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CLARA DIDNT KNOW WHAT SINS SHE'D COMMITTED IN HER PAST LIFE to have landed her in this position, but it must've been terrible—unforgivable in fact. Clara awkwardly rocked Karl in her arms, her face pulled into a grimace. Pol had retreated to the kitchen to make the three tea, while Ada was fast asleep on the chair, her head resting against her own shoulder leaving the girl to try to keep the devil child quiet. She held the baby away from her body, her eyes scanning him from head to toe.
"You throw up on me and I'll use you as kindling for the fire," Clara joked quietly, (although part of her was serious...she rather liked the shirt she was wearing).
The baby cooed, his little fingers wiggling as he tried to grasp onto the air. The girl shook her head, looking desperately towards the kitchen as the kettle whistled. Clara rolled her neck, longing to discard the baby into its bassinet but she feared moving.
The girl flinched as the door to the home banged open, revealing Tommy in a panicked state. "Ada!" He loudly exclaimed, walking around the room, barely acknowledging Clara. "Wake up!" Ada roused, her arms immediately reaching out to take Karl. The younger girl shivered in disgust as she finally handed over the baby. "You, Clara and the baby get into the bullring where there's lots of people."
"What's going on?" Polly questioned as the three watched Tommy pace.
"We've been fucking betrayed." Tommy spat, "Someone let slip. Kimber's men are on their way here."
"Yeah, but you can handle them, Tommy," Pol reassured.
"It's just us." Tommy huffed, taking a deep breath in. "All the Lees are on their way to Worcester, we're outnumbered." He turned around and slammed his palms against a cabinet. "Fuck!"
Clara scrunched her nose up, not daring to move from her seat as Tommy ran over solutions in his head.
"Who else knew today was the day you were moving on Kimber? You said you kept it a secret. Who else did you tell?" Polly asked, her eyes scanning the man, before seemingly coming to a conclusion of her own. "There's only one thing that can blind a man as smart as you, Tommy. Love."
Clara's eyes widened significantly.
"It's that barmaid...I'll deal with Grace. If you set eyes on her again, you might kill her."
☆
"ADA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?" Clara yelled impatiently, her hand going to check her pocket watch. There was a clatter from upstairs before her sister appeared on the landing, causing the girl's jaw to drop. "What the bloody hell are you wearing?!"
Ada was dressed from head to toe in black, her head and hair covered with a black hat and veil. "We are going to stop the bloody men once and for all." She stated, waltzing down the creaky stairs. "Go and grab your black jacket from your wardrobe! Quickly!"
"But, Ada...Tommy'll murder me!" The young girl exclaimed, her eyebrows raised in panic. "And I mean that literally!"
"Quickly!" Ada dismissed. Clara sighed in disbelief as she raced up the stairs, dodging all the freaks despite her rush. She briskly entered her room, shrugging off and tossing the coat she was wearing onto her bed. She grabbed the black jacket from the back of her wardrobe and tugged it on. Her eyes glanced towards her chest of drawers, her gaze lingering on the middle drawer. She glanced around, contemplating the thought niggling her brain. She took a shaky breath in before stepping towards the drawers and swiftly pulling the middle one open.
There it sat in all its glory.
Clara shakily picked up the metal gun. It was cold to touch and the feeling alone sent ripples of dread through her body. She gulped, turning the gun over, her eyes tracing the safety clip.
"CLARA! HURRY!" Ada called.
The girl shook her head with an exhale. Standing to her feet, she carefully placed the gun in her jacket pocket. Looking around, she ran a hand through her hair before bounding back down the stairs. Ada was already outside with Karl, her hands fidgeting on the bar of the baby's pram. Clara slammed the door shut behind her as her sister latched onto her wrist.
"Oi!" The younger girl complained as her sister dragged her along the Lane. "Let go, c'mon!"
Ada scowled and let go of the girl, causing her to stumble in her step. Clara straightened herself out, the heavy weight of the gun in her pocket sent a swirling pool of terror through her gut. The two Shelby girls quickly made their way down Watery Lane, cutting through an alleyway to get into Garrison Lane.
Ahead, Clara could hear distant speaking, along with the sound of men drawing their weapons. Through the group of men with their backs to the girls, Clara spotted Tommy— front and centre, per usual. She gulped, pulling at her collar uneasily.
"Ada, we shouldn't be here," Clara whispered furiously. Her house arrest had just ended, and she really didn't want it to be reinstated.
"Shh!" Ada hissed, pushing the pram closer to the group of men. Clara sighed before lightly jogging to catch up with her. The younger girl could see each and every single glint of light that bounced off of the guns. Chills spread down her spine as they grew closer, the weight in her pocket grew heavier.
"Move!" Ada yelled, pushing her way through the crowd, Clara on her tail. Karl had begun to cry, his wails ringing as Kimber's men looked around in confusion.
"What are you doing?" Freddie questioned, while the two girls weaved past Kimber's men. The young girl stopped beside her sister in the middle, her wide eyes looking everywhere but her brothers.
"I believe you boys call this "no man's land"." Ada fumed, her voice cold and callous.
"Ada!" Freddie called out, his arms hesitating around the machine gun.
"Shut up and listen." The older girl dismissed, placing Karl's pram in the middle.
"Have you lost your mind?"
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Ada snapped harshly, pointing at her husband. Clara raised her head finally, her eyes instantly locking on Tommy who watched the two sisters in horror. His eyes bore into her as if questioning why she was there.
He was angry.
Clara shook her head ever so slightly, trying to tell him it wasn't her fault. His eyes flashed with rage before they carefully flitted towards Kimber. The quick movement caused Clara's eyes to widen even more. Tommy wasn't angry...he was scared, maybe even terrified. There was no way he could have predicted this.
"Now, most of you were in France. So you all know what happens next." Ada announced, walking around the middle, her hands leaving the pram. Clara stood taller, her chin high. She'd always been told to act strongly at your weakest, and unlike last time, she'd make sure to act accordingly.
"I've got brothers and a husband here, but you've all got somebody waiting for you." Ada continued, as she took off her black hat. "Now, I'm wearing black in preparation. I want you to look at me." She paused and looked back at Clara. "Look at us."
Clara shifted in her position, her eyes darting towards the pram, where Karl was reaching up, his little fists waving around. Her eyes lifted once more, brushing over Arthur and John before they retrained on Ada.
"I want you all to look at us!" The older girl yelled, "We'll be wearing black for you. Think about them. Think about them right now, and fight if you want to, but that baby and that girl ain't moving anywhere."
Clara's mouth partially dropped open. She hadn't signed up for this part. A harmless intervention she could get behind, but being shot to death next to the devil child sounded like a not-so-nice night in hell. With her eyes full of shameful fear, she looked towards Tommy hoping he'd have formed a plan, but as the same look in his eyes from before lingered, Clara knew that he had nothing.
"And neither am I." Ada finished steadily.
"She's right, you know." Kimber himself stood forward, "Why should all you men die?" There was a faint muttering behind him. "It should just be them who caused it!" The man pulled out his gun and shot towards the other group.
Clara watched in horror as Tommy stumbled backwards, hell unleashing its wrath. Chaos erupted around her but the noise fell upon the ringing in the girl's ears. Looking towards the pram on her right, Clara ducked towards it. There was a large crash less than a meter away from her as a body hit the ground. She didn't scream. Her heart was pounding as she hastily pushed the pram out of the warpath and into the wall. She followed in pursuit, scrambling towards the wall for safety, pushing her back against it, her fingers digging into the brick.
Walls were steady.
Walls meant stabilisation.
Stability meant safety.
The girl's breathing was rapid as Danny Whizbang's dead eyes trained on her. She muffled a cry of horror, her lip trembled as her hands dug into her ears.
It was too noisy.
There was too much noise.
Clara didn't know how many gunshots followed the ones that shot Tommy and Danny, but she shut her eyes in fear, refusing to open them. She could hear the cynical part of her mind creeping out from the shadows waiting to grasp her tight. She didn't make a sound.
And then it stopped.
Everything was muffled.
She could hear someone yelling, their voice echoing throughout the Lane. Clara pried her eyes open, her gaze instantly falling on the dead man while blood seeped from his body and into the mud. She couldn't move her eyes. They were locked into position. Someone had crouched in front of her, their fingers snapping, trying to grab her attention, yet Clara's eyes remained on the corpse.
The screams.
The blood.
The canal.
"Oi, hey! Clara girl? Hey, can you hear me?"
The girl shifted her gaze ever so slightly, her shiny eyes meeting Arthur's. His eyebrows were scrunched in worry, his hand lingering on her shoulder. She glanced between him and the body behind, a surge of bile swarming through her throat. Reluctantly, she gulped down the acidic taste, as two hands were placed on either side of her face.
"Atta girl, c'mon, up you get," Arthur huffed, helping her to stand, her shaky limbs gaining balance. Clara looked around, her eyes scanning over the ground. Danny was being dragged away by Scudboat and Curly, while Ada embraced Freddie.
The girl watched as the men took Danny away, his dead, glassy eyes continuously glaring into her soul. Arthur slung an arm around his youngest sister, his hand reassuringly gripping her shoulder. She didn't try to break free. There was silence between them. Not much could be said.
And so they trudged behind the rest of 'the Small Heath Rifles' and towards the Garrison.
Clara had somehow found herself sitting in the booth of the snug, her legs drawn close to her chest as Tommy's yells of pain exploded through the air. On the table in front of her, Danny lay dead, his body still. The girl didn't look at him. She merely stared ahead, her fingers moving to block her ears as agonising screams filled the pub. Her chest felt tight, each laboured breath in sending ripples of anxiety throughout her body. She turned her head towards the window, trying to stop the temptation luring her to look at the body. Arthur was the one who ushered her in there, something about not wanting her to see Tommy in that state. What he failed to consider was that the snug was far from soundproof and noise could paint trillions of pictures.
The girl scrunched her face up, pushing back her growing fear. She was a Shelby. Shelby's did not cower in fear. The girl's throat tightened as she slowly moved her head. Every muscle in her body tried to force her to stop, yet every single one of them failed to do so.
Her eyes lingered on the body, as she tucked her head on top of her knees. Her dirt-covered fingers laced together, squeezing tightly to try to gain some sort of feeling. The noise from outside had stopped, yet she felt as if she could still hear it. Her eyes traced the dirty, blood-covered skin of the man lying in front of her. His eyes had been closed.
People often said that dead people looked like they were just sleeping...Clara knew this was false. She'd been in close contact with two and both of them just looked dead. Stone-cold, dead.
She flinched as the door to the snug opened, yet her settled gaze never once moved. One by one, men began to file in, circling Danny's body. Clara tucked her knees closer to her chest, leaving room for people to scoot past. She could see Pol, Ada and Finn enter, their solemn faces growing even grimmer. The young boy glanced at Clara, who tried to muster up a weak smile but failed. Finn squeezed his way through the bodies, sitting on the seat beside her. The girl nudged him ever so slightly with her elbow, his lips quirking up.
"Now we can bury him properly, in the grave we dug for him," John spoke up, breaking the overwhelming silence.
"Yeah." Tommy nodded, letting out a sigh. "It's high on a hill...He'd like that." Clara watched as her brother took the lid off a bottle of whiskey, before raising it into the air. The white of his bandages peaked out from under his dark coat.
"To Danny Whizz-Bang." He announced, his eyes lingering on the dead man. "May we all die twice...To Danny Whizz-Bang." Tommy took a swig from the bottle, passing it on to the next man.
One by one, every man in the snug frank from the bottle, toasting in the name of Danny. Clara looked down, her teeth gnawing on the inside of her lip, while Finn removed his hat. The morose ambience only heightened as the silence remained. The girl's stomach was swirling, her eyes staring blankly at the deceased.
"Come on." Tommy eventually said, clearing his throat. "The day is ours. Let's celebrate." The girl remained seated as everyone filed out of the room. Despite the silence, the noise was deafening. It was an odd sensation, one Clara couldn't possibly begin to decipher.
"Clara...coming?"
The girl lifted her head at the sight of Tommy in the doorway, his eyebrow raised. She looked away ever so slightly, glancing at Danny, giving the man a curt nod. There was a short sigh before he sat down beside the girl on the bench.
"You just can't stop, can you?" He mused halfheartedly.
"Stop what?" She asked curiously, her rough voice only loud enough for the man to hear.
"Running headfirst into trouble."
Clara let out a short, breathy laugh, her head dropping to her chest. "This time it wasn't my fault," she replied slowly. "Tried to get Ada to turn around...she's really strong, y'know?...pretty sure she bruised all 'round my wrist."
"This time I think I can believe that," Tommy chuckled, leaning back against the bench. "Now, up and out...don't want you lingering around in here."
The man pushed himself to his feet, yet the girl didn't move. "Tommy?" She asked suddenly, her eyes refusing to meet his.
"Yes?"
"I wanna learn how to use it."
"You're gonna have to be a bit more specific—"
"The gun...I want to know how to use it."
Tommy nodded, his lips pursing. "We'll sort something out," he said solemnly, before straightening up. "Now c'mon, up and out."
The girl untangled her limbs at his order, standing up, her legs no longer shaky. Clara followed her brother out of the snug, sparing one last glance at Danny before shutting the door and entering the main bar.
☆
THE CELEBRATIONS WERE IN FULL SWING AS DANNY'S body was moved into a truck to be taken away. Clara had observed it from the window as the sun set. She'd only managed to drink one whiskey before being told off and scolded by Pol. The girl's mind was scattered, her mind flitting from today's events to the night at the canal, to riding her horse...to Penny. She couldn't stop thinking about that day in the field, in fact, the more she tried to shove it away in her mind, the more thoughts resurfaced but multiplied by ten.
Her eyes followed Tommy as he disappeared out of the pub. Arthur and John were still at the bar, Esme cuddled up beside her husband. Ada was watching fondly as Freddie fawned over Karl, kissing his son on the head. Clara stood to her feet, slinkingly towards her aunt, joining her at an empty table whilst the older woman smoked a cigarette.
"Where's Tommy going Pol?" She questioned, her fingers fiddling as she looked to her aunt curiously.
"Gone to sort out something, love."
"Tom really loved her didn't he?...that barmaid."
Pol inhaled smoke, blowing it out to the side. "I think he did," she nodded, "but she won't stay. Not after all that's happened."
"Do you reckon Tommy will chase her?" She asked, her voice sounding rather childish.
"No...your brother isn't one for chasing."
"He was before...I remember."
"That was before, my love..." Pol spoke, her smoke wafting around them. "But listen to me, if you ever find love, keep it close, yeah?...but, do your Aunt Pol a favour and don't let it be a spy."
Clara stifled a small chuckle at her aunt's half-intoxicated words. "I'm feeling a bit tired, I think I might just go home." The girl confessed, "Today's been...a lot."
"Go home and rest, love." Polly soothed, "I'll see you tomorrow."
Clara nodded and stood up from the table. She didn't bother to grab her coat from the coat rack, opting to slip away from the chaos unfolding inside the pub. She walked down Garrison Lane, her back to the pub as her eyes scanned the area which had been 'war-torn' earlier. It was now empty, yet the ground was tinted with red. She turned the corner of the Lane, glancing back towards the Garrison before breaking out into a sprint.
Her straggly hair flew out behind her as her muscles pushed her to run faster. The dim light from the street lamps were beginning to illuminate the road as her feet clattered against the gravel. A thin layer of sweat covered the nape of her neck as she ran, the cold air biting into her lungs. She felt her whole body working; her leg muscles running warm, fresh air entered her lungs and blood flowed into all her limbs.
Her calves burned, her breath forming clouds in the air, yet she didn't stop. She turned the corner of the street, the bright lights from the shop diminishing the dusk of the street. Clara kept her eyes ahead of her, her heart racing as it grew closer and closer. She skittered to a stop, her eyes flitting inside before a loud clang of metal resounded from the alley beside the shop.
The girl walked carefully towards the alley watching as Penny placed the metal lid back on the metal bin. Her face screwed up in disgust as her blonde hair fell into her face, her blue dress covered by a red and white striped apron. Clara's chest rose and fell, as the blonde looked up.
"Christ! You gave me a heart attack!" Penny chuckled, stepping away from the bin, as she leaned against the wall of the shop. Clara glanced around before stepping into the alley. "Whatcha doing here?" The Shelby girl took a deep breath in, her hands shaking in trepidation.
"Penny...In the field...did you mean what you said?"
"Mean what?"
"Do...you....do you trust me?" Clara quickly stammered.
"Of course," her soft, feathery voice rang out amongst the ringing in Clara's ears.
In a sudden move, Clara lunged forward, leaning into Penny and pressing her lips to the blonde's. Penny froze for a second, before closing her eyes and melting into the touch. The blonde's mouth was icy at first, then very warm—the only warm thing, in the whole of the cold, cold city; and when Penny took her lips away, her fretful eyes traced Clara's, the adrenaline wearing off. The Shelby girl's eyes widened at the realisation of what she'd done, backing off anxiously. She ran a hand through her hair, her eyes flitting around Penny's shocked face.
"I'm sorry, I—"
Before Clara could finish, Penny spared a quick look around and grabbed the collar of her shirt pulling The Shelby girl in for another kiss. Penny's lips were soft, almost silken, and pillowy against her own. Clara could feel the soft tickle of her breath beneath her nose, fingers carding through her hair as the two breathed each other in. It felt as if lightning was pulsing through her veins, shocking every last nerve in her body.
They pulled away after a few seconds, not daring to continue any longer. She heard the soft whisper of Penny's breath on her cheek as she exhaled. Clara cleared her throat, awkwardly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she leaned on the wall beside the blonde. Penny's usually pale cheeks had been flushed a dark crimson, her dilated eyes looking at the ground sheepishly.
Clara looked behind her before leaning closer to the girl, her fingers lifting Penny's head so that her sharp eyes could lock with the blonde's. The two lingered in the silence, relishing the moment they'd just shared. Clara sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"In the field, you asked me if I ever wanted more," Clara whispered, leaning her head back so she was looking up. Her eyes traced Penny's face, lingering longer on the sight of her lips.
"And the answer is yes...Penny, I want more."
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AND HERE WE HAVE IT, THE END OF ACT ONE OF TROUBLE! IT'S BEEN A HELL OF A RIDE, SO ROLL ON ACT TWO!!
What's been your favourite scene/part in act one? I'm curious to know because this act has been a rollercoaster from start to finish!
WELL HELLO, HOW IS EVERYONE'S FRIDAY GOING??
Please make sure to drop a vote and a few comments please and if you'd like, go follow my TikTok @/wineaunt.wp (there is a ton of Clara content on it!)
I LOVE YOU ALL AND I WILL SEE YOU SOON!!