The Future of London Box Set

by Mark Gillespie

  I’m writing this as a proud citizen of the UK. I demand the return of the death penalty – even if it’s only a temporary return until this infestation problem is fixed. There are many of you out there who agree with me. And I urge you all to get over to Twitter now and get behind the hashtag: #bringbacklynching

  Together we can take back Britain. Let’s do this, if not for ourselves, then for the sake of our children.

  Chapter 27

  18th August 2011

  Archie Walker was grinning from ear to ear, as he led the two young visitors across the hallway towards the front door. The grin faded however, as he pulled the door open about an inch and a half, peering warily outside through the narrow gap onto the street.

  Mack was standing behind him in the hallway. What did the old man expect to see out there anyway? A horde of masked rioters standing on the front doorstep, tapping baseball bats impatiently off the palm of their hands?

  Waiting?

  “Thank you for coming,” Archie said to the guests. “It was lovely to meet you both.”

  Isabella Walker, standing at her husband’s side, stepped forward. She smiled at the handsome young couple who were currently making their way outside. The visitors stopped on the doorstep and turned around to say goodbye to the Walkers. They were a pair of young professionals - Iain and Sally Burton, and approximately in their late twenties.

  “It’s a gorgeous house,” Sally said, running a hand through her long blonde hair. “Such a shame, isn’t it? That you have to go back to Scotland.”

  Isabella smiled and nodded. “It’s a real shame.”

  Mack loitered restlessly in the background.

  “Have there been many viewers so far?” Iain asked. “Apart from us?”

  Archie shrugged - a non-committal gesture. “A few,” he said. “Not a great time to be selling, is it? People are well, nervous with all that’s been going on.”

  “Yeah,” Sally said, smiling and nodding sympathetically. “But you’re letting this place go for a real bargain. And things have quietened down, you know – the riots.”

  “For now,” Iain said, giving his wife a sharp look.

  “We miss Edinburgh anyway,” Isabella said quickly. “My mum’s up there, she’s alone and well, you know how it is.”

  Mack almost laughed out loud. Bullshit.

  The young couple exchanged a brief glance at one another.

  “Well,” Iain said. “We’re definitely interested in the house.” And with that he leaned closer and lowered his voice in an exaggerated whisper. “Very interested.”

  Everyone laughed, except Mack.

  What a prick.

  Sally, who couldn’t stop fidgeting with her hair, flicked a loose strand out of her eyes. “What we’ll do is talk to the estate agent this afternoon,” she said. “And I think after that - you’ll be hearing from us again soon.”

  She poked her husband in the ribs.

  “Won’t they Iain?”

  Iain nodded, a smug grin wrapped around his face. Mack got the feeling that Iain thought he was doing the Walkers a favour by taking the house off their hands. Rather than him and his wife landing the property bargain of the year in Tottenham.

  Archie Walker seemed happy to play the desperate seller. He thrust an enthusiastic hand at the prospective buyers and grinned manically.

  “Excellent,” Archie said. “That’s brilliant news.”

  “Wonderful,” Iain said.

  Sally looked past the door and smiled at Mack.

  Mack smiled back.

  “Well,” Isabella said, hurrying things along. “We’ll look forward to hearing from either yourselves or the estate agent.”

  They said their goodbyes, but it was only when the Burtons were halfway down Stanmore Road and almost out of sight that Archie finally closed the door – but not without another look around, both to the left and right for rioters.

  Archie and Isabella stood behind the closed door, looking at one another. Their eyes beamed with excitement.

  “YES!” Archie said, pumping a fist into the air.

  Mack’s parents fell into each other’s arms, dancing around the hallway as if they’d just won the lottery.

  “Well,” Archie said, unwrapping his hands from around his wife. “Time to break out the champagne. The Walkers are going back to Scotland!”

  Isabella smiled, but she was more restrained than her husband. “I’ve got a good feeling about those two,” she said. “But let’s wait until it’s final before we celebrate properly, okay?”

  Archie turned towards Mack, the manic grin still lingering on his face.

  “You ready for this son?” he said. “Are you ready to go back to Edinburgh?”

  Mack looked unimpressed. “You’re giving this house away for peanuts,” he said.

  Archie laughed. “And since when did you become the expert? We’re making a loss, aye, but at least we’re getting away from this madness.”

  Mack shook his head. “You just heard that woman say the riots were over. If you’re so confident of that, why leave?”

  Isabella looked at her son. “You know why Mack.”

  Mack stubbornly folded his arms against his chest. “No I don’t.”

  Isabella took a step closer.

  “Maclean Walker,” she said in that voice. “YOU are the reason we’re leaving London. Just as you were the reason we came to London in the first place. You think we’re going to stay here with all this going on and with your recent track record? Even the slightest hint of trouble will get you locked up.”

  “We’re just looking out for you son,” Archie said.

  Mack sat down on the bottom stair.

  “Where will we stay in Edinburgh?” he said.

  Archie smiled. “We’ll stay with your gran until we find our own place,” he said. “It’s no problem. She’d be happy for the company.”

  “Gran?” Mack said, feeling nauseous. “So we’re moving back to the exact same area of Edinburgh? To a place where everybody knows what I – what happened?”

  Isabella raised a hand. “Mack, listen…”

  “Why are you doing this to me?” Mack said. “Rossi’s mates – they’ll be waiting for me up there. They’ll cut me to shreds.”

  Isabella threw her hands up in the air.

  “What are we trying to do to you?” she said. “Nobody put that knife in your hand Mack, did they?”

  Mack said nothing.

  Archie Walker stepped forward, putting a hand around his wife’s waist.

  “These riots were just bad luck,” he said. “For all of us. Nobody saw this coming. How could we have seen this?”

  “You’re going back to Edinburgh Mack,” Isabella said. “Just start dealing with it.”

  “It might only be temporary,” Archie said. “When we get back, I’ll ask the company about another transfer somewhere else. Somewhere permanent this time. We could even think about going to continental Europe. Who knows?”

  Mack shook his head. He saw the future ahead of him, always the new boy in town, overcoming the same challenges.

  No solid ground beneath him.

  “I want to stay here,” Mack said. Fuck it - what did he have to lose by speaking the truth. “I want to go to Piccadilly.”

  “Well we won’t be around to see Piccadilly,” Archie said. “As soon as this house is sold, we’re out of here.”

  “Forget it Mack,” Isabella said firmly.

  Mack got to his feet slowly, determined that this conversation was now over. He turned around and started walking upstairs.

  His parents weren’t finished with him yet.

  “You’ve been out there, haven’t you?” Isabella said. Her voice was flat, eerily calm. “You told us you hadn’t been involved in the riots, but you have, haven’t you?”

  He turned around slowly.

  “Yes,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

  Isabella walked over to the foot of the stairs.

  “Why?”

&nbs
p; “Look closer,” he said. “Look at what’s happening out there now. Not everyone wants to burn the city down you know. Or steal a flat screen TV. Some people are just pissed off and want their voices heard.”

  Isabella forced out a laugh.

  “You’re sixteen years old,” she said. “What do you know about anything?”

  Mack smiled. “Been out there lately, have you?” he said. “Spoke to any of these people? All you do is watch the news. I know more about the riots than you ever will.”

  A gleam of anger flickered in Isabella’s eyes.

  “Listen to me Mack,” she said. “Until this house is sold and we’re on our way home, you don’t set one foot outside unless it’s with one of us. Do you understand me? You’re grounded.”

  But Mack shook his head. “No I’m not. I’m going to Piccadilly.”

  Isabella’s voice was calm.

  “No. You’re not.”

  Archie Walker stepped in quickly.

  “Look,” he said. “If those people buy this house it’s only going to take a few days for the deal to go through. You and your mum don’t even have to stay down here until it’s sorted. I can take care of everything. Whatever happens though, we won’t be here for much longer Mack.”

  “You can watch Piccadilly in Edinburgh,” Isabella said. “I’ve no problem with that. We’ll even buy it for you on Pay-Per-View if it means that much to you.”

  Mack frowned. “Pay-Per-View?”

  Archie Walker allowed himself a smile. “Aye,” he said. “Apparently your Piccadilly thing - whenever it happens - is going to be broadcast live on SKAM Box Office. Twenty pounds a head.”

  Mack was the one grinning from ear to ear now. He couldn’t help it. “Twenty pounds?” he said. “They’re actually charging people to watch it live on TV?”

  “What’s so funny about that?” Isabella said.

  Mack looked at his mother.

  “No wonder the world’s such a mess,” he said.

  Chapter 28

  18th August 2011

  The CBC News at Six

  CBC News reporter Dick Ronson is standing on a dark street in North London. He’s positioned directly behind an isolated block of brick wall, which is adjoined to a narrow black fence. Tall streetlights throw down much needed illumination upon the early evening, aided by the headlights of the occasional passing car. Behind Ronson, a vast array of floral tributes is attached to the black fence.

  DICK RONSON: Sophie, this evening I’m in Ferry Lane in Tottenham. This is of course, the place where it all began with the shooting of Mark Duggan exactly two weeks ago. And who could have imagined back then, what would come next? We’ve seen the worst riots in this country in living memory; we’ve seen looting and criminality beyond comprehension; we’ve also seen countless buildings burn across the city in scenes reminiscent of the Battle of Britain, seventy years ago.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: (Speaking from the CBC studio) It looks very quiet there tonight Dick.

  DICK RONSON: Indeed Sophie. In fact, there’s something almost church-like about the atmosphere tonight. Not far from here however, thousands of people have taken to Tottenham High Road - but not to riot. Instead they’re initiating this so-called Phase Two of Chester George’s master plan. This consists of a peaceful occupation of the streets by thousands of people who are waiting for their leader, Chester George, to call them to Piccadilly.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: Are the rioters not even going home at night?

  DICK RONSON: The short answer is no. The rioters, the Good and Honest Citizens - whatever you want to call them - they’re going nowhere. They’ve take over many streets across London and it seems they’re content to stay there and wait for the call from Chester George.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: And given the recent food shortages, how are all these people finding enough to eat and drink?

  DICK RONSON: Surprisingly enough Sophie, food and drink supplies are being delivered regularly to theses sites of occupation across London. People are walking through the crowds, handing out sandwiches, water, and other items. Police believe these supplies are either coming in from central or west London – OR – and I suspect this myself, that these food items were looted earlier in the riots. Either way, it seems there’s no shortage of food for the rioters.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: And Dick, how are the police and army handling this so-called ‘Phase Two’?

  DICK RONSON: The police and the army are staying close by Sophie, but they really have their hands full. We’re talking thousands upon thousands of people standing out on the street and refusing to disperse. It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: But there’s also a new turn of events, isn’t there? There’s hope for the other side at last.

  DICK RONSON: (Perking up) Yes Sophie! The counter-revolution has begun. At last, all over the country - and not just in London - ordinary people are saying NO MORE to the riots. And astonishingly, it’s the nation’s most infamous and loathed reality television star - Sadie Hobbs - who has become the figurehead of the fight against terror.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: It started with a recent blog post didn’t it?

  DICK RONSON: Indeed Sophie. Just yesterday, Sadie Hobbs, who’s been an outspoken critic of the riots, wrote a blog post that reiterated earlier calls for the return of capital punishment. Sadie Hobbs believes that she speaks for the majority of ordinary decent people in Britain and that the police and army have been too soft on the rioters.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: Is capital punishment likely to return?

  DICK RONSON: Well, the politicians are saying very little tonight Sophie. But there’s been a great deal of public dissatisfaction with the way they’ve handled this crisis. And if that dissatisfaction continues – well – Sadie Hobbs has already used the term ‘lynch mob’ on more than one occasion. And as you know, lynch mobs don’t usually sit around and ask for permission to do what they do.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: Two clear leaders have now emerged, is that right Dick?

  DICK RONSON: Yes Sophie. And ahead of Piccadilly, the real battleground is no longer on the streets of London – it’s on the Internet. It’s the battle of the blogger versus the vlogger. Are you #teamChester or #teamSadie? Are you #teamPiccadilly or #teamPunishment?

  Cuts to interviews with members of the public.

  INTERVIEEW 1: (Middle-aged white woman) I’m definitely #teamSadie. I’m disgusted with the government treating these criminals like badly behaved children. Slap on the wrist and that’s all they get innit? Blow ‘em away, that’s what I say. Bloody scum destroying this beautiful city and we’re all just sitting back watching it happen. It’s pathetic.

  Cuts to…

  INTERVIEEW 2: (Elderly white man) Hang ’em. Hang ’em all! Show them what happens when you misbehave.

  Cuts to…

  INTERVIEEW 3: (Elderly white woman) She just says what the rest of us are all thinking, doesn’t she? I like Sadie.

  Cuts to…

  INTERVIEEWS 4 AND 5: (Two thirty-something white women, dressed in business suits, jumping up and down, unleashing a football style chant into the microphone) SADIE! SADIE! SADIE!

  Cuts back to Dick Ronson in Ferry Lane.

  SOPHIE WALLACE: Not a lot of support for Chester George, was there?

  DICK RONSON: No Sophie. And that was a completely random survey on our part. The truth is that the silent majority are, thanks to Sadie Hobbs, beginning to make their voices heard. They want to put an end to this. They want capital punishment back. The question is, are the politicians listening?

  Chapter 29

  19th August 2011

  The Paxton Show

  The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is sitting in a television studio near Westminster. Sitting across from him is the CBC’s interviewer extraordinaire, James Paxton. This is Paxton’s first chance to grill the leader of the country since the disturbances began in early August.

  PAXTON: Prime Minister, thank you for joining us. It certainly hasn’t been easy to get a hol
d of you lately. God knows we’ve tried.

  PRIME MINISTER: Sorry about that James. Of course, we’ve been kept very busy lately.

  PAXTON: First of all, let me ask you a very important question. Are you #teamSadie or #teamChester?

  PRIME MINISTER: (Laughing nervously) Well James, I suppose if anything I’d like to think of myself as #teamUK.

  PAXTON: I don’t think that’s trending on Twitter at the moment.

  PRIME MINISTER: No, you’re quite right. Unfortunately not.

  PAXTON: Prime Minister, there are those who believe that two weeks of wanton destruction hasn’t been dealt with by your government. What do you say to those people?

  PRIME MINISTER: Well I don’t think that’s entirely fair James. We’ve brought in extra police and there are army patrols and tanks -

  PAXTON: But it’s clearly not enough is it? Most of the police aren’t even armed and the military aren’t authorised to fire their weapons. Now there’s a so-called Phase Two occupation – thousands of people taking to the streets - prior to embarking on a journey west to Piccadilly. Need I remind you Prime Minister that Piccadilly isn’t too far from the Houses of Parliament?

  PRIME MINISTER: (Shifting uncomfortably in his seat) James, we can’t simply ignore the fruits of a sensible, balanced approach to this problem. Hundreds of arrests have already been made. The judicial system is working overtime, round the clock, twenty-four hours to process and sentence these criminals in record quick time. We’re getting the rioters off the streets and we’re doing so with the minimum of bloodshed.