BETH STRUGGLED TO BREATHE, as she stared up at the Gypsy wagon that stored John's body in the inside. She sighed, shaking her head as she kissed the envelope in her hand before sliding it under the door. Walking back to the Shelby's, Tommy caught her hand pulling her between Arthur and himself. "Stay with me Beth. He would have wanted you to say something." He instructed, squeezing her hand as she nodded faintly. "This is how John wanted to go.. in the smoke, and the truth is we died together once before." Tommy began.
"Arthur, me, Danny Whizbang, Freddie Thorne, Jeremiah and John. We were cut off from the retreat. No bullets left, waiting for the Prussian Calvary to come and finish us off. And while we waited, Jeremiah said, 'We should sing in the Bleak Midwinters'. But we were spared. The enemy never came and we all agreed that everything that came after that was extra. And when our time came- we'd all remember that-." Tommy spoke, being cut off by Polly.
"That god spared you. But what did you do with that extra time he gave you, eh Thomas?" Polly spat. "Not now Polly." Beth barked, glaring at the woman who looked down in shame. "John Shelby was my best friend." Beth began. "When I first met John, he smiled so wide and to me- nothing will ever compare to that smile. John Shelby, held my hand throughout everything. He was the first person and last person I will ever call my best friend." Beth spoke, letting out a huff as the tears began to gather in her eyes.
Arthur grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly and nodding at her through his own tears. "Nothing will ever compare to the love I felt for that man. A different type of love. I cant bare the thoughts of not having my best friend to go to every time, I need a cry or I need a laugh but I suppose thats selfish of me." Beth choked out, squeezing Arthur's hand tighter against her own. "John made a promise to my Calvin, who passed in France, that he'd protect me till the day he died, and he stayed true to his words. You were too good for this world, John and I hope we meet in the next."
Arthur turned, lighting a match and tossing it into the piles of wood that lay on the sides of the wagon. Beth turned, swallowing the bile in her stomach. Tommy caught her, into his side as he noticed the sick expression on her face. Leaning down he placed a lasting kiss to her forehead as they together watched John's wagon be lit in flames, the smoke swarming through the air. A silence over took as Beth stared at the wagon in disbelief. Tommy began to look around and Beth furrowed her eyebrows looking up at him.
A gunshot echoed throughout the air, breaking the silence of the cold morning. Beth dropped to the ground, letting out a piercing scream as her body began to shake, her sobs only increasing. It was only that morning the gunshots had stolen Johns life and yet again she was to reap the cruel screeching sound that haunted her. "At ease. At ease. Do not return fire. I repeat do not return fire. Stand down. The men doing the firing are on our side." Tommy screamed.
"Oh Beth." Ada whispered, reaching down to help the shaking girl stand as she cried into her hand. "I took the trouble of getting an invitation to Aberama Gold." Tommy spoke. "Oh fuck, now it's begun." Johnny Doggs cursed.
"Put us out in the open on purpose. To use John's funeral fire as a fucking beacon." Polly spat. "We were never in any danger Polly." Arthur spoke. "You set a trap." Polly shouted. "Finn? Finn? Go to the yard and light the fires." Tommy instructed, Beth watching the scene unfold in disbelief as her hands shook with anger. "You set a trap with us as fucking bait." Polly yelled, rushing toward Tommy. "Who's dead?" She yelled, pointing toward Aberama who led his men and horses with two bodies on the back.
"Our enemies." Tommy grumbled. "Who's dead?" Polly whimpered. "You wanna know, Pol? Two fucking local Italians who heard about the vendetta trying to make a fucking name for themselves, that's who." Tommy spat. "We got word to them, about the funeral. The where, the when. Told them where to stand for the best shot." Arthur explained. "And Aberama Gold will do the rest. That's the language of vendetta. They take one of ours, we take two of theirs." Tommy finished.
"You used your own brothers funeral." Polly growled in disgust. Tommy tipped his hat. "When did we vote on this Tommy?" Polly questioned, pointing toward Ada who held Beth against her who shook. "Curly, get a boat ready to take the bodies to the city." Tommy began. "And another boat, for anyone, anyone who wants no part in this. Cause this is how it's going to be." Tommy yelled. Polly began to walk off through the field. "Polly!" Tommy called but to no avail as Pol just ignored him.
"I'm not staying for this, Arthur. I'm going home." Linda spoke, walking out past Tommy. "Oh yeah? Homes 57, Watery Lane. You go their, you lock the doors and you wait for me." Arthur instructed, holding the key out. Linda ignored him, beginning to walk away but Beth stormed after her, catching her arm tightly and dragging her back toward Arthur. Linda struggled against her hold but Beth didn't care to listen. "Beth, she's pregnant." Arthur warned, watching as Beth got into Linda's face.
"You take that fucking key. You go to fucking Watery Lane. You sit fucking down and make a fucking cup of tea." Beth growled, snatching the key from Arthur hands. "You don't fucking complain because you're a Shelby now and you'll end up dead just the same as all of us if you don't fucking listen, you blonde fucking bible bashing bitch!" She yelled, holding the key out to Linda who took it reluctantly. Linda shot her one last glare before taking the key and storming off, Ada jogging to catch up with her.
Aberama had neared, a boy with black hair on his horse beside him caught Beth's eye. He tipped his hat, smiling slightly at her but Beth scrunched her face up rolling her eyes as she looked away. "Five hundred each. A thousand for the brace. Where do you want them?" Aberama spoke. "Charlie, take him to the yard." Tommy instructed. Beth watched as Polly followed behind them, nodding at Beth before disappearing. "Bethany!" Tommy called, Beth turned glaring at him as she shook her head in disgust.
"Just fuck off Tommy."
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LONELY| Thomas Shelby
Fanfiction"when they're good they're really good, when they're bad they will burn the town to the ground." in which beth returns to the gangster life that she once lived, where everything is the same yet everything has changed. BOOK TWO OF VULNERABLE SERIES S...
