Run Johnboy Run: The Glasgow Chronicles 2 Read Online Free PDF Page A

the sides ae it fae the fire underneath.  Ah could feel the heat under ma feet as the lino started tae sizzle and the walls started tae go oan fire.  Because the flair hid come doon in the wan go, Ah could see the door and the row ae nesting boxes still pinned tae the walls aboot twelve feet above us, bit Ah couldnae dae a thing aboot it because there wis nothing fur me tae get a grip ae tae haul masel up.  Elvis wis in some state by this time, howling the place doon.  He knew fine well we wur in Shite Street…long before Ah did.  Ah started tae panic and scream and that’s when Ah heard the basturts.”
      Johnboy fought the urge tae jump up and scream ‘Who?  Who did ye hear, Skull?’ bit he held his sooth.  Skull hid stoapped talking.  It wis hard fur Johnboy tae tell whether Skull’s face hid turned white at the memory as he’d always looked a wee bit peely-wally aroond they gills ae his.  He’d drifted aff again.  Johnboy closed his eyes and pleaded wae God no tae let him waken up jist yet.  When he opened them, he wis relieved tae see that Skull wis still sitting there, motionless.  Johnboy sat still, trying tae control his breathing…trying tae make it sound even.  He looked at his wee pal, who he hidnae seen since the last night ae the school holidays in nineteen sixty five, waiting and praying that whoever it wis that Skull hid heard hid managed tae rescue him and that that wis why he wis noo sitting there wae Johnboy, in the cells doon in Central.  Bit where the hell hid Skull been fur the past three years?  Skull looked o’er at Johnboy, hesitating, before continuing.
      “Ah bloody-well telt ye wan ae them wis in there. That’s why the fucking ladder’s up and music’s coming oot ae the place. Whit ur we gonnae dae noo?  Ah never knew they wee shitehooses hid a dug,” the first voice hid whined.
      “Furget it, man!  There’s nae way we’ll be able tae dae anything noo.  Look at the fucking flames?  Let’s go, the bizzies will be here anytime soon,” the second voice hid snarled.
      “Ah jist watched the pair ae them…wan limping and the other wan two feet nothing in height…slinking away…like the cowardly basturts they wur,” Skull whispered quietly, sounding as if he still couldnae believe it.
      “Horsey John and that wee Tiny wan?” Johnboy gasped, looking o’er at Skull, totally stunned and confused.
      “Ah could see them through wan ae the wee windaes in the cavie before the place jist exploded,” Skull continued, ignoring Johnboy’s interruption.  “Ah’ve felt really bad ever since.  Elvis stoapped barking and whining and jist stood there in the middle ae the flair, panting, wae that tongue ae his hinging oot, looking at me wae they big saft eyes ae his, as the flames and the smoke goat worse.  Ah could hear that Bob Dylan’s voice screaming at me fae the radio, asking me how Ah felt.  It wis then that Ah knew fine well that Ah couldnae dae anything tae help Elvis or the doos.  Ah kin remember looking away fae they eyes ae his, feeling really guilty.  Ah cannae remember any mair ae whit happened efter that.”
      Silence.
      “Aye, it wis the same tough basturts that wur well-known fur weighting doon kittens in GPO sacks and drooning them up in the canal…the pricks.  When ye think aboot it, why wid they feel any different aboot somewan like me?” Skull asked bitterly, wiping away a tear that hid trickled doon wan ae his cheeks wae the sleeve ae his da’s auld fitba jersey. 
      “Bit, Skull…it wis…it wisnae Horsey John and Tiny.  It wis they bizzy basturts, Crisscross and that big sergeant wan who done it.  The Big Man telt us…” Johnboy hauf screamed, trying tae put Skull right, while fighting tae control the shock that hid taken o’er him.
      “Naw, it wisnae!” Skull spat back at him.
      “Horsey John and Tiny?” Johnboy gasped again, bewildered, furiously rubbing the finger tips ae baith hauns alang the hairline