“Ye can keep it,” Wirt said and huddled close to Eadgard, who stepped discretely to one side.
“Where did you procure your screens?”
“The telling gives too much away, Girlie.”
“I am not a girlie.”
“I see you still are.”
“Nah!”
“I hear raised voices,” Vea said. “This not allowed indoors. Any noise from anger and upset, must go out there where wind and time dispel its ferocity.” She put a hand upon my forehead and it felt as cool and soft as a bubs first kiss. I at once became all squidgy inside and do believe I smiled. She did too and her face became a glow of friendly. I squinted and thought I saw her expression change to that of frosty.
“Come, let us to place of serenity. Orsin tells me you share sorrow not unlike our own. It may come to pass that together we find solution to problem of Agros.”
Chapter Fourteen
A Common Enemy
Vea led us to an opening at the back of the tent. She pulled open a flap and I peered into a long corridor lit up by short stumpy peg lights that were stuck into the ground at regular intervals along the each side of the walls. They gave off a yellow glow as if the sun was trying to go down but was prevented from doing so. Inbetween said lights were tall, thin, translucent poles that reached almost to the ceiling. They too gave off light in dim strips that fell onto the dirt floor in horizontal bands. I was almost tempted to play “oneleghop-hop” with them, but did not. I watched the others disappear down the passage but did not follow straight away. Instead, I lagged behind a bit growing uneasy with every slow step I took.
I stared into the amber orbs that protruded from the floor and became mesmerised by their swirling light. Squinting so as to be able to see what it was that swooshed around inside the round glass globs. It looked like some kind of thick ether or gas. My neck hairs twitched as if a chill swept over them and I jumped when a young Clonie bumped into my arm. He smiled a wide-mouthed grin and I walked quicker, staying close to the long thin tubes that gave out a lowly hum and a gentle warmth when I brushed my hand down their surface. They were both heat and light. We had nowt so tech in all of Cityplace.
I picked up my pace and caught up with the others. My preoccupation at catching them caused me to stumble and I tripped upon something soft. “What the huff?” I said and all turned. There on the floor curled up between two heater poles, was a sleeping creature that resembled a kittlecat in every way except it had no ears.
“They too have pets?” Wirt said and bent to stroke the creature. It rolled onto its back and purred loudly at his touch.
“Ah you have found another of our secrets,” Vea said and picked up the kittle. It snuggled its head into her chest and she kissed it as tenderly as if it were her own kiddle.
“What happened to its listening holes? Was it injured?”
“No, Adara, born that way. Same, like your six fingers. Perhaps this place not so strange as you think?”
“Yep, it is and then some.”
“Not to us. There are more than enough rejects here. We live as one, no harm comes to any.” She pulled another heavy cloth covering open and we walked through it and into the night air. This section of the Clonie camp was more organised. Huts and tents stood around a large square clearing that was partially hidden by a low fence made from scrap metal and bits of stone. Inside the rectangle were metal benches arranged to face the centre, almost like the seating in a place of entertainment. However, my curiosity at said structure diminished rapidly when a strange, unpleasant smell drifted up my nose passage.
I turned to Wirt who was a-gagging at the stench. Even Eadgard showed some form of revulsion on his stony face, by screwing up his eyes and sticking his tongue out between his teeth. I held my hand over my mouth and tried not to breathe too deeply. Vea brushed past us and we followed her across a paved path to another black tent. This hut was smaller than the others, and seemingly the source of the gut-churning pong. At the entrance, the kittle Vea was cradling, jumped down and pushed itself through the heavy cloth flap that was the door. “She keen to feed and return to her family.”
We followed the feline into the tent of food and a revolting smell came at us like a fart from a Wolfie that has gulped down carrion. The dirt floor was strewn with bits of charred stuff that a group of kittles gnawed on. I gagged and Wirt closed his eyes. Eadgard swallowed hard.
“We keep kittlecats to protect food from vermin.”
“What? You have rodents?”
“Certainly, Backpacker friend. Always around edibles.”
“I have never seen any animal other than Wolfies and raptors here,”
“They do not venture into wild. They present little problem. Their numbers are few. Besides, in world bereft of most of Mother Nature’s inhabitants, even rats and mice are welcome sight.”
“This place is almost a dream. I am thinking that I am not here but in the land of slumber where all my fears and hopes are jumbled. So confused am I,” Wirt said and held his head in his hands.
“Come. Let us sit in quiet and partake of sustenance. You must be weary and hungry after journey.”
“I am most readily, great Missus,” I said all energetic like. Then shut my mouth quickly. I did not know why I blabbed such info and began to wonder if Vea had some strange way of making me say what she wanted to hear. Wirt gave me a look of “What the huff did you say that for?” and I shrugged.
“Do nay bother yerself with our needs.”
“You have own sustenance, skirted male?”
“Erm, well, we did, but I left our goodie pouch behind when first we met with yer kind.”
“The loss is no matter. We not see you go without.” Vea smiled and gestured for us to sit on black metal chairs around a huge round grey stone table. We did, and hung onto the edge as if we were giddy. I looked across the room and saw a huge black stove with many burners and three ovens. I suspected these Clonies liked to cook. In Cityplace, the nearest we got to preparing our own food was to rip open a packet and heat it in the micro.
“There is a choice of edibles. Sheeple stew or roast chikkie.”
On Vea’s last word, “chikkie,” Wirt chucked up.
“Meat!” he said through gasps and kicked soil over the offending bile.
“Of course. You have seen terrain. Not much veg grow out here.”
“But there have been no sheeples on any land for centuries. Chikkles here and there, but only as pet. Their flesh is poison-tainted by the still-active virus.”
“Rejects remember. Experiments gone wrong. Flung out to fend for ourselves as best we can. What you see around are things unwanted. Because of looks, or flavour, or yield. These creatures we consume were bred for that purpose. They bear little resemblance to namesakes. Flavour is sour to be sure, but we have means and ways to gain spices and herbs so that taste not too unpleasant.”
Wirt coughed and twitched his over sensitive nose. His face turned a fine shade of green. He pulled at his shirt sleeve and held it over his gob as a shield against the ever-growing pong that hovered in the air.
“How do you come by all this animal?” I asked between coughs.
“We are given it to keep quiet. After the foray that killed many, the remnants you will have walked amongst. We became good at war, better than Agros. So we agree compromise. Agros leave us and in return, we test new forms of meat before they dare consume for themselves.”
“Meat, meat, meat. Can ye desist from uttering the word? I am aghast and agape with it all and cannot believe what I have heard and smelt.”
“Ah, Wirt. You are tender in all things we think. Come, eat. We venture you will not be so upset when you taste food.”
He wafted her away with his free arm and stood. “Never. I am Woodsfolk and will never digest animals that are made as nothing more than living meat. It is beyond the cruellest of cruelties to modify so.”
“You stare at such a modification, boy,” Vea said.
“That may be, but I
would not eat ye.”
“We should hope not.”
“I would not eat any meat.”
“Your convictions are solid. We respect this.”
Wirt flopped back down and buried his head in his arms. Vea folded hers and I caught a glint of anger appear in her eyes, so in an attempt to extinguish said fire, I said, “You know what? I have journey food with me that I will be glad to munch upon it so that you do not need to plunder your resources.” Wirt gave me thumbs up sign and sank his head back down.
“Do not offend our hospitality,” Vea said and her face lost its look of friendly. She turned to Wirt and bent low over his shoulder. “We have greenery if you prefer?” He lifted his noggin and turned his pallid face to hers. It was a fierce countenance that she presented him with and I doubted that he could refuse her offer.
He gulped and said, “What sort? Fresh or engineered?”
“Bit of both. We grow some veg. A hardy variety that can thrive in this unyielding soil. Mostly we use to feed critters we consume. But it has flavour and packed full of necessary nutrients. It resembles most what you would call carrot.”
Wirt sat upright and tried to grin. The widening of his lips, however, came out more of a grimace than a grin. Vea frowned and Wirt quickly said, “Ye make it sound quite edible. I most definitely will try some.”
“Adara, Eadgard, will you partake?”
I looked at Eadgard and said, “My Santy Breanna would no doubt give me wallop, but despite the unrest in my belly and nose, I will be as daredevil and try a mouthful.”
“Eadgard?”
“I have never eaten meat. I confess to being somewhat curious as to its flavour. I too will consume some of this genetically produced product.”
“Then we bring you portion of each. And for Wirt, soup made from homegrown root plant,” Vea said and headed towards a large metal cooker.
Wirt stared at us both and shook his head. “I am appalled at ye both. How can ye eat of creatures made from who knows what? Living things that no doubt screamed in pain when they were butchered. I shudder at the hideous thought.”
“Now, Wirt, these things are bred for nothing else. I would assume they cannot feel anything, including pain or fear at the thought of death,” Eadgard said.
“Ye do not know this, ye cannot.”
“I understand you are upset, Wirt,” I said and went to hold his hand, but he pulled away and lowered his head. Vea approached and placed several dishes and spoons onto the table. The stuff upon them looked like Wirt’s puke and if I am honest, smelt like it too. I took a deep breath, picked up a spoon and had my first taste of meat. My throat contracted spontaneously as the mushy stuff slid down. The only thing I could compare the taste to was cheese gone bad, then left to decompose.
Vea watched our every move, arms folded and her face as stern as before. When we had swirled the concoction around our bowls and lifted and sniffed and tasted but a lickfull, she straightened her back and said, “Well? What do you think?”
Eadgard stared at his food, Wirt closed his eyes and I being the only one left that had no idea of how to answer, found myself unable to make up a fitting pretence at how I felt. Under the table, Eadgard’s foot made contact with my shin and I blurted forth, “If I am honest, I think it tastes of something passed from out my innards.” I placed my spoon upon the table and pushed the bowl away, expecting a cuff or something worse from Vea’s hand. She made no movement or angry sound. Instead, she turned to Eadgard, who to my wonderment, was spooning more of the nasty stuff into his gob.
“Eadgard, you have taken more than one mouthful. Is it to your liking?”
“It is not unpleasant. Neither is it pleasant. I think that if I had no other source of grub, then I would partake of this again.”
Vea turned her raptor stare upon Wirt. He moved his spoon around the contents of his bowl, shook his head, gulped in air and delved into the slimy slop that Vea placed before him. We watched as his face contorted into spasms of grimaces until, at last, he swallowed.
“By the Greenman himself I have never tasted anything so vile,” he said.
“Our opinion is you are used to different fare. What you dislike is all we know.”
Wirt, to his unbounded credit, took another breath and swallowed up all the mess that was in his bowl. He gagged but once and sat back, his face all red from the hurry. Vea slapped his back and all as one we laughed.
“A fine fellow you are,” said Eadgard.
“Indeed he is,” I said and found myself resorting to the mumsy-feel I had when first we met.
Vea turned to Eadgard. “If you all done, we would speak of your quest.”
“A thing we are keen to resume. It is my duty to escort these young ‘uns and I would not fail them by being late.”
“Late for what?”
“Excuse, Adara, I blabber on too frequent.”
“Blabber more,” I said and stood.
“Adara, sit and let me tell story that may be familiar,” Vea said and despite my wrath at Eadgard’s holding forth of information, I dutifully sat. There was a commanding nature to Vea, a solidness of purpose that manifested itself in how she talked and moved, so that I could not help but obey when she spoke. And although not at all at ease in her presence, I found myself unable to resist any request she made.
“In our most recent past, spate of abductions take place. You must understand, we outcasts, feared, loathed. We perpetuated our monster image to preserve our way of life, and for some time, this has been case. Our horror at missing bubbas has shaken very foundations of our society. Instead of calm and merry, anger and unhappiness spread like fungus. When you related purpose in our land, we knew you would assist in gaining our loved ones back.”
“Why cannot you discover your own by yourselves?”
“Eadgard, we cannot travel beyond Beyondness. Criterion for survival was permanent promise to stay put. We should not exist. Government way back made scientists swear to destroy us all.”
“Wait for one sec,” I said. “All know there are Clonies in the Beyondness.”
“Hideous mutants that feed on hominid flesh?” Vea asked.
“I get yer meaning.”
Vea sat next to Wirt and closed her eyes for a sec. When she opened them we saw a tear or two run down her cheeks. The change from stern to sad was unsettling, so were the words she spoke next. “I would have you add to your gang one of us, so we can rescue four of our own taken ones.”
“Impossible. I have orders that I cannot, will not disobey,” Eadgard
said. “Not even to save young lives?”
“Your hurt is most sad and unfortunate, but my mission... My orders are very specific.”
“We assumed you would be freeing all taken.”
“With only us three to do the rescuing? That would be a plan to fail.”
“With extra fierce one at side you might have better chance?” Vea said and all eyes turned to Eadgard.
“This is most irregular. I have my orders.”
“Change them.”
“I could I suppose.”
“You must have phonespeak access to your commander?”
“I do, but can only use it once and then only in an emergency.”
“The lives of many young ones emergency enough, we think.”
Eadgard turned to face me. He gave me a look as if to ask for my support and although I was a-keen to leave and find my bro-bro, I found myself on Vea’s side. I stood and folded my arms to show that I meant business and said, “Add one on to us and we will save your bubs and bring them back. Do not object, Eadgard. This we must do.”
“Adara, what ye say? Why ye say?”
I had no response that made a tad of sense to answer Wirt. I merely stood my ground and said, “It is the right thing to do. I know it.”
Eadgard put his head in his hands for a moment, and then looked up. “The screens you use to watch your homegrown vids, do they have a channel to communicate?”
“There i
s one that has a signal that leads to without. You may use it to speak to those you need to.”
“Then let us to it. For time is running short.”
“Good decision made. We will to home tent and settle matter.”
“Vea?” I asked. “Whom do you consider suited to the journey
ahead?”
“Ah, you have already met, Adara.”
“Marcellus?”
“Well guessed.”
“Oh plop,” I said.
Chapter Fifteen
Rank And File
Once back at the home tent, Vea took Eadgard to a comscreen that was hidden behind a brown cloth hanging. Wirt and I stood without speaking. He watched the Clonies watching the vidscreen, whilst I searched the room for a sight of Marcellus. Felt strangely sad that I did not see him there.
I felt an itch on my ankle, bent to scratch it and saw a kittle claw at its neck. It made sense that lice would be abundant in such a place. I was about to let Wirt in on the presence of fleas when Vea emerged from behind the screen and took my arm.
“You must not travel in such flimsy attire. Come with me to wash place. We conjure up clothes better suited.”
“Kindly gesture, but I have heavier garb with me. I would be glad of a space not overlooked to change into it, though.”
“Come,” she said.
I left Wirt and followed her out of the home tent past the food place to a tall brown shack fashioned from all manner of oddments. The walls and roof were made from corrugated metal and the door looked like it came from one of the ghost houses we saw as we passed through the bone site. Vea pulled it open and I saw rows of open cubicles with holes in the ground. The only light came from two large windows in the middle of the roof. I could not help wondering if they could be opened for there was a general smell of plop in the air. I pinched my nose and cautiously stepped in.
“See at back?” Vea said and pointed to a large screen that blocked the entire back wall. “That is where we dress after cleansing. You see to right, long channel in floor?” I nodded. “Drainage. Look up.” I did. “See in ceiling pipe with holes in? Water pours down, we all wash.”
Echoes from the Lost Ones Page 11