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Great Writing - Home > Extended > Towards the Distant Shores (Ch 5)
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Extended Work
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| Towards the Distant Shores (Ch 5) | |
| By AmeliaWonderland | ||
| 09 April 2008 | ||
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Alex did not reply; she was not listening to Sitho anymore. She felt that she had to tell him truth… About everything… If anybody could understand the intricacies of her predicament, it would be her counsellor. And Alex almost did uncap the volcano on her pent-up secrets, but was rudely short-circuited by the sudden awareness of the grid’s eminent closure. ‘When did you say the grid will be resetting again?’ she uttered. ‘I’d say, just about now. But before you go, Alex, please think about what I said. About your destiny. And keep in touch. Here are the security details just in case.’ Sitho handed Alex a small plastic card and she took it without looking at it. ‘I’ll see you in thirty days. If you can convince Lewis to come here too, that would be great.’ ‘You are thinking of speaking to him?’ ‘Something about this Delta City does not add up and if he can tell me why, then yes.’ Sitho wanted to say something else, but he looked at his watch and pushed Alex towards the door. ‘Go, now!’ he shouted. ‘Or you will miss your chance. Just stand in the same spot where you first arrived and I’ll do the rest.’ Alex ran out of the cottage. She tripped and almost fell down on the cobbled path but managed to maintain her balance and reach the tunnel entrance just in time – thanks to Sitho’s judicious warning. The remainder of the week was uneventful. The preparations for the flight simulation reached its peak and as one activity after another was thrust upon Alex, she tried her best to fit in into her new surroundings. Knowing that her every step was an open book, she was on her best behaviour. When the day of the simulation finally came, it propelled the atmosphere on the ship to an emotional peak. Electricity filled the air as everyone counted down the hours and anticipated the fun and pain associated with an ‘interplanetary flight’. Using the excitement on the ship to her advantage, Alex tiptoed into the hall outside the main entrance. A few days ago she had volunteered to help out with the final tidy up, and she used her time to look for anything that might help her regain her freedom. Today she sneaked into the engineering room. The room was dark and greasy. There were pipes, oxygen tanks, and maps all around. In the middle, scattered on the floor Alex noticed parts of a disassembled trajectory mapping mechanism, which she recognised by its unique violin shape. Under the pretence of cleaning, Alex scooped the loose parts into a waste basket and went into the next room. With a bit of luck and Sitho’s security information, she could build a mini communication device that would allow her to send messages to her parents. Alex heard three consecutive whistles, which indicated that the doors of the ship would be locked shortly. The simulation committee aimed to create the most realistic experience achieved to date and like in a real flight, the doors had to be shut tight. Listening to the dull thumping of the doors, Alex looked at a few passengers that had gathered around to witness the ceremony and smiled studying their anticipating gazes. They looked forward to the event, and for them this was the highlight of the year. Momentarily, Alex regretted having travelled extensively throughout the Universe and wished she had not done so. Instead of sharing in the passengers’ joy, she wondered whether the fake view of the receding planet would meet with her expectations and whether the view of the heavenly bodies as the ship ‘passed them by’ would be correct. Then Alex glanced at her right hand and sighed. Well, now that I can’t use the tunnels without leaving a calling card at the Establishment’s headquarters, simulated flights might be my best entertainment option! There was one last whistle and the passengers gave a clap. They all cheered at the two security guards, who were checking the locks, and smiled charitably. Alex took one more look at the crowd and one particular group of passengers caught her attention. They had not come to witness the door ceremony but were walking past led by a woman guard somewhere inside the ship. Their faces were withdrawn and eyes slightly crossed and they rocked their upper bodies back in forth as if this gesture gave them comfort. In their bodies they were fully grown adults but in their faces they were like children – innocent, helpless, and even somewhat pathetic. Suddenly one of the ‘adult-children’ collapsed onto the floor and squirmed in agony. He was silent but Alex managed to get a glimpse of his face just before he hit the floor and saw pain. Instinctively, she leapt forward to help but was stopped by one of the security guards attending the door ceremony. ‘Please let me,’ he said calmly and gently pushed Alex back. ‘I am sure he will be all right.’ The first guard beckoned his partner and the two hoisted the hurting passenger on their shoulders and led him away. They were efficient – this was not the first time they had to perform a similar task – and after the scene had been cleared, Alex had barely enough time to process it in her head. She was slightly disoriented by what she had witnessed, staring at the spot where the adult-children had passed. Who are these strange looking people? she mused. Some marginal human strand I have not seen before? What with all the chores that Alex had been asked to do, she hardly noticed how the day had waned into the night. At half past ten the captain invited the passengers for a celebratory drink in the main dining room. The chef had prepared a special cocktail to commemorate the occasion and everyone filed into the dining room’s quarters. Alex did not join the celebrations. Retreating into the serenity of the ship’s upper deck, she watched the gathering from the distance. From where she was standing, she could just make out the windows of the cafeteria. They were still open allowing the passengers to enjoy the view of the night sky. Alex could not hear the passengers speak but it was not difficult to guess the upcoming event was a major topic. They were very animated, and their faces were full of eagerness and anticipation. ‘It’s too bad you cannot do this with time.’ A pleasant voice broke Alex’s meditations. She automatically looked up to see who it was. A gentlemen, perhaps fifteen years her senior, stood nearby, with two drinks in his hands. He was wearing a dark grey coat that fitted him tightly in his upper body and hung loosely from the waist down. His crystal, sea-grey eyes elegantly matched his clothing and their pleasant expression accented his proud posture. His wavy and somewhat disordered hair came down to his shoulders, and his smile stood out greatly on the background of his stern and smooth face. Lizzie would have said that he was an angel descended from heaven. The stranger took a quick glance at the cafeteria and then looked back at Alex. ‘Do what?’ Alex asked. ‘To step aside and let the life pass by you while you’re watching it… moment by moment as it moves through the fabric of time and space. Wouldn’t you want to?’ said the stranger. He sounded very confident, and the only distraction from the gentle flow of his words was his occasional cough. It seemed quite unfitting for his youthful voice but it did not interrupt his speech. ‘I am not sure I understand you. I suppose spying on the world could be fun… I am sorry, have we met?’ Alex squinted, eyeing the stranger with interest, but could not recognise him. ‘I don’t think so. In another life perhaps?’ The stranger stretched out his hand to greet Alex. ‘Leo.’ ‘Alex. Nice to meet you.’ ‘Alex? The academy hopeful? I was hoping to find you here. Breaking the rules again?’ Leo smiled. ‘Or avoiding the crowds?’ He looked at Alex musingly but she sensed no reproach in his words – just cheek. ‘No,’ replied Alex firmly. She shot a glance at the cafeteria and noticed that some of the passengers began receding into their cabins in preparation for the take off. ‘You?’ ‘Oh, no. I am actually one of the organisers. I’ve been so busy in the last few days that I really need to unwind before we begin.’ ‘Oops! I am sorry. It’s just…’ ‘You don’t like crowds?’ Leo smirked. ‘Something like that.’ ‘To tell you the truth, I don’t like them either. Crowds are such space invaders…Oh, I almost forgot, I’ve got something for you.’ Leo pointed to one of the glasses he had brought and gave it to Alex. ‘Listen, Alex, I was hoping to find you here – to tell you about your new counsellor. There is no easy way of saying this, so here it is. It’s… Lewis, your friend from Little Meadow. And he is here on the ship, so I thought some advanced warning may be of use to you… before you bump into him, that is.’ Leo paused to give Alex time to react to the news. She was not the type of person to warm up to strangers easily and just shrugged her shoulders. ‘Oh,’ she uttered. ‘I hope it was a good oh.’ ‘I suppose. It’s just Sitho forgot to mention it.’ ‘Sitho?’ ‘My previous counsellor.’ ‘Oh, that Sitho. He probably didn’t know.’ Leo said briskly. ‘So, what do you think?’ ‘What do I think?’ Alex felt a small wave of frustration rising inside. ‘Does it matter?’ ‘You may think that it does not make sense, for example… Or that he’s hardly qualified for the job.’ Alex realised that Leo was provoking her to react, but she did not take his bate and kept her lips tight although her frustration level continued to rise. ‘I am sure this is what you are thinking,’ Leo continued, as if Alex had answered his question instead of him, ‘but by virtue of making it into the Academy, Lewis supersedes you by at least a rank. So he is not an unqualified as it may seem at first.’ By now Alex tried hard to control her emotions. The fury that had flared in her heart had an unpleasant taste, but as she thought of all the things she would have said if this news came from someone more familiar, she tried hard to push her retorts to the back of her mind. Not as unqualified! He better be! He is so far behind her in most subjects that he can hardly teach her anything! Alex squeezed her unoccupied hand and quickly released it: Leo did not need to be dragged into this; he was just a messenger. Meanwhile, Leo looked at Alex studying her intently and Alex momentarily sensed that another type of conversation was taking place as if Leo’s subconscious was sending cryptic messages to hers. She had experienced something similar once before, bit it was with a person who could read minds. Alex doubted that Leo had that ability (it was extremely rare), but she looked away nevertheless. You could never know… ‘Tell you what,’ Leo said picking up on Alex’s unwillingness to carry on. ‘Why don’t you enjoy yourself, and we’ll talk about it in the morning. I don’t think Lewis is the right choice for you either, and there is something I may be able to do about it. Meet me at the library at ten.’ ‘Where?’ ‘In the library. Your foster parents should know where it is. Alex sipped a few more drinks out of politeness. ‘Okay.’ And with these words, Leo left. Alex remained on the deck. She kept sipping her cocktail and gazing at the night sky. Lewis… her new counsellor… who could have thought! So they were going to meet sooner than she had anticipated… But how did it all fit into the bigger picture? Suddenly, without warning, the ship heaved, and Alex realised that the ‘take off’ would commence soon. Her glass, which was still half full, slipped from her hands and broke into small pieces. Alex pushed the breakage closer to the wall. As the engine whined, she felt the pull of gravity and scurried towards the main compartment. She found the nearest cabin, which had been left unlocked, and leapt inside, shutting the door firmly behind. Historically, most take offs were safe and even in real life did not require a seat belt, but simulation or not, Alex decided she did not want to take any chances. The cabin was a larger replica of Alex’s bedroom. The safety seat was fixed to the wall next to the bed. Alex pulled it down, strapped herself in and waited. As the ship jerked, imitating the take off, something fell down on the floor from the table. It was a red folder with the Establishment’s seal on it. It slid along the floor and touched Alex’s feet. Alex looked at it musingly and picked it up. She was going to throw it back onto the table when its title caught her attention. Project Generation Two There was something inviting in the way the words appeared on the top of the glossy file, and, her curiosity winning over caution, Alex lifted the front cover and peeked inside. She was hardly prepared for what she saw. The file contained a hit list, and the targets were the passengers on the ship. Their names were listed in tidy rows with a picture of each passenger appended next to the name and stamped with the expected time of execution. Unable to contain her surprise, Alex gasped and began scrolling down the list to see whether her name was included too. It wasn’t easy – the list was not in alphabetical order – and Alex had to look at each picture one by one as it appeared on the page. Her eyes darted from one name to the next in a fit of frenzy and sometimes – when she missed a name – she had to go back and look at it again. Then finally, she found it. A mug shot that looked so familiar. It was the same picture that Alex had used for her Academy application. Alex looked at her features and grinned – application pictures always distorted the real likeness – but then her grin faded when she noticed a subtle lack of symmetry in her image as if someone had tempered with it before pasting it into the file. Her left eye was slightly larger than the right one and the curvature of the lips was slightly skewed. Alex grimaced in disgust. Unable to bear the distortion, she snapped the file shut and looked at the illuminator. ‘Is this someone’s sick idea of a joke?’ she uttered angrily. ‘Who in the name of Wicked Nebula would do such a thing?’ She glanced at the view of the receding planet in the window simulator and unbuckled herself. The seal at the front of the file was real and whether a joke or not, the file had to be investigated. Clutching it firmly under her arm, Alex stepped forward and reached for the door handle. However, as she made her first move, her limbs did not obey. The surrounding images became blurred and sounds – faint; heaviness enveloped her body and her head felt dizzy. She felt as if the world had turned into a fragment of a freshly drawn painting smudged by an evil stroke, and only a thin veil of consciousness connected her with the obscured picture of reality. She disconcertingly looked at the red file, which had slid down from her weakening grip, and passed out.
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