Recessionary Times

Short story

It was a Monday the start of school week for some but for baldy it was time to roll a joint think up an excuse for not going to school then out the door to Damos gaf. When he got there he did what they usually do roll another joint sort out their drugs and restock anything that was low. On this particular day they were low in weed so Baldy made a call to their supplier to arrange a place to meet them they usually meet on the site but today they were to meet in a shed just off the site this was a new place for the hand off. Damo thought nothing of it but Baldy was unsure and thought it might be a set up. But nonetheless the travelers were the only growers and suppliers in a 50-mile radius so they had no choice but to arm themselves with whatever they could just in case. Damo grabbed a meat cleaver and Baldy grabbed a flick knife and called up Adam who's as thick as a plank of wood but built like a brick wall as protection.
Damo was the only one with a set of wheels a 1996 Honda civic that was as boy racer as they come without this car the lads drug business would be hard to run as they sell to a lot of rural people. They all hopped into the car and set of for a cruise as they were not meeting the travelers till later on in the day. They hit up the big Tesco on the bypass then headed to the back gate of the school where they off loaded the last of the drugs from there they went to a ghost estate that had a perfect slab of concrete that the locals used for diffing and general anti-social behavior it has had more drink drunk at it than the pubs in Monastervin and more drugs done at it than in Amsterdam. Despite its popularity with the young generation the Gardaí were none the wiser of its existence. here the lads chilled in the car smoking joints and joking for entertainment purposes till it was time to visit the travelers. The mood in the car was tense none of the lads talked they just held their weapons or had them close to hand none of them knew what was going to happen but they knew something was going to happen in their short career as low level drug dealers they learnt it is not for the faint hearted and to trust no one not even your granny. The shed was situated well off the road so they had to park on the verge of the road and hop the fence this made Adam uneasy as they were out in the open and very vulnerable. To counter this, they followed the hedgerow with their backs to it so they were protected from all sides. They reached the shed and hunched down low beside it Baldy said I will go in first Damo you take my left and Adam my right. Okay lads we are a group here if one goes down fight for him back. Baldy turned and pushed the door open it opened slowly with a loud creak this startled the lads and they stopped for a second listening for even the slightest rustle then suddenly a loud screech and a whoosh as a huge barn owl flew out the open door scaring the lad's half to death it took a minute for them to calm down and continue they stepped in tentatively creeping weapons raised ready to swing at anything that moved the barn was very dark compared to the bright sun outside.
They all stood just in the door waiting for their eyes to adjust to the light just as Baldy was starting to edge forward there was a shout a loud bang and flash. one by one the lads dropped to the floor screaming in fear gripping their ears to quash the intense ringing. The next thing baldy saw as he looked up in a daze toward the roof was a large man in a gas mask grab him off the floor and thrown roughly against the wall his hands and feet were bound and mouth covered with duct tape. one by one the lads were thrown against the wall and tied up Damo felt the lads rifling in his pockets he realized it was for his car keys he started kicking up a fuss trying to stop them but was quickly shut up with a butt rifle to the head. It felt like forever for Damo but he was just knocked out for a few hours when he came around. He was tied to a chair he started making muffled screams then one of the others started also and then the other started this is when a man in a balaclava burst in with a torch telling us to shut up or he will kill us. The lads spent the night tied to the chairs in a freezing cold shed. just as the cock started crowing to signify a new day the doors of the barn swung open flooding light into the shed. The guys winced and turned away from the light when their eyes adjusted to the light they looked up wide eye and screaming. what met them was Gerry Adams accompanied with two men in balaclavas and provisional IRA attire brandishing AK47s. Morning boys said Gerry Adams he turned to one of his stooges and said take the tape of their mouths the stooge said Sir yes Sir disembarked his gun and marched to Damo and was about to rip the tape of when Gerry said Wait! to the stooge what was all that British army sir yes sir bullshit we are a republican fucking army we don't do sir yes sir here skip for all I fucking care but don't March like we are an organized army. The stooge said sorry Adams, That's better said Adams know rip that tape. one by one the boys had the tape ripped off them they each winced and jumped in pain Adams waited patiently till they were done he then let out a little smile and turned to the other stooge and said I love it when they jump like that as the tape is ripped of their face it has to be my favorite thing about a hostage situation. He then turned walked forward till he was about three feet from the boys he then stopped and said can you hear me boys? each of the lads nodded to say yes, Adams then said excellent know I am not sure if you were aware of this but this little drug thing these travelers claim they thought of and run is actually a money making thing for Sinn Fein how else are we going to fund the 2016 General Election hahah am I right boys he turned to see the stooges nod their heads. the lads all looked stunned to think that a small level drug distribution business is funding a political party in their country. Adams then continued on saying so john joe the second said that you boys are one of our largest buyers here and that you always pay on time and in pound notes not euro so we can siphon it into bank accounts in the north and hide it away oops I am saying too much to you guys I might have to kill you boys as the boys processed all the information they just heard Gerry shouts and says ahhh I got you boys I won't kill you boys in a jokey tone then turns serious and says I would have no problem knee capping you guys though so watch out. You guys seem really nice down to earth drug dealers you boys are a dream to sell to but there is only one problem guys every few months you guys are a bit short with cash it wouldn't be anything big or noticeable but over a long amount of time the figure is very large so large in fact these two stooges couldn't count to it in their dreams. Baldy and Damo looked at each other in confusion as they had always payed the full amount they both realized at the same time that every few months Adam would suddenly be strapped for cash and he would offer to move a few weeks loads of cash to the drop off point in exchange for a small cut of the cash. They both turned and looked at Adam, Gerry then laughs and says boys you boys are making it too easy for me he then takes of his suit jacket hands it to one of the stooges and starts rolling up his sleeves as he slowly walks towards Adam the boys realize what he meant and start going mental trying to protect their friend they each remember in their head if one man goes down the other fight for him back. Adams looks over his shoulder and says shut these two up the stooges link arms and skip over to baldy and Damo, Adams let out a laugh as the stooge's crack Damo and baldy over the head with the butt of their AK47s. When Damo and Baldy awoke they had grain socks over there head and where in the corner they couldn't see but what they heard still haunts them to this day. Adam was screaming as loud as he could he sounded to be in the worst amount of pain you could be in before you die, Gerry was saying know Adam we first pulled your finger nails out because you wouldn't tell us where the money was then you made us rip out your toe nails because you said the hands didn't hurt enough you then made us pour petrol on the open wounds and you still wouldn't tell us where the money is that then forced us to break each of your fingers like they were twigs that did nothing so we were forced to break your toes still no location for the money I must say I'm very impressed with how strong you are but we must break you boys knee cap him Adams rushed over and pulled the sacks of Damo and Baldys heads, he says I thought you guys would like to see what happens to stealers ready boys he turns and says you fire first then you to the stooges yes sir they reply they bother turn and cock their guns then bang a shot is accidentally fired from one of the stooges gun it hits Adam in the side Gerry shouts Jesus Christ why the fuck did you that one of the stooges said it was an accident sir. Gerry takes the gun off the other stooges cocks it and shoots the other stooge between the eyes he falls to the floor Gerry then turns and says to the other stooge and says untie him and drag him to the van ill deal with the others he turns to Damo and Baldy he smacks them with the butt of a rifle knocking them out her then bundles them into Damos civic Gerry then drives it up the road a bit he crashes the car at the next bend he then places the two lads in the front seat he then sets the car alight as the other stooge pulls up in the van beside him Gerry hopes in and says go to Port Laoise general hospital but backroads only these guys are missing persons with check points on every major road due to having to take backroads to avoid detection it was well over an hour before they arrived at the hospital by this stage Adam was in a bad state he was going into shock from the previous wounds and was losing a lot of blood from his open wound. Gerry hopes out of the Toyota Hiace van he opens the side door pulls Adam out and hops back in the van makes a speedy get away as a nurse runs out to Adam who is lying on the footpath she shouts for medics as she starts performing CPR to keep Adams failing heart going, They get Adam onto a stretcher and straight into emergency theatre here they did everything they possibly could to keep Adam alive but despite their best efforts to much time had passed and he died at a quarter to three on the 2nd of march 2016 two days before his 21 birthday. While this was all going on both Baldy and Damo where passed out in the burning civic the fire in the car had started to take hold and the flames where just reaching the front of the car when john joe the second appeared from the site he attempted to pull them from the burning wreckage he managed to get Baldy out and was just pulling Damo from the car when the fire got to the petrol tank with a big whoosh the car exploded sending john joe flying into a hedge a tree branch impaled him killing him instantly his valiant efforts saved Damo and Baldys life's. Gerry Adams absconded from the country and is wanted by Interpol for the kidnapping of three people and also for murdering three people. Baldy and Damo cleaned up their lives attended youth reach finished the rest of their schooling they went on to form a charity that goes around to disadvantaged areas and gives talks on the dangers of drug dealing and the dangers of gangs.