New City

by Deborah Abela

  ‘Who’s he?’ Isabella asked.

  ‘The man who saved us from total destruction.’ Her face glowed. ‘You’ll meet him at a special dinner tonight.’

  They marched along a landing that looked down onto a large foyer with uniformed people bustling below.

  ‘You are very lucky to have been invited here. With the mass migration caused by the Floods, other cities and towns weren’t as carefully managed as we were, and now they’re a mess.’

  ‘A mess?’ Griffin asked.

  ‘Sadly, yes. Crime, disease, overcrowding.’ She kept up her brisk pace. ‘Which is partly the reason we have to be so vigilant, but you’ll find New City is almost perfect, especially after living in Grimsdon. I can only imagine how terrible that must have been.’

  ‘It wasn’t all bad,’ Bea puffed.

  ‘I liked it there,’ Raffy caught up and said in a huff.

  ‘Yes, but I promise you are going to like it here even more.’

  Something outside caught Fly’s attention. She stopped by an open window and watched as a large bird glided overhead.

  ‘A golden eagle,’ she whispered, and at that very moment the bird turned as if it had been called. It swooped into a dive and came to land on the sill in front of her, letting out a high-pitched cry.

  ‘Hello to you, too, Charlie,’ Fly said gently.

  Corporal Smith turned just as Fly reached out to touch the bird.

  ‘Stop!’ She hurried back. ‘It’s too …’

  The eagle lowered its golden head and let itself be patted.

  ‘Dangerous,’ the corporal murmured. ‘They’re trained not to be touched by anyone except the Garrison.’

  ‘Fly has a special way with animals,’ Raffy explained.

  ‘It’s like she can talk to them.’ Bea nodded.

  ‘What’s this?’ Fly saw a collar nestled under the bird’s feathers.

  ‘It’s a camera,’ Corporal Smith explained.

  ‘Why does it have a camera?’ Raffy asked.

  ‘Many reasons. The eagles are used to monitor approaching weather systems or search for citizens who need help. They can reach trouble far more quickly than we can and send images to the Garrison, who take appropriate action.’

  A whistle sounded from the courtyard below. Fly leant out the window to see a uniformed soldier hold up his arm, which was protected by a long leather glove. Charlie unfurled his wings and flew down to him.

  ‘Golden eagles are one of the few animals that can survive the volatile weather. The Major General has a special fondness for the birds and had a sanctuary built for them.’

  Isabella saw Fly smile for the first time that day.

  ‘Can I see it?’

  ‘I don’t see why not. Now, we must keep –’

  ‘What’s that?’

  On the distant edges of the city, only just visible beyond a thick forest, Bea noticed something else.

  ‘It looks like a prison.’ Jeremiah too saw the spread of long, grey buildings.

  ‘A prison for who?’ Raffy stood on his toes and tried to see.

  ‘It’s not a prison,’ Corporal Smith corrected him. ‘It’s a camp for the people we took in from the Floodzones.’

  ‘They don’t live here in the city?’ Griffin asked.

  ‘There isn’t enough room for everyone.’

  ‘It doesn’t look very nice,’ Raffy scowled.

  ‘They are very well taken care of.’

  ‘But you’re letting us live here,’ Bea said. ‘And we’re from the Floodzones. Aren’t we the same?’

  ‘Oh, you are not the same at all! You survived on your own for three years, which, from what Xavier told us, took great ingenuity, strength of character and –’

  ‘A lot of stealing stuff that wasn’t ours,’ Isabella said.

  Corporal Smith’s smile didn’t falter. ‘You are a symbol of what can be achieved when everything is lost.’

  ‘We did what we could to survive. Nothing more.’

  Bea was still confused. ‘The Floods weren’t their fault, so why –’

  ‘We’ll have time for questions later.’ Corporal Smith turned on her heel and marched ahead.

  The others took one last look at the grey buildings.

  ‘Do you think children live there too?’ Raffy asked.

  ‘They wouldn’t put kids there.’ Bea shivered. ‘No one would be that cruel.’

  Right at that moment, the eagle swooped into a long, soaring climb. It let out a piercing cry before it dived out of sight.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  A Whispered Warning

  ‘Here we are.’ Corporal Smith led them into what looked like a room in a royal palace, complete with high ceilings, plush lounges and arched windows that led to a balcony overlooking the city.

  ‘Jeremiah, your room is next door, mine is across the hall and these are for the children.’

  She walked to one of the doors that led off the main room and opened it with a flourish. Inside was a four-poster bed bulging with pillows and soft toys. Shelves filled with books lined the walls, and there was a bathroom with a deep, sunken tub. ‘Bea, this is your bedroom. Why don’t you take a look inside the wardrobe?’

  Bea turned the handle to see a rack of brand-new dresses above a row of shoes.

  ‘Xavier told us your sizes.’ Corporal Smith smiled. ‘After what you’ve been through, we thought you deserved some proper clothes, not these rags you’ve been forced to wear.’

  Bea looked at her gown. It was only now that she saw it was frayed at the cuffs and hem. ‘They’re not rags – they’re my princess clothes.’

  ‘I didn’t mean to offend you,’ Corporal Smith said, ‘but years of living without adults has made you look a little … wild … and we need to do something about that.’ She tousled Raffy’s hair, causing it to fall in his eyes even more than usual. ‘Especially if you’re going to look good for your special broadcast.’

  ‘What special broadcast?’ Isabella asked.

  ‘The Major General wants you to be interviewed about your time in Grimsdon.’

  ‘You want us to be on TV?’ Xavier beamed.

  ‘And the internet and public screens. It’ll be broadcast throughout the whole city.’

  ‘It’s about time someone realised my potential.’

  ‘Why us?’ Isabella asked.

  ‘This new world can be frightening for children, and by showing how brave you’ve been, the Major General believes you’d be helping them most.’

  Isabella felt trapped. ‘When do we do it?’

  ‘As soon as you’ve cleaned up and the hairdressers have finished.’

  She headed to the door. ‘You are going to be so happy here.’

  Fly frowned. ‘I am cleaned up.’

  Raffy looked at himself in the mirror. ‘And I like my hair as it is.’

  ‘Me too,’ Bea said. ‘And what’s wrong with looking a little wild?’

  ‘Nothing,’ Isabella declared. ‘It suits you. We won’t be here long and when we leave we can –’

  Isabella felt a hand on her shoulder. She snatched the knife from her belt and spun round. ‘Who are you?’

  The tip of her blade pointed at the neck of a woman with grey, curly hair.

  ‘Mrs Gooding.’ The woman clutched her chest. ‘I’m the cook and someone who almost had a heart attack.’

  ‘Sorry.’ Isabella lowered her hand. ‘We’ve had to become very good at defending ourselves.’

  ‘I can see that.’ Mrs Gooding tried to catch her breath and nodded at the knife. ‘I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to have those here.’

  Isabella slipped it back into her belt. ‘They’ve made an exception for me.’

  ‘Have they?’ Mrs Gooding arched an eyebrow. ‘I’ve come on important business. I’m taking orders for your special dinner tonight. What would you like?’

  ‘What can we have?’ Bea asked.

  ‘Anything!’ Mrs Gooding brushed down her apron. ‘I don’t mean to show off, but I am qui
te the cook. You can have duck à l’orange, lobster cooked in –’

  ‘Sausages and mash,’ Raffy decided.

  Mrs Gooding’s face fell. ‘That’s it?’

  ‘Yes!’ Bea cried. ‘With gravy and tomato sauce.’

  ‘We haven’t had food like that for a long time,’ Griffin explained.

  ‘No, I expect not.’ The cook brightened. ‘Well, be prepared for the best sausages and mash you’ve ever had.’

  Mrs Gooding turned to leave, but as she passed Isabella she whispered, ‘Make sure no one else sees that knife or you’ll find yourself in big trouble. Understand?’

  Isabella nodded.

  Mrs Gooding walked into the corridor, apron swinging, her warning ringing in Isabella’s ears.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Newly Made Heroes

  ‘You don’t look like you anymore.’ Fly examined the new-look Griffin. His floppy, ragged hair had been cut short and gelled back into a tidy, un-Griffin-like style.

  ‘But I’m still me. You watch, any minute now I’ll trip over something like a klutz and you’ll realise I’m the same old Griffin.’

  She laughed. ‘You’re not a klutz.’

  ‘I wish someone would tell my legs that.’

  Fly’s hair had been brushed back into a neat ponytail and Bea’s curls had been straightened. Raffy couldn’t stop staring in the mirror and rubbing his hand over his shaved head. ‘It feels weird.’

  Xavier, of course, loved his new look, dressed in a suit with his hair styled to perfection. ‘Who would have thought I’d be even more good-looking?’

  ‘It’s a miracle.’ Griffin and the younger kids giggled until Isabella appeared at her bedroom door. She wore a red lace dress drawn at the waist by a silk ribbon, but she still kept on her black boots from Grimsdon, which she’d polished.

  ‘You look amazing,’ Griffin said.

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Really amazing.’

  He didn’t move for an awkwardly long time.

  Bea and Raffy swapped smiles.

  ‘Maybe we should go,’ Isabella said.

  Griffin snapped out of his stare. ‘Yes. We should.’

  Corporal Smith led the way into a cavernous television studio. Under a grid of bright lights were cameras, boom mics and people wearing headsets.

  ‘What do you think?’ Corporal Smith asked.

  Griffin was wide-eyed. ‘It’s brilliant.’

  ‘He loves technology,’ Fly explained.

  A tall woman with bobbed hair strode towards them. ‘I’m Amy – I’m going to interview you. Ready for your big moment?’

  ‘Absolutely. The world has been deprived of my presence for too long.’

  She tried to stifle a smile. ‘You must be Xavier.’

  ‘Is it the good looks that gave it away?’

  ‘Must have been.’ Amy smiled. ‘For the interview we’ll need Xavier, Griffin, Isabella and …’ She paused before pointing at Bea. ‘You.’

  ‘Me?’ Bea asked.

  ‘Yes, you’ll add the cute factor. As new arrivals, we need to make the audience like you.’

  ‘But my brother and I do everything together.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Bea.’ Raffy tried to hide his disappointment. ‘Fly and I will be your fan club. You’ll be great!’

  They were seated on lounges in front of a giant screen with an aerial view of New City. Bea held up her hand to shield her eyes from the blazing lights.

  ‘You’ll get used to them,’ Amy said. ‘Any questions before we start?’

  ‘How do I get a job working here?’ Griffin asked.

  ‘You’re welcome to come back and I’ll show you around if you like.’

  ‘I’d love that!’

  After last checks for hair and make-up, the cameras began to roll.

  Amy gave a brief introduction before she asked how they’d survived in the aftermath of the Floods. Xavier was quick to take credit and told her how brave he was when facing danger, including sea monsters.

  ‘Sea monsters?’ Amy asked.

  ‘Yes.’ Xavier waved his hand as if it was nothing. ‘But once you know how to handle them, they’re just like big fish.’

  He talked about escaping sneaker waves and ruthless bounty hunters.

  ‘You sound like a real action hero.’

  Xavier pretended to be humble, stealing Isabella’s words. ‘We were just doing what we needed to survive … Although I was the main reason Isabella was saved when she was thrown overboard by a megalomaniac on his ship.’

  Xavier told the story of Isabella’s rescue, only just remembering to mention that Griffin was there too.

  Amy turned to Griffin. ‘You must have been worried.’

  ‘Isabella was in trouble and I knew I couldn’t fail.’ Fly gave him the thumbs up.

  ‘He dived into the ocean to save her,’ Bea said proudly, ‘even though he’s afraid of water.’

  ‘She must be very special to you,’ Amy said.

  Griffin blushed. ‘We’ve been friends since we were born.’

  ‘And Bea, I hear you were caught on a collapsing building.’

  ‘I was! Xavier flew his Aerotrope while Isabella abseiled down to save me.’

  ‘Aerotrope?’

  Xavier was glad that the conversation had finally turned back to him. ‘Just a small flying machine I made based on Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings.’

  Amy asked about Griffin’s energy pack that gave their apartment power, and if Isabella’s sword-fighting skills were as good as Xavier had said. ‘I heard it came in handy to outwit a few bad guys?’

  Xavier nodded. ‘You never want to mess with this girl and her sword.’

  ‘And what do you think, Bea, was the key to your survival?’

  She thought hard. ‘We had each other.’

  Amy addressed the camera. ‘Isn’t she cute?’

  ‘We all had to be brave,’ Xavier added, ‘but if I hadn’t risked my life to fly to New City for help, we’d still be there now, or worse – at the bottom of the ocean.’

  Griffin couldn’t believe it – Xavier looked like he was about to cry.

  Amy patted his arm. ‘It’s obviously very emotional thinking about it. Is there anything you’d like to say to the Major General for rescuing you?’

  ‘Thank you,’ Xavier said. ‘You’ve saved our lives.’

  Griffin nodded. ‘We appreciate everything the Major General has done to welcome us to New City.’

  Amy gave Isabella a chance to speak but she remained silent.

  ‘There you have it. A story of true courage, resourcefulness and humility – a shining example of what we all need in these trying times.’

  Amy smiled at the camera and waited a few seconds before someone cried, ‘We’re out. Thanks everyone.’

  ‘When will people see it?’ Xavier asked.

  ‘Apart from just then, it’ll be played many times over the next few weeks. The Major General wants you to be the new faces of our city’s future.’

  There was a flurry of people checking cameras and removing microphones. Corporal Smith congratulated them on their performance while Fly and Raffy gushed over how great they were.

  But from a far corner of the building, someone else who had been watching wasn’t nearly as impressed. He let out a long, uneasy sigh. ‘It would do you well to be a little more grateful … Isabella Charm.’

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  New City

  ‘Boy,’ said the gentleman in the high chair, ‘listen to me. You know you’re an orphan, I suppose?’

  ‘What’s that, sir?’ inquired poor Oliver.

  ‘The boy is a fool – I thought he was,’ said the gentleman in the white waistcoat.

  ‘Hush!’ said the gentleman who had spoken first. ‘You know you’ve got no father or mother, and that you were brought up by the parish, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ replied Oliver, weeping bitterly.

  ‘What are you crying for?’ inquired the gentleman in the white waistcoa
t. And to be sure it was very extraordinary. What could the boy be crying for?

  from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (chapter 2)

  ‘No one wanted him?’ Bea snuggled on her bed beside Raffy and Griffin, listening to Griffin read.

  ‘What happened to his mother?’ Raffy asked.

  ‘You’ll find out later in the story.’

  Fly looked up from her drawing of the sad Oliver Twist. ‘Do you think we’re orphans?’ Griffin swapped a nervous look with Isabella. ‘I’m not sure, but I do know we’re luckier than most – we have each other.’

  ‘He’s right,’ Xavier said, ‘and with me around, you not only have luck but good looks and muscles too.’

  The others shared a smile before they each grabbed a pillow and started whacking him. ‘Hey, what are you doing? Help!’

  Corporal Smith rushed through the door. ‘Is everything okay?’ The pillow fight stopped and Bea wore a mischievous grin. ‘We’re just sorting something out.’

  ‘Something that was long overdue,’ Griffin added.

  ‘And surprisingly satisfying,’ Fly said.

  Corporal Smith wasn’t amused. ‘Yes, well, there’s no time for play. We have lots to do. Follow me.’

  After a short elevator ride they were delivered to a vast underground basement filled with armoured vehicles.

  ‘We saw these from the helicopter,’ Raffy cried.

  ‘These are our Armavans,’ the corporal explained. ‘Would you like a ride?’

  ‘You bet!’

  Corporal Smith pressed the remote on her key and a metal door opened upwards. Bea and Raffy climbed onto the front seat beside her while the others sat in the back.

  The door closed with a quiet hiss and the engine purred to life.

  ‘They were invented here in New City. They are made of reinforced steel and cyclone glass – they can withstand any storm or hurricane and are powered by energy generated from our solar and wind farms.’

  They drove past a line of Armavans to the exit.

  ‘The Major General is determined that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past, so all our energy comes from natural elements.’

  Two stone-faced soldiers stood guard, their helmets scanning each of them as ancient wooden doors opened into brilliant sunshine.