Read Online Perry Scrimshaw's Rite of Passage by Chris Hannon - Free Book Online

good
measure.’
    ‘ So they just
let you go?’
    Joel sunk into himself and
stuffed his hands in his pockets, ‘No,’ he said meekly, all his
bravado and performance dissolving. ‘One of ‘em brings out a knife
twice as big as mine and they start laughing like dogs.’
    ‘ And then
what?’
    Joel shrugged, ‘I put the blade
away and dived into the sea.’
    ‘ What? Bleedin’
heck Joel!’ Perry laughed, ‘so the knife didn’t help you at
all?’
    ‘ Brought me
some breathing time before my swim!’ he said defensively, ‘and you
shouldn’t laugh, I got so ill from the cold I was sick for
weeks!’
    Perry let his laugh slip to a
smile, ‘Joely, pal, it sounds like a close escape to me and a brave
one at that.’
    Joel crossed his arms, ‘Aye, it
was. So you hold on to that for now. I never seen those fellers
around since, but just in case.’
    ‘ And you? What
will you have to protect you?’
    ‘ Tsk,’ Joel
dismissed him with a hand, ‘I got my smarts and my bravery. It’s
your first time at this. Take the blade.’
    It was true; he hadn’t done
anything quite like this before. Had never wanted to and still
didn’t. Perry nodded to his friend and slipped the knife into his
pocket.
    When Joel left him to try the
crewmen by the docks, nerves flooded Perry once more. He took a
deep breath and met them the only way he knew how. He pulled up his
collar, mussed up his hair and hoped it made him appear a bit
dangerous.
    Inside, a set of stairs to his
right led up into darkness but the main bar was full to the brim, a
jumble of conversations and laughter ringing under a fug of smoke.
He looked around uneasily, not sure exactly where to try. Six
stocky men sat around a bench by the window, a woman with fire-red
hair sat on one of their laps, giggling. Not there. Perhaps he
should buy a drink first, try and fit in, but people were packed in
so tight he doubted he’d make it to the bar without elbowing his
way through. Then, in a nook under the stairs, he spied three men
around a circular table gripping tankards with no woman in their
company. Sailors, he guessed by their thick jackets. Lonely,
perhaps, from time at sea with no woman warming their beds. Sailors
were his best bet.
    He strolled over as confidently
as he could, ducked into the nook and cleared his throat.
    ‘ Scuse me
misters…’
    They stopped their conversation
and his confidence drained at the sight of them. Close up, the one
on Perry’s left was bald as a fly-rink with a nasty scar on his
cheek. The next sailor was smaller, bearded, with ginger hair
sprouting from under his cap. Small black eyes and a hooter nose
poked through the undergrowth. Between them was a wide man, with a
mop of greasy black hair and a jaw that looked like it could crack
walnuts.
    ‘ What is it
boy?’ said Jaw, his accent strange.
    ‘ Sorry, right.
Yes,’ Perry regained his composure, he was here now, he’d best try.
‘Well, I was wondering if I might interest you gents in the company
of one of Southampton’s finest…er…d-dames?’
    The three sailors exchanged
confused glances.
    ‘ Dames?’
Fly-rink said.
    Perry felt hot
and tugged at his collar, ‘Er- women. Well, a woman.’
    Jaw smiled, ‘Tell me, this
“dame” of yours, can we see what she looks like?’
    Perry scratched his head, he
hadn’t counted on being asked such a thing, ‘Well it’s a bit of a
walk see. I’ll take you there myself.’
    Ginger-beard let out an odd
high-pitched titter and shook his head. Fly-rink narrowed his eyes,
‘What sort of fleabag must she be eh? Sending a boy like this.’
    ‘ A boy like
what?’ Perry said, ‘and she’s no fleabag. She’s lovely,’ he lied,
‘and cheap.’
    ‘ Cheap?’ Jaw
slammed a fist down on the table. ‘She sounds like a mud rat. Clear
off.’
    ‘ Cheap wasn’t
the right thing to say… what I mean is that she is so pretty, that
what you’re really getting is proper value for-’
    Jaw snatched his collar. Perry
winced at the