Tremor: If your world was falling apart, how far would you go to save it? (The Tremor Cycle)

by Ryan Mark

  Alive.

  Chapter 10

  Into the Green

  An emerald glow shimmered across the valley that opened up in front of them. William watched in astonishment as groups of people farmed the land to the sound of wind turbines whirring diligently. Ferns, foxgloves and a colourful blanket of other plants grew up the slopes, and were those cows and sheep grazing close to the river? William blinked hard. He hadn’t seen a live and healthy farm animal in over five years.

  Ori was speechless for once, but Althea was saying ‘Wow!’ over and over again. What did this place mean for the Earth? Were the tremors really such a threat if such beauty still survived? Althea had mentioned about going to the coast, but if they had this place, well, they didn’t need the coast.

  Terrafall couldn’t know about this place. If it did, the valley would face destruction. The evil company would strip all the resources until every trace of green had been erased from the landscape.

  ‘I thought this place was meant to be a mess?’ he said to Ichabod, who was still driving as fast as possible towards their destination. ‘Terrafall said the north was full of Scavengers and bandits.’

  ‘Terrafall doesn’t have a clue. This valley has been kept secret. Unfortunately, rumours have spread, so it started to tell lies about this place. It wants people to believe Kentvale is the best place to live. It gives them control and power,’ said Ichabod. ‘Terrafall know this place as Deep Rest Hollow, a Scavenger camp, but we know it as Haven’s Hollow.’

  ‘How come it’s so perfect? The tremors should’ve caused heaps of damage,’ said Althea, eyes wide, glued to the scenery.

  ‘The valley seems to have been somehow protected from them. You still feel them, but they’re not as strong as in the flat areas,’ explained Ichabod, manoeuvring the bus up a gentle slope. ‘My family and I often visited the town here before the war. I gave a couple of the sermons in the town’s church – I was a vicar before I got called up to fight, you see. My parish was on the outskirts of Kentvale, but I relished visiting this valley.’

  ‘But how’s it been kept secret?’ William thought that maybe Terrafall wasn’t as well resourced as he’d initially assumed.

  ‘The topography and remote location make it difficult to find. That pass we ventured up is furiously guarded. There is a camouflaged gate just before the entrance, guarded by some equally well-camouflaged men.’

  ‘Look!’ cried Ori.

  A dry stone wall appeared at the head of the valley, roofs with smoke rising from stout chimneys peeking above it on the other side. There were two buildings that caught William’s attention above all others, the first an impressive white clock tower, built close to the wall, and further back, a castle, which rose above every other structure, dominating the backdrop of the town. A waterfall cascaded from the high, rocky peaks that surrounded the upper valley, sending a trickling river through the settlement and on towards the green fields.

  William hadn’t seen a flowing, clean river in a long time. He was used to the stagnancy of the river in Kentvale: brown, stinking and full of things he’d hate to name.

  As they approached the town’s gate two guards indicated for them to stop. The first was a tall, thin man with neatly parted black hair and a moustache to match. He wore a black cloak, which hung neatly from his shoulders. The second was half the height of his partner but almost twice the girth, with a shock of curly brown hair framing his plump face. His clothing was a complete contrast too, made up of a mishmash of animal skins.

  ‘Ernest Goodwind and Marcus Gunn, two of the top guards in the Hollow,’ said Ichabod, before William could ask.

  ‘What are they wearing?’ asked Althea, eyebrows raised. ‘The shorter one looks like a hobo.’

  ‘Haven’s Hollow opts for a more sustainable form of clothing, items that are easily crafted,’ replied Ichabod.

  ‘Ichabod, you’re back! It’s so good to see you safe,’ declared the tall man with the thin, curly moustache. ‘What’s happened to your arm my friend?’

  ‘It’s only a dislocation. It just needs to be manipulated back into the socket.’ Ichabod adjusted his bad arm, grunting. ‘And it’s good to see you too, Ernest. These are my friends, Ori, Althea and William.’

  The two men gave the children a cheery wave.

  ‘And you’ve kept this old piece of junk in one piece,’ said the shorter one with the chubby, flushed face. ‘Any luck with finding your wife?’

  ‘More than you can imagine, Marcus,’ said Ichabod warmly. ‘I’m going to need to see Branimir. He needs to know what we’ve discovered.’

  ‘He’s been waiting for you,’ said Ernest. He placed a silver-edged monocle over one of his hazel eyes and pulled out a tub of pills. ‘Before you go, take these, they’ll help with the pain until you can see the medic.’ He passed them to Ichabod.

  ‘Thanks Ernest,’ said Ichabod, swallowing two of the pills. ‘We’d best be off now.’ He nodded and passed Ernest the bus keys through the driver’s window, indicating to the kids to get off the bus.

  ‘Who’s Branimir?’ asked William as he climbed down the stairs.

  ‘The valley’s leader and, I suppose, king,’ said Ichabod. ‘He established this place in the town here shortly after he came back from the war. He used it as a sort of recovery camp for troops. But then it developed into something much more when Terrafall began clamping down on society. I first met him when I came to this village as a vicar, then during the war, I served under him as a lieutenant.’

  William just nodded in reply, still captivated by what was going on around him.

  Marcus, the chubby guard, banged on the gates and they swung open. ‘Open sesame!’ he said, grinning, his round, flushed cheeks making his eyes turn into slits.

  They walked into the town, entering into a small courtyard that had an ornate fountain gushing water in the centre. One side was dominated by the white clock tower William had seen earlier above the dry stone wall. He looked up to the spire.

  The white surface glowed, as if it were a pearl. It vaguely reminded him of the town hall in Kentvale, except this building didn’t emit a sinister vibe. All he felt from it was a feeling of awe.

  There were small white cottages dotted around the impressive building, some surrounding culs-de-sac, others lining narrow, cobbled alleys. Groups of people hung about in the streets, trading gossip or shopping at neat, attractive market stalls. It was a massive contrast to Kentvale.

  ‘I’m going to bring Mum here,’ he uttered quietly to Althea. ‘She needs to see this.’

  Althea nodded. ‘It’s all very nice, but when are we going to look for Erisia? She could be anywhere. We don’t have a clue.’

  Ichabod overheard. ‘That’s why we came here. You see, Branimir and the Haven Development, which form the group that controls this valley, have been staunch protesters against Terrafall since it took charge with force after the war. The Haven Development have masses of information on Terrafall, so I’m sure they’ll know where Erisia is.’

  They were approaching the castle. Its central tower was surrounded by four smaller towers, rising to half its height, and a turreted wall encircled the base. A man dressed in a fur coat with long grey hair and a beard to match dominated the large balcony of the main tower, gazing down at them.

  Ichabod waved in his direction. ‘And there’s the man in question.’

  ‘He really does look like a king,’ said Ori. ‘Or a Viking.’

  ‘Branimir is a great friend and leader. I couldn’t have fought with a better man during the war. He was the first person I came to when my wife went missing,’ Ichabod told them. ‘He supplied the bus and helped get it into Kentvale, and gave me the tools I needed to begin my investigations. Without him I wouldn’t have been able to get this far.’

  ‘What exactly happened when you came back from the war, if you don’t mind me asking?’ said Althea, moving closer to Ichabod, as they walked over a drawbridge that crossed a moat fed by the waterfall they’d seen earlier.
>
  ‘Me and Branimir came back from defending the southern coast a year and a half after the end of the war, when the fighting finally eased, and the food ran out. Branimir left for his home here in the Hollow and I for mine, a small village just outside Kentvale. On my return I found that my children had been killed, and that my wife had been taken to serve Terrafall.

  ‘It took a while to find her – she was working at the hospital – but even when I did, we barely got any time together. Then, after eighteen months of scarcely seeing each other, they said her skills as a nurse were needed at the coalmine encampments, and I saw her even less then. She was due to return home a few weeks ago, but didn’t turn up. I searched and searched. When I finally gained access to her room at the encampment all I found was blood. So that’s when I came to Branimir and set out on my journey to discover what had truly happened.’

  Althea flung her arms around Ichabod. ‘You should’ve told us all this when we first met you. I wouldn’t have been such a brat if I’d known that! I’m so sorry…’

  ‘It wasn’t relevant at the time, but at least now you know some of my backstory,’ said Ichabod evenly, clearing his throat.

  William knew Ichabod was trying to put on a brave face. He decided to quickly change the subject. ‘Should we go in now? The sooner we do, the sooner we get our answers and can work on saving your wife and my mum.’

  Ichabod nodded and guided them through a high archway, William noticing a portcullis poking from the ceiling above. He pushed the reinforced studded oak doors with his cane and they creaked open. ‘After you,’ he said, nodding his head towards the cavernous hall on the other side.

  William stepped forward across the cold flagstone floor. The stained glass windows sent colourful shards of light into the hall, casting a carousel of shadows around the draped walls.

  ‘Welcome!’ boomed a voice, seemingly from above them.

  William’s eyes fell on a wide, grand staircase to one side of the room, its banister twisted with mythical creatures he couldn’t name. The man from the balcony above descended it slowly, taking two steps at a time. His huge, muscular frame and long beard gave him an intimidating air, but when William looked up at his face, his rosy cheeks and jolly smile indicated a gentle personality.

  ‘Branimir, it’s good to see you,’ said Ichabod, meeting him at the stairs.

  ‘By the beard, my friend, the same to you.’ Branimir placed his hand on Ichabod’s good shoulder. ‘I see you bring children with you? Saved them from Terrafall, have you? You’ve always been a kind soul.’ He beamed widely causing his grey beard to bounce on his chest.

  Ichabod’s face dropped. ‘The boy has lost his mother in the same way as my wife. We were right, Branimir, Terrafall is behind these crimes, but my friend, it’s worse than we imagined.’ He suddenly gripped his cane harder. He was clearly in pain and the recent dose of medicine obviously hadn’t taken effect. ‘Terrafall is kidnapping people to sacrifice to the tremors. It has come to believe the tremors are gods!’

  Branimir’s great brow furrowed as his eyes enlarged. ‘What?’

  ‘It’s true,’ offered Althea. ‘Terrafall are a bunch of sickos.’

  The burly man smiled at her. ‘So the mighty have turned to a sick kind of faith. Well, that surprises me, as Terrafall has always shunned religion.’

  ‘What can we do?’ William asked him.

  ‘Terrafall has got away with too much for too long, but I believe now more than ever we have the proof we need to take up arms against it.’

  Althea and Ori seemed to like this idea as they grinned at each other, but Ichabod and William stared at Branimir, mouths partially open. Did that mean war? William didn’t like the sound of it… War usually led to innocents being killed, and because his mother was in their hands, she could get caught up in the crossfire.

  ‘We can’t be sure that we’d succeed against Terrafall. The Peace Enforcers outnumber us,’ said Ichabod. ‘Do we really stand a chance?’

  ‘But before we do that, we’ve got to think about saving the people who might still be alive,’ added William. ‘My mum, for example.’

  ‘We must try and stop them! They have poisoned the world for too long. Since the war this poor planet hasn’t had a break. And lad, don’t you worry about the people they have abducted. They will be saved. Mark my words,’ Branimir said, his booming voice filling William with confidence.

  ‘And we will exact our revenge for the people it has already taken from us, the people it murdered in cold blood,’ said Ichabod, looking at Althea and nodding. ‘Your parents will be given justice.’

  ‘What, Alfie?’ said Ori, mouth and eyes full circles. ‘Revenge for our parents, what does he mean?’

  Althea bit her bottom lip. ‘Nothing, Ori.’

  He didn’t buy it. ‘The people who’ve got Will’s mum killed our mum and dad? Why didn’t you tell me?’ screamed Ori. He shook his head and ran out of the castle.

  ‘Oh – I didn’t mean to…’ Ichabod hesitated. ‘Fear…’

  ‘Just don’t,’ said Althea, running after Ori.

  ‘Should I try to make amends?’ Ichabod asked William.

  ‘She’ll sort him out. Best to leave her to it.’

  ‘Terrafall causes so much heartache and pain. The sooner we deal with it the better it will be for everyone,’ said Branimir, arms crossed tightly over his great chest.

  Branimir’s words quickly brought Erisia to mind. ‘Do you know who Erisia Morret is?’ William asked.

  ‘I need to check our records. However, before we take this any further, I suggest you all take time to rest,’ said Branimir. ‘You and Ichabod need medical attention.’

  ‘We should start now,’ said William, crossing his arms over his chest. ‘Time might be running out for Mum.’

  ‘Ichabod needs that arm seeing to first, my lad,’ said Branimir, eyebrows arched. ‘I know you feel the urge to rush, but rushing leads to mistakes and could destroy the mission.’

  Ichabod patted William’s shoulder. ‘I’ll take myself to the town medic. As soon as I’m done we’ll discuss Erisia. You need to deal with that cut too. It’s for the best, and I promise I won’t be long. Terrafall have my wife too, remember.’

  William didn’t reply, and Ichabod limped out of the room without another word, leaving William alone with Branimir.

  Silence hung between Branimir and William, but it didn’t last long.

  ‘I want to talk now,’ said William.

  ‘You need rest,’ replied Branimir.

  William shook his head. ‘I don’t. Please. Tell me everything you know.’ He didn’t have time to relax. The more time this took, the less time Mum had. ‘I need answers, for my mum,’ he pleaded, when Branimir didn’t answer. ‘You’ve got to understand. If you were in my situation what would you do?’

  ‘Come with me,’ Branimir said evenly, heading towards a large archway on the right side of the hall.

  They moved down a carpeted corridor, with ancient paintings of stately figures hung down its length, and eventually stopped in front of a small door.

  ‘Before we go any further you must give your forehead a good clean. You’ll find clean bandages in there. Make sure you clean the wound with the disinfectant, to make sure that all the germs are killed,’ said Branimir, holding out his hand.

  William nodded and stepped into the small room. Considering this place was such an old castle, he was surprised to find a fully equipped medical bay. He walked over to the sink and gave his forehead a quick wash with some medicinal lotion.

  The gash wasn’t too big. It was about two-and-a-half centimetres in length and not particularly wide, rising up his head from his right eyebrow. It’d make a mean scar, though. He began to apply a bandage, remembering what his mother had taught him. He looked at himself in the mirror, his fringe almost hid the bandage completely. That would do, he decided.

  Branimir chuckled when he reappeared. ‘Bit big, isn’t it?’

  ‘I don’t think I’ve done to
o badly,’ said William, shooting him a tight grin.

  Branimir walked into a nearby room, indicating William should follow. ‘This is the library. We keep everything we’ve collected on Terrafall in here, along with the rest of the valley’s documents. It’s also the base of the HD.’

  ‘HD is Haven Development, right?’

  ‘Correct,’ said Branimir. ‘Let’s see if we can find something on the whereabouts of this Erisia.’

  A smell of burning wood came first; the air was saturated with it. It clung to the panelled walls and antique furniture. William immediately relaxed and let the old-world smells draw him in. He looked around with interest.

  The room resembled a king’s palace, with golden sculptures and a huge marble fireplace, roaring out a comfortable heat. But the shining mahogany bookcases and aisles of shelves were what impressed him most. He wasn’t used to such luxuries; he’d thought they’d all disappeared.

  A big digital device, which wasn’t in keeping with the room, sat above the fireplace. William frowned. ‘What’s that doing?’ he asked, pointing.

  ‘It’s a tremor reader. The higher the number, the closer the tremor is to Haven’s Hollow. We stole it from Terrafall,’ said Branimir. ‘It gives us a heads-up. Even though it’s relatively safe topography here, a new fault line could form at any time.’

  ‘It must be hard not to stare at it all day,’ said William, watching the numbers change up, then down, then up again.

  ‘Oh yes, one of our members has actually gone mad watching that, the poor sod.’

  William turned away and tried to ignore it by looking at the shelves. ‘So, where do we start?’

  Branimir walked off and delved into one of the bookcases, chattering on about something that William couldn’t quite make out. He pulled out a bunch of papers. ‘I have some maps and a few accompanying documents here. These show Terrafall’s current projects and companies. We procured them a couple of weeks ago during one of our raids,’ he said, placing several sheets of stained paper on the table. ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’