James Kelman - The Burn

I’ve got to fucking ask, muttered Ray.

John nodded. He said to Lecky, Did I fill ye in?

Aye.

Ye know what you’re doing then? asked Ray.

Aye.

Ray nodded after a moment.

Run over the details with him if ye want to fucking check, said John.

Ray frowned at him. Aw aye, in here — that would be a good idea.

John said nothing, his right hand was in his pocket. He raised his left hand to his mouth and he chewed at his thumbnail. He looked at Lecky who looked back at him, then he looked at Ray. Ray shook his head slightly and said, I just mean there’s aye some cunt with big ears John, that’s all I mean. . He sniffed: Did ye mind the equipment?

John grinned suddenly at Lecky and he nodded at the nearby wall: Nice decor in this place innit!

Lecky smiled.

Soon Ray was swallowing down the rest of his lager and was leading the way through the bar to the exit. Down the street he stopped off at a shop and bought a packet of chewing gum, unwrapped a stick and shoved it into his mouth. Then he ripped the cellophane off a ten packet of cigarettes and withdrew one, shut the packet.

Thanks mate, said John.

Ray opened it again and gave him one, and he gave one to Lecky without a word.

No chewing gum? said John.

Ray sighed and brought the packet back out.

They walked steadily, Ray always a stride or two ahead of the other pair. The place was way along east, not far from the river, a sort of minor industrial estate which had been created mainly by renovating old warehouses and other disused buildings, but there were also newer buildings, long one-storey structures. The area itself was old, the streets still part-cobbled; most of it now in total darkness.

Lecky wasnt sure what the time was; the last he had seen was the clock on the mantelpiece in John’s kitchen. By now it had to be getting on for eleven o’clock, maybe after. Turning down a wee side street they continued along parallel to the main road. Three blocks on Ray halted before another corner and carried on alone. Lecky glanced at John but John stared after Ray, not making any comment. Ray stood in from the corner, gazing round it; then he waved them on, whispering just loudly enough for them both to hear: Come here and see this. .

He was pointing to one of the one-storey structures across the other side of the street. All its lights seemed to be switched on inside. Plus there was the sound of machinery coming from it, a dull throbbing noise. It’s a fucking nightshift, he whispered.

They stared across at it for several moments. Ray was shaking his head. A fucking nightshift, he muttered. Then he pointed out the building facing it, on the same side as they were now standing. It was an older building and looked like an ordinary three-storey tenement. That’s our gaff there, he said, down in the basement. We’re supposed to go in from the front shop above. Look, it’s right across from that main entrance.

John said, Jesus Christ.

Fucking unbelievable.

Did your mate no tell ye like?

Naw Christ, he couldni have known.

Surely he could’ve fucking found out?

He probably didni even think about it John.

Fucking dickie.

Ray stepped away from the corner and he leant against the wall. He brought out his cigarettes and passed one to each of the other two, flicked his lighter. When they were smoking he said, It’s a bastard. Anybody could come walking out and they’d see us a mile away. Even if they just looked out the fucking window.

Lecky frowned. He said, D’you mean ye didni know there was a nightshift on at all?

Ray glanced at him then glanced away.

And John replied, Naw Lecky, that’s what he’s saying.

Wh! Lecky shook his head: No knowing they were working a nightshift man that’s mental.

Ray turned sharply to John: What’s up with your mate, has he got a problem?

John sniffed, he started chewing on his left thumbnail.

Fucking mental, said Lecky.

Ray looked at him: D’ye think I’d brought yous if I’d fucking knew? Eh? Do us a favour.

Lecky didnt reply. John now walked to the corner, the cigarette cupped in his left hand. He stood peering round for a while, then he looked back and said quietly, We can still go in. Come here. .

Both Ray and Lecky went to the corner.

There’s nobody came out since we’ve been here, he said.

Aye but, Ray was shaking his head, Christ sake John that’s no even five minutes.

Five minutes — fuck sake man that’s all it takes.

I dont know.

It’s all it takes.

Ray was still shaking his head.

What do you think Lecky?

I dont know.

We can definitely do it. . John turned from the corner to inhale on his cigarette, he blew the smoke away before peering back at the one-storey building. Eh. .?

Eventually Ray whispered, Fucking chancy.

John continued to stare in the direction of the low building, and at the old tenement facing it. Lecky took a last drag on his fag before nipping it and sticking it into his jerkin pocket. Some more drops of water landed on his face and he squinted upwards. Fucking raining, he said.

John was frowning at Ray: Listen man I’ve been going about sweating for days cause of this; fucking wife and weans man they’re feart to come near me.

I’m just saying it’s chancy, that’s aw.

Chancy! I know it’s fucking chancy. John shook his head, cleared his throat and spat the spittle to the gutter. I know it’s fucking chancy.

Aye well that’s all I’m saying.

John looked at him, and then he was walking out from the corner and down the street across from the one-storey building. And Ray followed immediately, the pair keeping close in to the shadows at the side of the old tenement wall. A moment later and Lecky set off at the rear, aware of a funny feeling in his legs. The other two had gone about ten yards beyond the doorway of the shop they were entering and when Lecky reached them they both waved him on to where he was to position himself, down by the corner of the street and the main road. Immediately he arrived he struck a match against the wall and got one of his nips burning, sucking the smoke deep into his lungs and trapping it there, staring to the right and to the left, and back to the right, and nothing was coming thank fuck, nothing. John was staring at him. He signalled it was okay: moments later he could hear the chinks of the steel bars, and then a really loud racket of a noise, a rattling it was, really really loud, a really really loud rattling noise. It was coming from down the way and across and he pressed himself back against the wall, sidled round the corner to the pavement on the main road; he tossed the fag into a puddle then peered back round the corner. It was actually a mechanical gate, it was getting hoisted up across in the place where the nightshift was working. A chain seemed to be hoisting the fucking thing. A big wide entrance. Inside a big lorry was getting loaded up. A couple of men doing it. They were talking away about something, their voices carrying. And the driver was in the lorry and switched on the starter, the engine revving up, the headlight beams. And then other headlight beams away in the distance of something coming on the main road, a motor car, travelling fast. Lecky kept tight into the wall. After it passed he peered round the corner again, seeing the lorry now being guided out by a big skinny guy in dungarees and specs, and if he was just to walk another twenty yards or something he would be right into the shop doorway and they wouldnt be able to hide from him. Lecky stepped back out of sight, his eyes closing but opening almost immediately — it was the last thing to do — he glanced round the corner. The lorry had turned now and the driver’s head was at the window, he was exchanging words with the big skinny guy Lecky stepped into the shadowiest bit of the wall. Soon the lorry appeared at the corner, the driver turning the wheel hand over fist, and breaking a moment to shift gear; and it was out onto the main road, picking up speed. Lecky stared after it until the red tail-lights were no longer visible. Another motor car was coming. He stayed where he was until it too had gone. When he peered back round he saw John away along at the far corner, beckoning to him. Across at the nightshift building the entrance gaped open but the workers had disappeared. Lecky stood a moment; again John beckoned: this time he went quickly, not running but trotting as quietly as he could.