Текст книги "Underwood"

Автор книги: Colin Griffiths

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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

Chapter 4

The cell was typical of any prison cell that you would see in a British movie , 3 concrete walls and bars to the front, Peter had tried fighting the security off, but with him cuffed and there being two of them he had failed drastically, the woman had a harder grip than the man and his arm hurt from where she grabbed him, his throat was also hurting as if a clamp was still squeezing the breath out of him, it had weakened him considerably, more than he realised, what was unusual about this jail was the size, the cell was about 8 x 6, that’s all the prison consisted of was 1 cell and an area about 4x3 in front of it with a chair and a door, no windows, it stunk, it was damp, there was an old mattress on the floor and a bucket for a toilet, Peter really hoped he wouldn’t have to sleep on that mattress as it appeared to be alive.

Peter stood pacing the small cell, trying to comprehend everything that had happened and was still happening, his mind was in turmoil with the circumstances he found himself in, he still wasn’t sure what was happening, or even how it had happened, he had to get out to his wife and kids, they were his priority, that’s all that mattered for that particular moment, he thought of his own father who had died a few years ago, he was hoping he was looking down on him and he would help him through this, they had taken his belt and shoes off him, ‘as if I’m going to hang myself’ he thought, he still thought that this was all a mistake and soon someone would come and tell them what was happening and put them on the road out of Underwood, his body chilled when he thought of the sign he had seen.

24 hours ago they were still in Sheffield, leaving to go on their annual summer holiday, there was an excitement in the air, a time to cherish and remember, now they were stuck in some place called Underwood, a place not even on a map, they had an armed sheriff and he was in a cell ‘how has this happened he thought, this is fucking Britain’ he punched the wall, he looked at the marks on his knuckles but he felt no pain, then he punched the wall again as if hurting himself would somehow make things right, he put both hands to his temples, he just wanted to scream.

With there being no windows the place was dark other than a bit of light coming through some vents and from underneath the door, but then the place brightened up as the door opened and in came the sheriff, he looked even bigger in the small cell and even though there were bars between them, Peter stepped back, he tried not to show the anger and fear he was feeling, but he failed to do so, the sheriff sat on the chair.

‘Are my wife and kids okay ‘Peter asked, he noticed the nervousness in his own voice,

The sheriff turned the chair so it was facing Peter, it looked as if the chair would collapse under the weight, he was expressionless, and Peter realised that he actually feared this man,

‘Now that was daft thing to do, insubordination, that’s a serious offence, said the sheriff with his usual grin, Peter could see he was enjoying it,

‘Are my wife and kids okay’ Peter shouted, he didn’t realise he had raised his voice and regretted doing so,

The sheriff stood up put his face against the bars, Peter stepped further back he was almost touching the rear wall, it looked as if he wanted to the sheriff could just pull the bars apart to get at him, he felt he wouldn’t have needed keys.

‘That’s your one chance ‘he warned, and sat back down,

‘They are fine, they should be moving into their new home right now’ he added.

Peter winced at those words, it seemed the most natural thing to the sheriff that his wife and kids were moving in to a new house, he knew he had to play it cool, he dreaded to think what the sheriff would do if he antagonised him again,

‘When will we be able to go home’ Peter asked. Stroking his chin the sheriff said

‘I’m afraid that is impossible, you see this is Underwood’ the words chilled Peter to the bone as the sheriff got up to leave, he opened the door, before he left he turned around, Peter could see his dark eyes, he could feel them piercing him

‘You see, there’s one way in, but there isn’t any way out, he closed the door behind him as Peter sunk to his knees.

Steve Duce the fluorescent waist coated No. 64 bus driver took them to Hawthorne, no words were spoken as he drove and no questions asked by the occupants of the bus, Hawthorne was a close of 12 houses each side and four at the top, Number 12 was the last house on the left, and that’s exactly what Eileen thought as they pulled up, recalling the horror movie, she hadn’t seen that particular film and at that time she was glad of that, but like in all horror films people usually died, she cursed herself as she tried to get the thoughts out of her head, Steve Duce got out and lifted their cases onto the pavement, Stuart Hillman a thin man in his fifties was stood there waiting for them, he had the keys in his hand and jangled them in the air as they got off the bus, Steve drove off leaving them to it, wishing he wasn’t the only bus driver in Underwood.

‘Welcome to your new home’ Stuart said and smiled a toothless smile, ‘he looks creepy’ Lily whispered, and Eileen thought she hadn’t met anyone yet who wasn’t creepy, Nathan said nothing, he just clung onto his mother’s hand as if he would never let it go.

Stuart opened the door for them to go in, they wanted to object but they did as they were told, they had seen the consequences of not doing as they were told, but Stuart looked a weak and feeble man and Eileen thought the three of them could overpower him easily if they had to, Lily stood there with aggression building up inside of her, she wanted to kick the man in the balls, for no other reason that the satisfaction it would have given her, but they went inside and Stuart followed, the front door opened to a long passage with a staircase at the side, the door at the end led to a kitchen, it was nicely done out and looked to have all the utensils hung on its yellow walls, but no enthusiasm came from the new tenants, after all as soon as this was all cleared up they would be getting out of Underwood, in a few hours they would be out of here, they were sure of that, the u shaped living room was the same, sofa’s, a bookcase and a cabinet with a nice coffee table in the centre, the other part of the u housed a large dining table and six chairs, the curtains were pastel, the sun shone in from the large window, making the room bright and airy, but it didn’t feel lived in, it didn’t feel like anyone’s home.

‘Upstairs’ Stuart said and went to lead the way,

‘We’ll look later’ Eileen told him, she really didn’t want to go upstairs with him and besides she wouldn’t need the bedrooms, she had no intention of stopping here,

‘Please yourself’ he said as if he wasn’t bothered either way,

Somehow Nathan felt a bit more comfortable and he went to switch on the tele, his young confused mind had switched to holiday mode as he fiddled with the remote control, nothing happened, Lily took the remote from him and tried, still nothing, she slung it on the sofa, nothing in this place works,

‘Mum the tele won’t come on’ said Nathan. Eileen looked at Stuart for an explanation, but she wasn’t really bothered either way,

‘No leccy’ he said,

‘Well how do we get electric’ asked Eileen, her patience growing thin,

‘It’s a meter you need one of these vouchers’ said Stuart, holding a voucher up in the air, teasing Eileen as if daring her, Eileen tried to grab it, Stuart snatched it away, he drew himself closer and started rubbing her breast ‘ it’ll cost you’ he told her,

She hit his hand away, it was certainly not what she was expecting, and her children looked on in horror,

‘Leave my mum alone you dirty bastard’ shouted Lily, she got up to face the man, Eileen held her back with her hand, Nathan stood opened mouthed, the holiday mood now gone and replaced with something far worse,

‘Get out’ Eileen screamed, as her two children looked on, the fear still showing on their faces.

‘You’re a pervert’ shouted Lily,

Stuart left saying ‘you’ll soon learn’ as he did so, and they could hear him laughing as he closed the door behind him, soon, he thought, very soon, Eileen hugged her children not quite believing what was happening.

They sat huddled on the sofa, still not quite believing what the events of the day had brought, wanting Peter to be there as he would sort it, it still felt like a nightmare that they had walked into, somehow still hoping that soon they would wake up, Eileen thought about going to look for Peter and then remembered what the sheriff had said about leaving the building, so they sat and waited and Eileen cradled her children in both arms, an overwhelming sense of fear and dread came over her, she just wanted Peter to come back and take them away from this, they sat like that for thirty minutes, until they heard the front door open.

It was what they expected, this wasn’t fete or destiny, it was something far worse.

Andy Thomas looked at himself in the full length mirror, he run the back of his hand against his clean shaven chin, it always felt good after he shaved, it was like he had cleansed the devil from within him, and his remains washed down the sink, being cleaned shaven made him feel like he beat the devil, he tried to stretch his thinning hair over his scalp, as he did every other day, although it was still no good, he would have to accept that he was losing the battle, or rather his hair was losing him, his brown cowboy hat would cover most of it, however he always took his hat off in doors and always suspected that people were attracted by his bald head, because that’s where their eyes always went, if only he knew it was his own dark eyes they were drawn to, he wondered if he should ditch the hat and just accept the losing hair loss battle, it didn’t seem right that he had to shave the hair off his face two or sometimes three times a day, but when it came to his head it would just not grow, where is the logic in that he would say, he thought it was just another fucked up part of this human world, he really wanted a wig, but there was no wig makers in Underwood,

‘perhaps the new family come from a generation of wig makers’ he grinned at himself in the mirror, he was looking forward to meeting his new family, his dog collar was pristine, he stepped back so he could see himself full length in the mirror, his brown suit looked good, he brushed his hand against his cheeks as he admired himself, he thought the new tenants in no.12 would be impressed.

‘it’s always important to look good’ he told himself, he would not take the bus to Hawthorne, he would walk, it was only 15 minutes from the centre and the air was fresh, the exercise would do him good, and beside that he liked to be seen by the residents, the subjects that he reigned over, for Andy Thomas didn’t see himself as their vicar, he was far more than that, he was their god.

He picked up his clip board that lay on the dresser beside him, he studied his duties for the day, and as he did whenever he left that room, he went to the picture of the good lord that hung beside the bed and he kissed it, he walked on down the stairs out of the front door to meet the day, ‘I fucking hate Sundays’ he told himself.

He walked along Waltwood, that was the road that ran around the perimeter of Underwood, all other roads led from it, he lit a cigarette as he walked, enjoying the hit at the back of the throat, he only laced it with a bit of bush today, after all it was a Sunday, his day of work,  he didn’t want to appear stoned on a Sunday, not that anyone could do anything about it, he just liked the reputation he had built and wanted to keep it, people would never judge him, for he would not allow it, he was glad you could grow the stuff he smoked, but very soon if they didn’t get some more tobacco he would be smoking the stuff neat, he got the Judge to ban the sale of cigarettes and would only be given as rewards, it had worked very well as people would do most things to feed their cravings, and it also gave him a bedroom full of them as they took it off the shelves, but at forty a day, they would soon go, and then he would have to sacrifice someone for the gods to deliver more, for provisions were far more important than people, without provisions you had no people, but he hoped the recent turning of Underwood had brought more provisions as it had done in the past, he hadn’t checked the shops yet to see what their stocks were like, his own cupboards were always bare, he had no use for them, cigarettes and bush was all he required from Underwood, he was under the opinion the people of Underwood needed him more than he needed them, that would always be the case, because all he needed was the will to survive, the people of Underwood could and would not survive without him, after all he wasn’t just the vicar, he was the one who beat the devil.

He looked at the number on the houses as he walked up Hawthorne, he spotted no 12 in the corner ‘a fine house’ he thought, there were plenty of fine houses in Underwood, it was just finding the tenants, but this was his favourite street, it seemed more peaceful to him, more religious, he was sure that an angel or some iconic religious figure had either been born or died in the street, but he chose not to live there, home had no meaning to him, existing was all that mattered.

He could see the trees swaying in the wind some distance away from the street, which gave him comfort.

He stood at the top of the path, he was pleased to see the house was in good shape, he tried to recall the previous tenants, but he could not, their records would be in the library somewhere, but he had a feeling it was a long time ago since this house was lived in, along with many other houses in the town it had been empty for a long time, whilst the empty ones provided work for the gardeners and handymen, he would rather see them occupied, he noticed the garden at no.12 had been kept in excellent shape, ‘I must remember to tell the gardener to take his reward’ he told himself.

He stood at the top of the path to number 12, he took in the air with deep breaths, his chest rising and falling, and he stood like that for a short while before walking down the path.

He didn’t knock the door, he didn’t need to, after all he was the good lord in these parts, he could come and go as he pleased, he was the master of the town, feared more than the sheriff, with his master key he opened the door, though Andy Thomas always thought that if he ever forgot his key, the doors would open for him anyway.

The three of them jumped when the vicar walked into the room, their eyes set on this tall thin faced man, dressed in a brown suit and what looked like a ridiculous hat, he removed his hat, they could now see his harsh face, he made the sign of the cross on his chest, but the spiritual act made them all feel even more uncomfortable, it was more like a curse than a blessing, it was done without conviction,

‘Shall we all sit at the table’ he asked, though it wasn’t a question, it was a demand, he thought they were all looking at his balding head, he didn’t like that.

This was just another crazy incident in what was turning out to be the worst day of their lives, and as Eileen looked at the man with the dog collar it gave her no comfort at all, and it should have done, a man of god should be caring and emphatic, he certainly didn’t look like a man of god, Nathan grabbed his mother’s arm tightly, Lily just sat open mouthed, it was like the Devil had come to them, she felt glad that she wasn’t a church goer.

‘Can you tell me where Peter is’ Eileen stuttered, her whole body seemed to shiver now, anxiety and fear forever growing inside her, she needed Peter, she needed him now.

Andy pointed to the dining table in the other half of the room, it was a gesture Eileen thought she had better respond to, they sat at the table, all three shaking wondering what fete was ahead of them, Andy sat with them, he put the clipboard on the table in front of him, stroked his chin, he still hadn’t said a word and the more they looked at him the less of a man of god he became,

‘Well can you tell me’ Eileen demanded, surprised at her own forcefulness, she put her hand over her mouth like a scalded child, Lily just stared at the man in the dog collar, Nathan bit his bottom lip, he was shaking.

Andy could not deal with this insubordination, he had a busy day ahead, and he talked like he was giving a lecture, not from the pulpit.

‘The sheriff is the top man in these parts, your husband showed him disrespect, the judge will rule this evening, you may attend the ruling, it will be held in the sports centre’

‘but he hasn’t done anything wrong’ Lily screamed, she just wanted her father back, Andy eyed Lily up, she looked young but seemed to be developing well, Eileen grabbed her arm in a manner that told her to be quiet, Andy recognised that and was prepared to let it lie, Lily slumped back in her chair, screwed up her nose and let out a sigh,

‘What are your ages’ he demanded?

‘I am 40, Nathan is 12, Lily 14’ Eileen answered, ‘why do you need to know our ages’ she answered the question before she realised the absurdity of it,

Andy jotted it down, wishing they had made the age of consent 14 instead of 16, but rules are rules, he did not answer Eileen’s question, he was there to ask them.

‘You will all have to go for a medical tomorrow, as you are aware its school holidays, your first day at school will be the 2nd of September, his eyes went to Nathan and Lily,

‘This is crazy ‘said Lily, ‘I don’t live here, I do not want to live here, I don’t want to go to your fucking school, I just want my dad and go home’ she leaned forward in her chair, she showed her teeth,’ now go get my dad’ she demanded. Her outburst took Eileen by shock as she sat opened mouthed, Nathan cowered in his chair, hating his big sister at that particular moment.

In a flash Andy leant over the table, grabbed Lily’s arm and squeezed it, Lily screamed in pain,

‘You bastard’ she screamed, trying to release his hand, however he was far too strong.

‘Do not talk to a man of god in that manner, young lady he told her, he released his grip, Lily rubbed her arm, tears flowed down both cheeks, she just wanted her dad, he would sort it, Andy sat back down,

‘Here are the rules, the husband shall work for his provision, and can you tell me what he does for a living?’

‘He’s a plumber’ answered Eileen,

‘Excellent’ we do so need plumbers, he will be well provided’

‘He has a job in Sheffield’ Eileen could not think of anything else to say,

‘But I’m afraid you do not live in Sheffield now, you live in Underwood, and a fine place it is to’

Eileen shivered at that, Lily was still rubbing her arm, and Nathan sat terrified, they didn’t want to live in Underwood, for Underwood seemed like the place from hell.

‘I will leave you the list of rules, but here are the main ones, the currency in Underwood is vouchers, we do not use money, money has no purpose in Underwood, there are no banks, everyone has a role in Underwood, that’s how you earn your vouchers, no vouchers, no provisions, do you understand?’,

They didn’t but they all nodded anyway, they shuddered to think of the consequences of not understanding, he continued,

‘On their sixteenth birthday all women are to be impregnated, a suitable father will be chosen, they will bear a total of five children’

‘I will not have my children used as a piece of meat’ Eileen shouted, it was the most ridiculous thing she had heard, but somehow the scariest,

‘I won’t do it’ Lily screamed ‘you can’t make me, it’s against the law’

For the first time Andy laughed, he quite liked this girl, she was spunky, she would make a fine mother and resident, he thought, ‘that is the law’ he laughed,

‘We will see about that Lily thought’ she always thought her first time would be with someone special, someone she loved, she wouldn’t do it, and she made that decision there and then.

‘We need to build the population of Underwood, particularly women, in order to bear our children’ no woman belongs to any man’ he continued, ‘any man can choose to sleep with whom he desires, however the woman has the right to refuse’

‘And if they refuse’ asked Eileen, not really wanting to know the answer,

‘The punishment shall be chosen by the man whose request she refused’

‘This is some crazy fucked up place’ thought Eileen,

‘on no account go into the woods, it is strictly forbidden’ the shops do not open on a Sunday, I trust you have provisions for today’ he asked.

‘Yes’ said Eileen, but we have no power’ she really could not believe she was answering his questions, the whole situation felt surreal, she wanted to scream and shout at him, but she dare not, Peter would sort it, Peter sorted everything.

‘Did the caretaker not give you any power?’

‘He wanted sex’ she could not believe she had just said those words but somehow she thought that it would have no bearing on her current position, the vicar did not show no reaction to her words.

Andy put his hand inside his coat pocket, took out a voucher, he handed it to Eileen, she hesitantly took it off him, as if doing so would make her one of them.

‘This one’s free’ he told her, ‘just put it in the meter, next time you need to think about taking him up on his offer’ Eileen shivered ‘should last you a few days’ he added.

The vicar got up, put his clipboard under his arm, he held his hat with the other and started to leave, ‘that will be all for now’

‘What happens if we go into the woods’ Lily asked, already thinking of ways to get out of Underwood, Andy met her eyes, Lily could see the grin on his face, it frightened her and she took a step back.

‘Certain death’ he told her,

He left through the front door, stood at the top of the path, the residents who were out on the streets were few as there were only 8 houses occupied in that close, nevertheless they stopped whatever it was they were doing when they saw the vicar, Andy stroked his chin, ‘must get home for a shave’ he told himself, and that’s what the vicar of Underwood did.

Peter paced his cell, in the prison that he had been impounded in, for wanting to protect his wife and children, it all seemed a bit like a dream, or rather a nightmare that he could not wake from, and in his nightmare he had stepped into a horror movie and become a bit part actor, but no matter how hard he tried he could not wake from that dream, he just wanted to get out so he could start to make things right again, he was startled by the door opening again, and it made him take a step back, he thought the sheriff had come back, maybe to torture him, to kill him, he would fight him, fight to the death if he had to.

He was pleased when he saw the bartender there, he wasn’t sure why that pleased him, he just seemed less threatening then the sheriff, and he had come across more friendly that anyone else he had met, but he was still a resident of Underwood, a place where no one could leave, maybe the guy in front of him could give him some answers.

Craig opened the letter box flap in the cell door and passed Peter a sandwich and a bottle of water

‘thought you might need these’ he told him, he had a forced smile on his face, he had a look of a man who didn’t want to be there, Peter recognised the look and suspected his own face told the same.

Peter took the sandwich and water, he nodded his thanks, Craig sat on the chair, Peter took a bite out of his ham sandwich, it was surprisingly good, and neither man spoke for a while, he sipped the water as if he hadn’t drunk for a day and for some surreal moment Peter regarded it as a dying man’s last meal, he coughed as he swallowed the water, and the only thoughts he could think of was ‘I’ll go down fighting’

‘What is this place’ Peter asked from inside his cell,

‘It used to be public toilets, still got a bit of a pissy smell about it’ answered the bar tender,

‘I mean this place, Underwood’ what is it’,

Craig knew what he meant, he was trying to avoid the question, because he wasn’t sure what answer to give, it had been a long time since they had new residents, he particularly didn’t want any new residents, he hated meeting new people just to watch them go downhill and perish, he swore he would never get close to new residents again, he chose his words carefully.

‘If you’re male and live by the rules, it’s a fine place to live’, as he said it he realised he had not chosen them that carefully, he chastised himself and looked away so as not to catch Peter’s eyes.

Two things stood out to Peter in what he had just heard “live” and “male”, he shivered not for the first time that day, probably not for the last.

‘And if your female’ asked Peter,

Craig wished he hadn’t come here now, he licked his lips, wishing he had brought himself some water, he shuffled uncomfortably in his chair, Peter offered him his drink through the hatch, Craig took it, took a swig and handed it back,

‘It’s not a good place for young women, particularly your daughter’s age’ Craig himself shivered, forever thankful that he had no children, or at least none he could call his own, his memory went back to when he was younger, memories that would not die.

‘They are breeding machines, they are impregnated and the babies are taken away’ he paused ‘well some are taken away’

Peter thought of Lily, his face went white, he had to get out, he had to get to Lily, and Craig noticed his ashen look,

‘How old’s your daughter’

’14, 15 next month’

‘She looks older’

‘That’s her age’

‘Then providing the vicar believes that she will be okay until she’s 16’ he spat out the words as if cursing them.

Somehow that brought a little comfort to Peter, but that comfort just compounded the situation he had found himself in, there was no way he was going to be in Underwood for that length of time, to even think of it seemed ridiculous.

‘What happens to the babies’ he asked, not really wanting to know the answer,

Craig shrugged again, unsure why he was telling him all this, he felt uncomfortable in doing so, it wasn’t his job, he was just the barman, ‘some you see about, some you never see around’ he told Peter.

Peter grabbed his cell bars with both hands as if trying to prize them apart, his nostrils flared, he gritted his teeth,

‘And how do you leave Underwood’

Craig stood up, there was an uneasy grimace on his face,

‘They say the woods, but you really wouldn’t want to go in the woods’

Peter came back immediately ‘what’s in the woods’ he asked Craig,

Craig’s expression changed, his shoulders sank, and for the first time Peter noticed Craig looked a beaten man, ‘no one’s ever lived to tell’ he said,

They both stood in silence, trying to take in what was just said, it was as if Craig had not heard it before, but of course he had, he never wanted to speak about the woods, it had taken so much away from the town’ he offered his hand to Peter through the bars of the cell, Peter accepted the gesture and they shook hands,

‘We are not all bad around here’ he told Peter and Craig turned to leave, Peter called his name, Craig turned around,

‘Could someone check on my wife and kids’ he pleaded,

‘Sure’ he answered, and Craig left the prison, hating every inch of the town he lived in.