by Woods, Karen
“Nah, not this time Brian. You can fuck off. You think you can treat me like shit. I’m not putting up with it anymore.” Brian hunched his shoulders. He looked ready to make a move.
“Don’t be smart Katie. Just because you think you have some backup with you. I’ll still waste you ya know.” The four of them stood waiting for someone to make the first move, but they all remained frozen.
The police finally arrived and moved Brian on. They wanted Shaun and Katie to press charges against him for assault but they both said no. Grassing was the lowest of the low in Harpurhey and no matter what happened no one wanted to be called a snitch.
Brian screamed out as the police took him. He shouted to Katie that he would be back for her. His words sent shivers down her spine but she tried not to look bothered. All the neighbours were out in full force. They stood gossiping amongst themselves. Gladys looked at Katie and raised her eyebrows.
“You happy now? All the estate are talking about us again.” Katie wanted to open fire on her but she was used to her moaning ways and just left her to go back into the house. Shaun and Katie stood with a few people from the estate and filled them in on all the finer details. They all knew Brian of old and told Katie to watch her back in future.
Shaun felt sick and went back into the house with Katie following behind him. The front room looked dirty and clothes were scattered about. Half drunken cups of tea were on the table and the ash tray was filled with cig ends. Shaun went into the kitchen and started washing his face. Gladys just sat watching television and completely ignored Katie.
Once Shaun returned Gladys examined his face as he tried to push her away. She managed to get some Savlon cream on his cuts. He sat moaning as his face started stinging with the antiseptic. Katie watched her mother with Shaun and wondered why she wasn’t treated the same. All her life she’d had to fight for any affection from her. Her heart sunk as she tried to straighten the front room up. As she reached for the cups from the table her mother ignored her again and acted like she wasn’t there. Shaun could see it too and gripped Katie’s shoulder.
“You’re gonna be alright ya know. I’ll make sure of it. You can’t go back to him Katie, you’ll end up dead.” Katie’s eyes filled up and she knew he was right. They both discussed the options and it was decided they would both move back into their mother’s house. When they told Gladys the news, she couldn’t hide her disappointment. She paced round front room huffing and puffing and made several remarks.
“Well if you’re staying here I’ll need some keep. Money doesn’t grow on trees you know!” Shaun searched his pocket and pulled out two twenty pound notes. Once he’d passed her the money her face changed but she still carried on moaning.
“What’s gonna happen if he comes again? I can’t be doing with this every night, so you better sort it out Katie. Do you hear me?” Shaun stepped in before Kate blew her temper as he could see her face going red.
“Mam, what the fuck can she do about him? We’ll just have to keep phoning the police if he turns up again, won’t we?” Gladys rocked in her chair and somehow Katie knew she wouldn’t be staying long with her. They were like chalk and cheese and they both just about tolerated each other.
That night all the family were back together. When Paul came home from work and saw them there he was distraught knowing what had gone on. Gladys was still playing the victim and walked round the front room telling her side of the story.
Over the next few nights Brian rang the house phone several times throughout the late hours. There were even bricks thrown at the windows but still Katie remained safe and away from his grip.
Shaun spent some time thinking over the last few weeks and he’d decided he was going back to Blackpool to start drug dealing from there again. It would be a chance to make a fresh start after Lauren but first he had to get in touch with Colby as he didn’t want to do it alone
Chapter Eleven
Colby and Shaun were on the train heading back to Blackpool. They’d already found somewhere to stay up there. The new phone was already set up and ready to take calls. The lads they knew from years before had helped them sort it out and everything was set when they arrived.
Colby had stolen Ged’s drugs from the flat. Once Ged found out he knew he would be a dead man. The sound of the train moving along was peaceful and Shaun closed his eyes as he touched the pebble in his pocket. His friend beside him looked a lot older. His once big afro hairdo was now shaven to the bone. Colby had lost a fair amount of weight and Shaun had asked on several occasions if he’d been dabbling in smack. Colby was angry and sat at the side of him waving his arms in his face defending himself.
“You cheeky cunt. What ya saying? That I look like a bag-head?” Shaun smiled and knew he’d hurt his feelings.
“Nar, I just thought I’d ask that’s all. Come on let’s face it. You’ve lost pure weight though.” Colby pulled his sleeves up and looked at his arms. They did look thin and he admitted that he’d not been eating properly for a while. His face looked distressed as he spoke.
“It’s all the shit that’s gone on with you and Ged. I’ve lost my appetite ya know. Fucking hell I still can’t get a grip of what he did to Lauren.” Mention of her name plunged Shaun into sorrow. He patted Colby’s leg.
“Ged’s a twat and as I’ve told him, he’ll be paid back for what he did to her. I don’t know how and I don’t know when but believe me, the twat will pay.” Colby listened to his words and nodded. He was now paranoid over his weight and pulled his jeans up looking at his scrawny legs.
Once they arrived in Blackpool, the lads ordered a taxi to take them to the house where they were staying. The sun was shining and lots of holiday-makers were out and about. As they passed the funfair they could hear the screams of people enjoying themselves. Shaun remembered the few family holidays he’d had as a child and smiled as he remembered his mam running up the beach away from the sea water. Colby didn’t have good memories of Blackpool and as soon as he got off the train the vision of Shaky and the things he’d done to him in the past came flooding back. He never spoke about how he felt inside and sometimes he’d even thought about ending his life because he still felt dirty inside.
Pulling up outside the house Shaun paid the taxi fare. They both picked up their bags containing their clothes and stood rapping at the door. A blonde girl opened it and looked at them with a smile.
“Oh you must be Shaun and Colby. The guys are expecting you. Come in.” They both walked into the house and headed into the front room. A few familiar faces were present and Shaun nodded his head at them. Within minutes the drugs Colby had brought with him were on the table and the lads were bagging it up. The mobile phone was ringing constantly and the dealers were taking orders before they were bagged.
The night went on and the blonde woman from earlier had taken a shine to Shaun. He’d checked her history out with the lads and she seemed a nice girl. She wasn’t a junkie and she didn’t do drugs they told him. He found it hard to believe because she was staying at the house. Shaun sat by her side and started to find out for himself.
“What’s ya name then?” As she looked at him she smiled and said.
“Becky. What do ya want to know for?” He started to tickle her side and loved her dry sense of humour.
“I want to know because I think you’re sexy and I wouldn’t mind ragging ya fanny about, that’s why.” She giggled and fluttered her eyelashes at him.
“Well think again. I’m not dirty. I’m a good girl.” Shaun could see she was a bit hurt by his words and tried to make amends.
“I’m only joking, mard arse. I just wanted to start a conversation with you that’s all.” Becky smiled and introduced herself. She was twenty and had long blonde hair. Her figure was fantastic. Her big tits made Shaun’s eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. Shaun carried on talking to her and asked her about her background. Becky told him she was a lap dancer in a club in the city centre. She also told him a little about her past and how she’d
run away from home at the age of fifteen. His eyes were hypnotised by her and he watched her mouth moving as she spoke.
“It’s been hard you know. I’ve lived everywhere. The job I’m doing is alright, but there are too many perverts out there now. When I was sixteen I used to get the odd punter having a feel of me every now and then but these days they’re all over you like flies round shit.”
Shaun laughed and carried on finding out more about her. She asked him to come into the nightclub where she was dancing tonight and he agreed. He was buzzing with her and told Colby about the arrangement for the night. He asked him to come along with him but Colby was unsure of what he wanted to do.
As the day went on Shaun took care of business. He got in touch with his suppliers and sorted out the arrangement for getting more drugs on the streets. The main supplier was called Bobby and he knew him from years before. Bobby was just a runner to start with but now he looked like he was doing well for himself. He drove a silver BMW and wore all the smart clobber. He’d even opened a few sunbed shops in the area. Shaun looked at him and knew one day he wanted the life Bobby lived. The deal was done and Shaun headed back home to get ready to go and watch Becky dance at the club.
Shaun had so many ideas in his head. He was thinking of other ways to make some money. As he entered the house Colby greeted him. His face looked wrecked and he could tell he’d been smoking weed again. Shaun shook his head and sat on the arm of the chair.
“What the fuck are ya smoking weed for again. I thought you’d given it up.” Colby shook his head.
“Nar mate. I need it to get through the day. It chills me out.” Looking around the front room Shaun noticed a young lad around fourteen years of age sat in the corner. His eyes looked dark underneath and his skin looked grey. His knees were pulled up to his chest and his jumper was pulled over his knees as if he was cold. Shaun looked at him more closely and asked Colby in a whispering voice who the lad was. Colby told him and didn’t care his voice was pretty loud.
“He’s a fucking rent boy man. Jerry’s just told me. I couldn’t believe it either.” Jerry was nearby and heard the conversation. As Shaun looked over to him he nodded and made a funny gay gesture with his hand. Shaun huffed.
“Fuck me he’s only a baby. What’s he doing here anyway?” Colby passed the lad a bag of heroin and took the money from his hand. Shaun felt sick inside. The lad walked past him and nodded. Once they heard the door slam behind him Jerry couldn’t wait to dish the dirt on him.
“Yeah he’s a fucking rent boy. He’s been on gear since he was twelve. Tell ya what though he earns pure cash because he’s always here for brown at least three or four times a day. You should hear some of the stories he has to tell you. He’s had a fucking hard life.”
Colby was sat up in the chair as he puffed on his spliff. He looked at Shaun and screwed his face up at Jerry.
“Go on then, don’t tell us half a story. What do ya know about him?” Jerry kept on mixing the drugs on the table and began to tell them what he knew about Lenny.
“I believe his mam was a baghead and when he was ten or summat like that she started to let her punters have a feel of him for extra cash.” Shaun’s mouth dropped as he listened further. “She was a prostitute herself and didn’t give a fuck about him most of the time. Anyway, ” he paused as he sat back in his seat, “she started to sell his arse to get the money she needed for gear”
“Fuck off!” Shaun shouted. “No way am I having that. I mean what kind of mother would sell their son’s body for money.” Jerry looked at him and rolled his eyes.
“Mate, we’re talking about addicts now. They will do owt for a fix. Fucking hell, when ya gonna wake up and smell the coffee.” Colby was pissing himself laughing at the side of him and Shaun felt daft. He defended himself.
“Fucking hell what ya laughing at? How the fuck am I supposed to know every fucker’s background?”
Colby lay back in his chair and his face changed. He looked sad as the words came from his mouth.
“There are some sick bastards out there Shaun. Everyone has a story to tell. You don’t have to be a baghead to have shit happen to you” Shaun knew exactly what he meant and took the conversation back to Jerry.
“So what happened to Lenny’s mam, surely she got arrested or summat?” Jerry chewed on his lips and hunched his shoulders.
“She’s still on brown mate. We serve her up sometimes. I know she got time for whatever happened to Lenny, but she denies it all if you ask her.” Shaun wanted to know more.
“So did he get put in care and all that or what?” Jerry stood up and stretched his arms over his head.
“Yeah mate course, but he just got lost in the system and ended up running away. He’s told us bits about himself, but only when he’s off his head.” Jerry lit a cig and plonked his arse back down on the chair. Blowing the smoke from his mouth he sighed. “I remember one night in here when he broke down crying and poured his heart out. Fucking pulled right on my heartstrings he did.”
Shaun felt Lenny’s pain and wished he could help him. As he closed his eyes he could still see his sad face looking at him. He promised himself that the next time he was at the house he would have a talk with him and see if he could help him in any way.
Running upstairs Shaun started to run himself a bath. The bath was disgusting and he poured some bleach around the side to try and clean it. The whole house was dirty and he’d already decided the following day he would clean it up and try and make it look half decent.
Sitting in the bath he looked in the cracked mirror. His face looked older than he could last remember. He was twenty-two now and his boyish face had now turned into a man’s. As he shaved he couldn’t stop thinking about Becky. He liked her and knew there had been some kind of connection between them both. Lauren was still in his heart but he only felt anger towards her now.
As he dried his body he flexed his muscles and looked into the mirror. Walking into his bedroom he turned on his CD player and played the only CD he owned. The Smiths started to play and he thought about Lauren again. He wanted to turn it off but the words of the song soothed him in some strange way.
Heading downstairs he popped his head round the door. The lads made comments about the way he was dressed and caused him to check himself over again. He was wearing his black jeans and a tight white t-shirt. He giggled to the lads.
“You two have no dress sense that’s all. I’m a fanny magnet and you both know it!”
Laughter filled the room as Shaun strutted his stuff. As he started doing some sexual movements against the door they all pissed themselves laughing. His arse was swaying to and fro and he pretended to smack his own arse as they watched him in fits of laughter.
“Go on fuck off ya gay twat,” shouted Colby. Shaun smiled and jumped on him and started kissing his head. He laughed loudly as he tickled him.
“I’ll show you who’s a gay twat. Come on get ya mouth round this.” Shaun stood in front of him and tried to push his head down towards his crutch. Colby’s laughter stopped all of a sudden, his mood changed and he broke free. His looked angry. Colby mumbled under his breath as he straightened his clothes.
“I said fucking do one. Ya prick.” Shaun still teased him but could see the distress in his eyes so he left him alone. Shaun looked one last time in the mirror and said goodbye. Colby was still sulking and Shaun blew him a kiss just to see if he would laugh. Colby smirked and shook his head. “Nobhead,” he muttered.
Shaun felt on top of the world and was singing The Smiths song he’d just listened to. The sun was still out as he headed to the bar where he’d arranged to meet Becky. As he walked in the music was pumping. He headed straight to the bar and ordered a bottle of Budweiser. The place was packed and he found it difficult to find Becky. Once he’d got his drink he walked towards the dancefloor and from the corner of his eye he saw her. Waving his hand up in the air he finally got her attention.
Becky looked stunning. Her long blonde hair had been cu
rled and her skin looked fresh. She was wearing a small pair of white shorts that just about covered her crotch. Her heels made her tower over him and he felt quite small stood next to her. He was slavering at the mouth as he gawped at her.
“You look mint,” he whispered into her ear. Becky smiled and took him over to a table at the back end of the pub. As they reached it she started to introduce him to some of the other girls. All the girls were stunners and Shaun thought he’d died and gone to heaven. They had a certain look about them that you knew they were dancers of some kind. Shaun gulped from his bottle and asked Becky if she wanted another beer. She declined.
“No thanks we’re heading over to ‘Bare It’ now.” Becky told him ‘Bare It’ was the club where she worked. As he walked down the busy promenade he felt special. All the men were looking at the girls and you could hear the girls telling gangs of men where they were going. Some of the wives of the gawping men could be seen punching their men in the side and Shaun laughed to himself.
The Blackpool nightlife was buzzing. Lots of hen and stag parties were out in full force. All the parties had themes. The girls who’d just walked past them were all dressed as nurses. Becky saw Shaun looking at them and dragged his arm towards her. She joked.
“Ay dirty balls. Don’t be looking at other girls when you’re with me.” He smiled and pulled her closer for a kiss. Her lips felt warm. As he kissed her he could taste her cherry lipstick. Her eyes focused on him and she carried on walking. She held his arm tight as she pulled him closer.
“I have to tell you now Shaun that the men will be all over me tonight. It’s only a job ya know. Just remember that and don’t be getting the green-eyed monster.” His head fell back and he chuckled.
“Get a grip will ya. For fuck’s sake I know what you do. I’m not the jealous type anyway.” Becky held her head back and laughed.
“Yeah that’s what they all say Shaun. Just let’s see ay.” He held her hand as they walked in the club and the bouncers all let on to her. She introduced Shaun to them and he was made to feel part of the family. Becky showed him where the bar was and told him she was up dancing first so she shouldn’t be long. He kissed her on the cheek and watched her leave. Rubbing his hands together he got a drink and headed to the front of the stage. Lots of men were already there and he watched them as he sat down. He was buzzing.
