Tom’s boots clattered across the tiled floor, the
tapetty-tap of tap shoes following him hurriedly. He couldn’t shake off Sir
Brucie despite his best efforts; Brucie was surprisingly lithe for an 84 year
old. Tom knew this place like the back of his hand, but so did Sir Brucie –
this had been his school too. As Tom entered the hall he recoiled in horror and
thudded to a halt. A silver plated 16 foot statue rose towered above him, it
was a statue of Brucie in his trademark “thinker” pose, the plaque below it
read “Sir Bruce Forsyth: our inspiration and leader. Nice to see a statue of
him, to see a statue of him nice.” Tom shuddered; this had never been there
before the Forsyth Putsch. The click of metal tap shoes against oak floorboards
grew louder – damn that old bastard was fast. Tom leapt onto the stage in the hall
and hid behind the curtains.
The clicking grew louder and slower, then stopped. “I know
you’re in here little boy. Don’t think I won’t find you.” Tom disliked being
called little boy, admittedly he had always looked young for his age but he
could grow a beard now for Christ’s sake! Bruce (and the clicks) grew nearer,
he walked up the stairs leading to the backstage area and slowly crept towards
Tom’s hiding place. Tom had never wanted to die like this, at Brucie’s hands,
it was so shaming. Brucie ripped the curtain open and grinned at Tom. That
moustached grin would haunt Tom for years to come, it was the stuff of
nightmares. Tom bolted out onto the stage and started to run for it, but he was
sure Brucie would catch him. Da-da-da-da-duh-da-da-duh-da-da-da-dah; the
Strictly theme tune started to blast out through the speaker system. Tom looked
up at the sound box, Anna was making frantic gestures at him. Tom span round,
Brucie was dancing behind him. Bruce had no control over his bones, he was a
born dancer, and this song had more power over him than most. Tom sprinted away
as Brucie hurled obscenities at him. Anna and Tom collided in the corridor and
started to run towards the exit, they heard the speakers stop – “Keeeeeep
dancing!” Brucie started to pursue them, but it was in vain, they were already
outside the school grounds and had slipped into the back alleys.
