It was late, later than I planned to be heading home, drunker than I planned on heading home. Things got a bit of hand, we were celebrating after all, we had a win tonight. Albeit it was a very minor win, a win to the tune of fifty pounds between the now three of us but the night was young the drinks were cheap and we were going to make the most of it. Five pints some shots and a bottle of wine Lilly had snuck into a karaoke bar later I was heading home. As I started my stumbly journey back to the boat I pulled out my phone to check the time.

"Ah crap." I groaned looking down at my phone. It was already well past two in the morning.I was meant to wake up early in the morning. Scully wanted me to sand down and repaint a 40 footer tomorrow. As the thought crossed my mind I fought my inebriated brain for a solution some kind of a plan to mitigate the disastrous mix of hard labour power tools and a substantial hangover. As I delved deep into the depths of my impaired brain I found a plan. And with that plan I stumbled down the high street in search of greasy greasy food and as.much Gatorade as I could force down before I burst or the inevitable pull of sleep won over.

Twenty minutes later and I was stumbling off home durum kebab in one hand and a carrier bag of sports drink in the other. I peeled away at the treasure trove of rotisserie roasted meat breathing in the glorious schawarma scent before digging in. Reveling in each garlic sauce coated bite as I walked along. I turned the corner to cut through the Orson road alley and that was when it hit me.

I mean it really hit me

REALLY HARD

Right between the eyes.

I crashed to the floor, collapsing like a broken Weeble, wobbling for sometime before crumpling into a flattened mess in the puddle below.

"Arrrrgh what the.... ah god I'm soaked" I moaned looking down at the pitiful state I now found myself in, that and the now soggy kebab that bobbed up and down in the puddle. " Ah, for fuck sake" I screamed at the realization of the loss of my beloved kebab. Looking around for whatever had struck me I looked around the dimly lit alley to find nothing but a book.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

'Who the hell throws a book at someone' I thought, quickly finding out as I was suddenly hoisted out of the muddy water by the collar of my coat.

"Are you Glen! Glen Davis?" The old man said, sputum spraying from his.lips and down his beard as he spoke. I almost wretched at the stench of his breath, fish and whisky.

"Y...wait how did y....who the hell are you? I slurringly replied, my words barely coherent through the mixture of alcohol and book induced head trauma.

"Mr Davis you've got to listen to me" The man said releasing my collar causing me to stammer backwards into a garden fence as I struggled for balance.

"Why do you know name?" I mumbled as I swayed from side to side.

"Listen Mr. Davis we haven't much time. The book..."

"Did you throw a book at me?"

"The book!" he said picking it up and thrusting it into my hands. "The book! You've got to take the book! It's our only..."

A gull squawked overhead and I saw the dishevelled man cower, scrambling on all fours desperately clambering into the dark of the shadows. "Just a gull....just a gull..." He whispered quietly to himself, I could see the man visibly and violently shivering.

"Look mate are you alrigh...." I started to say but before I could finish he was on me again, slamming me into the wood of the fence.

"It' the birds! The birds dammit the birds" His voice now manic as he started to pant out a deranged painful laughter. "The birds the god damned birds!"

"What birds?"

He released his grip once more causing me to slump down the fence to the floor again. I pulled myself to my feet, my legs numb from the cold on my soaking jeans. I looked over at the man still shaking as he leaned in close to say.

"Beware the squawk in the night." The street lights flickered out, plunging the alley into complete darkness if but for a moment. But when they came back on the man was gone.

I stood there alone in the alley my trousers soaked with what I was hoping was just puddle water. I looked around the dimly lit stretches of the alley, concluded there was no more strange old men to accost me, picked up my bag of shopping and reached inside. I withdrew a bottle of Gatorade and poured the florescent liquid into my mouth. I let the saccharine sweet liquid drip down my throat to the last drop deposited it in the bin on the corner and made my way down the docks.

I managed to drink another two bottles on the way back and made it back with a few pit stops along the way. I clambered onto the deck of the boat and down the hatch feeling how the gentle sway of the boat almost counteracted the gentle sway of my own body. All before clambering into bed, still dressed, boots and all and passed out into the land of sleep.