‘Yi knew trouble wis goin to find yi up here.’

‘A’ve naewhere else tae go. Fuckin hell!’

‘Just run. Even fur a month or two! Go n kiss n make up wae slutty knickers. Tell hur yir sorry n yi miss hur!’

‘Nae chance, Stacey. Azzy Williams doesnae fuckin run.’

She sticks the phone doon n doesnae say bye. The cat is oot the bag, Azzy fuckin Williams is back. A’m no as para as Stacey. Yi became used tae cunts sayin they’re gonnae smash yi n its effects ir diluted over the years. As fur the rest, A’m back where A started. Azzy Williams, twenty-wan years eld, lyin back in ma single bed in ma maw’s like a wee dick teenager, dreamin aboot burds n wit tae dae fur a laugh. Monica is on ma mind. A still heavy like hur n seein hur took me back tae the eld days. A dunno how we compared noo. Her, a graduate n movin on n me lyin in a tracky wae Trainspotting n Tupac posters still on ma walls.

The Toi Boiz

It’s two hours later when A’m woken wae the windae smashin. A wis dreamin n the noise wound its way in – ma maw screamin broke the dream. A’m fuckin soakin wae sweat n ma eyes ir stuck the-gither but A bounce up rapid n pull on an eld Rangers tap n trainers wae nae socks. A grab ma bat n fly doon the stairs. Ma maw’s screamin fae hur bedroom, STAY IN, ALAN! Fuck that. A huv a quick swatch oot the front windae before A bounce oot in case there’s a team waitin. The broken glass is aw over the carpet n there’s a half brick lyin in the middle ae it aw. The venetian blinds ir aw fuckin bent. A rip the door open n peer oot intae the dark n behind parked motors fur any sign ae movement, but the street is dead.

A run doon the steps n intae the garden n bounce over the fence. A’m joggin noo, right up tae the end ae the road. A hud parked ma motor further doon the street in anticipation ae this shite. Ma maw’s at the doorstep noo in hur dressin gown n a few neighbours’ lights ir on cos the noise. She looks fumin. The last thing she wants is the neighbours tae see me oot on a rampage wae a bakey bat. Ma maw’s spittin oot ae firm lips, ‘Get in here, NOW!’ A keep the bat low n stand wae it on the threshold. A wish somecunt made a run for it. A’d fuckin kill them fur dain this tae ma maw’s hoose. She’s pullin ma arm back in the door. ‘Please, come back in.’

‘Awright, awright. A’m sorry, Mum.’

‘Second night back! Two nights it took for this nonsense to start again!’

‘A’ll move oot.’

‘Where will you go? Wherever you go here this trouble is going to follow you.’