you have to hang around here, Charlie?’
asked a voice in his head. It was Snow White. He liked Snow White, considered her a friend.
‘These people are normal,’ Charlie replied. ‘They don’t stare at me funny when I talk to you.’
‘I don’t like them. I don’t trust them.’
Charlie smiled wryly. ‘What is it you’re always telling me about being judgemental?’
‘Yes, you’re right. It’s just, well, they’re a tad dirty.’
‘You don’t have to look at them.’
‘Oh, I can see them, Charlie. I see them through you.’
Charlie sighed. ‘I like to come here and think,’ Charlie told her. ‘When I’ve got something on my mind, I come here to sort it out.’
‘I know, Charlie. I understand. What is on your mind
?’
‘I ain’t robbing no graves,’ he replied. ‘No fucking way. Nick and Tony can go do it themselves.’
‘But they need you, Charlie.’
‘Need me? They can find someone else to lift the lid on that damn tomb. Any bastard could do it.’
‘I don’t mean they need you for that. Any monkey with half a brain could do that.’
‘Well, what then?’
‘They need you because you’re their friend. You need to keep an eye on them. Look out for them.’
‘Why? Is something going to go wrong?’
‘I can’t say for sure, Charlie. But, Tony…’
‘Tony, what? What about Tony?’
‘He’s sick, Charlie.’
‘Sick?’
‘Yes. He’s infected with demons. And he listens to them. He does what they tell him to.’
‘Why does he?’
‘Maybe he likes them. Wants them to lead him. They got inside him at some point and he let them stay.’
‘You mean he hears voices in the same way I hear you?’
‘Not exactly. They hide inside him and push his buttons like a control panel. They guide him along and he just accepts it. Goes with it because he wants to. They’ve been inside him for a long time. Festering. Growing. Making him angry.’
‘Is that why he loses his rag so easily?’
‘Absolutely.’
Charlie reflected. Tony was an angry son of a bitch, of that there was no question. And sometimes it
was
like he had a real nasty demon living inside him. Like it took him over and wreaked havoc.
‘That’s why you have to go, Charlie. To keep an eye on everything, help your friends if they need it. Tony needs your help. So do the two Nicks.’
‘What about Marco? Who is he? Is he trouble? Smells like trouble to me.’
‘It’s difficult to say, Charlie. Those of us on the island cannot easily see into corrupt hearts. We can spot a real demon a mile off, but someone’s integrity is easily hidden. He may well be an honest person, but on the other hand, he may not be…’
‘What kind of honest person robs graves?’
‘That’s true.’
Charlie wasn’t sure about Marco. He didn’t trust him. The man had an aura of danger. Who was he? Where the hell did he come from? Charlie couldn’t help but feel Marco was planning to shaft them all in some way, and that troubled him deeply. Tony was too stupid to see it coming. The two Nicks were smarter, but the promise of gold would blind them to his lies and deceit. Now, when he thought about it like this, he realised that maybe Snow White was right. Maybe he should go and keep an eye on them. Make sure Marco doesn’t try any shit on them. He didn’t want to, but couldn’t abandon his friends like that because if something did happen between them and Marco and he wasn’t there to help, he would regret it forever.
‘All right,’ he said. ‘I’ll go. But, I ain’t robbing any graves. They can keep the sodding gold and do what they want with it.’
‘That’s good, Charlie. I’m pleased to hear it.’
Charlie sighed and stared at the dregs around him, wondering if they heard voices too.
He pulled his Nokia from his pocket, and called Nick XR2 to tell him that he was definitely in.
*****
Nick Black was lying on his bed with his laptop open. Bob Marley was on the CD player, telling him he’s got to stand up
asked a voice in his head. It was Snow White. He liked Snow White, considered her a friend.
‘These people are normal,’ Charlie replied. ‘They don’t stare at me funny when I talk to you.’
‘I don’t like them. I don’t trust them.’
Charlie smiled wryly. ‘What is it you’re always telling me about being judgemental?’
‘Yes, you’re right. It’s just, well, they’re a tad dirty.’
‘You don’t have to look at them.’
‘Oh, I can see them, Charlie. I see them through you.’
Charlie sighed. ‘I like to come here and think,’ Charlie told her. ‘When I’ve got something on my mind, I come here to sort it out.’
‘I know, Charlie. I understand. What is on your mind
?’
‘I ain’t robbing no graves,’ he replied. ‘No fucking way. Nick and Tony can go do it themselves.’
‘But they need you, Charlie.’
‘Need me? They can find someone else to lift the lid on that damn tomb. Any bastard could do it.’
‘I don’t mean they need you for that. Any monkey with half a brain could do that.’
‘Well, what then?’
‘They need you because you’re their friend. You need to keep an eye on them. Look out for them.’
‘Why? Is something going to go wrong?’
‘I can’t say for sure, Charlie. But, Tony…’
‘Tony, what? What about Tony?’
‘He’s sick, Charlie.’
‘Sick?’
‘Yes. He’s infected with demons. And he listens to them. He does what they tell him to.’
‘Why does he?’
‘Maybe he likes them. Wants them to lead him. They got inside him at some point and he let them stay.’
‘You mean he hears voices in the same way I hear you?’
‘Not exactly. They hide inside him and push his buttons like a control panel. They guide him along and he just accepts it. Goes with it because he wants to. They’ve been inside him for a long time. Festering. Growing. Making him angry.’
‘Is that why he loses his rag so easily?’
‘Absolutely.’
Charlie reflected. Tony was an angry son of a bitch, of that there was no question. And sometimes it
was
like he had a real nasty demon living inside him. Like it took him over and wreaked havoc.
‘That’s why you have to go, Charlie. To keep an eye on everything, help your friends if they need it. Tony needs your help. So do the two Nicks.’
‘What about Marco? Who is he? Is he trouble? Smells like trouble to me.’
‘It’s difficult to say, Charlie. Those of us on the island cannot easily see into corrupt hearts. We can spot a real demon a mile off, but someone’s integrity is easily hidden. He may well be an honest person, but on the other hand, he may not be…’
‘What kind of honest person robs graves?’
‘That’s true.’
Charlie wasn’t sure about Marco. He didn’t trust him. The man had an aura of danger. Who was he? Where the hell did he come from? Charlie couldn’t help but feel Marco was planning to shaft them all in some way, and that troubled him deeply. Tony was too stupid to see it coming. The two Nicks were smarter, but the promise of gold would blind them to his lies and deceit. Now, when he thought about it like this, he realised that maybe Snow White was right. Maybe he should go and keep an eye on them. Make sure Marco doesn’t try any shit on them. He didn’t want to, but couldn’t abandon his friends like that because if something did happen between them and Marco and he wasn’t there to help, he would regret it forever.
‘All right,’ he said. ‘I’ll go. But, I ain’t robbing any graves. They can keep the sodding gold and do what they want with it.’
‘That’s good, Charlie. I’m pleased to hear it.’
Charlie sighed and stared at the dregs around him, wondering if they heard voices too.
He pulled his Nokia from his pocket, and called Nick XR2 to tell him that he was definitely in.
*****
Nick Black was lying on his bed with his laptop open. Bob Marley was on the CD player, telling him he’s got to stand up
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