Breaking Britain (Completed)

Chapter 31

31
Saturday 5th January 2030
21:50

              'Abee, where are we going?' Rasher had only just stopped crying, her face was red from rubbing the tears away.

              Najih bent down to her, his wife was busy tying Rasher's laces. 'My little angel. You need to be brave today. Today, your job is to look out for your older brother, he's going to need you tonight.'

              'But why aren't you coming?'

              'Daddy has something to do, to make sure you're safe', his daughter was about to ask another question so Najih placed his finger vertically on her lips. 'No more questions baby. It's time to go'

              He got to his feet and turned to his son.

              'Which ones mine?', he asked his son, referring to the two bags on the floor.

               Hussain picked up a small hold-all bag and handed it to his father. 'I can stay too Abbe'

               'No son. You're the man of the family now. It's your job to protect them. We have a duty to this family, I will do what I need to, you must do the same'

               'But......'

              'Enough', Najih raised his voice for the first time, his anger at the situation manifesting itself. He took a moment to calm himself again, 'it's time son', he opened his arms and his son threw himself into them, tears that had been threatening to fall all evening, finally making an appearance.

             He released his son and took his wife's hand guiding her to the kitchen.

             'I know I haven't said it very often, but I truly love you'

             Waliyah looked in his eyes. 'I know, I've always known and I know I haven't shown it often enough, but I love you also'

             He held either side of her face with his hands, memorizing every details of her face, before kissing her gently on the lips, he watched her close her eyes, as she did so, a single tear squeezed out of her right eye and ran down her face to the tip of his finger. He released her and turned away, for fear he would lose his composure.

             'Hussain, Rasher come, let's go'.

             The two children followed their mother, Rasher looking over her shoulder at the back of her father, fresh tears flowing, she called out 'Abee, Abee'

              Najih didn't turn to her. He waited until he heard the kitchen door shut, before he turned, taking a moment to look at the closed door.

              He walked to the front door, looking around his home, he had lived there for nearly fifteen years, they had moved to a bigger house, because Hussain had been born. Racher had only known this house as her home. There was a pull in his heart as he thought about the fact he would probably never see her grow up.

              He got to the door, picked up the golf club he had left there while his daughter dressed. The last time he recalled ever hitting someone, was his brother, they had fought over a doughnut. He smiled at the recollection.

              He opened the door, his right hand, club holding hand, behind his back. The crowd seemed to have grown, although he couldn't be sure. He dropped the bag on the floor, just outside the door. He looked over at the man he had spoken to earlier, who rose to his feet upon seeing the door open.

              The man took a few steps towards him and stopped. 'This wasn't the deal', he said, but over the volume of everyone else making noise, he was sure the Asian man couldn't hear him. He walked closer, a few men walked slightly behind him a few steps behind, leaving no dilemma as to who was in charge.

              He walked up the path towards Najih, 'this wasn't the deal', he started again, 'you're supposed to leave the house. What's in the bag?'

             'Everything you asked for'

             The man smiled. 'This doesn't change anything, you still have to leave. All of you.' He stepped to the bag as he said this, he stooped to retrieve the bag.

             This was Najih moment, he charged out, raising the golf club into the air, the man spotted the golf club and shifted his weight to his right, as the golf club came down, skimming the side of his face and coming down hard on his shoulder.

             Najih didn't have time to lift the club again, the men who had followed sprang into him, sending him flying back into the house, he tried to get up, as the first blow from a pool queue came down on his head, he landed flat on the ground, a shooting pain, followed by an intense pain, as a axe severed his right hand from his arm. The pain was so intense, he knew he was ready to die and pushed himself forward as one man bent down with a knife. He embraced the feeling of the knife plunge into him. He had expected to die straight away, but the pain grew exponentially and he prayed for it to end.

           The leader of the group stood over him, he had the golf club in his hand, blood dripping down the side of his face. His name was Joseph York. Joseph raised the golf club and brought it down heavily into Najih smiling face.