The Grief Team
Page 21
As the silence hung heavy, the two sides waited. Some Kids, thinking quickly, moved to the fore, tapping zipsticks stolen from dead Yellowbands in outstretched palms. Mulls scanned the lines, making their selections, some looking and considering thoughtfully as they tried to match the requirements of favourite recipes. A stench of urine and faeces arose as the smaller, frightened Kids purged themselves.
The audio system in SkyDome crackled and popped, splitting the silence, causing numerous involuntary movements within both groups. Seconds later, a tidal wave of white light swept over them all as the Jumbotron became one gargantuan sun. Dazzled, Mulls-and- Kids-alike shielded their eyes until the corona ebbed and faded into the image of Jason-no-last-name. Struck dumb, no one moved and all eyes were fastened on the-boy-who-was-the-sun.
The surreal sense that Jason’s eyes were actually seeing them was all-pervasive. Each Mull, each Kid felt the piercing eyes light upon them and look quickly look inside, leaving a strange pulse—a newer, lighter rhythm—behind. The clink and clank of weapons bouncing off the turf was ignored and all eyes remained inexorably on the image in front of them. Jason-no-last-name, his tattered red T-shirt and green track pants now gone forever, stood in robes of flowing white; his features smooth, his pallor gone.
His message found each and every mind in SkyDome and flowed cleanly and without opposition, bringing calm and tranquility. At its very core, it planted hope in their hearts; hope for the days to come, for the remainder of their lives lived. It eschewed violence, greed, and want. It gave them faith.
And, when it was over and the image had faded to nothingness, Crones appeared, dozens of them, each smiling and holding a blue backpack. They moved among Mulls and Wildkids alike, touching them gently with their hands and dispensing tunafish sandwiches to the hungry. One after another after another, an endless, limitless supply until the miracle taking place was clear to all.
TWENTY-FIVE
The Arboretum in Pickering Centre was humid but inviting. A myriad of scents infused the mist produced by several recirculating fountains, providing a welcome respite from the sameness of mall-life. In a small clearing, where several benches awaited the weary, Cathy Latimer was sitting with Grey Kitty by her side.
She looked up but did not speak when Mary Clement, friend of Elias, entered the clearing and sat down. Her face wore a look of bewilderment, for she was following an urge which had come suddenly upon her in prayer and which she could not resist. She felt wonderful…revived and at peace with herself. When the little girl smiled tentatively at her, Mary gave her a warm smile in return.
Roy Glyn, ex-SkyDome Kid, entered the clearing cautiously. He too wore a look which bespoke puzzlement. Already the memory of what he had done several floors above in Studio A had faded to the furthest recesses in his mind and would soon be lost altogether. Quickly, he joined Cathy on the bench and, with tentative fingers, began to stroke the cat purring beside her.
The peaceful sounds of the Arboretum filled their eyes and their hearts and minds were washed clean. There was peace, such as each of them had never known.
For Mary, there was the increasing awareness that the future held such vivid promise for everyone, that hope was crystallizing and multiplying. She looked with fondness at the two children and felt the stirring of deep and innate feelings.
For Cathy and Roy, a spirit of renewed innocence flowed through them and, when their fingers touched briefly, as they petted Grey Kitty, neither flinched.
An understanding, unspoken but felt by each of them, foretold a new beginning.
A rebirth of a light within and the promise of a brand new day.
ENDNOTES
Endnote 1—Appendix One: The Stages of Childhood. Father-of-the-Malls. Mall Archives.
Endnote 2—Appendix II: The Rhonda-Song. Words and music by Felchet Armoir.
Endnote 3—Appendix IV. The Rules of the Malls. The Father-of-the-Malls.
Endnote 4—Quotation from Guide To The Human Soul. Father-of-the-Malls. ©2007
Endnote 5—The Seven Sexual Dilemmas. Ruthie Dywater-Johnson. ©2009.
Endnote 6—My Memoirs: The Sleepy Hollow Years. Father-of-the-Malls. ©2008.
Endnote 7—Appendix V: Mall TV Listings.
Endnote 8—Ibid. My Memoirs. Father-of-the-Malls.
Endnote 9— Ref. The initial draft of The Rules of the Malls. Father-of-the-Malls. Unpublished.
BACK COVER
The Grief Team
by
David Collins
2033.
The not-so-distant future.
Where post-apocalyptic society rebuilds itself according to the dictates of a deranged bookseller and an overweight mall security guard.
Where the Internet has become a stream of data manipulated by users with no past and an uncertain future. Where television displays the worst of human degradation and a mysterious grey cat holds the key to salvation.
This is the world gone mad, pulled back from the edge only to be plunged into turmoil once again. The Grief Team is a stunning portrayal of the struggle between good and evil, hope and despair. It is the world as we hope that it will never be…and yet…