David Peace - 1980

Out, out, out.

children play among the waste no hope of death alone this night you are the ripper why are you not married who does your washing if you are not married do you like women have you ever been with a whore transmission four at about five forty five AM on Wednesday the eighth of june nineteen seventy seven the body of rachel Johnson sixteen years of age shop assistant of sixty six saint marys road leeds seven was found in the adventure playground compound between reginald terrace and reginald street chapeltown leeds last seen alive at ten thirty PM tuesday seventh of june nineteen seventy seven in the hofbrauhaus merrion centre leeds she is described as follows five feet four inches with proportionate build shoulder length fair hair and wearing a blue and yellow check gingham skirt a blue jacket dark blue tights and high heeled clog fronted shoes in black and cream with brass studs around the front so far as can be ascertained the deceased had been subjected to violent blows about the head with a blunt instrument and had not been sexually assaulted it would appear that the person responsible may also be responsible for the deaths of theresa campbell at leeds on the sixth of june nineteen seventy five joan richards at leeds between the fifth and sixth of february nineteen seventy six and marie watts at leeds between the twenty eighth and twenty ninth of may nineteen seventy seven details of the injuries to the deceased should not be disclosed to the press there is no evidence that rachel Johnson was an active prostitute the body had been dragged a distance of some fifteen to twenty yards from where the initial assault took place her assailants clothing will be heavily bloodstained particularly the front of any shirt or trousers worn by him it is desired to trace the following described man who was involved in an incident at white abbey bradford in november nineteen seventy six and a similar described man who was seen to pick up joan richards a prostitute who was murdered at leeds in february nineteen seventy six white male thirty to forty years five feet eight inches stocky build ginger coloured hair which was untidy and a gingerish coloured beard bushy around the cheeks but trimmed under the chin pointed nose and ruddy complexion this man was wearing a well worn jacket and blue bib and brace type overalls with a pair of trousers underneath it is thought that he had two rings on fingers of left and possibly one on finger of his right hand the back of his left hand is scarred this is described as similar to a burn scar and stretches from the knuckles to the wrist the back of his right hand is tattooed and he has the appearance of a workman and probably spends time in areas where prostitutes are known to loiter he has the use of a vehicle and is thought that he had use of a land rover or a similar type vehicle from june nineteen seventy five to february nineteen seventy six it should be borne in mind that the land rover could have been in the possession of this man because of his employment that he might not now have access to this vehicle also could well be that the beard has been shaved off e had changed my mind and danced with the boy until it was my time to go and eat chips together outside C and A and walk up to saint jimmies and lie together under the big trees and the starless endless black summer air e start walking up past grandways and the gaiety and e was startled by noise her clogs made scraping long ground as e dragged her into an adventure playground to stab her again and again she smelted so sweet so clean when she bent down to kiss me goodbye she was perfect just like a flower almost bursting with optimism and the sheer joy of life

No more sleep.

No more sleep, just -

Two huge wings that burst through the back, out of my skin, torn, two huge and rotting wings, big black things that weigh me down, heavy, that stop me standing.

No more sleep, just -

Wings, wings that burst through my back, out of the skin, torn, huge and rotting things, big black wings that weigh me down, heavy, that -

And then they’re gone -

Just like that.

Just Exegesis etched into my chest, my nails bloody, broken -

Et sequentes .

The notes are everywhere, across the floor, the bed, the cheap Griffin furniture, my writing illegible even to me. I rip out and screw up the piece I’m writing, check my watch, turn the radio down, pick the phone up off the bed and get a dialling tone, check my watch against the speaking clock, put the phone back off the hook and leave it on the bed, turn the radio up, and then I start again:

At 3:10 p.m. on Friday 27 January 1978, the naked body of Candy Simon born 6/6/60, a half-caste Jamaican found partially concealed in a timber yard off Great Northern Street, Huddersfield. Severe injuries to the head with blunt instrument and stab wounds to the body. Deceased was an active prostitute, recently moved to Huddersfield from Bradford. Was reported missing from home on 26 January by flat-mate, also an active prostitute. Had last been seen on Tuesday 24 January by flat-mate at 21:00 on Great Northern Street, Huddersfield, getting into a dark blue-coloured saloon car, possibly an Audi 100LS driven by a white male about thirty-five years of age and of smart appearance .

I stop and then writing:

Bradford?

Flat-mate?

Traffic wardens’ records?

I move on:

At 8:15 a.m. Saturday 27 May 1978 the body of a female was found on wasteland in Livingston Street at its junction with April Street, Brunswick, Manchester, at the rear of the Royal Infirmary. Deceased identified as Doreen Pickles, born 8/8/40, alias Mary Brown, alias Anne Pickles. Deceased was a convicted prostitute and the area behind the Royal Infirmary known as a place frequented by prostitutes and their clients. Death due to blows to the head with a blunt instrument, a severe abdominal wound, and a stab wound to the neck. Time of death estimated to be between midnight and 3:00 a.m. May 27 .

I stop, thinking:

Next murder would be one year later -

Re-check case files on other prostitute murders in North of England, 1970 to 1980, not attributed to YR .

I stare across the floor, the bed, the cheap Griffin furniture. I check my watch, turn the radio down, pick the phone up off the bed and get a dialling tone, check my watch against the speaking clock, put the phone back off the hook, turn the radio back up, and I lie upon the notes, upon the bed -

Et sequentes .

No more sleep.

No more sleep, just -

Two huge wings that burst through the back, out of my skin, torn, two huge and rotting wings, big black things that weigh me down, heavy, that stop me standing.

No more sleep, just -

Wings, wings that burst through my back, out of the skin, torn, huge and rotting things, big black wings that weigh me down, heavy, that -

And then they’re gone -

Just like that.

Just Exegesis etched into my chest, my nails bloody, broken -

Et sequentes .

No sleep, just -

Dark heart of the night, dark corner of the room:

I check my watch, turn the radio down, pick the phone up off the bed and get a dialling tone, check my watch against the speaking clock, put the phone back off the hook, turn the radio back up, and I walk across the dark room to the dark corner -

Here sits the box from Mrs Hall.

I put the light back on and I open it:

Eric’s box -

Files, piles and piles of files, and a couple of cassettes:

A & B .

I take the Memorex cassettes over to the Boots portable cassette machine. I turn the radio off and put the first one in -

I press play -

I sit back down on the bed and I take out the files and begin to read as the cassette plays: