May Day Part 4
The air had been punched out of my lungs. It was all unbearable. I would’ve slid to the floor like a pile of jelly if it hadn’t been for the two kind bar girls propping me up on the couch.
I sat there completely stunned. I’d wanted to protect May. I’d wanted to help her so much. I would’ve given her all my money. I’d have done anything for her.
Now she was gone. Just like that.
Someone tell me this isn’t true.
I opened my eyes to find the two bar girls holding my hands. Barry was still sitting opposite me, looking stunned.
John was having a frantic conversation on his mobile phone. I was barely aware of the cacophony of sound from the street.
Barry leaned forward. “Do you need anything mate?”
“I need another scotch.” I murmured.
One of the bar girls went inside to get it.
John abruptly finished his conversation a moment later.
“That was Dave. He’s here, in Bangkok!”
Dave! I’d forgotten about Dave. “Does he know?” I croaked.
John nodded.
“How is he?”
“He didn’t believe me. I told him to speak to the girl who rang Barry. That’s what he’s doing now.”
I could only stare at the floor.
I suddenly thought about May’s sister, Fon. “What about her sister? Does she know? Is she gonna be safe? We’ve got to look after her. We can’t let this maniac get to her as well.”
“Don’t worry,” Barry said, “I’m onto that right now. I’m gonna make a call that I thought I’d never make.”
John looked at Barry with a look of disbelief. “You’re not calling your friend in the police?”
“I sure am. Then I’m gonna bar fine a few of the girls from the bar to stay with Fon. Don’t worry about a thing Rob, Fon’s gonna be ok.”
I tried to nod.
Barry made a few calls then left.
Eventually John’s mobile rang. I knew it was Dave. They had a surprisingly quick conversation.
“Ok,” said John looking at me, “Dave’s checking into the Sheraton. He’s booking a room for you as well. He said you’d be safer there.”
“He’s not angry with me?”
“Of course not. We’ll get moving in a few minutes if you’re ready.”
I nodded slowly.
With the help of Brian and John I shifted hotels. I was in a trance like state. Nothing was real.
When we got to the lobby of the Sheraton, Dave was there, calmly waiting for us.
I was surprised at how calm he seemed. Nobody spoke much. Dave already had the keys so we went straight up to the rooms he’d booked. We all congregated in my room.
Everyone stood around speechless. Dave just stared out the window.
“I’m sorry Dave,” I finally said. “I tried to help her. She just kept running away.”
“I know. I know what she’s like. She’s been having trouble for years. She’d never let me help her.”
Dave still seemed remarkably calm.
Brian was more subdued than usual. “Are you safe being in Bangkok Dave?”
“I think so. I’ve got a few people here who’ll help me out. I’m not worried.”
“Did you know she had a sister?” I said.
Dave looked stunned. “Who May?”
I nodded.
Dave looked confused for a very long time. “What do you mean?”
“Sting Ray bar, Soi Cowboy,” said John, “there’s a girl there who looks exactly like her. Barry’s with her now, making sure she’s ok.”
Dave slowly sat down on the couch. “She never told me she had a sister.”
Brian began to look a little annoyed as usual. “There’s something going on here Dave.”
Dave stared at the floor in silent confusion.
John suddenly got out his phone and called Barry. “Shit. Barry’s not answering his phone. It’s switched off!”
Everyone froze for a few seconds. My state of shock was replaced by a state of fear and panic.
This maniac’s gonna get us all.
“Shit,” said John, “he’s by himself too.”
“I reckon two of us get down to the Sting Ray bar and find out where the hell he is,” suggested Brian, keeping a cool head.
“Good thinking,” said John, “me and you should go. Dave, Rob, you wait here until we call you.”
I tried to protest but before I could say anything John and Brian raced out the door.
“I’m sorry about all this,” said Dave shaking his head after the door slammed shut. “Are you sure May has a sister?”
“I honestly don’t know if it was the same girl or not. I thought they looked a little different, but now I just don’t know anymore.”
“I know one thing,” Dave said angrily, “that bastard’s gonna get it. I’ve been indirectly financing that fuckwit’s life and this is how he pays me back! He’s fucked.”
I sat in a chair completely frozen as Dave ranted about how he wanted the crazy brother dead.
Eventually Dave calmed down and then he noticed the swelling on my face.
“Are you ok? Do you want to get to the hospital?”
I shook my head. “No. I just want that piece of shit dead too.”
We stared at each other for a few moments, realizing that we both wanted extreme revenge.
I got the feeling Dave already knew he’d have his revenge.
After Dave had made some frantic telephone calls we both decided that we couldn’t just sit around. Doing nothing was unbearable.
“Let’s get to the hospital Rob. I’ve gotta see May. I have to look at her face one more time. We’ll get a taxi. It’ll be safe.”
I nervously agreed and a minute later we were out of the room.
When we walked out the elevator into the hotel lobby, Dave’s telephone rang. Every call someone got made me more and more tense.
I kept hoping someone would call and say it was all a mistake and May was ok, but that call never came.
Dave spoke in English but I wasn’t sure what the hell he was talking about. He paced around nervously as he spoke.
This made me even more nervous and tense.
Dave finally got off the phone. “The sky train station. We’re gonna make this maniac show his face.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t worry, it’s all under control, just follow me.”
I had no idea what Dave meant but I didn’t like the idea of walking around everywhere. There could be any number of people out to get us.
When we got to the sky train, we just walked around in circles for a while on the street and then stood around near the stairs. Eventually we went up the stairs and hung around the ticket gates. In my state of mind I was in no mood to just stand around. I’d felt safe in the hotel room, being on the street scared me senseless.
“Are you sure this is a good idea Dave?”
“Trust me.”
“But don’t you think this guy’s got friends?”
“I know he has.”
“Well, that makes me feel better.” I paced around nervously. I felt even more nervous when a stream of people filed out of the ticket gates. Someone could’ve suddenly walked up and knifed both of us.
My telephone suddenly rang, scaring the life out of me as I was so tense.
“It’s Pete. Where the hell are you?”
“We’re at the sky train station.”
“What for?”
“Ask Dave, it’s his idea.”
“You should get back to the hotel.”
“I don’t think Dave’s gonna do that. Have you spoken to the others?”
“Yeah, they’re ok.”
“What about Barry?”
“He’s ok. His phone’s battery went flat. Anyway, I’m gonna tell them where you are. I’ve heard the brother is on the loose somewhere.”
“Shit! How’d you hear that?”
“Never mind, I just hope Dave knows what he’s doing.”
“So do I. I’ll tell him what’s happening.”
We ended the call and I had the extreme urge to turn and run back to the hotel.
“What’s the deal?” Dave said.
“The maniac is on the loose.”
“Good. Let’s go to the platform.”
“What for?” I felt more and more tense and uncomfortable with every passing second.
“Let’s go.”
I reluctantly followed. Standing near the platform, Dave took a few more calls. I was so anxious I couldn’t listen to what he was saying.
Then my telephone rang again. It was Barry.
“What the fuck are you two doing?”
“We’re standing around Nana sky train station.”
“I’m gonna kill Dave myself. Ok, listen, I’ve got some people coming down that way to help out, so stay put.”
“Alright, we’re not moving.”
“Don’t!”
“Ok.” I hung up.
We waited and waited and every time a train pulled into the station I got so tense I nearly threw up.
Eventually I couldn’t stand the tension and fear anymore. I tried to convince Dave to leave but he was standing his ground.
“Dave, do you really think this is a good idea? What if…”
Dave suddenly grabbed my arm and stared over my shoulder. The serious expression on his face told me all I needed to know.
He was here.
I don’t know why I turned around.
He was only a few metres away. He was very solid with tattoos on his arms and he was calmly dragging on a cigarette. He briefly looked at me then threw the cigarette on the ground. I noticed two other heavy looking Thai men behind him. I couldn’t see the station security anywhere.
I was beyond fear; I felt my life flash before me.
“Ok Dave, if you have a plan I’d like to know it, right now,” I demanded.
“Yeah, I got a plan alright.”
Dave then proceeded to do nothing.
Then he began to approach us. I stood frozen to the spot. Dave still wasn’t moving.
I was about to turn and run when the two Thai heavies moved in and kicked May’s bother in the legs and head. It was all so quick and unexpected it seemed completely surreal. I’d never seen a street Thai kick boxing fight. It was a violent sight.
Unfortunately May’s brother defended him self quite well.
Then before I knew it, there were Thai police at both ends of the platform.
The fight stopped for a split second and then May’s brother ran and jumped over the concrete barrier. A split second later there was a huge bang. I finally managed to move and I ran and looked over the barrier to the street below. A street stall had completely imploded.
There were CDs and clothes all over the footpath. Several street sellers were shouting in Thai.
Then to my astonishment he appeared from under the collapsed stall and ran out of view under the station.
A second later I heard a screech of tires and a loud thud. I had so much adrenaline coursing through my veins everything seemed completely surreal. The whole incident must have only lasted a few seconds.
Most of the police rushed down to the street.
The two Thai heavies approached Dave.
Dave took a step towards them. “Nice work.”
“No problem Dave,’ said one of them in an Australian accent.
I was too high on adrenaline to speak.
Eventually everyone showed up at the sky train station. Barry had called his friend in the police, which explained their brilliant timing.
I expected a barrage of questions at a police station for the night. It didn’t happen. In fact everything was wrapped up very quickly.
When I got down to the street, part of the road had been closed. There were a lot of people and police standing around.
May’s brother had been hit by an extremely large bus. He hadn’t survived. I never thought I’d be happy to see a dead person lying on a road covered in blood. But I was.
Burn in hell you bastard.
Dave had called in his Thai friends from Australia. They’d been teaching Dave Thai kick-boxing for years. I’d noticed they’d completely vanished after the fight. Dave said even he didn’t know where they were. He wouldn’t contact them again until he was back in Sydney.
Eventually John, Barry and Dave accompanied some of the police to a nearby bar. I wasn’t welcome to join them and I didn’t want to either.
Brian and Pete and I went straight to the hospital.
I had to see May for the last time.
