A Cockney's Journey Read Online Free Page A

Ed?”
    “Not a lot,” I sighed. “They’re supposed to post me some money during the week,” I said, unconvincingly.
    How could they do this to me; a bloody pound to last two weeks?
    ***

    There was a loud crack and rustling in the bushes. I jumped up and saw Tony moving towards us, carrying his dad’s tow rope around his neck.
    “That was quick,” I said, all surprised.
    “Yeah, found a shortcut on the way back. Come on then, let’s get up there and try this rope out.” Tony started to put a big knot in the end of the rope. Several attempts later, the knot finally settled between the gaps in the crenulations on top of the wall. He put one foot on the wall and gave a large tug on the rope. “Sound,” he said, “who’s first?” Brian walked over, grabbed the rope, gave it a tug and pulled himself up.
    “Come on, Ed,” he whispered. “It’s easy.” I started to pull myself up, noticing that the brickwork was uneven. It really was easy; just like climbing a ladder. Within a minute, all four of us were on the flat roof. We stood there for a few seconds looking over the cemetery. This is scary stuff. So dark and not a sound to hear, apart from Tommy’s heavy breathing as he struggled to get up. Tommy started to pull the rope up when suddenly there was a loud scream. It came from the woods in front of the church. I froze with fear. Straining my eyes into the shadows, I caught a glimpse of the bushes moving rapidly. A tall figure came running out into the clearing towards the church. A lump rose in my throat that almost choked me. It was at this point that Tommy dropped the rope, but no one noticed.

    We were all crouched down behind the parapet wall peering through the gaps, dreading what we would see. No one said a word. We watched this figure dressed in a black hooded cloak approach the wall where we had climbed up. Suddenly he, or it, was out of view. I realised he must be up against the wall. At the time we didn’t know it, but it was a good job Tommy dropped the rope. Otherwise it would have been seen hanging there and we would have been rumbled. All of a sudden we heard voices below. Shit, there’s more than one. What have I got myself into? I looked at Tony and his expression, and that of the others, was a look of abject terror. I tried to make out what was being said below but it was all mumbled. I could only pick out a couple words. “Sacrifice,” one voice said. “The rules,” said the other. I felt a shiver run down my spine and I started to feel light-headed. Suddenly, the talking stopped and it fell silent again. After a few minutes I knew they had gone.
    “Now what?” I whispered to Tony.
    “We must get out of here,” Brian said. Tony nodded his head in agreement; his eyes were wild with shock. Tommy, ashen-faced and trembling, said nothing.
    I pointed out that Tommy dropped the bloody rope.
    “Bloody great,” Tony said sarcastically.
    “We’ve got no choice; we have to climb into the church and look for a way out,” Brian suggested, reluctantly.
    While crossing the flat roof I noticed that two of the windows were broken. I pointed this out to the others. Tony stuck his head through one and shone his torch into the darkness below.
    “Yeah, there’s a bookcase just below the window. We can climb down onto it and lower ourselves to the ground.” Within seconds he was in and standing on the top of this old bookcase. “Very sturdy, this is,” he assured us. “Come on, it’s a piece of cake.” So I climbed in through the window, my mind full of misgivings. “Climb down, Ed, we can’t get all of us on here.”
    “OK, let me get my bearings first,” I replied.
    I dropped to the side of the bookcase and then I was hanging there, reluctant to let go. I had no idea how high I was, or if anything was underneath me. I closed my eyes and dropped. Why I closed my eyes I