The luck of Julie - Martin King (phonics readers txt) 📗

Julie was at work at a seedy little pub called the Croft Tavern. which was situated in the middle of a little suburb of Aberdeen. It wasn’t the best place to work but it was a job and the rent still had to be paid along with the poll tax, gas, electric, phone bill and to keep the food on the table, this night late in October Julie was supposed to be meeting up with her friends after she finished her shift at around ten o’clock that night. as they were going into town to celebrate Chloe’s birthday, Chloe being one of Julie’s best and longest friends from as far back as primary school.
It was only eight o’clock when Ray came in the bar, Ray also worked a few shifts in the evenings to support his college life of scrimping and scraping, knowing that Julie was going into town with her pals he offered to start early and let her away early to go home and get herself ready for her night on the town. Ray wanted the extra hours anyway so it was no skin of his nose to start early.
After three minutes of Ray saying he would work Julie had her coat on and on her way out of the door calling back to Ray to tell Chloe to wait for her that she would be back for ten, Julie didn’t live far from the Croft Tavern only a five minute walk, so zipping up her jacket to protect her from the autumn chill. She headed home past the hairdressers and the convenience store which was run by the local Indian family and after crossing the road she headed up the lane which led behind the council flats and up towards her little place just at the end of the lane which was darker than usual as a couple of the street lights were not working. With every step Julie kept looking over her shoulder sure that someone was behind her following at a distance. far enough back to stay out of sight. Julie picked up her pace a little with only a couple of hundred yards to go before reaching her gate to her back garden the feeling of someone behind her had disappeared, so with a sigh of relief she got to her gate opened it and let herself in the back door and into the kitchen swinging the door closed behind her and falling backwards against the door itself, after a long moment she stood upright shedding her shoes and jacket and making her way to the bathroom, she reached in round the glass shower screen and switched the shower on, leaving the shower running she headed to the bedroom opened her wardrobe and flicking the coat hangers like the pages of a magazine until she found the desired outfit for the night out ahead, she chose what every woman has in her wardrobe that little black dress, she laid it out on the bed along with her matching black underwear and a few bits of costume jewellery, the necklace being the most distinctive has it was a large letter J encrusted with fake diamonds. It was large but not too large to look out of place.
She shed the rest of her clothes on the bedroom floor and walked naked to the now steamed up bathroom, after stepping over the side of the bath she stood under the hot shower for quite a long time just relaxing and enjoying the water massaging her soft skin. Feeling the rivers of water running down her back over her bum down her legs wandering into a trance like state,
After about half an hour showering she switched off the shower and grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her. Made her way back to the bedroom and proceeded to dab herself dry.
It was now quarter to nine and Julie had just over an hour before Chloe and the rest of the girls were supposed to meet up in the Croft Tavern and Julie used all but a couple of minutes putting on her makeup. straightening her hair and getting into that little black number. she was looking stunning with a figure most women would die for and most me just lust after, lastly she hung the big letter J around her neck grabbed her black fur jacket and headed for the back door and the dark lane back towards the pub. but as soon as she put her hand on the back door handle she remembered about the thought of the feeling of being followed and quickly turned and headed for the front door instead. stepping out into a much brighter lit street. it was only a few hundred yards further to walk but she felt a lot safer with the extra glow of the street lights.
It was five past ten when Julie got back to the pub and Chloe and a couple of the other girls Sandra and Kirsteen were waiting for her, after Ray had told them that she would be back soon.
Julie was just about to go to the bar to get a drink when Chloe said we have got the drinks already so Julie squeezed in the middle of Chloe and Kirsteen at the table and took a sip of her drink a glass of white wine spritzer with a difference this was made with Folonari Pink Pinot Grigio which Kirsteen had bought for Chloe's birthday and Ray had let them drink on the premises.
After finishing the wine and a couple extra drinks they decided to get a taxi into town. so Julie went behind the bar and used the bar phone to call and order a taxi which only took around five minutes to come. they all got in the taxi and told the driver to head for the town centre and drop them at the junction of Union Street and Market Street as there was a bank machine and an array of pubs to have a few cheap drinks before going into the more expensive night clubs. after everyone got there cash out of the machine they headed down Market street and went into the liveliest pub at the time called the St Andrews Bar and drank quite a few drinks as the boys in there were chatting up the girls buying them drinks flirting buying more drinks so the girls were getting quite drunk when it was time to head for a night club. Sandra being the least drunk and the more sensible one suggested to calm the drinking down a little otherwise they would not get into the clubs and that would ruin the night. so calm it they did and managed to get into the night club called Liquid. which was the most frequented club in town, and it wasn't long before the boys were moving in once again with there seedy chat up line and suggestive remarks. but the girls had decided at the very start of the night to make it a purely girls night out so all the men and boys were just shunned away and the four of them kept to them selves for the rest of a great night celebrating Chloe's birthday.
It was getting close to closing time and time to try and get a taxi home. after gathering up there coats hand bags and even shoes that had been kicked off while dancing they all made it to the taxi rank. there was only about ten or twelve people in the queue so it would not be long before they were squeezing themselves in to the taxi and heading for home. Sandra and Kirsteen was first to get dropped off as they lived very close to each other with Sandra leaning back in the car handing a fiver over to Julie for her share of the taxi and after a quick hug goodbye they were of to drop off Chloe at her front door Chloe also tried to hand Julie money but she refused to take any from her saying "it was your birthday this one's on me" and after another hug goodbye there was just Julie and it was a matter of minutes and they were passing the croft Tavern and round the next corner and Julie was at her front door she paid the taxi and drove away to his next fare. on reaching her front Julie went for her keys from her hand bag but couldn't find them frantically searching through her pockets which there were only two in her fur coat and nothing then another frantic look in her handbag and still nothing. after a long moment standing wondering what to do she realized she hadn't locked the back door of her flat. walking at almost running speed she went round the end of the terrace and entered the still very dark lane at the back of the flats still about fifty yards from her back gate she heard something behind her looked round and saw a dim figure just picked out by the lights from streets further in the distance. with panic in her mind decided to run for her gate and the safety of home but she didn't get as far as her gate she tripped fell headlong on the path grazing hands knees and elbows in the process. hearing the footsteps getting closer panic was building as the footsteps got closer and closer then out of the blue a familiar voice called out shouting Julies name. it was ray but as soon as ray called out the footsteps turned and ran in the opposite direction and a second later Ray was helping Julie to her feet inquiring how she was and generally showing concern for her well being. still shaking Ray almost carried Julie to her back door took her inside and sat her down, Ray offered to make her a coffee which Julie accepted greatly, while Ray was making coffee Julie decided to go to the bathroom and clean up her grazed knees and elbows and also got changed into a long pink dressing gown, making her way back to the living room she saw ray placing two cups of coffee down on the coffee table and telling Julie to sit down and relax for five minutes after the scare in the alley.
it was nearly two in the morning and Julie was starting to calm down and relax and Julie and Ray just started chatting away about how the girls night out went then the subject got back to the figure and the footsteps in the lane which sent nervous sensations through her body then remembering the feeling on her way home earlier made the nerves and tension hit the roof, Ray could see the worry in Julies eyes and reached over and gave her a reassuring hug and a peck on the cheek which made her feel a little better. after a good half hour of chatting and reassuring Ray stood up to leave when Julie asked him not to go yet and without any hesitation Ray just sat down again asking Julie are you OK and out of the blue Julie asked Ray if he would stay with her tonight as she was worried that someone was still out there,
Ray being a good friend to Julie accepted and suggested she went to her bed to get a good night sleep and he would sleep on the couch, an hour later it must have been near four o'clock in the morning when police sirens were coming from all directions it