by Al K. Line
They drank.
Vorce waited, then dragged them into the elevator. He stepped inside and pushed a button. They descended.
A minute later he returned. Now all he had to do was deal with the girl and her dog and the day could begin in earnest. Vorce sat in his favorite chair, happy to have the silence. His wives had been kissed, the children tucked in and checked on. He was alone. Vorce closed his eyes and was asleep moment's later. As he drifted, he saw the attack of the dog and how fast Arcene had moved. She was good, very good, but she didn't know what was about to happen.
Vorce managed little more than a few minutes before the girl and dog arrived. The Elders that brought them knew better than to ask where the Hunters were. Vorce thanked them and once they left he dragged Arcene and Leel to the elevator.
Thinking better of it, he resumed his position and fell asleep again — he had to be at his best and the night of upset, and the realization of what the girl was capable of, had meant he hadn't slept as much as he would have liked. Just half an hour, time to regroup, take what he needed from The Noise, let his mind rest.
He instructed his body to make the necessary adjustments, setting timers so that when he awoke thirty minutes later he would be practically glowing with energy, body ramped up and ready for The Hunt.
"Damn, that dog is heavy," whispered Vorce. Then he was asleep.
When he woke Vorce felt ready. Body energized, mind clear and calm. He needed nothing, all that was required was a short ride away. He moved to the elevator, slid back the panel once more, punched in the code, grabbed the beautiful sword leaning against a simple table and stepped into the spacious elevator. The door closed. Vorce smiled and let the anticipation build until he had to calm himself a little as he became jittery.
He stared down at the prone forms of Arcene and Leel, watched their chests rise and fall. She was a pretty girl, if a little skinny, but she was a mess too. He could see what she had done to herself and wondered what had driven her to such extremes. To be forever stuck in a body that age, no chance of being a mother again, what a terrible thing to do. He wondered what had happened to the baby, to her, but that wasn't his concern.
She broke the rules. She had to pay.
The elevator came to a halt with a shake. The door opened and Vorce dragged them out and slid them onto the waiting single carriage that would take them and the Hunters to the mainland.
It would be a good day.
Let the Games Begin
Arcene awoke and the first thing she thought was that they'd killed Leel. She was splayed out on the ground, tongue lolling out the side of her mouth, a massive wet patch staining the ground dark. Had they stabbed her as revenge for what she'd done to that man that darted her? She lunged forward but her legs buckled. Arcene crawled on hands and knees over to her friend.
"I know that smell. Oh, Leel." Arcene smiled, ignored the ammonia tang at the back of her throat. Leel had wet herself. It must be the drugs, her body too relaxed to control itself. Arcene had a sudden panic and stared at her kilt. All dry. Good. She stroked Leel's chest, pleased to feel her heart beating. Slow, but beating, and the rhythm was good. She pushed up on shaking legs and shook each in turn, then her arms, like a warrior preparing for the fight of her life.
Her sword! She stepped over to the pile of items, drawn to the red pommel like Leel to the sight of a running rabbit. She grabbed the hilt and pulled it from the scabbard. Steel shone brightly as the sun hit the blade. She felt better already, like she was whole again. Arcene couldn't help but wonder what kind of figure she cut if people really were watching her on a screen. Did she look cool? Menacing and kick-ass?
Ugh, what was wrong with her? Here she was, doing all she could to not be a part of such madness, yet a part of her was still excited by the drama, how she came across. Too much TV, too many old movies where the hero always wins and they don't tell of the reality of getting maimed or dying.
They never showed genuine, warm and sticky blood spurting, the guts falling out, the sheer horror of knowing it's your last few seconds on earth.
And they never showed, couldn't show, what it actually feels like inside to kill another human being. What it does to you, even if you put it in a locked box in the back of your mind, throw away the key and try to carry on as though it means nothing, but all the while it's building inside of you until all the hurt and pain wants to explode out of you like you've burst into flames. Nobody could show you that. It was real.
Still, they'll pay, and I will make sure they do. I'm not quarry to be hunted. I'm a human being and I will never forgive them. Justice will be done. Arcene rummaged through the assorted items, ignoring them as she retrieved the scabbard and the leather straps. She tied them on, made a few adjustments, and sheathed the sword. Now she was ready for whatever was to come. With a glance at Leel, still out cold, she knew she had to take stock of her situation, but first she lifted her head to the clear blue sky and let the rising sun energize her. The day would be warm, intense and beautiful.
They were back on land, proper land, she could feel it in her bones. This was where she belonged, not out to sea or on a madman's idea of paradise, but back on proper, honest-to-goodness earth. Her earth. Home.
She ignored her surroundings for now. There would be time for that later, maybe. She had to get her priorities right and that meant being as prepared as she possibly could for what would come. They were to be hunted, or that was their plan — Arcene had other ideas entirely.
Stay calm, no fear. You're Arcene. You have a child and you have friends. A home, a real home where you belong, and you will not let these people hurt you or Leel. No way.
Arcene bent to the pile to see what she had been given, as if she were a character in a stupid film. She'd show them. Nobody degraded her for entertainment. She was in charge of her destiny and she would not be shown on some stupid screen for a bunch of inbred degenerates in the middle of the sea. What had Vorce said, that her sabotage had been pointless? So how were they to do it then? Never mind, focus on the here and now.
The pile contained Leel's backpack, the contents examined but everything replaced. There was dried meat and fish, bottles of water. She ate a little, for once her appetite not her focus, and she felt a pang of guilt as she chewed. Was she really that rude eating food offered to her? She didn't know the tradition that you should be frugal, and assumed they had plenty. She shook, neat pigtails bouncing against her chest. It wasn't a crime punishable by death, that was for sure.
She examined the "gifts." There was a spool of rope. Rope! Well, maybe it would be useful. Arcene slung it into the pack. What else? A small, black device clattered to the ground as she discarded a coat that was useless. She bent and picked up the hand-sized object. It was matte black, just a countdown in red. 47:56. It blinked to 47:55 as she inspected it. Her time before they came for her? How very dramatic. What was with these people? Vorce had definitely watched too many TV shows and movies pre-Lethargy, that was for sure.
She continued to rummage but mostly it was useless stuff. Other weapons like knives and clubs, a blanket which she kept, and then she was done. They had given her little, but enough to survive for days if they failed to kill her fast. How generous.
Arcene fastened the buckles on the backpack and stood, sipping water. Here she was, a girl yet a woman, kilt, black over-the-knee socks with trademark pink bunnies, tight vest, sword, swigging from a bottle of water that for all she knew would send her crashing to the ground any second. She didn't think so though. Where would be the fun for them? She put a hand to her brow, shielded her eyes against the glare of the sun peeking between buildings, and studied what she could only think of as home. It wasn't a part of the world she had been in before, yet it felt strangely familiar at the same time.
Woof?
The weak bark of Leel interrupted Arcene before she had the chance to come to any decisions about her next move. She rushed over and gave a familiar hug — it was becoming a common theme. The last time. She wo
uldn't let them be drugged again.
"It's okay, I'm here. Are you all right?"
Woof, woof. Woof.
"Good girl. You must feel terrible. That nasty man, you showed him didn't you?" Arcene smiled. They'd underestimated how good a team they are, but maybe she should have acted differently, not let them see? It was too late now, and besides, they'd darted Leel!
Arcene reached out a hand and dragged the pack close, pulled out strips of what she assumed was mouse, felt a twinge of guilt after how nice the one in the night was, but gave a handful to Leel and, ignoring the slobber, picked some out for herself and chewed.
"Yum. Mousy, right? Better though, yes? It is, isn't it?"
Woof.
Leel wiggled her paws, not trying to stand yet. Obviously, she'd learned not to rush it when she felt funny. Arcene poured water into a cupped hand and let Leel lap it up, then repeated it a number of times until the bottle was empty. She didn't mention the drying wee Leel lay in, it would probably depress her, or make her upset.
"Okay then, Leel, we have a situation on our hands here. I tried to stop them making us their entertainment, but I don't know if I succeeded. It means they may be trying to film us, to entertain people as we run and hide and they hunt us. We won't be having any of that, will we?"
Woof, woof.
"Exactly. So we need a plan." Arcene stood tall, trying to figure out the best approach.
Leel got to her feet and, after a little wobble, set her face in a determined, and what she thought of as menacing, stare. She arched her back, then ruined it all by sniffing her side where she'd been lying in the unmentionable puddle and whined.
"It's all right, girl, nothing to worry about. You carry on being menacing." Arcene smiled at Leel. She supposed she would look dangerous to those that didn't know her. The massive head, large floppy ears, those giant jaws but with the wobbly jowls that swung when she ran, the white patch over her one eye that made Arcene always think of her as like a pirate, but a good one — all Arcene saw was a daft puppy with little sense. Her friend.
Woof?
"Not sure, but I'm guessing we must be at the coast. This is one damn ugly town though, and no mistake." Knowing her life may depend on it, Arcene studied their surroundings in detail, all the while feeling self-conscious in case they were being watched. She examined the ground first, a lush carpet of stunted grass that would have once been a main thoroughfare in the town. Mounds ran either side of the road, old cars long since rusted, saplings, bushes and weeds poking through open windows, forced through gaps in the rusted bodywork. It was a wide street, so they must be in a large town, maybe even a city.
Buildings either side were in utter ruin, nothing was whole. In their immediate vicinity the buildings were all three or four stories, roofs caved in, windows smashed, fronts collapsed into the road revealing depressing interiors full of rotten leaves and the detritus of centuries.
Pieces of bone could be seen amongst the rubble and the plants, inside and out, where those with The Lethargy died where they stood or sat, nobody left to look after them or give them a dignified end.
Further down the street in both directions half-fallen skyscrapers cut off the views, whole sides missing where foundations or supports had finally given way. Some looked like they had merely been sliced off, others were as splintered as a tree struck by lightning. Nothing stirred.
Arcene had been in plenty of towns, but there always seemed to be noise. Wildlife, falling masonry, the sound of everything slowly crumbling to dust. Something. Here there were no animals apart from a few birds, but not what she expected. There weren't even any pigeons. There were always pigeons. Always.
"First thing first, we need to ensure they don't get to have their entertainment. Can you see any cameras, Leel?" Taking the hint, but not really knowing what she was looking for, Leel sniffed the ground for evidence. Arcene wanted nothing from these people, and pulled at the ribbon on her hair, releasing it from the pigtails. She'd plait it herself, even if it would be messy, but for now she just wanted to feel the forces of nature around her, and add a little drama, of course.
Leel continued to search for clues. Arcene left her to it and took another approach.
Techno-Zone
The Noise was everything, and those fortunate — or unfortunate — enough to be Awoken received gifts that often came as a complete surprise. Some were adept in almost every possible way The Noise could be exploited or used to enhance life, while others were more limited in their abilities, or chose to focus on one aspect or another.
Arcene, in typical fashion, tended to ignore most of it, or downright forgot she could use abilities still relatively new to her, having been a part of her life for only a few years.
It was hard to always remember that what you saw and felt was just the surface layer of the complexity that made up the true reality of the world, life, and the unlikely chance of ever being born at all. Arcene lived in a world that relied on her senses and idea of what was just. She lived to enjoy the simple things, like food and curling up with Leel to sleep, or cuddling her son, watching him run around and marvel at butterflies and ask her a million times why the sky was blue or what slugs did — both of which she had no answer for
There was so much more, and Arcene supposed she had inside of her the ability to learn a little of everything The Noise could offer. For her, most of what was available were extensions of herself — reading emotions, looking at the true nature of people, watching them through The Noise where they shone in different colors. It told her a lot. Sparkles of energy and life forces that whizzed or moved at the pace of the universe itself — she could see the energy behind all things if she allowed herself to become one with The Noise.
Want to really prove to yourself how everything is interconnected? Then look at a tree, watch the sap rising and spreading to the very tip of its highest branch. Watch the processes as sunlight shines on a leaf and how that energy is then transformed into sugars and gives life to the plant — nothing is more miraculous than that seemingly impossible change of one form of energy for another. She could see beneath the ground, watch as water was sucked up by roots that split and split again until they were finer than the hairs on her head. Arcene knew, understood how it all helped provide the tree with sustenance. How water became life, but more.
Arcene appreciated that tiny bugs helped make the soil just right for life to flourish. She knew, saw without seeing, how microbes and organisms teeming in their billions beneath her feet all united to create the whole, and how it flowed up, down, in, out, and everywhere to all come together to allow anything and everything to simply be.
It was often overwhelming, and Arcene was happy just to know that such things existed. She didn't need to move through life seeing it all the time, it would impede the reality she had chosen.
Such insight was only the beginning. There was no end to it. She could look at a man's mind and see the trillions of messages relayed to his brain as patterns traveling faster than you would think possible. She could slow them down, step out of reality and watch them.
Watch a movement of her sword change what happens in a man's mind, how fear glows red and confidence is a cool, mellow yellow, or sometimes a different color but meaning the same thing. Electrical impulses seen like they were beacons in the night, clear and easy to read if she only focused — something she was never too keen on doing. Arcene knew herself well enough to know her mind wandered and she didn't have the longest of attention spans — there was too much to do, to see. To experience.
When it got serious though, she could do it. Do so many things. Time itself was malleable, and some could step through the gaps, see the infinite futures spread out in front of them. Watch as each path was followed and pick their destiny. But the price was terrible. To go through life in a dream, living what you had seen happen, that was the stuff of nightmares. All joy gone, walking a path already trodden, repeating things that had yet to happen though you knew they had, would, and there was n
o escape until the end. That was true horror, and Arcene wanted nothing to do with such things. She liked the surprise, the not knowing. Who could live a life you had already experienced? What would be the point?
Everything was there if you wanted it, but often the cost was too high. Arcene stuck to only what was needed to survive, and that often meant her fast reflexes, her sword, and her refusal to be scared in a world that was far too beautiful to let a few insignificant specks of loathsome humanity get in the way of the true beauty of what it mean to be alive and live in the here and now, letting the future happen as it would, never knowing. Wondrous, terrifying, and the greatest gift of all.
Ugh, what's wrong with me? Here I am, thinking about how my mind drifts, and my thoughts are drifting thinking this instead of doing what I'm supposed to.
Arcene stilled herself as if dissolving into the air. Sight blurred and a new vision took over. Arcene looked at her surroundings, seeing behind the facade.
Arcene went digital.
Energy was energy, but there was a difference between it all. Arcene sought code. The 0s and 1s that made up the binary world almost vanished from the British Isles, but clinging to virtual existence in pockets where electricity and networks still flowed — a fleeting existence, before they faded into nothingness. She scanned first one side of the street, then the other, beginning close and moving her awareness further and further away.
Buildings contained digital equipment, blocks of orange signifying stored energy inside batteries that drained almost as soon as they were charged. Arcene followed the bright spots, went deeper, found the dense blue-green packets of data that would send signals to be read as pixels of color and transmitted to screens, saved in computers still crunching on The Island, less destroyed in that cramped room than she had first imagined.