Thorn In My Side by Sheila Quigley Read Free Book Online Page A

suddenly started arguing. Within moments the
arguing changed to fighting. Danny felt Evan tense beside him. He
put a restraining hand on his friend, who all their lives had
seemed to have a compulsion about helping people. All well and
good but not if it puts you in danger , was Danny’s motto.
    'Leave it,' he
hissed at Evan.
    For a moment
Danny thought Evan was going to let it go. There were after all
plenty of them to sort it out amongst themselves, and it looked
like they were going to do exactly that, as one tall, thin lad, his
blond hair spiked a good three or four inches out from his scalp,
stepped forward. 'OK, Jase, he didn’t mean it, come on. It’s been a
fucking good night….'
    Suddenly Jase,
who had another boy pinned on the ground with one foot on his chest
and was about to kick him in his face, spun round. Before Blondie
knew it there was a knife at his throat, and most of his friends,
including the one on the ground, had melted away into the
night.
    'Hey,' Evan
shouted, jumping up from the bench.
    Danny groaned
loudly. 'You just had to, didn’t you? Eh, just leave it alone.
Evan, come on.'
    Ignoring Danny,
Evan moved closer. 'Calm down, mate, and let him go.'
    'You talking to
me, mister?' The boy with the knife snarled, his features twisted
in a drug-induced rage. 'Well, fuck you, and I ain’t your
mate…'
    Suddenly he
jumped back dragging the other boy with him. Planting his feet in a
boxer’s stance he yelled, 'Come on,' as he gestured with his left
hand for Evan to move closer. 'Come on.'
    Even though he
felt nervous, Evan’s voice was calm and slow. 'Yes, I’m talking to
you, and OK, I’m not your mate but he is and I’m sure if you think
about it that you don’t really want to hurt him.'
    'What’s it to
you? Hu, fuck off and mind your own business, prick face.'
    Evan moved
forward, his empty hands outstretched in front of him, as Danny,
agitated with worry that the druggie might do something stupid,
shouted, 'Come on, Evan, leave it.'
    'Yeah, Evan,
leave it or you’re next.' Grinning he dug the blade into his
friend’s neck -- not hard enough to do any real damage, just a
nick, but big enough to cause Blondie’s blood to flow.
    Ignoring the
danger, Evan shook his head and moved closer. 'Just let him go,
man. Come on, don’t be daft -- he can’t be worth a life in the
nick.'
    'Evan, come on,
leave it. The bastard's drugged up to his eyeballs, he’s a friggin’
psycho nut.' Danny was becoming more nervous by the second. After all, he thought, you hear every day of someone stopping to help people and getting their heads kicked in for
their bother. And their lives are never the same
again.
    The extra
adrenalin rushing through his system had certainly fully sobered
him up and he was now thinking straight.
    Evan knew Danny
was right, but Blondie’s eyes were pleading with him to help. He
couldn’t walk away and leave the lad on his own, not with this
crazed fool. He’d never be able to live with himself if something
happened. His heart beating a little faster, he moved closer.
    That was the
moment that Psycho Nut chose to slash out with his knife.
    Side-stepping
neatly, Evan jerked his body to the side, but the blade caught his
arm, ripping it open nearly to the bone.
    'Bastard!'
Danny screamed, rushing forward to defend Evan who was clutching
his arm in shock. The youth, his blood lust fulfilled and in shock
himself when it sank in just what he had done, backed off, then,
turning quickly, ran away. His blond friend, hand pressed over the
cut in his neck, followed him.
    'See, see what
happens.' Danny was agitatedly bobbing about. 'I’ll get you, crazy
fuck bastard!' Shaking his fists in the air, he screamed at the
retreating figures.
    He led Evan
over to the bench, whipped his blue T-shirt off and pressed it
against the wound. 'Sit down and don’t move, promise you won’t
move, mate.'
    Evan nodded,
his eyes glazing over in shock.
    'I’m gonna get
help, phone from the club.'
    'No, no