by Loui Downing
‘Are you listening?’ spoke Evanan in an evil but careful voice, as he was personally excited to be in an article.
‘I’m sorry Evanan it’s my home. There may be something wrong as they have called twice now, please excuse me I will only be a second. As Joseph reached for his telephone, he stood up tall and walked further along the café; he appeared to be heading for the men’s room.
‘Joe…He’s fallen ill you have to come home right away’ said a voice in despair. Joseph took a few moments to recall who the voice was on the other end. Evanan lifted his cup and took a tiny essence of it down into his stomach; feeling every fluid flow; tired and dehydrated was the only explanation in his mind. Joseph came rushing through the cafeteria, and without a goodbye he ran past Evanan and ignored him; knocking over a chrome chair and a small plant pot on his travels.
‘Jo…Joey…J’ shouted Evanan, slowly fading out as he realised he was non-responsive, as Evanan sat at the outside coffee table; not making Joseph move a muscle as he ran past, gathering his work and avoiding eye contact. The wind blustered at the side of Evanan’s face as a band of wrath built up inside him, which was visible from a red band across his forehead.
Joseph rushed past the crowded streets of Kings Cross and down onto the underground platform; finding his destination as quickly as possible. He took out his mobile phone and began punching in the keys that he somehow remembered off-by-heart, as he held it to his ear and mouth. The train was already there as he approached, a bleeping sound commenced as he increased his speed, opening the doors and clambering inside the packed train; accidentally pushing into people and causing some disturbance. He was very out of breath by this time and he poured with clear clumps of sweat that clung for their life to the cheeks and under his neck. The passenger next to him heard the dull sound of the signal tone activate on his phone as he realised that he was out of range and that it was vital that he could make that call.
After a painful fifteen minutes Joseph finally reached his destination at St Pancras. He headed for the quickest route to Northampton, which at this time was to take the cross country service through Milton Keynes. The train arrived with a jubilant jive; coming to a holt around a foot away from where Joseph was leaning against the bricked wall. He was still using his phone in desperation, as he repeated the routine, only this time he spoke which was drowned out by the loud looping echo of the train emptying its bowels onto the two rusty bands beneath. Joseph got onto the slightly old fashioned train as he pulled the lever to allow passengers to exit the train. He entered the doors and gathered a distasteful pong as he hurried through the doors single-handedly, selecting a chair that wasn't reserved. He stowed his satchel on the chair closest and sat observing the platform outside through a cloudy window. The cockney accent on the speakers revealed that it was Milton Keynes.
‘pleez all change, fanks and av a noice day’ said the train conductor in a deeply warming and proud manner. Joseph struggled to hear as he had finally received reception on his mobile phone. Joseph took the device and keyed in eleven numbers and placed the receiver next to his ear.
A pale women huddled herself in the cold and deserted corner of the leaking cell, accompanied by rust infected bars; a bucket with food lay lifelessly on the ground. Liona heard footsteps pacing outside, consuming her as she listened anxiously; cowering in a state of fright and holding a seeping wound. The footsteps halted and the perfectly black outlines of a pair of boots were horizontal to her door as the door slits opened. Eyes, nose and a hat was in partial view. The figure stood for a while and starred; making the hairs on Liona’s back cower themselves, trying to burry each other in her skin.
‘Liona, you have a message’ informed an African man with a commandingly deep voice.
‘Who...o…?’ replied Liona, but before anyone answered the door slits had closed and the footsteps made their way back. Confusion settle over Liona like a blanket of snow, she was expecting to hear what the message was, until she was caught off-guard and she sprang her attention back where she was looking around five minutes’ prior. There was a white man, quite short as he barely could see through the slits, he informed her that he was about to enter. The oversized door swung heavily as the man struggled as he pushed it open and entered without care. Liona sat upright, fully on guard to protect herself.
‘I’m not here to harm you Liona, I here to help and to give you a message’ said Alan Winsall, who Liona recognised as a distant member of her team.
‘Your…witth’ said Liona who was abruptly interrupted.
‘Never mind that now, all that is of concern is your release and your message. You have to cooperate for this to work Liona’ chirped Alan as he felt slightly threatened by Liona’s posture and state of mind.
‘Ok, I will cooperate. What is the message?’ replied Liona instantly.
‘It’s not that easy for me…’ said Alan, ending in a mass state of scared silence.
‘TELL ME!’ ragged Liona impatiently at the chubby annoying man before her. Liona was fully fledged towards him now and she realised that the guard outside the door had disappeared from sight.
‘It’s your son’ said Alan, clearly suffering in his appearance from informing her, although he did feel better for saying as the thought of his life was in jeopardy. Liona now lay off the man and retreated slightly before she fell violently onto the hard bone shattering cell floor. Alan rushed over to her and raised a hand and caught her fall, he brought her back to the correct level and his instructed her to take a seat on the floor, so he followed suit to put her at ease and make him pose as less superior.
Neville watched birds swish through the air, creating patterns of sixes and nines, switching from side to side frantically; mesmerising Neville contently. Neville sat patiently on an old chair observing them out of the high window in the hospital building. Outside the window was an array of restaurants and the newly constructed shopping centre, along with the distant sounds of trains arriving and departing. It wasn’t until this time Neville now realised how precious life is and that how nature is beautiful when you stand still for a moment to look. He turned around to see his brother in the bed before him attached to all kinds of wires, monitors and devices that bleeped and yelped at any given moment. Gill and Eric were sat consumed to Edward’s presence on the bed and his health. They all looked nervous, as Eric said something quietly to Gill and walked off down the ward, turning left down the corridor, Neville still unaware as to where he was going. A few moments later the atmosphere warmed as Eric returned with refreshments, along with Neville's favourite comic, fizzy drink and sweets; Gill grudgingly turning a blind eye.
‘There you go, that should cheer you up a bit. I’ve heard from your father and he should be with us in around two and a quarter hour’s, that’s if the traffic isn’t a nightmare’ said Eric as he gave Neville his delights, although addressing them both. Eric sat up as he pushed hard on his knees moaning and groaning at his old age, as he hovered over Edward and spoke softly to him.
‘Hello little one, your mummy and daddy won’t be long, don’t worry it’s all going to be ok in the morning’ said Eric even though he knew Edward was fast asleep he felt he had to say something.
An exhausted man came into Neville’s blurry vision as he lent on the windowsill, slowly falling asleep, or rather that was not the case now. Neville lent forwards and stretched his eyes using the muscles in his cheeks and knuckles to wipe clear and focus on this unknown figure. Neville soon realised that it was his father, panting like he has never seen and holding some of Edward’s clothes and blankets from their home. Joseph entered as Eric and Gill hugged him and looked tearful as they beamed back at Edward. Joseph gave them a confused look but then thought that it is all quite traumatising for us all.
‘Glad you made it Jo’ said his father smiling and patting his shoulder gently, of which Joseph gave no reply and emptied some contents of his carrier bag onto the bedside table, in there was a book that Neville liked. Neville appeared to have a
lready spotted the book as Joseph noticed his ecstatic expression come at once. Joseph passed the book over to him and was pleased to hear a thank you from him.
‘What have the doctors said then?’ asked Joseph to both Gill and Eric. Eric looked towards Gill and they both paused for words. Gill finally plucked up the courage whilst reaching and holding Joseph, even though she was reaching over Eric and causing a pain in her back.
‘They haven’t told you dear?’ enquired Gill looking deep into Joseph’s eyes, searching for a glimmer of hope.
‘Told me what Gillian?’ replied Joseph in demand as Gill swallowed, feeling the sense of anxiety build like a balloon inside the room they were in.
‘I don’t know how I can put this to you but Edward…Edward is very ill and he…well needs to have an operation…one that can only be done abroad’ said Gill, tears rolling down her eyes unfolding her wrinkles and rivets as they drop.
‘What kind of operation?’ said Joseph panicking as his breath deepened as his face became a pale colour. Joseph looked from Eric to Gill, switching and turning as he felt a part of him melt away like ice being hit with a ray of sunshine, only this sunshine was black and made him feel nauseated.
‘A heart-bypass, in America’ replied Eric as Gill couldn’t take it any longer and was now crying in the arms of her husband. Joseph was speechless and immediately got up and walked over to the entrance of the ward where he stood looking through the plastic window filled with a wire mesh as thoughts ran through his mind. After a few seconds, tears formed and he retreated to where Edward’s bed was and hugged everyone together. All Joseph could think about was the first sight of Edward when he was born and the feeling that filled him. Joseph took a deep breath, which turned into a fit of panic for he had only just realised the contents of the message he passed on to Liona.
❖
CHAPTER 4
Purely Coincidental
George, Henry and Cindy were stood frozen in their own particular daze of confusion as they recalled what had just happened. No one spoke a word for a short while, until the lift doors gave way and began to close, making everyone jump and release from their fixation.
‘Did you guys see what I saw?’ asked George to the two still lives next to him. The two nodded continuously, clearly their minds consumed by the horrors.
‘It looked just like me’ spoke Henry eventually looking mortified at the very fact the words had left his mouth and the reaction that he would get made him question the very happenings at the moment what with this, the hospital and the figure he could have sworn he saw at Cindy’s house. Henry found this all too overwhelming, so he crouched down and sat on a paved area with the tips of his fingers massaging his head, trying to understand what was going on. George and Cindy had now walked closer to Henry, offering their sympathy and support, although it was thanked, it was the last thing that Henry needed, as all he wanted was answers.
Cindy noticed a broken vending machine as she walked over to the machine, calling back to the others, as George spoke for them both. She placed her arm quite far into the machine and extracted a few surprisingly still cold fizzy drinks.
‘Hey, these are still cold! It must have only happened recently’ shouted Cindy not coming up for air between any of the words said with maximum power.
‘There’s probably an emergency supply, so it could have been ages ago’ replied George, who was interrupted ‘No, your right Cindy. The emergency electricity would only be for equipment and lighting’ said Henry rudely as he perked up in his complexion. George however, felt a deep sense of desire to actually be right at something between him and Cindy’s father.
This all disappeared when he looked at Cindy who shot a stupidly lame look at him, so he regurgitated what he had said previously by admitting Henry and Cindy were correct. Henry sat again frowning, trying to piece together what had happened and why. Henry had felt so exhausted and things like this made it all a lot worse for him to cope with. Mavis was his soul mate, his dear friend and also the most spectacular thing that has ever happened to him. He cast his mind a side, remembering the first dance he had with her back in the late nineteen fifties.
He smiled, remembering his chat with his friends in the theatre car park; all the emphasis of the laugh being placed on his rather corny looking moustache that hung like a rodent from his upper lip. Not to mention his flared jeans, accompanied by a jacket that he had unnecessarily thrown over his shoulder.
Mavis was walking by, her legs so thin and beautiful as she was the one in the middle, tall, blonde hair with a radiant smile that Henry couldn’t take his eyes off as she walked passed, making Mavis blush and her friends giggle, grasping her arm as they hurried along to the auditorium; occasionally looking back. Henry remembered his best friend saying that he should talk to her, but being Henry he didn’t pluck up the courage and Mavis cornered him later that evening after months of torment at the thought of him ever coming over to talk to her properly.
Henry moved forty-five degrees to view Cindy and he could see her resemblance. He paused on her face and before he realised Cindy was lending her arms for he became tearful, which Cindy spotted and intervened as quickly as possible. George checked on Jack in the cot below him, who scared him as he had his eyes wide open and was patting his blanket, but surprisingly remained perfectly quiet. George reached for a side opening on the cot where a dummy was placed, so he cleaned it and placed it encouragingly towards Jack’s mouth, who took it for a few seconds before spitting it out and letting out a pea of a giggle at George’s moan.
‘Let’s leave here and find Mavis’ said Henry wiping the tears from his cheeks with the tattered and dirty sleeve belonging to his jumper. Cindy slowly released him from her arms and helped him rise up and start gathering all their belongings and head for the double doors. George moved a few cages out of his way, clanging and plonking with each placement and grab. The room they were about to leave was an absolute mess, bricks torn from walls, spillages, equipment and clothing tossed to one side. George left, looking back into the room, still half expecting something to leap out at him when he bumped into Cindy, tripping her into a half fall, as she managed to recover herself and use her right arm to break her fall.
All four of them left the room, opening a large double door where they entered yet another desolate corridor that looked like it had been ripped apart limb by limb, only this corridor had multiple walkways to different departments, more lifts, a kiosk, a restaurant and a flight of stairs declining to further departments. Everything lit by the faintest of lights, hissing and buzzing as they struggled to cast light; some of them flashed crazily on and off, making it hard to sleep.
The whole atmosphere wasn’t making them feel that much more confident either, as there was a chilling breeze shooting from the main entrance along with the aching coldness of the penetrating snow which drifted aimlessly through the doors; swirling randomly. George looked down to his feet, where had only just noticed water squelching in his new maroon shoes, he could feel the freezing water soak into the soul and seep into his socks causing him to lose heat quickly. The three walked slowly continuing apprehensively through the hospital, where they approached an operating room to their left, there was some equipment on the table, blood stains and what looked like a concealed body outlined by the white sheet thrown over them on the bed. Cindy let out a real gasp and she looked as though she was going to be sick as she lent halfway to the floor clutching her midriff.
‘Cindy, you ok’ said Henry as he moved her away from the window, so that he was closer to the body.
‘Yeah, I just feel…I…don’t’ replied Cindy, struggling to form words together and contribute to discussion. Cindy had a flashback of her mother lying there on the bed the night before. She grabbed her father’s arm to levitate herself off the floor, failing to do so at first but then managed to regain her footing. Henry looked out of the corner of his eye at Cindy, it was like slow motion as she flunked to the ground, thudding her elbow and head as Henry w
as too late to catch her. The room was spinning as her vision was squandered, the images started to fade off into the distance as they gradually ended smaller, until all that was visible was some small black dots miles away.
‘Cindy…Cindy! Wake up! You need to wake up its important. I am one of them and so shall you. You must go and see what there is to see, for it is told that coincidence will not happen for you’ pleaded a voice as Cindy pictured an old man screaming for his dear life, which made her wake up as Henry was instructing to her to wake up at the same time. As they clocked her widened eyes the two breathed a sigh of relief in unison. Cindy awoke sweating and pouring. The drips of salty water trickled down her back and arms. She didn’t know what was going on, and what was that voice telling her to do. She placed her hair and head between her legs as she caught some air and held it tightly in her lung before letting a river of air come bursting out like an exploding dam. Cindy rounded the other two up whilst brushing aside what had just happened to her and carrying on through the deserted hospital; finding the quickest route and the safest to where her mother was earlier.
George began to tire from walking and holding Jack, as the conditions of the hospital seemed to be falling as quickly as the snow was forming outside. They looked for directions but the ones that Cindy had used before had all been broken or placed in such ways that could have meant any of the directions. They teamed together and made the decision that Henry and Cindy would go down the large corridor, whilst George and Jack entered the stairwell and looked around upstairs for clues to why this place was in such as state, and meet back in around half and hour or so at the same spot. George doubted his parenting skills already, but this seemed to be the biggest test ever, then maybe Henry wouldn’t be so harsh on him. The thought vanished as he regained hold of the more important issues at stake here, as he reached over to Cindy and kissed her forehead and hugged her. Cindy bent down to kiss Jack, who let out a little gurgle and a bubble, which they all laughed at. George proceeded to the plain white door to his right, just past the theatre room with the body in it. His palm was obviously sweaty as he grabbed for the metal lever in order to open the door, emphasising George’s confidence.
