Last time Sirius stood in this exact spot was New Years eve 1985. At that time he was intrigued by people, fascinated by their every move and effortless weaving in and out of conversations. Standing here often he would watch the distant workings of the plant and listen to sailing boat engines ticking over timidly as the bow light illuminated a million dark ripples. Fear crept into his mind during those cold dark nights, he imagined the lonesome life of a night time fisherman and felt himself lucky to be ashore. Loneliness had been Sirius's biggest fear and the reason he had obsessively watched people for many years, feeling that seeing and hearing people made him sociable or at least, in his mind, held him above a level of solitude he wouldn't be able to bear. Conversations came infrequently and were never successful. At night Sirius had wandered around quieter parts of town. Street lights flickered often red, fox's felt safe scouring bin bags, and the odd fatigued face went about it's vulgar business. Back then he longed for regular social outings with familiar faces. All he got was drunk utterances of make - believe best friendships or lady's of the red light showing more flesh than sense on a night cooling in preparation for morning frost.
Mike and Sirius stood, below a tall wall, with jagged bricks losing their cemented grip as white paint faded slightly, sunlit but mostly shadowed by a floating harbour crane, numerous abandoned workhouses and a black metallic watch tower, with four pillars and remains of a wooden hut on top. Sirius, wearing a stylish blue lightweight jacket and a silver chain, began to walk. Beside him was Mike, haggard, frayed long past his age and weighing a greater value. Mike was a desperate man in need of help and the man who offered it to him was the person who caused him to be in this hell of a situation. Ferocious anger had long disappeared from Mikes face and was now an anger fatigued by strong spirits cultivating cancerous cells in his throat. Back then when he lost his happy family life he would have killed Sirius instantly. Now he was calm, befriending him, and through Sirius's newfound trust for all humanity, Sirius placed himself on the front line of a desperate man's mental war.
" Okay Mike, my good friends, time is infinite but memories are not so fond here, lets begin"
Mike and Sirius walked a few steps, Sirius bent his knees, went off balance and allowed his buttocks to relax on the rickety timber bench. He noticed Mike's large figure settle with less ease beside him, brushing the large black jacket that hid an unhealthy vision, behind the bench.
