Acme Time Travel Incorporated - Volume 2

Ginny and Moth’s flat

“... and then he just broke his arm,” Ginny said. “I heard something crack.”

“Well ...,” Moth said.

“And as the guy was lying there screaming, Gabriel punched him in the nose. There was blood everywhere and ...”

“Ginny?” Moth said.

“Yes? What?”

“What were Pete’s friends going to do to Gabriel, do you think?”

“How do you mean?”

“If Paul hadn’t stopped the fight, what do you think was going to happen?”

“I don’t ... I don’t know,” Ginny said, “but it was ghastly. I just didn’t think that Gabriel could ...”

“I think the chances are,” Moth said, “that if your cousin hadn’t turned up, that the other three guys would have beaten the shit out of Gabriel. I think that would be what would have happened.”

“Yes ... well ... maybe ...,” Ginny said, “but ...”

“I don’t think that Gabriel had a lot of choices,” Moth said.

“Yeah, but ...”

“And also,” Moth continued, “I suspect that Gabriel has had some hard knocks in his life. I suspect that he has found out that if you let the other guy get up, it might end up worse for you.”

Ginny sat watching the fairy lights as they slowly went from dim to bright. Moth had re-adjusted them back to the setting she preferred.

“I think he’s a good kid,” Moth said. “I should look after him, if I was you.”

“And if I don’t?” Ginny said.

“Well ... he tasted pretty good,” said Moth. “I don’t mind taking him off your hands.”

“Fuck off, girlfriend,” Ginny said, chuckling.

“Ginny?”

“Yes, Moth?”

“Where did Gabriel go ... you know ... after you left him?”

“I don’t know, Moth. I didn’t stop to find out. I just walked away.”

“Oh.”

“He was wiping the blood off his hands.”

“Oh.”

“He was wiping it off on the guy’s jacket.”

“I see.”

“I didn’t think he was like that ... I didn’t think ...,” said Ginny.

“He was just protecting himself ... and you, I shouldn’t wonder,” Moth said.

“I slept with him the other night,” Ginny said. “I don’t think ... if I’d known ...”

“What ... you’re saying that if you’d known that he was capable of protecting himself and you, that you wouldn’t have?” Moth said. “Don’t make me laugh. If I had a sweet guy like that ... kind, considerate, yummy-looking (Ginny smiled) and he could look after himself ... I wouldn’t waste a minute.”

“He shocked me,” said Ginny. “I thought the fight was over, but then ...”

“What?”

“He just ... he just seemed so cold ... so ... so ruthless ... so cruel.”

“I think you should grow up, girl,” Moth said. “And maybe get some sleep. We’re both working in the morning.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Ginny said.

“Go on,” Moth said. “Get your head down. Catch you in the morning for breakfast.”

Ginny got up and made her way to the bathroom. Gabriel’s toothbrush was standing next to hers in her pink plastic toothbrush mug. She thought that, having talked about it, probably Moth was right. Gabriel had been doing his best to protect both himself and her.

She looked into the mirror ... her eyes un-focussed. “Where are you, Gabriel?” she whispered to herself.