by Trish Moran
‘All the other Labs. They don’t have any of this,’ Johnny spoke for him as his brother nodded.
‘Well that’s why it’s so important you learn to act as Non-Labs as quickly as possible. Then you can show other Labs how easy it is, and help them start their free lives in their own homes,’ Ruby told them. She stopped outside a bookshop. ‘I’m going to get a map of the area in here. Why don’t you two practise your Non-Lab skills and each buy yourself a book. Watch and listen to me; then choose your own books, ok?’
The twins looked at each other and then nodded.
‘Good morning,’ Ruby said to the young girl behind the counter. ‘I’m looking for a street map of the town. A detailed one, please.’
‘Maps over there,’ the girl pointed to the side of the shop.
As she took a map off the shelf and glanced through it she heard Johnny clear his throat and approach the counter.
‘Good morning,’ he asked the girl. ‘I’m looking for a book of boys’ names. Names with many syllables.’
There was a pause. Ruby glanced up at the girl, who was smiling, ‘Long names for boys? Let’s see what we have over here,’ she said as she led him to another shelf.
Johnny looked across at Ruby and gave her a happy smile.
Leon stood in the centre of the shop looking down at the floor, his brow furrowed in concentration.
‘Can I help you at all?’ the girl asked him.
‘Mmm, yes, mmm, I need a … useful … book,’ he said hesitantly.
‘Useful?’ the girl repeated. ‘I’m not quite sure what you mean.’
Leon looked as if he were making a mammoth effort. ‘Useful … You know … What’s it called? Oh, DIY!’
The girl smiled. ‘Right. Well, come with me, we have lots of home improvements books over here.’
Leon followed her to a shelf. He, too, glanced over at Ruby with a triumphant smile.
‘You did very well today!’ Ruby told them as they made their way home again. ‘Three shops, and you told that old gentleman the time, Leon! And you dealt with those giggling girls in the park by the river very well, Johnny!’
‘Why did they keep laughing?’ Johnny asked.
Ruby shrugged, ‘I suppose they thought you were handsome!’
Leon and Johnny looked at each other with bemused expressions.
As they reached their front door, Keith opened it.
‘Hi,’ he said. He looked at the bags they were carrying, ‘I see you have made several purchases.’
Johnny hurried into the lounge and pulled his book out of the bag.
‘Look!’ he said. ‘Next time we change IDs, I’ll have the longest name! Ab-sol-om, that’s only three syllables. Ah! De-me-tri-us, four syllables!’
Celia rolled her eyes and flicked through Leon’s book, ‘This will be very useful! Well done for thinking of it, Leon.’
‘Yes, I thought it would!’ he nodded, giving his brother a glance, but Johnny was frowning over the pronunciation of another boy’s name.
Ruby pulled out the street map book, ‘There are a few colleges around here. We could go and see what courses they have to offer.’
‘Good. We’ll need a car, so we’ve ordered one which will be dropped off here tomorrow morning. It’s in your name, Ruby,’ Celia said.
Ruby’s mouth dropped open, ‘I can’t drive! I’ve never even had one lesson! I wasn’t planning on driving for another few years!’
‘It can’t be that hard! Most Non-Labs do it!’ Celia continued. She pulled the laptop over to her, ‘I’ve downloaded a series of simulated driving lessons, used by many driving schools. Practise a few and you should be ready to drive by tomorrow.’
‘But …’ Ruby began.
‘It’s not that difficult. Keith and I have already completed the first set. Here, practise while the twins prepare the evening meal,’ Celia clicked a button and pushed the laptop towards her, ‘We can’t waste time, Ruby. Concentrate!’
For the next few hours, Ruby tried out different simulated trips and looked at numerous images of car dashboards.
Celia sat down beside her making encouraging noises, ‘See. It isn’t that hard, is it? We’ll go for a trial run out of town when the car arrives tomorrow, so you’re ready to drive!’
As soon as they had finished eating that evening, Celia set up the laptop to project the simulated drives onto the lounge wall. Ruby, who had offered to do the washing up, could hear the whoops of delight as Johnny and Leon quickly worked their way up through the different levels of lessons. She took a deep breath as she put the last plate away and went back to join the others.
Celia was testing Keith on road signs when the doorbell sounded. Everyone froze as Ruby went to open it. Celia switched off the laptop when Mr Robinson, their landlord, was led in by Ruby. He put a large plastic container on the table.
‘Mr Robinson has brought us some homemade cakes,’ Ruby told them.
‘Just called round to make sure everything is OK,’ the old man said. ‘My wife made you some cakes to welcome you to your new home. Mmm, that’s a fancy looking computer!’ He pointed at the laptop.
‘Isn’t it! One of the new American models. The boys were playing one of those racing games,’ Ruby told him.
‘Oh, don’t let me disturb you!’ Mr Robinson said.
‘Not at all!’ she continued, ‘I want to watch Champions and these would be lovely with a cup of tea! Can I get you one, Mr Robinson?’
‘Well, if it’s not too much trouble,’ Mr Robinson settled himself down in a nearby chair. Champions? It’s on in five minutes. I haven’t seen it for a few weeks now. My wife likes the dancing competition!’
Celia flicked the television on, ‘Which programme do I select?’
‘Channel 3,’ Ruby told her returning with a tray of teacups. She placed it on the table, ‘There you are, Mr Robinson. Leon, give this to Keith, will you?’ she handed him a cup of tea and then opened the container of cakes.
‘Wow! Such cakes!’ Leon’s eyes were wide as he reached inside the box, his sleeve slowly slipping up his arm.
Ruby playfully slapped his hand away, ‘Leon, you’d better wash your hands first and fix your sleeves, hmmm?’
Leon and Johnny exchanged looks of horror as he pulled his shirt over the tattooed code and both quickly went to the kitchen. Ruby turned to chat to their landlord as Keith and Celia joined them.
‘So, do you think Bill Blazer will win again? ‘Bill Blazer Blazes to Victory!’ Some people say the show’s rigged, that’s why he always wins!’
Mr Robinson sipped his tea, ‘That’s why my wife doesn’t want to watch it anymore! I don’t think so, myself. It’s filmed live!’
‘That’s what I say!’ Ruby exclaimed. ‘How can he work out which game will come up next? It’s chosen randomly. He can’t spend all week practising all of them, can he?’
Soon all eyes were on the television. At first, only Ruby and Mr Robinson made comments and sounds of encouragement for their favourite team; but after ten minutes Leon and Johnny were just as involved in supporting the opposing teams.
The cakes and tea had long been finished when Mr Robinson stood up to go.
‘Well, I’m glad to see you’re all settled in so well. Anything you need, just call by our house at the end of the road there,’ he said as Ruby showed him out.
Celia sat up as Ruby came back into the lounge.
‘We have to be more vigilant!’ she said. ‘If it wasn’t for Ruby’s quick thinking, he could have seen our codes! We must keep a plastic strip ready at all times.’
The others nodded.
Celia looked across at Ruby with admiration in her eyes, ‘And, Ruby, you can talk for so long on trivia, which Non-Labs seem to indulge in so often. It thoroughly distracted him! Well done!’
‘We call it small talk, just a way of being friendly,’ Ruby told her.
‘Don’t forget, Celia, Ruby is a Non-Lab! She can do things we are only learning to do!’ Keith pointed out.
> ‘I do forget that sometimes, Ruby,’ Celia gave her small smile again.
Later that night, at Celia’s insistence, they all went for a run on the hillside behind the house. Celia, Johnny, and Leon quickly disappeared into the darkness. Keith stayed beside Ruby.
‘OK?’ he asked.
Ruby nodded, not having enough breath to make a reply.
After a while Keith suggested they turn back. They sat in the back garden waiting for the others to return.
‘It is sometimes difficult for you, isn’t it?’ he said.
She nodded, ‘You are all so fit, so clever, so … everything I am not!’
‘We are created this way in the lab. I suppose you have been created the way you are, more by nature,’ he looked at her. ‘I like the way you are created, Ruby.’
She was glad he could not see her blush in the darkness.
‘Do Labs have feelings … relationships … within their community?’ she asked him.
‘We all feel for every Lab. Each one of us is an important member of our community,’ he replied. ‘That’s why it is so important we free all of them from the Centre as soon as possible.’
He stared into the distance, his mind far away. At the sound of the others returning, he gave her a quick smile, stood up, and walked towards them.
The next morning they stood around a shiny new four-wheel drive. Ruby’s hand shook as she signed the papers that made it officially hers.
‘I know, getting your own car is so exciting, isn’t it?’ the man smiled at her.
‘So it’s all taxed and insured and ready to drive, then?’ she asked him.
‘Yes, for you and your named drivers. It cost quite a bit, but as your friend said, you’ll all be using it, so it’s worth it.’
He nodded at Celia, who stood exchanging technical details with one of the men from the garage.
Soon after that the men left.
‘Who’s going to drive it first?’ Johnny asked.
‘Can I?’ Leon asked. All eyes were on Celia.
‘It’s best if I do,’ she said. ‘We’ll take it on the flat stretch of beach over in the north. Once we’re all familiar with driving we can take it in turns.’
They all got into the car. Celia narrowed her eyes and looked at the controls, ‘Slightly different to the simulator, but most are pretty obvious.’ She switched on the engine and the car smoothly slipped forward.
It was like driving with an experienced driver, Ruby felt as they sped along the road. Leon and Johnny were chattering and laughing like excited children. Keith, in the front seat beside Celia, was carefully observing all her actions and occasionally asking questions, nodding his head thoughtfully as Celia replied.
Once on the deserted beach, the twins began to argue over who should be next to drive. Celia selected Johnny, getting Leon to sit beside him while she sat behind, leaning over to remind or give any advice they needed. After ten minutes the boys swapped seats. Next it was Keith’s turn to take the wheel. Ruby sat on a rock at the side of the beach, trying hard to remember the facts she had learnt on the simulated drives on the laptop the previous evening, but it was like being back at school. Her mind had gone blank.
Finally, she sat in the driver’s seat.
‘Go when you’re ready, Ruby. Just remember all the things you did on the laptop last night,’ Celia smiled at her.
After several false starts, Ruby managed to get the car started without stalling it. She could fell Celia stiffen as she crunched gears and drove along the beach at erratic speeds.
‘Don’t change gear yet! Wait until you hear the tone change!’ she told her. ‘Steer to the left! You are going to hit that rock! Slow down!’
Finally, the car shuddered to a halt.
‘I can’t do this!’ Ruby cried.
‘Of course you can! Anybody can …!’ Celia began sharply.
Keith appeared at the side of the car and opened the passenger door.
‘Celia, go for a run with the twins,’ he suggested in such a way that she climbed silently out of the car.
He sat beside Ruby watching as the other three disappeared along the strand. He gave a sigh, then turned to her and smiled.
‘Now, we’ll try again. There seemed to be an excessive amount of pressure on your performance up to now. It could not produce positive results,’ he smiled again. ‘Start up when you feel it fit to do so. I don’t think you will be ready to drive on a public highway today, but you should be able to manage the rudiments of controlling this car.’
‘But … Celia thinks I will be able to drive as well as she can,’ Ruby said.
‘Don’t worry. Between us we will always have a driver until you feel confident in yourself. Don’t let Celia intimidate you!’ he smiled.
By the time the others returned, Ruby was able to drive the car fairly smoothly. She still struggled with braking and gear changes, but it didn’t feel such an impossible challenge anymore.
‘A good morning’s work! Now most of us can be relied on as drivers when required!’ Celia commented as Keith drove them home.
‘But that does not mean we will waste our time driving around pointlessly,’ she continued as Johnny and Leon looked at her innocently. ‘This car is not a toy! It’s a useful tool in Non-Lab life!’
‘Sometimes living like a Non-Lab is so good!’ Leon whispered to his brother who nodded in agreement.
Ruby looked down at her plate and moved her food around without much appetite at lunch later that day, while the twins chattered excitedly.
‘Don’t worry, Ruby. You will soon master this new skill,’ Keith told her with a smile.
‘Not as quickly as you Labs can. Many Non-Labs take lessons for months before they pass their test and are free to drive on the road,’ she said.
‘Months? To learn such basic skills?’ Celia sounded incredulous.
‘Don’t forget, Celia, Labs are programmed to be good at something! Non-Labs have to learn from scratch!’ Keith reminded her.
‘That’s true. But we are also good at learning. Non-Labs do not seem to be quick at acquiring new skills,’ Celia replied.
‘Who chooses the skills for each Lab?’ Ruby asked them.
‘Our subscribers select them,’ Johnny told her.
‘They generally choose the things they are particularly good at,’ Leon added.
‘Do you all know who your subscribers are?’ Ruby continued.
‘I looked at the Centre records,’ Celia told her. ‘The actual names are not listed, but Johnny and Leon’s subscriber is a famous …’
‘Let her guess!’ Johnny shouted. He looked at Ruby smiling.
‘Mmm …’ She looked at the twins, ‘A golfer? No. Tennis player, swimmer. Ah! A footballer!’
‘How did you guess?’ Johnny asked.
‘You’re very active, so it had to be a sports person!’
‘Yes, at least, he used to be active. He was in his sixties when he had us created. He had almost killed himself with alcohol and drugs. And he had fallen out with any remaining friends and family he had left. He planned on renewing most parts of himself until he would be able to make a miraculous comeback to the football scene!’ Johnny told her.
‘And impress everyone!’ Leon added. ‘But, unfortunately for him – though not for us – he died before they were able to carry out an operation to replace his heart and lungs.’
‘And what about Celia?’ Johnny asked.
‘Someone really clever! Very organised, knowledgeable, good with computers … A scientist? No? Someone who works with computers?’
‘Yes. He’s American. Often called on for his skills in combating computer hackers. I was created for his daughter but she died in a car crash when she was a young child, so I was to be discarded. Abe kept me safe until I was mature, and then I was awakened and taken to the Caves.’
Suddenly she pushed her plate away, ‘Come on. No more guessing games. Keith and Ruby, you could take a look around the local college and pick up a prospectus.
Johnny, Leon, clear the table. I’ve got some work to do.’ She grabbed her laptop and left the room.
‘It must be nice to know you are all talented in some areas,’ Ruby said to Keith in the car that afternoon. ‘Hey, we didn’t talk about your subscriber. What does he do?’
‘She, actually. She had me created for her son. She’s an actress, in the theatre. All over the world. She’s hoping he will become interested in it, too’
‘Mainly Shakespeare?’ Ruby asked him and smiled as he nodded. ‘You can tell by the way you speak …’
Keith raised an eyebrow.
‘Sort of old-fashioned. And always really polite. It’s nice,’ Ruby said.
They sat looking through the prospectus from the local college the following evening.
Johnny looked at Leon, ‘We could take a foundation course in Sports Science.’
‘And join some of the sports teams, too,’ Leon added. ‘They have football, basketball, and swimming clubs!’
‘And use of a gym!’ Johnny beamed.
Celia took the prospectus from Johnny, ‘I will enrol on a computer course, though they appear to be of a very basic level.’
‘This is a small college. It might be better for you to study for a degree at the city university. You could easily drive there,’ Ruby suggested.
Celia shook her head, ‘No. I will start here. I may enrol for a university place at a later date. My work with the Labs will come first; I do not want too many demands on my time at the present.’
‘Before we begin to interact with the Non-Labs, we must establish the same story of our backgrounds,’ Keith said.
‘Yes,’ Celia agreed. ‘Ruby has papers to say she is previously from Nottingham. We could all have been educated there. I have looked at details of secondary schools there and printed off details of Sherwood High. I have also downloaded a virtual tour of the city, so we can all acquaint ourselves with some of the more noticeable features. The boys and myself will enrol at the college this week, in time for the beginning of term next week. Ruby will be officially working for an online estate agent, placing clients in suitable rented accommodation around the country.’
‘And Keith?’ Leon asked.
‘I will enrol at the college on the Sound and Vision course. But I could also officially work part-time with Ruby at the estate agent; to cover the many trips we will make together,’ Keith suggested.