Mae Shelby

03

My brothers and I were on our way to a fair. I was sat inbetween John and my twin in the back.

"I thought you said we were going to the fair." Arthur stated as Tommy stopped the car infront of a couple Gypsy caravans.

"We have business first. Come on. Bring your wits."

"What business?" Arthur, ever the curious one.

"That's the Lee family." John, was it that obvious? Wow. And with that, my three older brothers left us in the car.

"Stay." Tom ordered us as if we were dogs. I scoffed and turned to Finn but he didn't say anything.

"Tommy!" I heard someone shout but after that, we couldn't hear the conversation.

After a minute, a man came up to the car. He leaned inside and examined the exterior of it. I leaned further towards Fin as a result of the stranger's close proximity.

Not even half a minute later, Tommy gave the man the car keys but there was a dispute with another three men down by the water.

"What's going on?" I got a shrug in response. I sighed and got out of the car.

"What are you doing, Mae?" Finn whisper-shouted.

"Trying to stop a possible World War two, that's what." I shook my head, walking over to the angry men I call family.

By the time I reached them, the man, I now know as Johnny, was speaking in another language. "Yeah, but his mam was a Didicoy whore!" I gasped. Our mother?

Before I knew it, Tommy had swung at the man, slashing him with his cap. I flinched and backed away a little more. Arthur was next to attack and John too.

Tommy was beating one man whilst the two others were battling another between them. And as I remember, there were three of the Lee family by the water. Where did the other g-

A large blow to my back was enough to pull me from my useless thinking. A punch and kick followed and I cried out as I fell to the grassy floor.

I looked up and caught a quick glimpse of the men on the floor ahead of me. Then, a hard slap caused tears to shimmer in my eyes. "Stop! What are you doing?" I cried out.

The other Lee man was the culprit. He smirked and reached out to hit me again.

The hit came but a deep sounding grunt followed as a body flew down beside me. My eyes opened on their own accord, sensing a figure above me.

"Tommy!" I cried, jumping up to hug the life out of him. He accepted my embrace and gave me much needed comfort.

More grunting was heard from behind me but as I tried to look, Tom pushed my face further into his chest. "Don't look, Mae." I complied.

I could only guess it was our eldest sibling doing the assaulting. He was the most prone to do it right now, he has always had a bit of an issue with anger.

"Come on, let's go to that fair." Tommy finalised.

-

The fair was so much! Tommy let us, meaning us twins, eat lots of sweets and play Hook A Duck many times. Hoopla was a blast too. Oh and it was so funny when Arthur tried to knock down a coconut but missed by a mile.

Me and Finn couldn't stop laughing at him the whole time and he didn't really appreciate it yet he did nothing about it after a word with Tom.

It was a good distraction from what had happened earlier.

I felt a bit sick by the time we were done, the candy floss was too sweet but I plowered through. We were making our way home now however when we passed through the streets, there was furiture littering the ground.

"Now what the bloody hell's been going on here?" See what I meant when I mentioned Arthur's ever lasting curiosity?

-

When Polly had finished her little speech of encouragment to some blinders, she called me into the kitchen. Tommy was already there.

"Let me see that face of yours, Mae." She said, motioning for me to come to her. I took a seat on a chair, opposite Tom.

Her and Tom were discussing something and I didn't care to listen intently. All I heard was, "No... you don't parley when you're on the back foot." He stared at the wall.

"We'll strike a blow back first." He nodded at our aunt as if to reasure her but I have a feeling he did it to reasure himself.

Once he left, Polly gave me her full attention. "Those Lee bastards." She shook her head at the bruise on my cheek.

-

"Finn, lad, what're you doin'?" Harry asked the young Shelby boy as he took the painting from the wall in The Garrison.

The boy jumped down from the bar counter, "We're having a fire." He stated simply before running off.

-

Pol let me go to the bonfire with my brothers. We had to comprimise on the conditions that I'd be careful not to injure myself anymore and that I stayed with my siblings- same goes for Finn, minus the getting hurt part.

Lots of people were there, enjoying the warmth and booze. "Chuck 'em on boys," Tom said as Arthur opened another bottle of whatever he was drinking. I tried to sneak a beer but John caught me, saying that I was lucky it was him and not Tommy who found me with the alcohol.

John threw another picture onto the fire and I saw Finn drinking John's beer. "Hey!" I shouted, "That's not fair! Finn gets a drink but I don't? What kind of sexist patriarchy are you living in?" Yes, I'm quite well educated for my age. You can thank Aunt Pol and Ada for that one.

"Alright, alright. Calm down, Mae. You can have one drink and you better not tell Polly." My second eldest brother said and I nodded, happily drinking the beverage Arthur passed to me.

Tommy had someone he was speaking to so Finn and I ran off, making our way to our special place. It was a hidden spot near the cut, just by the water canal.

We found it a couple months before our brothers came home from war. It was simply perfect. The familiar sound of boats rowing on the water with the shouts of shipments being loaded. Even though that may sound like a ruckus, for us, it was all we knew.

If you blocked out all the noise, which we could, and focused on the starry night then you'd be at peace. And sometimes- most of the time- we needed that peace, especially in this crazy town.

-

Bit of a shorter one. Oh well...

1138 words.

:))