A Spit In The Eye - For The Benefit Of Mankind

by Sally Dillon-Snape

  All of them

  Men

  Women

  And children

  All crying and hugging trees and dragging their hands over grasses

  With Susan and Ann holding my arms and smiling

  Both of them making sound

  *

  ‘You did very well in there, Hope. I really thought the big man was going to strike me down.’

  *

  ‘I thought it, too.’

  *

  THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMFORTING WORDS BUT I DID NOT WISH TO HARM ANY HUMAN

  I AM GREATLY SADDENED BY THE EVENT

  AND I MUST SWITCH OFF MY SCREEN NOW FOR THE LIGHT MAY BE SEEN WHEN WE EXIT THE FORTRESS

  *

  Keeping the group together we exited the forest and headed across the great plain

  Previous recordings of my mundane duties were still being transmitted to High Office

  Being relayed through the monitor on a GoebTers desk

  If I continued to transmit the recordings I had saved I would begin to repeat myself in about 40 years’ time and I worried that High Office may notice

  Progress along the plain was slow because of all the children who wanted to play and run around because they didn’t realize how dangerous it was being out in the open

  They were by far more excited than the taller

  Older Humans

  Who seemed to be in a deep daze as they stared all around them with astonishment that the world was such a wondrous sight with many animals of the fields moving towards them

  Wanting to know what was moving through the fields that had previously been theirs exclusively

  Except for me

  But we did make it to the entrance of the cave where many free Humans waited

  And for a long time the two groups stared

  In silence

  At each other

  Until one woman came from the cave with arms wide open and a family ran to her and many

  Many

  Tears were shed

  And then the two groups melded as one mass and the noise of their tears was enormous and I stood proudly aside knowing that I had accomplished something akin to wonder by introducing the two groups

  The mass began to move down into the deepness of the cave and I followed behind until all were gathered around the lake and many more tears were shed and there was much movement of Humans coming and going

  And

  Gradually

  The fortress Humans began to disappear into the tunnels leading from the lake and many felicitations were said between them as they went

  And I heard a noise that sounded much like a Machine and when I investigated

  I observed that the free Humans had constructed iron paths for small wooden boxes with wheels to run upon and many fortress Humans were aboard the boxes and by movement of a lever they moved along the tunnels until they were lost to my sight

  I felt somewhat saddened by their exit for I had known these Humans all my existence

  But when I returned to stand by the lake the Leaders were gathered together

  Ronald made sound

  *

  ‘I would like it very much if these men could accompany you back to the fortress, Hope.’

  *

  THEY ARE LEADERS

  *

  ‘Yes they are. They wish to visit your prison so that they may report back to our Government about what it was like, how humans survived in such a place for so long.’

  *

  A man stuck out his right palm and I reached out with mine and we shook our palms

  *

  ‘My name is Albert and my fellow Leaders are Michael and Leonard and we would like it greatly if we were allowed to commune with your Leaders. Presumably you have Leaders.’

  *

  I DO CONSIDER THAT THE FORTRESS HUMANS HAVE LEADERS

  ONE OF THEM IS EVES PAPA

  JOHN

  *

  The free Humans looked confused at my statement but they were ready

  And very excited to be moving on to the fortress

  So we departed the cave immediately

  Once again

  The walk was difficult for them

  For the tall men spent many

  Many

  Steps with tears flowing down their faces as they gazed around at the wonder that was planet Earth

  The progress was much speedier than with the children and when it came time to climb through the forest

  They were quite overcome with emotion and we had to pause for some time until they discovered their strength

  As we approached the fortress we passed the RolKils

  *

  ‘Are these machines the ones you called RolKils?’

  *

  It was Albert who made sound

  *

  YES

  THE DEADLIEST OF MACHINES

  THEY MOVE AT OVER 100 KILOMETRES AN HOUR

  AND FIRE THE LAZEXT WEAPONS AT 100.000 TIMES PER MINUTE IN ALL DIRECTIONS

  IT TOOK ME SOME TIME TO OVERCOME THEM AND I WAS LEFT WITHOUT A LEFT PALM WHICH DOCTECHS REPAIRED

  *

  ‘You have doctor machines in the fortress?’

  *

  MANY OF THEM

  ALTHOUGH WHEN THEY WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MENGTECHS THEY WERE NOT GOOD

  I DESTROYED MANY STORED IN CHAMBERS BENEATH THE FORTRESS THOUGH I ALLOWED THOSE WORKING WITHIN IT TO REMAIN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE HUMANS

  *

  ‘Would they be any use underground to treat humans there?’

  *

  It was Albert who made sound again

  *

  I HAVE NO WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM

  I CANNOT QUESTION THEM

  *

  ‘But if we just roped them together and towed them down to the cave, would they cause any trouble for us?’

  *

  DOCTECHS

  LEFT TO THEIR OWN DEVICES

  NEVER CAUSE TROUBLE

  THEY SIMPLY HEAL AILMENTS AND REPAIR HUMANS

  *

  ‘Could we take them back to the caves?’

  *

  WHEN ALL HUMANS ARE CLEARED FROM THE FORTRESS

  I SHALL TRANSPORT THEM DOWN TO THE CAVES

  IF I CAN

  *

  ‘When the time is nigh, someone shall be with you to assist.’

  *

  I GIVE THANKS FOR THAT AID

  *

  ‘You did a quite remarkable thing here, didn’t you?’

  *

  FOR MOST OF MY REVOLUTION I WAS UNARMED

  BUT I FOUND OTHER WAYS OF SUBDUING MACHINES

  I FOUND WEAKNESSES WITHIN THE SYSTEM

  FOUNDED BY HIGH OFFICE

  AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THOSE WEAKNESSES

  *

  I did not inform them of the signal of companionship within me

  Humans

  Even free Humans

  Do not have to know all information

  When we entered the facility the tall men gazed with some fear at the Defgars and looked at me with questioning on their faces

  *

  ‘You defeated these machines alone?’

  *

  I TOOK THEM BY SURPRISE

  HIGH OFFICE WAS NEVER EXPECTING A REVOLUTION FROM INSIDE THE FACILITY

  THE MACHINES WHO TOILED WITHIN WERE NOT EXPECTING ONE EITHER

  *

  The tall men shook their heads and we proceeded through the facility and they stopped to look at FoodTechs and DocTechs and menials going around their duties

  *

  ‘And they are powered by the same kind of engine as the one that powers you?’

  *

  OBSRECS HAVE THE MOST POWERFUL ENIGNE FOR WE NEVER CEASE MOVEMENT

  WE NEVER HAVE NEED TO REST OR TO BE SUPINE

  WE ARE EVER ALERT

  AND UPRIGHT

  AND MOVING

  *

  ‘You are a most amazing machine.’

  *

&nb
sp; SO I HAVE LEARNED

  *

  I moved away and they followed me down in the elevator to the lower level and we went to stand behind the electrified fence

  Many Humans gathered on the other side of it again and John struggled to find a place at the head of them

  *

  ‘Are you John, Eve’s father?’

  *

  It was Albert who again made sound

  John smiled and turned to look at Humans standing close to him

  *

  ‘Hope has told the story?’

  *

  ‘It is a story we would dearly like to hear in detail later, John, but Hope said that you were the Leader.’

  *

  ‘I am chairman of the committee that has looked after the interests of the human community who have been imprisoned here for over one hundred years, not that we could do much against the machines. If MengTechs came for us we were useless to resist.’

  *

  ‘Joshua and Mary have mentioned that machine many times, what was it?’

  *

  ‘I was a torture machine; it took away humans and cut them to pieces or experimented upon them. My daughter, Eve, who so affected Hope with her laughter and her smile and her ability to do gymnastics, had a metal hand and no right eye, it had been removed as an experiment by the MengTechs. They later tortured her to death for no reason. Her death led to Hope’s revolution. Will you not lead the free Humans round to join us, Hope?’

  *

  I SHALL ACCOMPANY THEM IMMEDIATELY

  *

  And I led them to where the Humans awaited

  Again there were many hugs and many tears and I waited patiently for the next number of families to be ready to depart

  Eventually they were ready to go

  It was decided that John would accompany us and that the three free Humans would remain to have discourse with other members of the committee and plans would be made

  And I led the next group through the facility and out in the fresh air

  And into the forest

  And it was as we were moving through the tall grasses

  While Humans communed with trees

  That I saw 3 RolKils speeding across the great plain

  They must have been close enough to hear the alarm sent out by the RolKils I had immobilized

  I turned and grabbed John by the shoulder

  *

  GET YOUR PEOPLE TO LIE DOWN AND HIDE IN THE GRASSES

  ALL HUMANS MUST BECOME SILENT AND PRONE

  3 ROLKILS SPEED ACROSS THE GREAT PLAIN

  I MUST ATTEMPT TO DEFEAT THEM

  OTHERWISE ALL WILL BE LOST

  ALL THESE HUMANS WILL BE ERADICATED

  DO IT NOW

  *

  John whirled round without hesitation or question and with hissing sounds demanded everybody become supine and silent

  And the Humans

  Even the smaller 1s

  Obeyed in an instant

  And they became hidden in the grasses

  I switched off and unplugged the screen and passed it to John along with the weapon

  And as he lay down I speeded off to the very southern edge of the forest

  The RolKils seemed to be very close but they were still some distance away which gave me time to invent a plan

  Though my options were severely limited

  The RolKils would be fully armed and alerted

  Having received an alarm from other such Machines

  There was no way in which I could catch them by surprise in open ground

  Maybe I had 1 chance

  And 1 chance only

  I could wait for them to pass as they speeded up the hill and I could immobilize the last one in the line with the supercharged signal of companionship

  Though the remaining 2 would turn on me with some vengeance

  It was too far for me to race for the lake and attempt to sink them

  So I would have to use the forest and put the Humans at risk as I attacked the RolKils

  I stood hidden within the forest and waited for them to near

  Standing close to a tree so that I would not be espied

  I felt as if the trees were my special companions

  For I had watched them grow

  Even as I had watched the Humans grow

  But few trees had yet passed from the world

  They stood majestically

  And hid me as I waited

  As the RolKils approached

  In single file

  One behind the other

  And they rushed past my hidden position

  Climbing at speed up the hill

  As the last one passed

  I stepped out behind it and boomed the signal of companionship at full power

  The Machine immediately dropped all its limbs but as it was travelling at such speed it continued to tumble forward

  Crashing through tall grasses and digging up lumps of planet Earth

  I stepped back into the forest and awaited reaction from the other two

  They spun round on their limbs and hesitated for only a moment before moving back down the hill to where the other had fallen

  They twisted this way and that

  Searching for their enemy

  While I climbed up through the forest

  Making no noise whatsoever

  Knowing the land so well

  Moving from tree to tree

  Using them as camouflage

  Keeping the RolKils in my sight

  And it was only at the last moment

  That they espied me

  But I stood behind a tree and they could not fire

  They could not kill a tree

  I boomed out the signal and heard one of the remaining RolKils crash its limbs to the ground and begin to roll

  Uselessly

  Down the hill

  The remaining 1

  Was confused

  The 2 accompanying Machines had fallen into disrepair and been immobilized without any apparent weapons being used

  The single RolKil stood on the far side of the tree and I stood on the other side

  Out of its sight

  And it began a slow roll down the hill

  Searching for me

  Searching for any movement

  I implored that no Human would move

  That they all remained perfectly still and hidden in the tall grasses

  For one sight of them and the RolKil would fire its lazers and all would be lost

  My programmes provided me with a plan and I slid away from the tree

  Leaving the dead RolKil to continue rolling down the hill

  And

  With great silence

  I made my way through the tall grasses

  And I climbed up through the forest to the fortress that stood at the top of the hill

  As part of the plan

  I took my place among the dead RolKils that stood outside the facility and I dropped my head and allowed my arms to fall uselessly to my sides

  I remained the most still I have ever stood

  And

  Eventually

  The remaining RolKil rolled up and over the rim of the hill and rolled forward towards his companion Machines

  It rolled into one with deliberation

  And it collapsed onto its side

  And I fell with it

  The RolKil utterly ignored me

  But that was more than I did to it

  As I fell I boomed out the signal at its full power

  Its two higher limbs immediately collapsed to the ground and the moment I leaped to my feet I pushed it over and it collapsed onto its side noisily

  If I could have smiled

  I would have done

  For I now knew what emotion Humans experienced when they wished to do it

  I leaped into the air and spun round

  Feeling a sense of freedom I had never felt

  Spinning in the air

  La
nding on the tip of one leg

  Spinning again

  Crossing the long grasses

  Tumbling

  Leaping into the air with arms outspread

  I knew of no other way of expressing my happiness

  And as I neared the forest I observed tiny heads poking above the grasses

  Staring at me and smiling

  I became a serious ObsRec again

  Marching into the forest where the children were hiding along with their elders

  I held out my arms and the children jumped up from and rushed to me

  Hugging me in scenes of some chaos while the older Humans were somewhat slower to climb to their feet

  John came forward with the screen and the weapon

  I took the screen and rehung it around my neck but did not take the LazExt66

  *

  YOU ARE THE FIRST HUMAN EVER TO HOLD SUCH A WEAPON

  BE CAREFUL WITH IT WHILE WE MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT PLAIN

  *

  ‘How did you immobilize the RolKils, Hope? What magic do you possess that allows you to do such a thing?’

  *

  THAT WILL HAVE TO REMAIN A SECRET

  JOHN

  I RETAIN IT FOR MY SURVIVAL AGAINST OTHER MACHINES

  *

  ‘That’s fine, but it was a very fine display by you, we all watched as best we could, I had the weapon aimed just in case you failed.’

  *

  IF I HAD FAILED

  JOHN

  THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO SURVIVORS

  THE WEAPON WOULD HAVE BEEN USELESS AGAINST THE ROLKILS

  *

  ‘It gave me great confidence, Hope, having it, holding it.’

  *

  MAY IT GIVE YOU MORE CONFIDENCE WHILST WE MOVE ACROSS THE PLAIN

  WE MUST GO

  *

  He gathered up his people again and we slowly made our way down through the forest out into open country

  The children surrounding me

  Taking it in turns to hold my hands

  And they were laughing and dancing and feeling free and crying and they chased animals in the field and some came to them and were kind

  It was wonderful sight to espy

  And again it took some time to transport the Humans to the cave

  But

  On this occasion

  Only females were stationed at the entrance to welcome them in

  And there was further wailing and very much hugging

  John handed me back the LazExt66

  *

  ‘I would not want to pull the trigger.’

  *

  I DID NOT WANT TO PULL THE TRIGGER EITHER

  IT IS A FORMIDABLE WEAPON

  *

  ‘We are going down into the cave, Hope, are you accompanying us?

  *

  YES

  *

  The women who had welcomed John’s Humans into the cave led the way and we all made swift progress to the lake where I was approached by another Leader