I John

By Thomas Warner

My name is John Dunne, first son of Alison Dunne, the first person to

cross in our family. In fact the only person to cross in our family, that

is until I, John crossed over to the other side of this world and what a

world it is, this other side. Terrifying? Yes sometimes. Beautiful . . . yes

sometimes. Beautiful terrifying and exhilarating and deadly all at the same

time? Yes. Yes. Yes.

We in this family are only a few of the many thousands that can cross

over. Some of us however have that extra gift that allows us to go that one

step further than most. I can and so can my half brother Michael Mac Coy.

He is in fact only four years old and can do almost anything he sets his

mind to. Of course being so young my mother Ali, his father Jason and I

and our many friends have to keep a close eye on him at all times as he can

disappear and reappear at will.

To be totally honest that kid is a right old pain in the ass, every time

one turns around he is in your face. We fight evil wherever we find it even

it is within ourselves. I have met many a poor soul from this world and the

other and I have stored their stories in a room somewhere at the back of my

mind. Most of the time they stay there and are very scary and off putting

but every now and then like one or two of the funnier ones suddenly spring

to mind. Just to show you that it is not always doom and gloom but life as

you well know can be quite hilarious at times. I would like to pass one of

these stories on to you if I may? You may or not be interested but I have got

to tell them to someone and sure it might as well be you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Nov 19, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477134535

Thomas Warner

I began writing after my late wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008... I wrote a memoir of the last three months of her life, of course I didn’t know she was going to die, but die she did, and I have been writing on and off ever since. I do it just for a hobby and I enjoy it tremendously.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Captain James Willows ran a tight ship or schooner to be more precise. Up and down the coast of Africa from Luanda along the east coast up as far as Sierra Leone in the west. Smuggling was his trade anything from stolen jeeps to hippo’s he never refused a job. His schooner the ‘Sea Ghost’ was a fairly large one with seven sails.

I will say here that I am not sailor so I’m not too familiar with the names of each sail and such names for other parts of the ship but I will do my best to remember what he told me. For example foresail to me was someone selling something but to a sailor foresail means one of the smaller sails on his boat or ship or whatever you want to call it. It was an old ship once used in transporting slaves up and down the African ivory coastline to one or two main ports that ship the slaves to other mainly western countries.

It had a crew of ten that would know the ship inside out and knew what to do without being ordered to by the captain. He was a good man, a fair man in all his dealings despite the nature of his work. He was a holy man reading the bible most days yet he never preached the word of God to anyone mores the pity because with his loud voice and his forward nature he would have made a good preacher.

His job, such as it is was very exciting but rather dangerous and on more than one occasion he nearly lost his ship and his life. Like the time he shipped a Land Rover from Sitatunga in Gabon to Accra in Ghana. It turned out that this car was stolen from one of the many big time gangsters running drugs from one country to the next and on this occasion while sailing up the north coast they found themselves suddenly being fired on by some guys in a small boat coming up fast behind. Praying Psalm 124 to himself Willow’s called for full sail as they desperately tried to outrun the gunmen in the boat. Realising he could not outrun the small but very fast boat he ordered his men to return fire. With the end result the small boat behind caught fire and the men aboard had to jump into the sea to save their lives.

As soon as they got as far away as presumed safe Willows went and checked out the Land Rover wondering what it was that made those men so mad that they wanted to kill all those on his boat just to retrieve the Land Rover that was almost ten years old. He searched the car from the inside out but found nothing.

Then one of his men noticed something different about the leather that covered the slot that held the gear stick and on opening it they found a small bag and the captain on opening the bag found it to be full of diamonds, the bag was small but the diamonds were anything but and Willows knew they had hit the jackpot.

However before they reached Accra Willows knew there would be a welcoming party waiting on the pier. So he stopped overnight at Malabo just west of the little Island where he could watch any ship or small boat entering the port. Having been satisfied he was not been followed he rowed over to the mainland and went to see a man he knew in Douala bay. He went straight to the beer-house on the busy and colourful main street in Douala Maramagna.

He knew the exact spot where Digger O’ Neill would be sitting and having bought a beer he went to join his friend in the dark corner of the room. ‘What is it this time? No don’t tell me let me guess, you are in trouble over something or other and need me to sort it out, again, right?’ the captain replied. ‘Lord, protect me from these unbelievers,’ then said to the man in the shadows. ‘Well hello to you to, you old fart, still hiding yourself away in this dark corner of the world?’ Digger swallowed the last of his beer and said. ‘Money’s a little tight to mention at the moment otherwise I would… ‘

‘Like another beer?’ the captain asked his skinny bald headed friend. ‘Well now I know you’re in deep trouble for your not known for buying people drink either, friends or not, but as your asking, yes I will take a refill, followed by a whisky chaser, if you don’t mind?’ Willow called the lady serving the tables over and ordered two more beers. ‘As you were saying, there is something you may or may not be able to help me with, but seeing as you know everyone and the price of everything in these here parts, I come to see my old Irish friend for some advice,’ he paused while the lady returned and placed the drinks on the table and Willow caught Digger eyeing up her rather large but beautiful breasts.

As soon as she left the table the captain threw the bag on the table and waited for Digger to pick it up and take a look inside. ‘Phew, man that’s a lot of diamonds; someone is hurting a lot over these!’ Willows after taking a mouthful of beer wiping the froth from his mouth said to his friend. ‘How much you think they’re worth?’

‘It is difficult to see in this light but I’d wager they are worth about 20 million rand, you’re not going to sleep tonight James or if you do you better sleep with one eye open because whoever owns these beautiful babies will be coming looking for them, I’m not even going to ask where you got them, but I’ll tell you this my friend, whoever is missing these little beauties is not too far away even as we speak,’ he takes a mouthful of beer and says to the captain.

‘I figure I know where these came from, no don’t tell me, at least let me guess the region? Gabon, maybe even Sits on the coast, and if that is the case then you are dealing with one sick motherfucker that will stop at nothing to get these stones back, Big Daddy Proud foot, a onetime chief of the Tryola tribe, a very dangerous man indeed James with a small but well equipped army behind him, my advice is to try to get those gems back to him and pronto!’ the captain asks him. ‘How do you suppose I do that?’

Digger calling the lady over ordered two more beers then said to the captain. ‘No matter, he will come to you, those guys on the boat that opened fire on you will have told him the name and if not the name then the size of your boat and it is only a matter of time before he knows your name and what you had for breakfast this morning, Jimmy lad, you are in some deep shit, where did you park that boat of yours anyhow? The captain said to him.

‘That is of no consequence for the moment for the more you know the more I have to worry, seriously though what do you think I should do, to ease the situation?’ the Digger replied. ‘You are a prayerful man, start praying, if it were me in your shoes I would fill that boat with holy water or petrol or whatever it needs to keep it moving and get the hell as far away from here as possible, or failing that you can get someone like me to negotiate with the owners of these sweeties, for a small fee of course!’

James thought about it for awhile then said to him. ‘The good Lord giveth and then he changes his mind and taketh away, okay gold digger, you’re on, you go see this big daddy fellow and see if he will deal.

Digger rubbing his hands and sensing profit replied. ‘Leave it to me captain, I will make a few inquiries and then give you a call on the old Moby,’ the captain thinking about his situation then said to him? ‘That’s all very well but I need to get something out of it, it was me and my crew they tried to kill, I’ll need compensation for that, here tell you what, tell him or whoever you’re dealing with that I have a Land Rover for sale, one lucky owner everything still as it was when first it came into my possession, say 1 million rand, plus a tip for the messenger boy, how does that sound?

Digger said to him mockingly. ‘Asketh and ye shall receive it, sayeth the Lord’ Digger then swallowing down his last drop of beer said.’ ‘You’re playing a dangerous game Jimmy lad, but it might just work, give me an hour then I should have some news, you go take a nap in my room upstairs, number 7, my lucky number, you go take a nap and I’ll get back to you, okay?’

The captain drinking the last of his beer and taking the key from Digger said. ‘Sounds good to me man, I could use a little sleep, but don’t try pulling a fast one I have a gun and will use it without hesitation,’

Digger looked disappointed, thought about it and said. ‘He that liveth by the gun sometimes lives very well’ then added. ‘Tut tut, would I do anything like that, to you of all people, I thought we were friends?’ the captain replied saying. ‘Where money is concerned, there is always business first and friendship later; no hard feelings?’ digger replied. ‘No hard feelings, I guess your right about money coming first, see you later!’

The captain slept for an hour and a half when he awoke he thought he heard someone moving around outside the door. On going to have a look he found a hat box and on opening it found his friends head inside with a note in his mouth saying come downstairs and collect your money.

He was in a state of panic not knowing whether to jump from the window to the ground below or just go downstairs and brave it out. The window was out of the question because he knew it would be guarded by someone or other. So slowly he made his way downstairs and went straight to the bar and ordered a beer. ‘Allow me to get that for you, my friend, please come, sit here with me!’ said this deep gravelled African voice.

There was a gigantic fat man sitting where Digger used to sit. Putting on a brave face he went and sat in the same chair he had sat in not an hour and a half ago. The fat man introduced himself as Big Daddy because he was ‘everyone’s father’ and all his children ‘loved’ him. He said he was and still is their benefactor and gave employment to his people who would otherwise starve to death. ‘Everyone loves me’ he bellowed and moved out of the shadows saying.

‘So when someone tries to take the bread from my children’s mouth I have to step in and stop them’ he was watching James very closely. ‘We have met before, have we not?’ the captain could not remember. ‘I don’t think so, I would remember you!’ the fat man laughed then slammed his huge fist on the table making the two glasses of beer lift up and spill over the rims onto the table.

‘Yes we have, a few years ago, you were let us just say, moving some cattle up river, to feed those people in the missions, those holy Joes that turned my peoples head and left them in no man’s land so to speak, no matter, I’m sure after today you will remember me, now where are my little babies?’ the captain remained silent.

‘You saw what I did to your friend upstairs, a lovely man by the way, he and I did many a good business together, it is nothing personal, just business, so once more I ask you, where are my stones, if you hand them over right now I will let you live and will even throw in a little expense money, so your precious time is not wasted, this is however the only offer I make and it is on the table until this glass of beer is finished, so let us drink my friend to the future!’

The captain knew the only way he was going to walk out of the bar unharmed was to give the fat man what he wanted and hoped he meant what he said about some expense money so he threw the bag of stones onto the table.

‘You are a wise man captain, a sensible man, yes they are all here, now I too am a sensible man, I could kill you right now and no one would raise a hand to stop me, but you are also a business man like myself, so I will make you this offer, take the bag and deliver the stones to this address, that’s where they were going when you, well we won’t go into that for now’ he throws a piece of paper on the table then says.

‘In return I will give you 50,000 rand and will put plenty more business your way, what do you say captain, have we got a deal you can even keep the Land Rover, how does that sound, good yeah?’

‘We do, sir and I look forward to doing business with you in the future, now sir that little matter of expense money you mentioned, I would appreciate that, towards diesel for my ship you understand, and everyone knows a ship cannot run with a hungry captain and crew?’ the fat man laughed and took an envelope from his jacket pocket and threw in on the table saying.

‘Remember captain, I hold you personally responsible for my goods, I want no excuses whatever, no storm, no sinking ship, no stinking Monrovian pirates, or Cameroon mercenaries, nothing on this earth below or above will stop me from finding and killing you very slowly, I don’t want to hear any excuses, no delivery, no head, I have friends everywhere in this and every other country, in every port and airport, I know all the tricks, the routes in and out, got that?’ the captain said he did and rose to go but the big fat man grabbed his hand and said.

‘Remember your little Irish friend in the hatbox, I liked him, we got on well together until he tried to take advantage of my situation, nobody does that to me and walks away with my hard earned money, so captain, deliver the goods and we can do business, I will make you rich, disappoint me however, and I will make you dead, you have ten days to deliver the goods’ then he slipped back into the darkness.

James took the bag and the wad of money and the piece of paper with the delivery address nodded to the fat man then left while the going was good thinking ‘the labourer deserves his wages’. Yet he was afraid to look back in case the fat man was tricking him into a state of false security before sticking the knife in.

Two days later he got a visit from one of Big Daddy’s clowns. A tall thin man with a squeaky voice brought about by having his throat cut sometime in the not so distant past. After dropping off the stones to some woman in Luanda he was to go north to Libreville along the North West coast of Gabon then go east inland for about two kilometres to a little village called Mumango and pick up 20 men and bring them to another village in Port-Novo in Nigeria called Dahomey where he was to be met by Chief Imgosa himself.

Apparently the Chiefs number one son was getting married and these men were going to build the happy couple their new house. Then when all that is done, these men will be guests of honour at the Chiefs table, a rare privilege indeed. ‘When is all this suppose to happen?’ the captain asked the messenger with a massive scar right across his throat. ‘You leave on tomorrows tide, everything has been arranged for pickup at six in the morning, do not be late.’

‘And ‘asked the captain, ‘Have I to wait and bring them home?’ the messenger just laughed and said. ‘They will find their own way back; you just make sure they get there on time.’ James did not like the sound of that but he could hardly turn Big Daddy down besides things were running slow at the moment and the envelope that he had just been handed was thick enough.

He was up and out at four-thirty the next morning and everything being ship shape they sailed on the early morning tide. Sure enough the men were there waiting when he got to Mumango. They did not look too happy but it was early in the morning. No one spoke a word. The men just started walking out towards the port.

James took hold of one of them by the arm and asked. ‘No luggage?’ the man just gave him a blank stare and shook himself free and followed the others. Twenty young men and not even a bottle of water between them and where’s all the wedding presents for the happy couple, and why does it look more like they were going to a funeral than a wedding? Something isn’t right here thought the captain, but sure what the heck, it was none of his business and hasn’t he got paid well already.

When all were on board and as the ship left the port one of the captain’s men came to him and said. ‘Are you sure captain these men are going to a wedding? ‘Yes’ the captain answered then added. ‘Looks more like mourning party than a merry one, not one bit of banter between them, I tell you it is not like any wedding I know, no presents, not even a ivory toothpick, no drinking water even, what’s going on here Mason? Mason look worried then said to the captain.

‘Dahomey, Dahomey, where have I heard that name before, darn it, my memory is not what it used to be, anyway captain, the way I see it, it’s just another job, a strange one but if it puts bread on the table, then who am I to complain, and by the way captain there is a tear in the foresail that will need stitching soon,’

‘Aye lad, I can see that from here, go get young Bobby Dillon to do it, if a storm comes up we will need that sail, thanks Mason, now back to work boy.’ Mason was nearly an old age pensioner he had two more years to go in fact. An hour later he was back knocking on the captain’s cabin door. ‘Enter’ was the reply and Mason came rushing in saying.

‘Dahomey, captain I knew I heard that name before, that’s where they found that lost tribe some years back, they are the Fukhardi tribe, head-hunters boss, and even worse than that they eat people; bloody cannibals, those men out there are not going to build any house for any Chiefs son, yes there are going to a wedding, not as builders or even guests, no captain, but as the main course, the wedding feast, that is why they look so vacant for want of a better word,’

The captain laughed and said to his first mate. ‘Surly not to be eaten, why would they go so voluntarily, fine strong young men? No I can’t believe that Mason, wedding feast, that’s a good one that is,’ Mason coming round to face the captain said. ‘Their families Captain, they are protecting their families, why even you, you old goat, would sacrifice yourself for your family, wouldn’t you? The captain rose from his desk saying to Mason.

‘Why Mason, can you tell me, do you look smaller every time I see you, and if you are right and I’m not saying you are mind but if you are, what do you think we should do about it, huh?’ then he added. ‘Remembering of course who it is we work for, huh, wouldn’t it be our heads on a plate if we mess this up, huh?’

Mason replied saying. ‘The reason I appear to be getting smaller to you captain is to me quite clear, it is those new boots your wearing, with their three inch high heels, you’re always looking down on people, captain, especially little people like me, and as for doing anything, you are the captain of this fine ship, here you are king, and whilst I’m not putting any ideas into the clever box brain of yours