Southend U3A

Writing for Fun

Yesterday - Gerry Miller

June 2013

He knew that he had really let Phillip have his hand and now he was in so much trouble. Peter did not know what to do. Yesterday all his troubles had seemed so far away. Peter had tried to stop Phillip as he had so frequently tried and failed. Yet he always ended up deep in the doodah, and this time it looked as though all his troubles were here to stay. Peter did not really understand why people did not see Phillip's hand in all of his problems. Even his parents were no longer on his side. He was so happy and full of hope he had total belief in yesterday.

Peter had managed to lose Philip for the moment but now felt that he was not half the man that he used to be. There was a shadow hanging over him, yesterday had come suddenly. The morning had started so well he woke up as the sun streamed through the window and rolling over he smiled as he looked at Lucy sleeping so peacefully beside him. Why she had to go he didn't know she wouldn't say. He must have said something wrong and now he longed for yesterday.

He remembered hearing a noise in the bathroom and getting up he found Phillip there with his spiteful voice and frightening allegations. Peter remembered trying to silence him but his venom was poisonous as he stormed out of the bathroom still ranting and raging. His head was spinning and his stomach churned. The coldness of the tiled bathroom floor eventually brought him out of his daze. Blood was all over the place and even his T-shirt was wet and sticky. He staggered to his feet and was promptly sick in the sink. He called to Phillip but the flat was strangely quiet, he hoped he had not harmed him. At least he knew the blood was not his.

Entering the bedroom he keeled over and was sick on the floor, there was his beloved Lucy. The peaceful slumber had left her as she lay there in her bed now coloured with her blood. Still and lifeless, her hair matted, her eyes glazed and staring up at the ceiling. Peter knew he had to find Phillip; he would be his only alibi. Love had been such an easy game to play now he would need a place to hide away.

The night had passed slowly Peter had believed in yesterday and now what he had was a murdered girlfriend and a missing Phillip. Deep down he knew that Phillip was responsible he had always taken everything away from him. Now Lucy had to go why she never had a chance to say, how he longed for yesterday. Peter knew now where he could be safe from Phillip and started to slowly walk down the High Street. Few people were around as the sun had yet to warm the air, those that were stared at Peter in his blood stained T-shirt and with the knife still clenched in his hand.

He walked into the police station and went up to the desk. The sergeant recognised him and pressed the panic button. Peter was trying to surrender and was easily overwhelmed; the knife was removed from his fist. He smiled and heaved a sigh of relief Peter would not find him here. The officers would put him somewhere safe where he could hide away. Within an hour he was back in the asylum and heavily sedated, he had started screaming that Phillip was coming to find him and that he had a knife. Lucy's body was found and of course there was no evidence of any Phillip.

A headline appeared the following day in the national newspapers "Dangerous Paranoid Schizophrenic Captured". Peter Phillip Brown had stabbed his girlfriend to death, and in the mistaken belief that his imaginary friend Phillip was after him had gone to the police for protection. He had stated that he had needed a place to hide away as his only belief was in yesterday. The police were unable to question him due to his severe mental health condition and Peter was returned to Broadmoor Secure Mental Health establishment for the criminally insane.



Based upon 'Yesterday' by The Beatles

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday

Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hanging over me.
Oh, yesterday came suddenly

Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday

Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm