Chapter 2
It's now 9 o'clock, I get dressed into dark colours, a black jumper and grey jeans. I look at myself in the mirror again talking to myself – ‘It will be fine, there's nothing to worry about, you won't get caught, enjoy it.’
I run downstairs to see my mum is watching Crime Watch on TV slightly ironic.
'Where are you off to at this time?' asks mum.
'I'm going out to meet Karl!'
'Where are you going?'
'Round to his house, is that ok?'
'You know I don't like his family James,' her voice being stern and serious which I choose to ignore.
'I know, don't worry I won't be home late.'
'I always worry about you, you're my son.'
'I know mum it will be fine, Ill text you when I'm on my way home ok?'
'Ok please do, you know I'll worry until your home.' I lean over to her on the couch giving her a kiss on the cheek. The guilt eats at me because I hate lying to her but obviously I can't tell her the truth.
Stepping outside feels strange there's a full moon tonight and there's a slight chill in the air. I put my earphones in and listen to some drum and base to get me pumped up. I focus on all the good things about tonight rather than worry. I tell myself how amazing it will be driving around in a car, music on loud, I might even try to do some wheel spins. The adrenaline kicks in hitting my brain fast, I feel intense excitement curse through me like a ten year old on Christmas morning.
The park is black, I can see the odd glow from mobile phones scattered around. This is the place where all the kids my age hang out drinking, smoking and basically doing all the things they shouldn't. I can just see a figure sitting on a bench with the orange glow from a cigarette, I can tell it’s Karl so slowly walk over to him.
'Didn't bottle it then?' Karl says in an enthusiastic tone.
'I Said I wouldn't so, what's the plan?'
'I've had a scout around the area and have seen a few cars we could nick.'
'Good, I was thinking a Fiesta meant to be the easiest,' Now all the doubt I had is gone, I’m not caring about anything and ready to do this.
'I've seen one, it's old and just off the main road,'
'Lead the way mate.' Karl leaps from the bench, we begin to make our way to where he saw the car.
There is a lot of activity in this area at night down to the fact it's a council estate call Black Town. Black Town is a large estate and is best known as the "Worst Place" in the UK. Reason being, Black Town has the highest crime rate in the UK with drug offences up at 95%. My family have never experienced any problems down our street however, we have seen violence in the park, down the high street and outside school and possibly why my mum worries about me all the time.
We turn off the main high street heading down a small road called Hull Avenue. I've never been down here before but heard that a kid got stabbed here for his trainers and watch. At the end of the road there is a tall block of flats, which looks the scabbiest of all, a place I would hate to live.
'How do you plan to get into the car?' Karl asks.
'We have to bend open the top of the driver's door and pull up the lock.'
'Sounds hard, look that's the Fiesta I saw,' pointing at an old F-Plate Fiesta, grey paint with rust patches on the arches.
We get to the car and my heart begins to beat fast, my mind starts to play tricks on me making me paranoid that we're being watched. Karl looks at me placing his finger to his lips as if to say no talking. Karl looks calm but I know he's probably feeling the same as me inside - shit scared. He points to the driver's door and whispers.
'Go for it I'll keep look out.' I place my fingers in a small gap between the top of the doorframe a yank as hard as I can but the door barely moves. I look around over my shoulder to Karl, he snaps at me in a whisper.
'Come on!' I grip the top of the door again, put my knee against the centre and yank it again this time with my full body weight and it beds slightly making a clicking sound. I repeat again and a small gap appears between the body of the car and the door just enough for me to reach down and unlock the car by gripping the lock between my two fingers. I quickly jump in shutting the door behind me, Karl stays outside to keep look out. As per the instructions I read earlier I pull off the ignition casing which to my surprise comes off with ease. I locate the ignition switch and pull it off leaving me with a metal casing with a hole where the key would go. I take out a screwdriver from my pocket, insert into the hole and turn. There's nothing, I try again, still nothing. After about twenty minutes of messing around I finally get the car started, adrenaline pumps through me along with the feeling of total satisfaction. A stranger walks past the car as this happens but continues to walk by minding his own business. I then look at Karl through the window and I see his face is lit up like a Christmas tree and mouths the words – ‘Finally.’
Karl runs round to the passenger side and jumps into the car.
'Well done mate you've done it!' grinning from ear to ear. I try to the turn the wheel, which suddenly locks in place.
'Shit! I forgot about the steering lock!'
'How do we sort that?' Karl now looking worried, ‘come on mate your taking ages.’
'We have to force the wheel, it's meant to be quite easy,' I use all my might to turn it but nothing happens, Karl leans over to help. The steering lock suddenly breaks sending Karl flying back and causing him to bang his head against the passenger door.
'Shit!!!' he says hold the back of his head.
'We're there mate!' I push down the clutch and put the car in first gear as shown by Karl's dad a few months back. I slowly lift the clutch and the car stalls.
'What are you doing?' shouts Karl, his tone becoming slightly aggressive.
'I stalled it sorry.'
'Well come on, we have got to get out of here, you said you can drive!'
'I can!' I turn the lights on and re-start the car, this time it starts straight away. I put the car into first gear again this time remembering to take off the handbrake and begin to drive forward.
After a couple of attempts of driving with horrendous bunny hops I get used to the drive and things start to smooth out slightly. By this point we are now cruising past the park.
'Go on the field!' shouts Karl, 'Wahoo!!!' this is so much fun.
'Stop! My turn to drive,' I suddenly feel anxious that Karl wants to drive. I reluctantly jump out of the car whilst Karl switches seats and I jump in the passenger side.
'Let me show you how it's done!' Karl pushes the car into first gear grinding away at the gearbox and pushes his foot flat to the floor.
The car pulls off fast after wheel spinning, my body tenses up at the realisation my life is now in his hands. Karl appears to have no control over the car and it’s steaming towards the park. The lights from the car are bouncing up and down across the grass that lights up the park. I look over at the Speedo and we're doing 30 miles per hour. The engine noise is loud as its still in first gear, Karl dips the clutch and forces the car into second calming the engine noise. Still keeping his foot flat on the floor I notice all he's looking at is the Speedo and not where we are heading.
'Look out!' I shout pointing at the people in the park. Karl slams on the breaks, the car stalls straightaway and skids to a halt.
We both sit there for a second looking straight ahead with the park only three yards in front of us. To my left I notice a crowd begins to gather. A tall black guy is now standing next to my window looking in with big angry eyes. I think to myself, we are now due a kicking. Karl leaps out the car shouting in his usual defensive way waving his arms in the air.
'What mate, what?' squaring up to the black guy, Karl's face only reaching this guy's chest, he must be at least 25.
'Nothing mate, where you get the car?'
'We found it. Why?'
'Just wondered? Good driving too!' Karl steps back.
'Cheers,' I step out of the car and walk over
to the crowd of about eight people.
'This is my best mate James.'
'I'm Ray, so boys did you nick this?' Karl and I both look at each other, before I get to say no Karl steps in.
'Yeah mate, was easy.' I was shocked that he confessed like that and could possibly get us into a lot of trouble.
'You boys are bad ass.' Ray puts out a fist and Karl connects with his, I then follow suit. I get the feeling Ray is mocking us rather than genuine.
'What are you boys doing now?'
'Probably drive round for a bit longer then burn it.'
'Nice! Mind if I jump in?'
'No problem,' says Karl. The three of us jump in, Karl in the driver's seat, me in the front and Ray gets into the back.
The car starts first time and Karl puts the car into gear and floors it towards the road. Once we are back on the tarmac the ride becomes stable well, apart from Karl's obscene driving. We get onto the main road and everything that was telling me why we shouldn't be doing this haunts me once again like a black cloud.
There are a lot of cars on the road and people walking around. Karl decides it’s a good idea to drive down to the local nightclubs in an attempt to show off, completely unaware of the amount of police that are in that area.
We pull up outside the main nightclub of the city - Beats. There's a swarm of hot girls around, none that take any notice of us sixteen year olds in a stolen Fiesta. Karl beeps the horn and calls over to a group of girls.
'Ladies, would you like to go for a spin?' Ray on the back seat is laughing his head off and I sink into my seat with embarrassment. A pretty blonde girl takes a look at us and laughs.
'Not on your life, losers.' I feel even more embarrassed.
'Look police, let's go boys,' says Ray.
Karl pulls off bunny hopping the car, could he possibly bring any more attention to us? We drive past a police car and the two heads turn to us making eye contact with me, so I look away immediately. We all possibly look very conspicuous and the police car begins to follow.
'Shit! They're following us,' shouts Karl. My mum and sisters face flash in my eyes, the guilt rages through me.
'Guys we need to stop, get out and run, I can't get into trouble for this.' I'm trying to sound confident but can't seem to disguise the quiver in my voice.
'Calm down, they won't pull us over.' I look at Karl as if to say his words are ridiculous.
'The boy is right Karl we need to get out and run like shit!' Karl looks at Ray in the rear view mirror.
'Pipe down man, this has nothing to do with you.'
'Pull over white boy, I'm out!' Ray becomes demanding, his tone is aggressive.
'Keep your hair on, look they've turn off.' We all flick our heads round to see the police car has gone. A weight lifts off my shoulders and I breathe a sigh of relief.
After about twenty minutes Karl turns down a dark lane leading to a lake we occasionally hang out. He pulls the car up in a lay-by literally a stone's throw from his house. We all jump out with excitement and return high fives to each other.
'We did it!' Shouts Karl leaping into the air.
'What about the car?' asks Ray.
'We'll burn it.' Karl pulls a lighter from his pocket and lights a piece of paper.
'Karl, you sure this is a good idea?' I ask, worried we'll bring even more attention to ourselves.
'Yes you cry baby!' throwing the ignited paper onto the front seat then car slamming the door shut.
After about thirty seconds the driver's seat is engulfed in flames, smoke rapidly fills the car. The three of us look at each other and dart through a hedge heading towards Karl's house. My heart races, I keep looking ahead towards streetlights about fifty yards ahead of us. We make it onto Karl's street within five minutes and the three of us are gasping for breath. Looking back I can see the orange glow in the distance of the car fire. I have mixed feelings of excitement and dread with no idea how to react.
'Same time tomorrow night then?' Say's Ray looking pleased with himself. 'I will drive next time!'
'Excellent idea!' replies Karl. I keep silent and they both look at me.
'You in then?' Say's Ray.
'Maybe, I'll let you know.' They look at each other with a grin, the three of us exchange mobile numbers and then head in opposite directions home.
The walk home feels long and drawn. I get paranoid at the possibility of getting caught. The police who saw us will recognise me, they will see the burnt out car and put two and two together. My mum will go mad and my little sister will be ashamed of me. The guilt boils inside me but I manage to push it down trying to turn the whole event into a positive.
It's now midnight and I arrive home. I suddenly realise I didn’t text my mum when I was leaving which means she'll be in a foul mood when I walk through the door. I turn my phone off in an attempt to lie and tell her my phone ran out of battery.
'Where have you been and what time do you call this?' she shouts in a whisper trying not to wake Polly.
'Sorry mum my phone died, we got carried away on Call of Duty.'
'Get to bed I'll sort you out in the morning!' She turns and stomps up the stairs. I feel relieved she always forgets by the morning and everything will be fine.
***