Coalboat Cadbury

A freshly painted steam valve ordained the spot where the main gates used to be. The area around the remains of the old Sparkwell PowerStation was completely flat. Permanent short grass covered most of the featureless terrain. A small concrete and glass dome in a corner of the field was the only break in the monotony. The area around Sparkwell used to be densely populated.

Coalboat Cadbury danced the dance of death with Dolly Brick. They were in love. It was everlasting love. A love forever. Coalboat Cadbury laughed and cried. He played the songs he liked so well. He knew them off by heart. He mentioned it to himself a few times in the past. But he still had Dolly. They danced the dance of death. Together alone. Coalboat Cadbury raised his face to the light that he could not see He smiled past the bulb and spun Dolly around. Coalboat Cadbury skipped like the little piggies he could once remember. He squeezed her rubber hand.

"Rather jolly this. What?" said Coalboat Cadbury.

"Nothing quite like it this time of day." He replied.

"Couldn't agree more." Coalboat Cadbury headed for the bunker window.

Coalboat Cadbury looked up at the sun he could not see. Dolly Brick cast her shadow over the concrete floor. Black and defined. She held her pose. Frozen. The way she had. In the blinding light. He never saw her lying there. In the blinding light. And in a flash, he was gone from the bunker window.

"Must have the Bennett's over. Such a long time since they came by."

"I know. Must be ages. Long before the bang."

"Neighbourhood's getting worse. Must write to the council."

"About time too."

Coalboat Cadbury switched off the tape and made a pot of tea. He sat with the tray in front of him and Dolly Brick beside him. He looked out the bunker window to the sun he could not see. He raised his cup to dolly Brick and took a sip.

"Must pop down the local one evening, old girl. Say hello to the folks. Wonder if old Bill is still going in there? Still growing tomatoes?"

Dolly Brick sat in silence. Her plastic face twisted, her eyes pointing at two different points on the carpet as her body slowly deflated

"And we nearly lost you, too? Lucky that council worker found you out the front. When we had the old house. Well, beggars can't be choosers. The council built this new one for us. I was ever so worried when they couldn't find you. Wasn't till I came out of hospital. Isolation unit, too. Can't be too careful with germs. Nasty little things. Well, we're safe now. Just us. In our own little bunker. No more leaks. Council fixed that. Won't have to worry about it anymore. No more bright lights in the sky. Eh, Dolly?"

Coalboat Cadbury put his cup down and stood up. He straightened up his tuxedo and twisted his hand with the less burnt one. His plastic face almost smiled.

"Well. Don't know about you, Dolly dear. I'm ready for anther little swing "

Coalboat Cadbury took a deep breath and swept her off her feet. The music was as loud. A waltz he danced with Dolly Brick. Around and around he spun her. In time with the music. This was the happiest day of his life. They were together forever. Just the two of them. Dancing together to a waltz that he loved. Around and around they danced. In a room with no corners the council had built. A half-meter of concrete and steel plates replaced the old cottage.

One window let in the light. It shone on Coalboat Cadbury and Dolly Brick. Like it did the day the power station went up and contaminated everything for kilometres. They still live there with nobody else in sight except the shadow of Dolly Brick lying on the old garden path.

THE END.