Interlopers From Hell

Chapter 1

1

The press of boys surrounded the newcomer, jeering and baying loudly like a pack of dogs out on the hunt. One of them, a big, burly lad of around fifteen, looked to his g**g of acolytes, l*****g drooling lips in expectation, and jabbed the much more slightly built boy in front of him in the chest with a meaty finger.

“Edwin? What sort of a name is that?”

Edwin held the other’s hard stare, unflinching, even a little defiant. He looked from one contorted boy’s face to the next. “It’s my name,” he said. “What do you want me to say?”

A louder chorus of laughter. The big lad shook his head, pulled a face, and chimed in a mocking, sing-song tone, “Poor little Edwin – far from home and all alone!”

“Leave him alone, Stanmore.”

The new voice cracked like a whip, causing all of them to turn and gape.

The big lad’s face registered anger at having his fun interrupted, but his snarl caught in his throat when he recognised the boy stepping up close to Edwin.

“This has got nothing to do with you, Lawler,” said Stanmore, confidence leaking away.

“It’s none of your business,” piped up one of the g**g, doing his best to show support but failing. Fear sizzled in the air.

“I’m making it my business,” said Lawler, the older boy, hands on hips, daring them to challenge him further, “so back off.”

For a moment, the atmosphere crackled with tension, nobody moving, all waiting for something to happen. Even the noise and mayhem of the playground faded away into the background. For now, this was the centre of the world.

Shaking his head, Lawler put a friendly arm around Edwin’s shoulder and steered him away from the grumbling and very disappointed group of thugs who gradually wandered away, muttering angrily to one another.

“Thank you,” breathed Edwin when they were safely out of earshot.

“Try and keep away from that lot. I don’t think they’ll bother you again, not now they think you’re my friend.” Lawler smiled. “I’m Brian Lawler. You’re new here, aren’t you?” Edwin nodded. “Have you met anyone yet?”

“No, it’s only my first day. Don’t know a soul.”

“Okay. Let me introduce you to some decent kids.” He stopped and looked down at the considerably smaller Edwin. “Look, I don’t mean to be rude or anything …but don’t tell them your name is Edwin …Try Eddy. Honestly, you’ll get on much better that way.”

Edwin beamed and nodded in agreement, seeming to realize immediately the sense of Brian’s words. “Eddy it is.”

The boy given the task of befriending Eddy angrily kicked at the ground and watched Brian Lawler disappear amongst the melee of school break time. He noted the half-amused expressions on the faces of his two friends standing close by and glared at them.

“He is very kind,” said Eddy.

The boy turned and regarded Eddy, as he was introduced, and shrugged. “He’s Brian Lawler, toughest boy in school as well as one of the kindest. But he’s not someone you can easily say no to. But most of us owe him for helping us out with bullies such as Stanmore.”

“Stanmore. Yes, not a nice person that one.”

“He’s a turd.”

“Oh. Yes. Well …”

“And Stanmore despises Brian because of the way he sticks up for us. Ruining his fun.” He cleared his throat and stuck out his hand. “I’m Richard or Ritchie as some call me. Ritchie Rich.” One of the friends nearby chuckled. Richard ignored him, and Eddy gripped his hand and shook it firmly.

“Richard Rich. The man who betrayed Thomas More,” said Edwin, a slight smile creasing his mouth. Richard frowned.

“Weird to start in the middle of term,” said one of the others, who sat on the playground floor with his head down, rolling poker dice.

“Yes,” replied Eddy. But he offered nothing more.

The poker player looked up. “How come?”

“Just one of those things, I suppose.”

Richard’s frown grew deeper as he and the others waited. With no explanation offered, Richard simply shrugged. “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell us anything. You’re here now, so … what do you know?”

“Know?” Eddy seemed to fall into deep thought for a moment. “I don’t ‘know’ anything very much. Like I said, I’ve only just arrived.”

The others exchanged perplexed looks before turning away to join their other friend at playing dice. Richard took Eddy by the arm and led him a few steps away.

“Listen, Eddy, you’ve made a bad start, okay, but not everyone is a dickhead like Stanmore.”

“A d**k-what?”

“You’re weird, Eddy. Where are you from?”

Nothing again. Just that look. Closed. He wasn’t going to let anyone in.

“Okay, listen, getting on the wrong side of Stanmore was not the brightest thing to have done, you understand?”

“I didn’t get on the wrong side of him. He got on the wrong side of me.”

“Eh?” Richard scratched his head. “Look, Eddy, I don’t really know what to say, but just watch it, okay. If Stanmore hears you talking like that, he’ll make your life a misery. Stanmore’s a nasty piece of work.”

“I have noticed, Richard.”

“Yeah, I’m sure, but I don’t think you really get it, Eddy. He can hurt you. He’s done it before, to most of us. And Brian isn’t always going to be around.”

“Richard, you mustn’t underestimate me. I am not afraid of this Stanmore person. I understand your concern, but you must trust me when I say, I can control the situation.”

“Okay…” Richard’s voice trailed away. “You talk as if you’ve stepped out of another century, Eddy.” He silently cursed Brian Lawler for choosing him to act as Eddy’s guide and mentor. “Look, I'll stay with you for the next few days, show you around, introduce you to some people. You’ll soon fit in.”

“Fit in? You mean become accepted?”

“Do I? Yeah, well, I suppose I do.” Richard pursed his lips. “I’d really like to know where you come from, Eddy. You don’t have to tell me, but you’re interesting.” He chuckled. “Your accent, it’s—”

“Strange?” Eddy nodded. “Most people say that. It’s because I’ve moved around so much. My family hardly ever settles in any place for long. My grandfather’s work means he often gets called away to different places across the country, often at very short notice. Then we have to pack up and move on.”

“What does your dad do?”

“Dad?” A pained expression crossed his face, as if he had never heard the word before. Slowly, his face cleared. “Ah, yes, I understand. Dad. No, I have no father, Richard, if that is what you mean. He died. My grandfather is head of the household, and it is he who decides when and where we move.” He looked out across the playground, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “I have been to many schools in many places. Always the children have been distant to me. Some have been kind, most indifferent. One or two, like Stanmore, violent. Aggressive. Almost as if they see in me a threat of some kind.” He shrugged his shoulders and turned again to face Richard. “I have encountered the various facets of society, some attractive, some not so, but I have always strived to maintain my decorum. It is essential if one is to remain true to one’s self. That, for me, is the most valuable trait of all. I am who I am, Richard. People can accept or reject me as they so wish. It is all the same to me.”

Richard paused in the act of scratching his head again. It was the only response he could give to Eddy’s old-fashioned, clipped tone. “The way you talk … Eddy, have you come from a public school or something?”

“Ah, yes, some of my schools have been public. Independent, I believe, is the correct terminology.”

“There you go again. Terminology? Nobody speaks like you, Eddy. Nobody I know, anyway.”

“I see. Does it bother you? Do I make you feel uncomfortable, Richard? Or do I intrigue you?”

“I …” Richard, deftly avoiding the question, forced a laugh. “Eddy, you need to be careful. The way you are, it’s going to get you into trouble.”

“The way I am? I’m nothing special, Richard. I’m just alone and afraid, that’s all.”

“Afraid? God, Eddy, you don’t have to be afraid.” Standing there, blond hair flopping over his eyes, looking so pathetic, so small, Richard couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. “I’m guessing that moving around from place to place, making friends can’t be easy.”

“I don’t have any friends, Richard. As you have intimated, I’ve never been in one place long enough. I’m hoping that this time …” His eyes became distant again, and he looked down at his feet, shuffling them.

Intimated? Richard eyed him carefully, struck again by the oddness of this new boy. The way Eddy spoke, his manner, the way he constantly looked into the distance. He seemed to be looking at something. Richard couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but this kid would forever be a perfect target for bullies such as Stanmore. Anyone different, or weird, they were bound to attract attention. And Eddy had certainly done that because he acted very weird indeed. Perhaps because of this very oddness, Richard warmed to him. Eddy was interesting, the way he spoke about stuff: mysterious, a little bit exciting. A sudden thought struck him. “Tell you what, why don’t we meet up after school and I'll take you down to Bradshaw’s. Buy you an ice-cream, or something.”

This invitation brought a curious reaction from the newcomer. He grew agitated, shifting his weight from one foot to the next before taking to chewing his fingernails. “I’m not sure, Richard.”

Richard snorted. “Look,” he said, awkwardness turning to anger, “I’ve held out the hand of friendship, but if you’re not bothered, then we won’t go.”

“No, it’s not that!” Eddy’s face took on a wild, desperate look, and he squeezed Richard’s left arm. “I'll have to tell my folks. Perhaps you could come home with me, and I will ask if it would be appropriate for me to accompany you to the – the ice-cream parlour.”

Richard managed a single nod, which proved enough for Eddy to react as if he’d just won a prize. Beaming brightly, he steered a bemused Richard back to join his friends. He pointed to the dice on the ground. “Now, tell me all about this interesting game.”