The Prospect of Whitby was busy, the jeers and howls of laughter would deafen anyone passing by. Not that there were ever many passers-by in Wapping or the surrounding slums. But after a hard day working in the docks, it was only fair that these people let their hair down. Plus it was all they could do to escape the drudgery and squalid living conditions they had to cope with. Bill and Tom were almost bowled over by the noise, and smell, that greeted them as they opened the door. The pub had a copper top, flag stone floors and a low ceiling. It was right on the river and the constant smell mildew, sewerage and stale beer mingled with the smell of bodies packed too close together; it made for an interesting aroma. It was a rough around the edges pub but people respected each other, they all led hard lives and it was pointless to fight about anything. It wasn't just the bar staff that worked there, there were other ladies. They did more than just serve beer, for a few extra pennies they made the night seem less futile. They were known as Dockside Docsies and they always had a smile for the punters. Tom had no time for them, but Bill had a soft spot for one and was about to engage her in conversation when he saw Tom give him a dirty look. Bill looked apologetically at the girl, who made a coquettish pout back at Bill and sauntered off. Bill made his way to the bar to order two beers, then joined Tom in the corner.
“You ready for t’night?” asked Tom
“Yep” replied Bill as he took a mouth full of warm beer.
“I ‘ear it’s gonna be a big haul” Bill scanned the room
“Yeah you always say that”
Bill ignored Tom’s comment “I’ve a good feeling about this” looking over his shoulder to the girls at the bar.
“Tha’s not all you’ve got a good feeling about” Tom sneered, following Bill's gaze.
“An’ she can ‘ave a good feel too if she wants” they both laughed loudly, this comment was poorly timed as the pub had momentarily gone quiet and everyone was looking at them.
“Come on, let’s go” Tom said as he downed his drink, Bill followed suit and walked out.
It was a warm evening, the air
heavy and oppressive; the dying sunset made the large clouds look bruised and
full of rain. The two men looked up and then at each other, they
sensed a storm coming. They made their way down Wapping Old Stairs
and across the sticky mud banks of the Thames. Each footstep
kicked-up a smell that, in the heat of the night, made breathing
difficult. However, this was the least of their worries; a low tide
pick up was the most complicated pick up of all. It left the men
exposed and cut off should anything go wrong. If the loads were big
or heavy there was the ever present threat of sinking and getting caught out
with the change in tide. The wind started to pick up and the
creaking coming from the ships made the Tom feel uneasy.
“Wait ‘ere” ordered Tom as he picked his way through the mud, he was getting nervous and it showed. A boat glided up towards Tom, a short conversation took place that Bill could only catch snippets of. Tom looked back at Bill, and he took that as his signal to move. He was meant to check nobody was about who could disturb them but he walked on. The police were usually nowhere to be seen, but it was the “busy-body do gooders”, as Tom described them, that could land them in the Newgate. They were very close to the new bridge by the tower passers-by were a real threat. But Bill rarely checked, a couple of lucky escapes in the past was not enough to get him routinely checking.
“You got the stuff?” asked Tom
“Yes “ lisped the voice from the boat. Neither men could clearly see the person, but they could tell from his voice that he was foreign, where, they did not care. Working in the docks they were used to hearing different languages. They tolerated these foreigners but would not miss them if they were all to leave.
“My boss was not pleased at your boss for being late with the payment”.
“Yeah yeah, you know I ‘ave no real contact wiv ‘im” Tom huffed as he and Bill hauled the sacks off the boat.
“We just leave the sacks where we’re told and get something for our troubles” Bill added.
“Wait ‘ere” ordered Tom as he picked his way through the mud, he was getting nervous and it showed. A boat glided up towards Tom, a short conversation took place that Bill could only catch snippets of. Tom looked back at Bill, and he took that as his signal to move. He was meant to check nobody was about who could disturb them but he walked on. The police were usually nowhere to be seen, but it was the “busy-body do gooders”, as Tom described them, that could land them in the Newgate. They were very close to the new bridge by the tower passers-by were a real threat. But Bill rarely checked, a couple of lucky escapes in the past was not enough to get him routinely checking.
“You got the stuff?” asked Tom
“Yes “ lisped the voice from the boat. Neither men could clearly see the person, but they could tell from his voice that he was foreign, where, they did not care. Working in the docks they were used to hearing different languages. They tolerated these foreigners but would not miss them if they were all to leave.
“My boss was not pleased at your boss for being late with the payment”.
“Yeah yeah, you know I ‘ave no real contact wiv ‘im” Tom huffed as he and Bill hauled the sacks off the boat.
“We just leave the sacks where we’re told and get something for our troubles” Bill added.
"Next time your boss fails
to meet a payment, it won't just be me who comes."
"You threatening us?"
"No threat, a promise.
Tell you boss to pay up on time" It wasn't the words that sent a
chill up both men's spine, it was the silky smoothness of the voice,
the surety of it all. They set about moving the bags up shore,
they were heavy, and awkward to carry.
“This is taking TOO LONG” Tom whispered throwing a sack over to Bill.
“It’ll be fine Tom, don’ worry”, with that a huge bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and the heavens opened; the men were soaked through in minutes. What happened afterwards was something that would haunt Bill for months.
“This is taking TOO LONG” Tom whispered throwing a sack over to Bill.
“It’ll be fine Tom, don’ worry”, with that a huge bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and the heavens opened; the men were soaked through in minutes. What happened afterwards was something that would haunt Bill for months.
Bill made his way towards the
Prospect of Whitby, he had found some money and was desperate for a
drink. The pub hadn’t changed, but on his own, it seemed like a
different hostile place. He got his beer and sat facing the window.
“Arigh’ my love, anything I can
do to cheer you up?” came a soft voice. It was the girl Bill always
had an eye for, but he wasn’t interested any more. She has somehow
lost her looks, her charm, or at least that’s how it felt to Bill.
“Ge’ away from me woman” he ordered. She tried again, her hand eased down his chest, to his stomach and below but this only made him explode with rage.
“Fuck off away from me or I’ll strike you so hard no one will touch you, let alone pay for you”
“Oi. You. Get out”, shouted the Landlord from the bar, “I won’ have you talk to my girls like that”. His right arm made an instinctive and sudden movement backwards with a clenched fist. He was only just able to keep himself from throwing the punch.
Bill stepped outside, it was cold and crisp, a few gas lights were alight casting a sickly glow over the cobbles and bricks. They seemed to dance in the light and made the street seem more threatening. He breathed deeply trying to steady his anger, walking away from the pub he could hear someone say “don’t worry love I’ll look after ya”.
“Ge’ away from me woman” he ordered. She tried again, her hand eased down his chest, to his stomach and below but this only made him explode with rage.
“Fuck off away from me or I’ll strike you so hard no one will touch you, let alone pay for you”
“Oi. You. Get out”, shouted the Landlord from the bar, “I won’ have you talk to my girls like that”. His right arm made an instinctive and sudden movement backwards with a clenched fist. He was only just able to keep himself from throwing the punch.
Bill stepped outside, it was cold and crisp, a few gas lights were alight casting a sickly glow over the cobbles and bricks. They seemed to dance in the light and made the street seem more threatening. He breathed deeply trying to steady his anger, walking away from the pub he could hear someone say “don’t worry love I’ll look after ya”.
He didn’t want to go home, as
going home meant he would sleep and sleep brought on terrible
nightmares. But there was nothing else to do, so he made his weary
way home. Two men walked briskly passed him, catching a look at
their faces, Bill knew exactly what they were up to. It made him
think, and as he wandered back, his mind started to wander. Turning
the corner he didn’t see the figure turning into him.
“Watch were you’re going”, the smooth voice made Bill jump, it also made him stop and think…
The stranger walked off muttering something incomprehensible; Bill caught enough to hear it was a foreign and had a lisp to it. A cool wind blew that chilled him to the core, it was picking up so Bill quickened his pace. He didn’t notice that there was no wind, nothing stirred; he just gripped his collar tighter to keep out the cold and the voice he had just heard. He had managed to keep the cold out but that voice wouldn't leave him. Not being able to work out where he had heard that voice was beginning to annoy him. Then like a bolt out of the blue it hit him. It sounded like the man from the boat from months ago. Bill then fought hard not remember that horrible night but it was too late; it all came flooding back.
“Watch were you’re going”, the smooth voice made Bill jump, it also made him stop and think…
The stranger walked off muttering something incomprehensible; Bill caught enough to hear it was a foreign and had a lisp to it. A cool wind blew that chilled him to the core, it was picking up so Bill quickened his pace. He didn’t notice that there was no wind, nothing stirred; he just gripped his collar tighter to keep out the cold and the voice he had just heard. He had managed to keep the cold out but that voice wouldn't leave him. Not being able to work out where he had heard that voice was beginning to annoy him. Then like a bolt out of the blue it hit him. It sounded like the man from the boat from months ago. Bill then fought hard not remember that horrible night but it was too late; it all came flooding back.
Bill and Tom were wet through
but still laboured away. Getting everything off the boat had taken
them longer than planned. Shortly after everything was off, the boat
disappeared into the night. Through the noise of the wind and rain they
though they heard something. Stopping dead in their tracks they
strained to listen to the night. The rain still hammered down, but
it was clear there other people were nearby. Bill briefly
kicked himself for not checking if anyone was around, but reasoned that it took
so long to unload, that it could have been quiet when they
started. It was too late now thought they couldn't risk
hanging around so made a run for it. Dropping everything they ran up the
stairs and split up, they knew just where to meet and made their way to that
spot. To be sure that neither man was followed it took over 10 minutes,
to make what was just a three minute walk in normal circumstances. Bill
reached the rendezvous first and was breathing hard, no longer the young man he
thought he was.
"Oi! you... what you doin'
here?", Bill jumped hard and was about to make a run for it, then he saw
it was Tom.
"Jesus Tom, I nearly shit
myself"
"Wouldn't be the first
time", both men laughed, buzzing from the run and the adrenalin rush.
Bill's head had begun to throb and found himself thinking about the girl
back at the pub.
"Com'on let’s see if the
coast is clear, I wanna get back to the pub"
"Yeah I bet I know why,
even now you can't stop thinking about getting your leg over" Tom
playfully hit Bill in the chest as he said that and they cautiously made their
way back.
It had stopped raining but the
wind was still up, at least the roads were clear. Going down the stairs
they could see that there was no real time to do anything, the tide was coming
in.
"You go first, I need to
take a piss", Tom gave Bill and evil look, "why now Bill?".
But Bill ignored him and went off to one side. Tom descended
the stairs, muttering to himself, this is not how he saw this pick up going.
It should have been quick and easy, but whatever was in those sacks was
heavy and that took more time to move. Then there was the rain, and those
people, it didn't feel right to him, the heavy sacks was one thing, but the
rain and disturbance, what next? Bill had finished relieving
himself and was making his way back to the stairs.
"Watch your step Tom"
Bill shouted, Tom turned to face Bill, and at that point his foot sunk, shin
deep in the mud.
“Shit….Bill, BILL!” Tom
shouted, it started raining again. Bill was frozen to the spot, the hot
spike of adrenalin he had felt moments ago had been taken over by his blood
running cold. The rain picked up and he could see the Thames coming in,
closer and closer to Tom. Tom, in an attempt to free himself had got both
legs stuck to the knee. He then used his hands to pull his legs out, it
was the last thing Tom did. Now stuck bent over the cold dank waters
of the Thames steadily rose to meet his face. Bill just watched, devoid of any
thought, word or deed; he just stood and watched.
“Curse you Bill, help
me…. Please help me!”
“I’m sorry”, Bill whispered, he was no longer dumbfounded, self preservation kicked in and he turned to run. Tom's eyes widened, filling with tears as he watched the man he trusted his life with for so many years run away. His back was hurting being stuck in the same position for what seemed a lifetime. The water was now lapping his face, it was cold but his tears where hot.
“Curse you Bill…” were Tom's last words.
“I’m sorry”, Bill whispered, he was no longer dumbfounded, self preservation kicked in and he turned to run. Tom's eyes widened, filling with tears as he watched the man he trusted his life with for so many years run away. His back was hurting being stuck in the same position for what seemed a lifetime. The water was now lapping his face, it was cold but his tears where hot.
“Curse you Bill…” were Tom's last words.
Bill was roused from his memory
by someone saying “you alrigh’ mate?”. He hadn’t realised it but he had
been standing in the middle of the street crying
bitterly. Embarrassed, Bill made his way back to where he
lived. Tears continued to filled his eyes as he walked on, he
couldn’t see where he was going and he walked into someone.
“Watch it!” Bill shouted side stepping the person, he carried on walking and noticed something odd. He was covered in mud and there was a disgusting smell. “Jesus!” he muttered, dam tosher, "watch were you're goin' next time" Bill shouted back only to find the man had gone.
“Watch it!” Bill shouted side stepping the person, he carried on walking and noticed something odd. He was covered in mud and there was a disgusting smell. “Jesus!” he muttered, dam tosher, "watch were you're goin' next time" Bill shouted back only to find the man had gone.
He walked for a few
minutes wiping as much of the mud that he could off. Turning a corner
pre-occupied he walked into someone yet again.
“For crying out lo….” Bill looked up and saw a pair of eyes staring back at him, so full of hate it frightened him.
“Ok mate, I don’t want no trouble” Bill couldn’t take his eyes of the man as he moved backwards down the road at a pace then turning to run. It seemed like an eternity to Bill before he stopped; his breath heavy and he could hear his heart beating hard in his ears. That last encounter spooked him and he wanted to get back home as soon as he could. He put his hand to his chest; it was wet, a bit warm and sticky. His heart skipped a beat as he raised his hand up to see what it was. A wave of relief surged through him when he saw it was mud. For a moment he thought he must not have wiped it all off properly, but this didn’t feel right. It was too fresh, “why am I covered in fresh mud?” That cold chill he felt earlier was back, he was awash with goose bumps.
“For crying out lo….” Bill looked up and saw a pair of eyes staring back at him, so full of hate it frightened him.
“Ok mate, I don’t want no trouble” Bill couldn’t take his eyes of the man as he moved backwards down the road at a pace then turning to run. It seemed like an eternity to Bill before he stopped; his breath heavy and he could hear his heart beating hard in his ears. That last encounter spooked him and he wanted to get back home as soon as he could. He put his hand to his chest; it was wet, a bit warm and sticky. His heart skipped a beat as he raised his hand up to see what it was. A wave of relief surged through him when he saw it was mud. For a moment he thought he must not have wiped it all off properly, but this didn’t feel right. It was too fresh, “why am I covered in fresh mud?” That cold chill he felt earlier was back, he was awash with goose bumps.
“Curse you Bill” came a quiet voice in his ear. Bill spun wildly around to see who had said that, but no one was there.
“Curse you Bill you left me” the voice, slightly more agitated, was again behind him. Bill felt as if he was stuck to the ground. With some unknown strength he managed to run back where he came from, turning down one side street to another in attempt to get away. Bill stopped, almost choking he tried to reason with himself. “Stupid bloody idiot, it’s all in ya head”.
“I saw you, you ran away, you left me”. Yelling Bill started to run, slipping on cobbles; he really needed to stop. Slowing up he lent against the wall. He gathered his thoughts and look around, unsure of where he was. Bill found he was on Nightingale Lane, nowhere near where he needed to be. Taking a few calming breathes, he turning round only to be halted in his tracks.
“Who...” before Bill could finish he was overcome with a feeling of sinking, his swayed and felt very unsteady. Trying hard he cleared his head; it dawned on him. It was a moment of painful clarity, in a split second everything that had just happened fell into place.
“This is impossible…..go.....go AWAY” Bill cried, shutting his eyes like a child, hoping it would all stop. He slowly opened one eye then the other one, there was no-one standing there: relief.
“You could have saved me, you
could have come in for me, but you didn't. The accusing voice
made him jump and scream at the same time, making a run for it he finally found
his way home.
It had been a long night and
Bill just wanted to go to sleep, the stairs were old and rickety but
he didn't care and stomped wearily upwards. Opening the door, he shuffled
forward slightly and fell on the damp musty bed and slipped into a deep, deep
sleep. Minutes, maybe hours later, Bill was drawn heavily from
his sleep. As if something inside him was forcing him awake, it was a
slightly painful experience. He opened his eyes, but everything was
blurred, he couldn't focus on anything; seeing but not seeing at the same time.
The urge to move was strong but the lead weight that was his body didn't
move. Then suddenly, an unknown force made the window explode inward and
a wind came roaring in. The noise was all consuming and deafening,
he fought with all his might to move. But he was pinned to the
bed, he screamed as loud as he could, hoping someone would hear and help.
No one came. Bill's eyes slowly opened, everything that had just
happened, hadn't. It was just a dream, he laid there covered in sweat and
tangled in the material he called a sheet. It was just a dream he told
himself. He rolled over onto his back, there were a pair of eyes staring
back at him. For a split second Bill thought he would wake up again, but
he was awake. Bill stared back in to the eyes of Tom.
"Please, please leave me
be Tom.. please" Bill sobbed heavily “I didn’t know what else to do
*sob*, the water was coming in fast, I couldn't move”. With that Tom's
eyes faded, Bill needed to move, leave the room, get some fresh air.
Running down the stairs Bill jumped over someone at the bottom; a hand
grabbed his foot. With utter fear Bill looked down and saw Tom's crazed
face looking back at him.
"You left me once Bill, I
won't let it happen again" the manic voice made Bill wet himself.
The hand let go of his foot and Bill made a run for it. Not knowing
anywhere to go he ran to the riverside, towards the stairs, where all those
months ago his friend died.
"You don't deserve to
stand there an weep, you did nothing to save me"
"I was scared, if I hadn't
shouted out you would have been ok, I didn't know what to do"
"YOU SHOULD HAVE COME IN
TO SAVE ME"
Bill was awash to the urge to
move forward, but he could see the tide was coming in. He tried to stop
himself, but he was down the stairs and on the mud before he knew it.
“No Tom, leave me be” begged
Bill.
“You will feel what I felt” cried Tom.
The cold water was lapping at his feet, and the water was rising fast. Bill tried to get back to the shore but sunk into the mud. He could see the stairs and pavement, not meters away. Bill struggled, twisted and turned, but only sunk further down. The unrelenting water kept coming in.
“No Tom, not like this please......” All Bill saw was Tom’s face in front of him as the cold dirty water swallowed him up.
“You will feel what I felt” cried Tom.
The cold water was lapping at his feet, and the water was rising fast. Bill tried to get back to the shore but sunk into the mud. He could see the stairs and pavement, not meters away. Bill struggled, twisted and turned, but only sunk further down. The unrelenting water kept coming in.
“No Tom, not like this please......” All Bill saw was Tom’s face in front of him as the cold dirty water swallowed him up.
Bill's body was never recovered
and life around the dock continued. However, the number of unexplained
drowning rose, some of the dock workers swore men were being lead to the banks,
but by who they could not tell.
