The Fool By The Seaside | mclennon

13

Chapter 13: Savior

Once he was out in the street, dressed in boxers, a t-shirt of George's, and Paul's old coat, John sniffed the air and tried to smell the ocean. He turned his head to the west, there laid his fate.

He gasped and let out pained sounds as his bare feet touched the cold concrete, rough stones, and discarded twigs. Sighing, John held the old coat close to his body and walked on.

But alas, Liverpool was a big city and John found himself lost in the docks. The smell of the ocean seemed to surround him and he had no idea where to go.

The siren jumped as the door to a loud pub opened and two drunken sailors were pushed out. John hid behind a dumpster as the two growled at the bouncer.

They looked like typical sailors: Sunburnt, dirty, and tired.

Figuring they might know how to get to the beach, John approached them. "Excuse! Excuse!"

The two gruff men turned and laughed at his appearance.

"Wha' do ya want, boy?" Said the taller one, voice slurred.

John smiled, "Could you tell me how to get to the beach?"

They stared at him. The shorter one narrowed his eyes, "Where you from?"

John panicked slightly. "From...here?" It sounded like a question.

"What's a young lad like you doing 'ere at this hour?" Asked the tall one, a smirk growing on his face, "Looking for business, eh?"

John frowned, "Business? I just want to go to the beach."

The two sailors looked him up and down, smirks growing in their faces.

The shorter one stepped closer, "Oh, I'll take ya to the beach."

John could see that they wouldn't really, he glared at the man moving closer, "What are you doing?"

The sailor rolled his eyes, "Oh, it's like that, is it?" He pulled some coins out of his pocket and offered his hand, "'ere then."

John tilted his head. Was this man okay? He offered a kind smile, "That is not the beach."

The taller one laughed. "This one's really into the game, eh?"

The short one shook his hand, "Take it and get on your knees, ya queer."

John could tell queer was not meant as a compliment. He stood tall, "Lead me to the beach."

The sailors were angry now. The taller one got close, "Stop with the damn beach!"

John bristled at the tone and glared.

The man gasped and jumped away as the boy's pupils turned to slits. "What the..!"

The shorter one tried to throw a punch but the siren caught it easily, squeezing the hand and making the sailor yell. John threw him into the wall just in time for the tall one to grab him by the waist. John twisted as he was picked up and managed to get to where he was facing the sailor. Instinctively, he bit on the man's chin. The sheer force of the bite made the tall human drop him. John kicked him into the wall.

John got close to the cowering sailors. He offered another smile, colder, "Now, take me to the beach."

Paul woke up with a start for reasons unknown. He hadn't been having a nightmare, but there was something wrong. He felt around the bed, "John?" He called. "Johnny?" But there was no one in the bed with him.