Halfmen Of O

by Gee, Maurice

  ‘Was it Odo Cling?’

  ‘Oh, not him. Cling is evil, yes. But Cling is a midget, Cling is a yapping dog alongside his master, Otis Claw.’

  ‘So it was him? It was Otis Claw?’

  The name had a dreadful sound. It scraped across their minds like a rusty knife.

  ‘It was him. But first I will tell about the one who taught him, Freeman Wells.’

  ‘Freeman Wells? He taught him?’

  ‘Yes, Susan. Always there was a group, wise men, wise women, gathered about the Stone, tending and protecting it, for there were those who wished to destroy it, thinking that way they would rule Humankind. The wisest of the wise had always been given the name Freewoman or Freeman, after the great maker of the Balance. Freeman Wells was wisest in his time. And first among his pupils was a youth called Otis Hand. A golden boy, brilliant and beautiful, who learned the lore of the Stone through the pores of his skin. Soon his wisdom seemed to match that of Freeman Wells. And Freeman Wells trusted him like a son. He left Otis Hand in charge of the Freeband about the Stone, and journeyed to the Upland with his wife, I, Marna, and lived in Wildwood many years, studying the ways of the Woodlanders. We came to love Wildwood. We learned many things. We found the Shy, and learned its uses, and Freeman Wells opened the path to your world.

  ‘Many years went by. And here in Wildwood we lived so happily that Freeman Wells forgot his duty to the Stone. And I forgot. And so we gave Otis Hand all the time he needed. He studied well. Ha! He studied wickedly. He had tasted power, and the seed of evil grew in him, and swelled in him, until he was nothing but a smiling face, a fair exterior, fitted over evil. He saw the land of O, he saw the world, and wanted it for his. He saw Humankind, and saw the seas, and Wildwood, and the mountains, and their Folk, and saw that everything was free. That he could not bear, so he plotted to enslave them and possess them. But first he must destroy Freeman’s Law. He must break the Balance, pull the Halves apart. And so he studied, so he delved into the Lore – and found a way.’

  Marna’s voice had become a grieving sing-song. She drew the tale from deep within herself and every word gave her dreadful pain. The children listened, terrified, appalled.

  ‘There came a day when we in Wildwood, Freeman Wells and I, felt a cleaving in ourselves. We fell down in a sickness and we screamed in agony as nature broke apart in us and the Balance broke. When the pain and fever left we stood and looked at Halfies. We were Halfmen. All through Manhome, all through O, wherever humans lived, it was the same. Woodlanders were unchanged. And Birdfolk, and Stonefolk, and the People of the Sea. They had their own Law. But Humankind were changed, utterly, utterly changed. They were Halfmen.

  ‘We knew what had happened. We needed no one to tell us. Otis Hand had learned a way to violate the Stone. Otis Hand had wrenched the Halves from their deep embrace, and in every man and woman in O, good had fought with evil, one last fight, until one or the other was driven out. We had no doubt which would be the stronger. We knew that down in Manhome, Darkland now, Darkland from that instant, the hordes in whom Evil had triumphed hunted down and murdered the unresisting Good. We were good. I say it with no pride. There is no pride in being half. Good must be won daily in the battle that never ends.

  ‘I stayed in Wildwood. Freeman Wells prepared himself and ventured down to Darkland. There he saw the ruler on his throne. The hand with which he had wrenched the Halves from the Motherstone was blasted to a claw, and now in his evil pride he took that name: Otis Claw. Darksoul. The Paingiver. His servant Odo Cling stood trembling at his side – trembling with his eagerness to kill. Freeman Wells walked into the throne-room. They rushed at him with spears and knives. But Freeman Wells had called up all his knowledge and his strength and wove Good about himself and even Otis Claw could not break through. He, my husband, Freeman Wells, tore the Halves from round Claw’s neck, where he had hung them like a pretty toy. He saw how Claw’s men had attacked the Motherstone with fire and acid – and about the Stone he placed a dome of force no ordinary person can ever break. Only one bearing the Mark, bearing the reborn Halves, can enter there. The dome of force will receive and welcome. All others it throws back, though Claw has tried for nineteen turns to break it.

  ‘Then he fled, my husband. He gave his strength to the dome and oh how spent he then became and vulnerable. He fled to Wildwood, with Odo Cling and the Deathguard at his back. They hunted him. For seven turns of O they hunted. But always he escaped. The Woodlanders sheltered him. The Birdfolk, the Stonefolk, gave him refuge. Always he studied, always he worked, to save the dying Halves, and put life back in them. At last he found a way and it was done. Then Freeman Wells sought a way to come to the Stone and place the Halves again. But Claw had built a prison round it. He had sunk his Pit into the earth, into living rock, and there in the great hall it lies, half a mile deep, the Motherstone, surrounded always by two rows of guards with iron spears, one row facing in, the other out. Safe in its dome of force, but forever guarded by the chosen men of Otis Claw. And Claw sits on his throne and watches it.

  ‘Freeman Wells could not come to it. Again he fled. Odo Cling and his guards were close. Deep in Wildwood, Freeman Wells took the Halves and placed them on his arm and burned the Mark. Then he journeyed to Stonegut Deep, down into the bowels of O, and found the Stonefolk there and gave the sleeping Half into their care – the Dark Half. They have sworn never to give it up, except to one who comes wearing the Mark. They have taken the Oath. Then Freeman Wells came up from the Deep, and made his way to Morninghall in the Yellow Plains, and there he gave the Light Half into the care of the Birdfolk. They too took the Oath, and keep it to this day – never to surrender the Half except to one who wears the Mark.’

  Marna stopped. She looked at Susan sadly. Susan felt herself shrinking.

  ‘I’m the one,’ she stammered. ‘I’m the wearer of the Mark.’

  ‘Yes. I’m sorry, child. This burden should not have been placed on you. You are not even of this world. But Freeman Wells had no choice. He found no other way.’

  Nick was shifting impatiently. ‘He must have had. Why Susan? There’s a whole world of people here. There are all the Woodlanders. And the Stonefolk and the Birdfolk, whatever they are.’

  ‘No,’ Marna said, ‘I have told you Nick, the Woodlanders and the other Folk do not come under Freeman’s Law. They cannot wear the Mark. And as for people, as for a world full of humans, no, you forget, only Halfmen were left. The Good would have served, but all the Good were slain.’

  ‘Except you.’

  ‘Except me. And I would have been willing to wear the Mark. But Freeman Wells knew that one so old would never have the strength to come to the Stone. He told me of your world – he had been through. It was a world not under the Law, but men lived there in a natural state, a balance held. He hoped to recruit a band of young women and young men, and place the Mark on them and bring them through, and one, he hoped, would find a way to reach the Stone.’

  ‘All right,’ Nick said, ‘why didn’t he?’

  ‘Odo Cling was too close. And Otis Claw had made the yellow smoke. So Halfmen followed Freeman Wells into your world. There was a storm, you say. But for that he might have got away. As it was, he had only time to place the Mark on one.’

  ‘A baby,’ Nick burst out. ‘How stupid can you get?’

  Breeze said, ‘Do not speak that way of Freeman Wells. What he found himself able to do, he did. There was no choice.’

  ‘I remember him,’ Susan said. ‘He was small. He had a beard. He was very sad. He said he was sorry.’

  ‘A baby couldn’t understand that,’ Nick said.

  ‘He didn’t say it in words. And I understood.’

  Nick turned to Marna. ‘Why haven’t they caught her before this? They’ve had twelve years?’

  ‘They could not breathe your air for more than a moment. So they looked for an agent – and got Jimmy Jaspers in the end. He soon found you, Susan. He told me what happened on that day.’

  ‘
What is it you want her to do?’ Nick said.

  Marna smiled sadly. When she spoke she seemed almost to weep. ‘Go to the Birdfolk and to the Stonefolk. Show the Mark. Claim the Halves. Lay them in their place on the Motherstone.’

  ‘Through two rows of guards with iron spears?’ Nick sneered.

  Tears ran down Marna’s face. ‘Yes. It is impossible. Freeman Wells has failed.’ Her tears dropped hissing into the fire.

  ‘No,’ Breeze said; and Brand shook his head and said, ‘While there is one who wears the Mark our world has hope.’

  ‘However young,’ Breeze said. She took Susan’s hand. ‘Freeman Wells must have seen the strength in you. Otherwise he would not have placed the Mark, whatever his danger.’

  ‘Strong babies,’ Nick said. He felt he was the only sane one in the cave. He looked at Brand and Breeze, at their coloured fur and red-gold skin and pleading eyes, and looked at Susan, shrinking by the fire, and knew that if he did not do something she was going to say yes and get herself killed.

  ‘Listen Susan, this isn’t our world. They’ve got to fix it themselves. I came through to take you back and that’s what I’m going to do. In the morning we’re going to the mine and we’re going home.’

  ‘Nick –’

  ‘Remember your Mum and Dad. And my parents too.’

  There was silence in the cave. Then Marna said, ‘You can choose your time of arrival when you go back. You can spend the full summer in O, and all the winter too, and walk out into your world with ten seconds gone. Or a thousand years.’ She sighed. ‘So, choose an hour. Your parents will not have missed you.’

  Nick looked at her. It was probably true. O was like that. But nothing was solved. ‘I’m sorry. But if Susan doesn’t get out Odo Cling will kill her. We’re going home.’

  ‘No, Nick,’ Susan said.

  ‘I’m in charge. This isn’t a dream. If they stick those knives in you you’re going to feel it. Let’s get some sleep. We’ll make an early start.’

  ‘No,’ Brand said. They looked at him. Nick opened his mouth to argue; but Brand said, ‘It’s not that easy. By now Odo Cling has guards at the mine. The way is closed. He will have done that first, before starting after us.’

  Nick looked at him bitterly. ‘You knew that was going to happen. We could have got there in time.’

  Brand nodded. ‘Yes, I knew. But Susan had to come to Marna first. They had to talk.’

  ‘Yes, Nick,’ Susan said. ‘I had to hear the story. I’ve been waiting all my life.’

  ‘We’re stuck here now. At least until they catch us. Then we’re dead.’

  ‘Nick, Odo Cling said they’ll take their armies through and conquer Earth. So if we help on O we’ll be helping our world too.’

  ‘They can’t do that. They can’t breathe our air. They can’t even breathe the air properly up here.’

  Marna said quietly, ‘You have looked at Darkland. You have seen the grey cloud over it.’

  ‘Smog,’ Nick said. ‘So what?’

  ‘The Dark Halfmen are able to see no colour. They can taste nothing. Many things they have lost. I believe they do not know the seasons. And clean air in their lungs causes them pain. But Otis Claw is making air they can breathe. He makes it in great factories. Already it covers Darkland. It has climbed half-way up Sheercliff. One day it will cover all of Wildwood, all the mountains. Then Otis Claw will have our world. He will turn to yours. He will pump Halfman air through the passage. There will be no way you can stop it. When your world is poisoned, then he will send his Halfman army through. That is the plan.’

  Breeze took Susan’s hand. ‘All that stands in his way is you, Susan.’

  Again there was silence. Susan stared at the fire. Nick put his face in his hands. He hunted desperately for an argument, but could not find one. At last he heard Susan say, ‘I’ll do it. I’ll try to do it. Nick will help.’

  ‘Yes,’ he heard himself say. ‘I’ll do my best.’

  ‘Then all is not lost,’ Marna said. ‘Tomorrow we will plan what we must do. Now it is late. Let us all sleep. We must be fresh.’

  She showed Nick and Susan into alcoves. She gave them drinks that soothed their fears and made them sleep. Dawn light was seeping into the cave when a sound woke them. There was a calling of voices outside, and someone came running into the cave.

  ‘Marna! Brand!’

  The children jumped from their beds and pulled the curtains aside. The Woodlander Dale was in the cave. Brand and Breeze and Marna came hurrying from their beds.

  Dale fell to his knees, panting with distress. ‘Odo Cling is coming. He has a hundred men. He has a Bloodcat.’

  6

  Bloodcat

  ‘Stand,’ Marna commanded, and Dale came to his feet. Marna stepped close to him and looked at his heaving chest and working face. She placed the palms of her hands on his temples.

  ‘Be calm.’

  Dale obeyed. His distress vanished. Still urgently, but without letting his fear show, he said, ‘I was scouting down the trail. I heard the screaming of the Cat. It was dark. They were marching in the night. Then in the dawn I saw them. Odo Cling. A hundred men. I counted. And the Cat. A female. Fully grown. Odo Cling held her on a leash.’

  ‘How close are they?’ Brand asked.

  ‘An hour. Maybe less. They did not see me. I came fast. But we must be gone.’

  Brand darted outside. The children heard him calling commands to the Woodlanders.

  ‘I heard they could tame Bloodcats,’ Breeze said. ‘I did not believe it.’

  ‘They do not tame them,’ Marna said. ‘The Cats recognize a blood-lust greater than their own. They are cowed, and so they serve.’

  Breeze shook her head. ‘But even a Cat should not have been able to follow us. We left false trails.’

  ‘It followed Susan,’ Marna said.

  ‘How?’

  Marna turned to Susan. ‘Child, did you leave anything? Any piece of clothing?’

  ‘No,’ Susan said, feeling cold with fear.

  ‘I know,’ Nick said. ‘The rope we cut off her wrists. It had blood on it.’

  ‘That would be enough. The Bloodcat took the scent from that. So your false trails served no purpose.’

  Breeze groaned. ‘How could we know they would bring a Cat?’

  ‘You must get your patients away,’ Dale said to Marna. ‘How many can walk?’

  ‘All but Jimmy Jaspers.’

  ‘We will carry him,’ Breeze said. ‘Susan, Nick, take some food from the pot. Drink. You must travel fast today.’

  ‘We cannot escape a Bloodcat,’ Marna said. ‘Not with a litter to carry. Not with sick ones in the party. And an old woman slowing us down.’

  ‘But we must try.’ Breeze went about the alcoves, rousing the patients. Jimmy Jaspers cried out querulously. She soothed him. Brand came in.

  ‘Come. You must be gone. We will fight them down the trail. It will give you a little time.’

  ‘No,’ Marna said. ‘They will kill you all.’

  ‘There is no other way.’

  Marna smiled sadly. ‘Brand, I have secrets you do not know. There is a way. But do I have the strength? I do not know. And Wildwood is not mine. I must have permission.’

  ‘Ask.’

  Marna turned to Susan and Nick. ‘Wash at the stream. Take blankets, food. You must travel into the mountains. It is cold. Farewell. Do not fail us.’

  ‘Won’t we see you again?’

  ‘There will be no time for speaking. Go. Remember me. And forgive me and my husband, Freeman Wells.’

  Breeze came and helped them choose blankets and roll them up. They packed satchels of food and carried them outside. Brand and Marna talked deep in the cave. All the patients were ready and some had gone across the valley and were climbing a path into the hills. Four Woodlanders lifted Jimmy Jaspers on a litter.

  ‘What’s all the rush?’ Jimmy Jaspers said. ‘I was enjoyin’ me shuteye. I don’t like bein’ woke.’

  ‘
Odo Cling is coming,’ Susan said.

  ‘What are we runnin’ for then? I’ll wring ’is neck like a sparrer.’

  ‘He’s got a hundred men,’ Nick said. ‘And a Bloodcat.’

  ‘I’m not scared of pussies.’ But the strain of talking had made his face go grey. He fell back on the litter and the Woodlanders carried him across the basin and started up the track.

  Breeze came to the children.

  ‘Come. We must start.’

  ‘What about Marna?’

  ‘She will come with Brand. Be quick now. Cling is only half an hour away. Verna, lead. I will follow.’ They hefted their rolled blankets and satchels of food and started off. As they climbed the hillside Susan looked and saw Brand and Marna coming from the cave. They crossed the grass and walked to the entrance of the track. Marna carried nothing but a staff of wood.

  ‘What’s Marna going to do?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Breeze said. ‘But pray that she does not fail.’

  They laboured up the track. It climbed above Marna’s cave and then turned back and made a steep diagonal across a hill covered with small trees and slabs of rock. Then it turned into a cleft thickly grown with bush and crossed a wooden bridge over the stream that ran down into the basin by the cave. The shade was cold. Patches of mist hung in the trees. Marna and Brand had fallen farther behind. Susan did not see them as she crossed the bridge or later as she came into sunlight on another hillside beyond the cleft. They climbed steeply again, going up a narrow path that angled back and forth. Ahead, the sick from Marna’s hospital trudged slowly on. The Woodlanders battled with Jimmy Jaspers’ stretcher. Verna and Breeze and the children came up with them.

  ‘Nick, we’re going too slow. We’re going to get caught.’

  ‘Then I guess we’ll fight.’

  ‘The Bloodcat’s following me. If I went off on my own it would save the others.’

  ‘Saint Susan. Don’t be wet.’

  ‘They don’t want to kill me. They want to capture me.’

  ‘If you don’t shut up and keep moving they’ll do that soon enough.’

  They came to a slab of rock at the top of the hill. Here the patients rested. They were panting with distress. Breeze went among them, giving them medicine from her pack and checking their bandages. Marna and Brand came into view on the zig-zag path. Far below, the cave and basin showed. The sun had not reached them, but it shone on Wildwood, making it vibrate with colours. Beyond lay the brown puddle of Darkland, faintly iridescent in the sun. Breeze and Nick and Susan stood on the edge of the rock, watching for Marna and Brand to come up.