The Estate_Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold Read online

  Melanie stood watching the blaze and her jaw dropped. She was as white as a ghost. “Our William, where the hell is he?”

  Diane ran behind her and started to search around the fire. She dragged hold of a young lad who was stood there with his mates. “Have you seen our kid. You know, William, the specky one?”

  The child shook his head. He was scared as she gripped his shoulder with force. Somebody must have called the fire services because all you could hear was the sirens in the distance. Melanie was desperate and searching the area for her brother. The fire was boiling hot and nobody could get near it. As soon as the firemen pulled up she raised the alarm. “I think my brother is in there. He was guarding the fire. He was sat on the chair in the middle of the bonfire. I think he might have fallen asleep.”

  The fireman wasted no time. The hose from the engine was set up and within seconds he was spraying water in all directions. Melanie stood with Diane and she was sobbing her heart out. Was William still inside the blaze? She didn’t know. Twenty minutes passed and the police were here now. Something bad happened here today. Something serious. Melanie was shaking, stuttering. She had a gut feeling something wasn’t right. She had to tell her mother. Diane shouted Gary and told him of her fears. “Go and get Melanie’s mam. Hurry up, run as fast as you can, tell her to get here as soon as she can?” Gary never asked any questions he was on his toes and running as fast as he could. Where the hell was William?

  Gary hammered on the front door. He was at it non-stop, rapping the letterbox, up and down, up and down. Marion opened the front door and growled at him. “What the bleeding hell are you knocking like that for I thought you was the bleeding loan man?”

  Gary swallowed hard and gripped her by the arm, pulling, dragging desperately at it. “They set the bonfire alight, it’s all blazing.”

  Marion shrugged her shoulders and pushed him away. She had no time for this. She was preparing tea for her family. “And, you’ve pulled me out of the kitchen to tell me that. Go on, piss off from the front door and go and tell your own mam. I’m busy.”

  Gary was frustrated, he had to tell her. “They think William is inside the fire. Melanie has asked me to come and get you. The firemen are there and the police.”

  Marion’s legs buckled. She didn’t even close the front door she just ran as fast as her legs would carry her to the middle of the estate. Melanie could hear her mother screaming before she could see her. She was stumbling as she made her way towards them. “Where is my William, is he in there? Somebody check, please, help him.”

  Melanie came to her side and gripped her arm. “Mam, he must have fell asleep or something.”

  She pushed Melanie out of the way and gripped the policeman who was stood nearby. “Is he in there? I need to go and have a look, let me pass.”

  She was trying to barge passed the officer now and he was having to use some force to keep her away from the blaze. “Listen, keep still will you. Let them do their job. If anyone is in there they will find him.”

  She sank to her knees and let out a scream from the pit of her stomach like an injured animal. “William!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “I want my baby, please someone help him.”

  A few of the neighbours came to her side and they were doing their best to keep her calm. It seemed to take forever before the fire was under control. Melanie was in pieces and she kept bursting out crying. The fireman was walking towards the officer and his head was low. You could see him pass the officer something in his hand and shake his head. Marion was alert and eager to get some news regarding her son. She marched over to the officer and pleaded with him. “Please, tell me what’s happening. Is my boy safe?”

  The officer took her to a neighbour’s house and asked them to make the child’s mother a hot cup of sweet tea. Marion was ready to fight. “I don’t want a cup of fucking tea. I want to know where my baby is!”

  The officer sat down and dipped his head. This wasn’t going to be easy. He passed her a small plastic bag with the remains of a black pair of spectacles. Her face creased, these were her child’s glasses. She held them to her heart and closed her eyes. “Is he dead?”

  There was a long pause before the officer confirmed her fears. A body had been found inside the bonfire and it was up to this policeman now to inform her that it was indeed her son. Marion screamed the house down when she received the devastating news. Somebody ran back to her house to fetch her husband. As soon as she saw him she broke down and gripped him tightly in her arms. “They said it’s William, he’s gone, our boy is dead.”

  Arthur turned his head and sucked back the tears. He pushed his wife away and went nose to nose with the policeman. “Where is my lad? I want to see him.” The officer had to keep them calm until all the checks were done. He needed help before this big strong man started to smash the house up, he radioed for help. “Please sir, just be calm. I’m trying my best here. I can only tell you what I know.”

  It seemed forever before any real news was brought to the family. When it was confirmed that William was dead there were no words that could explain how the family took the news. There was screaming, tears, so many tears shed that day. It was final, William was dead.

  The clouds hung low as the family stood by the graveside of William Smith. Melanie was crying her heart out and she knew the blame was on her. It was her who left him alone inside the bonfire, she’d let him down. The rest of the kids from the estate were there too with their parents and each of them hung their heads. The police had arrested Lenny Jackson and his friends, and it was said he was still denying ever being near the fire. He was a born liar. But, there were no witnesses. The other kids who were arrested stuck by him. They would never say he was the one who torched the bonfire. That he was the one responsible for the death of a child. Lenny was still under investigation but up until now the police hadn’t charged him. Everybody hated the youth, even his own parents hung their heads in shame as they walked the streets. Lenny’s mother had sent a bouquet of flowers to the funeral. She was distraught at the allegations against her son. But what could she do? She was none the wiser if he was guilty or not. A few of the members of the community wanted to string him up, take him to a dark quiet place and make him suffer. Torture him until he confessed.

  As the coffin was lowered into the ground Marion fell to her knees. She would never be ready to say goodbye to her youngest child. Maybe this was God’s way of paying her back for something she’d done in the past, she was in bits. Melanie walked to her mother’s side and tried to comfort her. Marion looked her straight in the eye and the words she spoke to her on that day she would never forget. “Take your hands from me. This is your fault. My baby is dead because of you. You said you would take care of him and you left him. He was alone and scared, and you let him down.”

  Arthur came to help his wife up to her feet. “Come on love, let’s go home, come on, stand up. I’m here with you now.” This was a sad day in the community. Each family was in tears. What a tragedy, such a sad, sad time.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Melanie looked thin. For months she’d been sat in her bedroom and never moved a muscle. At the side of her bed was a silver frame with a photograph of her younger brother William. Diane pushed the bedroom door open slowly and entered. She’d been here every day since the death of Melanie’s brother. Marion had barely spoken two words to her either, she just opened the front door and said, “She’s upstairs.” Diane walked up the stairs and took a deep breath before she entered the bedroom. The room smelt of misery, the curtains were closed, there was barely any light seeping in from outside. Diane plonked down on the side of the bed and just sat there staring into space. How long would it be before Melanie would smile again, come back out on the estate? It was crap without her best mate, nothing seemed the same anymore, it was boring. Diane had been reading lots of books about grief and how to deal with it. She was no expert, but she had to do something. She had to be careful though and not rush into anything.


  Diane was fidgeting, looking one way then the other. She didn’t know how to start the conversation. Taking a deep breath, she moved further back onto the bed. It was now or never. “John’s been asking about you and Gary has too. Do you fancy coming out for a bit. Maybe a bit of fresh air will do you good. You can’t sit in here, forever can you?”

  Melanie shook her head and rolled on her side. “No, I can’t be arsed. My heads banging, and I look a mess. I’m just not in the mood.”

  Diane was pissing in the wind and had to tackle her again. There was no other way to say this, she had to tell it as it was. “Melanie, it was an accident. Whoever lit that fire is to blame for William’s death, not you. You can’t sit in this bedroom forever. You need to move on. If Lenny is found guilty of lighting the fire he will get put away. Justice will be served. You know that more than anyone. If he gets banged up then I hope he gets beaten to within an inch of his life.

  Melanie snivelled and lay flat on the bed staring at the ceiling. “My mam and dad blame me. I was the one who was looking after him, I should never have left him.”

  “It’s not your fault. Surely, they know you didn’t start the blaze? Come on, stop thinking like that.” Diane stroked her arm and rested her head on Melanie’s shoulder. “It will all pass. All these feelings will subside soon. You will never forget William, but the sadness will get easier.” Wow, Diane had really done her research. These were wise words but were they really the truth? Some people never get over the death of a loved one and they just existed from one day to the next.

  Melanie sucked back the tears. “My mam will never forgive me. She’s heartbroken, she can barely look at me.”

  Diane was frustrated and there was no way she wanted to spend another evening sat in this bedroom. There were boys to kiss, adventures to go on. There was no way she was watching her youth go by. She wanted to enjoy her teenage years. “Get ready, come on. Let’s go out and get some fresh air. We’ve all missed you. The gang isn’t the same without you in it. And, to tell you the truth, I can’t do another night sat in here. That wallpaper is sending my eyes funny for a start.”

  Melanie smiled softly. “I’ve been missed. That’s nice to hear,” she paused. “I’ve missed you lot too.”

  Diane punched her clenched fist into the air and smiled. “Well, come on, get ready and let’s go and see the lads. John has changed his hairstyle and he’s looking hotter than ever. I swear to you, he’s drop dead gorgeous. That Natalie Walker from the other estate has been sniffing around him too, so you better get your arse in gear before she gets a grip of him. Rumour has it that’s she’s a goer too. She does blow-jobs.”

  Oh, this was war. How dare any other female try and get their claws into her man. She’d scratch her eyes out and pull every hair out of her head if she thought she was trying any funny business with her boy and she was willing to suck his willy too, the dirty bitch. Did she have no respect for herself?

  Diane walked over to the brown and pink tattered curtains and yanked them open. Melanie squirmed and covered her eyes as the daylight smashed through the windows. Ribbons of colour shone into the room. “Come on Mel, look it’s a nice day. We can go on the market and get some chips. My treat.” She winked at her and patted her pocket. Diane must have been in her father’s trousers again. Every time he was pissed he would ask her to hang his trousers up for him. She never refused. With her arm held out straight she would pretend to be careful with the trousers and carry them near the wardrobe. As soon as her old man wasn’t looking she would shake them until some coins fell out. That was the perk of the job. Usually she would take a fifty pence piece and a couple of ten pence pieces. He never missed them. The old fool was too drunk on the seven or eight pints of Boddington’s bitter he’d necked in the local boozer. Her father’s stomach always looked like it was going to pop after a session down the boozer. The buttons on his shirt were bursting open and any sudden movement would have ripped his shirt open. I suppose it was the culture back then. Most of the men had bodies like dart players; big fat cheeks and big beer bellies.

  Melanie sucked in a large mouthful of air and sat up. At last, progress. “I suppose anything is better than being sat in here. And if that Natalie Walker thinks she’s taking John from me she’s got another thing coming. I need to sort myself out and try and look half decent. Give me ten minutes to do my hair and get changed.”

  Diane watched as Melanie rolled from the bed. She looked weak and pale. Grief was a horrible thing for anyone to go through, it just drained any life from those who were suffering from it, maybe it changed them forever. Diane reached over to the cassette recorder and pressed the play button. This was what Melanie needed. A bit of “Blondie”. The tunes were on low and Melanie had cheered up slightly. She was singing softly trying to pull herself together. At last, she was ready. She looked fresher and cleaner. Before they headed downstairs Melanie flung her arms around Diane and squeezed her tightly. “Thanks for being there for me when I needed you most. You’re a true friend, my best friend.”

  This was a special moment and no more words needed to be said. They headed downstairs. Melanie stepped inside the front room and she met the eyes of her mother. “Mam, I’m going out for a bit if that’s alright?” Marion looked old, her eyes were red raw and all she was doing was smoking and drinking coffee each day. The pain was in her eyes, the loss of her child, the heartache she was feeling. She studied her daughter and closed her eyes for a few seconds. She stood up and walked towards Melanie. What was she going to do? Marion lifted her hand up and slowly stroked it across her daughter’s cheek slowly. Her eyes clouded over as she spoke. “I’m sorry love. I’m so sorry. I love you more than anything. It’s just so hard without him.” Melanie was choking up. She cradled her mother in her arms and rested her head on her chest. This is what she needed, the love of her mother. To be forgiven. Melanie kissed her mother on her cheek before she left. This was a turning point in the household. Her family did love her after all.

  Melanie walked towards John and Gary. Once John saw her he stood up. Was he going to hold her, kiss her, she wasn’t sure? Her cheeks were bursting with embarrassment. He edged closer to her and nudged her with his shoulder. “I’m glad you’ve come back out Melanie. I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, but it affected us all you know,” he dropped his head and his tone changed. “We made a memory stone for William and placed it on the estate. I painted the words and Gary designed the pattern. It looks really nice. When we go near it I’ll show it you. He was one of us and he will never be forgotten.”

  This was so nice of them, how thoughtful that her brother would always be remembered on the estate. She stuttered, a lump forming in the back of her throat. “Thanks, I don’t know what to say. It just hurts so much, I miss him every day. But what you lot have done means the world to me, honest it does.”

  John could see her eyes filling up. “Say nothing then,” he paused, looking about at the others in the hope that they would know what to do. They said nothing, they all just stood gawping at him. He changed the subject quickly. “Are we going for a game of British Bulldog tonight on the market roofs?” Melanie smiled, she loved diving from the stalls and playing the game. It was a dangerous place to be but none of them seemed to care. If you jumped on top of an old market stall and the roof caved in, it was just bad luck and all part of the game. It was like Russian roulette and dicing with death.

  Melanie smirked and nudged Diane in the waist. “What do you think?”

  Diane was just excited that she had her friend back. She didn’t need asking twice. “Yes, let’s get a few of the others together and we can head over there. We can get something to eat later. We need to be careful though because if we get caught we’ll be in big trouble. My mam has told me that if any more police come knocking on our door that she’ll put me into care. She was serious too. My dad said he was putting me in a convent if I get into any more trouble.”

  John burst out laughing. “Your mam is so over the top
. You’re a goody two shoes, you’re never in trouble, they should count themselves lucky. Anyway, before we go to the market, come to my house and I will let you use our new phone. I will ring my nana, so you can hear how it works.”

  Gary screwed his face up. “What! You have a real phone in your house and you don’t need to go to the phone box anymore?”

  John stood proud and sucked on his lips. “Yep, we do. I will show you our new colour television too. It’s miles better than the black and white one we had. My dad said it’s the dogs bollocks.”

  Diane raised her eyes over at Melanie. Some things never changed did they? As John started to walk off he was eager to take his clan to the pub. All the neighbourhood was talking about the new phone line and already most of the neighbours had been inside to see it. A few of them had even made a call from it. But it wasn’t for free, no way, they had to leave a silver ten pence coin in the small jar next to the phone for the call. John escorted the tribe to his front door. It was separate from the pub entrance for the punters. It was all so neat and tidy. The garden had flowers growing up the side of the path and they even had a table in chairs in it too. Posh they were, loaded. John bent down slightly. “Take your shoes off. My mam will go mad if you get any dirt on the new carpet. It’s a new shag-pile and only a few months old.”

  Melanie bent down and started to slide her Adidas Kick trainers off. They’d seen better days but with recent events there was no way she was going to ask for a new pair. John stepped inside the front door and watched as the rest of the group took their shoes off. Diane’s eyes were wide open, the carpet in the hallway was the thickest she’d ever seen in her life, a big fluffy red patterned carpet. This house smelt of money, everything about it was tip-top. John entered the front room and popped his head inside. “Mam, can I just show my mates the phone and our new television.”