A NEW DEATH: Sequel to A New Dawn

by DB Daglish

  “Where’s he going?” asked Don of Toby.

  “He’s quite a private person and more so recently. He is a really nice guy, organized, a great leader, yet very shy. It’s very odd for a leader to be shy but something is not right. He…”

  “Needs to talk?” Don asked.

  “Probably?”

  “Do you think he’d talk to a stranger?”

  “He might! I know that in the old life, sometimes people opened up more to a stranger than people they knew well.”

  Don thanked Toby and followed Marcus across the grass watching which house he entered. Waiting for a little while he approached and knocked loudly on the door. When the door opened Marcus didn’t look pleased.

  “Someone send you here?” he asked.

  “No, I decided to come on my own.”

  “Well there is nothing wrong. I’m sick of Tricia interfering!”

  “Who is Tricia?”

  “What do you mean…hang on; you really don’t know who Tricia is?”

  Don shook his head vigorously.

  “Well I apologize then. I am dreadfully sorry. But why are you here?”

  “Just to talk! You and I are about the same age, and despite an appearance of strength, you are hiding something. I can see it and I am open to talk if you need me.”

  Marcus stood there a little flabbergasted. He looked hard at Don, then past him to the meeting building on the other side of the compound. He looked back toward Don as his tongue ran under his lips and over his teeth while he was thinking.

  “No. Sorry…Don wasn’t it? Yes. No, I am fine, but thank you anyway. Good day…” and the door began to close. As it did Don could see a pained look on Marcus’s face but he said nothing and wandered slowly back to the others while he pondered the discussion.

  That night a large gathering occurred at the southern end of the beach. Two huge bonfires were lit as darkness fell, their light illuminating the hill behind them, casting moving shadows in between buildings and trees. After everyone was fed, Ricki and Karen stood with Ryan watching the celebrations.

  “Good people aye?” offered Ryan. But no reply came.

  “Ricki?” he asked as he turned to him.

  “Oh, sorry mate. I was just thinking that this is the first time I’ve seen so many children. There were a few around when we arrived. But where did all these ones come from?” he said pointing to the large group near the trees running back and forward to the heat of the bonfire.

  “I never noticed that,” Karen agreed. “Do they house them somewhere else I wonder?”

  “I’ll find out,” said Ryan, always keen to stick his nose in and learn something new. This was after all, an expedition, not just to see who else was alive, but how they were ordering their new societies. He left Karen and Ricki to themselves in the shadows.

  The Hope crew, with the addition of Geo and Samantha, spent most of their time with the younger ones from wharf complex. These ones had a lot of freedom but wouldn’t discuss why, however by their actions they were certainly free with their sexuality. While Donny, the only one who had sailed without a pairing of sorts, indulged in sexual activity with a group in one room, the rest were both intrigued and shocked. Back at home, sex was not taboo at all – and if declared openly enough, any coupling between the opposite sex was accepted. But here – it just seemed to be a little out of control. It did not preserve respect, at least not in the way they had been taught.

  “There is quite a freedom in regard to sex here Caitlan!” suggested Samantha to one who was wandering around the plaza area with her partner. These two girls had begun a bond during the first moments of arrival.

  “Yes. We are free to do what we want,” she replied.

  “Are you two friends or…?” Geo began.

  “Married actually. But few of us are here!” Luke finished for him. “Those that are married usually get their own place further up the hill, but we are content to be here with those our age.”

  “You have no children…?” Samantha inquired. There seemed to be a lack of them at the complex. She was sure a large group of less than thirty-year olds would produce children; and lots of them.

  “Yes. We have two, but they are being looked after by the minders.” Luke replied.

  “Minders, what do you mean…like nannies?”

  “What are nannies?” Caitlan asked.

  “Well, they are people who look after children for the parents when they are busy…”

  “That’s what the minders do for us,” Caitlin asserted.

  “Oh, ok. So how much of the day do they look after the children for you?”

  Caitlan looked at Luke with a questioning look and then turned to Samantha. “What you do mean?”

  “Well, mornings, or afternoons…when do you get them back each day?”

  “We don’t!” Caitlan said a little confused at the question.

  “So you never get to see your children?” Geo cut in.

  “They aren’t our children; they are the community’s children! We produce them and then others look after them until they are fifteen, when they are ready they come to the complex.”

  “So were you brought up like this?” Samantha now asked.

  “I was three when the death came. Luke here was six. I can’t remember much but Luke tells me he remembers it was about a year before the children were kept separate most of the time.”

  “Is that right Luke?”

  “Yeah - about a year or so. I didn’t understand why until I was fifteen. But I can tell you we had a ball. We had everything we needed; we had schooling and heaps of fun. We were down by the beach and spent lots of time there. Fitness was a big thing that’s for sure,” he said with a smile. Obviously he viewed the experience as an excellent one.

  As Fin and Dee appeared, the discussion ended and Fin suggested they take a yacht out on the harbor that night.

  “Will you need to ask the others?”

  “Why would we need to do that Luke? It’s our yacht, we sailed it over. If we damaged it there are thousands more to choose from in this harbor that could be prepared for ocean voyage within a week.” Fin explained.

  The clear sky allowed the starlight to illuminate the harbor, even with a half moon. They sailed slowly toward the inner harbor, passing the old fort and sailing under the bridge in the early morning. As they returned with an increasing breeze they stopped to view the old opera house, now in a bad state of repair as the sunrise began to appear behind the giant arches. The old harbor bridge was silhouetted; trees now growing upon it were visible in the growing light. All were still as they watched the sky turn from red to a bright orange - each lost in their own thoughts.

  From a headland some four kilometers back, Harry stood; watching the Hope through binoculars.

  “They ok?” asked Ricki.

  “Yeah. It seemed they have just stopped to view the sunrise. Now let’s get going again before they see us, if they pass that second headland before we are halfway back they’ll know we followed them.”

  They ran back down the overgrown steps to the jetty on the eastern side, quickly raising the sails and pointing the yacht north toward the Manly area. So well did they sail that they docked before the Hope was seen rounding a headland in the distance.

  While these two yachts were on the harbor, the rest of the expedition crew had retired to the apartments. At breakfast they ate together to discuss what they had seen. As those spying on the Hope arrived, they discussed all they had observed, both good and bad. Discussion went on for about an hour until Ryan stood up and explained what he had learned about the children.

  “It seems they have a different model to us. They keep children separate. But I couldn’t get much information as to why. Was it for the children, or the adult’s benefit? I cannot seem get my head around it!”

  Bryce added his thoughts to the discussion. “The teens and those a little older in this building…I know some of them are couples, yet there are no children. Oh, except Jade and Jasper wi
th the newborn, and that other couple with baby that looks about six months old.”

  Fallon agreed. She had been with Bryce when the children were all taken away in one large group north along the beach. She was more attracted to Bryce now than ever before. Fallon had lost her partner a few years before to sickness, thought it was never diagnosed – few sicknesses could be these days.

  “We followed them to the buildings opposite the surf club about four to five blocks away,” she said. “Some adults and teens went with them, but I have not seen these ones until tonight. Why would they not be kept with their parents?”

  “Because the parents are only biological!” came a voice and all turned around to see Fin, Dee, Geo and Samantha.

  “Where have you guys been?” Harry asked. He was trying to hide his own guilt of following them.

  “Why don’t you tell us?” Fin asked. “You saw where we were!”

  “What do you mean?” Harry defended, looking as shocked as he dared.

  “Oh, come on. I saw your sail last night and this morning your binoculars reflected the sun on that southern peninsula. If I hadn’t seen your sail last night, I might have believed it was some glass or something. I still had my doubts till I got back to the wharf!”

  Harry shrugged his shoulders.

  “Oh come on man. When we left last night, the Southern Spirit was tied on its starboard side. When we got back it was moored to port.”

  Tia began to laugh.

  “He’s one of my crew, and sharp as a needle!” she proudly stated as she turned to Don. “But it was me who asked someone to follow you,” she said as she now looked back at Fin. “I’m responsible for that boat and I’m quite attached to it as you know. I had full faith in you all, but precautions are still worthwhile. Anyway; did you have a nice time with your friends?”

  “Yes. We did. And to continue…the parents are just biological!”

  “What do you mean by that?” asked Nick. “Are they just breeders or something?”

  “Yes. That is exactly what they are,” Fin agreed. “And if you can now imagine why they are so sexually active and happy with it; you will understand why few children are ever kept with them.”

  “No one is forced - if anyone is thinking that!” added Samantha. “In fact it seems to work quite well except that there is little interaction between the young and old – unlike New Haven.”

  “So you’re saying the complex is one big baby factory? A modern harem? I wondered why I saw pregnant girls but no babies!” declared Josh. “Me and Rita were discussing that last night!”

  A few were offended, others though it great, but as the volume rose, Don stood to his feet. As he did so the room calmed down eventually falling silent as he waited.

  “Look. This is their community. No one is forced to do anything and if you wanted to grow a population fast, this is one way to do it. I’m not sure why they are kept separate as they are, but that is their business. I suggest we leave it at that. I do not want anyone offending our Sydney friends,” he urged.

  “But I know why!” said Geo. “Fin mentioned it a few minutes ago but no one got it. The younger ones my age and up are free to have sex with whom they like, when they like, as long as their work is done and there are no jealousies. They can have sex, produce children and then not get bogged down in raising them. We were talking to a couple on the boat. They have had children and this is why it’s done. They think it is natural and don’t question it and frankly, in the circumstances of this new world, even though I have no knowledge of the old one, it seems a good idea!”

  “None the less,” Don cut back in. “Regardless whether we agree or not, this is their home, we are their guests, these are their rules and everyone is happy. No one is getting hurt, they are all prospering and mankind needs that. Now…” he said changing subject, “We have agreed to help them with their duties today. I’ve volunteered you all for the gardens so let’s see if we can learn something for back home shall we?”

  “And who made you boss?” asked Ho.

  “I did - you cheeky young monkey!” Don joked.

  “And if I refuse?” he joked back.

  “Ricki?” Don asked. He motioned his head outside, to which Ricki grabbed Ho tightly, walked across the street, and while everyone who came with them watched and laughed, Ho was unceremoniously thrown off the wharf!

  Suddenly a call came from up above in the accommodation block. A few of them were shouting and pointed out into the bay. Ho swam the few strokes to the ladder and climbed up just as a large shark passed by. A few of the women screamed, not so much at the shark but at how close this could have been to a terrible tragedy. Don apologized for his action but Ho would have none of it. It was done in jest after all. But Don would remember that event for the rest of his life.

  The remainder of the day was spent in hard labor under the sun. Most of the community came out for the first harvest and the preparation and re-sowing for the second planting. It was quite an impressive operation and the large volume of people in this location made it a single day’s work instead of several. It seemed therefore, that their population model had some merit after all.

  It was Don who noticed an older gentleman, like himself, who was pulling the Australian flag down from the mast in front of the ferry wharf just as the sun hit the distant horizon out to sea.

  “Who is that, Brian?”

  “That’s Major Smyth. Barney is his name, but we call him the ‘Major’ because he was ex army. Every day for the twenty-five years we have been here, he has taken the flag down at sunset and put it up at sunrise. No one helps him and we are not sure why he does it?”

  “You are kidding me. No one has asked him?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. How old are you Don?”

  “Sixty-four. Why?”

  “Well, the major is over seventy. Why don’t you go and talk to him before he goes back to his house at the Police College over in the next bay. He doesn’t respond to many people and he thinks our discipline is far too lax here.”

  Brian wandered off letting Don wait for Barney to come back along the road.

  “I’m told you do that every night?” Don called out.

  “The flag? Yep. Every night since we gathered here!”

  “I’m intrigued. Can I ask why you do it?”

  “I love my country,” was his brief reply as he stopped in front of Don.

  “Is there a country left…I mean, it’s just you few people now!”

  “That is true, ahhh…?

  “Don!”

  “Well Don, I’m a man of habit. And as I am old, the walk twice a day keeps me fit. But…” and he lowered his voice as if to hide something from unseen ears. “I am failing Don!”

  “Oh. Illness or bones?”

  “I don’t know. I can walk ok, but I am failing fast I fear. I fear a lingering death. I would prefer to take my own life than have these people look after a sick old man!”

  “Hey – don’t give up yet!” Don encouraged. “But why do you continue with the flag twice a day. There is a little more to that story isn’t there?” he probed.

  The ‘Major’ quietly explained the reason before slowly wandering off to his home in the next bay.

  As he did so, Don felt a tear run down his cheek.

  Chapter 4

  Four days passed while they explored and aided the community. Although fitting in well within the Manley residents, there was a feeling of restlessness among the newcomers. They hadn’t come to settle – that was not their goal. But what to do next? They had visited the youngster buildings along the beach and shown the operation there. They were impressed with the schooling and the control they had over the children. Not a type of control that was in any way bad - more that the power was maintained by the respect for the teachers and minders these children had. It seemed vastly different to the freedoms they would have when they reached fifteen. Indeed, they were shown some older ones being prepared for their eventual transfer to the ‘station’, as t
hose next to leave referred to it as.

  Lenny and Janie was asked if they wanted to stay to be part of the staff at the ‘ranch’; as it was nicknamed by the minders. They had a more intimate tour of the buildings, the programs, the events and the classes. It was at the senior level class that they discovered the children were being told of their importance in the future of the planet, the need to stay healthy, the need to produce babies and what they could do once they were able to stay at the ‘station’.

  Sex education was progressively taught through the age groups but they were forbidden to engage in it until they left and indeed the boys and girls were kept in separate building when they slept. Constant oversight was maintained and personal discipline encouraged in every aspect of their lives.

  To Lenny the whole thing seemed totally absurd. These kids were being indoctrinated with strict morals and good principles, and then let loose once they hit a certain age. But upon visiting the ‘station’ with its sea views and privacy, they discovered there was a standard of discipline in place. Every young person had specific tasks to complete; they often cooked for themselves and were generally respectful – as anyone in New Haven would have been taught to be. But at night, the rules seemed to fall away and consensual sex could be had between anyone. Only those who wished to pair up would be left to themselves – most would then move to other accommodation. All except Caitlan and Luke had done so, and Lenny found no explanation for them staying.

  Finally Harry had seen enough and a decision was made to visit those in Cronulla, one of the southern suburbs of old Sydney down the coast. From there they could possibly sail up to Brisbane to see who existed there. None from Sydney had been in contact with anyone from Brisbane; ever. Nor elsewhere for that matter!

  They stocked the yachts with fresh provisions, including anything from the gardens they wished to have. Even a lamb was provided they could keep on deck and slaughter to cook whenever they wished. But because of the weather they decided to put the lamb with some hay in a high-sided dingy and pull it along behind. Almost the entire community came to see the four yachts off as they promised they would return one more time before heading back to New Zealand.