Letters To Annie | Finn Shelby, Peaky Blinders

1

Smog. The ever so familiar smog filled my lungs in such a fulfilling way considering I had grown accustomed to fresher air of Cheshire. Not that I was allowed any further than the bottom of the garden, but fulfilling nonetheless.

My heart raced as the whistle of the train rang in my ears and I searched frantically for an amicable face. And it came. My once filled lungs lost all air as I encountered the bone crushing embrace of my older brother; Darrell.

I hadn't seen him since three years before the funeral of mother. Now here I am, in Birmingham, seeing him properly. He hadn't grown much in hight, but is paler now, our matching green eyes still shone but the dark circles were more prominent under his eyes than ever.

"I have missed you so much brother." I whispered to his chest a few tears sliding down my cheek. The reassurance of him settled my growing fear of strangers. I was terrified of travelling on the train all alone. Not once had I stepped foot outside my home two hours away in our six years of occupation.

"I missed you too." He said, pulling me at arms length before gathering my luggage and walking towards a car. Never in my seventeen years of living had I ever set eyes upon a car. Wow!

An identical grin graced both our faces as he opened the side door, motioning me to sit as he too sat down behind a wheel and driving past a street. Our old street: watery Lane.

The memories I had of there. My father taking my hand the same way he had every first of every month, prior and after the war, as we made our way to the sweet shop. Sharing a bag of liquorice and lemons, we sat on a nearby bench in Charlie's yard watching curly tend to the horses. Or when I'd play outside our home, opposite to his as we would for hours on end waiting for tea to called.

Thirty minutes past as we came to a stop at a house much bigger than our last, my grin not wavering once.

"Welcome home, little Whizz-Bang."

Before I knew it I was placed in a large room with soft yellow walls and flower wallpaper, four poster bed and a window. A window, facing the most beautiful garden rival to my last. With tulips and roses and daisies and dandelions; occupied by a lady sat at the top of the garden. She had dark brown hair, pale skin and something ever so small burning in her hand.

And for the first time in nearly seven years, we had a neighbour.

Nothing could ruin this day.