Chapter 10
While waiting to hear if it was safe for them to take their trip to see his friends, Maddie and John fell into a routine of sorts where he would rise in the morning to be greeted by his only two students, George and Lana. Although they were both enthusiastic, Lana lacked the discipline or aptitude to progress in the rigid structure of John’s lessons.
“Maybe if you were to join us in the morning it would help Lana to focus.”
“You might want to consider an afternoon class then I could continue with my beauty sleep.”
John wanted to tell Maddie that she did not need any help to look beautiful but thought perhaps it better to step back a little for now.
“You would be helping your friend and I could use the support.”
“Fine I will be there front and centre tomorrow morning.”
Mornings were not Maddie’s favourite time and she would much prefer to spend the time alone in her hut but she did not want to refuse John. So true to her word she turned up the next morning and gave it her all.
“Nice of you to join us this lovely morning, today we will be returning to the basics.”
A groan from Lana did not go unnoticed by John.
“Yes Lana you heard me correctly we are revisiting the basics until we have perfected them.”
“Fine just don’t be surprised if I fall asleep at how boring your teaching is.”
Maddie was enjoying the exchange between the two of them when George chipped in.
“Come on guys I have work to do later and time is getting on.”
They practiced all of that morning with Maddie discovering that she was a natural and picked up John’s techniques very quickly.
“That is enough for the day; I will see you tomorrow when we will concentrate on kicks and punches.”
“’bout time we learned something useful.”
Lana did like to be heard and with her non-stop chattering and cheery disposition she had become one of the most popular members of the camp.
“There really is no keeping that girl down is there?”
Maddie smile in agreement.
The following morning John was greeted by the sight of the whole camp waiting patiently for him.
“It seems we have a few new additions to the class and therefore we will return to the basics for their benefit.”
John looked at Lana who appeared to be about to say something.
“Why are you looking at me I love the basics, I live for the basics, the basics are my life.”
Maddie was trying her best not to laugh but it was Impossible not to be amused by the sassiness of her young friend.
“We shall continue, George come up here and follow my lead.”
Once the class was over John came over to Maddie.
“You see how it is now? You take one class with me and they all follow your lead.”
Maddie shrugged this suggestion off.
“Maybe but that does not mean they will follow me into a battle.”
“Right now I think they would follow the lead of the girl in the black biker jacket anywhere.”
Although the days that followed were pleasant and Maddie was enjoying spending time with John and her new friends, she always felt the spectre of the State breathing down her neck.
It was the evenings when they sat around the fire that Maddie enjoyed the most as this is when everyone had a chance to talk freely. The same crowd frequented the camp fire and Dylan always headed up the group with Lysette close by his side.
“So what is it like where you come from?”
It was the boy that questioned Maddie when she was training them. Lana told her later that the scrawny boy’s name was Jinn and that he smelled funky.
This time Jinn had directed his question at John.
“It is much like here but we do not have the Academy system and our society is not quite as divided as the one here.”
“I meant what is it like to live there?”
“It is mostly good but there are those who like here struggle to have a decent life.”
Jinn did not look very satisfied with John’s answers and Maddie thought he was being altogether too diplomatic.
“In our world we do not exclude people from our society just because they are different or don’t fit in.”
John glared at Maddie and was about to say something when Lysette spoke.
“You don’t seem to be too impressed by our world Maddie.”
“You have no rights here simply because you failed to get into some stupid Academy.”
An offended Lysette looked back at Maddie as she continued.
“Children are not allowed to die from starvation and we have the freedom to believe what we choose.”
Dylan seemed interested in Maddie’s criticisms.
“Your world sounds much better than ours it is no wonder that you were so keen to go back there.”
“I am sorry if I am upsetting you but there are things here that I do not understand and I would like to know how it got to be this way.”
“You should ask the old man.”
It was Jinn who looked away as soon as he said this.
“He is just a crazy old man and you won’t get any sense from him.”
Lysette’s disdain for this old man was evident in her voice.
“Come on Lissa he has helped George with her building knowledge.”
Dylan as usual stepped in attempting to diffuse Lissa’s rudeness.
“I will take you down to see him tomorrow if you like Maddie?”
“Thanks George I would appreciate that and Lissa if he is crazy then I am sure that he still has better manners than you do.”
“You are aware that I do not care for the name Lissa and yet you insist on using it. Is this not considered bad manners where you come from?”
Maddie hated the cold, logical way Lysette addressed her at times.
“It’s just a name and you bring out the rebel in me.”
“Just a name is that all? It is ok if I call you Phoebe then or am I mistaken when I say that you have an aversion to being called this name?”
Lysette was not quite right Maddie had no such aversion to being called Phoebe she simply preferred Maddie but she got the point.
These fireside discussions sometimes continued late into the night or like tonight broke up abruptly leaving Maddie feeling that she still had a lot to learn about this world.
“Sometimes I think you push too hard and your criticisms of this place can just as easily be levelled at our own home.”
“And sometimes I think you are too quick to defend them while forgetting all of the good things back home. You and I know that this world is cracked so stop with the cryptic comparisons. I know where I would prefer to be and I know where I belong.”
“GEORGE WHAT TIME DO WE SEE THE OLD MAN?”
“AFTER CLASS, I WILL TAKE YOU THEN.”
“Are you coming to see him with me John?”
“No I will tackle Dylan again tomorrow to see if I can hurry his contact along.”
Lana started to follow George and Maddie after John’s class had ended.
“I am sorry Lana but the old man does not like too many visitors and I think he would turn us away if you tagged along to.”
Maddie could see this explanation did not sit very well with the feisty young girl.
“Please Lana I just need to ask him some questions and besides you would only get bored.”
“Your right it does sound boring I would rather spend time with Jinn and he smells like old sweat.”
Lana turned and skipped away leaving George to escort Maddie.
“Is he crazy like Lissa said?”
“No I just don’t think he likes people very much and he can be funny with new people.”
It did not take them long to find him and he seemed genuinely pleased to see George.
“Hi Georgie, who is your friend?”
“Henry this is Maddie and she is new to this place, she wou
ld like to talk to you.”
The old man looked Maddie up and down before gesturing for her to sit.
“Yes I can see that she does not hail from these parts.”
There was nothing crazy about this man thought Maddie and he was not really that old either.
“Thank you there is just so much about your home that I do not know and I was hoping you could help me with that.”
Henry was in a good mood today thought George as he continued to be hospitable.
“You may ask me anything young lady and I will attempt to answer your questions as honestly as I can.”
“Thank you Henry I would like to know how it is that your society outlaws children at such a young age just because they fail to enter into an Academy. It seems to me that this is very harsh and leaves them with no future in this country.”
Henry sighed as he tried to answer Maddie.
“Yes Maddie I would tend to agree but the Academy system goes back decades, the first minister of Velaria was the architect of this and he still holds power today.”
“But why would any place create such a system surely there must be an answer to this question?”
“I think you could trace it all back to the Tarians who believed in personal freedom without responsibility. It was their love of freedom that allowed children to express themselves without consequence.”
“I am not sure what you mean Henry.”
“The rights of the children became so important that in Tarian law it became illegal to punish children for anything, you could be fined or have your children taken away for telling them off harshly in public.”
Maddie did still not really understand where Henry was going with his explanation.
“It is similar in my home and I think that is a good thing.”
“Yes it seemed a good idea here too until the children realised they could do pretty much anything they liked and not be punished. After a generation of this attitude we had gangs on the streets and adults were being openly intimidated by feral adolescents.”
“And you think that this is how the Democratic People’s Republic of Velaria gained power.”
“Ah the Dumb Pinheads of RagsVille, they were swept to power because they offered a solution to the problem.”
“There solution was the Academies?”
“There solution was discipline and personal responsibility for your actions. They promised to clear the streets of gangs and stop the frequent riots that were blighting people’s lives. If you give the people what they want then you tend to gain the popular vote.”
“Discipline is one thing Henry but how did the people let it get this far?”
Another sigh issued forth from Henry before he continued.
“Once in power one of their first actions was to introduce the Vogel Act. This made the over-indulgence of children a criminal offence. Corporal punishment administered by parents is reintroduced and considered one’s duty. Citizens are called upon to report adolescents that are out of control, parents and guardians become totally responsible for the actions of their children. They face the consequences of said children’s bad behaviour.”
“Did this clear the streets?”
“No the State created a place called Juvinescence and rounded up all of the offenders and put them in there. At first this seemed to be a good thing until the State started to erode other freedoms that the people enjoyed but by then it was too late.”
“The Academies Henry how did they get them past the people?”
“That was easy after the Vogel Act and the streets were swept clean Kara’s Law was initiated. The law stated that all children between the age of ten to eighteen are required to attend an Academy, any children deemed unfit or unwilling to comply are automatically considered (Non-Citizens) or as we now call them Imps.”
Henry seemed to be tiring of Maddie’s questions.
“You may find our society strange young lady but that does not give you the right to judge us.”
“I am sorry if you think that Henry, I am just trying to understand and that is all.”
It was not quite true Maddie was finding it very difficult not to judge the people who stood by and let this happen.
“You should go now I have had enough of talking about the past.”
George who had been attentively listening throughout Maddie and Henry’s conversation readied her-self to leave.
“Goodbye Henry.”
“Wait, Henry can I come back tomorrow?”
“You may but I may not be so talkative and by the way you should know that you are not the first strange girl to come through here.”
Maddie was more curious than ever now and wanted to question Henry further but knew better than to push him further today.
“Thank you Henry I will find you tomorrow.”
Henry wandered off mumbling something or other to him-self.
“Did you find out what you wanted Maddie?”
“I am not sure George I just feel that I should find out as much as I can about this place, especially if I am to stay here.”
When they arrived back at the encampment John was waiting for Maddie.
“So are you now the font of all knowledge concerning Velaria?”
It was not a serious question but Maddie chose to answer as if it were.
“If knowledge is power then I am not feeling it, although everything Henry told me was interesting I am not sure how useful it could be. I am returning to him tomorrow to see what else he can tell me of Velaria and its people.”
“It sounds like your day was more productive than mine as Dylan was not very forthcoming when it came to information of us leaving. I did however have a chance to talk to Lissa who is not as down on the Imps as we think.”
Maddie could not quite understand the feeling of possessiveness that came over her when John said he had spent time with Lissa. He did not belong to her but Maddie did not like the idea of him with anyone else.
“I have heard the way she speaks of them John and I have seen the way that she treats them. So don’t tell me that she loves them one and all.”
John was surprised at the harshness in Maddie’s voice.
“I was not suggesting that she loved them, just that she could be persuaded to change her thinking. I find her to be honest, direct and there is no malice that I can detect in her.”
Maddie was not proud of the way that she was feeling as John extolled Lysette’s virtues.
“She is a hateful bitch that has no time for anyone weaker than herself and you should not forget that fact.”
She was aware that she was being over the top but Maddie could not help it.
“Look I am going to try and change her view and get her to see the Imps as something other than sub-human. It might be helpful if you could be a little friendlier around her as she respects you.”
At this moment Maddie did not give a damn whether or not she had Lysette’s respect.
“You want me to cosy up to that cold, logical, stick thin blonde, you can think again.”
Walking away Maddie knew that she had massively over-reacted and that John was right to try and get Lysette on side but she did not care about that. All she could think of was John slipping away from her into the beautiful blonde girl’s waiting arms.
“What is wrong Maddie? You look upset.”
It was Lana that found Maddie and her cheery face helped to lift her black mood.
“Nothing Lana I was just thinking about things and stuff.”
“Yeah John is pretty hot stuff to think about.”
The cheeky girl always managed to make Maddie smile.
“Lana you really do not know what you are talking about and that imagination of yours is going to get you into trouble one of these days.”
Lana’s grin was wider than ever.
“I don’t need to imagine anything I have seen you two together and felt the heat.”
Maddie laughed out loud at this.
“You are too young to
even know what that means little girl. Come to think of it I might just be a little too young myself.”
Lana returned Maddie’s laughter with her own.
“I maybe young but I see things and I know things.”
Very cryptic thought Maddie.
“Come here little girl and tell me what you know before I tickle it out of you.”
Lana giggled and ran.
“I will find you and then there will be trouble, so much trouble that you will never again give me such cheek.
Maddie and Lana played this game for a while until the younger girl looked tired.
“You should go find Jinn now Lana as I know that you have a thing for funky smelling boys that ask too many questions.”
The horrified look on Lana’s face made Maddie believe that she had perhaps hit a nerve.
“Jinn is a smell away from a rotting dump truck and he tells lies. He told me he was in Juvi and everyone knows that once you go in there you never come out.”
“Now Lana there is no need to deny it I have seen how you look at his scrawny little body.”
It was a little mean thought Maddie but it would not hurt the girl to get a dose of her own medicine.
“You really are touched just like I first thought now go away and leave me alone.”
Even with the strong protestations Maddie thought she saw the hint of a smile on Lana’s face.
Tumbledown Page 10