Subtle Invitation [Thomas Shelby]

Angels Cry

Cold air across the skin. Completely numb. Fingers rushing to cover the wounds, blood pouring through the gaps. A white napkin completely sodden as it lay discarded on the floor.

Focus now.

Listen to me. Keep the pressure on. Don't give up. Your legs feel weak but don't give in. Tick tock.The room is eerily silent isn't it? Do you forgive me now? Do you?

There's black crows across the grass "Sorry for your loss"

Time is moving so fast. People are moving so slow.

——

"How long has she been pacing?" Polly asked a passing nurse, her eyes firmly on Lily who was pacing in front of the steel doors.

The nurse looked at Polly and paused for a second, questioning whether to speak honestly about Lily's behaviour

"The past two hours. A few of us have tried to take a look at her but she....won't have it Miss Grey"

Polly nodded in understanding before gently leaving the nurse to carry on. As she approached Lily she could see that the right side of her face was covered in blood, the material of her dress sodden with it.

"Lily..." she started, testing the waters. Polly needed to desperately know what happened and Lily was her only option. Distraught or not.

Lily stopped and slowly looked at Polly. Polly swallowed her feelings down as she saw Lily's hands where covered in dry blood, not one part of her dress remained untouched, her face touched with dirty tears.

Lily continued to pace with her head down, her heels clicking in quick succession.

"It happened so quickly Polly" she started, her voice croaky from screaming.

Polly reached out a gentle hand as to not scare her away and forced her to stop and look at her. Lily was on the verge, the very precipice of falling off a cliff.

"I told him I didn't forgive him yet. I told him, oh god" and she felt her kneels buckle and Polly was there to support her as she bought her to the metal seats down the corridor wall.

"He'll be okay love, he'll be okay" Polly whispered as she eyed the door that Tommy was behind.

——

"She won't let anyone touch her" Polly sighed as she stood at the end of the corridor with Ada, Michael, Arthur and John "They need to check her arm but every time they've tried she lashed out"

"Is it bad?" Arthur mumbled as he eyed Lily.

"Looks it, she must of been hit next to him" Polly mumbled as she looked over at Lily who had started pacing again "I'm just waiting for her to realise it's painful. The nurse said something about shock"

"I'll try and speak to her Polly" Ada said as she began moving up the corridor, hoping that a soft approach would get Lily to listen.

Ada's heels clicked too fast as she swept the hall in a few steps. Lily whirled around like a deer in head lights and flinched. A flash of a dark memory blocking her vision.

"Lily it's okay. It's me Ada, let's get you sorted okay love?" Ada hesitantly moved a further step with her hand out.

"Don't touch me!" Lily hissed like an animal caught in a trap.

"Lily" Michael started as he joined Ada "Come on" and he grabbed her arm.

Lily felt panic rise to her throat and she pulled back with a cry. Ada grabbed at her too and they began pulling her back up the corridor. Lily thrashed as she tried to turn around, not wanting to leave his side.