Little Shelby Girl

Part 3. Other half

Vive's POV

John has dropped us off and me and Finn walk the last meters to school.

"Viv, this morning I think Pol asked Tommy about you. Did anything happen tonight?" He looks at me a little insecure with his sweet eyes.

Finn knows. Not everything, but a lot of it he knows simply because he was there. He was there when I got the beatings, the allegations for things I supposedly did according our dad. I never blamed him for standing there, not doing a fucking thing to help me. I mean, we were both 9 years old. I'm not sure if he would've helped me at the age we are right now, almost 13 years old. Still, I feel like he blames himself for that sometimes.

"It was nothing Finn, just a small nightmare, nothing to worry about" I say reassuring him.

"Alright.. well, if I can help you know, or just..."

"It's alright really, just help me with my homework this afternoon if you want to, you're way smarter than I am" I say playfully. I wave at him when I walk into my class "Bye!"

Later that day we walk back home together. Finn's talking about his teacher who's an absolute dork. Me talking about the girls in my class who can't do anything else then giggling, gossiping and telling stories about boys. I mean, I obviously don't fit in at all, but still everyone's kind to me. I think that's more out of fear for my family, but I don't mind. 

"I am going to Charlie's yard okay? See what he's been up to. I will be at home before dinner and after I will help you with your homework alright?" Finn asks me, already walking the other direction than home, waving me goodbye. I wave back and continue my way to the house.

"I'm home!" I yell, no response. Where's everybody? They're probably all working in the shop I assume. I decide to make myself a cup of tea and sit in front of the fireplace. Didn't took me long till I fell asleep.

Tommy's POV

"Everything's fucking gone! Those Lee bastards." Arthur screams while kicking agains some stuff on the ground.

As a result of a bad bad meeting two days ago, they first cursed my fucking horse, then stole everything out of the betting shop and now we're in fucking war with the gypsies.

"How much did they take?" Polly says looking for the cashboxes.

"Well, do you see any left Pol? They took the whole fucking thing".

"Tom..." John says showing me a wire cutter. "Check this out Tom."

Wire cutters, we all know what that fucking means. Everybody in the room freezes.

"Alright everybody get out slowly" Arthur whispers under his breath.

I take a moment to let the situation sink before I realize the trap is not in here.

"No." I respond while shaking my head violently. "It's not in here. It would have blown by now."

"This is trap set up for me alone."

"Your car..." John fills in the blanks.

"My car, it's still at Charlie's yard." I storm out of the betting shop, with my brothers following me. "Arthur hurry up!" I yell looking behind me to see if he follows me.

*BANG!*

As we ran, a loud noise fills the air, makes the sky go grey. I fall to the ground immediately and so do Arthur and John. As an immediate reaction we all cover our heads and wait till it's quiet again before we stand up. The explosion must come from Charlie's yard, that's also where my car is... the trap...

Arthur is already ahead of us sprinting towards the smoke in the air with his gun in his hands. I'm orientating the street around me with John following me, luckily it's empty, no people are harmed.

"What the fock was that Tom, fucking handgrenade or what?" John screams, hands still over his head while he gasps in disbelief.

"TOOOMMY, JOHN!" It's Arthur.

"NO! NO! FUCKING HELL NO. TOMMY COM' ERE NOW" My heart drops as I hear him screaming at us from a distance. Me and John start sprinting to see him around the corner on the floor with a small body in his arms.

As we come closer, we see it's Finn.
Why the fuck is he here?

Finn lays in his lap, blood is all over his face and chest. The car is broken as well, my car...

I run up to Finn and kneel next to his face. Johns already searching the place for uncle Charlie, he must be here somewhere.

"Finn, can you hear me?" I whisper as I bend my head towards his, searching for a sign of life. "Finn open your eyes, wake up." No reaction. "Arthur?!' I look up to my older brother who's staring into space, clenching his jaws.

I feel the blood fading away from my face. This can't be. This can't be. I take his small hand in mine.

No pulse, there's no focking pulse.

Arthur suddenly starts screaming as he sees the last chance of life was his heartbeat. John's frozen, standing on a safe distance, observing me and Arthur. My eyes are locked on the body in Arthurs arms. Finns face is pale and covered with blood, just like his body.

Me, I'm fucking dying inside. This should've been me.

My little brother is dead.