High Five: Pleasure Island

By Toni Bylend

Rick, Jay and Anya have been forced, coerced and convinced to spend a week away in the North of England, in the dull yet delightful seaside town of Kirrin. But spending a week feeding the chickens isn't going to satisfy the three siblings. All they really want in life is to get high.
After Gene, their monotone cousin, tells them he can help them with that little problem (with the help of his German Shepherd, Tim), they embark on a trip to Kirrin island in search of something to give them a buzz. But when they find CCTV cameras on the island, and report them to the police, they become embroiled in something far more dangerous and darker than they could ever imagine.
Pleasure Island is the first novel in a planned series involving the 'High Five'.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Toni Bylend
• Release date: Mar 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311158673

Toni Bylend

Toni Bylend was born in Surrey, in the South East of England, but did not remain there for long. Before she reached the age of 9 her father found work in the North of England. It was the seaside town of Filey where Toni came of age and found work herself in a nursing home for children. It was there were Toni found her love for telling stories, and it was her fellow nurses who encouraged her to write them down.With no prior experience, she found putting her thoughts onto paper challenging, but ultimately rewarding. Her son offered to word process her first completed manuscript, and publish it on the internet for the world to read. “I don’t know what I’d do with one of those e-books,” Toni once said, “but if people want to use one to read my stories, then I’m happy they exist!”Toni now lives in Devon with her husband, three children and two Jack Russel Terriers, who she takes on regular walks (her dogs, not her children!).

Book preview

High Five: Pleasure Island

By Toni Bylend

Copyright 2014 Toni Bylend

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is for SJ and LG.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Fucking trannies. Everywhere.

Chapter 2 –You can call me Rick. Not a fan of dick.

Chapter 3 – She’s been known to brutalise the odd stranger.

Chapter 4 – Uhh, this is normal?

Chapter 5 – We wanna get high don’t we?

Chapter 6 – If you guys won’t get high, then I guess looking at a corpse is the next best thing.

Chapter 7 – This whole thing is totally fucked up.

Chapter 8 – Dark words keep drifting.

Chapter 9 – If people wanna do meth that’s their problem, not mine.

Chapter 10 –I could have broke his neck.

Chapter 11 – Everything is under control.

Chapter 12 – We go tonight.

Chapter 13 – Good luck.

Chapter 14 – You… You bitch!

Chapter 15 – I don’t like killing people, but you haven’t left me with many options.

Chapter 16 – So what the hell happened here?

Chapter 17 – This kinda thing’s pretty rare, you know?

About Toni Bylend.

Chapter 1 - Fucking trannies. Everywhere.

Fucking trannies. Everywhere. Holy damn.

Rick gave Jay a disapproving sideways glance. He knew his half-brother simply wouldn't (and couldn't) have a clue why what he'd said stung so much. All the same, he still wanted him to know he didn't approve.

Jay noticed the way Rick was looking at him and rolled his eyes. Oh, get off, mister holier than thou.

Rick turned back to the queue. He always thought queuing up for The Mill was a total ball-ache. It never seemed to move. Smarmy people swanned by. They were clearly a better class than the plebs standing in the borderline-below-zero night air, forever waiting in line. Rick stood on his toes and looked over the shoulder of the barely-clothed girls (if they were girls) in front of him. The bouncer let the smarmy people in, then shook his head at the weedy-looking guy who was supposed to be first in line.

Rick slumped down and narrowed his eyes. Really can't be arsed with tonight.

"What're you saying? This is our last night of freedom. We are making the most of it or we'll die trying."

Rick raised one eyebrow and crinkled the corner of his upper lip. I just can't be arsed being hung-over for the whole drive. And this queue isn't gonna move.

Pfft. Come tomorrow night you'll be wishing for another hangover. Kirrin is at the arse-end of nowhere. Do you think there's gonna be clubs there? Do you think those twats are gonna let us drink in the house? No fucking way. It's gonna be a whole week of pure hell. We're getting smashed tonight, and I don't care if you can't be arsed with it. You'll thank me later.

Rick stared blankly at the bare back of the girl in front, at the curve below her neck between her shoulders. There'll be a pub though, right?

A pub? Yeah, yeah, there'll be a pub. It'll be full of old fuckers and they'll only serve bitter. And I bet my fucking uncle has already put our pictures up on the wall. We'll be barred before we even set foot in the door.

Rick just kept staring forwards. "I don't get why we're going. Why not the whole happy family"

Jay laughed loud. It was the same laugh his dad had. Right from the diaphragm, like he needed to just let all of the air in his lungs out. It made the girls in front turn around and shoot the both of them dirty looks. The one Rick had been staring at said something, but he ignored her.

Jay folded his arms. Seriously?

Rick shrugged. They didn't tell me. They just said it was about time we visited that side of the family.

They didn't tell me either, Jay smiled, but it's pretty obvious.

Well, why?

Jay breathed in. Jesus.

What?

You're so dense.

Don't be a dick.

Jay laughed again. No, that's you.

Rick let out a noise that was more or less unintelligible. That don't make sense either. How is Dick short for Richard? How?

I don't care how. It's just an excuse to call you Dick, Jay laughed.

Rick returned to staring at the girl's back in front. But he wasn't really paying attention to the way her waist slid inwards like an hourglass. He was thinking about the trip. A forced holiday at the coast. Isn't that what old people do? It was November too. Borderline winter. What can you do on the beach when it's pouring down? Rick wasn't looking forward to the drive either. It'd be long. Probably about three hours if they didn't take any breaks and the traffic was good. Jay was a full year older than him and he'd never bothered to take his test, but Rick was determined to make him drive part of the way anyway.

That got Rick thinking. Originally, they were going to be driven down by Jay's dad, but Rick had managed to convince him and his mother that they could be trusted to drive there themselves. So now they'd managed to give themselves a little bit of freedom, couldn't they just drive somewhere else? Somewhere with something to do?

Rick mulled that over whilst the queue went nowhere. No, they had Anya with them, they wouldn't be able to afford to put their sister up in a hotel somewhere for a week. And as soon as Jay's aunt and uncle discovered they weren't arriving, there'd be telephone calls home, and dad would start a manhunt.

No. It was Kirrin or... nothing really. No choice. Rick sighed. The long drive meant they'd have to be up early and here they were queuing up for a night club...

So why are they making us go see your uncle? Rick asked. "I mean, he's your uncle. What is he to me? A step-uncle? Or is it an uncle once removed?"

It's not about my uncle, Jay smiled. "It's about them."

Who?

Jay groaned and rubbed his forehead. Dad's been sitting on that vasectomy for nearly a month now. Can't you tell how tense they are? Don't tell me you haven't noticed. There's more sexual tension in that house than in a Mills and Boon novel.

Rick took a moment to let that sink in. Right. He absently wondered how Jay even knew what Mills and Boon novels were.

Right, Jay said. "And then there's the fact I haven't seen that side of the family since I was like two years old or something. This is just between you and me, yeah, but mum got in contact with me recently."

Rick gave Jay a blank expression.

"My mum."

Ah. And?

And she somehow found out dad wanted me to go to Kirrin. She practically guilted me into going there. Well, by guilted, I really mean bribed. I get a laptop just for turning up and saying ‘hi’ and telling my aunt that my mum thinks about her and cares about her or whatever. You know, when she clearly doesn't give a shit.

So you're basically a human text message?

Yep. Oh, and there 's another thing.

What?

Jay half-smirked, half-grimaced. The queue was starting to move. No clubs means no loose girls. That's another drought I can do without. I'm getting my fill tonight.

What? Like a camel?

Exactly. Anya's round at James' place. Probably doing the same.

James Plant? But I thought they were broke up.

No, no. They got back together, remember?

Rick shook his head. I remember Anya crying her eyes out last week.

That wasn't about him.

Are you sure?

Jay took a deep breath and nodded. Yep. Oh. Anya told me you'll have to pick her up from James' place tomorrow.

What about her shit?

Already got it packed. Clever girl, that sister of yours.

She’s your sister too. Damn. That's gonna be a proper pain in the arse when we get back.

We're only there for like a week. Just throw whatever in a carry-all and you'll be fine. Two-second job. Stop thinking about tomorrow anyway. Think about tonight, and how wrecked we're gonna get. Jay peeked over the shoulder of the girl in front. Might have to pick me up from somewhere else too if all goes well. I know I can trust you to be careful.

Rick frowned. Oh yeah?

Or maybe tonight's your lucky night? Jay grinned. Stop being so celibate, gay-boy.

I'm not- Look, just piss off, alright?

Jay threw up his hands, palms facing outwards – the universal gesture of 'meaning no harm'. "I know, you're still hung up over that Julie of yours. Don't mean to pry, but, maybe it's time to move on? She did. I mean, you did turn her into a lesbian."

I didn't turn her into- Jay, sometimes I just want to slap you, y'know?

Jay did his trademark loud, hearty laugh again. That'd be fun though, right?

A few more people waltzed past them and were admitted by the doorman. It didn't look like he was holding a list, he just nodded to people and let them through. Rick wondered what was so special about them. They were all dressed up in glittery or silky dresses. Some were long flowing, some ridiculously short. That's another thing they have in common, thought Rick, they were all girls. No, wait, maybe not. Rick frowned and looked carefully at the next couple to walk past them. There was something not quite right about their body shape, their gangly hands, and the odd stay hairy leg. Jay was right. All of them were cross-dressers.

What is this? Jay grumbled. I thought this was England, not Thailand.

Rick nodded towards a tiny poster on the wall. In big bold letters it said: Free Entry For Cross-Dressers. Third Floor Party!

Jesus, Jay said. We're wearing the wrong thing. Maybe we should head somewhere else.

Rick shrugged. What's the point? We're here now.

Well we aint going to third. Or second. Let’s just stick with the good sounds.

If I have to hear how much you hate second one more time...

The big, bald bouncer standing on the left of the door clicked his fingers in front of Jay's face. Go on.

They had somehow made it to the front of the queue. Rick almost turned back, but he hadn't queued up all that time for nothing. They paid, got their hands stamped, jockeyed for position at the bar, bought drinks, did shots, and joined the sweaty throngs of people dancing to Mr. Brightside. Jay came across some of his university friends, gave Rick something that sounded like an apology and left him standing there in the middle of the dance floor, barely pissed but more than a little pissed off. He downed his drink, bought another and found a pillar to lean on.

How can you be bored in a place like this? The guy talking to Rick sounded Spanish, and looked Spanish. He had a tan too uniform for a British holidaymaker, wore something resembling a white blouse (showing off the fact that he had no body-hair) tight black jeans, and had dark, curly hair.

It's easy when you're sober, Rick said.

The guy laughed. It didn't sound forced, but Rick reckoned it probably was. That's something we can easily fix. I've got the next one.

Rick was about to decline, but catching a glimpse of Jay with his shirt off making a fool of himself with his friends made him change his mind. Sure, why not.

The Spanish guy raised his eyebrows at that. Oh? Usually they tell me 'no, you're not my type'.

Well I guess you'd call me a minority.

Ah. But what is your first name, Mr. Minority?

Rick. Yours?

The Spanish guy smiled. He definitely wasn't from around here, Rick thought. Those teeth were far too pearly-white to be even remotely British.

Well, this is a coincidence, he said, I am also Rick.

Rick bought Rick drinks, and vice versa. Several times. They weren't in the mood for dancing. They just went to the second floor and found a booth and talked all night. They talked, and fooled around under the table. Rick knew Jay wouldn't bother coming up to the second floor. He always talked at length how he hated the music the 'tasteless DJ who thought he was still living in the 80's' played on the second. Still, Rick couldn't help but half-feel on edge all night.

Rick or 'Ricardo' (which turned out to be his proper name) seemed to have picked up on this. I came out when I was 12, he said. I remember deciding one day to tell them all. I just went downstairs into the family room with my sisters my brothers my grandmother and grandfather and my parents and just announced it loud and clear. My mother couldn't have been prouder.

I'm proper jealous, Rick said. If I did that I'd be crucified. I've got the most homophobic family in the whole of England. They're like borderline Westboro Baptist Church. Fire and brimstone and all that, except without the religion.

Sometimes it's best if they know, sometimes not. Who am I to judge, hmm? What I do know is that they do not need to know. This place bores me. Shall we go somewhere else?

Where? How about third floor? There's meant to be a cross-dresser's party going on.

"They're all posers. All of them are straight. Trust me, I know. But... I don't know? A different club? One with rainbows over the door, maybe. Or maybe you want