Flight of the Gazebo

Chapter 16 - Haves and Have Nots

Julian, Scab and Toby sauntered towards the Royal Oak, anonymous in their hoodies, hands thrust into their pockets. It was lunchtime and there weren't many other people on the street, but the boys were careful to look around casually before stopping next to the pub's cellar doors.

Stained dark grey, the horizontal wooden doors were set in the pavement at their feet. On Earth, when the brewery made a delivery, the cellar doors would have been opened to receive the beer barrels, but right now they were shut fast.

"OK, you dipstick," said Toby squatting to get a better look. "How do we open them?"

"I dunno. You just lift them up or something," said Scab. He bent over and tried to prise open the doors with his fingers.

"Did either of you two geniuses think they just might be locked?" said Julian.

"Didn't hear you saying anything about it earlier," said Scab straightening up and wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"What do we do now?" said Toby. He cast a furtive glance up and down the street. "It's bad karma. Maybe we should leave."

"Are you scared? Don't you want to find out how Vent was killed?" said Julian.

"Well, yeah. But we could wait until they make it public."

"Who's 'they'? Don't you see? 'They' aren't going to tell us anything. If we don't find things out for ourselves, we'll be kept in the dark and fed shit. Like mushrooms," said Julian. He shook his head slowly at the immaturity of his friends.

"Mushrooms? Are they growing mushrooms in the cellar?" said Scab.

"No you plonker," said Toby. "He means that's what we'll be like. Mushrooms."

Scab scowled. "I'm not like a mushroom. Speak for yourself."

"Forget it," said Julian. "Think of a way we can get into the cellar."

"Why don't we go into the pub and ask them for the key," said Toby. He sniggered and rubbed his nose.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," said Scab. "Except we don't ask for the key... We go in and walk around pretending we're looking for someone. There are stairs into the cellar behind the bar. When we're sure we're not being watched, we'll duck down those."

"How do you know where the stairs are?" said Toby.

"I've seen them," said Scab. "I've been in here before, you know."

"Yeah, with your dad," said Toby. "Don't try bullshit us about going to the pub on your own."

"I didn't say who I was with, did I? Dickhead," said Scab.

"Shut up you two," said Julian. "Scab's plan is the best we've got. Let's go inside."

The boys trooped into the pub. Inside was noisy and gloomy, and it took a few moments for their eyes to adjust and take in the people filling the tables and crowding the bar. The hubbub of conversation continued unabated as the boys threaded their way through the crush, with no-one taking any notice of them.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" said Scab. "What are all these people doing in here?"

"I dunno," said Toby. "Maybe they're having a party."

"No. They're drinking up the booze before anyone else gets it," said Julian. "Think about it. Everyone has to give all their food to that prick, Wainscott. He's putting it in the village hall, and he's going to start rationing it. But who would want to do that with the booze? This lot are getting it down their necks as fast as they can."