by Jem I Kelley
“To be fair to your Grandfather Eavis,” said Granddad Todd. “If it weren’t for him and discs, we’d have both been a lot worse off; living in the poorest of the poor district, not here. We’re upper lower class now. Not lower lower class. The family ain’t got much to rub together, but we all do okay don’t we? Not restricted to only bread, jam, and tea every single day like those poor sods a few streets away.”
Grandfather Eavis beamed. “S’right. Good roast once a week; Fruit and vegetables everyday; ham slices, fish Fridays; pouch of tobacco and few jars fer us elders: life of luxury. I bless they Amari for shooting off quickly and leaving all them artefacts.”
“So, if you bought the house, how did Granddad Todd come to live here?” asked Bliss.
“Well, I’d paid off me debt, bought this tiny house, but I still didn’t have no job, or prospects. I’d been wastin’ me time gambling too much. I knew Toddy here, and I knew him and his family were struggling: doing a bit of carpentry, paying loads of rent for one room. So I offered to let him live in my house free, if he taught me the business with the saw and sandpaper.
This was how our carpentry business was formed. I haven’t looked back since. Our children fell in love, married, and had you, Bliss.”
Bliss looked crestfallen.
“So they didn’t meet in Marchant Park in spring, feeding ducks bits of bread?”
“No. Better not let yer mum know we had this little talk.”
Bliss sat very still.
“Before we need a violin, why don’t you finish the tale?” said Granddad Todd.
“I have.”
“Explain why the disc-man academy was created. They’re not going to disc-man school, so they might not learn otherwise.”
Aden knew the answer to that.
“The King started it so he could have professional disc-men.”
Grandfather Eavis nodded. He was about to add a comment when he blinked and then went into a round of coughing which lasted almost a minute. Recovering, he went to the water pail, and put a cup through it. He drank deeply, returned to his seat.
“Dang cough, sorry kids; anyhow, I was telling you about the disc-man academy. There was another reason the King created the thing; I wasn’t the only one who thought the artefacts could make me an easy fortune: women was bullied by husbands, children by parents, loners by local gangs: to press them Disc-Artefact buttons. It brought the worst out in people. All manner of arm twisting went on: the old and sick got the worst of it, felt they had a duty to those around them to earn those ten gold coins. After all, they was about to pop off any minute, pressing the button of a killer artefact would just make things quicker and neater.
The King’s a good ‘un. He saw the trouble the Disc-Artefacts were bringing. So he withdrew his original offer, and banned anyone from testing them unless they were trained Kingdom agents. That’s how the disc-men selection process started. To find ‘thirty a year’ trained to press Disc-Artefact buttons and explore the worlds: one button press to fulfil their contract, and one artefact only.
It put an end to all the funny business.
Don’t work too badly either, I suppose. It’s taken the romance away a bit, though. Most disc-men nowadays is posh; they’re parents pay for extra training so they get through each year’s test. It’s all miss snotty-nose and mister silver-spoon; not yer Kurt and Sally’s.”
“Anyway,” said Granddad Todd, “My friend here may have taken a pigs-ear long way to explain it, but this was how he got to press a Disc button; this was how we got the house; this was how your parents met, Bliss, and why only disc-men are allowed to test the artefacts.”
Aden and Bliss had tea, and then went for the late afternoon shift.
Large puddles awaited the wary and the sun struggled to peek past fast moving clouds; but, the rain had stopped. The friends pulled their collars up to prevent the chill breeze hitting their necks and running down their backs.
On the way to the market they discussed what they’d just heard from Bliss’s granddads. The tale of how the family pulled their way from the slums of the poor district came as a surprise to the two friends. That Grandfather Eavis’s testing of artefacts led to the family’s increase in fortunes left them stunned.
The history of both Granddad Todd’s bravery and the testing of artefacts in Haverland left them realising they’d always paid a lot of attention to the present and the future, but not the past.
It occurred to them if they’d been inquisitive about years long gone by, as well as those to come, they might have pieced together the events they had just learned, long ago.
Hacknor ordered the friends to deliver sacks of coal from the coalman’s wagon to the stallholders. The summer had begun to ebb now and days shorten; the stallholders would use stoves to keep warm in the early mornings again.
The coal sacks were the size of Aden’s body. He gripped them at the top and bent forward, bearing the weight on his back. Moving with little steps he managed to keep balanced. A slow walk back from the stallholders to the coal wagon allowed the ache in his arms to ease before the next sack.
Chapter 29: Disc-Artefacts Tested!
At dinnertime the friends returned to the Todd house feeling drained. Their hands and faces were covered in coal dust and all their muscles ached from hauling the sacks.
The whole family were in the living room. The two granddads were standing in the centre where the dining table normally sat. Obviously it had been removed so the tiny room could accommodate everyone at once. Granddad Todd’s wiry body and restless manner couldn’t be much different from Grandfather Eavis’ generous folds of fat and languid ways; but today, there was a similar air of tension in them both.
The grandfathers want to address the family, Martha Todd explained. She told the friends it wouldn’t do to have the grandfathers speaking to everyone with the friends looking like street urchins. Also, she didn’t want the walls covered in coal smudges. So, a quick wash first, to use soap too, especially behind their ears.
Ten minutes later, faces glowing with scrubbed skin, the two re-entered the Todd living room.
Aden and Bliss stood with their backs to the faded paint of the wall. Bliss thrust her chin out: “What’s up then?”
Granddad Todd lifted a leather bag from his cardigan pocket. The bag had something thin and round inside it. Aden guessed it was the Disc-Artefact. The gravity of the old men made everyone in the room attentive.
“Me and Eavis, we’s been thinking about this artefact. If the thing works the friends are set on a road to riches and adventure. If it doesn’t work, well they won’t get aught, will they? The odds of it working are about as slim as finding a house outside the Rich district with glass in its windows ain’t they? But, who knows? The problem is how to know whether the Disc-Artefact works without sticking more gold coin into some too rich by half disc-man.”
Granddad Todd paused for a reaction. His arm shook as it held the leather bag.
“Tell us something we don’t know, you old clod,” said his wife.
Grandfather Eavis lifted a meaty hand and spread his fingers wide.
“He’s getting there Gwen, give him a chance.”
Granddad Todd continued.
“To find out if the artefact works Aden and Bliss would have to sign away most of the rights to the thing, to a disc-man?”
Gwen Todd said: “I thought we had this conversation the other day.”
Granddad Todd brought his head close to his wife’s and held the bag near to her eyes.
“We did my dear. Since that talk, me and Eavis have checked. The King’s artefacts must be tested by disc-men, according to the law; this ‘ere artefact belongs to these two though.”
Gwen Todd stared at the leather bag.
“Ah.”
Aden understood in that instant and his mind raced with the possibilities. As this artefact wasn’t owned by the King, it was legal for anyone to test the thing. Anyone at all…
Martha, sitting on the wooden c
hair near the door cleared her throat. Everyone looked at her.
“I don’t like where this is going,” she said.
Grandfather Eavis had been tracing the faded anchor tattoo on his forearm; he looked up.
“What bit don’t you like?”
“The bit where you tell us you’re going to test the Disc-Artefact.”
“You’ve heard my cough, Martha. It’s a race between it and pure old age as to what finishes me. Face it, me and Todd are old. We ain’t got many years left.”
Aden noticed Martha gripped the side of the chair. Her mouth became taut.
“However many years God allotted you, you’ll use. You won’t risk any more artefact testing.”
Grandfather Eavis paused to clear some phlegm from his throat. He left the room for a moment. Aden heard hawking and spitting.
He returned.
“You can’t order us around, Martha. If we want to test the thing, we will.”
“No you won’t,” said Arthur Todd. “You’ve done your bit for the family already. If anyone’s to test the disc, it’ll be me.”
Grandfather Eavis waived his hand.
“You’re the only one earning a wage. What’d happen to the family if you died testing the disc? It’s gotta be me or Toddy. I’d rather a artefact got me, than I wasted away with age. You feel the same don’t you Toddy?”
The other Granddad took in all the hard faces and swallowed.
“Yeah.”
Aden was appalled.
“This is what the King was trying to stop. Old people feeling they’ve got some sort of duty, because of the risks.”
Grandfather Eavis looked exasperated. He snatched the leather bag from Granddad Todd and swung it in front of the assembled family.
“You don’t understand, do you? This is a sacrifice both of us are willing to make. I won the toss of a coin two hours ago. I pressed the button.”
Shock appeared on the faces of those around Aden. He heard a sharp intake of breath come from several sources. Martha’s composed features faltered and her eyes widened. Aden’s mind reeled.
That Granddad Todd had braved several artefact tests in desperate days gone by, was one thing; to risk death now, well that was another thing altogether. Back then there had been debt and ruin to stave off, now well…
As the news sunk in Aden noticed the expression on the faces in those of the room change again.
“You’re alive,” said Arthur Todd, putting word to thoughts occurring to everyone: if the artefact didn't kill, did it do anything at all?
“Good of you to worry about my health. Is that all the thanks I get?”
Arthur Todd’s tongue flicked across the top of his lip and he stared at the leather bag.
“Well…”
“Well what?”
“You damn well know, what,” snapped Grandma Eavis. “You’ve just nearly given us all a heart attack. You might as well get any other shock out of the way whilst you’re at it. Does the bloody artefact work?”
Grandfather Eavis sighed, and exchanged a shrouded look with Granddad Todd.
“Are you ready for the news?”
Aden held his breath. The Granddads didn’t look too happy, which could mean the Disc-Artefact was a dud. Then again, he wouldn’t put it past the old friends to have everyone believe they’d failed, for a few minutes, then explode into laughter and the truth.
“Yes,” said Bliss. “Don’t fool us around. Is it a world like Adventurine?”
Aventurine would be good too, Aden decided. After all it was the second world found and there were so many stories about expeditions there; but, there were other great worlds too.
“Just don’t tell us it goes to Arachnie,” he said, picturing himself being threatened by giant spiders.
“A world full of gold mines!” said Arthur Todd, with a chuckle.
“Tell us the artefact goes to a warm world, for Gabrien’s sake,” said Grandma Eavis. “I hears warm places is good for aching joints like mine.”
“Martha?” asked Granddad Todd.
Her eyes narrowed.
“Just tell us.”
Grandpa Eavis opened the drawstring of the bag. Aden found he was biting his lower lip. The granddad dropped the artefact into his wrinkled hand and stared at it.
“The artefact goes nowhere. I’m sorry, it’s a dud.”
Aden felt his hopes drop through his shoes. The atmosphere in the room went cold.
Grandmother Eavis’s hands were on her hips; her face was pale and her eyes like slits.
“You brought us in here to tell us it was a dud?”
Grandfather Eavis said: “We had to tell you somehow. Anyhow, I risked my life to test the thing, don’t get uppity with me!”
“You’re risking your life again now. Isn’t there another way you could have told us? Aden and Bliss have been pinning their hopes on the Disc-Artefact! It’s all they’ve been dreaming about lately.”
Grandfather Eavis’ face fell.
“I didn’t… I mean… give it straight, we thought.”
Bliss put herself between the two, before an argument started.
“It’s all right. We didn’t expect the Disc-Artefact to work.”
Aden tried to think through the devastation he felt. Still… Grandfather Eavis had risked his life, they shouldn’t be angry with him for being the bearer of bad news. Aden realized he'd have to say something noble.
“Best we find out like this than from some disc-man we’d paid. I mean, me and Bliss got our stall on the market to look forward to. I think you were really brave testing it for us, Mister Eavis.”
Bliss’s expression of nonchalance was convincing. She patted her grandfather on the shoulder.
“Yeah, thanks Grandfather.”
“Here let me have at look,” said Grandma Eavis, snatching the artefact from her husband. She twisted the button to match the dots, and then jabbed at it.
Nothing happened.
She jabbed again.
Still nothing happened.
“Worthless junk!”
She thrust the Disc-Artefact back into her husband’s hands and bustled out of the room.
Chapter 30: Skeletons and Sewers
Next day, the early shift began before most of the residents of Haverland had opened their eyes, never mind pulled back the bed covers.
Aden trudged downstairs with a sour view of life. He pulled aside the curtain and opened one of the wooden shutters to the outside world. A grey sky confirmed his outlook on life and an icy breeze blew in past the sill and played like a cold hand down his face. He closed the shutter again and let the room fall into semi-darkness. How lucky the rich must be, he thought, with their windows of glass.
Bliss came down and the two had a glum breakfast. No mention was made of Disc-Artefacts or exotic worlds where wooden shutters on unglazed windows weren’t rattled by cold winds, as they were here.
A trudge through streets laced with frozen cobwebs and studded with icy puddles followed. The friends didn’t speak much during the journey and when they did, no mention was made of artefacts.
Within the frost covered red bricks that was Hacknor’s office, the market foreman rubbed his hands over a small brazier. He looked across the gloom of the small office, at them. His face seemed devilish cast against the red embers. His hearty greeting, full of falseness, added to the impression.
“I’ve an important delivery for you today, my fine cold fellows. The new stall-holder; him who sells those paintings. Do you know who I mean?”
Bliss nodded.
“Waghorn Smythe. Got to pronounce it properly; he don’t like being called Smith. Don’t know why not.”
“Artists like to be a little bit different,” said Aden.
Hacknor lifted a steaming mug from his desk and sipped at it.
“An artist doesn’t want to sound common, Aden. Someone with a name like Smith could be working with iron or wood. Smythe though, makes it clear you’re different. Smythe is a name of noblen
ess, a name which sets you above the ordinary.”
Aden inwardly groaned. This was more evidence that Hacknor aspired to a higher station in life and openly fawned on the higher classes.
“Above market supervisors too?” asked Bliss sullenly.
Hacknor’s smile dropped and his face took on a hard aspect: “No. It puts you above grubby families packed into squalid houses, though.”
Aden grabbed Bliss’s arm, but Bliss shook herself free and raised a finger to Hacknor’s face. There was clearly a lot of dark mood in Bliss today, after yesterday’s revelation that the Disc-Artefact was a dud. Aden could tell that mood needed a target.
“Say something like that again and you’ll get a black eye!”
The man pushed his chair back, stood and loomed over Bliss.
“A bit of advice, Todd, I’d forget any ideas of being a stall-holder, with your attitude. Customers don’t like hotheads. If you ever hit me, you won’t be a porter either, got it?”
Bliss glared at Hacknor until Aden nudged her, and she dropped her gaze.
“Yes, I got it.”
Hacknor sneered.
“Good. I’m glad we understand one another. Now, Smythe’s completed a commission from the disc-man academy: painted landscapes of some of the better-known disc-worlds. You two are to take the paintings to the teacher of class 2B. You’ll be able to find out where the class is by going first to the reception. Understand?”
They did as instructed. 2B wasn’t hard to understand at all. The friends didn’t understand why Hacknor was so pleased to give them the task, though. Aden was sure it would mean something unpleasant for them, one way or another. With the news of the dud artefact already making him feel down in the dumps, something extra unpleasant wasn’t what he needed right now.
They entered the market and moved on to Waghorn Smythe’s stall. Waghorn was a dumpy man who wore a loose fitting shirt; bore a red scarf about his throat and sported such long forelocks he had to keep brushing them away from his face. Today, a thick coat was included in the artist’s wardrobe.