Addition to my Peaky Blinders Trilogy
Book Four
*A Peaky Blinders Fanfic*
*I don't own these characters but please don't steal my concepts ;)
BWBM
Started Aug. 8 2016
Junior saw dozens of black men. Most of them were pretty large; they probably worked as laborers in the local factories or mines. The crowd was gathered in an open field, near a row of small, shabby townhouses that were identical to Clover's. Junior avoided the center of the commotion and instead lingered back toward the shadows. He smoked his cigarette and waited things out. Something was about to begin.
He had only taken a few drags from his cigarette when a masculine voice boomed, "Round One. Kenney versus Wesley. Wagers?" Immediately the crowd roared in discord and disharmony. What seemed like noise to Junior was really several bets being placed and tallied by the crowd of spectators and the mediator. Money was handled and feet shuffled. The crowd created a hole of space in the center. Two men stepped forward. One, tall and lean, removed his shirt. He paced carefully around the circle, frenzied by the roar of his peers. The other, shorter and more robust, also made his way around the circle in pounding, powerful steps. Each man had a look in his eyes that made him seem more animal than man.
Junior knew what was about to happen. A grin inched across his face.
"Ready?" The mediator called. He received grunts from both men in reply. "Fight!" He yelled.
The crowd cheered. It divided into two, each side cheering for their preferred victor. The cheers were unified and intense. Junior found himself swept up in the emotion and the masculinity of the crowd. There was something more to this. Something more than just fighting. There was strength. There was power. Recognition. Glory. There was also something else. Something like...hunger. Still, Junior cheered as loud as the rest. His poise was forgotten and he had moved closer in order to get a better look inside the circle. He wanted in.
At the end the two competitors stood bruised and bloodied and fatigued. The shorter man had secured the victory and was presently collecting his earnings. Junior watched as the man was handed a few bills and a grey rag. The victor pocketed the money and dabbed at his bleeding ear with the towel. After a few labored breaths, he limped home. Junior paid no mind to the loser's ritual.
The previous competitors were gone and it was time for new ones to step forward. The mediator presented the fighting invitation to the crowd. Presently, someone whispered a secret into his ear. His eyes lit up with recognition. "Gentlemen," he said, "a crowd favorite has returned to wager day. Our next competitor will be...Joe the Giant." The men roared even louder than before. Junior leaned inward with curiosity. Before his eyes a shirtless, bulky figure stepped into the ring. Junior recognized him immediately as the rude man from the restaurant, the man he had gotten into an altercation with. Junior was immediately filled with rage. His eyes locked onto his target as he threw his cigarette to the ground, extinguishing it with his foot. Earlier he had been interrupted. He needed to finish what he started with this guy.
~
"Shelby...Mr. Shelby. Shit, Mr. Shelby...Oh, thank God your eyes are open. No, don't close them. Look at me."
"What..."
"Don't move so much. Why can't you just fucking listen to me?" Came Clover.
"Where am I?" Junior asked.
"I told you not to go to wager day. I fucking told you." She was stroking his face with a wet cloth.
"Clover..."
"To make matters worse, Joe was there. Of all days to come, he comes on wager day. And beat the living shit out of you."
Junior let go a guttural laugh. He lie on his back, his head placed gently in her lap, and gazed at the ceiling. It did not take long for him to realize that he was in an incredible amount of pain. He winced, his invincibility gone.
"I saved your ass. Couldn't have you dying out there," she said.
"You're not making any sense," His vision went in and out of focus.
"All you need to know is that you're staining my carpet...And that you're a worthless piece of shit," she said.
"I already knew that," he said. He closed his eyes and let the moisture wash him clean.
~
Shorter chapter but hopefully still enjoyable. Could yall...like...leave some comments. Let me know how you feel about the story so far! And voting would be nice too. Thanks for reading!
