Harmonies Journey

By S L L Evans



“Shoot for fuck sake, SHOOT!” screamed a tall dark menacing figure crouched close next to Jacob

Jacob laid flat to the ground, his heart bouncing him relentlessly off the sandy floor as it began to beat faster with every passing second. The sight he was looking through trembled, his hand unable to steady the large metallic weapon he was struggling to hold.

“Shoot!”

“I can’t see you pissing bastard, there’s so much fucking sand in me eyes,” bellowed Jacob back to his associate as he laid shaking on the baking white desert floor whilst the ground exploded around him with every incoming missile shell.

The man next to Jacob rapidly put down his weapon and grabbed the young small lad about the shoulders

“I know he’s your friend, I know but we are doomed if he escapes, every last one of us are going to die and continue to do so for eternity”

The man released Jacob with a thump and quickly took hold of his anti fire and began his thunderous shooting again.

“You have to do this, you Jacob, you………………..NOW FUCKING FIRE!”

“ARGGGGGGHHHHH!” cried Jacob as he pulled back his trigger

White flares of light erupted from his weapons cannon and illuminated the sky brighter as they journeyed miles across the barren land.

Miller crashed to the floor as radiance beams whistled passed close by, only inches from killing him.

Jacob saw his best friends face paralysed with terror, terror earned only by himself but his heart was broken, his eyes fixated on his greatest friend until his tears blotted every thing and then all turned black.

The last flashes of imageries that Jacob saw were two grand crafts fly overhead quickly before hitting the ground in a ball of rolling flames…

Chapter 1: The hand fate deals us

As Jacob dream dissolved another one quickly replaced it, one more familiar yet far more frightening. At first he felt completely calm, it seemed all that had worried him in his daily life slipped its way into his night thoughts also.

Often Jacob dreams consisted of him looking upon himself in metaphors that reflected his waking existence. In his imaginings tonight, as they were every night, he saw his small self-running through gauntlets of beasts and monsters trying to get hold of him and hurt him. No matter where he went and how hard he tried to escape those demons of the night, they always got to him, always, as did the evils of real life often did too.

The dreams were often the same as the day, eternal conflicts between himself and whoever it seemed he had to stop doing wrong.

In the bar Jacob ran they were the drunks who tried to hurt others and in his nightmares they were the wickedness that tried to conquer over good. Whatever or wherever, Jacob always found himself in the middle.

As Jacob slept, anyone who looked at his soft gentle, yet bruised face would always see an ounce of pain, this was also true if you were to see him awake and well.
To look into his eyes during the day you would see them strained beyond his years, however to look at him as a whole you would see a slim youthful man who did not seem made for a life of fighting, by no means did he look like a soldier. You would never expect him to be the person to wave into a fight between giant men and break them up but he does, often. Like often Jacob finds himself standing against the likes of Keller the drunken oddity, where Keller easily clears 6ft tall, Jacob stands little more than 5ft 5.

Occasionally his dreams vary a little and he does not always find demons scratching at his feet in the fires of hell but he dreams of what could have been. Countless things in Jacobs’s life that may have been for the better but like his dreams, always fell short of the better. Many of the decisions and events in Jacobs’s earlier life contribute to how he lives now.

Jacob has been working behind his fathers' bars since he was pre sixteen. When he was legally old enough he had already taken on a great deal of the families business and then took almost sole control by the age of eighteen.

Public houses were the family business, Jacobs grandfather Mickey was a publican, so were his uncles and it seemed destined for him to be one too and so when Jacob was old enough to work, he did, fully believing he was following the only path for him to do so. Joseph, Jacobs father in the mean time took full advantage of his sons keenness and started to complain that it was due time his son take charge of the business since he had started to feel old and complained that the stress of the pub life has aged him badly. He uses these excuses mainly to defend why he slouches about in bed all day watching the films he buys and neglecting to deal with the important aspects of the day and the managing of his dealings.

Jacob was never sure whether this was due to sheer laziness or something else, his father sometimes looked incredibly sad but they were not the type of family to talk openly about their feelings so he always remained a closed book and this remained an annoying mystery to him.

His mother had died just before his family was due to move to the south from the city to start their new happy lives but sadly she had a terminal disease for quite some years and so the move was really just to make her cheerful. The fact that she never was able to make the journey to her dream home was always a heavy weight on the hearts of the whole family and once she was gone the family slowly fell apart as if she was the only thread that held the seams together.

Luckily Jacob could always rely on his ‘more brother than friend’ mate Miller to help him through his darkest times but maybe that help would not be needed for much longer, Jacob was leaving the business and town and going home

THE FOLLOWING IS UNEDITED AND WILL CHANGE IN STRUCTURE, GRAMMER AND STYLE BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR OPINION ON WHAT YOU THINK OF THE CONTINUING STORY. THANK YOU

‘Rise and shine’ said Miller with a hint of zest as he hit Jacob over the head with a rolled up newspaper.
‘Ay?’ said a slighted dazed and confused Jacob ‘what time is it?’
‘Time you got up mate’ Miller said as he looked at Jacob still lazed out across his sofa ‘its almost six already and your not even packed yet have ya!. Like I told ya yesterday, I wanted to be on the road by this time, otherwise we’re gonna hit major traffic on the motorway!’
‘Shite… it’s six? I only got to sleep bout half an hour ago’ Jacob said while protecting his eyes from the room light loom
‘Well that’s your own bloody fault isn’t it, now get up and dressed!’ said Miller as he pulled the blanket off Jacob
‘Oi! Its bleeding cold’ shouted Jacob
‘Well get your self ready and you’ll be warmed up won’t ya’ replied Miller as he hit Jacob once again with the paper for his own amusement before leaving the room to kiss Patsy goodbye.

Jacob slowly sat up right, stretched out his arms and began a lengthy yawn. His thoughts were still plagued with what was the right thing to do but time was short so he quickly set about collecting his possessions and shoving them into his bags. When his belongings were packed, (more likely stuffed) he sat back down and waited for Miller to finish his long departure speech to beloved Patsy. His hair was a mess so he wore a hat, for the reason that he could not be concerned with combing his knotted locks at such a ridiculous time in the morning. Jacob put on his secret pair of glasses since he thought it was excessively early to even think about putting his contacts in his tired red weary eyes.
Five minutes past and Miller must have still been saying goodbye to his beloved but it was five minutes too long and already Jacob had began to nod his head to the ticking of the matle piece clock, his mind heavily filled with guilt but his eyes heavy with sleep, his last thoughts being of his final night in Paradise lost.

Chapter 2: The Night before

‘You alwright mate then?’ said Paddy to Jacob as he tried to break the awkward silence.
‘What? Oh, yeah I’m fine, just thinking, you know’ replied Jacob seeming not wanting to talk at all.
It was a clear blue delightful Sunday evening and Jacob, Paddy, Miller and Millers girlfriend Patsy were sitting outside a harbour side pub basking in the hot summer rays. Many other people were sitting outside enjoying their time in sun, laughing and joking as many do when the weather is quiet fine. Nevertheless, in the middle of the crowded beer garden Jacobs table of friends seems uncommonly quite and morose as they searched for things to say to their demoralized friend.
‘Did you watch that programme last night bout that new planet? They reckon there might be life on it’ said Paddy still trying his best
‘What?’ Said Miller ‘he couldn’t of, nor could you, we were all in the pub last night ya bleeding idiot, remember, that’s where I got this black eye from’, he said pointing to his ringed bruised eye
‘I was just trying to make conversation you curly hair___’ Jacob cut Paddy’s verbal response short by interrupting
‘Ay, you two stop arguing all the time; I said I am fine. I’m out of that place now and so if you don’t mind I don’t need be splitting you two up from ya continuing bickering!
‘Oh, sorry mate’ said Paddy
‘Yeah well... he should think mor___ (Miller notices Jacobs unimpressed glare), alwright, forget bout it, sorry’, said Miller.
‘So you know what your gonna do now?’ said Paddy to Jacob
‘Not sure, all been a bit sudden really. I know I said I’d do it but bloody hell I’ve actually done it now so... so.. Well I don’t know! I guess I’ll have to do what I said I’d do and go back the city’, said Jacob not being too sure himself let alone answer Paddy. ‘Why what do you think I should do?’
‘Don’t ask me’, said Paddy ‘I don’t think that far ahead, like at the moment right now, the furthest ahead I think is what crisps I should get with me next drink. Simply, that’s how I like thinks’
‘your simple you mean’ quipped Miller
‘Oi! Shut it curly top, I’m talking to J ere, not you’ said Paddy waving his finger at Miller. ‘Look I say, why complicate things? If you wanna go, go. And if you wanna stay then do so, but why get so stressed?’ said Paddy in his usual easy going way
‘It’s a whole load of stuff Pad’, said Jacob, ‘you know, I’m twenty-three and feel I haven’t lived a day just working all the time. This is how I see my life, right. Theirs millions of people in this world and a million people we don’t know. They mightn’t be alive for all it matters to us because we’re none the wiser of their existence right. I! Feel like that most of the time. Hardy anyone notices I exists so if I’m alive or not it doesn’t really matter!’ said Jacob quite sombrely as he peered into the bottom of his glass.
‘Ay mate don’t talk like that’ said Miller
‘Yeah, oi cheer up, you do what’s best’ said Paddy
‘But what’s that? Said Jacob
Yet again, they sat around the beer garden table looking quite despondent while everyone else bathed in the suns hot glow around them. Suddenly Miller found it his turn to help give his down friend some guidance.
‘You don’t have ta decide just yet mate, you know, you can stay with us for as long as ye like. No need to be rushing off in to things like. Stay round, think bout it all a bit’ said Miller to Jacob while all the time his girlfriend Patsy squeezing his hand under the table in protest at the thought of Jacob staying in their home for much longer. However, Miller just pulled his hand from hers and continued.
‘You need to think bout sum’ink as big as this J and rushing isn’t gonna make the whole situation better is it?’
Noticing Jacob was listening seriously, to what Miller had to say, Patsy (who had stayed relatively quiet up to now) decided it was her turn to join in on the lads conversation to make sure her home was not going to be invaded for much longer.
‘Look Matthew (Millers first name), if Jacob here wants to go back to the city to sort his problems out, we would not be good friends in making him stay and keeping him sad. I say Jacob, (now looking at him and not Miller) you go back, see what you want to do and maybe take that holiday you have been talking about. Just talking about it is never going to make it happen, go for it and have a majestic time’ said Patsy with much enthusiasm to the annoyance of her boyfriend Miller who was trying to get his best friend to stay. Patsy did in fact like Jacob a lot but often felt his close friendship with Miller often got in the way of her relationship, which she cherished very much.
Jacob nodded his head loosely but Patsy could tell by the expression in his face that he was not sold yet by what she had to say, so he continued determined to put her point across strongly.
‘Look here Mr Jacob Winall’, said Patsy who always did have a posh ay of speaking to people, ‘you cannot let life pass you by like this, stop nit picking! Everyday lately you moan life is unfair, well boo-hoo!
‘Patsy!’ said Miller in a stern voice
‘No Matthew this should be said. Frankly Jacob it is getting boring listening to you badger on about the misleading of life, you will not get no symphony from me until you actually go out and do something!’ said Patsy fervently
Jacob looked up from his glass rather astounded but nonetheless very engrossed in what Patsy had to say.
‘Listen to what I have to say. We all like you a lot Jacob but lately you just been bringing yourself down and so, us too and that is not going to do anyone a matter of good is it. You have to take charge of yourself, do things while you can’
At this point, everyone on the table were fixed and attentive to want she had to say, in fact the man on the next table had turned to listen.
‘Life and indeed youth Jacob is a cherish thing undeniably and you should not go about wasting it as yourself had said so. Youth is like that set of keys you leave on the self; lets say a key to open a wine box (using the wine box suggestion being the posh girl she was). Every day you see that key on the shelf and never give it a second thought. Then weeks, months and years pass and you think, I would like that wine now, I will just go get the key. However when you go to pick it off the shelf its gone, someone’s moved it and it been lost and so all the chances you had to drink that fine wine called life are gone and you will have to settle for something less or nothing at all’ finished Patsy looking somewhat pleased with herself.
Everyone looked dumbstruck as if pondering what she had just said; perhaps trying to figure out what she intended by it all, certainly the man on the next table was scratching his head. However, Jacob expression changed to a smile and a glimmer came into his eyes and the sun shone.

‘Your right ya know’ said Jacob to Patsy ‘I have spent too much time thinking haven’t I. I should just go do all the things I said I’d do and have a fantastic time. Thanks a lot Pats. Right, now I’m all decided I think I’ll make another decision. Who wants another drink, my round’ said Jacob
‘Oh me, me, thank you very much, a pint of lager please’ said Paddy jumping to his feet. ‘You wanna hand with’em carrying’em out ere.’
‘Yeah, tar Pad. You two (talking to Patsy and Miller) what you having? Said Jacob, now looking quiet content.
‘Just same again mate’ said Miller who looked as if it was his turn to look glum.
‘Very well, see ya in a tick’ said Jacob as he and Paddy disappeared back inside to get the next round.

Once the two were at the bar Miller turned to Patsy and began to argue.
‘What is with you? Why don’t you want him to stay, you want me to have no friends or what?’ said Miller quiet furiously to Patsy
‘Look if he wants to go you can not keep him here just to keep yourself happy!’ she replied
‘Don’t lie, your jealous and I don’t know why, we’re best friends, in fact he’s like a brother to me, we’ve done everything together!’ said Miller
‘Yeah well, it seems to me you prefer I wasn’t here then so you can have your precious time together’ said Patsy in a dejected way
‘Oh don’t be like that’ said Miller now becoming less angry but still annoyed that Patsy was going into one of her sulky moods that he couldn’t win an argument against. Once he knew she was going into a strop he decided he would have to give in to her opinion to have a peaceful afternoon or else she would make sure the rest of the day hellish ‘We’re just best friends like any other mates. You know you mean the world to me babe but that doesn’t mean I can talk to you only and no one else to prove that, does it?’ he said trying to sweeten her
‘No, I know I am being silly, sorry but just listen a second. Maybe you should just be happy for him, don’t you think. I do not think Jacob going to be happy if his father ropes him back into that public house of his’ said Patsy now in a softer voice
‘I s’pose luv, but I’m gonna offer him a lift to the city cos you know he ani’t got no money, you don’t mind do ya?’ said Miller looking sad accepting defeat
‘No, course I don’t mind Matthew’ said Patsy giving him a warm hug with a smirk on her face, knowing Jacob would soon be gone.

Jacob came back from the bar looking even happier than when he went in, as if he no longer felt the heavy weight of burden or despair on his shoulders anymore. Behind Jacob tagged along Paddy helping to carry the drinks just brought and holding onto the packet of crisps he had decided on buying, salt and vinegar.
For the next couple of hours on the glorious Sunday afternoon the four friends sat laughing and remembering about past good times as friends often do when their spirits are as high as the affectionate sun. No longer did Jacob feel sad since his mates had done what friends do best and made him smile again and thankful for waking up that morning.

‘Remember that time you and Patsy went swimming in the nod that night on the beach?’ laughed Paddy talking to Miller
‘Oh yeah’ said Jacob with a smiling laugh as he shook his head
‘What!’ said Patsy sternly as Paddy and Jacob continued to laugh
‘Yeah remember you went swimming in the nude last summer after you left the pub that night after Mill’s birthday ere, hee hee’ continued Paddy
‘It was you!’ said Miller but somehow not as surprised as Patsy was
‘Ha ha ha’ laughed Paddy, ‘it was me, ha ha, the masked Paddy (as if refereeing to himself of some kind of comic villain) and him too’ pointing to Jacob ‘oh that was a cracker’.
‘Patrick O’Shea, (Paddy’s full name) that was not at all funny’ fumed Patsy
‘Ay Patsy luv, come on it was a year or more ago now. Surely you can see dee funny side of it now’ said Jacob
‘I do not care; it was soooo embarrassing! How could you do it Patrick? AND you Jacob, well I would have expected better. This fellow here (pointing to Paddy) will lead you into many a mischief he will’ said Patsy with a rising face and looking quiet serious
‘I can’t believe you did that’ said Miller teaming up with Patsy to condemn Jacob and Paddy for they’re past crime. ‘So many people saw us after what you did, still today I can’t look those grannies in the eye!’
While the four (now so called) friends laughed and argued a fifth small lad appeared from the bar door and sat at their beer garden table with a pint in one hand and a shot in the other.
‘Oh, alright Lee, what you doing ere’ said Jacob as he took a break from the ridiculous argument to greet someone he obviously knew
‘I’ve just cum down cos your brother’ll be ere later’ answered Lee. ‘What you all yelling bout, I could hear ya all the way in there I could’
‘Ar ha ha, Paddy just left slip about what me and him did to Mills and Patsy ere last summer after his birthday’ said Jacob
‘Oh yer’ giggled Lee ‘I remember Peter telling me sum’ink vaguely ages ago bout it. Wasn’t he there with ya both also?’
‘Yeah he was’ sadly said Jacob talking to Lee as Paddy, Miller and Patsy continued to argue beside them
‘So what was it you did then, I can’t much remember what Peter told me cos I was probably bladdered when he did, he probably was too thinking bout it so I’m not too sure what ya all actually did’ said Lee while almost finishing his first pint already.
‘Well’ said Jacob ‘come over to the fruit machines and I’ll tell ya’.
‘Alright’ said Lee as he and Jacob stood up together with glasses in their hands.
‘Right you lot’ said Jacob to the rest of his friends sitting down ‘I’m just off to play the machines so I’ll leave ya all to it for a bit’ he said, but not much notice was taken amongst the juvenile arguing.
Jacob and Lee stood around the fruit machine inside the bar as Jacob began to tell his story.
‘Miller had just had he’d party in dee pub remember and we were all well and truly tanked up when Paddy over heard Patsy say to Miller about going for a sneaky skinny dip down the beach. So off they quickly disappeared for sum monkey loving down there I suppose when Paddy told us all what he’d heard. Pete having his Hank head on (Peter name for himself when he was drunk, apparently his Mr Hyde self) decided it’d be funny to follow’em down with the video camera and film it so we could put it on the big screen in the pub the next day. Don’t you remember any of this? You were in the pub that night, the day before you went to Ibiza with Peter and Chris’ alleged Jacob
‘No way, if it was a party I would’a been pie eyed in a corner somewhere, anyway carry on’ assumed Lee, now finished his pint and downing his shot.
‘Ok, anyway as I was saying. We grabbed the camera and Paddy, Peter, Chris and I went down the beach quietly to see what they were up to. Sure enough they were there splashing around in all their glory with only their birthday suit’s on’ said Jacob
‘What? You saw Patsy in the nude’ eagerly said Lee. ‘I bet she’s a bit of alright ain’t she?
‘Oh yeah’ laughed Jacob; ‘anyway!’ he snapped, getting back to the story. ‘ They were both there splashing around, making so much noise the didn’t hear us fumble down the hill to where they were. Peter was their filming away making silly commentaries for the camera and the rest of us just watched laughing when Paddy noticed their clothes, knickers and all, on the bench just in front of us. Now come on, we were drunk and being drunk it would’a been a crime not to have sum fun so... we took the clothes, old gag I know but still a goodun. However, there’s more. We made a trail back up the hill for them to follow to get their clothes and then we snuck back down to watch it all unfold. Out the water they came laughing then the inevitable shriek from Patsy and sure enough she hid back in the water while she order poor Miller bout to find the clothes. Oh it was funny, you should’a seen him, groping around in the dark, frantic and all’.
‘You cruel bugger’ said Lee with a smile as he stood next to the bar ordering his second pint already
‘Anyway Patsy thinking she knows best decides to cum out the water to do it herself as she’s resigned Miller to being useless.’ Said Jacob
‘Wow, all that time you saw her in the nude’ said a day dreaming Lee
‘Oi I’m telling a story here, not describing a porno’ snapped Jacob
‘Not what it sounds like to me mate’ quipped Lee
‘Anyhow, she finally comes across the trailer and decides to follow it while... she used a deck chair to hide her modesty ha ha’ continued Jacob
‘Shame’ said Lee to himself (shame about the hiding modesty remark)
‘So up the hill she goes, ordering Miller along in her stropping quote ‘ I am the queen’ manner while he’s still nakie ha! So we’re all hiding behind this big piece of rock filming the lot’ laughed Jacob
‘Oh mate I want that tape’ interrupted Lee
‘I bet your missus wouldn’t appreciate you duelling over Patsy said Jacob
‘Probably not, anyway finish this story will ya’ said Lee
‘ I WILL! If you bloody let me. SO! Up the hill they go with all of us following behind filming the lot and she shrieks again. Obviously, she seen where we’d put their clothes’ said Jacob
‘Where?’ wondered Lee
‘Well we managed to sneak in the old people retirement home just a bit down from me pub and put them on the reception desk. The clothes hadn’t been moved and were still there since none of the old badgers had clocked on yet, too busy listening to some old singer I s’pose. Anyway, Patsy again orders poor white butt Miller into the old people home to git the clothes quick. So off he runs in all his beauty (ha ha) into the home. As he grabs all the clothes in his arms an army of old grannies come out of their lounge area cos the singer finish, right. Now I don’t know if they screamed in delight or shock but I know Miller never been so afraid in all his life as they beat down on im. He said later he didn’t know if they were hitting im or groping im but he ran out of there quick enough. Anyway Peter had it all on film and we ran back to the pub and Patsy has never been none the wiser’ finished Jacob
‘What but Mill’s found out?’ asked Lee
‘Course, he saw it all on the big screen the next day. What could he say, he laughed in the end but dared not tell Patsy and made us all swore not too either or else she’d av stopped im cuming dee pub. Haven’t ya ever wondered why we framed that newspaper article about the granny flasher on the wall Lee? Said Jacob
‘To be honest mate once I’m in a pub I don’t look at the walls, me drink is all that matters to me’ he said as he finished his second pint while ordering his third.
‘You know that was a great night. I suppose it was the last time me and Peter had a laugh together’ said Jacob then looking gravely at Lee
‘That was until you lot took’m on that holiday. He came back just like you and Chris, a bloody pissheed’ said Jacob to Lee
‘Why thank you’ said Lee
‘Nar, I’m not joking. Pete and me use to be fine till he started hanging around with you lot. Look, you’ve had three pints to my one ere already since you arrived’ stated Jacob
‘So, so what? Its Sunday, at least Peter’s fun. Ok that story you just told me, funny right. Happened the beginning of last summer? Since then me Pete and Chris had have many laughs like it but I bet that was your last one wasn’t it’. Self-righteously said Lee
‘Yeah it was and you know why! Since you lot took that holiday the day after abroad, Peter came back a drunk. Now I had to do the entire work alone cos you know what our’s dad like, he isn’t gonna help none. So while you lot partied I was bogged down in it all. Its always been hard but it was a little better when Pete was there. Once he was gone I was alone and my social life died that day he went away!’ said Jacob slowly falling back into the slump he was in earlier
‘Look, Peter is his own man, you can’t blame me for that! I think in fact I’ll go look for him now cos he should’a been here a while ago but I s’pose friends care like that. Not like you buggering off to where ever and living ya family!’ fumed Lee
Jacob rose from the stool he was sitting on and grabbed the back of Lee’s arm pulling his malice face.
‘Don’t you accuse me of nowt!’ said Jacob who took no notice of the fact that he was hurting Lee’s arm ‘we fell out cos of you. ‘Come to the pub’ you’d say to him every single bloody day and you expect me not to moan. Like you said Peters his own man and he doesn’t need me to look after him none. He hasn’t helped me lately and I sure as hell ain’t gonna be helping him none in the future until he figures out what an arse he’s being. Therefore, you can go tell him that when you do your good friend deed of pulling him out of whatever gutter you helped put him in! Ok’ roared Jacob and with that he left Lee nursing a bruised arm and a bit to ponder about.

Again, Jacob came out of the bar into the beer garden but this time the stresses of the world were back on his shoulders. Hoping that his friends had stopped the argument, he was presented with something much worse. While he was shouting at Lee inside he had failed to notice the noises from outside. Standing at the table where he had once been sitting, stood the tall intoxicated brute who he had the unfortunate dealings with the night before in the pub. The drunk stood towering and screaming over at both Paddy and Miller, while Patsy was nowhere to be seen.
‘A ya wee eickle bar steward from last night. Look it ere at me bleeding face, you did that then called dee old bloody bill didn’t ya boy, well their not ere now!’ said the intimidating drunk to Miller where he sat
‘Not again’ thought Jacob. This was another reason why often he could not venture out normally. The problem with running a popular pub is that occasionally (or a lot in the Royal Dumpling case) you do have to bar those who are a nuisance or threat to the nice environment you wish to maintain in your establishment. However, when you do so that individual or group of people are not barred from an other pub, so on your own night out, you could very well run into them. Now if this happens you would find them not best pleased at being barred and most likely to express their feelings with their fists. Often then the case means that its better to stay in your own pub for your best interests, however Jacob didn’t give much thought to this considering all that had recently happened (Another reason for Jacob to want to return to the city).

‘Sod off will ya’ shouted Paddy who was not afraid to stand his ground but often spoke before he thought.
‘Shhhhhh’ hissed Miller to Paddy who wasn’t as confident in fighting when he didn’t have the back up of many others he would usually have back in the pub (like the night before).
‘Hush nothing’ said Paddy to Miller ‘he can go f’ suddenly Paddy’s bout of bravery was swiftly cut short with a concrete clout to the jaw from the drunk we earlier found out called Bert. Paddy crashed to the ground, all 6ft, 17 stone of himself as a dead weight. Bert’s attention (or revenge) had now turned to Miller as Jacob rushed over from calling the police. At the same time, Patsy had emerged and it seemed she had been to the little girls room, only to be confronted with the shock of a large man picking on her beloved Matthew.
‘Oi the police are on their way mate, remember them!’ called Jacob
Bert only answer to that was a backhand across Jacobs’s cheek that floored him as easily as Paddy was. Miller quickly stumbled back off his chair to avoid the onslaught coming his way. With hands and feet on the floor, he hoped for some help from one of the many people around him in the crowded beer garden but it seemed all this just entertained their Sunday evening more. However suddenly, leaped in his girlfriend Patsy who stood herself firmly between her lover and his aggressor.

‘What on earth are you doing sir?’ Patsy demanded to know.
‘Out of me way eickle miss, I have no qualms bout whacking yal too!’ said Bert
‘You’ll do no such thing sir or you’ll get a kung fu kick to the head!’ said Patsy defending her frightened man.
Bert looked down on the pretty woman frowning back up at him and chuckled.
‘I don’t think you could reach my head could you.’ questioned Bert
‘Oh you don’t think so’ said Patsy
Patsy took a step back and processed to make a pose, which just added to Bert’s amusement.
‘What are you doing, he’s gonna hurt ay’ whispered Miller nervously to his guiding girlfriend
‘Oh shut up Matthew, you will get yourself into these silly matters and now as usual I will get you out’ snapped Patsy
‘Well then let see it’ said Bert unable to believe a little lady could kick so high to hit his head.
With a glimmer in her eyes, grit of her teeth and a mighty war cry, Patsy charge forwards rhino style and head butted Bert in his delicates and then stood back in her pose to witness the reaction.
With a yell, you would not think human and cross-eyes, Bert fell to the ground and wept.
‘Yer bitch!’ said Patsy to the fallen victim of her wrath.
The crowd cheered and appalled their new little heroine. Jacob and Paddy came around from their spell of unconsciousness and leapt on the man while Patsy basked in the cheers of the ground.
When the police arrived ten minutes latter Bert was still grounded and cried more so than ever before in his adult life. Once again, he was carted away by the men in blue who mocked him as they pushed him in the police van he was all too familiar with.

For the next hour Patsy drank all the drinks brought for her by her many admires while Jason and Paddy nursed a painful head and Miller nursed a damaged pride.
‘Right I think I’ll can it for today and call it a night’ said Jacob
‘Yeah too right mate. Ain’t you finish those drinks yet Patty?’ said Paddy
‘That is Patsy and yes I am now ready to go home to get ready to fight another day (hic) hee hee. I do not know why you moan about it so (hic) much Matthew, I found stopping that brute (hic) today quite satisfactory (hic)’ said Pats with a quirk
‘Yeah well you haven’t been booted a million times have ya’ answered a sorrowful Miller
‘Ere ere’ chanted Jacob ‘come on we’ve all had enough and its getting cold so lets go home shall we. Mill and me ere have a long drive tomorrow. (Miller have offered that lift to the city to Jacob during the happier part of the day before the argument about the missing clothes occurred) so I think’ll be needing that earlier night’ said Jacob

As the group of four stood up, mostly battered and tipsy, Jacob wondered to himself what had come of his brother who Lee had said was coming hours ago.
‘What do you think happened to Pete?’ asked Jacob
‘I dunno, perhaps he just went another pub’ answered Miller
‘Don’t be worrying yourself about that brother of yours Jacob (hic), he’s big enough and ugly enough to take care of himself’ said Patsy in all her wisdom, though now she needed the help of Miller to walk up right due to her many beverages.
‘I suppose’ said Jacob unknowingly
As they stood up, they found themselves the first to leave the beer garden amongst the hard core of drinkers around them. The sky had turned a shade of pink and purple as the sun had started to set, and as the sea twinkled with beauty Jacob realized that the breath taking scenery was all he was really going to miss of this town he had called home for so long now. He would miss only was nature would tease him to stay with apart from the few best friends he had made. He had decided he would return to the city from the north he had originally came from and that Miller would take him so they could have a one last lads night out when they got there. Paddy would have come also but he had no one to watch his family shop for him that day and Patsy didn’t care too much for the city being brought up on tales of how dangerous they were.
Patsy and Millers rented flat was only a short walk from the harbour and so they all decided to go there to salvage what was left of the night. They walked out of the garden exit and into the small town centre where many other people were now ploughing around in drunken crowds, shouting silly things and looking absurd. The four kept quiet and walked promptly by, always aware that one of the crowds may pick a fight in their intoxicated state. However, it seemed tonight there was no worry of that happening to the four since some other poor soul was feeling the brute end of a drunken crowd anger, being booted by a group of louts over nearer the harbour.

‘Right, I’m going over to go help him (hic, hic), that’s my job now, helping people’ said Patsy who was now obviously very drunk.
‘No you won’t, none of us will. He wouldn’t help us, just leave it its not our fight’ said Miller whose lack of help earlier had clouded his usual instinct to aid.
‘Someone should do something, their really hurting him. Pad come with me, Mill watch your bird unless we need sum help, alright’ said Jacob

As Jacob got closer his good deed soon became apparent to him that it was more in fact a big brother duty to be performed since the poor soul being booted was none other than his brother Peter. Instead of going over to reason with the louts, Jacob waged into full war throwing himself over two of the six strong crowd. Quickly Paddy raced with Jacob and craved into the crowd. Seeing this sudden burst of brawling Miller soon darted over to help his friends, leaving Patsy slumped in the corner of a shop doorway merrily singing to herself.
Jacob managed to keep in the fight all of ten seconds before being hurt badly again since the fresh blows were just adding to the pain of the old ones he had received from Bert. Jacob then just crouched himself over his brother to protect him from anymore punches or injuries. Paddy being the big lad he was stood his ground easily against the tiny thugs while Miller kept off any of those who tried to attack Paddy from behind. It could not be said Jacob, Paddy and Miller won the fight but to say they stopped it and held off anymore attacks. The young drunk hooligans decided they have had enough and disappeared around a corner.
Once the lads were gone, Miller went back to Patsy to help her up and head off home while she slung her arms around him and told him over again how much she ‘really really really loved him’.
Paddy and Jacob stayed where they were to check Peter was not seriously hurt.

‘He’ll be ok. A bruised face, a chipped tooth and a few aches and pains but nothing broken’ said the paramedic who Jacob had called. ‘We’ll get him for a quick check then you can take him home to sleep off this drunken state he’s in. no doubt he won’t remember a thing, most of’em don’t’.
‘Thanks a lot’ said Jacob who got in the ambulance watching over his brother.

Once Peter was given the ok at the hospital, Jacob took his still inebriated brother into a taxi to take back home to the Royal Dumpling. Just before the taxis got to the pub Jacob got out a few houses before and paid the taxis driver a bit extra to help get his brother back inside. With his hands in his pockets and his collar pulled up over his face to keep the cold night breeze at bay, he watched on at the taxis. At the side door of the pub, it stopped and the driver had to ring the bell several times. Jacob would have gone to open the door but noticed his father’s room light appear. From afar, he saw his father swing open the door and scream bloody murder at his brother who was in no state to hear anything. His father ranted about being woken and pulled Peter inside. Then to Jacobs, brief amusement the taxis driver not noticing Jacob still stood at the end of the street asked his father for the taxis bill! Jacob just laughed but once the pub door had closed and the shouting continued, his heart sank again. Maybe Lee was spot on; with his family in such a state, maybe he was abandoning them.

Jacob waited for his fathers light to go back off so he knew he had gone back to sleep and then walked passed the pub to the cliff end. There he walked along thinking about what he mother would think of him leaving the family behind, would she hate him for it he thought? Nevertheless, what was best for him to do? His mother was dead and she could not help him now he thought.
He knew he’s father attitude was probably all down to his mother’s death but still he could not take that out on him and his brother forever, or would he? Perhaps.
Peter, what of him? When Jacob found him lying battered, where were the ‘better than family’ friends he supposedly had? Nowhere and they will still be nowhere whenever he is in trouble. Maybe he should stay for Peter and try making him realize he could not continue drinking the way he did but would he thank him and then more angrily he thought. If he were in trouble, would Peter help him, probably not, maybe, who knew?
Jacob continued to walk along in the dark while all the fancy lights that decorated the holiday resort vicinity were switched off.
‘I will go the city’ Jacob thought to himself. ‘Maybe not forever but for a short while to sort myself out and give my family breathing space, perhaps they will learn to survive without me, its not like I won’t see’em again’.
Jacob continues his walk and decides to go back to the flat, for tomorrow he and Miller will head to the city and with any luck be on his way to something much better!

Chapter 3: The Journey

‘You’ve not fallen back to sleep already have you? Well that’s just lovely isn’t it, here I am thinking you loved me and all and you’ve already fallen asleep before I’ve even gone’ said Miller when he noticed Patsy had dozed back to sleep in bed before he had a chance to say goodbye.
Slowly Patsy opened her eyes and smiled ‘sorry baby, I’m just so exhausted and oh how my poor head hurts’
‘Well that’s your own fault babe, you didn’t have ta drink everything that was brought for you yesterday’ said Miller
‘But it would have been rude not to if someone had took the effort to buy me them’ innocently replied Patsy
‘Whatever, you rest your head now. I’ve just come to say goodbye and I’ll ring you when I get there ok’ Miller said as he kissed Patsy on her head
‘Oh no, already. Well promise me you won’t talk to any other girls while your away Matthew’ Patsy accusingly said
‘Look I’m not about to go sh..’ Patsy looking quite stern interrupted Miller
‘ I mean it, promise’ she said
‘Ok’ laughed Miller, ‘I promise’ he said, not taking much notice of her silly jealously.
‘Or go to any strip bars!’ added Patsy to the list of things she didn’t want her boyfriend to do
‘What, not even a strip bar’ joked Miller
‘Matthew!’ said Patsy who seemed in no mood for that sort of joking
‘Alright, ok, I promise, now give me a kiss because I really must be going’. Said Miller with a grin
Patsy lifted herself up from under the blanket and gave Miller a kiss and then a massive cuddle, which she demanded. Miller then stepped away from the bed, lifted a small bag over his shoulder, and gave Patsy a goodbye wave.
‘I’ll call you later and let you know how we’re getting on. Love you lots’ he said as he began to walk out the door
‘Cuddle!’ shouted Patsy in a desperate child like way.
So back rushed Miller and gave his girlfriend another hug and then she cried
‘I’m going to miss you lots baby’ said Patsy as she clutched onto Miller, ‘I really love you remember’
With a laugh, Miller gave her another soft kiss and wiped away her tears. ‘Don’t be silly luv, I’ll be back tomorrow, you won’t be without me long’.
‘Promise’ said Patsy
‘Cross my heart and hope to die’ said Miller with a smile
‘Ok, I’ll just have to sleep with Harry till you come back’ Patsy said, grabbing a teddy bear that Miller had brought her for their one year anniversary a while ago.
‘Well Harry’ said Miller speaking to the bear ‘you look after this girl for me ere, because I love her a whole lot.’
With that, Miller tucked Patsy back beneath the covers, switched off the bedroom light and said his last goodbye. Patsy lay in bed still saddened, as she always was when she was without Miller for a longer amount of time than usual.
Miller then left the room, gave one last wave and shut the door behind him. He felt somewhat sad that he was leaving Patsy behind and wished that she were coming with them. Nevertheless, Jacob needed him now and it could never be said that Matthew Miller ever let his friends down.

‘Oi, you too! Wake up’ said Miller when he noticed Jacob also had fallen back to sleep.
Miller picked up one of Jacobs bags and threw it on his lap, ‘now get up four eyes, it time for us to leave now, we’re half an hour behind schedule as it is’.
‘Ay, less of the four eyes stuff mate’ said Jacob as he gradually rose to his feet, grasping his bags.
The two friends finally made it into the small car that Miller had borrowed from Patsy’s mother and drove off on their elongated drive back to the city from which they had both originally came from.

Before the pair left the seaside town, Jacob asks Miller (who was driving) to pass the pub so that he could gaze at what he may not see again. The daybreak was affectionate but any heat from the sun was soon cooled by the southern wind from across the sea. Outside they stopped the car and Jacob looked at the striking building and the sight around it.
‘It really is a beautiful place this Mill, so why can’t people just be happy when they have a good thing?’ asked Jacob
‘I don’t think it’s a simple as that man. Yeah its nice but people need other things in life too’ answered Miller
‘Yeah, I know’ said Jacob, ‘come on, lets go. The traffic gonna be terrible now’
‘Don’t even get me started’ chuckled Miller as he started the engine.
As Miller drove passed all that was once Jacobs family dream of happiness, Jacob kept quiet and felt a sense of failure as if he had fallen short of what should have been.
‘Ay, quit with da long face mate, put the radio on will ya, we have a long journey ahead of us now’ said Miller.

Soon Jacob and Miller were on the motorway and heading to the city. With all the heavy thinking and lack of talk, Jacob found himself tired again and drifting asleep.
‘Wake up, I’m not driving all the way with no one to talk to’ Miller said while hitting Jacob in his arm
‘Come on I’m tired, I was at the hospital most of last night’ said Jacob
‘Well blame your brother for that but if you don’t start talking to me I’m gonna be falling asleep too’ Miller said to give Jacob a valid enough reason to keep awake
Noticing his friend was beginning to get in a bit of a strop, Jacob opened the window to let in some refreshing air to keep him awake. Now that neither of them were going to fall back to sleep they both sat silent with only the sound of tires rolling fast against the road.
‘Well, I’m awake now, fresh as a daisy’ said Jacob sarcastically ‘so what do you wanna speak about?’
‘I dunno’ said Miller
‘Well I’m going back to sleep then’ said Jacob
‘No your not, ok I’ll think about sum’ink to talk about’ said Miller ‘the other day me and Patsy...’
‘No way! I don’t wanna hear about one of your bloody lovely walks in the park Mills!’ Jacob said, cutting that conversation piece dead in its path.
‘I wasn’t gonna say that was I’ Miller said in a frump
‘What was you gonna say then?’ asked Jacob
‘I’m not saying now’ and with that Miller sat silent
‘Fine’ said Jacob turning to put his head against the car window and closing his eyes
‘Wake up! Damn it! Ur pissing me off now’ said Miller
‘Oh sod off and listen to your bloody book on tape ya boring bas...’
However, the squabble between the two friends soon came to unexpected end when Miller seemed to be fighting with the car steering wheel to regain control. The car drastically careered across the neighbouring lanes of the motorway and back again, causing horrendous panic amongst the other drivers and creating a dangerous situation.
‘Watch that car!’ shouted Jacob while making sure he had his seatbelt buckled
‘Arrrgghhhhhhhhhh!’ screamed the two lads in unity.
As the car veered off the motorway like a wild horse pulling a carriage, Miller brought it to a screeching halt in the emergence stoppage lane. The two young men then sat in the car without any emotion and stared blankly ahead as if the enormousness of what just happen had not registered yet. Jacob then turned his head to Miller and took a deep breath.
‘What on earth was that all about! I thought you was gonna bloody kill me!’ Jacob said, slowly raising his voice to a blood-curdling roar!
‘What! If you hadn’t been drifting of to da land of nod, YOU WOULD HAVE SAW!’ bellowed back Miller ‘a fecking giant convertible pulled out across me to get to the turning off back there at that junction he probably was about to miss, it was that brat that almost killed us both!’
Yet again, the two friends sat quietly and just thought. Through both of their minds poured in ideas of what could of come of them if the car had crashed. Miller soon became uncontrollably shaken and unnerved. His hands shook, his brow dampened and he began to mutter. Jacob observed Miller was very much shaken by the completely dire event but first he had to quickly calm himself. It was a frightening situation to have been in but they could not sit there all day looking as if they were about to cry.
‘You alright mate’ said Jacob
‘Urrrr? Oh, yeah fine, what?’ mumbled Miller
‘Do you want me to carry on driving for ya mate?’ Posed Jacob
‘Um, yeah I think that would be best, for a bit anyway, soz’ answered Miller
Jacob and Miller both got out of the car and switched places. Inside they sat for a moment longer until Jacob could get his twitching foot under control. Soon however Jacob managed to pull out of the stoppage lane, pulled back onto the motorway, and continued their journey. Miller just sat staring out of the window silently, looking grave and shocked.
‘Wow, that was pretty scary stuff. I think we’ll need to stop again so I can grab me spare pants huh’ said Jacob trying to cheer up Miller, but his traumatized friend made no response as if he did not hear a word said. ‘Come on mate, snap out of it will ya, bloody hell. Ok it was scary but damn it’s over with. We’re both alive and I still have my nuts in place so that’s all what really matter ay?’ Jacob said, trying to make light of the whole situation
Miller looked at Jacob and chuckled about the last remark
‘Come on ay, we’re ok’ said Jacob in a softer voice ‘we’re ok’
Miller nodded and just rested back his head.
Knowing he was not going to get much of a conversation of the bewilder friend of his he decided to put on his favourite music. As the music from decades past blasted out of the speakers, Miller emerged from his shell behaviour and turned the radio off.
‘That music is awful mate, listen to sun decent stuff will ya’ said Miller, finally speaking
‘What, come on its great, classic. There’s nowt better than a bit of rock’ said Jacob
‘If you lived twenty years ago maybe but its crap now so cann it!’ argued back Miller
Just happy his friend was talking, Jacob agreed not to turn his choices of music back off.
‘Imagine what could have just happened’ Miller said
‘Oh don’t go on about it’ said Jacob
‘We could’a been deaded, we could have been dead now’ Miller said in a spaced out manner
‘Well we’re not so why worry’ Jacob replied trying to kill the topic
‘What do you think would of happened’ asked Miller, now consumed with wonder
‘I dunno, maybe the angels would fly me to the big pub in the sky so that I could be serving a pint to God right now, who knows? Perhaps a bleeding little devil would have bit you on the ass’ Jacob said mockingly
‘Nar, that’s a bit too heavenly and all for me. Angels, Gods and what not. I don’t buy any of it, if you ask me once your dead, you’re in the ground for your head to be turned into a worms penthouse’ Miller said, who now seemed to be livening up moderately.
Jacob just sustained driving while Miller seemed to be speaking more to himself rather than to Jacob.
‘I mean’, Miller continued ‘it doesn’t make sense does it, with science and all. Your telling me a big man in the sky put us all together; it’s a load of old crap if you ask me, a good way for people to answer questions. Imagine that a few thousand years ago people were as thick as Paddy. They couldn’t explain nowt so they come up with a load of rubbish and I’m amazed people still buy it all in this day and age!
‘How would you explain it all then’ Jacob asked in a harsh way
‘I dunno, many possibilities but none involving an almighty’ responded Miller
‘Ok answer me this’ Jacob said ‘Everything has a beginning and an end, it has to, logic. Something starts then finishes but how do you explain the universe then? It had to begin sometime, your telling me it just went ‘poof’ and appeared from nowhere, out of nothing? Nothing can just appear from zilch if science is to be believed. So how do you know, how don’t you know there isn’t something else to it all, a bit of magic perhaps. Is the idea of ever after such a ridiculous things now days? Said Jacob with a suggestion of fervour
‘Well I think the heaven and hell thing is stupid’ calmly stated Miller
‘I hope for my mother’s sake it isn’t’ Jacob said
‘Oh J, look I’m sorry man I didn’t think’ Miller said realizing the whole conversation would have stirred raw emotion in his friend.
‘Just forget bout it’ said Jacob who was quite bluntly aggravated
Miller sat motionless and quiet, he now felt somewhat foolish for his out burst. The atmosphere was tense and the likelihood of further conversations for the time being were diminutive. After an hour passed and not a word said, Miller himself now became tired and with his head still rested back, he fell asleep, not woken by Jacob.

Jacob drove with the music playing low and his mind acting high. The thoughts in his head played like a broken record, repeating without rest. They plagued and tormented him but Jacob could do nothing to rid himself of them.
‘Miller was wrong’, Jacob thought, there must be more than just a few miserly years alive then nothing. Jacob was not usually the religious sort but he had always secretly hoped in the back of his mind that one day he would be reunited with his beloved mother.
As Jacob drove, the road in front of him became increasingly passive, with every piece of scenery the same as an hour ago, the same without chance. His thoughts soon turned to daydreams and the low soothing music with the humid air once again made Jacob weary. As he drove, his head would slowly nod forwards then quickly rise to see the road ahead but each time his head nodded, it drooped a little further and for a little longer. The arms either side of the wheel became heavy but his grip became loose. He felt his eyelids go down as fast as a child on a slide while the world around him now seemed like a dream to escape.
Soon a song played that Jacob was happy listening to since he remembered it from when he was but a young boy. As the rhythm continued, Jacob smiled and felt calm again. Miller slouched beside him still fast asleep, rather peaceful looking and Jacob sat with his head rested back on the chair as he listened to the song play to his ears. As he sat comfortably with his old favourite song relighting childhood memories, the car veered across the lanes once again whilst Jacob now slept soundly. Even as Jacob rested with ease, the car rushed towards and then drastically over a river bridge, plunging into the depths below.

After the crash, a number of cars quickly stopped and phoned for help. Suddenly the bridge was heaving with rescue parties who had come as rapidly as possible to aide the victims of the hideous accident. The small modern car that Jacob and Miller had been travelling in was now lying upside down on the riverbed and had been for the past fifteen minutes. The Police closed down the motorway bridge where the tragedy had occurred and medics waited on the bay to see if anyone had survived. Among the many different people around were divers who had plunged into the murky filthy water to see if anyone had been thrown from the vehicle during the fall.
After a short amount of time, a diver emerged from the river and spoke to a police officer waiting near b for information.
‘That water is terrible, I couldn’t see much down there but we been having a good feel around. I found this phone beside the car window but that’s about it. Both of the people seem to be inside still. We cannot get anyone out because the vehicle is upside down and the roof has been crushed. That car needs to be dragged out before we can do anything for those inside’ the diver said
The car had flipped as it crashed into the bridge then sank roof first to the bottom of the riverbed with Jacob and Miller still inside but it seemed that because the roof was crushed the divers were unable to rescue them while the car stayed in the water.
‘Dragging the vehicle while persons still inside could aggravate their injuries’ the police officer said
‘Well you have no chance of getting them out whilst they are in that water still. If their injuries do not kill them the cold water definitely will. Anyhow, I managed to get my arm inside one of the windows. I reckon myself their more than likely goners if I might be so frank, there’s been a bit of trapped air in the car but one of the persons inside is definitely dead, as for the other I’m not sure’ said the diver
‘There’s no way of getting them out then?’ the police officer asked
‘I’m afraid not, if we don’t retrieve that vehicle soon, the one suspecting survivor will soon also be dead’ the diver answered
‘Ok then, I ‘ll get the car dragged out right away’ said the police officer.
As the one officer went away to arrange the car to be hauled, a second policeman asked for the phone off the diver
‘We’ll be needing this to find out who they are’ the second police officer said.
The diver handed the small mobile phone to the policeman who then made sure it was still working. When he checked, the officer noticed a missed call; it had rung approximately the same time the car had crashed. He thought perhaps the phone ringing may have lead to the accident but in fact, it had rung just as the car crashed over the bridge. When the policeman looked on the handset screen to see who the missed call was from it said ‘Dad’.

A few hours later back in the town, Patsy had finally gotten up from her bed to make herself a hot cup of tea. The hung over girl sat in her front living room sipping her beverage in her nightgown while the room around her still had not stopped spinning from the night before. The young girlfriend of Miller who always prided herself on being the epitome of how a proper lady should be now looked dreadful and sick as she lounged in her sitting, face first on her coach. Patsy did not have the energy to stand to make breakfast since the ever-spinning room was only adding to her sickness and dizziness. Patsy lay sprawled out across her coach trying not to move the tiniest of muscles in case of upsetting herself further, silently she lay, she wished she could just fall back to sleep and wish it all away but the party in her head still raged and it was not over just yet. Suddenly however, Patsy placed her hand over her mouth and the other over her rumbling stomach. She stood up and slowly began her walk to the bathroom but with a second more furious tummy hiccup, she soon ran as quickly as her small stubby toes would take her to be sick. In no time at all Patsy had kicked open her toilet stood and skidded to the ground. With her head firmly over the toilet, she proceeded to release all she had drunk the night before. While Patsy was cleansing herself of her demons somebody knocked loudly on the door? At first, Patsy decided to ignore the door since whoever was there was not about to she her looking the way she did, dreadful. Nevertheless, the knocking at the door soon turned to thumping and then to shouts.
‘Patsy luv, are you in there?’ the person at the door shouted.
Patsy recognised the voice at the door, it was Paddy, one of Jacobs and Millers closet friends in there new home town, but she was still determined not to answer looking like a monkeys backside.
‘Oh just sod off will you’ Patsy thought to herself.
‘Patsy are you in there?’ Paddy continued to shout
Having just finished being sick and not being too far away from the door, Patsy decided to answer but not so soon she did not have time to quickly try and save her hair in the mirror. Patsy could be quite vain but with Paddy she had good reason. He was always poking fun at her for her snotty ways and often infuriated her by trying to belittle her for his own amusement. It would be just like him to know how hung-over she would be and try and take a photo of her looking like crap and then show everyone at the pub. She marched over to the door with both fist clenched and in a most horrid mood.
‘What is it?’ she shouted as she swung the door open
Before Patsy could carry on yelling at Paddy she stopped herself, she could see that something was wrong before he even said so. Paddy was never usually without a cheeky grin and he didn’t have a camera, now the gentle giant standing in her doorway looked seriously distressed.
‘Paddy what’s wrong, is there something the matter?’ Patsy said now in a cool calm voice.
‘I’ve just come from the Royal’ Paddy said ‘I was in there to drop off my usual delivery to J’s dad but he was on the phone when I got there so I waited. Anyhow, the point is, well the point is he as on the phone to the Hospital Pats’
‘Hospital, what’s happened. . . . . Oh my god’ Patsy gasp. She began to fear the worse before Paddy had even finished speaking. Patsy lent against the wall for support and looked intensively at Paddy, willing him to continue his story with her eyes. Paddy grabbed hold of both of Patsy’s hands and slowly knelt down with her. He took a deep breath and looked at her unblinkingly.
‘I want you to stay calm’ he said but just saying these words triggered Patsy emotions and she burst into tears. ‘shhhhh, Patsy just listen please its important. Miller and Jacob have, they’ve, er, they’ve had a car crash. J’s dad didn’t go into details like but he sent me round here to get you as quickly as possible. They’ve crashed up by Bristol, that’s all I know and...’ Patsy quickly interrupted
‘Crashed! Oh god, he’s dead, oh my god he’s dead, dead!’ Patsy wailed in hysterics
‘Patsy luv, I don’t know how they are, I’m sorry but all I know is that they been in a crash and J’s dad is gonna take us up to the hospital their in now’. Paddy said trying to calm down Patsy. ‘Come on girl, stop crying, its bad I know, look I’m shaking too but you have to think of it this way, Mill might be alright and waiting for you, he ain’t gonna be happy or by im self. Please, cum on, lets just go’.
Pasty now stood up with tears rolling from her cheeks and taking each breath sharply but no longer cried, instead she seemed to be totally shocked but calmed.
‘I shouldn’t of let him go should I?’ Patsy said ‘I wouldn’t of usually you see but I’m selfish, I wanted Jacob to go and Matthew bringing him to the city was a quick way to get rid of him, I just wanted Miller all to myself Pad’ she continued starting to weep again.
‘Pats, look, get your clothes and you’ll be able to see him, he’s probably fine. Your not selfish, you just luv im a whole, that’s all, go on get ready’ Paddy said.
Nodding her head mournfully, Patsy went to her bedroom and packed some clothes. While she did so, Paddy waited outside for her at the front door. Into the blue sky he looked and just stared. He was not looking at anything in particular but thinking deeply. He knew what he had just told Patsy was only half of the truth. When Jacob dad had told him about the crash he was in hysterics himself. It seemed that one of the passengers in the car had already suffered fatal injuries but neither had any identification on them. The police had traced the car back to Patsy mother and Jacob fathers phone number was found on the mobile the diver had recovered. All that the authorities knew was that one was alive and the other was not. Given that the phone found was not on a person, they did not even know which one it belonged to, so they needed someone to identify them both since the living individual was unconscious. Paddy feared that he had been asked along for some other reason rather than a comfort for Patsy, he began to feel paranoid that perhaps Jacob father would not be able to face identifying his perhaps dead son. Paddy did not want to tell any of this to Patsy until he knew which of his friends had died in the tragedy. As Paddy continued to think and ponder about what he should do, Patsy walked out of her front door and closed it. With a small bag in hand and her hair still a mess she began to walk towards the pub, completely forgetting that Paddy was waiting next to her. Paddy quickly walked up next to Patsy and put his arm around her. When they arrived at the pub they noticed that Jacobs father was waiting for them both in his hefty white van wearing a large pair of black sunglasses. They climbed into the vehicle totally unnoticed by the father who just sat silently absorbed in his own despair. Once they were inside, buckled, Jacobs father drove out of the car park, and towards a place, he once hoped never to be again. Peter had not gone along since his father told him nothing at all of what had happened. Peter instead stay back to watch the pub, moaning that his head was sore and that he did not want to work.
The journey to the hospital took only an hour and an half to travel to but it seemed much longer to the three people sat inside that van. Along the way, nobody said anything, the van was deadly silent and the only sound that was ever heard was when Patsy began to quietly weep as the van pasted the very area where the crash had occurred. Patsy felt even more troubled when she saw the bridge; The Bridge was very large and indeed exceptionally high above the river below. Patsy may have cried even more if she had known that the car Jacob and Miller were travelling in had not just crashed but had also gone over the edge and into the river far below.
Soon the three arrived at the hospital. While Jacobs father rushed and leaped up the stairs through the entrance door as quick as he could, Paddy and Patsy followed behind slowly looking as sad and mournful as thousands of others before them must have door walking through the same doors. Paddy and Patsy were promptly shown to a waiting room but Jacobs’s father being utterly impatient ventured out to find the questions he needed answered. From inside of the room Paddy could him pass the window time and time again, grabbing the arms of ever passing nurse and doctor. Paddy just sat backwards in no hurry to know which of his friends were dead, as far as he was concerned as long as did not know, to him they were both alive. Nonetheless, he knew the hope he held was just a short lived sparkling light that would soon be put out by a doctor’s breath. He sat in the room with Patsy and had an arm on her shoulder but nothing had been said for so long now that he would not know where to start, so they continued to sit inaudibly. Time passed slowly and Paddy found it hard to stay awake, he slowly drifted into slumber and was almost asleep until Patsy shook him to point out of the door window. Through the window and at the end off the hallway, Jacobs father could be seen speaking to a doctor, Paddy’s heart sank because he knew the news would soon come. He noticed Jacobs father swaying around and repeatedly moving his hand across his face in despair, leading himself to believe the news must be terrible.
‘When are they going to tell me something, they’ve been speaking for ages. Do you think I should go out there?’ Patsy said as she stood up.
‘Look, J’s dad’ll tell us as soon as the doctor tells him something’ Paddy replied
As Paddy continued to comfort Patsy and try to tell her everything would be okay, the doctor that Jacobs father had been speaking to opened the door and asked Paddy to join them outside.
‘What do you want him for? Why don’t you want to talk to me, TALK TO ME!’ Patsy shouted frantically
‘Please miss you must calm yourself down. I promise I will speak to you as soon as possible’ the doctor said
‘Pats please, I’ll speak to them and then I’ll quickly come straight back in and tell you everything’ Paddy said trying to composed the whole ghastly situation.
As the doctor led Paddy out of the room Patsy felt a buzz of things rush through her mind, some good, some grave.
‘Perhaps they want to speak to Jacobs father because it is his son whose dead’ Patsy thought to herself with guilt ridden delight. ‘or maybe they don’t know how to tell me, god that could be it, because if Matthew was okay they would have got me straight away’. Patsy just began to weep as her mind tormented her as Paddy left the room to speak outside with the doctor. As he walked outside the room his legs felt immensely heavy as if they did not want to step forwards and indeed they did not. Paddy almost definitely knew what he was being asked out for and he was not looking forward to it at all.
‘So what do you want me for’ Paddy said to the two men looking sour faced at him.
‘Paddy, they want me to see if its me boy who’d dead, me baby but I can’t do it, if he’s all hurt. I can’t see him like that, not my boy, my precious bo-’ Jacobs father said simply in floods of tears
‘We do need someone to identify the body as soon as possible’ the doctor said looking quite composed and seemingly unbothered by the man beside him weeping.
Since the very moment Paddy was asked along he knew this is why and so with regret did not argue with what he was being asked to do.
‘Ok, I’ll do it Joseph (Jacobs fathers name) but do me a favour and don’t tell Patsy anything until we know for sure who it is’ Paddy said without looking at either of the two men stood in front of him
Joseph put his arms around Paddy and thanked him, then sat down and wept still.
He felt cowardly and ashamed that he could not look himself but he was overwhelmed with grief and had remembrance of similar events he had gone through with his wife. For all the good, she had made him feel and of all the great memories he had of her, the memory that stuck in his mind most was the last of her, her dying face. If his son was in fact dead and badly hurt in that crash, he did not want his ever-lasting memory of him to be of his torn lifeless look.
‘This way please’ the doctor said to Paddy coldly as he shuffled off towards a flight of stairs. As the doctor made his way down, Paddy followed. Down the stairs, he wound until they reached the bottom. The doctor walked ahead, beckoning the young man to follow. Paddy slowly made his way down a dim lighted hallway towards a large door. The nearer he got to it the colder he felt, the hairs on his arms stood tall, his red cheeked failed to pale and all motions in his body slowed down, all except his heart which seemed to race, it may have been the only thing that moved him forwards. Walking towards Paddy were two nurses who seemed quite blissful and happy but how could anyone been anything but gloomy in such as heartless ghastly place. It all seemed quite surreal to Paddy now, he had never been anywhere like this in all his life, he was a person who loved each day and mourned each passing but this place was somewhere that seemed consumed with demise and loneliness. He had not even entered the room yet but the long hall alone was enough he thought, if this is so dreadful then what ever is behind that door could effect me forever, Paddy thought to himself. He finally reached the door and stood still, he did not even want to look through the square window but his decision to go through was made by the doctor who quickly opened the door and led him through.
In the large room were many cold steel tables, everything inside was cold, and nothing had any warmth to it at all, even the light that reflected off the steel seemed chilly. Paddy did not take too much notice of what was round him, he didn’t want to, just noticing the cupboards on the wall unnerved him, what might be inside them he thought, and he thought of some truly horrible things. Only one thing did Paddy take any notice of and that was the one thing he wished he could ignore. Of all the tables, only one table had a body on it and Paddy knew beneath the sheet that covered it laid one of his best friends. Just yesterday, they had all bathed in the warm glove of the sun but now today he felt the freezing boned fingers of death, he knew this day passing would not be missed but could it be easily forgotten. The doctor walked ahead of him and stood beside the table. Paddy still did not look tearful but stern because he was bracing himself for what he was about to see but to look a little closer you would see the mist in his eyes. He walked over to the table and looked down. He tried to guess who it was by the shape of the face coming through the sheet, perhaps if he could guess he would not have to glance upon his lifeless friends but he knew this was foolish. He looked down but could not guess and soon stopped since his thoughts turned to how the face may look. Paddy felt rage in his guts, why was he here, it should not be him but Jacobs father, what a coward, his own son and he had shy away from his duty he thought. As he stood over the table just looking down, the doctor edged forwards to let Paddy know he was waiting. Paddy looked up and gave a slow nod to the doctor who gradually pulled away the white sheet. Paddy rapidly closed his eyes so hard that his head shook, the felt his heart racing faster, he had to open his eyes or it would just burst he felt. Paddy opened his eyes but they were looking towards the end of the bed.
‘Is the face bad doc’ Paddy asked the doctor
‘I’m afraid it is quite damaged but nothing too drastic. I know this must be hard son but it really must be done I’m afraid’ the doctor answered
Gently Paddy’s eyes rose up the sheets and cast themselves upon his friend’s face, instantly Paddy recognised who it was. Even though at first he did not want to look, he now could not look away. The mists in his eyes were now as if a damn had burst in them and his face collapsed. How twisted, torn and bruised his friend face looked, it was not real, not to Paddy, this was not his friend. He felt that he was looking at a picture of his friend; it had no life to it, no personality there. Even when a person sleeps you, see expressions but none here, just blank. The light Paddy earlier held inside himself, his hope, was now truly blown away.
‘I know who it is, I know who it is’ Paddy said as he looked down, down at his friend but further down in despair. The doctor’s hands that pulled back up the sheet broke Paddy’s stare. Without being asked Paddy turned around and walked out of the room knowing that in a way he would never leave. His walk turned to a run since he knew he did not want to be in such a place a moment longer. At the end of the long hallway, he came to the flight of stairs and there to greet him was Joseph.
Without any hesitation or qualms to if Paddy was ok Joseph asked Paddy the inevitable question ‘So, who was it then, is it m... mm.. My boy?’ he said as he placed his hands on Paddies shoulders
Paddy looked him straight in the eye to tell him but his mind was still filled with an image he felt would never go and he stuttered
‘Who was it’ Joseph shouted desperately