Sky Lights by Barclay Baker

Dundee. We’ll be there in a flash.’
    The city of Dundee stretched out along the north bank of the river. Skylights and O’Mullins circled the town centre not really sure what a university would look like. They saw buildings with tall pointy bits reaching up to the sky. Were they universities? Other buildings seemed to be made mostly of glass behind which stood silent motionless people on guard duty. Were these universities? Skylights made a signal to O’Mullins and they dropped from the sky into a large square area, empty apart from a few benches, and some tubs of plants. It was enclosed on three sides by imposing buildings.
    ‘Let’s look for a sign that says University,’ said Skylights.
    O’Mullins suddenly grew very excited. ‘Hey look, Skylights. There’s yon big fellow from the Dandy. What’s his name? Desperate Dan, that’s it! We can ask him where the university is.’
    ‘I think you’ll find he’s not alive. That’s just a statue,’ replied Skylights trying to be patient. ‘But, look there are some signposts over there. Come on!’
    Skylights became aware of voices, lots of voices talking, laughing, shouting and even singing. To his left he saw a crowd of young people pouring from a building on to the street and heading their way.
    ‘Quick, hide in here,’ he said, pulling O’Mullins away from the statue into a dark passageway behind it. ‘Best if we’re not seen. We don’t want to have to answer any awkward questions.’
    But they were too late. One of the young men in the crowd had spotted them and shouted to his companions. ‘Crikey, did ye see yon funny guys? They looked like pirates fae lang ago.’ The revellers, capering with each other, staggering from side to side, and making lots of noise, reached the pirates’ hiding place.
    ‘Whaur are they pirates then? Ye’r seein’ things,’ said a girl. ‘Ah telt ye no tae hae that last pint.’
    ‘Eh’m no seein’ things. Eh’m tellin’ ye. Eh saw them. They ran up that close. Come on we’ll chase them an’ ye’ll see what Eh mean.’ The young people staggered towards the close talking loudly as they went. Skylights and O’Mullins shrank into the darkness hoping they would not be discovered. The ground beneath their boots was strewn with empty curry boxes and chip papers. Discarded drinks cans rolled at their feet. They backed into a corner. Silently Skylights raised his gun and O’Mullins drew his cutlass. They would not give up their mission. Not without a fight.
    From another direction came a very different voice, serious and commanding. ‘Hoi! Tone it down you lot or we’ll nick you, for breach of the peace.’ The party animals and two police officers faced each other on the pavement right outside the close where Skylights and O’Mullins were hiding.
    ‘What’s all the noise about then? What are you up to?’ asked the second police constable in a more pleasant manner.
    ‘It’s the works’ Christmas night out, officer. We’re on our way home now,’ said a young woman, trying hard to speak clearly and remain upright. ‘Sorry about the noise, sir.’
    ‘I should think so!’ said the first policeman. He pointed to the close.
    ‘People are sleeping up there.’
    ‘No, no, offisher,’ said the young drunk who had seen O’Mullins and Skylights. ‘They’re no sleepin’. Eh jist saw them runnin’.’
    ‘Ye saw who running?’
    ‘Eh saw the twa pirates. An’ they wuz armed. Ye should arrest them cause yer no allowed knives are ye offisher?’ said the drunk. ‘Hiccup!’
    ‘Are you telling us you saw two armed pirates going up this close?’ asked the second policeman.
    ‘Yesh, ain had a cutlass, and the ither ain had a kind o’ an auld fashioned gun, like they had in the Pirates o’ the Caribbean. An’ the ain wi’ the cutlass was speakin’ tae Desperate Dan o’wer there.’
    Skylights and O’Mullins were scared to breathe as they pushed themselves hard against the back of the close, sure that