Ash
He was dead.
For the past couple of hours he’d been in a flat a few doors down from Tiana’s house, staring at a telly while the three bruisers talked, ate and drank, like he wasn’t even there. But when he’d tried to make a run for it, the gun came out and he was told to sit right back down. After they’d finished watching a film, they’d pushed him outside and shoved him into the backseat of a beat-up Ford parked under a carport.
Tiana’s brother slid in next to Ash. “Don’t look so scared, bro, I ain’t gonna hurt ya. All I want is to do some business with your mate.”
Ash didn’t believe him about not getting hurt. For a second he wondered if he should mention that he was Tiana’s boyfriend, but shelved that idea, remembering what she’d said about her overprotective brother.
The guy put an arm around his shoulders. “Maybe you’d feel more comfortable if I tell ya my name? It’s Levi, but my mates have started calling me Spike.”
“We also call you bastard,” the driver said, his toothy grin visible in the rear vision mirror.
Like Levi, the driver looked familiar, but not from the drug deal gone wrong. Although the guy also had Tongan features, he was much taller and bulkier than Levi, his neck so thick that he would be perfect as a prop… Yeah, that’s where he’d seen the driver, at a rugby match between Wera and Claydon.
The white guy on the other side of Ash started laughing, his pasty features almost comical. “We also call Levi cunt.”
Levi shoved a hand into the guy’s face. “Only if ya put lucky in front of it, pālangiarsehole.” He dropped his hand on Ash’s shoulder. “Now, where does your mate live?”
“He’s my cuz.”
“You still hafta tell me,” Levi said, placing the gun against Ash’s cheek.
Ash moved his face away, but got a hand clamped around the back of his neck.
“Isaia,” Levi said. “Start the engine, cos Wera boy is taking us to get some coke-a-not-cola.”
The car spluttered to life, then backed onto the road. Ash stared straight ahead barely able to breathe from both the gun and heat. Sweat trickled down the side of his cheek and kissed the butt of the gun. The car stopped at the give way sign by the dairy.
“Left or right?” Levi asked. When Ash didn’t answer, Levi smacked the side of his head with the gun. “Left or right?”
“Right,” Ash grunted in pain. Not hurt me, yeah right.
After several houses, the car stopped at the next junction. “Left or straight ahead?” Levi asked.
Ash felt like telling him to fuck off or giving him the directions to the police station, but instead he croaked out, “Straight ahead.” On the opposite side of the road a police car drove towards them. Ash held his breath, willing it to pull them over. It continued on its way oblivious to his situation.
“Isaia, pull over,” Levi said.
The driver did as instructed.
Levi gripped Ash’s neck again. “Listen up, Wera boy, cos I’m not gonna make Isaia stop at every bloody road, so you better start directing us properly or we’re gonna go for a tiki tour out to Alfriston and find a nice li’l barn to work you over. Understand?”
“It’s the next left.”
Levi let go of Ash’s neck and patted his head. “Good boy.”
The car turned onto Pleasant Parade then before Ash knew it they were parked in Hunter’s driveway. He was relieved that his cousin’s green Chevy was nowhere in sight. Levi stuffed the gun into his jacket and got out, indicating for Ash to follow. As soon as he stepped out of the stifling car, Levi slung an arm around his shoulder and started walking him up the driveway, the white dude following close behind. Ash glanced behind him as the car backed out.
“Don’t worry, he’s returning,” Levi said. “We just can’t have your cuz see our car, cos it’ll ruin our li’l surprise party.”
Several paces away the garage was closed, its windows so crammed with junk that Ash couldn’t see inside. Levi steered him around the corner of the weatherboard house. The backyard was empty, the uncut grass climbing up the clothesline. Some sheets hung from pegs along with a pair of extra large jeans.
Levi unsuccessfully tried to open the backdoor. “Brett, unlock it.”
Grinning, Brett pulled out his knife and waved the blade in front of Ash’s face, then jimmied the lock. He slid open the glass door and disappeared inside the house for several seconds, before returning. “All clear.”
Levi shoved Ash inside, almost making him trip. Ash righted himself, then was pushed through the dining-room and into the lounge. Levi indicated with the gun to the black leather couch. “Sit.” Ash did as instructed, moving over as Levi sat next to him.
“Brett, put sumpthin’ on the telly and go check the fridge for beer,” Levi said.
Brett slotted A Nightmare on Elm Street into the video player. A minute later a six-pack of beer was placed on the coffee table in front of Ash, then Brett disappeared down the passage.
“What’s he doin’?” Ash asked, worried the guy was looking for drugs.
“One of three things: Pissing, stealing or wanking. My money’s on wanking.” Sniggering, Levi ripped open the cardboard container, passed a beer to Ash, then grabbed a can for himself. “What’s ya name, cos Wera boy is gettin’ old?”
“Ash.”
“Ashley or Ashton.”
“Ashley.”
Levi started laughing. “That’s so gay.”
Ash gripped his can, feeling like knocking Levi’s teeth out with it.
“Didn’t your mum like you or sumpthin’?” Levi continued. “Or is your weeny so tiny she thought she had a girl?”
Ash squeezed the can harder. “It’s a guy’s name too.”
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Ashley,” Levi said, imitating a girl’s voice.
“Shut up!” Ash rammed his can into Levi’s face, then jumped up and bolted out the back door. He turned left and ran down the driveway, the slope allowing him to pick up speed. Behind him he could hear Levi yelling, but no gunfire. He turned right at the fence and instantly regretted it as he spotted the driver walking towards him. Ash’s chest tightened, but he continued forward, choosing to face the big guy rather than Levi’s gun.
Isaia opened his arms wide and ran at him. Pretending to move to his right, Ash quickly ducked to his left when Isaia fell for the trick. Ash sprinted hard and fast for a good fifty metres, then glanced back. Isaia had his hands on his knees while Levi was jumping into the prop’s beat-up car, the third guy nowhere in sight.
Coming to the end of Pleasant Parade, Ash shot across Banks Street and through the gates of Claydon School. He took a left, heading around the side of a block of classrooms, then through an empty playground and across a sports field. Primary kids stopped their game of soccer to stare at him, a few whooping in excitement.
A male teacher hollered, “You’re not allowed in here!”
Ash exited through the gate onto Finley Park. Another playground with swings and slides filled the space to his right, while a patchwork of playing fields lay stretched out before him. He ran across a field, down a small slope, onto another field then headed towards the footpath. On the other side of the road and beyond a row of houses, Manukau harbour sparkled, its watery expanse reflecting the bright afternoon sun.
Ash headed past the Marae—where the Maori meeting house stood. A seagull’s loud squawk startled him. He glanced up as two birds flew over the triangular-shaped building. Red stained carvings framed the meeting house, while a naked, wooden warrior stood at the apex overlooking his domain.
Ash glanced back, his eyes widening as the beat-up car speed down Parson’s Road, gunning for him. Panicking, he took a sharp right onto a property, headed up the driveway, under its carport and over the back fence. He shot through the next property and out onto another road. He repeated the same thing, almost getting bitten by a Pitt Bull Terrier.
He continued running, not stopping until he reached his place, a four bedroom weatherboard house next to the Wera soccer fields. As usual his stepfather’s white van was parked in the driveway, while his mother’s car was nowhere in sight. He didn’t know what time it was, since Levi had swiped his watch, but guessed it must be late afternoon since his mother wasn’t back from work.
Coughing and wheezing, and feeling like puking, he staggered through the doorway, ignoring his stepfather as Chaz asked what was wrong. The sound of cartoons filled the house accompanied by children’s voices. Without looking who was there, Ash headed straight for his bedroom, closing the door behind him. He flopped onto his bed face first, his body aching from the run. The door opened and closed, the intruder sitting down on his bed.
A hand touched his head. “You’re drenched in sweat, what happened?”
Ash swatted his stepfather’s hand away and turned over. “Nuthin’.”
“Doesn’t look like it to me. What have ya done now?”
“I didn’t do anything. I ran too fast and made myself sick.”
“Where’s your school bag?”
“None of your business!”
“Don’t you dare get shitty with me.”
“It’s at a mate’s, okay. Now, get outta my room.” Ash sat up, annoyed that his stepfather still hadn’t left.
Chaz glared at him. “No, it’s not okay, and you don’t get to order me around, I’m the adult here.”
“It’s my room.”
“I don’t give a toss. Apologise or I’m not moving.”
Ash crossed his arms over his chest, not willing to give in. Since being made redundant from his foreman’s job, Chaz had taken over the household duties, like cooking dinner, packing lunches, and poking his nose into where it didn’t belong. And Ash was sick of having his life rifled through as well as his drawers.
Okay, the last part couldn’t be helped as his stepfather did the washing, but still, it made him feel uncomfortable and when his condoms were found it had been embarrassing as hell. Chaz had given him the big grill about who he was doing. It wasn’t something that Ash wanted to talk to Chaz about, that was what Hunter was for, but when his stepfather started using words like penis and vagina Ash just wanted to shrivel up.
And the birds and the bees questioning was pointless as he wasn’t doing anyone at the time; he was just kind of hoping Tiana would change her mind. Though, Chaz didn’t believe him, and talked about being careful with girls, and how females got more emotional over sex—that information a bit too late, considering how Jenna had acted.
Chaz crossed his arms over his own chest, mirroring Ash. “Apologise now or you’re washing and drying the dishes for the next two days.”
“I’m sorry,” Ash said, his tone anything but.
“Say it like you mean it.”
“I’m sorry, good enough?”
“It’ll do.” Chaz got off the bed and walked over to the door. The guy was built like a construction worker, about six-foot-two, and with sandy-brown hair. He turned back to Ash, his expression far from amused. “If you’ve gotten into any trouble come to me before it gets outta hand. I’ll fix it without your mother finding out.” Without waiting for a reply, Chaz closed the door, leaving Ash by himself.
Yeah right, there was no way he could tell his stepfather about anything to do with Hunter’s business. Shit! Hunter.
Ash pushed off the bed and headed out of his room, and into the kitchen, where his stepfather had started peeling potatoes. Chaz turned around to look at him, his face hopeful as though he thought Ash was coming to confess.
“I needa use the phone.” Ash grabbed the handheld and headed back to his bedroom. He closed the door and slid down the wooden surface, using his body as a doorstop. He keyed in Hunter’s number and waited impatiently as the phone rang. When no one answered, he tried his cousin’s mobile.
Hunter picked up on the fourth ring. “That you, Ash?”
“Yup—”
“Can’t talk right now, I’m busy.”
“I’ve got bad news.” Ash quickly recounted what had happened. At the end Hunter let out a string of swearwords, capped off by more. On the other end of the line Ash could hear Hunter’s new girlfriend asking what was wrong.
“Everything, bloody everything,” Hunter snapped.
“I’m really sorry, cuz,” Ash said.
“It’s not your fault. Gimme Tiana’s address so I can sort out her bro.”
Ash went silent.
“Ash, gimme the bloody address.”
“You’ll get Tiana into trouble.”
“I’m not stupid enough to walk in there and start bashing the prick. I’ll stake out the place then jump him when he ain’t expecting it. So, last time, gimme the God-damned address!”
Ash rattled it off, then before he could say anything else Hunter hung up. He banged the back of his head against the door, pissed that he’d well and truly fucked things up.
He looked down at the phone and dialled Tiana’s number, hoping her day had gone a lot better than his.