Blake’s 7 came to an end when the doorbell rang.

A teenage girl dressed in a fawn jacket, trousers, and hat stared at the ground when I answered the door. The guy with her was short with hair cut to stubble. They both seemed alright.

‘You coming out?’ the short guy nodded at the girl. ‘Debs want to ask you something. He almost smiled.

Debs peeked out from under the brim of her hat, cute. Nervous she looked away and tried to leave. ‘Tom, please?’ He held on to her arm.

‘You coming, she don’t wanna wait.’ Tom pressed.

I grabbed my jean jacket and thrust a pair of shoes on. ‘Back in a mo.’ I called out closing the door behind me.

Light was failing, the last purple bruise in the sky  turned black. The spring chill was ideal for a walk. 

Debs walked next to me, I remember her nervousness, something was wrong, but guys like me want to believe in the good in people. We left the cul-de-sac  in muted whispers. Others joined us, all teenagers, some I’d  seen before others were new faces. A buzz was growing. 

At a small crossroads we cut across the centre to the furthest corner. Tom appeared at my side and Debs mingled with the crowd.

‘Don’t remember me do ya?’ Tom’s boots clumped on the tarmac.

‘No,” I shook my head. In truth I knew only one them from school, school had not been a good place for me.

‘You snapped my line.’ Tom snarled.

‘When?’

‘At the mill?’ His eyes gleamed like demons in firelight.

Memories rushed in to fill the void. He got tangled with my uncle while fishing. ‘Wasn’t me, it was my uncle.’

‘Don’t fuckin’ lie.’ Tom spat.

‘Ask him,’ I pointed towards home. ‘He lives with us.’

‘You snapped my line.’ He shoved me. ‘Down, sit down.’ Tom’s lip curled into a snarl. He’s overtaken with an inexplicable nastiness.

‘Why?’

‘It’ll be quicker for you.’ He grinned sardonically.

The face in bathroom mirror looked back in shock. I was undamaged apart from the bloodied nose.

I have since learned that flight or fight are not the only responses. There is a third state where the limbic, reptile brain takes over and you inwardly collapse and become compliant. 

The reptilian me complied.

Tom grabbed fistfuls my hair and began a barrage of boots and knees to my head and body. I felt nothing. It was like being detached from yourself. Almost an out of body experience, surreal. A female observer in an upstairs window turned away and drew the curtain. 

Tom had done what he came out to accomplish.

I stood up and rested against the larch lap fence. Scanning the faces I found the one I knew and Debs, none one made a sound. Odd, considering this what they had come to witness.

‘You alright?’ Another new face, this one too, lacked compassion. He leaned casually against the fence, his face washed with shadows. He pushed my shoulder, perhaps hoping for a response. I must have give the OK. 

‘Go on.’ Tom lit a cigarette.

The stranger grabbed my head and he too kicked and kneed me until spent. 

Time was meaningless. Had it happened? Where was the pain? Nothing. Then I became aware of heat coming from my nose. Blood. My hands were red with my own blood. I headed home. Alone.

The face in bathroom mirror looked back in shock. I was undamaged apart from the bloodied nose.

Bruises came with the dawn. I had a puffy purple eyebrow and a fat nose. X-rays showed the cartilage part of my nose had detached and was floating at an angle. 

I went to work and got on with my day. Brian, the manager came to ask me why a police officer wanted to see me.

‘Probably about last night.’ I pointed to the eyebrow. ‘He’ll have to call round tonight, I’m working.’

Brian approved of my answer and disappeared through the stockroom doors. The rest of the day passed without questions. They would come later when the officer came knocking. I went through it all again. And again in court. And many more times in my head.

Time healed the cracks in my cheek and jaw but my chipped tooth  would always be there to remind me.