Paul Bell

Reluctant Hero

It was a sad day today

The girl at 87

The guy at 95 had split

It was all over social media

Old Mrs Malathorpe said it was a shame

Billy, who had just left the army after a hundred and fifty years, couldn’t give a toss

Chelsea, who had mentioned to the girl at 87

Her boyfriend and Mary, who worked at the dairy, were maybe a bit more than contrary

Had she checked, she would have realised the dairy was a Turkish barbers\' run by asylum seekers incorporated

Billy couldn’t understand why the bastards he used to kill were living next door to him now

Old Mrs Malathorpe said the girl at 87 was 18 months pregnant

Billy couldn’t understand civilians, hated not having a structure

Why couldn’t he die in the army

Chelsea would make a move on the guy at 95

The girl at 87 left the area

Billy saw the enemy walking towards him, quickly plunging the knife through his eye into his brain. 

This would get him into prison, where he would get structure

The team monitoring the suicide bomber ran towards him, congratulating him on his bravery. Nothing was mentioned about the knife.

Billy was now a reluctant hero who hated the media even more than civilians now.

Chelsea who had now dumped the guy at 95, could see something in Billy

She knew he needed structure.

It was a simple conversation. Be at my house at 8, repeat it to me.

I’ll be at your house at 8. Billy liked being ordered about.

He turned up at 8 sharp

Go into the bedroom, get undressed and wait for me.

She entered naked, holding a burning candle and got on top of him

The burning wax dripped onto his body as the gentle rocking reached its climax

Chelsea took total control of Billy\'s life. Every night at 8, he would return for more

It was in the second week that she decided this world wasn’t for them.

They would end it tonight.

The walk up to the bridge was slow and deliberate

They both got on the ledge, briefly kissing before jumping

The car pulled up, and she got in

Mrs Malathorpe asked if he’d gone to a new place

Yes, mum, a new place.

The media were all over the story

Chelsea played up to the camera, telling of Billy\'s pain, his PTSD

The funeral was televised live

She looked good in black, like that was her colour

The public crowdfunding helped her heartbreak

Only the guy at 95 knew the real Chelsea, but he was history.