3004

by Murray, Natasha

  The street was still full of people but no one was running. They just stood where they were and quietly looked up at the sky. Kayleb weaved his way through the crowds and hoped that Cornwall would not see him or Max. The first space carrier had come through the shield in one piece; Kayleb hoped that the passengers had survived. It was gently lowering itself into the centre of Green Park. The ship was intricately sculptured and was dazzling to look at. Kayleb looked at everyone around him. They looked frightened and mentor pairs clung to each other for reassurance, which wasn’t a normal thing for them to do. They were all now resigned to let whatever was going to happen, happen.

  Kayleb walked to the edge of Green Park. The police had cleared the park and the people who had been stunned had been removed. The police had formed a circle around the descending spacecraft, their stun guns now replaced with live firearms. Conrad and David stood within the blue circle, in front of the nose of the spacecraft. Everyone silently watched the craft land in a sea of rapeseed.

  Kayleb watched as the police officers raised their firearms, ready to fire, his heart began to beat loudly. He had the feeling that they would shoot as soon as the door of the spacecraft slid open. Kayleb couldn’t risk this happening. David’s people hadn’t been given a chance. Kayleb ran towards Conrad and David, and Max raced after him, sensing the urgency. Some police officers guarding the edges of the park tried to stop Kayleb and fired their stun guns at him. A shot hit Kayleb’s heel but it did not stop him. Kayleb and Max reached Conrad and David just as a police officer caught hold of his shoulder. Conrad asked the officer to release him.

  ‘Don’t shoot, Conrad! You mustn’t let them, please!’ wheezed Kayleb, trying to get his breath back.

  Conrad looked seriously at Kayleb. ‘I told you not to leave the apartment. Why wasn’t I told that Kayleb was missing?’ he asked his second-in-command, standing next to him.

  ‘I tried to talk to you earlier but you wouldn’t listen to me,’ replied the police officer meekly. ‘You said you were unavailable unless it was an emergency.’

  The door of the spacecraft slid open and a ramp began to slide out towards the ground. The rapeseed sizzled as the ramp hit the ground. Everyone waited for the first evacuees to appear in the doorway. The police officers nearest the doorway aimed their guns at the entrance of the craft.

  Conrad was wearing a speaker headset and turned a switch on by his mouth.

  ‘Stand by!’ he called out to his police officers. His voice rang around the park.

  Kayleb pushed into the ring of officers and stood in front of Conrad. ‘It will be murder. You must give David’s people a chance,’ begged Kayleb, looking at David’s battered face. David smiled gratefully.

  The entrance of the spacecraft grew brighter and brighter until the officers nearest to the entrance had to shield their eyes. Everyone waited anxiously for the first signs of life and then visibly jumped back with shock as hundreds of white orbs of light shot out of the entrance and flew high up into the sky. These lights then began to float slowly down to earth, like feathers.

  When the orbs got to shoulder height, they became more active, it was as if they were becoming alive, Conrad looked at his second-in-command for guidance but he just shrugged his shoulders. The spheres of light began to weave their way among the police officers as if they were looking for something or someone; some of them headed towards the crowds in the streets around the park.

  Kayleb watched the orbs with fascination. They were not just lights; they had a life all of their own. As they passed Kayleb, he could feel happiness and warmth beating from within them.

  ‘I don’t understand,’ Conrad said to David. ‘What sort of trick is this?’ He looked anxiously back at an orb of light that was approaching him.

  ‘This is not a trick. Be patient and you will see,’ replied David. As Kayleb watched the sphere of light approach Conrad, he could sense all the tension and confusion slipping away from his mentor. Conrad was smiling. Kayleb wondered what he had seen. It stopped in front of Conrad and Kayleb. There was something familiar about the light; there was a perfume in the air that was unforgettable. Kayleb and Conrad stared at the orb and slowly Helen’s face appeared, followed by her shoulders and arms and finally the rest of her body. Helen was transparent and glowed with a white light. She did not look ill any more and she was smiling. Helen walked towards Conrad, her arms outstretched, and she hugged him. Conrad looked shocked. Kayleb had never seen Helen show Conrad any sort of affection. Kayleb watched as Conrad hugged her back, and his mouth fell open.

  Helen looked over at Kayleb and then walked up to him. She hugged him too. He could feel the warmth of her arms. Her perfume was almost intoxicating. He did not want her to leave him again but in his heart he knew that this was the last he would see of her, but that she would always be nearby, watching over him. Helen stepped back as two other orbs of light appeared next to her. Slowly they transformed into two elderly people. They were wearing white clothes and seemed to be a couple; they were holding hands. The old couple became solid like Kayleb. Helen encouraged them to stand with Conrad, she smiled and then mouthed to him that she loved him. Conrad was overwhelmed and looked at Helen. ‘What ... do you want me to do, Helen?’

  ‘I think she wants us to look after these two people, Conrad,’ Kayleb said.

  ‘But, how can I? ... I don’t know the first thing about old people. Where are they going to stay?’

  ‘With us, in Helen’s room,’ prompted Kayleb.

  ‘Together? In the same room?’

  Helen nodded and then slowly began to fade. As she disappeared she mouthed the words to Kayleb that she loved him. Kayleb watched his mother fade away and could feel her smiling at him long after she had gone.

  Kayleb watched Conrad’s face: he was sure he could see tears in his eyes. He looked around the park and saw similar scenes.

  The orbs of light, the spirits from their world, were searching out their relations and bringing Veenah’s evacuees to them to give them shelter. Kayleb looked at David. He looked weary but pleased with Earth’s reaction. Zordar then appeared in front of David and they hugged each other, delighted at being reunited with each other again.

  Kayleb now understood how David’s people had got through the shield. The shield could hold back only solid forms. The spirits of those that had died on Earth were not solid and the people of Veenah were able to transform into spirits too. Kayleb wondered why Earth’s spirits had been sent to Veenah. Perhaps that planet was a ‘better place’ for them to go; maybe they were sent back to Earth again at some point, to be used again in new bodies. Kayleb had so many questions to ask David.

  Kayleb felt guilty. David had been right: Kayleb had been able to see his mother again and he would always be thankful to him for those last few moments with her.

  The people of Veenah were no threat to humankind and the problems of providing food for extra mouths would be resolved. Kayleb was beginning to understand where everything had gone wrong. The two things that those that had created the Think Tank had overlooked were emotions and the right to be different. Kayleb looked towards David; any changes he made now could only be for the better. London’s computer program-designed society worked well in theory but had never worked in reality. It would be important for men and women to have the power and freedom to choose their own paths in life. Criminals couldn’t be cast out from society; there had to be a more humane approach to coping with offenders. The strangest concept, one that Kayleb was now beginning to see, was that it was essential for people to love and be loved. It was an extreme idea but he knew that, if people were allowed to do this, it would make a big difference to society.

  Kayleb looked around him. Green Park was a peaceful and the most amazing place to be. For the first time in a long time, people genuinely looked pleased to be alive.

  Epilogue

  Rowan awoke, took in a deep breath, opened his eyes and stared up at the darkness – the smell of mould and the damp earth he lay on were jus
t the same as he remembered. The pain in his head was much more painful than before. He knew that the pain would soon pass. Rowan felt pleased with himself, he was going to enjoy the task this time, he had a water flask with him and an array of gadgets to help him survive – a much better kit than Kayleb had.

  Rowan could hear breathing, he knew Kayleb was awake. He sat up, found his flask, unscrewed the top, took a sip of water, replaced the lid and then rubbed his forehead; his headache was beginning to go.

  Kayleb heard a scuffling sound. He knew he was not alone; something or someone was moving nearby. Just to be safe, Kayleb managed to slide back, away from that someone, in case he or she was dangerous.

  ‘Is someone there?’ he called out.

  Rowan stood up. He still felt a bit groggy. In the darkness, he felt for his pockets and found a pair of night-vision lenses. Carefully Rowan placed these in each eye. He could now see Kayleb lying on the floor on a pile of bones. Rowan smiled to himself, Kayleb looked so pathetic lying there. Rowan turned around and saw the bucket attached to the rope. Quietly he walked over to it and pulled himself up onto the rope.

  ‘Who’s there? What are you doing?’ Kayleb called out. Without a word Rowan continued to climb. The boots he was wearing dug into the rope and made climbing easy.

  ‘Where are you going?’ called Kayleb. ‘Please don’t leave me here!’

  Rowan climbed out of the well and then jumped into the wilderness.

  It was desolate and shrouded in darkness; he was glad he could see with his night-vision lenses. He planned to walk only at night; it was much safer that way. Rowan began to walk northwards.

  He had an old-fashioned compass in his hand that did not rely on sunlight to power it. Rowan took a sip of water from his flask and began to walk again. He was determined to get back to London alone and in record time.

  After a few steps Rowan stopped. Something was bothering him. He looked behind him, he knew that Kayleb couldn’t reach the bucket and he knew that he was too weak to climb the rope. He sighed. If he left him in the well, then Kayleb would die. Rowan continued to walk towards London and then stopped again. He cursed out loud with irritation. He would have to go back and help him get out of the well.

  Rowan walked back to the well and wound down the bucket. He sorted out the knots in the rope to extend the rope further and called down to Kayleb to get on the bucket while he pulled him up.

  As Kayleb was hauled up to the top of the well, he felt hurt that the person helping him had not given him the chance to try and climb the rope and wondered why the stranger presumed that he was too weak to do his task without being assisted. Kayleb felt the cool night air hit him as he reached the top of the well and gasped when he saw Rowan. Rowan held the winding handle tightly so that Kayleb could climb off the bucket and over the edge of the well.

  Kayleb stood on the dry earth. He looked anxiously at Rowan and thought to himself that this was probably the worst night of his life. Of all the people in the world that he could have done his task with, he had been given Rowan. Kayleb wondered if things could get much worse.

  Rowan said nothing and, without looking back, ran off into the darkness and headed north towards London. He ran for a few minutes and then thought about what might happen to Kayleb. He would most likely perish and his death would be his fault. Rowan stopped and looked over his shoulder. He could just see Kayleb’s silhouette standing by the well. Rowan kicked the ground angrily. No amount of brainwashing would clear his conscience of murder.

  Slowly, Rowan walked back towards Kayleb.

  If you have enjoyed 3004 and are 16+, you may be interested in reading my second novel – An intriguing, fast paced science fiction/fantasy thriller, with twists and turns – a fantastic read!

  Chanctonbury

  One autumn day, six people with troubled pasts, meet at the Chanctonbury Ring, a circle of beech trees on top of an Iron Age hill fort on the northern edge of the South Downs. The Devil whom it is believed lurks within the hill, rather than offer them a bowl of soup, takes it upon himself to grant them their dearest wishes. Sadly, there are consequences for such kindness!

  Sarah – after being held hostage in Afghanistan, is traumatised and finding it difficult to cope with daily life

  Evie – has for sixty years carried around with her, the ashes of her lover.

  Tom - a widower has had to live with his guilty conscience for far too long.

  Michael - an ex-soldier, on the run, has not been well and is sure that his mind is playing the cruelest of tricks on him.

  Amy - a shell of what she was, has finally summoned up the courage to stand up to her manipulative boyfriend, Ted.

  Nabeel - after fleeing from Afghanistan meets Sarah again and believes she owes him her life.

  To get your copy of 3004 or Chanctonbury go to my 3004 Book Shop at http://www.freewebstore.org/3004-Book-Shop also available as an e-book online at Amazon and all other major online booksellers.

  If you are interested in writing and would like advice or would like to read about my writing and marketing journey please visit my website www.nmurray.moonfruit.co.uk

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