The Changlings (The New Earth Chronicles Book 2)

by J. J. Thompson

  “The government is barely holding on,” Dr. Suthers told them frankly.

  She was standing at the front of the room, with the other adults on either side of her, staring from one young face to the next. The Changlings didn't wear their wrappings when they were safely out of sight of strangers; that would come later.

  Sarah had looked around and silently counted how many other children were in the room with her.

  Fifty-two, she thought nervously. There are only fifty-two of us. Weren't there more than that once? It's so hard to remember sometimes.

  People came and went all the time, and she was just an eight year old girl, after all. She relied on the adults to keep track of everything and only worried about day to day stuff like the endless experiments they all had to endure and if she would beat Bobby at Monopoly. They loved playing board games and Monopoly was the only one that he was any good at, so they played it a lot.

  She looked at his face as he sat in the seat next to her, his expression anxious. There were only a few faint scales on his cheeks and forehead and his ears were just starting to develop points at the top of them. Sarah thought that they were sweet, but Bobby hated them and wore his hair long to hide them.

  “Sarah?”

  She jumped and looked toward Dr. Suthers.

  “Yes ma'am?”

  “Pay attention, please. This is important.”

  “Sorry, Doctor Carol,” Sarah replied in embarrassment. “I was thinking about something.”

  “I understand, but I need you, all of you, to listen closely. Now, as I was saying, we are no longer receiving instructions from the department overseeing this facility on how to proceed with your testing. Telephones no longer function. Neither does the internet. We cannot drive to the main office in downtown Ottawa because engines do not work either. So we are isolated here, without direction or orders.”

  “But, Doctor Suthers?”

  “Yes Rachel?”

  Rachel was one of the older girls, about fourteen or so, and Sarah thought that her blue hair and ivory white skin were beautiful. When she stood up, she towered over everyone else in the room, including the adults, even though she was as slim as a reed.

  “Doctor, the power still works in here,” Rachel said and pointed to the lights glowing in the ceiling. “And the taps still work. I just had a shower this morning and it worked just fine.”

  The doctor smiled as the girl sat down again.

  “That's true enough. But we are on battery power here in the bunker, fed by solar panels high over our heads. And we also pump our own water from wells deep below us. Why these systems haven't failed yet is a mystery to all of us. Perhaps it's because of how insulated we are from the world outside. We just don't know. But this is a temporary reprieve at best. I'm informed that the batteries are slowly beginning to fail us and that we will probably lose all power within a few weeks at most. The lights will fail, the plumbing will no longer function and this place will go from being a refuge to a tomb.”

  Several of the children cried out and Dr. Suthers hurried on.

  “I'm sorry to sound so bleak but, as young as some of you are, you still deserve the truth. Now, our last communication came from a squad of soldiers who had made their way here on foot. They described the city almost as a war zone. People are fighting over food and gangs are roaming the streets because the police no longer have the means to control violence. It's a mess. The prime minister and his cabinet are sheltered beneath the Parliament Buildings in a secure bunker something like this one. But we have to assume that they too will lose power and water the same way that we will. After that, I don't know what they will do.”

  “But then, what will happen to us?” one girl, Yvonne, wailed.

  Sarah looked at her irritably. Yvonne was the same age that she was, but Sarah didn't like her much. She whined all the time and complained about everything. Sarah's mother would have said that the girl was spoiled and Sarah would have agreed.

  “I don't really know,” Dr. Suthers replied candidly. “But the government leaders may have a plan for the future that we are unaware of. They are very clever people. And they may have access to resources that could help all of us. And so, while the bunker still has power and you children are still safe, my colleagues and I have come up with a plan.”

  “Which is what?” someone said in a deep voice.

  Everyone looked over at Zack, the oldest boy among the Changlings. He stood up and, like Rachel, was taller than anyone else standing. But unlike her, Zack was powerfully muscled, freakishly so. Sarah had seen him bend a metal bar in two. It was amazing. And although he was only fifteen, he was as bald as an egg. The only real evidence of his youth was his boyish face and wide, innocent eyes.

  “I'm coming to that, Zack,” the doctor assured him.

  He nodded and sat down again, carefully so that his weight didn't crush the chair he was sitting on.

  “There are only twelve of us left on staff,” Dr. Suthers said heavily. “As you can see. The others left as things out in the world began to spiral out of control. Where they are now is unknown to us. But because there are only a dozen of us, and because of the reports of violence in the streets of the city, we've decided to travel as a group into the city to Parliament and see if we can't get instructions from someone in charge about what to do next. Our situation is soon going to become desperate and we need help. And this is the only way that we can get it.”

  “Oh no! You're leaving us?”

  “Don't go! Don't leave us alone! We'll die!”

  Suddenly all of the children were screaming or shouting and the room fell into chaos. Sarah found herself yelling with the rest of them, terrified that the adults would desert them and leave them to fend for themselves.

  Several of the youngest Changlings rushed to the front of the room and clung to some of the staff. The adults looked both concerned and a little frightened by the kids' reaction and, as usual, it was Dr. Suthers who got the situation under control.

  “Everyone, calm down,” she said loudly, holding up her hands. “No one is being left to die. Marshall, Richard, stop being overly dramatic. Please sit down, all of you, and hear me out.”

  Her even tone and calm demeanor had the desired effect and the screaming stopped. There were still muffled sobs among the children, but everyone returned to their seats and listened attentively.

  “Good. Now, please understand something. If the report we received was correct, and there is no reason to think otherwise, the city is now a very dangerous place. The military can no longer function properly and the police have disbanded. There is no one left to maintain order, so groups of people, mostly men, are roaming the streets; stealing, assaulting innocent people, fighting each other. It's a mess. And so, because the weapons here in the bunker no longer function, our only reasonable expectation of safety is to travel together as a group.”

  She smiled at the children and her gaze lingered on Sarah. The girl thought that the doctor looked especially sad at that moment.

  “But we won't be gone for very long. Bicycles still work, even if cars and trucks don't, and we have enough of them here for each adult to use. We'll should be able to reach Parliament in a couple of hours. And then, once we receive our new orders, we'll turn right around and be back by nightfall.”

  Dr. Suthers smiled at the room.

  “You see? There is absolutely no reason to panic. In fact, you can think of this time as a holiday. No adults telling you what to do for a whole day!”

  A couple of the girls laughed, but Sarah saw the older children exchange dubious glances.

  “Rachel, Zack and Miesha are going to be in charge while we're gone,” the doctor said, to a chorus of groans.

  She laughed at the response.

  “Now, now. We can't have you running wild while we are away. You older ones will have to prepare lunch and dinner for the others. You all know how to cook, and you know how to start the fires inside of the cast iron stoves we started to use a few months
ago. We have enough preserved meat and tinned foods to last for months, so you certainly won't go hungry even if we are delayed for a day or two.”

  There was a moment of silence then, as if the children were still digesting what they had been told. Sarah looked around and, feeling very daring, stood up slowly and raised her hand.

  “Yes Sarah?” Dr. Suthers said kindly. “What is it?”

  “Doctor Carol, do you promise to come back?” she asked in a small voice. “Cross your heart and hope to die?”

  The woman and the little girl stared at each other intently and the doctor's smile faded. She nodded solemnly.

  “Yes, Sarah,” she replied, making a crossing motion over her chest with her forefinger. “I swear that we'll come back. All right?”

  With a deep sigh of relief, Sarah beamed at the woman.

  “Yes, ma'am. I feel better now.”

  “Good. Now, we'll be leaving shortly. It's still quite early and the skies are clear, so we want to get out and back as quickly as possible. Everyone, be good and listen to Zack and the others, okay? If we get back and hear that some of you were acting up, there will be consequences.”

  Another round of groans followed her threat and the doctor chuckled.

  “I'm glad to see that we understand each other. So, have a fun day without any lessons, and we'll see all of you when we get back. Zack? I'd like to speak with you, Rachel and Miesha out in the hall please.”

  The children all said their goodbyes to their favorite adults and watched as the doctor and the others left the room. Sarah and Bobby started discussing what they would do with their free day, but she kept an eye on the door. And when Zack and the two older girls walked back in, she felt a twist of fear deep in her stomach. They all looked very frightened.

  “What's the matter, Zack?” Sarah asked as he walked past her.

  “Hmm? Oh, nothing. Nothing, Sarah. Come on, everyone. We'll spend the morning in the recreation room and you can play whatever games you want to.”

  There was a happy cheer from the group and they followed him out into the main hallway. Sarah trailed along at the end of the line and stopped to look down the length of the corridor.

  The main tunnel ran the length of the facility and was about half a mile long. Sarah could see the group of adults walking toward the stairs that would lead them up to the surface. The elevators no longer worked, unfortunately.

  She watched their backs and focused on the figure of Dr. Suthers. The woman had become like a second mother to her, even though she still missed her own mother terribly, and she was at least as worried for the doctor as she was for herself.

  Just as they reach the stairwell door, Dr. Suthers turned back. Even from far away, Sarah could feel the woman's eyes meet hers and she raised her hand and waved nervously.

  The doctor waved back and then turned away and entered the stairwell. Sarah never saw her again.

  “Hey, Sarah? Pay attention!”

  She blinked in confusion and stared at Bobby. They had made their way through the sewers, descended several rickety ladders and made a dozen turns on their way to Caroline's place. Now they were standing next to a rusted maintenance door that was closed tightly. The floor here was littered with fallen rocks and broken cement and, to the untrained eye, looked like it hadn't been walked on for years.

  “Hmm? What is it?” she asked with a frown.

  “We're here, that's what it is,” Bobby told her as he handed her back her glowing stone. “And I don't know the secret to opening Caroline's door. Now that the magic is back full strength, she's sealed it again. Just in time to stop the goblins, I suppose, but I can't get in.”

  “Oh. Okay. Sorry, I was just thinking about the old days and Dr. Suthers.”

  “Really? Wow, I haven't thought about that stuff in years. The Diefenbunker. Huh. Home sweet home, once upon a time.”

  “And maybe again,” Sarah said, the glimmer of an idea blossoming in her mind. “Wow, could that be why I'm suddenly remembering it again?”

  Bobby looked at her in confusion.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Nothing. Never mind. Let me work the idea through for a bit and see where it leads me. For now, we have to warn Caroline and the others.”

  Chapter 5

  Sarah approached the rusty steel door, kicking a few small stones out of her way to avoid slipping on them, and laid her palm against the rough, metal surface.

  She closed her eyes and pictured an old-fashioned key slipping into a keyhole. She patted the door and muttered to it.

  “Open,” she said under her breath.

  Bobby saw a line of pale blue light run swiftly around the edge of the door, which seemed very bright in the dim tunnel, and then, with an irritated squeal, the portal opened reluctantly a few inches.

  “Oh, it's so nice that the magic works properly again,” Sarah said with some relief. “I know that the goblins have magic-users among them, but unless you know the exact picture to see in your mind, and you are attuned to the magic we use, they won't be able to open it unless they use force. And that will give our friends enough warning to get away before they break through.”

  “But we only have a limited number of these safe places,” Bobby told her bleakly. “And if those creatures are as aggressive as we expect they will be, we won't be able to retreat forever.”

  “I know that. Come on, let's go in so that I can seal the door again.”

  They slipped through the doorway and Sarah locked the portal behind her, reversing the unlocking spell. Then she led the way down a steep staircase, watching her footing in the gloom.

  “I think Magnus was right,” Sarah told Bobby as they descended. “If the goblins are here to actually establish a base, we may not have much of a choice; we'll have to leave the city.”

  Bobby shivered at the thought. Ottawa had been his home for his entire life. Even after it had been leveled by the dragons, he had not wanted to live anywhere else. When the Changlings had left the bunker, once all of the food was gone, they had debated about where to go. Everyone had voted to stay in the city. To have to leave it now, after ten years of scratching out a living among the ruins, was a heart-breaking proposition.

  “If it comes to that, you're going to have a hard time convincing everyone to do it,” he warned Sarah.

  She snorted in disgust.

  “I don't want to sound mean, Bobby, but that will be their choice. We aren't kids anymore, so everyone has the right to decide their own fate.”

  They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, where a low tunnel led off to the south, and she turned to look at him.

  “I hope that you'll decide to come with me, if that time comes,” she said gently. “I don't want to lose my best friend after all this time.”

  Bobby smiled at her.

  “It will take more than a few smelly goblins to tear me away from your side, Sarah; I can promise you that. If you decide to leave the city, I'll be right there with you.”

  “Awesome. Okay, let's go warn Caroline and the others. We have a lot of walking ahead of us today.”

  Caroline was the head of her small group of friends. All of the Changlings lived in little camps spread out around the city, mostly located deep underground and secured behind thick steel doors. Sarah had never tried to do a head count of all of her kind, because it hadn't really mattered to her before. But now, as she and Bobby approached the camp, she tried to figure out just how many of them there actually were.

  Of the three oldest Changlings that had been left in charge when the adults had left the Diefenbunker, Miesha and Rachel had managed to survive the decade since. Rachel, so pale and tall, had actually had a child since then. She had named him Shane and he was about five years old now. He was almost as pale and strange as his mother, but his hair was red instead of blue and he was the only child born among the Changlings.

  Rachel had never mentioned who the father was, and she had become such a formidable and powerful figure that no one had
ever pressed her to find out.

  Just as well, Sarah thought as she turned a sharp corner and saw the tunnel expand into a large open space. Who cares who the father is? Rachel could take care of her son very well on her own, and the others who lived with her helped as much as she allowed them to. It was fine.

  Her thoughts were interrupted as she and Bobby walked into the living area and several people called out greetings.

  The round room that they had entered was very large and Sarah had no idea what it had been used for back in the old days. The ceiling rose up to a height of about twenty feet and it was at least fifty feet across.

  The Changlings had built a number of huts against the walls, using sheets of corrugated iron, plastic and wood as building materials. A fire pit was dug into the middle of the room and torches hung from brackets on the huts and walls.

  Several small ducts allowed air into and out of the camp and a well had been dug in the ground for fresh water. As living spaces went, it was comfortable enough.

  Ten people lived here, including Caroline, who hurried forward to meet her visitors, and they were all still wrapped up in rags and cast-off clothing.

  Caroline herself stood out from the rest because, like Sarah and Bobby, her head was bare, as were her hands. She had been the first of the Changlings to reveal her face about a year earlier and it had caused quite a stir among them. Sarah had found her decision admirable.

  “Well, well, look at you two,” Caroline said with a broad smile. “You look like people again.”

  Sarah laughed and the two young women gently pressed their palms together briefly. It was the traditional greeting among the Changlings, to keep physical contact to a minimum.

  “We just decided that it was time to grow up,” Sarah said loudly, to make sure that the others heard her. “We're all adults now and I think that we should stop acting like the frightened children we used to be.”