Phoenix and the Bag Man

Chapter 8: Reunions

By the time I got to the Abbey ruins it was that time of day, you know, when it wasn't afternoon but it wasn't night-time either and everything seems muted; sounds, colours, the sharp edges of things, except for smells. They seem stronger. The smell of beer outside the pub, the smell of the smoke from the smokers outside the door, the coffee from the cafes and finally the earth and grass of the park.

I heard her laugh before I saw her. She was being swung round and round by a tall man with a ponytail. He must have been in his twenties. Looking on, leaning against one of the crumbling walls were two others with shaven heads and earrings. One had a short powerful looking dog on a lead. Another dog, a skinny black-haired mongrel with a tan underbelly and one of those smooth tails held up in a permanent question mark ran rings rounds Katyia and her playmate as they span, barking all the while. I set out across the grass towards them. I had no idea what I was going to do, or how I was going to get her to come away with me.

"Raif! Stop! Raif!" Katyia lost her balance, Raif let go her hands and she tumbled over on the grass, laughing. She got up, brushing herself down when she saw me coming.

"Oh, it's you." I smiled weakly in reply.

I wanted to say sorry right there and then but I couldn't, not with Raif and his mates looking on.

"And who's this?" Raif started towards me as I came up to Katyia, a generous smile and an outstretched hand. Yeah. He was handsome. He was charming. I already didn't like him. He had a smile like a crocodile. I shook his hand.

"This," said Katyia coldly, "is Mic, the boy I've been telling you about."

Boy!

"Good to see you, Mic. Hear you've been looking after my Kat for me." His Kat?

He turned to Katyia. "Hey, why don't you get us some teas?" and handed her some change. She looked up at him, yeah she smiled and skipped away. Black and tan trotted after her. Yup, that's what I said. Skipped. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Stay, with the 'lads', or run along, too. I wanted to talk to Katyia, so I turned to follow her.

"Mic, Mic! Chill out, stay here." He grabbed my arm. "A little advice; Kat's mine now. I mean, she's a bit out of your league anyway, isn't she? And a little old maybe, don't you think? I know you are on some mission together but er, I think that's over, she's kind of pissed at you, you know? So she's staying with us. What I'm saying is," and he looked around at his courtiers with a smile, as if to make sure they were watching, "we don't want you around, got it." He gave me a hard push on the chest, sending me staggering backwards. "Shove off, go, now, before she gets back. I hate touching farewells," he was smiling all the while and walking towards me and I was walking backwards. I tripped and fell whack on my arse, sat straight up. It hurt. There was laughter from the shaven heads and a growl from the tethered dog. Its handler gave it a kick.

"You don't want Billy here to see you off the premises, do you?" said Raif.

"Go on, run away... it's what you do," said Phoenix.

One of the shaven heads gave a low whistle and jerked his head in the direction of one of the old stone arches. I could see an agitated-looking figure in the shadows. The three set off towards him, the other two waiting outside as Raif disappeared beyond the old stones with his customer.

I watched, still sat on the ground. Billy's handler gestured for me to go, and stooped as if to let the dog off its lead then pointed towards the archway I had come in. The message was clear. I made a show of getting up, but I looked round and saw Katyia starting back from the kiosk, intent on carrying an armful of teas. I set off towards her. She looked up and saw me. She stopped and stared.