The Terrace

If walls could talk… explore the walls of Oakley Terrace homes throughout the years.

21st August, 2015. 1, Oakley Terrace.

"Come on, these boxes aren't going to move themselves are they?" shouts Francis.

"Oh my god I need help, this box is too heavy!" pleads Isabelle. Francis comes to his daughter's aid. The loud thud of the box is put into the top of the kitchen worktop attached to the wall.

"Oh gosh those worktops have got to go they look so outdated. These old wooden units have seen better days." says Rachel as she took a deep breath in and leaned her palms across the old worktop which was slightly pulling off the wall. "But I see and smell potential."

Francis smiled and moved closer towards Rachel and held her hand. "This is the start of a new beginning."

Isabelle was transfixed at the wall; she interrupted by asking "I wonder who lived here before?"

Francis and Rachel looked at one another and then at the wall behind them. "Now that. Really is a mystery we may never know."

***

15th October 1999. 2, Oakley Terrace

"Mummy?" said Olivia. Ellie turns to her daughter and bends down to pick her up.

"Yes my lovely what's up?" Olivia took a short while to reply "I had a dream last night about a loud voice and a bang."

Ellie was slightly confused and giggled to herself whilst asking "Okay, you had a dream about a loud voice and a bang? What else happened?"

Olivia thought for a moment and then added "Yeah, the wall was shouting at me. Then there was bang. It was scary so I just hid under the covers."

Ellie thought about it for a moment and then said "Aw, I'm sorry Olivia that doesn't sound very nice does it? Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, I'm okay now, the wall and the bang wasn't for very long." replied Olivia.

At this point James walks into the room. "Good morning everyone! How are we this morning?" James leaned in towards Ellie and privately said "Hey, did you hear what happened next door?" Ellie looked puzzled now.

"No, What happened next door?"

***

29th May 2008, 3, Oakley Terrace

The sound of multiple papers rustling on the coffee side table. The remote control for the TV is picked up and put back down as the sound of the BBC news intro is playing.

"Our top stories this hour. Thousands of workers are losing their jobs and face losing there homes as the crash of the stock market hits Britain's most vulnerable."

Harry continues to look through the papers on the table with the TV playing in the background.

"Yes, gotcha." Harry began to edit his CV as Zoe walked in. Harry looked up and was confused.

"Why are you back from work so early?"

Zoe didn't reply. She just sat down on the sofa next to him watching the news which was still talking about job losses across the country.

"Oh no." he said suddenly putting two and two together. "Not you as well?"

Zoe broke her silence by saying "I'm sorry, I can't believe they just turned around and just said we no longer need you. It's like we're not human beings. How are we going to afford to keep this house now?"

"Listen. We will figure this out. We're not the only ones in this." Harry said this whilst pointing to the TV.

"It's just not fair. Why is nothing ever fair in life?" Zoe said this and began to cry whilst leaning on Harry's shoulder.

Harry put his arm around Zoe for comfort. "We will sort this out. I've got a couple of interviews lined up this week. They just might mean a longer commute but it's better than nothing if I get it."

***

23rd March 2020, 4 Oakley Terrace

The sound of toy car wheels rotating at fast speed back and forth against the wall with a quiet, "Brm" sound being made by Dexter. Crying from twins Archie and Matthew for their next feed.

"Yes boys it's nearly ready!" shouted Tilly from the kitchen. As Tilly brought the bottles in the sound a key unlocking the front door could be heard followed by the door closing. Jack entered the room much to the pleasure of Dexter, Archie and Matthew.

"Daddy! Daddy Daddy Daddy." shouted Dexter whilst rushing over for a hug. Jack swiftly picked him up and the twins were laughing and pointing at Jack. "Hello everyone! I've missed you all so much."

Tilly was pleased to see Jack too as he sat down and helped feed the twins with Dexter on his lap.

"How are you, you okay?" asked Jack.

Tilly replied with "Yes it's a bit wild. Dexter's nursery closed early so I had to go and pick him up. A lot of staff have gone off with Covid-19. What about you?"

"Yes, a couple of people are off with it at work but nothing major. It doesn't sound like it's gonna get any better." said Jack whilst turning on the TV for the news.

Tilly added "Well the Prime minister is gonna have to do something."

Dexter got up and continued to play with his car along the wall whilst the TV was on in the background.

"We are now just waiting for the Prime Minister to step out for the speech on an update on the outbreak of Covid-19 across the county."

"Dexter. Come here. We need to listen to the TV now." explained Tilly.

Dexter ran over to Tilly and sat in between her and Jack with a twin in their bouncers.

"After the increase in cases in Covid-19 it has been decided that drastic measures have to take place in order to prevent the outbreaks spreading like it is.

Therefore, as of Monday 26th March the whole of the UK will be in an official Lockdown."

***

16th October 1999, 5 Oakley Terrace

The constant ticking of the big old wooden clock in the hallway and the single chime to address the room that it's one o'clock in the morning.

Terry suddenly awoke from his armchair. As he laid there for a while thought about which woke him up.

"That was a weird dream," he said to himself.

He looked across at his clock and to the wall where a picture of him and his late wife were. "Oh Elisabeth. You would have laughed at that I should imagine. I'll tell you my dream. I was running away from a pigeon when the floor beneath me started disappearing and I was falling. And then I was talking to the neighbour's little girl at number 2. Until I heard shouting and that's when I woke up."

Terry was almost expecting a response but the only sound was the ticking of the clock in the room.

Terry stares out at the window thinking of the life he and Elizabeth had. Suddenly blue flashing light filled his room coming from his front window. Terry stood up and pushed the curtain slightly out of the way for a closer look. To see an ambulance and a police vehicle outside number 1 Oakley Terrace.

"Oh a bit of a drama Elizabeth. You would have wanted to see this."

***

15th October 1999, 1 Oakley Terrace

"Did you get it?" asked Tom.

"Get what?" replied Lucy coldly.

"The booze? I need some after the day I've had." moan Tom.

"Tom, you drink every night, surely you can see that this is." Lucy is abruptly cut off by Tom leaping himself upon her forcing her against the wall and slamming his hand on the wall with a loud slap.

"See that this is… What?! UH. Well?" shouted Tom in anger.

Lucy couldn't even bring herself to answer. She started sobbing as she was a lot smaller than Tom and felt very overwhelmed.

"Okay, I'm going for a drink and when I come back you better be in bed!" ordered Tom.

He stormed out of the house and slammed the front door shut.

All alone, Lucy sat on the floor against the wall just letting time pass. The ticking clock and humming of the fridge freezer were the only sounds that could be heard after some time. She had stopped crying. There was nothing left to cry about.

Lucy got up and began to wander the house. Eventually going upstairs. They were particularly steep stairs and you had to be careful going up or down them. Especially as Tom had fallen down a couple of times with his drinking.

Hours began to pass and Lucy got herself ready preparing herself for the inevitable.

The key clinking against the door but failing to enter the keyhole followed by a shout "Lucy! I can't get in." slurred

Tom. Passers-by watched Tom slump to the floor followed by Lucy opening the door.

Lucy looked at Tom and then the couple across the street. "Tom, get up. This is embarrassing."

Tom staggered up and got angry. Tom smacked her in the face. "Ahh!" Lucy was stunned but didn't anticipate it. A tear rolled down her face and the only lookers both were staring right back at her.

"Tom. Get in the house. Now!" he stumbled in and began to chase her up the stairs. Lucy was terrified. His sheer size made him so overpowering. They both stood at the top of stairs and he combed her hair back. Revealing her red mark on her cheek.

Lucy was shaking in fear. He began to undress her slowly. "No! Not again." demanded Lucy. Tom grabbed her by the throat. Lucy clenched at his arms in desperation. "How dare you say no to me!"

In his drunk and disorderly state he stumbled backwards dragging Lucy with her they both cascading down the flight of stairs with several bangs and flips and both landed to the floor unconscious.

6 hours later

The blips from a police walkie talkie followed by people moving carefully around Lucy and Tom at the bottom of the stairs.

The Ambulance man makes an announcement "Both Male and Female confirmed death at the scene at 2:33am. Cause of death sufficient neck injuries to both from falling down the flight of stairs in the family home."

The police officer behind added "We are treating this as a possible accidental death but are open to all enquiries."

The end.