Ged wasn’t talking anymore; he was getting weaker, and struggling for breath. For the rest of the journey he kept quiet. His head was battered, and he knew this shit just got real. He had a debt to pay, a lot of money to find to pay for his mistake. He couldn’t walk away now, however much he wanted to. He had to stay in the game and work his debt off. He knew the rules.

Chapter Seventeen

Nancy stayed by Ged’s side all night long. She did all the talking in the hospital, told them that Ged was jumped as he walked down the canal with her. The police would be here soon, and they would want to know every detail of the attack. But she was on the ball this girl was, and she’d already hatched a plan to get Ged off the hook.

Ged lay in the hospital bed and lifted the white sheets up to look at his battered and bruised body. He’d had six stitches in his stomach and the doctor had told him he was lucky to be alive. Every move he made hurt like hell; you could see the waves of pain soaring through his body in his eyes.

Once Nancy had made sure Ged could get the story straight, she told him to ring his mother. When she arrived, she stormed into the room, though once she spotted her son laying in the bed, she nearly folded in two.

‘Ged, fucking hell, who would do this to you? Where was you, what was you doing?’

Nancy was the one who answered her. ‘We were walking along the canal and we spotted two lads coming towards us. I think they were high on spice or drunk or something because they didn’t seem right, they were loud and throwing stuff into the water. I knew they were going to kick off because I heard one of them say he was going to twat Ged on the way past. There was nothing we could have done, it all happened so quick. All I can remember is seeing Ged on the floor and the lads running off laughing.’

Clare clutched her son’s hand and stroked his fingers. She was crying. ‘You could have died. Oh my God, what would I have done then if that had happened? Ged, oh my God, son. I’m so glad you are still alive.’ She started sobbing even louder and Nancy had to comfort her.

‘The doctor said he’s going to be fine. Hopefully, the lads who done it will get caught. Ged’s the innocent one in all this. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.’