Chapter 5: The Crash

Clarence, Sumo, Jeff and Sophie headed down the street in silence for until Sophie opened the debate. –I was enjoying dat, good club dat, What's up with you lot?-

Jeff told them the story of the drug pusher. Clarence remind him of something that he had said earlier. –Well I told ya, there are druggies everywhere-

-Yeah-Jeff replied-But this guy was a creep and I was tired and I wasn't in the mood for geezers like that-

As they continued to walk, Clarence's dance routine became the main topic of conversation. –I wasn't sure of that place at first-Clarence confessed-But it's OK…I'm those into rap beats-

Sophie was pleased with herself. –I knew you'd like it-She said as she linked her arm into Clarence's-I had a great time…I'll be back-

When they arrive at the top of Sophie's street, Sumo and Jeff waited on the corner while Clarence walked her down a little. He had to make sure she got home safe but he also had to make sure he got his goodnight kiss. At a convenient spot he stopped. He had done this before but he still didn't know what to say, so he said the first thing that came into his head. –Where do ya mom and dad think you are?-

-Well, I told them I was going to the Unity with some friends-She grinned.

Clarence wasted no more time. He reached round the back of her head, pulled her towards him, and kissed her. But it wasn't a real kiss. All he was doing was putting his lips against hers and pushing. There was no tenderness at all.

Sophie tolerated it for a few seconds and then pushed him away. –I told you, you can kiss me if you ask first-

Clarence was panting. He had been holding his breath while kissing, now he was out of breath and overexcited –OK, OK den, gissa kiss-

He kissed her again. This time she took control and put her tongue in his mouth. Clarence started to run his hands through her hair, then up and down her back, and then his hands headed in all directions as if desperately seeking lost flesh.

-Ouch-Clarence shouted down Sophie's throat. Sophie had stamped on his foot. Clarence spoke, even though were still connected at the lips. –What did you do that for?-

-Stop ya from going too far-

Sumo and Jeff were on the corner, observing the ritual whilst trying no to be caught looking. Sophie and Clarence struggled on, but it was too much for Clarence. Soon the tongue went to his head and off his hands again.

-OUCH!-This time it was the other foot.

Sophie pulled away. –I've got to go now. I'll ring ya tomorrow-

Clarence pleaded. –Gissa nother kiss-

-I'll give ya a kiss tomorrow if ya teach me some of them dance moves-

-Yeah, it's a deal, ya got yourself a deal there girl-

He kissed her hand and watched her open her front door and enter before he moved off up the road where he found Sumo and Jeff acting as if they had seen nothing.

The Gang of Three decided to cut through the 2nd Street in order to get back on to Main Street. It was now one 'o clock and the big boys were out.

The Gang of Three knew this street well. In the 1970's it used to be a good-looking street where people of the high-rise buildings had no entrance doors on either the front back. Like thousands before them, the gang just walked straight through. Clarence glanced at the stairway as he passed and in a split second he noticed the condom packets and glue containers on the steps. As they came out of the rear door space, used needles left by drug addicts lay on the floor. Clarence crushed one under his foot.

Jeff was disgusted -I wouldn't even step on one of them...say if one went through your sole? Could give you AIDS-

As they walked through the centre of the street, they heard a sound of screeching tyres, the sound of a car being raced. It was just a block away and they could smell the burning rubber. The sound moved away from them but then they heard the car turn, and the sound started heading their way. All three stepped on to square paved area in the middle of the road where two of small roads met and where once a bollard had stood. Then out of the dark they saw a set of headlights approaching. The lights were on full beam, so they couldn't see the make of the car or the driver, an it was coming fast and revving hard.

The car went past the three, just missing them, then turned back towards them. Clarence looked up at the high-rise flats and was amazed to find that there were no angry tenants cursing out of their windows. Sumo was fearful and Jeff was just aggravated.

The car pulled up at the side of the concrete island. The smell of the burning tyres entered their nostrils and caused all their eyes to water. The sound of the engines revving up made all three cover their ears for a moment, until the driver let the engine tick over.

A shout came from the car. -Clarence, Sumo!-

Clarence bent down to look at the vehicle. He didn't recognise the driver.

-Clarence, man, it's me, Belson-

Clarence looked into the front passenger seat and then saw the face behind the voice. It was Belson, he used to go to Aberdale High School and was a member of the Big 6 gang then. Now he was a member of the Raider's Posse, a gang known for their outlawish activities.

Jeff bent down and looked into the car. -Why you making up so much noise in people's ears?-

The car was a red Ford Escort. The driver, who was unknown to three, looked older than Belson. Belson was always out with older members of the gang and had a reputation for carrying all sorts of weapons.

Belson shouted. -Come on. Let's go riding-

-Nah, we're going home-Clarence replied.

-Come on man, have wheels, will travel-

Jeff would have none of it. -Piss off, will ya-

Belson's voice took on a serious tone as he addressed Jeff. -You take care bout what you say, weakling, don't go uppseting me now-

Belson kept trying to persuade the three to get into the car. Eventually he changed tactics. -All right, ya gotta get to bed, we'll just take ya home-

Clarence began to weaken. -So you'll just give us a lift home-

-Yeah-Belson knew he had cracked him.

Clarence was now working for the other side. -Don't worry, it's just a lift home, we'll be there in five minutes, even less-

Clarence went to the back door of the car and opened it. Jeff was furious. -Are you really going? You're mad, you're bloody off ya head-

Clarence looked towards Sumo. -Come on, man-

Jeff decided that he wasn't hanging around any longer. -OK, Clarence, you go. Sumo, it's make your mind up time. I'm off...but I'm telling ya, I think you lot are mad-

Jeff walked away. Sumo looked towards Clarence, then towards Jeff and then he walked around the car and got in.

Jeff shouted to his two friends in the car. -What kind of friends are you two? I thought we supposed to stick together. What happened with the Gang of Three unity? All it takes is a troublemaker to appear with a car and unity's gone...well I'm gone- He turned and headed home.

Clarence and Sumo were excited. When they had been cars before they had just gone from A to B in orderly manner. Now the car was mounting the pavement, speeding over the speed humps, driving on the wrong side of the road and near missing everything. The driver had taken the car down the road on to the A13, a major road with three lanes on each side, before Clarence realised they were going the wrong way. He had to shout over the engine noise -Belson, man, let's turn back-

Belson didn't care anymore, he was playing with his hands on the dashboard. Clarence tried again. -Belson, let's go back, man. What's your mate's name?-

The driver looked about 20. He had long black hair that went halfway down his back. His upper four front teeth went halfway down his back. His upper four teeth were all gone and he had a scar across his left cheeck, all signs of a violent not so long ago. His face was pale, bloodless white and he smelt like a pub. -My name's Apache, yeah man, no mercy-

When he spoke both Clarence and Sumo could see he was on something. Sumo tried to get more information out of him -How long ya had the wheels?-

Belson played on the dashboard even harder. Apache began to laugh, a false laugh. Loudly he said -Twenty minutes, man, I got dis car twenty minutes ago-

Clarence shot forward. -What do ya mean, ya nicked it?-

-Look man, this is only a fourteen hundred cc baby. If I was buying one of these it´d be a two thousand. The engine in this thing is just a washing machine engine, I only nicked it because it cause I can't stand the owner-

Both Belson and Apache put on tough guy laughter. Clarence and Sumo looked at each other. Sumo shook his head as if to say no and turned to Belson. -Take us home, just leave us on Main Street. No, never mind, Main Street, leave us here-

The moment he said that Belson called out, -Coppers, there's cops behind us-

The police car was tight and behind them and flashing its headlights to get them to stop. Apache just put his foot down on the accelerator, speeding forward. The police car stayed right behind him. Clarence shouted angrily, -You bastards, STOP!-

Apache was not listening. His plan was to head back to the East Street, the territory he knew best and try to lose the police in the back streets. As he turned off the A13 main road, Clarence saw Belson throw a small package out of the window.

-What's that?-Clarence shouted above the roar of the engine.

-I'll show you in five minutes...when we get rid of these pigs, we'll come back for it-

They were now in a built-up area. The police put on their sirens and flashing lights. Apache and Belson seemed to love the excitement. Clarence and Sumo were terrified. They sped straight through a red traffic light.

Clarence gripped the back of the seat in front of him. –Let us out. You can do what you wanna do but let us out-

Sumo ranted frantically, -You won't get away with it, you'll get caught. I'll tell them everything. You didn't tell us the car was bloody nicked when we got in it-Taking a deep breath, Sumo let out a scream at the top of his voice-STOP THE BLOODY CAR, WILL YA-

Apache and Belson only looked at each other and laughed.

As they approached the junction with Main Street, they could hear more police cars in the distance. The lights were on red and cars were crossing on their way.

Sumo and Clarence shouted. –STOP! STOP!-

Belson shouted, -Go for it, man- As they accelerated across the junction, they were hit. The car rolled over once, throwing Belson out of the front window and sending glass flying. It landed on the opposite side of the road, upside down and was immediately smashed into by a post office van. The car rolled over once more and landed on its wheels.

There was a moment of silence as other drivers looked on in shock. The police car in chase arrived. The two officers from the chase car left their vehicle and approached the wreck in the centre of the crossroads. Apache climbed out of the front window and tried to run, straight into the arms of a police officer.

Sumo climbed out of his side window and screamed, -Help, Clarence's in there. My mate's in there-

He limped around to other side of the car and tried to open the door but the door was too damaged and would not open. He tried to pull Clarence out of the window by his arms. Clarence was unconscious. His bloody head just flopped down and Sumo was unable to shift Clarence's dead weight. A police officer grabbed Sumo in a wrist lock and began to lead him away from the car.

Sumo protested. –That's my mate, I'm trying to help my mate-

-We'll deal with him-The officer said ad he put more pressure on his wrist. The pain was such that Sumo was unable to struggle and he was placed in the back of a police car next to Apache.

Apache was rigid with shock. His eyes were fixed straight ahead, he was motionless and emotionless. Blood poured from his ears and the various cuts on his face. Sumo had no words for him.

Back at the crashed car, two police officers struggled with their bare hands to try and open the car door to free Clarence. Ambulances, more police cars and a fire engine could be heard approaching, their sirens echoing in the night. When they arrived, the police officers ceased their struggle and raced towards the fire engine, knowing that the fire fighters would have cutting equipment. As they did so a loud explosion stopped them in their tracks. Flames licked the interior of the car. The two officers raced back to the car an this time, with all strength they had left in them they dragged Clarence right out of the broken side window. His face was burnt and blackened, his body hung limp and his head rolled lifelessly between their arms. The paramedics laid him on a stretcher, lifted him into an ambulance and rushed him to hospital, whilst the fire fighters used their water hoses to extinguish the fire in the car.

From the back of the police car, Sumo shouted as loud as he could, -That's my mate Clarence. I wanna go with him, we're together-. But nobody listened to him.

As the ambulance sped away, Sumo felt silent, watching it disappear into the distance. Apache groaned, his head fell forward and he vomited onto the floor of the police car. Tears came to Sumo's eyes and he started crying silently.