Lost in a sea of spots

Chapter 1: One spot at a time

Somewhere in the back alleyways of Camden, London

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It was one of those nights where that November chill could soak through right to the bones and for many that meant autumn was in full swing with winter just around the corner. The moon was out in full tonight with barely any clouds to hide behind, giving a peaceful aura that blanketed the city despite the occasional sounds passing cars or chatter of night-goers.

While most of London were asleep in their beds, it was during these witching hours that the less favorable members of society perform their nasty deeds under the cloak of darkness. It was tonight during the wee hours of the morning that two men strolled down an alleyway with glee as if they had just won the lottery.

The taller of the pair was dressed in an older open brown coat that had seen some mileage with a dull orange shirt underneath and each step taken in ripped navy jeans. A brown flat cap sat on his head and hid his greasy receding hairline. He reached into his pocket to pull out a vape pen and took a heavy puff before he wheezed out a chuckle.

"Well, Harry, me lad. I think this might have been the easiest quid we ever done made." He exhaled with a content smile, directly into his partner.

Harry, was the short and more rotund of the pair, dressed in a worn green turtleneck sweater as he followed alongside in dark tracksuit pants. A ratty gray scarf wrapped around his neck and round glasses sat on the bridge of his big nose. A small brown burlap sack slung over his shoulder as he waved his free hand to get rid of the smoke.

"Geez, Jacob knock it off with the vape. That stuff will rot your lungs." Harry coughed out as Jacob rolled his eyes in response. "Besides, are you sure about this? I mean it's got me thinking..." He stopped walking.

"Oh, here we go..." Jacob groaned out in annoyance, took another hint of his vape and stopped to look back Harry.

"It's all kind of dodgy, ain't it? I mean first off, who pays over five thousand pounds for something you can get any pet store?" Harry said, adjusting the sack once again to emphasise his point. "Second, this 'No questions asked' stuff gives me the jeebies." He shivered while scratching his stubbed chin.

"Harry..." Jacob tried to interject.

"Plus, doesn't all this sounds exactly like the kinda of shit our Grandpappy's warned us about? Ya know, don't deal with certain people or anything involving animals?" Harry contemplated for a moment, "If you ask me this was a bad idea."

"Well, I ain't asking for your input, ya sodding dolt." Jacob's response came with a slap across the back of the shorter man's head, "You know you ain't cut out for being the brains between us." With another puff of his vape, he wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulder. "And are you going to tell me you rather listen to a pair of old codgers over me, your smart cousin?" He exhaled, and flashed his yellow, crooked teeth in a grin.

"But..." Harry tried to speak, but was cut off by his cousin once again.

"Harry, me lad... Whenever have I ever steered you wrong?" Jacob boasted with a rhetorical question, but the short man didn't get the memo.

"Well, there was that time in school where you told me catcalling Jessica would get her to go out with me, she slapped me." Harry started to count on his free hand. "Then there was that house we broke into that you said was empty, only it wasn't empty and we got chased by that big dog."

"Harry..." Jacob growled in warning again, but he didn't stop.

"Oh, and there was that time I got that nasty rash and you said I should use butt-"Before Harry could continue with his recollection, Jacob covered his mouth to prevent the repulsive memory from being spoken out loud.