Sand Glass

by A M Russell

  ‘I did, I was there. And I escaped. Hanson didn’t. he’s not as skinny as me.’ She looked at Jared as she spoke. He smiled back at her, reached out and pulled her too him. ‘Shh….tread lightly Angel,’ he said to her, and kissed her on the forehead. She looked up at him. ‘Te amore.’ She laid her head against his chest. He was resting his chin on the top of her head for one moment with his eyes closed. I turned away and looked towards the set of doors that opened into view.

  We found it all in order. A well-appointed cave with a bank of computer screens. A more sophisticated version of the one Hanson had shown us. I went and pressed the buttons that I had seen him press and moved the slider to bring the image nearer.

  ‘This is very interesting.’ said Jared darkly, as the little manikins trooped around the map of the mountain. ’But where is he?’

  Oliver went over to another machine; ‘There are things going on here that is beyone the original experiment. Something doesn’t add up…. Look at this.’

  ‘On it.’ said Janey, and punched into the small keypad.

  Jared zoomed in on the images on the screen. He seemed to have grasped how to use the viewer with extraordinary swiftness. ‘Why would one need this?’ he said.

  ‘I saw it before,’ I said, ‘that was quite a way form here. I think it was….at least I suppose it must be. It seems to be about more than surveillance. I mean it just doesn’t make sense…’

  ‘No, it doesn’t….’ Jared faced me, ‘do you think you could just work the control while I step outside fo the door. And you tll me what you see?’

  ‘Okay.’ I watched as Jared appeared just outside of our position. There was no other presensce registered near. But the little manikin glowed orange. Jared came back.

  ‘It was orange. I saw it befire. It means there is a level of possible threat. But we can’t see anyone.’

  ‘He’s here.’ Jared scanned the walls.

  ‘Got it.’ Janey said, ‘He operating a secondary system from inside the mountain. The control isn’t here but it is inside the boundaries of this place.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ I was hoping that we could do something from here.

  ‘No one leaves a top secret control centre unguarded and open to anyone.’ said Oliver. All at once we heard a muffled clang and something thudded as if someone had dropped something heavy on the other side of a door.

  ‘Get out!’ Jared went to the door. Simultaneously there was the solid thud of bolts locking us in; and another door in a metal panel at the far end of the cave cracked open with the sound of an air seal breaking. Voices. Janey pulled Jared away from the door. ‘Easy now.’ she said quietly. He turned and saw the aperture stood ajar.

  ‘So where is he?’ Jared started forward, but Oliver blocked him. ‘Out of the way Reece!’

  ‘Cool it Arden.’ Oliver pulled the wrist with the knife back down. I’d not seen draw it out.

  ‘So where are you?!’ Jared shouted. There was an discomforting pause. Jared shivered once. We all glanced at each other and then fastened our eyes back on the metal opening.

  Several soldiers came out and lined up around us, spewing out of the narrow space like rabbits out of a magician’s hat. There was a slight pause. Then at man in a well cut suit emerged.

  ‘I am here Mr Arden. And you are in my world now.’ The soldiers raised their guns. We all put our hands up. Another group of soldiers streamed out behind him. And then one man with a bundle of thick material that wriggled and struggled. There was one opf those awful silences where were really all thought we had just about had our chips. The man with the burden that seemed alive looked to Mr Alexander.

  ‘Give her to them.’ said Alexander in a resigned tone,

  The soldier gripped the edge of the big roll of fabric and threw the bundle towards us. It rolled over and over and like an unwrapped half kinked piece of carpet the end flopped in front of Jared. There tumbling Cleopatra style at his feet was the tiny nurse from Aiden camp; the mute they called Ellen. Janey helped her up.

  ‘Small Fry.’ said Alexander, ‘she knows everything. It’s a pity she can’t talk.’

  I felt that the obvious flaw in his logic might be a sign that this was getting to be a bit too easy. First Hanson, now Ellen. She could write. And besides, Aiden said she could talk in the real world. Perhaps, (here I had another thought), she would remember nothing of this world, and it would fade like a dream. Maybe that’s what he meant.

  My mind shifted gears back to the moment. In the bizarre relaxation of those few seconds, when we felt they were not about shoot us my mind had slid side ways. I tried to pay attention, and forget I was glad to be repleased from the threat of certain death. Jared and he were conversing. It was polite, benign almost. They seemed quite in agreement.

  ‘….so we get all our people out now. And then you reset it again?’

  ‘Yes. I can do it from here you know. There really is no need for all this unpleasantness.’

  ‘And all your….copies?’

  ‘Decommissioned. It was all getting a bit tedious anyway. It’s really no fun having conversations with yourself!’

  ‘Indeed,’ Jared folded his arms, ‘And about the resignation?’

  ‘Of course I would expect it to be made effective immediately. Your absolute and complete withdrawal from the board. You will undertake not to take up that position again.’

  ‘Yes, I agree.’ Jared said with a matter of fact tone.

  ‘Jared?’ I hissed, ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Resigning.’ He looked at me with a warning light in his eyes. Oliver stood nearby looking impassive, but then glanced at his watch.

  ‘I think we better leave.’ Oliver said.

  ‘Yes… of course!’ Alexander said in a pleased avuncular tone, ‘So much for you young people to do. So much to look forward to. I envy you I really do, your youth, your life…. What it is to be young!’ the sound of the locks b eing released then was music to my ears. I didn’t stop to wonder how that had been achieved, as Jared began backing out of the door. Ellen tugged on his sleeve. She pointed upwards. I noticed a spot on the ceiling, in fact several of them. Cameras?

  Outside, we walked quickly away with the prickle of fear. No one was following us. so we tracked down the deserted corridors to the maze of halls and accommodation. White walls and floors. Janey whispered something to Jared. He nodded. We found ourselves near a place that was familiar. Back in those older greyer tunnel again. This was it. The place nearby, where we had nearly got killed. And where Alexander had his little prep room with the books and the maps.

  ‘He’s here.’ said Jared.

  ‘Who is?’ I asked Him.

  ‘Haven’t you been paying attention?’ said Oliver.

  ‘Yes…’

  ‘Shush!’ Janey this time.

  I heard him before I saw him. Elland that is. We had got our knives out quickly and Oliver raised the cross bow again.

  A strange little crowd appeared along the grey wall as the bend made them visible. Elland looking like a great injured bear, with blood on his face, cuffed and escorted by two soldiers. He was followed by the real Mr Alexander looking angry and arrogant at the same time. Then Marcia, not cuffed, but held by two of the men. She had a smear of blood down her shirt and one on the right shoulder. After that were six more soldiers. These had guns, and pointed them at us, with no possibility of mistaking the intention. We were to be passed through yet another trail. Each one was different. Each was taking something from us. until there was only or lives left to take. What could we do. This was not a place to celebrate, but to mourn. I remembered. I was thinking of the garden outside. And for some reason of Merlin and his failed mouse catching exploits. Here we were! And if he was real or another copy… it made no difference, we were approaching the end of the line, one way or another.

  Alexander…. Rimmington saw us. This time he had a greedy knowledgeable look on his face. He was hungry for his planned assassination of all enemies to succeed.

  I
looked to Elland. He was obviously badly hurt, but still struggled.

  ‘My! Such spirit! A pity you’re such a bad sport. I was willing to make a deal.’

  ‘I don’t do deals!’ Elland growled and spat blood at Rimmington.

  Rimmington nodded to the soldiers who herded everyone one down through the corridor into that open space. This was the dead end we had so dreaded. Especially me. I didn’t like to think of that drop. I felt my stomach disappear with fright.

  ‘Courage Davey!’ whispered Jared, ‘Not long now.’

  I looked at my watch. Eleven forty five. Oh well…. Death by bits and pieces. I hoped it would be quick this time. I wondered what Lazarus really thought about dying when it came to his time again. My melodramatic train of thought was broken into by Marcia.

  ‘Wake up Milnes! We Bloody need you now!’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Send her home.’ She indicated the terrified Ellen.

  ‘That’s what I wanted you to do!’ Jared was furiously cross with Marcia.

  ‘Shut up Arden.’ Oliver put his hand heavily on Jared’s arm. I saw him deflate under the influence of Oliver’s hard expression, and then rubbed his hand over his face. He didn’t speak but stared very hard at Marcia. The soldiers prodded us, so we moved back against the rocky wall. There was a tense silence while some more of them filed in through the other entrance and stood with guns in their hands.

  ‘Any ideas folks?’ Janey sounded calm despite our predicament.

  ‘We could try…..’ Jared looked at Janey, he seemed scared.

  She shook her head, ‘Not a chance Jay. You can’t do that with these others here….we know it doesn’t work.’

  ‘Do what?’ I said, and swallowed, my mouth dry. Her eyes swivelled to me. She pursed her lips; ‘You and Marcia….are blocking the time separation. We can’t become two people. We can’t try to trick them that way. Perhaps something a little more basic may work though.’

  ‘What?’ Jared spoke, he seemed freaked. The sight of what we supposed was the real Rimmington glancing over at us with smug satisfaction, was crippling any sense of self possession that he usually had. He turned away. Oliver put his arm round Jared’s shoulders, and stared calmly across the rocky terrace. Rimmington had finished giving his orders. Two of the men left by the first entrance and closed and locked the gate behind them. I knew objectively I was starting to panic. My stomach was swirling and my knees seemed rubbery. Suddenly I felt angry. Ellen was shaking and stared upwards, her back to the enemy. I raised my eyes to see Elland seemingly defeated, his head bowed and lolling. But then he turned his face to the side, towards me and I saw the gleam of aggression and focused mediation on his soon to be acted out vengeance.

  ‘So Michael?’ Rimmington’s voice bounced off the rocky walls and was lost in the dimness above; ‘How do you want to end this? Or is that a stupid question?’ Elland raised his head and I saw that he was not afraid of this Man; this Rimmington, or Alexander with the larger than life personality who reflected himself like a magician seen through so many two-way mirrors. What was it like to experience this multi-consciousness? Janey caught my eye for a second and I remembered that day at her house. So many possible versions of the same thing. So many refractions of the self; every angle of opportunity covered in this broken open egg of time. And what of the rest of the group? Marcia: very still but pale; Oliver impassive; Janey: starting to look a little nervous; Ellen: perhaps a little better, she was scanning the rest of the place avoiding looking at the Rimmington character.; Jared: crouching lower down, his head in his hands as if trying to shut something out. He was failing to stay in control, and started to shiver. I slid to my knees next to him, I put an arm on his shoulder.

  ‘Just distract him….or something. Get his mind off…..get him to think about something else….’ Jared turned to me with pleading eyes.

  ‘He’s not immune to Alexander’s projections.’ said Marcia.

  ‘We are?’

  ‘Yes.’ She stepped back, watching Elland’s every move. Elland was flexing his hands, even though he was still cuffed. I saw that they - Rimmington and the others; were waiting for the show to start as it were. This was the ultimate thrill ride for the Man who wore a thousand faces. What must we do to stop him? I saw Oliver tense and then relax, as if he had just come to a decision. Ellen looked up at me and then at Oliver. He nodded a fraction and she slid out behind us and began to move round the group of Rimmington’s men.

  ‘So we shall let this be at the mercy of time and tide?’ Rimmington’s voice seemed to be stronger, more guttural, ‘Does the traveller have anything to say?’

  I looked towards Oliver, he shook his head. A gesture of negation or not knowing? I realised that we would not all get out of this alive. And that there had to be a way to stop him, or delay him.

  The soldiers seemed to bunch together. One of them undid Elland's wrists. He reacted and had his knife out in an instant. They jumped back, not wanting to be first on the list of things to cut, dice or trim.

  ‘You want me don’t’ you?’ Rimmington goaded Elland, and then threw off his jacket to reveal a surprisingly muscular body in a foppishly cut shirt. That, combined with the rather close fit of the leg wear, made for a somewhat Cavalier fashion statement. He drew out a long knife from a sheath strapped on his back; almost as one might draw an arrow from a quiver. I wondered at this. He needed to make a show of things to the people he surrounded himself with. But what to do? Janey nudged me; ‘Some help here.’ She said, ‘we need to get everyone out of here. We don’t know the time the reality switch will hit, unless we can get outside.’

  ‘Outside? Why do we need to outside. Won’t it be snowing?’

  ‘No! listen…. Perhaps you can send Ellen back now.’

  I looked to Oliver. He nodded; or rather tipped his head a fraction.

  The soldiers still stood guarding the way out. Clearly ready to lock us on the soon to be flooded area.

  ‘Ellen…’ I caught her eye, the group huddled round her. I explained to her in a few sentences about the silvery knife. I took it out to show her, and told her that she could go home right now. And not to be afraid. She nodded. She held out her arm.

  I pressed the tip into her skin but nothing happened. She looked at me. And then quite without any sense of struggled she spoke: ‘You have my permission.’ She said.

  But at that moment we were all pushed sideways by the marauding Elland. Rimmington faced him, they both had a knife in their right hands.

  ‘Shit!’ that was Marcia, who ducked and pulled Janey out of the way. Jared turned and looked up at what was happening, his eyes round and horrified. This was altogether terrible. The soldiers bunched round the remaining entrance way as a few drops of water tapped on the dusty ground in front of us.

  The two circled round each other digging into the surface in clouds of dust and grit. Rimmington lunged at Elland who dodged and then took a swipe. He missed but walloped him in the shins when the butt on the backswing. Rimmington stumbled, and bent on one knee then sprang back up. Elland circled round him quickly, perhaps hoping to make him loose balance. But Rimmington tracked him round and them sliced through the air with the swiftness of a snake striking. He nicked Elland’s arm; a little red line of shame. Elland grunted and took a violent leap forward; Rimmington backed out of the way; while Elland’s momentum nearly bowled him into the heart of our little huddle. Marcia said; ‘Five minutes.’ to Elland and pushed him back in. I saw that microsecond of understanding, then he was back in the fray.

  It was visceral, terrifying, and in a horrible way, quite beautiful. The raw power of these two fighting hand to hand.

  They grappled and fell apart again. I could see that Alexander had a certain advantage. He was fresher, and more in control. he was almost playing with his opponent. But for sheer power and determination Elland outmatched him. But because of Alexander (Rimmington’s) speed and energy reserves, I didn’t see how Elland could keep going. Just as I thought this, Elland
delivered a devastating blow to the side of Alexander’s head. He fell back three full paces and wiped blood from the side of his mouth with the sleeve of the shirt. ‘You hope to free them?’ he said, and dabbed his sweating forehead, ‘I will let you chose two. That is fair. Then you can say that you won them. Your life and my defeat for two of these people. Come now, that’s a good deal?’

  ‘No deal.’ muttered Elland. His voice was thick and bubbling and I saw that he had suffered an injury to his side; but when this happened I did not know. He took a run at Alexander who jumped out of the way; and then turned to engage him again almost instantly. I could see that Elland was beginning to tire. And a few more drops fell. We really needed to get out of here!

  Jared stood back up. He seemed to have partially recovered his usual manner. If that is what I am to call his distant and angry attitude.

  Jared nudged each of us in turn. We started to edge round towards the gates. The soldiers were distracted by the fight.

  Oliver whispered to Ellen then. He gave her the multi-key. She slipped behind them, and quietly locked the second gate. Oliver pointed discretely. She quickly moved to the other, and unlocked it.

  Suddenly, they saw. A soldier grabbed her by the hair, but perhaps not realising what she had done, threw her tumbling back towards us.

  She was crying, and crawled back to our group. Oliver palmed the multi-key.

  ‘Time’s nearly up…’ Jared told us quietly, as the two warring men began to tire, ‘We need to get Rimmington…. Davey get near.’

  I realised that they all thought that I had some power with the special weapon I carried. I felt like I was choking, but I knew we only had a few minutes left. Somehow or another the soldiers were suddenly thrown into confusion. They didn’t have a key. Or if they did it could not be found. Above our heads a mist was gathering. Jared looked up and smiled. This time we knew what was coming.

  ‘What have you done?’ Alexander roared at us, ‘This it so foolish! Unlock the gate.’

  ‘No!’ Jared stepped forward. Elland seeing his opportunity tried to go for Rimmington.