Dead bodies weigh heavier than broken hearts - Part 7

The last pools of sunlight were rapidly shrinking as Blackford made his way through the park for the second time that day looking for Colin. It was possible Colin could fill in some of the gaps between the photos, and he didn’t want to enter the Tunnel alone. The families were gone, as were most of the skaters, leaving only sun-stroked stragglers and those with nowhere else to go stewing amongst the empty bottles and blue plastic bags. Realising Colin wasn’t among the few remaining groups, Blackford hurried through quickly without stopping, the place always took on a sinister and lawless dimension after dark and he didn’t want to be caught short. Coming out onto Woodlands road, Blackford made a quick tour of some of Colin’s haunts. In each bar, red faced and slurry park refugees swayed and jostled with eachother but there was no sign of the man he was looking for. In the last bar he checked however, Blackford got word from an acquaintance that Colin was drinking at a flat on West Princes Street. Blackford knew the place and headed in that direction, picking up a half bottle for fortification on the way.

The party was spilling in between the house and the street when Blackford arrived. He made a few enquiries and found out that Colin had already left for the Tunnel. Most of the rest of the group were heading in that direction however so Blackford found it easy to slip in amongst them and travel en mass to the entrance of the party under Gibson Street. Taking a large swig of his Buckfast, Blackford tried to blend in to the noisy and disruptive bonhomie of the group. Before they’d covered a fraction of the short distance a number of the group had asked him for drugs; a hot commodity in a city shrivelling up under a drought. As they reached the entrance of the tunnel the group became noticeably quieter.

The object of everyone’s attention was a disused railway tunnel that stretched from a section of the riverside path, to deep under Kelvingrove Park. Illegal parties were held there at intermittent periods, usually spread through word of mouth alone or on online message boards. Sometimes these turned out to be false rumours or the plans were abandoned, but this clearly wasn’t one of those times. A figure with a torch had emerged from the mouth of the dark tunnel and was gesturing for them to be quiet. There were hushed whispers ahead, and the group started to descend slowly into the mouth of the tunnel one by one.

As the tunnel swallowed him up the girl in front reached back and took his hand in hers. He did the same with his free hand behind him as the group formed a human chain, steering each other through the darkness, the only illumination coming from small fairy lights dimly lighting the path below. Giggles rippled up and down the line and the person in front squeezed his hand with mock fear. He squeezed back, almost forgetting the reason he was there. In the distance, he could hear the faint throbbing of music, getting louder as they progressed up the tunnel. The music was soon joined by intermittent flashes of red and green momentarily lighting up the tunnel walls, before receding back into the darkness. As music got louder and the flashes more common, the line disintegrated and they entered into the main throng of the party.

Blackford surveyed the scene. The Tunnel was about as wide as two buses, the walls rising damply to meet each other in a half circle above his head. The ground felt loose under his feet, and seem to be made up primarily of chipped gravel. Blackford could smell petrol fumes and a quick glance around located a chugging generator towards the far end of the tunnel. In front of this and slightly to the left DJ equipment and a makeshift lighting system had been rigged up. Everywhere around him people danced, drank and urinated against the dark tunnel walls.

Blackford looked around for Colin and Angel, squeezing between people and keeping his head down. At one heart stopping moment he thought he saw Davies leaning back against one of the walls of the Tunnel, but the lights changed quickly and he couldn’t confirm it. More people were arriving all the time and Blackford was finding it increasingly difficult to move.

All of sudden the lights and music cut. People were shouting all around him and he could feel the crowd rippling and swaying through him. After a few almost panicky seconds, a faint low sound came from the DJ Booth, rising in pitch and volume. In an instant, the tunnel was flooded in light, illuminating every crack and spider web. Fists shot into the air as Kid Vicious took the stage, arms outstretched in a messianic pose. In the few seconds of brief, brilliant light, Blackford made out clearly a face he recognised, before the tunnel was plunged back into music and darkness as the crowd exploded. Blackford fought through the heads and limbs as he pulled himself towards the face in the crowd.

Angel was dancing when Blackford reached her and spun her round, her face registered momentary surprise and he saw her mouth his name before he pulled her away to a quieter spot.

“What is it?” he demanded when they reached somewhere they could speak. “Why did you want me to meet you here?”

Angel through her arms round him and drawled into his ear, “I’ve been trying to reach you – Jenny texted me, she’s fine!”

Blackford put his relief on hold while the girl explained herself.

“She wouldn’t say where she was, but that she’s sorry she hadn’t got in touch and that she would be away for a while.”

“Why did we have to meet here?” Blackford repeated, cupping his hand around her ear as he did so. She didn’t reply, instead pulling away and flashing him a wicked smile. She motioned him to stay where he was and disappeared into the crowd.

Blackford leaned back against the wall and let the news sink in, he took a large gulp of buckfast and surveyed the scene around him. Angel reappeared and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the depths of the crowd. When she found a suitable place, Angel put her lips up to his ear, “I’m sorry about today Blacks,” she purred, “I don’t know what came over me. Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it.”

She pulled away and smiled shyly. It was Blackford’s turn to speak: “It’s cool” he said, trying to sound casual, “I quite enjoyed playing detective.”

He noticed as he said this that she was pulling him closer to him and didn’t resist. She slipped something into his hand. He turned it over in his fingers, recognising instantly what it was. They locked eyes.

“Let’s go talk somewhere” she offered, holding his gaze.

Blackford nodded his agreement and let her lead him through the crowd by the hand, making their way towards the opposite end of the tunnel from where he’d arrived. They cleared the crowd but kept walking further down the tunnel, past the DJ and the generator and into the darkness, the music getting fainter and the light dimmer. Neither said a word. Blackford strained to look at Angel through the diminishing light, she seemed to be scanning the path ahead and her expression was pained. When she realised he was looking at her however, her faced broke back into a smile. Blackford stopped in his tracks.

“Come on, let’s find somewhere more private.” She urged, pulling at his hand.

As she said this, a sound came from further down the tunnel. Blackford looked in the direction the noise had come from then back at Angel. She was looking at him anxiously and pulling harder at his hand.

“I think its ok here” he ventured, unsure of what her response would be. She looked down the tunnel then back at him, this time with a look bordering contempt.

“Come further,” she insisted, gaining a hold on his lower arm with her free hand and pulling at him. He heard the noise again, only more regular, like someone running towards them. Angel’s eyes gleamed expectantly and her mouth contorted into a sneer. She took a deliberate step away from him at the same time as started back down the tunnel at a quick pace. He heard her shout his name behind him in vain as he made his way back to and beyond the lights and music.