Blood Summer

Nick watched his older brother Frank polishing his Triumph on the drive.

The Autosol paste made the chrome work gleam like the fearless summer they all wished for.

Nick would have given anything to be as old as his brother. Straddling that motorbike, zooming out of Summerville like a goddamn Hells Angel and shaggin birds wherever he went.

He caught Frank's reflection in the chroming. 

Usually tip top, he looked absolutely buggered, compulsively rubbing two angry red spots on his neck.

You OK Bro?

Fine Nick. Ta. Just a bit woozy. Reckon I've been bitten. Must be those damn mozzies from next door's pond! I'm going to fill that thing in one day. You fancy a spin round the block?

Frank pointed at his pride and joy, a stallion of steel raring to go.

No Ta. Anyways, get yourself to bed if you're feeling badly.

I know who I'd like to take to bed my old lad! One Mina Globin, the new foreign student nurse at Dad's blood bank. She picked him up for work last night. Came in first. You saw her. A gorgeous redhead. Between you and me, mate, we had a quick snog in the back room before Jack took her to find Dad. Pfwoar! Waddaya reckon my chances are?

Nick laughed and walked into the garden.

I wouldn't know where to start Frank!

Mumbling to himself Nick got back to being twelve, a wet-nosed tweenager in the first year of a catholic Secondary School and dreading Monday morning already ..... and it was only Friday. And there was Church! Shoot me now!

Still, it was the early summer, days were long, nights were short and the six week school holidays were just a month away. Endless hours with his mates exploring the neighbourhood, garden hopping, listening to rock bands, watching monster movies and talking shit till darkness itself came calling.

"Nick, Chas is here. Are you playing out?" 

His dear old Mum was cooking up some pigs' trotters for Dad in the kitchen. 

Chas was his mate. He had a few but Chas was his bestie.

Yep, tell him to come into the back Mum.

Chas and Nick watched Frank finish his chrome polishing a bit longer, saw their own faces distorted in the curved sheen and went inside.

You hungry?

Starvin.

Mum! Can I make some food for me and Chas? 

Nick shouted upstairs. 

His Mum was picking up dirty washing from the bedrooms chuntering to herself about how filthy her three lambs were. Like living with zombies!

Yeah, sure!

Fancy Steak Canadienne, chips and a Nesquik?

Sounds ace mate.

Nick rustled up some frozen steaklets from the outdoor chest freezer, slapped them in a frying pan, bunged some cut spuds in the chip pan and buttered some white bread.

Chas gawped at the pot of trotters on the stove, the boiling liquid bubbling like pig milk. He thought of his own feet in there.

Jeez, that's gross!

I know! My Dad loves chewing them. He looks like a fucking werewolf. 

Yuk!

What do you wanna do tonight mate?

Dunno. Maybe go down the Galaxy.

You just wanna see if Alice is there don’t ya!

Fuck off will ya, I fancy a slushy and some tunes.

Tunes are shite there. You heard the latest Rush album, Fly by Night?

Nope, you got it?

Yep, went to Soul Traders last week with my old Mum and she bought it for me. It’s a stonker mate. The future!

Stick it on then. Can't be as good as Caress of Steel. Bastille Day is the dog's bollocks! What a riff!

I'm fuckin cookin, you stick it on! It’s just there inside the stereogram. Lift the lid. And it's miles better than Caress. Every track's a cracker. First side is heavy as fuck!

Alright, keep your hair on. Side one yeah?

Yeah. By Tor and the Snow Dog'll blow your fuckin socks off. Way better than Bastille Day mate! Not to mention In the fuckin End.

Nick's Mum appeared out of nowhere.

Urm, Nick, it'll be the end of you soon Son! what have I told you about swearing! You’d better tell Father Smythe at Confession on Sunday about that one. Me and the Sacred Heart will know if you don’t! 

Alright Mother! Jesus!

There you go again! Hi, Chas!

Hi Mrs. Lake. You OK?

I’m fine thank you. How’s your Mum and Dad?

Fine ta. Busy getting ready for Lucy’s babbi. 

Oh, Yes! of course! When’s it due Chas?

I think its next month. When we break up. Just in time for the holidays. She's off colour though. Weak. Doc says she's got some sort of an an anemia I think it's called. 

You know, I’ve had a feeling for ages that something's going round. Our Jack and Frank have had to go to bed. During the day! weak as a kitten. That must be it. This Anemia. Give Lucy my best and tell her to take iron tablets.

I will Mrs.Lake. 

Nick dished out the food.

Here’s your scran Chas.

I’ll let you boys eat in peace.

Nick's Mum took some iron supplements to Frank.

Nick handed Chas a plate of a Steak Canadienne sandwich and some fantastic looking home-made chips.

They scoffed their food at the breakfast table with the maiden, full of washing, hanging overhead like a floating banshee.

Got any salt and vinegar Nick?

Yep, here.

Sauce?

For fucks sake! In the cupboard!

Daddy’s?

Open it up and have a look for Christ's sake! There's no monsters in there, promise! And whilst you're up shut the door and turn up the volume.

Good scran mate. Ta very much! 

No worries. Just listen to this, By Tor and the Snow Dog. It’s heavy as frig and a brill story about two massive monsters scrappin.

Chas stopped impaling chips and listened intently.

What the fuck's the Tobes of Hades?

Dunno, but it sounds cool! How’s your grub?

Ace mate, ta.

The boys ate their dinner and finished listening to both sides of Rush’s album before deciding to go out around four in the afternoon.

Off to the Galaxy Mum. I won’t be late home.

Tea's at seven today son. Your Dad's having to work overtime at the blood bank. It’s mince and Onions.

OK. See ya.

The two mates made there way through the ginnel and back streets of Summerville to Martyrs where the Galaxy Youth club was.

Alright Nick!

Nick and Chas looked up and saw Shark sitting on the high wall outside. He was gobbing a long streak of spit down to his knees before sucking it up again like a fly. At the foot of the wall was a pool of gobber glistening like a creature from a Hammer horror.

What’s happening?

Not much.

You looking for Alice?

Nope.

Good job mate. I banged her last night.

Righto.

Nick and Chas were very wary of Shark, who always managed to make them feel uneasy, even frightened. He was a bully.

He got down and slid towards the boys like a blood clot, vigorously scratching two itchy marks on his throat.

The guy was a few years older and probably too old for the Galaxy, but he'd been kicked out of secondary school early and had nothing better to do. A regular oxygen thief was Shark, hungry for corrupting young souls like his own.

Got any dosh?

No,why.

Just asking mate. Thought you might be interested in some creepy fun, you being a monster nut and all Lake. Like proper dark.

Chas chirped up.

What kind of fun?

Was I talking to you Chas, you fuckin streak o' piss! 

Shark and Chas had had a run-in at school the year before and couldn’t stand each other. It was part of the reason Shark had got expelled, after he skewered a live frog with a pencil on the school field. Chas had ratted on him. Big trouble all round. 

Yep, Shark was a real mean twat and loathed Chas.

You got a problem, you little grass Chas?

No problem Shark. No frogs around today.

You being fuckin funny mate?

Shark spat out what looked like a green toad, got off the wall and grabbed the smaller Chas by the scruff of his bomber. He could see Shark had a huge open cold-sore on the inside of his lip. It pulsated and bled like a melting jelly. 

You know you're a grassin' gobshite don't you! And I've got just the thing to shut you up you little rat turd.

Inhaling violently and snorting loudly, Shark hawked up another huge oyster of phlegm in his mouth, held open Chas's jaws and spat it deep into his throat where it pulsated like a living thing, before holding his lips shut until Chas swallowed it.

Nick was in shock.

He didn't know what to do.

His mate had been .... he didn't know what to call it and Shark was now officially a raving lunatic psycho. 

Nick was scared shitless.

Chas began to cry, which made it a million times worse.

That shut you up didn't it you big fuckin spraggin pussy!

Shark turned away satisfied with his gift, glared at Nick and went inside the Galaxy.

Chas was trying to spit out what was in his throat but it had already gone down. 

Nick tried to console him 

Fuck off Nick. I'm going home!

I'll come with you.

Chas sobbed quietly all the way until they reached his parents' house. 

Don't tell anyone what happened. You promise Nick? You swear?

Cross my heart and hope to die. I won't tell a soul.

I fuckin hate Shark. I could taste him. His fuckin blood.

I hate him too. He's a cunt.

Chas went to the door. The porch light cast an eerie glow over him, his small forlorn figure stooping like an Ygor.

Nick went home and found his tea on a plate kept warm above a pan of boiling water.

Wher've you been Nick? It's quarter to nine. You should have been back at 7. Your tea'll be ruined! 

Sorry Mum. Me and Chas were gobbing to a mate and I forgot about stuff.

Just be home on time Nick. I worry about you, because I love you, you little so and so, especially with this anemia bug around!

They hugged and Nick gave his old Mum an even tighter cuddle.

Love you too Mum.

Nick ate his mash, mince and onions with dried-up peas in front of the telly. His Dad was asleep in his armchair, a glass of scotch nearly falling out of his hand. On the side-table was a plate of gnawed pigs' feet. His pudding. They looked like a pile of knuckles.

The poor bugger's knackered thought Nick.

He admired his Dad and everything he did for them, recently doing so many night shifts at the Royal Hospital blood store. He'd told them all earlier that something was spreading round the town, a kind of blood loss.

Dad had lost some of his own young blood fighting the Nazis too. Mum as well.  Nick couldn't imagine being in a war like them, where hidden devils waited in the deep dark below, yet that great generation killed the beast anyhow, then got home and had to work, work, work. Such sacrifice. God.

Nick returned to the present and grimaced at the thought of work. What a drag. For him, school was bad enough! Homework was the pits.

He went to get a vimto. His Mum was in the kitchen making some packet chicken broth for his two older brothers. She never stopped caring. They should be out clubbing on a Saturday night, on the prowl for a nice bit of skirt, but they were both poorly. Mum said drained. It was really odd. Altogether strange.

Nick thought of what Shark had done to Chas. That was strange too, but what a bastard! 

He washed down the last of his tea with his vimto and shuddered.

His Dad was still dozing, the nine 'o'clock watershed came and went and to Nick's delight a horror film started, The Night of the Demon, one of his favourites. You get to see the beast straight away and what a fuckin beast it is! All fangs, snarls and flames.

Nick, excited, went to the bottom of the stairs and called.

Night of the Demon's on Jack!

There was no answer.

Nick shrugged. He sat back down and copied the narrator at the beginning who spoke in a buttery American, saying pars instead of powers and the demons of Hell.

God, what a film! Genius. Why hadn't Aurora made the fire-demon as a kit? His brother Jack, another monster nut, had them all. 

Nick chewed over Aurora and then wondered if he was going to tell Father Smythe about Shark in Confession. Church was a good place to expose monsters. A fuckin million Hail Mary's and an iron maiden wouldn't be enough though! 

In bed reading that week's Look-In, with Kwai Chang Caine on the cover, Nick got excited about the free dragon badge and couldn't wait to wear it and show Chas the following day.

Morning came and after Reddy Brek and a cuppa Nick flanneled his face half-heartedly over the kitchen sink.

Nick, you scruff, I can still see a tide mark on your neck! 

His Dad scolded him, half-smiling, his youngest reminding him of how hard he'd had it. He didn't want that for his boys.

Nick went upstairs to the bathroom. 

He could see his two older brothers in bed. Both pale. One fast on, the other listlessly reading a Superbikes mag. 

He saw his Mum through her bedroom door counting her rosary beads in front of the mirror. She looked like an angel at the window of heaven yet somehow, a darkness seemed to be gathering at the edges and she seemed worried.

Nick felt a shiver and splashed water over his head.

Picking up a box of Action Men he ran downstairs shouting.

I'm off to Chas's Mum.

OK, son. Stay away from the roads.

Nick fastened the footlocker box to his Chopper and cycled the few streets to his mate's. 

I've got the new German Stormtrooper. The stick bomb's friggin brill!

Cool!

The boys, sat on old leather car seats in the back yard, laid out the toy figures and dressed them, medals and all.

How are you mate? That Shark's a right mean twatface!

I'm OK. I don't really want to talk about it if that's alright. I still feel kind of sick.

Sure. What do you reckon to the new uniform?

It's ace mate. The helmet's bang on. Better than my Commando.

Yeah, but yours talks.

Yeah, and it's saying I hope that fuckin cunt Shark burns in fuckin hell!

Nick stared at Chas. He knew he wasn't alright, but left it alone.

Fancy going down the swings?

What, Pedders Park?

Yeah.

Why not. 

Race ya!

The two boys cycled down long leafy streets to the playground, where they sat on the swings, going higher and higher until Nick jumped off and landed smack in front of Shark.

Hey.

Hey.

You just can't keep away from me you little cherubs can you!

He waved goodbye to a red haired girl who'd been with him.

I guess not.

Nick had his hands in his pockets and his feet kicking dust. 

Hey, no hard feeling about yesterday Chas. Alright mate? 

Chas nodded and carried on swinging, never wanting to come down ever.

Listen mate, I know you like monsters and all that shit. I've heard about summat dead creepy over in High Drops. Thought you might be interested.

What is it?

Ooh, now that'd be telling. Give us some dosh and I'll tell ya.

Dosh? 

Yeah, cally. Whatever's in your pockets.

Ive got a shilling and a packet of refreshers.

That'll do. And that badge too.

Nick had forgotten about his Kung Fu badge from Look-In.

Fuck. He took it off.

Shark snatched them all from Nick's palm.

It's a coffin.

What is?

The creepy shit I was on about. There's a coffin underneath the derelict house at High Drops.

Howd'ya know?

I've seen it already.

What's in it?

Dunno but I bet it's summat fuckin spooky as shit or else why would a coffin be down there! I'm going to open it up.

Nick was torn. He couldn't stand Shark but his curiosity was piqued. Coffins fascinated him.

If you want I'll show you mate.

Only if Chas can come too.

Shark smiled and nodded. Like lambs to the slaughter.

After a brief discussion at the swings the two boys picked up their bikes.

Don't worry Chas. I won't let him do anything to you. It'll be brill if it is a coffin mate.

The three of them rode through Summerville to the old church district of High Drops. 

In the shadow of the huge spire with the high window nobody could possibly reach, terraced houses stood in lines like dominoes waiting to fall. The cobbled road was undulated as if something was coming up. Tar oozed between the round stones like bile. 

With no-one around except a red-haired girl watching from the street corner and the church bells peeling, as if the ringers were mad, Nick thought the whole place looked like a graveyard, but when Shark walked them to the derelict mansion and they stood in front of its cavernous black rooms, his heart nearly stopped. This was far far creepier than he'd imagined.

It's down in the cellar boys.

Shark, still scratching his neck, lead them down a decrepit stairwell into the darkest space they had ever been in, a lightless expanse with no apparent end. 

They shivered and jumped when Shark lit his ciggy lighter. 

The flame cast a strange scarlet net over the basement. 

The whitewash on the walls and ceiling was flaking off like old skin and cobwebs the size of blankets hung across the corners and the odd piece of furniture.

Nick tensed at the thought of just how big the spiders where in those massive webs. He shuddered and looked at Chas, who was clearly feeling just as wound up as him.

It's back there, the coffin.

The two boys peered into the darkness as Shark walked with his lighter held high.

Careful though boys, it's scary as fuck, I tell ya!

The three reached a smaller ante-chamber and judging by the gunny smell it must have been the old coal cellar for the house. Somewhere was the chute to the outside.

Stepping fully inside the boys could just make out a long narrow box supported by trestles in the corner.

There it is. The coffin.

Nick's heart was in his mouth. Chas's too. Only Shark seemed calm as he got closer to the object.

For some unknown reason a fine murk began to rise from the floor as if the coals were smoking. The mist grew and made it even harder to see what was going on.

Step closer boys, I'm going to open it.

Shark seemed oblivious to the fog in the room.

He gave the fag lighter to Nick and began to lift the coffin lid.

He's been waiting for you boys.

Nick and Chas looked non-plussed and stood at one end of the box. Squinting, they peeked into the half-lit gloom.

Something was inside the coffin.

Don't be shy. He's just starving.

What the fuck!

Something was laid down. A figure. It was a thin gaunt man and suddenly his eyes opened and his arms reached up for Shark, dragging him by his jacket collar into the casket, where the man clamped his mouth around the screaming teenager's and began to suck.

It was a dreadful sound, the worst sound the boys had ever heard.

The two knew instinctively that it was a vampire sucking the life out of Shark, literally sucking up his blood, guts and everything.

They couldn't move either. The coal mist seemed to be holding onto them. 

We've got to get out of here Nick! And I mean fuckin right now!

Chas wrestled with the fog and broke free. Nick held the lighter down, which seemed to repel it and he was free.

Don't leave me here boys! Pleeeeeaase!

Shark, or what remained of him, had detached his mouth somehow and pleaded with them, his dwindling hand outstretched.

They stopped but it was too late for Shark. They could see his body collapsing completely like an empty bag of crisps and when there was just a scrunched ball left the vampire pushed it in his mouth and licked his purple lips.

It was then he turned to face the pair of boys and climbed out of the coffin. He looked like a terrible leggy tarantula in that sick darkness and drool ran from his mouth in gouts.

Run Chas Run!

The two screaming friends clambered across the basement, through the shrouds of webs and reached the stairwell, where they paused momentarily. 

The vampire was coming after them, crawling along the floor on all fours, hissing like a snake and gnashing his fangs. Bits of Shark fell out of his crimson mouth.

Nick was never sure when exactly he got the idea, but he knew fire was the vampire's bane and when he saw that hideous beast slithering towards them he jammed open the cigarette lighter and threw it into the void.

Fuck you beast! He yelled

The cobwebs caught immediately and very quickly the whole cellar was ablaze including the monster on the ground, who was writhing in agony as the flames consumed him like a ravenous god. The thing shrieked and cursed as it shrivelled up in the unforgiving fire.

Nick and Chas escaped the blaze and watched from the street as the mansion's vile carcass went up. Others joined them to see the disaster but only the two boys recognised the agonised whimper of the vampire, charred and roasted in the basement.

As the church bells tolled once more, the fire was put down to faulty wiring in the place and the boys were never suspected.

They never told anyone about what had happened, not even in confession and never spoke about it again.

Nick took down his Frankenstein poster from his bedroom wall and packed away his monster kits. Chas stopped going out at night and both boys could be seen at Sacred Heart every Sunday from that day on.

They avoided the playground altogether, guilt about Shark keeping them away.

They never saw then the strange smoking spidery figure sat swinging in the darkness on the park, talking to the redhead and spitting between his legs,

The figure who knocked on Chas's parents' front door one night a week later that blood summer and walked right in.