wishing wells - michael gray

thirteen

"Where's Tommy gone?" Elsie asked John, who was sitting on the water fountain outside.

"He left with Johnny Dogs on a caravan," John shrugged, puffing out some smoke.

"Oh...Can I sit?" she asked. John motioned for her to sit next to him.

"What's up, Elsie?" he asked, stroking her back gently.

"Why did you cut Angel?" she asked him, taking his cigarette to attempt to smoke it. John watched with amusement as she coughed from the nicotine.

"Because, a real man would have shown up to the date anyways, regardless of whether or not his restaurant got burned down," John shrugged.

"You guys are the Peaky fuckin' Blinders. I wouldn't have shown up either if you had done that too," she said, attempting to smoke again.

"I would have shown up," John said, taking his cigarette back.

"If someone had burned down your business place," she laughed with amusement.

John turned to face her, brushing her hair out of her face. "No, I would have shown up to the date regardless if it meant I'd have you on my arm."

"Wh-what?" she stammered, staring at him.

John's eyes peered into her soul. "You accepted this way of life so quickly. And not only that, you're downright beautiful. I've wanted you since we danced that night at the club."

"John," she whispered. "You have a wife. We can't-"

John cut her off by grabbing her face and planting a kiss on her lips. Her body froze and she was unsure of what to do.

"Alright, what the fuck is happenin' out here?" Arthur chuckled. Elsie quickly pulled away and stood on her feet. Arthur stared at his brother with his hands on his hips, and to Elsie's horror, Michael stood behind him with his hands in his pocket.

"Nothing. Nothing is happening," Elsie croaked out.

"What the fuck do you want?" John grumbled, putting out his cigarette.

"Just checkin' on ya," Arthur shrugged.

"Teach me how to shoot," Michael said suddenly. Elsie turned to face him, but he didn't look back.

"What are you on about?" John said, standing up.

"I want to learn how to shoot," Michael said, unwavering in his decision.

"Well alright then, you three go out to the fence and I'll go grab some bottles," Arthur said, walking to the house.

Elsie and Michael stayed with their feet planted, before John wrapped his arms around their necks and led them out to the fence.

"Why do you want to shoot, Henry?" she asked quietly.

"He's a Peaky Blinder without a gun, it's only natural he wants to learn," John reasoned.

The three stood out by the fence in silence as Arthur came with a crate full of bottles. They watched in amusement as Arthur set up bottles on the fence.

"I brought some booze," Arthur said as he passed them a bottle. Each of them took a couple shots and passed around the bottle a few more times until they all felt drunk.

"Here ya go, Mickey," John said, taking his gun out of its holster. Michael took it slowly and held it, without knowing what to do with it.

"Alright, now cock it back with your thumb," Arthur commanded, taking another swig of whiskey. Michael obeyed with his hand shaking.

Arthur and John chuckled at the sight of their cousin shaking whilst he held the gun.

"There you go," Arthur said proudly. "Now she's been cocked."

John threw his head back and made chicken noises while Elsie giggled, clinging to John's arm.

"It's like waking up a girl when you cock that trigger," Arthur said. "She rolls over all sleepy-eyed and she goes, 'Michael, Michael'."

John chuckled but Elsie only crinkled her nose in disgust before she took another sip of whiskey.

"What are you gonna make me do, Michael?" John mocked in his best girly voice.

"You boys are fucking crazy men!" Michael exclaimed, gripping the gun tightly.

"Yeah, but you feel it though right?" Arthur said, wagging his finger in front of Michael. "Now, squeeze it."

A gunshot rang out as Michael finally shot, but he had missed the bottles completely.

"Oh, fuckin' useless!" John cackled.

"Oh, leave him alone, John," Elsie said. John chuckled and wrapped his arm around Elsie, causing Michael to clench his jaw.

"Michael, why does a pen pusher who sits on his ass all day want to fire a gun?" Arthur asked. "Cock it again!"

"Cock it again," John mimicked, taking a nibble at Elsie's ear.

"Piss off," she said, still clinging onto his body for balance. Michael glared at them, before cocking it again.

"Mm," Arthur hummed. "Look at that fucking face, John boy. Now he feels it."

Elsie giggled as John mimicked Michael's angry expression.

"You won't feel nothin' until you point that thing on a man," Arthur continued.

Michael's attention went back to John, who attempted to kiss Elsie again. Elsie swatted his hands off of her and drank more whiskey.

"So, do it," Arthur suggested, walking in circles around his cousin. Michael's eye twitched and he turned it to John. John released his grip from Elsie's waist, staring with wide eyes at the gun pointed at his forehead.

"There you go, young boss," Arthur said proudly. "There you go. Now you feel it. Now you feel what we feel."

"Michael," John croaked uneasily. "That's a Webley. Jumps on the hammer."

"How does it feel, Michael? Huh?" Arthur continued. "Better than having a pen in your hand, innit? More like having your cock in your hand."

Elsie let out a sigh of relief when Michael slowly lowered the gun.

"Yeah it is," Michael agreed, putting the gun against John's chin as quickly as he had lowered it.

"One squeeze, poof, he's meat," Arthur said in Michael's ear.

"Michael, you watch that Webley don't jump," Elsie said with her voice quivering.

"What's going on?" Polly's voice rang out. Michael dropped the gun, with a sadistic smile across his face. Polly's eyes darted between him and John before repeating herself. "What's going on?"

"I'm not a fucking kid anymore," Michael said in her face, before taking a few steps towards the house. He came to a stop and walked back over to Elsie and John. "You keep your fuckin' hands off of her."

Before John or Elsie could respond, Michael grabbed her wrists and dragged her towards the house.