Part 1 - A Ride on a Wire

Below the gondola, the street lamps of Sandrock Road shone brightly and the occasional car passed by. Helga hung her head out the window, cigarette dangling from her lips, enjoying the view. The night was cool but she didn't feel it, warmed as she was from the lovely brandy she'd drunk and the exhilaration of the moment. Across from her, Hedwig giggled as she passed the bottle of Remy Martin VSOP back to the handsome figure of Angus Blackhurst sitting next to her. Helga still couldn't believe she was actually riding in the Mechanical Skyway. After looking up and watching the cars travel along the cables overhead for so many years, it now seemed amazing that this was the first time she'd taken the plunge. It's not that the Skyway was reserved for wealthy people or anything, it's just that both Helga and Hedwig always had better things to do with their money than take a ride to places they didn't want to go anyway.

It had all happened so quickly earlier. The two prostitutes had been brawling as usual in front of the Steam Burger bins, when a hunky stud in a shiny old car pulled over, got out and inserted himself as referee between them. He was a good natured chap and very handsome. He laughed genuinely as he pulled the two girls apart and stated emphatically that he'd like to take them both to dinner. What luck, they thought, an obviously rich, good looking john who wanted them both – and they'd get a meal thrown in to boot. "Game on," they'd both spurted simultaneously, drooling at the prospect of both paid sex and free food.

The ladies had climbed into the back of the 1952 Bentley with the man who promptly identified himself as Angus Blackhurst. Helga and Hedwig couldn't believe their luck - a Blackhurst! Everyone knew the Blackhursts were one of the wealthiest families in town, and their age old feud with the Bumbridges was legendary. It did cross the mind of the two prostitutes that it was strange that they'd have no business at all for so long and then suddenly hit the jackpot like this, but as neither of them understood what irony was, or had ever heard the word, the thought quickly passed. "Skyway St James please, Karl," said Blackhurst to the driver, a large Germanic looking man who bore a remarkable resemblance to one of Hedwig's clients. "Can I offer you ladies a drink?" Blackhurst opened a panel in the back of the front seat to reveal a small bar. Immediately Helga indiscriminately grabbed a bottle, uncorked it and took a long swig. "Wow," she said giggling and gagging at the same time. "Is this brandy?" Hedwig looked on horrified and was about to apologise for her sister, when Blackhurst burst out laughing, grabbed the bottle from Helga and took a swig himself. For the rest of the drive the bottle passed gleefully between the three.

Just across Ferndale Rd from St James church, the car had pulled into a small drive at the foot of an enormous tower made of iron. The three passengers exited the vehicle, which promptly pulled out and drove away. The iron structure somewhat resembled that of a Victorian era bridge, except vertical. At the top was a platform where the gondola cars stopped briefly and then continued on their way to either St Peters or The Treehouse, depending on the direction. Helga thought the whole thing looked like a lot of builders scaffolding, but kept this thought to herself. Hedwig farted on the way up the stairs and Helga, climbing behind her, almost passed out, but Blackhurst was leading the way and seemed not to notice.

And now, looking across the small four seat gondola at Hedwig and Angus Blackhurst, Helga for the first time started wondering why a man of his stature was associating with a couple of slags like them. It was becoming apparent that he wasn't interested in sex, because both Helga and Hedwig could smell the desire for sex on a man. Blackhurst smelled more like "killing time in an amusing fashion" than "please smother me with your smelly breasts". Still, the girls were definitely going to eat. And they were going to eat at the finest restaurant in Tunbridge Wells.

Part 2 - To Dine or Not to Dine

The second part of the episode is presented in screenplay format.

Download the script and continue the story!