold (Harry) Miller - 22 - ex Corporal pay clerk with CGC Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

  Abigail - 24 - refugee from the north

  Alfie - 17 - Probable orphan since his Mum disappeared. Living with Betty.

  Alicia - 23 - Small dumpy woman from the original flats.

  Barry - 63 - Ex firefighter - ran from Geeks with granddaughters - designs bombs

  Bernie - 28 - original resident - Bomb maker (under instruction)

  Berry - 18 - daughter of Nigel. Taller, stronger, and also a brewer.

  Bess - 21 - Ex- girlfriend of gangster, now Matthew’s gartered wench

  Betty - 61 - Oldest woman - an original resident

  Billy - 18 - original resident of flats

  Casper - 22 - big well-muscled gay man who becomes Harry’s friend

  Celine - 27 - from burned flats - slim redhead. Shy - rape victim.

  Christopher - 29 - refugee from north - Gnome on the Range

  Conn - 24 - short slim man, prematurely bald

  Curtis - 26 - original from flats, short and stout, amateur gardener

  Daisy - 6 - Harold’s niece

  Doll - Dolly - 21 - Barry’s eldest grand daughter

  Elizabeth - 36 - from north - Pricilla’s mum

  Emmy - 23 - Jamaican - tall, well-built woman, from burned flats, Curtis’ gartered wench

  Faith - 37 - short, stout, light brown hair. Her son Toby died defending Orchard Close

  Finn - 50 - Electrician, original from flats

  Gayle - 20 - Dental trainee and now Orchard Close anaesthetist

  Georgina - 9 - Zach and Olive’s daughter

  Hazel - 16 - orphan, from burned flats

  Hilda - 43 - ex clerical worker, loves collating lists, original from flats

  Isiah - 36 - reclusive - redundant telephone engineer, original from flats

  Janine - 36 - Laundry assistant.

  Jeremy - 20- from north

  Jilli - 14 - Jillian - bought in trade

  Joey - 8 - Pippa and Robert’s son

  John’s Pat - 37 - from north - Philip’s mum

  June - 39 - looks early twenties at first - ex-trophy wife.

  Kerry - 34 - Shy - Isiah’s wife - seamstress and sold embroidery, original from flats

  Lenny - 27 - Nearly qualified paramedic

  Lillian - 21 - tall overweight woman who moves in with Conn

  Liz - 23 - 5’ 11”, arts and crafts in iron and bronze - now the smith, original from flats

  Louie - 20 - Fleeing from north

  Louise - 31 - quiet - small time graphic designer on internet, original from flats

  Matthew - 26 - red haired ex Traffic Warden.

  Matti - Matracia - 19 - Barry’s younger granddaughter.

  Nigel - 43 - brewer, widower

  Olive - 31 - part-time cleaner - Zach’s wife, Georgina’s Mum, original from flats

  Patricia Elliot - 28 - Trainee nurse. From burned flats

  Pat’s John - 38 - from north

  Patty - 26 - demon knitter who wants to have a crossbow

  Phillip - 19 - from north - John’s Pat’s son - No Place like Gnome

  Pippa - 27 - Genius baker

  Pricilla - 13 - from north - Elizabeth’s daughter

  Rob - 38 - divorced - Short and portly Plumber, original from flats

  Robert - 28 - Pippa’s husband

  Rory - 3 - Abigail’s son

  Sal - 28 - blonde woman - original resident

  Seth - 24 - trainee brewer - original resident

  Sharyn - 27 - Harold’s sister - widowed

  Stewart Baumber - 58 - caretaker, original from flats.

  Sukie - 6 - Suzie’s daughter.

  Susan - 33 - divorcee, original from flats

  Suzie - 23 - Sukie’s single Mum - her sister died in fighting - Asian

  Tim - 24 - Refugee with nothing but his fiancée, Toyah

  Toyah - 21 - Refugee with nothing but Tim

  Umeko - 18 - Asian girl rescued from Geeks brothel

  Veronica - 16 - quiet - daughter of Isiah and Kerry

  Violet - Abigail’s baby girl

  Wills - 4 - Harold’s nephew

  Zach - 34 - ex-office manager, original from flats

  94 residents - January Year 3

  Bethany - 21 - Gnome Sweet Gnome

  Charlie - 32 - home appliance (washing machine) repair man. refugee from General

  Chris - 28 - fighter with Roy, refugee from General

  Theo - fighter with Roy, refugee from General

  Fergie - 20 - From ? - Wants to learn to fight - joins knicker competition

  George - 43 - rabbit breeder. Maryam’s hubby - refugee from General

  Maryam - 41 - rabbit breeder. George’s wife - refugee from General

  Max - fighter refugee from General

  Nathan - fighter refugee from General

  Rabbit Bob - 35 - Rabbit breeder with buck Rocket Man - refugee from
General

  Roy - 31 - fighter who has already been driven from his home by the General - twice

  Stu - 28 - fighter with Roy, refugee from General

  Tilly - 18 - refugee from ? - ‘Omeless Gnome-lass’

  Wade - 23 - refugee from? - amateur carpenter

  William - 27 - amateur mechanic - refugee from General

  46 arrivals fleeing General, including Roy’s five, and four escaped fighters

  22 other refugees

  Less two dead and Curtis

  159 residents - March Year 4

  1 acre and can theoretically feed 8 people if the meat is from elsewhere. Potatoes are a very good crop - food value vs space

  Orchard Close fields are now 51 acres. More acres to be added at each end, plus all the gardens inside the walls. Will grow enough for at least 200 despite being inefficient.

  OTHERS

  The Bunker – UK cell of global cabal

  Owen - Chairman

  Boris – small slim dark-haired man - Foreign Office

  Faraz – RAF liaison

  Gerard - Youngest of the dozen cabal leaders - transport incl. distribution of food

  Grace - tall spare grey-haired aristocratic woman dealing with work camps

  Henry - Portly man with thick black hair and beard in charge of farms

  Irina - slightly obese woman with short black hair. Ex prison officer, in charge of brothels

  Ivy - Stout middle-aged redhead in charge of food preparation and sale

  Joshua - Army liaison. Spare, balding man

  Keris – Falklands operation

  Maurice – Spymaster. Bland, unassuming, mousy-haired and medium size and build.

  Vanna - tall Asian woman dealing with special facilities and private military forces

  Victor – Navy liaison

  IN THE CITY

  Hot Rods – ex car thieves - gang to the south of Orchard Close - wear overalls as uniform

  Cadillac - gang boss

  Big Mac - 7 foot bodyguard - named after trucks

  Bugatti - senior gang member

  Cooper - short for Mini Cooper - second in command

  Charger - senior gang member

  Chevy - senior gang member

  Dodge - senior gang member

  E-Type - senior gang member

  Porsche - senior gang member

  Samuel - man with shotgun, loses a finger when Harold shoots him

  Mercedes - only female who is a gang member with car name

  GOFS - Gods of Fire and Steel - gang to the west

  Gofannon - gang boss, has a genuine pre-Crash sword

  Vulcan - senior gang member - warchief

  Wayland - gang blacksmith

  Hephaestus - Heff - senior gang member

  Ogou - senior gang member

  Cy – Gofs soldier

  Geek Freeks - ex- shop assistants - gang to the north – wear smocks with name badges

  Hawkins - gang boss - senior manager

  Darwin - manager - (senior gang member) Amateur gardener

  Einstein - manager - collects rents and women

  Galileo - manager - builds crossbows and other weapons

  Marconi - manager, builds field telephone and repairs some radios

  Nobel - manager - chemistry student

  Tell - aka William Tell - gang bowyer & archer

  Wellington - manager - warchief

  Ly Thien or Thien - young Vietnamese woman now Wellington’s companion

  Mathias - Geek soldier

  Barbie Girls - all-female gang beyond GOFS - based in ‘Beth’s’ shopping mall, leaders wear blonde wigs and are named after dolls

  Malibu - Senior Barbie leader wears twinset and pearls, and a machete

  Christie - Senior Barbie leader - African ethnicity

  Ken - Senior Barbie leader - Large and dresses as a man - warchief

  Chandra - Asian Barbie in ‘dress’ slit right up both sides

  Splash - Staffy X sold to a Barbie

  Ferdinands - based in American Football stadium - heavily influenced by Mad Max films

  Bull - leader - overweight - a bad look with skin tight pants.

  Snoop - coach (lieutenant) - big muscular black youth

  Slash - coach

  Trainspotters - border the city centre exclusion zone. Wear anoraks

  Franco - leader with red dreadlocks

  Bloodsuckers - Bloods - Mixed race gang, notoriously savage assault fighters for General.

  The Generals - Gang to the north-west

  The General - Leader - champion strategic games player

  Patton - bosses the bloodsuckers, the Bloods

  MIB - Men in Black - Ex city trader trainees. Wear black suits and shades. Near city centre

  Branson - Leader

  Jones - senior MiB

  Scrooge - senior MiB

  Professors - mixed race and mixed sex leaders - allegedly from University

  Prof - Leader - old professor in a suit and robe

  Celeste - Dance teacher

  Bargees - have steel houseboats - surrounded by old canals. Sell fish

  Skipper - gang leader

  Smiley - senior member

  Goldie - fighter

  SIMs - mixed sex commune, - use wicked short-range rockets keep others at bay.

  Bert, Julie, Maisie and Stevie - fighters

  Baggies - ex-football fans. wear black and white stripes. Based south of TesdaMart

  Boing - leader

  Throstle - a senior gang member

  Murphies - wear a shamrock - gang west of Caddi

  Paddy - leader

  Precinct 19 - enclave led by ex-police - West of M5 Motorway - use shortened ID numbers

  Sarge - No. 33 - retired police sergeant - now the leader

  Sergeant Koos - No. 15 - senior fighter, ex police firearms squad

  David - No. 613 - constable leading a squad of ten

  Javed - No. 229 - constable leading a squad of ten

  Simeon - No. 814 - constable leading a squad of ten

  Benny - No. 518 - marksman

  Samuel - No. 277 - marksman

  Sue - Sarge’s granddaughter

  Sinners - London gang controlling school playing fields, based in a library

  Sinner - gang leader

  Nita - senior gang member

  Preacher - leads nearby enclave

  Kermit - leads nearby gang

  Imam - Zaid - leads nearby enclave

  Hans - leads nearby gang

  This ends Book Three of

  The Fall of the Cities.

  Find out what happens next!

  Book 4

  A Mercedes for Soldier Boy

  will be available soon!

  VANCE HUXLEY

  Vance Huxley lives out in the countryside in Lincolnshire, England. He has spent a busy life working in many different fields – including the building and rail industries, as a workshop manager, trouble-shooter for an engineering firm, accountancy, cafe proprietor, and graphic artist. He also spent time in other jobs, and is proud of never being dismissed, and only once made redundant.

  Eventually he found his Noeline, but unfortunately she died much too young. To help with the aftermath, Vance tried writing though without any real structure. As an editor and beta readers explained the difference between words and books, he tried again.

  Now he tries to type as often as possible in spite of the assistance of his cats, since his legs no longer work well enough to allow anything more strenuous. An avid reader of sci-fi, fantasy and adventure novels, his writing tends towards those genres.

 

 

 
yscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share



‹ Prev