Tales of Hamlet Way

Wayne knew where he could get a good price for all the gold items. He felt he had hit the jackpot as he smiled to himself and quickly placed the jewellery and the watch in his pocket when something caught his eye. Glistening under a pile of old clothes, he found an airgun. It was a five point five-calibre gun and there was a box of ammunition sitting next to it. He was about to pick the gun up but his body screamed out to him telling him that he needed his heroin hit, so he left the house intending to examine the gun on his return. Once he had sorted out his business of getting a shot of the drug his body craved he returned home. Feeling much better now that the drug raced through his body allowing his mind to become once more clear he remembered the airgun. He went upstairs to where the trunk was, taking out the gun he loaded it with ammunition. Wayne stood by the window looking down on Ethel’s back garden he opened the window and took aim at the daffodils Ethel had grown. One by one Wayne shot off the heads of the flowers, they shattered as the gun pellets blasted the petals, scattering the fragments of yellow blooms all over the garden. Wayne giggled like a demented lunatic who was delirious with excitement and pleasure. He decided to remain sitting at the window looking down on Ethel’s garden he wanted to see her reaction when she saw the damaged flowers. He had been sitting at the window for some time when he heard movement coming from Ethel’s house. Wayne knew she had returned home and it was not long before Ethel came out into the garden. Wayne grinned knowing that the old woman would soon find her shattered flowers. He watched as she walked down the path towards her bird-table and observed her as she looked down at the broken flowers. Ethel saw that all her daffodils had been destroyed she was puzzled, what had happened to her beautiful flowers. She bend down to take a closer look at the broken flowers, shaking her head in confusion she returned to her house looking very upset. Wayne though this was hilarious and spends the rest of the day in total euphoria. Wayne continued his vendetta over the next few weeks by throwing rubbish and empty beer cans into Ethel’s garden. He would watch her come into her garden and clear up the mess she knew Wayne had put the rubbish in her garden but was too afraid to complain. One day when Wayne was bored, he sat at the bedroom window and stared down into Ethel’s garden looking at the apple tree that was now covered in pink-white blossom. He watched as numerous robins’ perched on the branches of the tree. Wayne loaded and raised the gun pretending to shoot the birds, but he did not fire the gun. Wayne sat looking at the little birds as they swoop down from the apple tree to take seeds from bird-table. He knew Ethel loved the little red breasted birds so it was natural that they would be his next target. He waited impassively as the birds landed on the bird-table, taking aim he fired as a robin came into his gun sight. He missed the target and the sound of the gun firing boomed out scattering all the robins but after a short time they return and once again he took aim and fired. The second time he hit the mark and the bird fell to the ground. Wayne smiled with satisfaction and waited for the birds to return. Wayne had nothing else to do so he spent hours staring out of the window waiting for his prey, by the end of the day there was nine dead birds on the ground under the bird-table and apple tree. Late in the afternoon Ethel came out to refill the bird-table with bird seeds. She was shocked to see so many dead robins on the ground. Gently picking up one of the little birds she cradled it in her hand. When her hand became covered in blood, Ethel dropped the bird in sudden shock. She looked around as her eyes drifted in the direction of Wayne’s house. She could see Wayne standing at the window looking down at her and smiling. Ethel watched as Wayne slowly raised the gun and pointed it at her. Ethel’s heart almost exploded with shock and for a second she was frozen by fear then suddenly her legs came to life and she ran inside her house for safety. Wayne found this very gratifying and spent the night playing music as loud as he could tolerate.