



Greg gets ready and left his flat in rural Glasgow to get a bus into the city centre for the meeting of his mates, some have made each other acquaintance before but for Sarah and Luke this was a first time meeting.





Dannielle was the fourth member of the group she was always full of life and eager to get on the vodka, never knowing where she would end up or who she'd end up with. Greg used to joke that her middle name was cloud because she was always floating around in her own little world enjoying life in her own "skins" like way.





Luke was travelling from the west end into town by taxi because it worked out easier for him. He was never a risk taker always took the easy way out and kept his head down and eyes on his own personal goals. Luke was the tallest of the group at 6 foot and always kept his hood up. This was not a statement or intimidation it was more of a comforting device. Luke was smart but was yet to shine.



Sarah had a bit of a back story, she was thrown from house to house because her parents decided when they wanted her in their life. This was made aware to Greg during conversation one night they both went out for a drink. Greg had only just met her that night and she seemed really needy and took everything to heart. Greg wanted to know why this was and she explained. She went on to tell the group about her past but only through time. She took the group as family and they knew they all had to take care of one another. There was something about this group she could could depend on and everyone felt the same way a strong desire of togetherness even though some had never even met face to face.



There was a force stronger than friendship bringing them all together tonight for whatever reason. Greg decided on the night out but did fate take hold of him, after all everything happens for a reason.



Group meeting in George square at nine o'clock they all arrived individually from each end of the square and met at the bench in the centre, hugs where shared and conversation flew into full swing. The pub was across the road and they decided to walk over to take advantage of the cheap drinks promotions. The pub was suspiciously quiet but no one noticed they walked to a table de cloaked and ordered the first drink of the night, Luke has something on his mind and Greg could tell straight away he kept asking if he was okay but Luke being the way he was just nodded and continued drinking. Dannielle kept looking at her phone. Sarah just seemed damn right distracted. There was something going on and Greg wanted to know what it was. He played along pretending that everything seemed normal Sarah went out for a cigarette and Greg followed. he asked her what was going on no one was talking directly to him and he did not know why.



The idea of going out to a club seemed a bit pointless to him as it seemed the friend ratio had changed in the group. Through the whole time in the pub Greg kept thinking there was a man staining at him but dismissed it every time. This man who was at the bar every so often seemed to be drinking the same drink and leering over toward him. Greg eventually mentioned to the others and they all decided to leave at once like something had been uncovered. Could this just be typical Greg and his paranoia?.



Dannielle was chatting to the group now telling them about a website she created for a big fashion company stating that this was her on the road to a career, this was always good to hear. Luke was just interested in getting to a Club and having a laugh and looking for girls to do his thing with an mess with their heads, that's why he never once tried to make a move on Sarah or Dannielle he couldn't just get up the next day and run away from them and no one in the group wanted any awkward moments but there was some close calls between Sarah and Greg but recently those feelings seemed to be melting into friendship rather than young lust.



The events of the night then took over,, the music bouncing and the people jumping about the dance floor like flies around shit, the usual Friday night in Glasgow. If desperation came in the form of a city this would be it. I know not everyone on a night out is looking to get laid but most are. Dannielle had to be watched at a night like this when she had a few drinks she got a bit crazy with some of the regulars and Luke shared a look and we both walked over to peel her off whatever guy was desperate enough to accept her crazy and get with her.



Greg had a friend named Mark Grantham. Mark worked in the night club and was usually a fountain of knowledge about things going on in the underbelly of Glasgow but there was no gossip tonight just a blank stare and the occasional wave. Greg just assumed it was a busy night for him.



Half past two in the morning the group decide to leave, all a bit worse for ware they head down to the Clyde bridge to have a walk up towards the water and over the bridge this would be a great opportunity for some photos. The group at this point seemed to be back to its usual self with no suspicion.



Dannielle and Luke walk up a bit and chat whilst Greg was holding on to Sarah because it's cold and even two guys jackets didn't keep her warm, whilst Greg and Luke were turning purple slowly, after all this was December.



Ahead of us two men and a young looking lady approached a tunnel about 900 yards in front of us. Luke and Dannielle walked back towards Greg and Sarah noticing this just in case any of them started causing trouble we kept walking and got quite close to the 3 before they noticed us. By this point They Just wanted to go back to Greg's and Relax the quickest way back into the city centre was by these people so we walked by them in conversation and just looked at each other. The 3 got closer and closer until the girl screamed for help. Greg turned around automatically and Him and Luke went face to face with the two me whilst Sarah and Dannielle Grabbed the young lady and ran into the main road shouting back at Luke and Greg just to run but by this point one of the guys had Luke against the wall whilst Greg tried to punch himself free. Greg broke out of the squabble and hit the guy holding Luke over the head with his phone, the phone broke the guy fell and Greg and Luke ran to the direction of the Girls. The Other man was on The trail of the Boys Chasing and shouting abuse in polish or some language that neither of them knew. They ran through a small ally way behind the night club "verticle" the club they just came from. The boys seen the girls and caught up with them and hid beneath stone stairs outside the back entrance this small space could not be seen by the public eye Only Greg knew about it because he Hid there one night after trouble broke out in the club and he was threatened.



The Polish man with the other man slowly behind him ran right past the stairs. A sigh of releif filled the group and immanently they saw Mark Greg friend from the club and he saw blood on Greg and Luke and told them all to get inside, mark brought us drinks whilst they turned to the girl they just rescued and started asking questions of the events leading up until she screamed.



The Girls Name was Paige she explained how her dad owed a lot of gambling debt to these polish people and her dad could never pay the amount they now want so they took her until he could come up with the money.











( part two is when all the action takes place)







Daniel McCourt.





I wrote this in November 2012.



















Go back a year, change things, go down a different road in life and see why fate does what he does. These two stories are about a group of friends. The first group met as friends often do through the most original way of socializing through conversation. confidence and chatting on line. This was a pretty regular routine for a while until Greg the oldest of the 4 decided he wanted a night out. Little did he know that the night they would embark on would change the groups life forever.