by Asher, Adele
“Not if I can help it.”
NATASHA GOT OUT the hospital one week later, knowing Micky would be waiting for her if she didn’t she discharged herself in the middle of the night and left via the back service entrance. She took a night-bus out to the allotments and followed the directions Danny had written down to find the money.
She opened the chest and found her passport, the cash and Danny’s pistol. She picked up the gun and looked at it, checked it was loaded and was about to put it down when she heard footsteps behind her.
“What have you found then eh Natasha?” she heard Micky say. Natasha didn’t move and carefully knocked the safety off the pistol. “Creeping about in the allotment sheds this time of night. Why would you be doing that? Spot of midnight gardening?”
“What do you want Micky?”
“I’m offended you didn’t wait for me to pick you up at the hospital,” Micky replied. “You weren’t thinking about running off with that were you? doesn’t belong to you Natasha.
“It doesn’t belong to you either,” said Natasha. “Sharky gave it to Danny.”
“Well he shouldn’t of. Besides, Danny doesn’t need it now.” he said. “Behave yourself and I promise I won’t hurt you.”
Natasha nodded. “Everyone is afraid of you aren’t they Micky? Like you are some sort of untouchable monster.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“I would. You’re a monster. You think you are this hard man but we both know the truth. You are just a silly little boy. You think scaring people makes you special? I’m not afraid of you.”
“Well you should be Natasha. Danny isn’t here to save you now.”
“No he isn’t. and whose fault is that? Your own brother! What sort of person gets their own brother sent down for something they did?”
“You have to look after yourself in this world. It’s you versus everyone else. Family included.”
“You are right Micky. That’s why I don’t need you, Danny, my dad, or anyone else to take care of me. I can do that myself.”
“You’re a little girl Natasha. You can’t, believe me.”
Natassha spun round and squeezed the trigger, the pistol fired with a violent kick. She focused on Micky’s face, which now had a look of shock. He drew two short breaths then put his hand down onto his white shirt where a small patch of crimson blood was starting to emerge. He looked at his hand. Natasha kept the gun pointed at him.
“You fuckin’ shot me…why did you fuckin’ shoot me?” he said frowning with shocked confusion, staring at the blood.
Natasha stood up and kept the gun pointed at him, gestured him to sit down on the chair which he did. She walked over, picked up an old rag and then pulled his gun out with it and dropped it in a potting bag.
“Is this it? This the gun you killed them people with?” she asked. Micky nodded trying to control his breathing and panic. Micky started sobbing gently. “Well I’m going to keep this. However long it takes, I’m gonna get you for this Micky.”
“Please don’t kill me!” he pleaded sobbing.
Natasha shook her head. “I’m not going to kill you Micky. I need you alive so I can get Danny out.”
Natasha took her large backpack and filled it with the money.
“Where are you goin’?” Micky asked.
“As far away from you as I can get. But don’t worry Micky. I’ll be back. When I’m ready I’ll be coming back for you.”
“Look…let’s just talk about this….”
Natasha dropped Micky’s pistol into her backpack, zipped it up and put it on her back.
“There’s nothing to talk about Micky. I’ll be seeing you. Don’t bleed to death.”
Natasha departed.
“Help!” Micky cried, trying to stop the blood leaking from his chest. “Natasha! Please don’t leave! I don’t want to die here!” he cried, but Natasha didn’t respond. Micky crawled out of the shed on his stomach, struggled to his feet and staggered to the road before collapsing on the pavement.
Natasha used the money to get Danny the best lawyer she could, but the case against him, and the Finn’s reputation, meant the jury had decided he was guilty before he even stood in the dock, and he got sent down for life.
Since he was now seventeen he was sent straight to adult prison, but luckily was put in the same cell as his brother. Such was the Finn’s reputation for violence, and their Irish nationality, they were housed in a maximum-security wing alongside provisional IRA members.
Sharky and Danny made the best of it. Both serving life sentences they had little hope of early release and just made the best of the situation they were in.
The early years in prison were hardest on Danny, deprived of his freedom at such a young age - he had barely even begun his life.
Sharky had accepted the crime he had committed and at least knew justice was fairly punishing him, but Danny was innocent of the crimes he was charged with, the knowledge he would spend such a large part of his life behind bars whilst Micky was free to do as he willed would remove any sense of loyalty or feeling he had for his brother. But he didn’t need to concern himself with Revenge, Natasha having had everything taken away from that she cared about devoted her existence to bringing down Micky Finn, and revenge was a dish best served cold.
