The Troubles

Deleted Scene - In The Act

This is a scene that was nearly included in the final story, however, it didn't fit in with the way that I had ordered the chapters. I thought I'd publish it here, so that it could still be read, as I do like it. It's really just Elliot showing Joe how he steals the records from Mr Keely. I hope you enjoy this - as well as the rest of it :-)

Coincidentally, it would appear that being punched by Billy was not the only run in that he'd encounter with the Keely family, although the second time was poor judgement on Elliot's behalf, and a pretty avoidable risk. Fascinated by Elliot's borrowing records scheme, Joe had begged to accompany him on at least one trip, and so, deciding it was safer to give on of the borrowed records back rather than take one at this point, Elliot agreed. He'd gotten carried away with himself, and it was due time to return a few. Carrying 'The Immortal Songs of Buddy Holly' in his hand, he met Joe on the crossroads, to walk to the Keely's house.

"They're obsessed with clean air, or something," Elliot explained on the way. "So they leave the window open right next to where all their collection is. It's easy just to reach in a hand and swap them in and out, but you have to balance on the metal gate."

"I still can't believe you get away with this," Joe said. "You're a nutter. And Billy's house as well! I bet his dad is exactly the same as him, only ten times bigger. One of these days you'll be dead meat, mate."

When they reached the gate, Elliot held out his hands to boost Joe up, and followed by grabbing onto the window sill beside it and hoisting himself up. It was pretty tight with both of them stuck up there, but there was just enough room to squeeze in.

"How do you know they're not in?"

"Come on mate, you've heard Billy brag about his dad's golf club at the weekends. His mum plays tennis - and I know that because Fred always coincidentally ends up 'passing by' and watching on a Saturday morning."

Joe looked inside.

"Mate, you don't have to," Elliot said, after a considerable time. His leg muscles were beginning to ache, balancing precariously in a crouch on the gate.

"But I want to," Joe replied, longingly. Eventually, he grabbed the vinyl from Elliot's hands, reaching over the window sill to put it into the cupboard, at precisely the wrong time. Elliot's heart lurched as he saw Richard Keely's extravagant car reverse up the drive, and in a flash of fear, he pushed Joe's feet through the window, jumping in straight after him to avoid being seen. Joe turned around to face him in shock.

"Elliot - what the fuck!"

"Richard Keely's outside!"

Joe's face turned a ghostly white, and he looked as if he would melt from fear.

"What the fuck!"

"He'll see us jump down! This is the first room in the house, Joe!"

A key turned in the lock of the house, and they stared at each other. Joe dived to the other end of the room, scrambling up onto the window sill there, and pulling the curtain across, as Elliot practically slammed himself into the coat cupboard, pulling the door shut. Five year-long seconds passed, before the door to the study clicked open, and footsteps thumped on the carpet. A spine-chilling whistle of an old tune echoed throughout the room, as a cabinet opened, and the clink of glass was heard. Heart thumping out of his chest, Elliot leaned forwards to see through the chink in the minusculey ajar door, catching sight of Richard Keely pouring a glass of whisky from a bottle. He looked over at where Joe's hiding place was, and noted with relief that he wasn't visible. His hairs prickled on the back of his neck at the silence around the room - any noise would instantly give them away, and a cold sweat beaded at the top of his forehead in fear. Mr Keely stood up after his slowly intake drink, and walked to the window they'd entered through, making Elliot's heartbeat increase. Through his glimpses, Elliot spied Richard frown, before bending down to retrieve a Buddy Holly record off the floor. He turned it over it his hands, as if he could telepathically sort out what had happened. Reasoning with himself, Elliot was partly reassured that there was no evidence against who had borrowed the record, and if they could just wait it out until he left, it would be fine. That was until, of course, Mr Keely seemed to catch a glint of something in his eye, and picked it up off the floor. It was small, and so Elliot could barely see what it was; it was blocked by Mr Keely's thumbs as he examined it. His mind raced back to anything he would have had in his pockets and could have fallen out, but his mind was blank. Training his eyes on the small object, his breath suddenly froze as he identified it. A guitar plectrum. Richard Keely was holding his guitar plectrum. Before anything else could occur, the chiming of bells came from downstairs, a traditional doorbell, and Mr Keely pocketed the plectrum before leaving the study to answer the door. Wasting no time, Elliot burst out of the cupboard, and Joe leapt from his perch on the window sill, rubbing his calfs in pain, before they scrambled out of the window. Pain richoceted through Elliot's legs as he landed on the hard ground, forgetting to bend his legs in the hurry. Not even hesitating to consider whether they conspicuous anymore, Elliot grabbed Joe's jacket, pulling him through the bushes, until they finally emerged on the side of the road, bending over to regain their breath.

"Well, fuck!" Joe exclaimed, staring at Elliot. Elliot stared at him back with wide eyes, unaware of what to say.

"I can't believe it," he said, still staring back at Joe. "We're still alive."

A wild smile of adrenaline grew on Joe's face, and he let out a choked, maniacal laugh.

"Holy shit!"

Elliot took a few more moments to process what had happened, his heart rate slowly returning to its normal pace.

"So golf club was called off."

They stared at each other again, before Joe burst out laughing, and Elliot grinned mainly in relieved shock rather than amusement, but they started off down the road again, and Joe's laughing turned into fits of cackles at their escape. Fuck, Elliot thought. Holy fuck.