the card
tuesday 30th june 1981
8:34am
James and Lily knew that they were struggling, in need of money. But who could they ask? they couldn't just ask James' family all the time. it wasn't right, and Lily, well her family maybe as good help as "a chocolate fire guard" - Lily complained every-time her letters she sent to them were sent back, screwed up and spat on by the looks.
"Hes crying again." - James complained at their young child 'harry' who cried every single morning.
'do something about it then.' - lily thought. but best not to stir up arguments now.
"ill be there in a minute Jim!" she called out after picking up her own screwed up letter of the floor and tucking it in her pocket. but when she picked it up there was an unusual card underneath it. one that she hadn't seen before. it had four icons labelled with it with a phone number underneath; a rawring lion, a snake, a dark bird and a badger?
"how unusual..." she said picking it up and strolling into the kitchen. the noise of james trying to calm harry down growing louder. but her eyes scanned this card over and over again, as if trying to make some sense out of it.
she flung it onto the kitchen table. already growing irritated by harrys constant wailing. 'a break would be well appreciated' she thought.
"t's this rubbish?" james asked picking it up with one hand inspecting it, his other hand holding a spoon of orange mush to harry who kept trying to swat it away.
lily shrugged and flicked on the kettle. leaning against the counter waiting for the water to boil.
"wont he eat?" she complained watching james fuss over harry who kept swatting the spoon. but james just ignored her and got up. leaving harry to scream. lily huffed and watched james beckon out the kitchen into the room, still inspecting the card, the kettle flicked and she turned to pour her nice soothing tea.
lily then sat down to attempt to feed harry, no use, the whiny little git just swatted the spoon again getting mush in her blouse. she scowled at him and decided to ignore the baby now and sup her tea. she was feeling bliss in ignoring harry. that was until james came back in the kitchen eyes wide with a phone to his face.
"yes, yes! ill tell her now! fab! alrightie! tar" he smiled and put the phone back onto the stand he was walking around with.
"eh?" she asked him quizzically taking in his appearance.
"coming into some money love! all we have to do is go down to this centre place blah blah and we can win some!" he spoke excitedly, gesturing automatically.
"errr." she hummed placing the tea down not feeling at much of a bliss anymore. like she felt at bliss anyway. "that sounds a bit dodgy dont ya think?"
"lils!" he spoke still excitedly and took her hand standing her up. both of them ignoring harrys whining. "we could do with some money. could do with going away? dont ya thing love... look even *he* agrees." he gestured to harry with a little snigger.
lily thought for a moment. looking between both her lads. 'could with a break.' she thought. "alright... so what do we do?"
james grinned. proud of getting through to her. they were so gullible of what 'coming into this money' was at its stakes.
9:47am
it was at a decision. lily and james had decided they were going to 'come into this money' freely. james called his mum who agreed to look after harry while they were 'out for day' they dropped him off at potter manor. he had stopped wailing when euphemia potter (james' mother) held him. 'the picky git' lily thought to herself although amused by her son's preference. they bid harry and effie a 'see- ya later!' without knowing that they probably wouldn't.
james and lily got back into the car and sniggerd. they were so excited to be coming into money. james job was no good of course, he was a postman. 'ridiculous' lily thought 'he cant even find the right bloody nappies nevermind post the right letters.' but then again she was no better. she was a nurse but now ever since her maternity leave with harry the hospital had to let her go, silly really. they compensated her of 5 grand. but what on earth are they meant to do with that. luckily this strange card was sent to them, sent by fate? must be. they dammed need it.
they followed the directions the card had on it and they arrived. lily was right, it did look, a little bit dodgy, but they seemed to have forgotten about all that, their mind was set on taking harry on brisk walks around france.
***
the same morning at 8:50am
"FUCK YOU!" remus shouted with pointed fingers at the two blokes hauling his shit out the door.
"NO FUCK YOU. YA PRISSY TWINK!" they two shouted back in sync. as they chucked his lasbt load of belongings out the door.
remus was a squatter. he hadnt anywhere to go. he lived with his dad but last year he offed himself the day remus' mum split. she was a bipolar nutcase. remus never had the time for her, he didn't care when she left, sadistically enough, he held back a snicker when she flung her dinner plate across the room and left, never returning. that day was like a huge party for remus. then when his dad offed himself the next day he felt fucked like his mum had screwed him over one last time. so he packed his shit. called for the police and pegged it. not even looking back and instead running into random houses with people his age. in their twenties, hed often hook up with them so he could afford his dinner. maybe he was as bonkers as his mum. but he never dawned on that.
"didnt call me a twink last night when i was giving ya a blowie.." he muttered picking up his belongings
and throwing them round his shoulder. he gave the house he had managed to stay in for three nights his middle finger before strolling off down the street of mucky london to find somewhere new.
he was looking down. in order not to draw to much attention to himself. no one round here liked the gays. it was the 70s after all. and he had took his fair share of beating throughout his life. and just then he walked right into someone. a nice looking bloke. who didn't have a go at him. almost as if he pushed into him on purpose. he was in a nice clean suit. remus was taller than him though. which didn't shock him. remus was taller than most.
"you dropped something." the man said and gestured to the floor where a blue squared post it was there. remus had no idea what it was or what it meant.
"i dropped nothing.." he muttered looking at the blue squared on the floor.
"mhm. fair enough..." the man spoke. he sounded fairly pleasant and he just kept smirking at remus.
remus noticed his gaze and rolled his eyes. "its a tenner for the gob. thirty for both below.."
the man smiled and let out a bitter laugh. throwing his hands in the air defensively. "im not that kind of guy buddy... but are you interested in a game?"
"not really. outa my way posho" remus tried to push past him. he wasn't interested in getting beaten up by them superior straight men who thought the gays were 'sin'
the mans eyes narrowed and grabbed his bag pulling it off his shoulders as remus tried walking off. and he held it out like a dog treat. "you can have this back once were done.." he spoke nicely.
remus shook his head and just stood there. "were out in the middle of the street mate. you want something you gotta go private..."
"no. like i said im not that kind of man. im not interested in... *that.*" he smiled and held out a red card this time, matching the blue one. "hit this card onto the blue one. and flip the blue one up. you can get your grime back? a'ight?" the man spoke kindly. which took remus off guard. a game? is that it?
remus just smirked and took the red card off him. "easy." he spoke, remus was always smug.
8:57am
remus had played this mans game. the man even got involved and competitive. whenever he won hed just slap remus. but remus didn't care be was used to it. he was certainly confused though. by the end
of 'this game' remus still didn't understand? who won? what it was all about? but the man gave him his stuff back. along with this card? it was a card with a phone number on it a d four icons of animals? then the man smiled at said "for your future benefits." then left without saying another word?
"the bloody hel-" remus mutterd looking at the card, then the man walking away. before eventually turning away, continuing down the street. slowly approaching a telephone box.
***