Underwood

by Colin Griffiths

  Tony Griffiths was day dreaming as he sat drinking his beer, as he very often did so at night, the effects of the beer would eventually allow him to have a restless sleep, as it did most nights but it was better than no sleep at all, now he was watching the new resident approach his car lot, he seemed to be angry at something , he grinned as he watched the man shaking the gate, he could see the rage building up inside the man, he got out of his chair slowly, purposely, laying his beer beside his chair, he walked over to the gate with long steps, Peter saw him coming, both men now faced each other with the iron 6ft gate between them.

  ‘That’s my fucking car’ Peter shouted, pointing to the Avensis in the yard, Tony grinned,

  ‘So it is’ Tony said, still grinning.

  This angered Peter even more, ‘You got no right to sell it, it’s not even yours’ he screamed, ‘it’s worth a lot more than that’ he added, ‘I paid a fucking fortune for it’

  At which Tony burst out laughing and couldn’t speak for a few moments, money had no meaning to Tony, he had no idea how much the car was worth, nor did he care, Peter just calmed a little and stood watching the man laugh,

  ‘What price do you want me to put on it’ said Tony through the giggles, ‘and I tell you what, whatever I get I’ll give to you’ his laugh turned into a grin,

  Peter now realising how daft the situation really was, took a deep breath, he was in control of his emotions once more,

  ‘I just want the keys’

  ‘if I let you in and give you the keys are you going to do anything stupid’ Peter just shook his head and Tony opened the gates, Peter walked in cautiously, even though he could see all around the yard, wondering why a Town that does not allow cars had a car lot, the car lot was full of vehicles.

  Tony walked to the workshop at the back, Peter followed, looking around all the time, as if someone or something was going to appear from nowhere, he was on edge and anxious, then he realised he had been ever since he had arrived in Underwood, this was the same bloke who helped him escape punishment, now why was he stealing his car.

  ‘Here’ Tony said, throwing him the keys, Peter caught them and looked at them in his hand as if they were forbidden fruit, his eyes went from the keys to Tony, back and forth as if he was expecting one of them to change.

  ‘You’re not gonna stop me’ he said,

  ‘I’m just the mechanic, anyway that things way over my head, I didn’t know they made cars like that’ he laughed as he said it,

  ‘I could do you a deal on a Capri’ Tony added, tears came to his eyes from his own laughter, Peter didn’t respond, he found it strange, could not see the joke, the car lot owner seemed as mad as a hatter, and still Tony laughed.

  Peter walked slowly over to the car, Tony watched him as he did so, Peter kept turning around to check on him as he walked, the gates were still open, he could just drive out, pick up his family and drive ‘where will I go’ he asked himself ‘I got in here, I’ll get out’ he grew excited, his heart began to race, having his car back, would give him a sense of normality, maybe even an escape route.

  He got into the Avensis, put the key in the ignition and turned the key, there was nothing, Tony just looked on with a grin on his face, he watched Peter get out of the car, open the bonnet and then slam it straight shut, he walked briskly towards Tony as if he meant business, Tony was now sat down with a beer in his hand,

  ‘Where’s the fucking engine gone’

  ‘Tony burst out laughing again, he hadn’t laughed so much in years, ‘Grab a chair and get a beer’

  Peter did.

  Philip Lenan watched from the distance, eyeing the activities of the two men, he puffed on his cigarette and threw the dog end on the floor ‘it will give the cleaner something to do ‘ he thought, Philip very often went out at night, a creature such as he would find no need to sleep, at least not until his creator did, he would often patrol the streets, looking through windows, trying to remember the names of the family’s that lived in the houses, trying to think up more rules, trying to find someone committing crimes so he could administer the punishment, trying to think of a suitable ending for Underwood ‘but that’s not my job’ he told himself.

  There were very few people on the streets this time of night, except the occasional drinker walking home from the pub, should they see Philip on their way home, they would change direction and find another way home.

  The street lights would be off soon, then the town would be lit up by the moon only, and the tree’s would dance as the creature walked through them, the two men he was watching were laughing now, he didn’t like that, not that he didn’t want people to be happy in Underwood, he did, that was his goal, that and to feed the trees, but to many happy people made for a boring existence, there had to be rules and sacrifices to make people understand how lucky they were.

  He didn’t like the confidence of the man he looked at, he didn’t like the friendship that those two created, he stroked his chin, he needed a shave, soon he would have to go home and have one, he stood and stared at the two men for a while, before walking to Woodland road, where Allan Herapath lived, he needed a shave, he couldn’t be seen looking like this.

  ‘How long have you lived here’ Nathan asked Samuel, they were in his bedroom at no.13, a single bed and furniture, no toys adorned the room, no pictures on the wall, except the ones that Samuel had drawn himself, Nathan thought it looked nothing like his own bedroom at home, that was full of games and TV’s, PlayStation, his walls was full of posters, no this didn’t look like a bedroom at all, not a boys bedroom

  ‘Samuels mind drifted back, he knew how long he had lived here, but the question had brought back memories, the memories he didn’t want, the ones that wouldn’t go away, they both had paper and pencils the only activity they could find to do, there was a few board games, Ludo and snakes and ladders, but Samuel was fed up of them, his sister had taught him a paper game.

  ‘I was born here’ he eventually answered ‘anyway it’s your turn’

  Nathan took the paper off Samuel and drew an x in the box, ‘I win’ he said,

  Samuel threw the paper across the room ‘silly game, Rebecca always beats me’

  ‘Where’s your dad’ asked Nathan,

  ‘Why all the questions’ Samuel shot back at him, he raised his voice and Nathan noticed his fists clenching, he grew a little nervous, Nathan didn’t like violence, he didn’t understand at that time why his new friend had got so angry,

  ‘I’m just trying to be friendly’ he told him,

  Samuel sat on the bed, his anger seemingly gone or at least calmed, but Nathan noticed his eyes still held it, that or the eyes of pain,

  ‘They killed him when he tried to stop my mum having their babies’

  Nathan seen the tears on his cheeks, shocked at the answer, wishing he hadn’t asked.

  ‘That’s what I am’ he added ‘one of their babies, so is my sister’ he was fighting not to cry, tears trickled down but he held his composure, Nathan didn’t ask any more questions, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answers now, he just sat on the end of the bed, he wanted to put his arm around Samuel, but it didn’t seem the right thing to do,

  ‘They took 3 babies away’ Samuel continued, ‘into the woods’

  Nathans heart went into his mouth, then he done something he didn’t want to do, he put his arm around Samuels shoulder,

  ‘I’m sorry for asking, he paused looking for a way to take the tension out of the conversation,

  ‘We had fun today didn’t we?’

  ‘Yes but it won’t last’

  Nathan had a look of confusion on his face,

  ‘Why?’ he asked, not really wanting an answer,

  ‘Soon it will be my sister and mum says she’s not going to let it happen’

  His words chilled him to the bone as he took his arm away from Samuel, and as he thought of his sister, he needed a shoulder to cry on, he didn’t want to be the shoulder that someone else cried on.

&
nbsp; ‘Let’s sneak out’ he said ‘see what’s in the woods’

  Lily and Ivy were sat on the outside patio, it was still pleasantly warm, Lily had been showing Ivy her tablet, but the battery had faded and Ivy wasn’t really comprehending what she was saying, as Lily tried to explain the technology, Lily wondered how Ivy could be so beautiful and clever, living in a place like this, but all her knowledge was historical, and Lily realised she knew nothing of the modern world.

  They sat and talked for ages, Lily telling Ivy what the outside world was like, and Ivy’s eyes lit up as she did so, it was hard for Lily trying to explain to someone who was still living in the 1970’s, and the town she lived in was all that she knew, it was difficult to tell her how the world had changed, when the only world she knew was Underwood, Ivy was still fascinated even though she didn’t understand it all, and asked loads of questions, the only things she knew about were from the books she read that came from the library, she knew the history of Underwood and the prison of war camp, she told Lily that at one time she thought that Underwood was all there was on earth, until rumours started that someone had come in from the outside, now she’s met her,

  ‘It gives me hope now that I know there’s somewhere else’ she told Lily, her eyes were still wide as she looked for Lily for assurance,

  Lily tried to comprehend how it had been for Ivy living in her own little world, she was having difficulty doing so,

  Lily pointed to the sky, Ivy looked up,

  ‘Where I came from the skies at night will be full of planes, taking people on their holidays, to beautiful places across the world’ she withdrew her stare and gazed at her new friend ‘one day’ she added ‘ you and I will be on one of those planes, Ivy smiled and took her hand,

  ‘I haven’t got long she told her’

  Lily could see the sadness in her eyes,

  ‘I know, and if by then my father hasn’t found a way out, I will run with you, we will hide, I’ll not let them get you, the two girls hugged, Ivy leaned back in her lounger looking at the stars, trying to see if she could see a plane, there were no planes,

  ‘I might sleep under the stars tonight’ she said,

  Lily lay back in her lounger, leaned over and took Ivy’s hand,

  ‘That’s a great idea’ she said.

  Tony and Peter sat drinking outside the car lot, they smoked a cigarette and stood staring into nothing, earlier on Peter had checked some of the others cars, none of them had an engine, the engines were all piled up behind the car lot, both men at this moment were deep in thought, Tony thinking about his lost wife and Peter’s mind racing about all sorts of things, but all his thoughts would end up on how to get out of Underwood.

  ‘The beers is good’ Peter said looking straight ahead, Tony drank what was left in his bottle, went to the fridge and got two more, he handed one to Peter,

  ‘Beer and cigarettes’ what more can a man want’ he replied, there was cynicism in his words.

  ‘There was a moments silence as they both pondered the question,

  ‘What is this place Tony’ Peter asked

  ‘It’s a place stuck in time’ he answered ‘you’ve gone back in time 40 years’,

  ‘How do you mean he asked?’

  Tony thought long and hard ‘This is how Underwood was 40 years ago, it hasn’t changed, just less people’ he paused thinking about his wife ‘ it’s stuck in some time warp, I don’t really know, there was an explosion, the steelworks we think, the whole town rattled, then it had changed’

  ‘What do you mean changed?’

  Tony leaned forward in his deckchair ‘see that’ he said, pointing to the landscape ‘that wasn’t there last week’

  Peter looked at Tony, their eyes locked,

  Tony continued ‘Every time there is a storm, the landscape changes, and sometimes, just like you, new people arrive, and the shelves are full, and the fields are growing and the whole place just becomes more fucked up’ he spat out the last words,

  ‘The three that run it, can’t they be taken down’ Peter asked, it seemed such a logical question,

  Tony laughed, but it wasn’t a joyous laugh, it was a laugh full of sarcasm and pain,

  ‘The three people don’t run the place, it’s what’s in the woods that runs the place’

  ‘So we take them down first’

  ‘You don’t get it do you’

  Peter stood defiant, looking at the woods surrounding the estate, ‘We take them three down, and then we burn the fucking woods’

  Tony stood beside him, both men had a beer bottle in their hand, Peter spoke again

  ‘You’re the only person I have met who’s not terrified of this place’

  Tony pondered the question, ‘it’s not fear it’s hate, I’m not scared of dying if it’s for a cause’

  ‘And what would the cause be’ Tony’s answer was quick as if he knew the question was coming,

  ‘To burn it to the ground, just like you said, I want to destroy this fucking place,’

  ‘Will you help me save my family’ asked Peter,

  Tony could see the desperation in his eyes, he had seen it many times before, he guessed he had the same look in his own eyes, he liked the guy that he was speaking to, he just didn’t get how this place works, how Underwood operates.

  ‘To get out of here you have got to understand how you got in’ Tony replied ‘are you scared of dying Peter’

  ‘Not if it’s for a cause’ he smiled as he said it,

  ‘Well I have a theory, do you want to hear it’

  ‘Of course I do’

  So Tony grabbed two more beers and told him.

  ‘Come on ladies it’s almost midnight, I want to go to bed, said Craig, he was talking to the only two people left in the pub, Sue Bradshaw and June Murphy, who tonight just like every other night had been drowning their sorrows in Underwood’s finest home-made wine,

  Sue went to stand up and flopped back into her seat ‘oops’ she said, a cigarette drooped from the corner of her mouth.

  Craig held his hand out and pulled her up, Sue put her hands around his neck as she stood, in a moment of affection and to gain her balance.

  ‘I do love you Craigy’ she told him, they both laughed as she released him,

  ‘Come on you piss ed’ said June and took her sisters arm’

  ‘Goodnight ladies’ said Craig, with a big smile on his face, the girls acknowledged him with smiles and waves as they walked out into the night and into the pub car park.

  Sue tried to pull her arm away ‘I don’t need you to hold me up’ she told her sister’

  ‘No but I need you to hold me up’ she laughed.

  June Murphy had never lived in Underwood before it changed, she was simply visiting her sister, as she often did June would come and spend the night with Sue, they would go up to the then , Underwood social club, grab a takeaway and back home to talk about the good times.

  June had never seen her husband again, she wasn’t sure what had happened, like so many others in Underwood, they had gone to bed that night, the worse for wear from the lagers and the wine, young pretty sisters, they woke up the next day and things had changed, the view had changed, either Underwood had left the world it stood in, or the world had left it, they never knew, thankful that they at least had each other.

  Sue and June had made a pact, when they both thought that they had enough, they would hand in hand walk into the woods, they knew you never come out and more and likely died, but maybe there was something else beyond the woods, maybe there was life and the world that somehow got left behind, one day they would find out, when they both have had enough.

  Tonight would be no different, tonight could be the night, but they both doubted that, as time goes by and the wine numbs the brain, memories fade, they had each other, for now that would be good enough, until they woke up the next morning, did the same thing, drunk the same wine, and walked home thinking that tonight may be the night.

  They linked arms, the ge
ntle breeze pleasing against their faces, the moon shone, June was thinking of the bottle of wine cooling in the fridge for when they got home to Willow, it was a routine they had followed most nights,

  ‘Which way tonight’ asked June, Sue gave it some thought, it confused her with the landscape changing all of the time, mixed in with the wine it wasn’t a good question to ask,

  ‘Let’s walk to the bottom of Hawthorne, I think there’s trees there now’

  ‘There’s trees every fucking where’ groaned June.

  It took them ten minutes to get there and sure enough just as they suspected, there were trees, Sue was sure last week there was a field before the trees, but it didn’t matter, tonight it was trees, and as they did every night they stood looking at the trees, 20 metres from the woods edge, both wondering whether the woods would lead to freedom or to something much worse, they stood side by side staring, memories came flooding back for both girls, good memories that were starting to fade and it was taking all that they could do to hold onto them.