From a streetkid to a Peaky Blinder (Peaky Blinders)

Nightmare

(Fievel's P.O.V.)
When I got to the building that should represent home, but it wasnt home yet, I sat down on the front step and take a deep breath. Polly was the one who taught me how to steal moments like these, moments of freedom. I watched her take them standing over the sink with her eyes closed, so distant from the present that she didnt even hear me when I spoke to her. She took them to feel free from the life they had. Freedom from the violence and hardness of that life. But my freedom is a bit different. Eventhough house of Tran was not home, it atleast gave me a roof over my head. Mr Tran offered a roof over my head when I needed it the most. But it came at a cost, a cost that doednt sit easy with me. To basically annoy my past family to the point that they needed to get the blood from under their nails. But he never asked more from me than the childish jokes and tricks. His demeanor changed aswell not soon after I went back to living with them. There wasnt any physical abuse. But there was the mental, I was almost always walking on eggshells with him. Anne started to be the same. And to not end up on the street I just kept my head down. But not enough that my pride is broken. Anyway, freedom doesnt last forever. I got up, brushing my trousers off, before opening the door. I walked inside and saw my biological father sitting in the living room playing cards with his friends. I pull up straight, tall, so I wouldnt get scolded for slouching. I move towards the stairs, maybe he will let me go to my room unnoticed. "Got another job for you" Richard said without looking up from his playing cards. I mentally groan before turning around. I cross the room, carefully side stepping around his friends. "You're going to steal some money from that vault they keep" he said like it was the most normal thing in the world. "No. I'm not stealing from them. I can do the harmless jokes and play tricks on them to get them pissed. But Im drawing the line with stealing" I told him, my tone serious. Richard scoffed and his friends chuckled "and why not?". Believe it or not, the answer to that question was not hard but it didnt come out believable. "Because... they are my family" I had asnwered quietly. "They left you for dead, Sawyer" Richard said harsh as he used my fake name. I was still not, nor will I ever, get used to that name. Fievel was the name mum had given to me and Tommy had given that name a feeling of home. With Sawyer I didnt feel anything it was just a name nothing more. "And leaving someone for dead is not something what a family does" he told me harsh. Shooting someone with bullets is? I asked myself. "Now be a man and do what your told". I was trapped and I knew it. Eventhough I wanted to have my revenge on the Shelby's, this was not what I had in mind. They'll hunt me down like a dog when they find out. But I cant say no, cause who knows what will happen when I decline. How will he react? But I made my decision. "No. Im not stealing. And you promised that I wouldn't have to do something like that" I snapped at him. “Now, Sawyer, you have to understand. My word means absolutely nothing, and it always had. It isn’t my fault you got yourself so worked up over an empty promise” he said chuckling with delight. Anger filled my body, it was more towards myself. Anger at myself that I was a fool to believe his word again. After everything he had done. “You bastard!” The scream tore from my throat with enough force that even I flinched. But he did not. Instead, he shook his head, and clicked his tongue at me as if I were an unruly pet. "Watch the tone or I'll let them teach you a lesson" Richard said motioning to his buddies. Some of them cracking their knuckles already. "Now. I think you're smart enough lad to choose the right option" Mr Tran said waving the playing cards around. I looked him straight in the eyes before slowly shaking my head "no. Im not stealing". Deafening silence surrounded me and instantly I felt smaller. But I didnt let that bring me down. I watched Richard and his friends all stand up. "You're going to regret saying no to me, boy" Richard said anger clear in his voice as he stalked forward.

(Tommy's P.O.V.)
I stood in our vault where our money was stored. Polly standing beside me, while John and Arthur stood outside of the vault. Money was stolen from the vault and I knew who had stolen it. It was easy cause I had his peaked cap in my hand. The name Fievel was sewed in the inside of the cap. I looked over at my brothers. I felt anger rise in my body but I didnt let it get out of control. I walked out the vault and out the building to go think. Fievel's peaked cap had been stuffed into the pocket of my jacket. I can somewhat deal with his harmless jokes because I understand why he does. But this? Stealing? That is taking the piss. I walked straight towards the cut, one of the places where I would go to think. The cut started to come into view, but I stopped when I noticed something. Someone was sitting at the edge to the water. I grabbed my gun and drew it at the person as I realized who it was. "Do you ever have those days where you just ask yourself, 'why bother?'" Fievel asked not looking at me, "Im not talking about doing schoolwork or eating healthy. I mean why bother in life. Trying so hard and caring so much, for nothing. Cause no matter what my life isnt going to matter in the scheme of things" he continued as I slowly walked up to him. He didnt move, just kept his eyes on the water below him. He sounded drained of happiness aswell. "And today I didnt want to wake up. I was having a much better time being asleep. It was almost like a reverse nightmare, like when you wake up from a nightmare you're so relieved. And I wake up into the nightmare" he said and I could hear his voice breaking, "so. If you're going to shoot. Then go ahead. Cause I dont care anymore". He turned towards me. Purple and blue bruises scattered his face, his lip and eyebrow had cuts in them and dried blood was around the cuts. I could tell his nose was broken aswell.

(Fievel's P.O.V.)
"I know you've stolen the money" he said cold before digging my peaked cap out of his pocket and throwing it on the ground. "I didnt steal anything from you" I said tired and shaked my head. "Dont lie to me Filly" he snarled at me. "You wont believe me even if I told you the truth. So just shoot. Cause I'm fucking tired" I told him desperate. Without hesitating he lifted the gun to my forhead.

I closed my eyes and waited for my peace to come. Atleast my peace would come by his hand and not Richard's. The only sounds I could hear where, the water splashing against the stones of the channel wall, the birds chirping with each other and machinery from the factories in the distance. Other than that there was nothing. Then the piercing sound of the gun being fired of hit my eardrums.

Published: 17th of November