Kids On The East Side Of Town, Chapter 11, Let’s Get Ready To Rumble

{Warning, contains strong language and adult humor}

It was Wednesday 22nd of June, 1989 in Hackney. When the clock struck 9, I knew it was time to get ready, we were also really worried about Johnny because of the state that he was in, but we all stayed happy and positive for him . Johnny would hate to see us upset about tough things, he’d look at us and go ” Don’t be silly, why are you upset ?, don’t worry about that, as long as I’m ok and I’m breathing and as long as my heart is beating, then it’s fine, don’t worry yourselves, you make yourself sick like that ”, he wouldn’t abide seeing us upset, whatever happens to him, he wants to chaos of every day life carrying on back at home, you know, the hussle and bussle, he can’t stand seeing us worrying about him, so we all try our best to be in good spirits, which is hard sometimes but we try . We were all ready to knock the Rejects out of the lot . Everybody was downstairs, really pumped and excited. Kevin was sitting down, reading a newspaper. He suddenly spotted an article about Johnny, Travis and Emmett being heroes because they saved the kids from getting beaten up. It was in big bold writing, spelling out ” Three Good For Nothing Hoodlums Rescue Five Young Minors In Violent Mugging, They’re Names Were Emmett Yohanson, Johnny Branson And Travis Fisher ”.

” Hey look, it’s in the newspaper, Jamie, did you hear about this ?”, Kevin asked, as he went to go and find Jamie in the kitchen .

” Yeah, I was there, remember, we were all there at the time ”, Jamie said .

” Oh yeah, I suppose you was, hah anyway, it said that all three of them were heroes, I mean, I was there when it happened, we were all there when it happened, but now, this is as good as it gets, it’s a big deal when it makes the headlines in the newspapers and everybody knows about it, this is wicked, arrr, gor blimey, that’s made my day, that has, I highly doubt that Emmett and Johnny would give a monkees about this, but neh, whatever, Johnny, Emmett and Travis are in the newspaper, god save the fucking queen, for all fucking man kind, woooooo ”, Kevin shouted .

” Oh leave it out ”, Jamie said . ” That’s pretty cool, actually, it shows their faces, their names and everything, it’s pretty accurate, caught me by surprise, never knew that they were heroes, I just thought that they were life wasters, good for nothing layabouts, but the hatched out of their shells, managed to do the right thing for once ”, Jamie said .

” As if ”, Dominick said . Then, Kevin went to go and show Travis the newspaper article .

” Hey Travis, hey man, you wouldn’t believe what’s in the newspaper, this morning, it has the whole report on you, Johnny and Emmett saving the kids, they called you heroes ”, Kevin said . ” I don’t even believe it myself, if I ask myself ”, he added .

” Yeah, it’s cool, I guess ”, Travis said . Travis just makes me laugh sometimes. He’s like, been there, done that, no enthusiasm whatsoever, maybe he was tired though. I can’t blame him, to be honest, I’m knackered too, I may not look it, but .

” You better be proud cause this is as good as it gets ”, Kevin said . ” You guys look like fucking cow boys though, you look like you came from the bronx, I bloody love this ”, he said, as he walked off . Then we all sat down, getting ready for the big day . Emmett wasn’t in the house, he had to go and take care of something, as always, the man can’t sit down in one place, he’s always doing something . Then he turns up out of no where and wonders why we’re confused . There was a knock at the door, I thought ” Who could that be now ?”, some con man, trying to sell me something . But no, it was Emmett . I’m surprised that he found his way back home .

” Guess who ?, guess who ?, guess who, guess who ?”, Emmett said as the door opened. He stood there, acting like he hasn’t been home in years . Gotta love his sense of humor . Love him or hate him, he has a brilliant sense of humor .

” Emmett, where were you, you mug, you suddenly come now ”, I said .

” I was on the adventure of a lifetime, thought I’d come and see you, see what you’re up to ”, Emmett said .

” Alright, come on in, you git, don’t forget to hang up your jacket, yeah ?, it’s not a blizzard in here ”, I said, and Emmett went inside and he hung up his jacket .

” It’s a blizzard out there though, can’t feel my fingers, bloody freezing ”, Emmett said .

” Lovely ”, I said . ” What were doing out there, you’ve been gone for about two hours ”, I asked .

” Oh, I’ve just been round the neighborhood, I’ve bumped into Mick, he’s just out walking his dog, man’s doing his duties, a man’s gotta do what he’s gotta do, he’s a nice geezer, you know, you should stop by and say hello from time to time, he’s a bit of a loose canon but he’s alright, nice lad ”, Emmett said .

” Oh come on, Emmett, I know you weren’t in the neighborhood, what else were you doing ?”, I asked .

” Nothing, oh yeah, I was just um, burning mattresses on the streets ”, Emmett replied .

” You what ?”, I said .

” I was burning mattresses on the streets, getting the lighter and setting them alight, basically, you know, like fire, flames ”, Emmett replied .

” Yes Emmett, I know what you mean by fire, it’s just, what on earth are you doing, setting mattresses on fire ?, are you mad or something ?”, I said . ” I saw two fire brigades, this morning, I had an idea that you would be up to something ”, I said .

” Yes, but you need to try it some time, Liam, it’s a right old laugh. ” I do it all the time, there’s a fuck load of mattresses out there, people chucking them out for free, they’re not even used yet , hah ponsies ”, Emmett said . ” It’s bloody brilliant, you know, proper gang shit ”, Emmett added .

” Yeah yeah, I know, come on, come inside, shut the door when you come in, yeah ?”, I said .

And oh yeah, that’s another thing . Emmett likes setting mattresses on fire . I don’t even know what he’s thinking sometimes . He just goes out, grabs a lighter and then he finds a mattress and then he sets it alight . He runs down the street, laughing his head off like an absolute nutter . Then I wake up at one in the morning and then I see two fire brigades outside the two houses down the road . Emmett’s a fucking loose canon . That’s not the only thing he does, he also does this thing where he gets a tennis ball and then he lights up this bit of string that’s attached to the ball and then he lets it sizzle and then he walks into a cafe and he chucks it at people . Him and Kevin used to go out and do that all the time . How the fuck does he get his satisfaction from doing shit like that, almost setting fire to the house and he’s fucking laughing, por, I’m glad I have nothing to do with that .

” Oi Liam, it’s pissing out here ”, Travis said .

” Yeah I know, Travis, Emmett told me just now, can’t believe we have to fight in this weather ”, I said .

” Eh, once it’s over with, it’s fine, excuses excuses, don’t make excuses, it’s not gonna solve anything ”, Emmett said . ” Oo, you know what I fancy, I fancy a cuppa, put the kettle on, will ya, Liam ”, Emmett asked .

” Yes, I’ll put the kettle on in a bit . Ok Everyone, group meeting, now, everybody in the sitting room ”, I said .

” Oh, what’s this now ?”, Dominick asked .

” Alright lads, did everyone get good sleep ?, feeling refreshed, how are we ?”, I asked .

” Yesssssss ”, everyone screamed. Everybody was pumped .

” We have to make sure that we’re ready, we’re not gonna mess this up, we don’t wanna let Johnny down, do we now ?”, I asked .

” We are ready though ”, Dominick replied .

” Yeah, I’m ready for whatever you throw at me, I was born ready, actually, you know what I’m saying ?, I was ready since the clock struck nine ”, Jamie said .

” Yeah, we’re ready for whatever comes our way ”, Travis said .

” Yeah, I’ve had enough of those geezers, not now though, they’re gonna have to deal with the big boys now, it’s about time we actually did something, that gang war was nothing compared to this ”, Dominick said, as he passionate to nip it in the bud .

” Yeah, I’m just ready to kick some ass, I’m gonna fucking, you know what I’m gonna do, I’m gonna fucking bust those bastards, I’m gonna properly fucking fuck them up ”, Kevin said .

” What time are they gonna meet us ?”, I asked Jamie, as I was trying to keep organized with the timings .

” I arranged it at about four oclock, if that’s gonna work, I don’t know if it will though, what if they turn up at the wrong place, they’re not clued up, you know, they’re daft ”, Jamie replied .

” I think it should be fine ”, Travis said .

” Yeah anyway, we need to challenge them to a rumble, we need to get even before it’s too late ”, Jamie said. ” We’ve had enough of their shit, I think it’s time we put a stop to all this, otherwise, one of them isn’t gonna come out alive, they’re all gonna be bleeding and I’m gonna be left ”, he said .

” Hey Jamie, have you ever been in a street fight ?”, I asked .

” I don’t know, man, a few fights, here and there, I’m not really much of a fighter if I say so myself, you end up in a scrap, you’re paralyzed from the waist down ”, Jamie replied .

” Nah, he likes to show off his muscles, haha, he’s got muscle mass and body bulk, he’s grum wick, I’m telling you ”, Dominick said, as he started laughing .

” When we go, try and stay in line, I don’t want you getting hurt, same goes for you, Travis, you’re the one who I have to look out for, you haven’t been in a fight since the age of 10, don’t even get me started on that ”, Jamie said .

” Oh shut up, that was long ago, there’s no need to bring that up, anyway, I’ve gotten better at fighting over time, how do you even know about that, Jamie ?”, Travis asked .

” You told me a few months ago, remember when we were drunk off our asses, you told me that you ended up in a fight with an eleven year old school boy, you have to remember it, I remember it, and I remember it very clearly as well ”, Jamie replied .

” Oh yeah, I forgot, anyway, I had a black eye and a cut, but I was okay ”, Travis said . ” I didn’t get drunk, I drank Fanta, that doesn’t get you three sheets to the wind, doesn’t it ?”, Travis asked .

” No it doesn’t, you didn’t drink Fanta, you ordered a VAT, you silly billy ”, Jamie said .

” IT’S FUCKING FANTA !!!! ”, Travis shouted .

” Of course it wasn’t, you ordered a VAT, a big fat VAT ”, Jamie said .

” What the fuck is a vat ?”, Travis asked .

” It’s like a vodka and a G N T mixed together ”, Jamie replied. ” That’s definetely what you had, you bloody silly billy, you Jovanka ”, Jamie said .

” Oh leave it out, it wasn’t my fault, besides, that was the only thing that was two quid, the rest of the stuff on the menu were skank ”, Travis said . ” The greatest Cockney fucking rip off, what a waster, what a fucking waster ”, Travis said .

” What happened to the bully then, did he learn his lesson ?”, Dominick asked .

” Oh yeah, he learned his lesson alright, I punched him in the groin and he was bleeding for a few weeks. that’s what happens when you mess with an Eagle, you have to face the consequences ”, Travis said .

” Yes, go on Travis, we are gonna have to watch out, you’re a little smack head, aren’t ya ?, a real rebel ”, Dominick said .

” Yeah, I’m not surprised anyway, in the school where my parents applied for me to go to, there’s always a fight going on, there’s a punch up going on every few minutes and the teachers are just as worse, school was shit, I don’t wanna go back, ever ”, Travis said .

” Oh really ?, what school did you go to ?”, Dominick asked .

” I used to go to Woodbury Down, that was my secondary school, getting there was a hassle, I had to take two buses, then from there, I had to walk, I was knackered by the time I got home ”, Travis replied .

” Oh bloody hell, I don’t blame you, Woodbury Down was awful, I remember when one of my friends got beaten to death there, the teacher used a stick, it was about six inches and by the time it hit him, there was no going back, you really had to think there. ” I used to go to a different school, it was sort out of town, didn’t really wanna have any association with that place, then I went to Woodbury Down and it’s even worse, I only went there because my parents moved houses, that’s why, I didn’t choose at all ”, Dominick said .

” Yeah, I’m just lucky that I’m not in that place anymore, thank goodness for that, innit ?, good riddance, even if the students don’t go to school, they send these teachers to their houses and they like grab them by the hair and they say ” When I say get out, you get out ”, and that scared the undying shit out of the kids, can’t imagine how awful that must have been, those geezers were mad, like proper proper eccentric ”, Travis said .

” Yeah I know, it’s bloody terrible, isn’t it ?, that’s just how things were in the 70s, grim, things have changed a lot since then ”, Dominick said .

” Yeah, if I had a teacher like that, I’d run a mile, forget it ”, Travis said . ” And I did, surprisingly, but he wasn’t that melovelant ”, he added .

” What happened after your time in that school ?”, Dominick asked .

” Dropped out, completely dropped out, didn’t wanna stay there, didn’t think I was safe enough, the teachers scared me, and the kids were too violent, so what did I do ?, well, I just went to the headmaster’s office and my dad just told the teachers that I was moving to a different location, and that was the only way to go ”, Travis replied. ” You’re not gonna believe this, but me and Dominick used to go to school together, talk to him about it, he’ll tell you a few things, innit Dominick ?”, he said .

” Yeah, I’d more than happy to, I’m the one who remembers most of it anyway ”, Dominick said .

” You know, in my old school, I once pulled a prank on one of my teachers and he went into the khazie and I followed him and then I put a hose pipe into his cubical and then I turned on the tap, all I heard was a scream and then the next thing I know, he runs out of the cat and dog with a temper and it was all over his clothes, he was soaking wet. The whole class laughed at him and just took the piss, then he found out that I was involved and he pulled out his num chucks and whipped me with them, he had some mad skills, I’ll tell you that, he was like some kung fu master, like silver fox from The Bastard Swordsman, but like really shit, bloody terrifying though, I could feel the ghost coming out of me, scared the fucking living daylights out of me ”, Kevin said .

” Haha, oh geez, that must have been crazy ”, Travis said .

” Hm, yeah it was, I couldn’t shit for days ”, Kevin said .

” Hey Dominick, remember when we used to go school together ?, that was mad, wasn’t it ?”, Travis asked .

” Oh yeah, that was a weird time, he was obviously in a different year, because Travis is like 19 and I’m older then him, I’m like 20 something, but um, yeah, that was weird, remember when we sabotaged a bus driver and then he ended up leaving us ”, Dominick replied .

” Yeah, oh god, what a time, I actually had a really fast heart beat, we were like running for the bus, but he didn’t come back for us, such a disappointment, I can’t believe that, man, I should have said something ”, Travis said .

” Wait, what happened, you sabotaged a bus driver, what ?”, Kevin asked .

” Ok so basically, we were walking to school and we stopped at the bus stop and he thought that it would be funny if we pranked the bus driver, so when the bus stopped in the bus lane, we walked up to it and then he goes ” Do you wanna get on ?”, and we just said ” Nah ”, and then he just drove off and we had to chase after it, but it didn’t stop, but when we got lost and when we needed it the most, he just snuck up his middle finger at us and drove off, that was the last time where I just lost faith in humamity, I’ve just had it with people, so cruel, man, I just wanted to raise my voice and shout ” What are you fucking doing, you cunt ”, Dominick explained .

” Exactly, man, like what the fuck are you doing, come back here or I bust your head open ”, Travis said .

” Oh my god, what a story, what were you lot even thinking ? ”, Kevin asked .

” No idea, we were just stupid kids back then and we didn’t have a brain until now, I just look back at it and I laugh my head off, instead of being adament about it ”, Dominick replied. ” But yeah, nobody knows how amazing it feels to be free, no teacher bossing you around and not having the fear of turning up late and getting your ass kicked in, honestly, I’m just glad that I’m out ”, Dominick added .

” Yeah, freedom is the best thing ever, man, at least you take comfort in doing your own thing and no one’s gonna slander you for it ”, Travis said .

” Did you ever re visit the school after your departure ?, like did you go back ?”, Kevin asked .

” Well, I just left it all behind, wanted to move on, but in Jamie’s old school, he was head boy. ” Hey Jamie, tell Kevin about your school days, he’s asking for it ”, Travis said .

” Oh ok, well, I used to go to Hackney Downs school, it was kind of weird but the teachers were alright, they used to always get the hump, but other then that, it was fine, um, I was the teacher’s pet, I was head boy, so I’d always go back and visit after my university graduation, I was head boy, I was a bloody, you know, like I would always talk to my teachers and stuff, but since I moved areas, it wasn’t really at the top of my list, but I still visit from time to time, how about you, Travis ?, do you have any memories of what it was like in your school ?”, Jamie asked .

” Um, my teacher just hated kids, I just couldn’t wait to go home, I always had to keep looking over my shoulder, cause I felt breathing on my neck, it was almost as if the geezer was standing right behind me and if I turned around and looked at him the wrong way, I would see my teacher standing there with a 10 inch wooden stick, yeah, mad times, but the weight has been taken off my shoulders. ” There was one thing I learnt though, and that is, you don’t realize you’re in the good old days until you leave them, that’s exactly what it is, I just miss being a naive kid, now I’m 19, almost 20, time’s moving too fast, where has it gone wrong, Dominick ?, what’s happening to us ?”, Travis asked .

” We move on, innit, that’s life, you can’t stay young forever, that’s what life is like, I guess, you’re born and then you live and then you die, that’s just how it is ”, Dominick said .

” I know, I just wish I did it better, I wish spent more time with my mum and my dad, it’s almost like they were dust, they were here, one day and they were gone, the next, god only know how I’m gonna move on from all that ”, Travis said .

” You’re doing alright, man, really ”, I said .

” But yeah, I also heard this story, where there was this thing following an incident with my old Maths teacher, he was menacing, he used to always knock a few teeth out and what he used to do, was he used to hit you if anybody talked over him, and once, a kid sweared at him and then he said ” You’re down to the final straw, my son, one more of those and you’ll be in that window over there ”, and in that moment in time, the kid was sweating non stop and he was terrified and the kid didn’t even do anything, the teacher just lost his shit and then he ripped the dread locks out of his head, there was blood all over the floor, the kids were horrified, they were screaming and shit like that. After that, the head master just had enough, he was vexxed, I’ve seen a geezer so vexxed in my life, so he decided to step in and he did a pledge to get rid of him and firing him didn’t even do anything, so he just shot him, there and then, sent a hit man and everything, proper gun, you know, killed him with one shot, totally a gonner ”, Travis explained . ” I know, it’s fucking mad, the kid was only asking for a pen, he’s fucking mad, he is ”, he said .

” Woah, shit, that made the hairs on my neck stand up on one end, that did, why would somebody do that to their student, it’s beyond me, and what’s scary, is that there are still millions of those phycopathic teachers around, teaching the kids to be little versions of themselves, running around like mini Hitlers. ” I’ll tell you a little story about when I was in Woodbury Down and we had drumming class and let me tell you, I had the most phychopathic teacher, this geezer was about 1o stone in weight, so he’d always turn up in a white vest and a red bandanna, stinker, but yeah, I don’t even know, the students would just stare at each other with confusion and he would just give us the death stare and he’d bring an extra stick, just in case the drum sticks weren’t hard enough and that it wouldn’t produce much sound, but anyway, once, in one of our lessons. One of my old mates thought that one of the kids was a drum, he was so delusional at the time, there was something wrong with him, honestly, fucking hell, but um, the kid just wouldn’t stop, so the teacher put his guard down and he whacked the kid over the bonce with his stick, and my friend had to have undergoing brain surgery, also had a loss of memory, things were really foggy, couldn’t remember most things ”, Kevin said .

” Oh wow, that’s mad, I feel so sorry for the kid, my heart bleeds, imagine having memory loss at such a young age, the teacher is a legitimate phychopath, a proper nostra fucking darmas. ” So, what happened to the teacher then, is he still around ?”, Dominick asked .

” Yeah, he lives in Australia now, has a dog as well, yeah, he’s doing alright, you know what, he actually called me, last month ”, Travis said .

” Get out ”, Dominick said as he didn’t believe him .

” Yeah, he just called me, he was like ” Hi, how are you doing ?” and it was so weird, the person who scared the undying shit out of me, became a personal friend of mine, who I now keep in touch with. He appears to have a new life now, found some bird, got married in 1982, it’s crazy if you think about it, cause when they start, they have this sort of hatred against the students then all of the sudden, they change, and teachers like them, it’s weird but oddly fascinating ”, Travis explained . ” But yeah no, he’s a lovely geezer, he is, he’s a nice geezer ”, he added .

” Yeah, he sounded like an absolute nut case at first, then suddenly, I started to realize that there was more to him, other then an angry man who’s got the hump and someone who shouts all the time, he was more then a monster that attacks everyone who would dare to go near him, you know, it’s funny how people change, it’s not like how I remember him at all, it’s weird ”, Travis said .

” Yeah, he sounds nice now, he’s not mad anymore, which is good, isn’t it ?”, Kevin said .

” Yeah, but I’m still scared of him, that will never change my standards, haha ”, Dominick, Jamie, Travis and Kevin started laughing .

” Hm yeah, get out of here, you know what I’m saying, you maniac ”, Kevin said .

” Hm yeah, you know what, I totally forgot the last time I was home, like, think about it, yeah ?, when was the last time you’ve actually been home, like not here in this house, but in the house with your real parents, the ones who gave birth to you. I just realized that I haven’t even been home, I mean, why would I anyway ?, my parents aren’t around anymore, so there’s no point, really, it just makes you think, doesn’t it ?, just ask yourself every once in a while ”, Travis said .

” Yeah, I haven’t even been home since last September, can’t remember the last time I changed my pants ”, Kevin said .

” Oh leave it out, Kevin, stop talking about your bollocks ”, Dominick said .

” Hey guys, remember what happened, yesterday, when we did a runner in that wharehouse and we ended up chasing leo around ?”, I asked .

” Yeah, that was mad, oh well, Leo deserved it anyway, that bent cunt ”, Travis said . ” If only he wasn’t bent, cause he’s as bent as an iron bob, that one  ”, he said .

” What, if only he wasn’t what, what did you say ?”, Jamie asked .

” No, I said, if only he didn’t live in Kent, cause he lives in Kent, innit ?, the geezer lives in Kent ”, Travis replied .

” He doesn’t live in fucking Kent ”, Jamie said . ” Who lives in fucking Kent ?”, Jamie shouted .

” Leon does, innit, that’s where he lived for most of his life, before he came here, that is ”, Travis said .

” No, Leon doesn’t live in Kent, you fucking Jovanka ”, Jamie shouted . A few minutes later, everybody started getting ready for the rumble, so they all gathered around in the sitting room with their arms crossed . Looking like some demented mob. That’s something what The Rejects would do and usually, we take the piss when they do that, then again, we’re here, doing it as well, typical . What kind of fuckery is this, I have no idea . I just wanted to make it a little bit more exciting, otherwise it’s just gonna be dreary as fuck, I just wanted to set the scene. Create some back round noise, that’s all . I’m not comparing us with the Rejects, cause they’re fucking awful .

” Alright lads, that seems about it, I say it’s time to rumble, what do you reckon ?”, I asked .

” Yes, get in there ”, Emmett said .

” Yeah, let’s go ”, Jamie said and we went outside to face the gang . Kevin and Dominick were doing back flips off of cars, they were getting themselves prepared. We were all waiting in a line . Waiting for those geezers to get out of their Mustangs and motors and to walk up front and line up, like the rest of us . Carter’s lot turned up, the looks on their faces were just down right nasty. Their eyes were filled with hatred . They looked like they had so much shit in them. Jesus, the amount of shit you can find in one person is enough, let alone 6 or 7 other geezers . I’ve had enough of looking at them . I didn’t even speak to them yet. I just wanted to punch them, honestly. I couldn’t give a monkees . I couldn’t care less about going inside, I’d take their ties and I will shove them where the light don’t shine .

” Oh, so you came ?”, Logan asked, with a smirk on his face. He’s lucky I didn’t punch him in the boat face, he wouldn’t even have one anymore, I’ll make sure he fucking doesn’t, he ain’t walking away from me alive, I’ll fucking hammer him .

” Yeah, someone has to, it would be a right shame if you didn’t, wouldn’t it ?, someone has to make an effort ”, Jamie replied, with a confident mentality, a cockey behaviour, it’s to die for .

” Fair enough, fair enough, I’m just testing ya, I bet that you’re scared, you sure you’re not gonna piss your pants, like last time ?”, Logan asked .

” Haha, me ?, not a chance, I’d piss in your boat race, I would, I would make sure I do it in front of you ”, I said .

” Well, don’t, alright, it’s fucking embarrassing ”, Logan said . ” If you do, I’m not cleaning that shit up ”, he added .

” Yeah, other then that, I’ll fucking do you in, you Jovanka ”, I shouted. ” I’m not bloody scared of you, you joking ?, I’ll jump off a balcony and turn up with fucking jet pack and you”ll fucking run a mile, you porta fugos, fucking West Ham ”, I shouted, as I tried to bump in to confront him, but Jamie pulled me back. He was like, don’t even get involved, mate .

” No, we’re not scared ”, Jamie told him, as he tried to sound calm, but inside, he was filled rage . Yep, that’s Jamie for ya, a geezer that’s nice but he’s troubled with rage at the same time .

” Alright, lads, let the games begin ”, Logan said and the gangs started to fight each other until one of the gangs ran away in plain sight . You could see Emmett just getting stuck in, properly throttling all those geezers all at once . It’s like a super power of his, that explains why he’s a fucking loose canon .

” Is that really all you got ?, you shitters, come on then, come on then, show us what you got, throw a few punches, you useless gits ”, Emmett shouted, as he ran in half way.

We weren’t badly injured or anything . Maybe a little bit, we did have bruises and black eyes but we weren’t knocked out or anything . We were ok on the whole, not Travis though, he was lying faced down onto the concrete floor, there was a possibility that he got kicked in the head by one of those geezers, he had a severe concussion . He wasn’t unconcious or anything, but he was just confused and he didn’t know where he was. I told Emmett to go and check up on him, so he walked up to him and he picked him up, gently, he had a bit of blood on his face and because it was raining, the sheens of blood could show .

” Are you alright, huh, come on, get up, man, let’s get you in the motor, man, what happened, what did they do to you ?, those gits. ” Come on, man, let’s get you to the hospital ”, Emmett said and he picked him up and put him in the car . Then suddenly, a police man turned up, doing his daily duties, but you see, my friend got roughed up by a bunch of geezers and he needs to get to the fucking hospital, so can you fucking piss off, please, cheers .

” Where do you think you’re going ?”, the police man asked .

” Oh alright, governer, my mate has just been in the wars, he fell off his motorcycle, I’m just taking him to the hospital, you see ?”, Emmett replied . He was lying to the police man. That’s just typical Emmett, he mucks about and he has a laugh, until he gets a punch in the boat race, that is, but before that, it’s all jokes .

” Oh dear, how is he then ?”, the police man asked. He could clearly see that he was not okay .

” I don’t know, man, do I look like a doctor, what am I, doctor Drew ?, he looks pretty bad to me, I don’t know. ” I’d say he’s just badly bruised, but he needs to go to Homerton asap, is that alright, officer ?”, Emmett asked .

” Oh ok, as you were ”, the police man said and he just walked off and left them to do their own thing . Emmett’s main focus was to get Travis to the hospital, nothing else was on his mind, at least, for now anyway .

” Hah pisser ”, Emmett said under his breath and he carried on driving . ” What was he thinking, that geezer, where the fuck was he going, bloody wanker ”, Emmett said . ” It’s a 30 miles per hour motorway, what’s he doing, stopping me, puh, so, romance isn’t dead, man’s in love with his car, fucking car, you know ?, Jesus Christ, I thought I’ve seen it all, people are nut cases around here ”, Emmett said . He stopped laughing and joking and he then started weeping . Emmett was really worried and upset . Usually, he never cries and he hides his emotions, but this time, he was crying . A tear rolled down his eyes, one after the other. Travis didn’t say a word . He wasn’t aware that Emmett was sitting opposite side of him, crying his heart out . He probably would have hated it. He can’t stand seeing people cry, it reminded him of home, somehow .

” If you were smart like me, we wouldn’t even be in this mess, if you were smart like me, you wouldn’t get hurt . You should never have ran over to those kids, man, if you get tough like me, you don’t get hurt. You better wise up, man, you better wise up, and nothing can touch you, man. You should have stayed with me, what are you fucking doing, going down there, are you mad ?, they are dangerous, those geezers, man, we don’t know who they are. Look after yourself, Travis, I’m telling you, you’re young, still, you don’t wanna get roughed up on the streets like that, you have to think from now on, yeah ?, make better choices . Don’t even scare me like that again. I don’t want you ending up like me, enough damage has already been done, I wish I could go back and change it, stop those things from happening. My life’s flashing before my very eyes. I just wanna be normal, I can’t do this any longer. I hope that John’s alright. Will the poor boy even remember me ?. Ahhh god help him, ahhh bastards ”, Emmett shouted and he hit the steering wheel with anger and fury . It was pronounced that The Eagles won the fight. They were chanting and jumping everywhere. They celebrated their victory . Yeah that’s right, they did it for Johnny .

” Oy oyoyoyoyoy yooorrrr, The Eagles are coming home, it’s coming home, yeahhhhh ”, Everyone chanted .

” Fair play, fair play ”, Jacob said .

” I win, you lose, I’m the winner ”, I shouted .

” Yeah yeah yeah, piss off, you working class prats ”, Jacob said and he walked off .

” ay, nice one, lads ”, I said . When Emmett arrived at the hospital, he was carrying Travis and he put his arms around him because he couldn’t walk. He was in a bad state as well, the poor geezer. He was like a bird who didn’t realize he was in a cage until he tried to fly. He was just stuck. A boy who tried to fly but couldn’t . Emmett checked in to the room where Johnny got admitted to and he was talking to the nurse .

” Is he gonna be alright ?”, Emmett asked .

” I’m sure he’ll be okay, just need to keep him in for two days to see if his injuries heal, but in the mean time, we can only hope for the best ”, the nurse replied and she left the room to go and deal with something . Then, I came in the room as fast as I could. From where I was standing, Johnny looked awful, he had bruises all over his body and his face .

” Sorry, there was some chaos out there, it’s absolute bedlum out there, um, how’s everything going ?”, I asked, as I stood near the door. Emmett had a worried look on his face . He was concerned, I could tell that it’s gonna be bad news just by looking at his face, his face says it all . I’d like to think that Johnny will be okay, he’s a little fighter, that one. He’s come this far. He can’t just die now .

” It doesn’t look good, man, we’re just waiting for the results, we were here all night, yesterday, didn’t leave his bed side until the nurse told us to ”, Emmett replied .

” Ok, he better be okay, he better be, I’m not watching little old Johnny slowly die on his death bed, alright ?, I can’t do this, man, I don’t like this, you know ?, Johnny’s hurt and I don’t like it, ehhhh ehhh ”, I said and I started crying . I just couldn’t bare it. Times are changing too fast. Life’s flashing before my very eyes. We went home . Travis was still troubled by Johnny’s accident. He thought about it all night and he couldn’t sleep . He keeps getting hilucinations and night sweats. I keep telling him that it’s gonna be okay, but he just doesn’t listen to me, now I just don’t know what to do, I’m helpless. I don’t know how to cope, I’m driving myself mad .

” Did you hear anything from the nurses ?”, Travis asked .

” No, we’re still waiting, they’re taking quite long to get them out, but by the looks of things, Johnny doesn’t look too good, looks like the bunch of kids kicked him in the head quite badly, it’s possible he could of cracked his skull open or something, I bloody hope not, but it might be ”, I replied .

” How long is he gonna stay in the hospital for ?”, Travis asked .

” I don’t know, man, see that’s the thing, he might never get discharged, I don’t know what I’m gonna do, what if he dies ?, then what ?”, I said as I started getting more and more worried .

” He won’t, I’m sure he won’t, he can’t ”, he replied, as he looked at me and he assured me that he’d be okay, but I couldn’t believe him. It was the sweet smell of doubt lingering around and it’s probably here to stay .

” Yeah, touch wood, he’d come out of the hospital in good condition and he’d recover from his injuries, even if he has a wheel chair or crutches, it doesn’t matter, as long as he’s here with us, I wouldn’t want anything more, nothing more, nothing less, but we just have to see how things go ”, I said . Meanwhile, Dominick and Jamie were having a chat. They were recalling the first time they ever met Johnny. It was a walk down memory lane for them, talking about him, helped hide the pain of seeing him suffer .

” Oh my god, this is Johnny’s favourite song, I remember John telling me that this was his favourite song, he used to always turn up on my doorstep and sing this song. I just remember seeing his face through the spyhole, that smile, the boy had a lot to give, you know ?, hm, poor geezer, I just hope he makes it out alright ”, Dominick said .

” Yeah, the 5th Dimension, Up Up And Away, yeah, he used to love this song, he always used to say to me, he goes ” You alright, Jamie ?, don’t let anyone mess with you, alright ?, if some mug comes along and starts trouble, come and find me, if they do, then tell me, I’d go and deal with them for you ”, yeah, he had a heart of gold ”, Jamie said .

” Hm. ” This was his favourite song, I remember him telling me that he had the LP of this. It was skank but por, it was one hell of a song. I can just hear him singing it now, very faint in the four walls of this house. Listen, that’s the sound of an angel singing. ” Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon, would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon ?, we could float among the stars together, you and I, oh we can flyyyyyyyyyy, we can flyy, up up and away in my beautiful, my beautiful balloon ”, Dominick sang and he started crying shortly after . ” Oh Johnny, please, man, please be alright, kid ”, Dominick said as he put his face in his hands .

” Dominick, he’s gonna be okay, you know ?, I know he will, this isn’t like John at all, he’s a fighter, that one, he’s got thick skin ”, Jamie said .

” What if he isn’t though ?, oh god, now I’m doing it again. Look at me, over compensating again, like I always do, every time ”, Dominick said .

” Why are you like this, Dominick ?, don’t beat yourself up, you must be positive, look on the bright side, we all know that Johnny’s gonna recover from whatever he has, let’s not end it on a bad note, shall we ?”. Anyway, Johnny said that if whatever happens to him, he wants life to carry on like normal, life’s chaos, it’s always chaos, but you see, that’s what he wants, he wants life to go back to normal, without him, if you put it that way ”, Jamie said .

” I know Jamie, it’s just, I’m so sick and tired of looking on the bright side, every time I think positively, something bad happens, then bang, we’re back to square one. Taking one step forward and then you take five steps back. That’s life, that’s how it goes ”, Dominick said . ” It’s a cruel world out there, man, no one cares, it’s a dog eat dog world, it’s every man for himself. Nobody cares but us, we have to look out for each other, if we stick together, then everything will be alright ”, Dominick said .

” Hm, you know, I was in the hospital, the other day and I saw his hand pushing up against the glass thingy me bob, he wants us there, you know, he wants us there so bad ”, Jamie said, as he was tearing up . ” He needs us, you know ?, and god forbid, something happens to us and we won’t make it, he’ll die alone, arghhh, I can’t do this, man, I can’t do this, he won’t even remember our names, what are we gonna do, Dominick ?, I think that this is the end of us, this is the end of The Eagles ”, Jamie said .

” I guess so ”, Dominick said .

” Man, he must be scared in there, by himself in that hospital, no human contact, lying on that bed, knowing that you might be gone tomorrow, it’s terrifying, man, I can’t think about it, it hurts ”, Jamie said .

” Hey Jamie ?, do you remember the first time we met Johnny ?, do you remember that ?”, Dominick asked .

” Yeah, I remember, yeah, he turned up on my doorstep and he had his suitcase, full of clothes, it wasn’t even closed properly, the bloody zip was half open, I’m guessing he just got kicked out of the house by his mum and dad, and um, he just stood there, with a big smile on his face and at the time, I had no idea who he was, I was like ” Who is this geezer standing outside my house ”, and um, we had a chat and I guess from then on, we just clicked. Now he’s one of my best mates. I didn’t even think it was that possible for two young geezers to connect that easy, we just did, almost instantly, yeah, it’s mad . Yeah, those were the good old days, now um, it’s kind of all over the place, but he was great, he was. He was larger then life, that kid ”, Jamie said .

” Yeah, he was great, he was ”, Dominick said . Then suddenly, Jamie started crying. ” What’s wrong, Jamie ?”, Dominick asked .

” Yeah, it’s just, I fear the worst for Emmett. He is Johnny’s best mate and if he dies, then I have a feeling that he’s not gonna take it the right way, I know Emmett, it’s not for the faint hearted, I fear the worst for Emmett, I really do ”, Jamie replied .

” Oh god ”, Dominick said and he started crying as well, it wasn’t that long before both of them started . ” We’ll be alright, Jamie, we’ll find a way, we always do ”, Dominick added and they hugged each other . Emmett, Travis, Dominick and I went out for a walk, we needed some fresh air. Along the way, I suddenly got a phone call, I was so worried that I just couldn’t hold my phone, my hands were too shaky, it felt like my phone was gonna slip out of my hands any minute . You know that feeling you get when you know that something bad is gonna happen, that’s exactly what I was feeling at the time. I answered the phone .

” Hiya, yeah, speaking ”, I said .

” Hi, this is Ms Stevens, one of the nurses from Homerton hospital, you better come quick, Johnny’s dying ”, the nurse said, as she had something that sounded like bad news .

” Er shit, shit shit shit, oh god, oh no, no no no no, no ”, I said, as I felt my heart sink. Travis was concerned, he could tell that something was wrong . But he didn’t know what .

” Liam, what is it, talk to me, Liam, are you there ?, what’s wrong ?”, Travis asked as he saw me freeze in shock. He was very persistant, he was waiting for me to respond, but I just couldn’t speak .

” It’s the nurse, she wants us to head to the hospital, she has some news about Johnny, she says that he’s dying, she needs us there, doctors orders ”, I replied as I was slurring my speech .

” Ok, it’s Homerton, isn’t it ?”, Travis asked .

” Yeah, I think so, come on, let’s go ”, I said .

” I don’t even know what’s going on, man, I’m fucking clueless ”, Dominick said .

” Dominick, leave it out, will ya ? ”, I said .

” Do you wanna borrow the motor ?”, Travis asked .

” Yeah, nice one, cheers, man ”, Travis replied. ” Come on, let’s speed this up a bit, yeah ?”, I said and we got in Travis’s car and drove off . We arrived at the hospital in one peace. I rushed in as quick as possible .

” Doc, what’s going on ?”, I asked .

” Johnny’s got something to tell you ”, she replied .

” Ok, where is he ?”, I asked her .

” Oh, he’s just in the room on the left, it’s door 23 ”, she replied .

” Door 23, got it, right okay, cheers ”, I said and I made my way to the next room. I entered the room as quiet as possible . I didn’t want to disturb the other patients in the other rooms .

” Johnny, what’s going on, man ?”, I asked with a quiet, gentle voice. Johnny was in a really bad state, probably even worse then he was on the day of the accident, he was badly injured to the point where he couldn’t speak anymore .

” Hey Liam, how’s it going ?, you alright, yeah ?, you’ve come to see me, you’ve come to see me, ain’t ya ?, how are ya ?”, Johnny asked .

” Not bad, how are you feeling ?”, I asked .

” Still very sore, my whole body is gone, I don’t even think I’ll be able to walk again, I even forgot what it was like to be able to stand up on my own two feet ”, he replied. As you could see, he had pain in his eyes. I still had hope, I wasn’t giving up just yet. Us lot ain’t quitters.

” You’ll be okay, you can’t die now, we need you here with us, alive and well, we do ”, I told him .

” I can’t predict anything, Liam, if I die, I die, but I don’t want to go, I always used to talk about killing myself all the time back then, I don’t wanna die now, it ain’t gonna be long enough, 16 years ain’t gonna be long enough. I was only born yesterday. But I’d rather die a hero then live long enough to see myself become a villain, so just let me go, but I’ll be okay, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine . Nothing will keep us together now, but I’ll still be with you ”, Johnny said .

” Yeah, but don’t say that, never say the word Die, John ”, I said. Then, the rest of the gang came in . ” Oh, you guys made it ”, I said .

” Yeah, man, how is he, how’s Johnny doing, man ?”, Emmett asked with a scared facial expression .

” Not so good, man ”, I replied, as I was being honest .

” Hey John, we beat the Rejects, man, they ran out of the lot, you should of seen them, man, Jacob absolutely shat himself, running like a woman ”, Emmett said . ” You had to be there, really, it was a right old laugh ”, he added as he sat even closer to Johnny by his bed side.

” That must have been fun, I wish I was there instead of being in this place, I would have nothing to lose, those geezers are like sponges ”, Johnny said as he spoke quietly .

” Yeah, those geezers are lunatics, man . ” Did you hear about all that stuff in the newspapers, all that stuff about you being a hero, it’s everywhere now, and you did it, that was all you ”, Emmett said .

” Yeah, I’m glad that the kids got home safely, that’s all I wanted, I cared about that more then anything else in this world ”, Johnny said .

” Yeah, and you did a bloody good job of it as well, everyone was shocked, even the paramedic was shocked, you took everyone by surprise, you did ”, Travis said .

” Yeah, but look at me now, I’m in hospital, I don’t know how long I have left, I could be gone by tomorrow afternoon ”, Johnny said .

” Yeah, listen, man, we’re gonna get you out of this place when you recover, you’re gonna be okay, just give it a few days, you’re in good hands, now, I think it’s best if you get some rest, we’ll talk later, alright ?”, Emmett said .

” What if I don’t wake up, I don’t want to fall asleep, I’m scared, man ”, Johnny said .

” You’re not gonna die, Johnny, you’re gonna be fine, I’m sure of it, you’re a champion, you show this terrible place who’s boss ”, Emmett said .

” You guys should have greased my hair before the brawl, it’s getting thick, man, I bloody slid across the floor and almost split my head open, I did ”, Johnny said .

” Haha, Yeah, I guess that some things just don’t change, do they ?”. Yeah, you’re gonna be alright, man, just give it some time to recover, you’re gonna get better, you’re gonna be a whole new man, you’re gonna be a true champion. Don’t let those bastards get the best of you, alright ?”, Emmett said . ” I’m worried about you, man, look at you, it’s all over your body ”, he added .

” Emmett, am I still breathing ?, is my heart still beating ?”, Johnny asked .

” Johnny, what’s that got to do with anything ?, why are you asking me if your heart is still beating, I don’t understand, is everything alright ?”, Emmett asked .

” I know, but is my heart beating though ?”, Johnny asked .

” Yeah ”, Emmett replied .

” Well then, that means that I’m still alive, aren’t I ?. I’m fine, Emmett, don’t worry, you’re scaring me now ”, Johnny said .

” I’m not trying to scare you, Johnny ”, Emmett said .

” No but you are, you’re scaring me. Don’t worry, Emmett, seriously, I’m fine. You’re just gonna make yourself sick at the end of the day, you get mentally ill like that, it’s not good, stress ”, Johnny said . ” I’m alright. ” I’m still here, I’m still here ”, he said .

” Yeah, you’re gonna live, alright ?, don’t worry ”, I said . Johnny was giving us the indication to say that he wanted to talk to Emmett. We had to let Johnny talk to him .

” Emmett, I think he wants to talk to you, man ”, I said . Emmett opened his ears and he listened to him .

” What is it, Johnny ?, I’m all ears ”, Emmett said .

” Emmett, look after yourself, man, I’m telling you now, look after yourself, don’t let yourself go astray. We’re on this earth for a short amount of time, you might as well use up all your time doing the things you wanna do, look after yourself . We don’t know what will happen from here, I don’t know if I will be here, tomorrow morning but whatever happens, I just want you to know that I’ll be alright. Carry on living life normally, don’t worry about me, I can assure you that everything will be fine ”, Johnny said . ” I don’t want you to worry, be happy, be kind, be Emmett, alright ?. We all know that I’m not gonna be here for long, by the looks of things, and you’re gonna die as well, we’re all gonna at some point in our lives, nobody lives forever, but Gordan Bennett, wouldn’t it be brilliant if we did. We’re all gonna die some day, but life goes on, Emmett. Whatever happens, life does go on, I want you to be happy, Emmett, don’t let things bog you down cause it’s just not worth it, it really isn’t . I want you to look after yourself, look after them, they’re there for you, man, they’ll do whatever it takes to keep your chin up, make the most of them, because they’re not gonna be around forever. And, you know, I’m not gonna be here for long either, but just let me go, let me go ”, Johnny said .

” Johnny, please, don’t do this to me, I never thought I’d be here, but here I am. You’re not going anywhere, Johnny, don’t be silly . Please don’t leave me, man . I know that I’ve only known you for three years but for what it’s worth, you can’t leave us now, you have so much ahead of you, John.  You could get a job, oh goodness, a job, you can paint fucking buses or, or a singer, you could be a singer, you can raise the fucking halls with your voice. All the things you could have done if you were still here ”, Emmett said .

” I am still here, Emmett, I haven’t gone anywhere, man, what are you talking about ?”, Johnny asked .

” Yes I know, Johnny, but you’re not gonna be here for long, you need to be alive and well, not like this, you look like a fucking skeleton. I can’t look at you, man, it’s almost like you’re gonna shrivel into white dust ”, Emmett said as he covered his face with his hands . ” I don’t want you to go, man, all I want is to be with you, together, I don’t wanna say goodbye. ” If I could, yeah ?, I would bust those geezers heads open, I’ll go down there and I’ll fucking kill them, that’s what I’d do . I couldn’t give a monkees. I can’t say goodbye, man, it’s too early. It just doesn’t feel right ”, Emmett said .

” Emmett, please, just do it for me, just do it for me, think about hard it is to be in my position, lying on a bed, not being able to move, being in the darkness, it’s hard, but I don’t want you to suffer as well, me suffering is enough already, I don’t wanna think about you lot being in pain as well ”, Johnny said .

” Just whatever happens, yeah, we don’t forget about us, we are all here for you, man, and we’ll hate it if anything happens to you. Even I can’t sleep at night, cause I’m worried sick about you, worried if this will be the last time we’ll see you. We are Eagles, we go together. We don’t accept defeat just because someone cunt tried to ruin our lives, but I can assure you that you’ll be absolutely fine, a new day is on the horizon, and when that day finally dawns, we will be here, we will be here when you come out of hospital, ready to welcome you back into our gang, ready to welcome you home, cause home is where the heart is ”, I said .

” That’s right, man ”, Emmett said .

” Will you come and visit me again tomorrow ?”, Johnny asked .

” We’ll come in every day until you are better, alright ”, I replied .

” Yeah, there’s nothing else to do at home anyway, so we’ll come and see you ”, Emmett said .

” Emmett, will you hold my hand ?”, Johnny asked and he started crying .

” Yes, of course, man, and I won’t let go, I promise ”, Emmett replied. Emmett was crying as well and he held his hand tight .

” Oi, Gordon Bennett, don’t squash the poor thing, fucking hell, be gentle with him, for god sake ”, Kevin said . ” Alright, Cow hands, that’s enough ”, he said. Travis started laughing. But suddenly, Johnny fell unconcious for a few minutes .

” Johnny, Johnny, are you there ? ”, Emmett asked, but there was no response. I could feel tears rolling down my face, so did everybody else . Emmett didn’t let go of his hand until the nurse told him to leave .

” Is he alright ?”, Travis asked the nurse .

” Yeah he’s alright, he’s just unconcious, it’s the treatment, it’s one of the side effects, we’ll keep an eye on him for a little while, we’ll call you back ”, she replied .

” Ok. ” Fucking hell, scared the fucking shit out me ”, Travis said . On our way out, I left the book Gone With The Wind on the table next to Johnny’s death bed. However, it was almost too late to give him the book but I made a promise that I couldn’t break, especially because of the state that he was in, I didn’t wanna let him down . We sat in the waiting room. It was really quiet. There were a few people in the hospital, mainly patients getting weekly check ups and having operations . When I looked at Dominick, he was devestated and purely worried . He was still recovering from his rumble injuries, and partially because he got punched and kicked countless times, I gave him the look, the face that displayed the symptoms of fear and uncertainty .

” Do you think that he’ll pull through ?”, Dominick asked .

” Yeah, I’m sure he will, he’s tough as old boots, that Johnny Branson ”, I replied . I only told him that because I didn’t want him to worry, no matter how worried he already was. Then, we got called back in, Emmett had a chat with the nurse again, desperate to know .

” How is he, how’s Johnny ?”, he asked .

” He’s okay, he’s just getting his therapy ”, she replied .

” Ok. Would you mind if we went in ?, I don’t wanna cause any disturbance or anything ?, cause you know, he’s getting his therapy, I don’t wanna bug him ”, I asked .

” Oh, don’t be silly, love, I’m sure he’ll appreciate visitors, he’s been in there all by himself the whole time, I’m sure that he’ll love to see you ”, she replied and we entered the room .

” Hi Johnny, see, I told you I’d pop in to see you again, how are you doing ?”, I asked as I looked at Johnny .

” Hey nurse, have I finished getting therapy yet, it’s been going on for a few days, you know, we’ve already gotten down to the last batch and it’s not even the afternoon yet, starting to feel a bit queasy, I am ”, Johnny said. But the nurse wasn’t in the room, there was no way he was talking to me, there was no way . It was like walking into an empty room, there’s no life in there at all, it was just empty, and it was dark .

” Johnny, this is Liam, your mate, I’m not the nurse. Do you remember me ? ”, I asked . I was puzzled . It was almost as if someone cut the chord between us, that the dynamic and the chemistry just slipped away from us. It was no longer the Johnny that I knew. He just disappeared. He was no longer here .

” No, I don’t think so ”, Johnny replied, I just completely lost it .

” Johnny, how can you not remember us, we are your mates, we’re here, man, we’re right here, talk to us ”, I said, and I layed my hand on the bed side railing .

” Sorry, I don’t know you, I can’t talk to you, my whole life, I’ve been told not to talk to strangers, please stay away from me as much as you can, please, don’t touch me, get off, get off of me, you hear me ?, I said get off ”, Johnny shouted .

” We are not strangers, Johnny, we are your mates, this isn’t you, Johnny, why happened, why are you acting like this, I don’t understand ”, I asked .

” I’m sorry, I just can’t, alright ?, you’re a stranger and I can’t talk to strangers, it’s a sin, I’m sorry ”, Johnny said .

” Oh please no ”, I said, as I leaned up against the wall in deep deep sorrow. I just felt myself go .

” Johnny, what about me ?, do you remember me ?”, Emmett asked him .

” No, you don’t look familiar, who are you, I’ve never met this geezer in my entire life ?”, Johnny asked .

” This is Emmett, come on Johnny, don’t tell me that you forgot about us ”, Emmett said .

” I’m sorry ”, Johnny said .

” So, this is what you get, huh ?, this is what you get for helping people ?. Come on, Johnny, don’t die, please don’t leave me, I’m so alone, no Johnny, don’t die on me no ”, Emmett said . ” If I got on my knees and I pleaded with you, not to go, but to stay in my arms, would you walk out the door, like you did, once before, this time, be different, please stay, don’t go, please stay, please stayyyy ”, Emmett sang and he started crying . ” Please, Johnny, please stay ”, Emmett said .

I took one last look at Johnny as he laid unconcious, he looked absolutely lifeless. I never wanted Johnny to die, he never deserved it. Now that Johnny’s dead, the gang just isn’t the same anymore, it feels empty . Jamie, Travis and Kevin were sitting in the waiting room, they didn’t hear the news about Johnny yet. I had to go and break it to them. I walked out slowly. Kevin, Jamie and Travis were just waiting there . Dominick had to go home because he had to take care of something. I begged him to come and stay with us at the hospital but he just refused, he doesn’t like being in hospitals, he can’t handle it . So I was gonna tell him the news right afterwards .

” Well ?”, Jamie said. I froze and I had to spit my words out. Which wasn’t easy .

” He’s gone ”, I said. They were shocked and they started crying .

” What ?”, Travis said .

” No noooooo ”, Jamie said and he curled up into a little ball on the floor .

” Bless him ”, Kevin said . Then suddenly, Dominick turned up at the hospital and he wanted to see Johnny but it was too late, he was already dead, he just didn’t know it yet . He’s bitten off more then he can chew, the poor geezer .

” Alright, Dominick ?”, I said .

” Where is he, I need to see him ?”, Dominick asked .

” He’s in there ”, I said. He’s got a big storm coming . Dominick went to see Johnny in the intensive care unit . He looked through the glass stained window and he saw Johnny lying on his hospital bed. He didn’t even know that he was dead, so the shock catched up with him . Johnny was scared that he was never gonna wake up and he was right, and when he closed his eyes, we all knew from then on, that he was never gonna wake up. Dominick stood near Johnny’s hospital bed and sat there for a while . He started shaking him, trying to wake him up .

” Johnny, Johnny, wake up, Johnny, wake up, Johnny, Johnny, no, nooooo ”, Dominick shouted, as he shook him and tried to wake him up, hoping that he would awake, but he never did, he had already passed away. Dominick grasped the reality of Johnny’s death and he just ran out of the room. He then collapsed onto the floor and Jamie put his arms around him and started comforting him .

” It’s okay, it’s alright, it’s alright, I’m here now, Jamie’s here, it’s okay ”, Jamie said with a gentle voice .

” Ehhh, Johnny, man, ehh, he left us, man, he ain’t coming back ”, Dominick said .

” It’s alright, Dominick, he’s sleeping now, he’s sleeping, you see, he’s better now and he’s happy ”, Jamie said. Kevin, Emmett, Travis and I were leaning against the walls, crying our hearts out. A few minutes later, the nurse was speaking to us, she had the results but they came out way too late .

” They said, that it was some sort of brain tumor, some sort of eternal bleeding in the brain and he got diamentia . It rushed all the way to his brain. I’m really sorry, guys, I can’t imagine the pain you’re going through right now ”, the nurse said as she was also crying .

” Why do you bother helping people if you can’t save them, you just do this to kill them off, huh ?, you let them die, is that what you do ?, you wanna decrease the over population, do you ?, I know what you’re doing behind closed doors, you dodgy fuckers, you and the government. You wanna see people die, give them all sorts of shit, convince me otherwise . See, this is why I’m not voting for the fucking conservatives, the looney left, cause shit like this happens ”, Emmett said .

” I’m really sorry, sir, he was in quite a bad condition, we couldn’t help him, we did the best we could, his body just shut down, the poor thing. Oh well, at least he’s not suffering anymore ”, the nurse said .

” Yeah, of course he isn’t suffering, but we are the ones who suffer in the end. You dodgy shiteless fuckers, that’s what you are, fucking shambles ”, Emmett shouted . ” Hey you, yes you, get off the fucking phone, you cunt . Alice, Alice, get off the fucking phone, no I don’t want your fucking money, piss off , fucking ca cow nibs, bloody banchot”, he shouted.

” Hi, I’m Alysia ”, the receptionist said .

” Fuck off, Alysia ”, Emmett shouted and then he left the hospital in tears .

Johnny was taken out of the intensive care ward by the nurses. His mum watched them take his body away, she was in tears, she was in distraught . Even though she was harsh on him, she still didn’t like to see her son die, but Jesus, does anyone ? . Having said that she had a troubled childhood as well. Johnny was different, Johnny was tough, Johnny was unique, and it all comes down to one thing, and that is Eagle, cause it doesn’t matter if he passed away, he’ll still be flying high above the clouds, watching over his mates .

” Because Eagles never die ” .

End of chapter .