I watched my crown of hair bob in they lenses. Didn’t care what they boy’s name was. Other things mattered. Having another body meant another mouth to feed and water, but it also meant another body for they next assault on they wall. “He bring tribute?”
“Yes, Maj.”
My eyes went to slits at that title and Robert’s grin widened. Made for a curious look on he, wearing my angry eyes in him lenses and he happy mouth on him face. Didn’t like being called majesty or anything, because it was those kinds of people who got they world in this mess as it was.
“Aight.”
Robert scampered back down they way him come. I followed down they slanty lifthill, no longer holding they handrail chain. First time, I clung to that old metal like I was near death. Now, was no matter. Death was close all they while. Chain didn’t change that. My feet knew they way and if not, I deserved to be rubble on they ground.
They track glided into they station, where a train of four cars still did sit. In they station is where they made they boy kneel to wait, all this time on he bony knees on they old wood floor. Jen was waiting with he, grinning like her had caught something remarkable indeed. They sticks that skewered her hair today was red like blood. I didn’t see what her was grinny about until they boy looked up, until they shadow from he body lifted and I saw they goods cradled in he arms. Green sweater came open to reveal three yellow ducks. Three.
They rubber, staring at me with they black-and-white painted-on eyes. One was missing its beak, but they others looked whole, if dirty. I looked at they boy and him at me and him didn’t flinch at my stare and that’s how I knew him was to stay and be a part of these people. He didn’t say nothing, only waited like him knew they protocols. Maybe him did; people sure did talk once upon a time, and that was how they knew about they ducks.
In they first days when they ash was still falling every day, we was less picky about they who joined us. They was lines of people looking for food and shelter and we took all from they start on account of me shooting they other 20 people who thought they would claim they coaster first. Didn’t matter none, because this place needed consecration and blood is only second-powerful to water.
From these lines of people we took everyone who met they standard proposed by they sign that still hung today. YOU MUST BE THIS TALL TO RIDE. And that pointing finger never moving from its indicated height. We found this was not as sure a method as should have been. Some people who tall are not so smart. Some people who tall are not so skilled. We weeded again, outcasting they who did not serve our purposes. They was shut from they coaster’s metal embrace; they was shut from family dinner and family stories.
Now it was a puzzle to join they family. Bring me a duck, I said, and prove you know this place and its secrets. Back in They Day, they ducks was everywhere, bobbing in they water tanks for they peoples to win for a handful of coins, floating all night unmolested because people wanted they, but wouldn’t steal they. Bring me a duck, I said, and here were three and something more.
From they curl of they sweater closest to Beth’s waist was a bundle of three things more. These were long cylinders with fuses on they ends. He lift these and give they to me, while keeping they ducks. Dynamite was a thing almost more precious than ducks. Surely could help bring that wall down and get us inside to they fresh water.
Didn’t nobody make such offers without wanting something of they own. I knew this, a lesson learned as sure as they difference between people they sign chose and people who found they ducks. I handed they dynamite to Robert and reached for they ducks. Beth placed them into my palms.
“We possess an understanding now,” I said. “You come into my house offering rare ducky tributes and they get you food and shelter. But these weapons, you know what we mean do.”
Beth nodded he head. Him face was dark with filth and more than a little unshaved, but he eyes were truthful. “Maj, you mean to blow that wall and take their water and I want you to take it.”
“Is that right?” I drew they ducks against my bosom.
“’S been so long,” Beth said, and he voice went thick with want. “Ain’t done a thing in forever. Finding those ducks was like finding something. Hunting, finding, bringing. Didn’t matter what they were, when I heard, I had to do it. Got myself out and did a thing. And now… here. Want to do more.”
Oldest story. People needing something to do with they hands. Didn’t matter that they world lay in rubble and had changed beyond all we had been born into.
Left Beth where he crouched and left they station, too, moving under they metal scaffold of they coaster, into they centre where we had built a city all our own. They centremost part of they tracks, where they did loop together and make it seem like they cars could jump from one to another, had been all boarded up, into a vast container where I added they three newest ducks. They fell amid their brethren, they painted eyes looking at me with expectation. Maybe they too needed something done with they time.
Our plan was not complicated, even if they water complicated what we could do; could not lay they fuses we wanted to, being on account of they harbour blown all inward and slantways. They space where they carnival had once spread was under a good 30 metres of water in most places; some places, they rides still poked up: a tented roof, a flagpole, but even they great whirly ride which flung they peoples in chairs had been swallowed by they harbour waters. Only Jen had ever dared swim in they deep-deep, looking for what could be found. Her found a duck down there, her did. Said they was cartons of them, but I never could go, not with Momma lurking.
We loaded they coaster with care. They cars had been lightened, they lapbars and wheels removed, doors soldered shut to make each car float more than it rightly should. We lined each car with plastic tarps and packed they with explosives. Beth’s dynamite was wrapped up tight and wedged into they front car. Over all this plastic-wrapped death, we layered in ducks. They painted-on eyes regarded me with eagerness. They was ready to fly, these ducks! Everything needed a purpose, hadn’t Momma always said? Her had not, but it seemed sound.
I had never been out across they deep-deep, but made to go now because my people needed a leader. Needed to see I could do more than stand atop they coaster and holler threats toward Na’Talie and her lake people. One time, they made they home within they coaster’s skeleton same as we; but one time, they also leave they metal bones for something better. Didn’t get too far, not when they ground collapsed and sucked they down – when they harbour waters flooded in and ate they up. Oh, Momma, why did you leave your own living girls?
They swan boats took us into they deep-deep. Once they had only gone in circles, but now they was as free as they ducks about to be. We paddled with lengths of broken coaster track, they swans pulling they coaster cars across they dark waters. They whole of Na’Talie’s lake was circled by that patched pavement wall, they deep-deep licking up against it in they night.
All around us was they deep-deep. They metal in they waters rose like shark fins and in they waning moonlight seemed to move ever so slight. First time I saw it, I pulled back from they boat edge and leaned into Robert, Robert who grinned he grin and curled me closer. Elbow to they ribs sent him sliding back to he side of they swan, my face hovering in he lenses.
From they waters, I thought I heard a sound like they coaster cars had come loose, but they had not. All around us, a long lapping sound, like they deep-deep had a tongue and was tasting our full length. We rowed on, pulling our barge of death and ducks and was breathing hard when we reached they wall. They lanterns ringing they top of they wall were not lit and this should have been a clue to me, but I could smell they fresh water beyond they wall, and it smelled like they home I had before they coaster took me in and made me her own.
Jen and Beth headed east and my boat headed north, we each taking half they coaster cars with us; we would ring they wall with our explosives and rig them to blow when we was home. But things never go they way one thinks. For a heartbeat, I thought it was
just my dreadlocks bouncing in Robert’s lenses with him taking a longer look at me than him should. But him was seeing something beyond me, over they curve of my shoulder. They curve turned into a tusk they longer I looked at it in they lens, they tusk of Na’Talie’s damned elephant. My eyes went wide then and Robert, him shove me down into they boat, lifting up he oar as a weapon.
Thing of it is, you only ever see one elephant, you think that all they have. One elephant making endless patrols around they rubble wall. What you don’t see is they has two more, they tusks made up to look all they same. And when you pick yourself up from they boat bottom, and stare at they three elephants, Na’Talie looking as fierce as they day she did when she left, showing off she tusks, you scream. I screamed loud enough to wake Momma from death, but her did not come to see she girls fight.
They three elephants swam through they dark water, one straight into Jen’s boat, another straight into mine. And this swan boat, it had been a hard-working craft, but wasn’t made to take no elephant head across its bow. They boat splintered, spilling me and Robert into they deep-deep.
Was strange, that water. So quiet and calm beneath they choppy surface. I could see they elephant legs paddling my way, looking almost serene as it came for me. That head dipped under they water, beady eyes narrowing, trunk expelling bubbled breath. Blind in they froth, I swore I could feel Momma’s bony hand around my ankle. Wasn’t nothing but a weed, self told self, but that weed gave me a tug and wanted to see me drown.
Elephant was on me, trunk wrapping my arm, and I heard Na’Talie screaming in her warrior voice that no one would take she wall, she elephants, she land. Felt like my lungs would burst, then thought they did, because they entire world exploded. Was blown straight out of they deep-deep and flying, as I watched in wonder fire blossoming against they night, bringing they wall down. And Jen and Beth, they airborne! Beth shrieked with laughter, burning sticks clutched in him hands.
Everywhere was fire and raining deep-deep and flying rubble wall and, oh Momma, they ducks. They ducks blew up with everything else Jen had set on fire; one explosion led to another, and another, and it was forever I was watching they ducks vomit into they sky on clouds of fire. When I fell back into they deep-deep, was a hard slap to my entire body. Then, it rained ducks, and ducks, and when I could at last see again, was my own angry face shining right back in they round lenses, dreadlock crown bobbing.
We swam to they first steady thing: an elephant surrounded by bobbing, yellow ducks. We climbed on that broad back and swam they elephant round and round. Swam to they gates blown off they wall and crawled off, and watched Na’Talie flounder in they deep-deep. Her didn’t want to be with Momma no more than I did. Made Robert stay and hollered at that elephant till he let me sit again and swim he toward Na’Talie and haul she on board. Her stare at me like death. If death was crying and hugging and saying oh near lost you like Momma in they deep-deep.
And when I thought that was all? They coaster blew sky high. Wood and metal whizzed through they air like rockets, smashing into they deep-deep, shooting one lens straight out of Robert’s goggles. And ducks. All they that we hadn’t packed up, oh Momma, they rained down on us like constant tribute.
When they all settled, it was a strange quiet crept over us. They deep-deep lapped its tongue against our legs crossways over they elephant as him swam to Robert. We all climbed out on they narrow shore, Jen and Beth shivering on a slab of pavement. Was like none of us knew what to do, so Na’Talie hauled she people and she elephants from they waters and looked at me. Looked at me like life and possibility and then her bent and picked up a duck.
And placed it in my hands like tribute.
WHITE NOISE
Geoff Gander
George? It’s Amanda. How are you holding out? Good. No one else is picking up anymore. Is your radio on? Satellite? That’s good – more stations that way. No, don’t go to your car; too exposed. Stay away from the windows, too.
What’s that? Yeah, it’s been three days now, I think. I had to switch half a dozen times last night. People at the stations are getting sloppy, or they’re… well, you’ve seen the news feeds. I think they either don’t know and they’re covering it up, or they do know and they don’t want us to panic. I mean, sunspots, electromagnetic disturbance, and then finally a terrorist attack? Whatever. One of the last things I read on the boards before they went dead was that regular talking doesn’t have the right mix of sounds, pitch, or whatever, to block them.
No… no TV news here, either. Just reruns, with that scrolling message to stay indoors and keep a radio going until further notice.
Still haven’t seen any of the neighbours. I read on the Net this weird post about how people who hear the noise get “empty,” or turned into monsters or something. Anyhow, we’ve got enough food for a week so hopefully it’ll all be—
George? George? You still there? Oh thank God. You went dead for a moment and I thought – Your station got cut off? I heard somewhere that all it takes is a minute of silence before you can hear it.
Yeah, Mom hasn’t contacted me, either. I called her apartment and the super’s office – nothing. I mean, maybe she’s found a safe place. She doesn’t have a car, so she couldn’t have gone far.
Shit, station’s dead!
Me again. I’m okay, I’m okay… yeah, I know I told Dad I’d rather die than listen to Garth Brooks, but I wasn’t being choosy. Seriously, George, that was close. It took me almost a minute to find a new station, and I started hearing it. No, it wasn’t like the static you get on the radio or TV. There was a pattern to it, but it didn’t repeat or anything. Like a strange language? Maybe, but I haven’t seen any little green men running around.
Ken? He’s really stressed out. His folks haven’t answered his calls and every time we lose a station he gets really high-strung. He says he’s heard the noise after only a few seconds but I think it’s just – huh, really? Maybe he is more sensitive, then. I sent him down to the pantry to bring up some more cans just before I called you. He should be done by now.
Oh, I hear him coming up the stairs. I’ll pass him the phone when he gets here. He’d like to talk to another dude, I’m sure.
Hey, Ken, George’s on the line. Do you want to talk to him for a bit?
Ken?
No, he’s not usually so quiet. Hold on a sec, George. I’ll be right back.
EDITED HANSARD 116
Miriam Oudin
55th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION
EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 116
Tuesday, May 18, 2027
Speaker: The Honourable Katherine Elk Hoof
The House met at 10 a.m.
Prayers
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Support for Families of the Lost Act
Mr. Felix Tall Bear (Batoche—One Arrow, NDP) moved for leave to introduce C-61, Support for Families of the Lost.
He said: Madam Speaker, I am very proud to introduce a bill concerning financial support for the immediate families of those lost in the recent tragedies. Though we have all for good reason been concerned with addressing the continuing crisis itself, it is my hope that my colleagues turn their thoughts for a moment to the families left behind, particularly in my home province of Saskatchewan and her neighbouring province of Alberta, though I know that the ripple effects have spread to all Canadians, including many of my colleagues in this room.
(Motion deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Petitions
Wall Surrounding the Black Zone
Ms. Evelyn Carew (Cardigan, CPC):
Madam Speaker, I would like to present a petition signed by 37 people from Prince Edward Island.
The petitioners are calling for a promise from the government to build a wall around the black zone.
Goods from Alberta and Saskatchewan
Mr. Loïc Coulombe (Wendake—Loretteville, Lib.):
Madam Speaker, I have in front of me a petition from a number of my constituents who are a
sking the government to put a moratorium on distributing fruits, vegetables, and meats from Alberta and Saskatchewan to elsewhere in the country.
The fact is, we don’t know whether there is contamination of some sort, whether there might be something in the soil or water that could damage plant or animal life that it comes into contact with. My constituents are concerned that there might be carcinogens or other health risks. The temporary lag in business is a small price to pay for certainty that the foods we feed our families are safe.
GOVERNMENT ORDERS
Pursual of Absent Persons Act
Bill S-2—Time Allocation Motion
Hon. Harshad Ram (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC)
moved:
That, in relation to Bill S-2, An Act respecting the so-called “Absent,” which is to say those who have not returned from the Athabascan oil sands since the troubles there began, not more than five further hours shall be allotted to the consideration of the third reading stage of the bill.
The Speaker:
Under Standing Order 67.1, there will now be a 30-minute question period.
Mr. Vasily Sénéchal (Leader of the Opposition, Lib.):
Madam Speaker, I would like to express my grave disappointment at the Conservative party’s attempt to shut down conversation about this very important issue. I don’t think there is anyone in this chamber who does not want our fellow Canadians to return safely from the black zone. But ramming a piece of ill-thought legislation through the House is not in anyone’s best interest. Nor is sending more soldiers and police to their deaths. It is critical that we consult with experts: disaster recovery consultants, geologists, xenobiologists, xenobotanists, communications specialists. My colleague would do well to remember that we can watch streaming video from Mars but we can’t see anything that’s happening in Alberta north of 54. Sending more personnel into the black zone is literally more dangerous than sending them to another planet, and for some reason the Conservative party seems unwilling to spend more than five hours talking about that.
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