Whisper Gatherers (11 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Menace On The Wind

The great glass doors to Puritytowers whooshed open and dished out a friendly blast of disinfectant vapour as we stepped inside. I sneezed. Before the snot formed into a drop on the end of my snout, Santy swiped it off with a sterile wipe. She handed me another, just in case, and threw the soiled one into the refuse funnel at the side of the entrance. It sucked it out of her hand and made a gurgle sloop noise as the thing went down to who knows where.“Ta.”

“You look tired and hungry. Perhaps we should refrain from our usual. Let us take the lift.”

“Nah, no way, I’m taking the stairs. Want a race?” I said to Dreng and Orva. They looked to Santy, who nodded. “Goodly good. Will you count us down?”

“Most willingly. One, two, three,” Santy said. On hearing the last digit, I near flew to the grand stairs that led to our abode, and leapt up them two steps at a time.

“Try harder.”

I turned my head to the left and saw Dreng speed past me.

“Much harder.”

I turned to the right and watched all breathless as Orva raced up the stairs, overtaking Dreng as she went. Nad. They were good. I soon reached the top where Santy also stood. How did she manage to get to the outside stairs and onto the landing before me? “What the huff Santy? Are you made of different stuff than the rest of us?”

She pointed at the lift. “Took the elevator.”

“Shifty.”

“No, just getting past my prime.”

“Never, Breanna,” Dreng said and gave her a look that would have made me blush.

Orva coughed. “Are we to stay out here?”

“No, no, come, let us go to our abode. It is not so large. For the time being, you are to stay with us, we will need to double up on sleeping arrangements.”

What? Now that was something I had not bargained for. “Will I have to share with Deogol?”

“Ah, that would be inadvisable the way you both squabble over the least little thing.”

“Choc and the eating of it is no little thing, Santy.”

“Perhaps, but to get so violent is not goodly Adara. Your poor bro will be scarred for life.”

“Pah! ‘Twas but a flesh wound.”

“Indeed it was, a deeply one.”

I would have argued more, but we reached our home, the time for quarrel was done. Santy slipped the unlockcard along the entrance slit and the door opened. We entered with another blast of cleansing mist and heard raised voices, accompanied by much clanging of metal things on cooking surfaces.

“Greatgran is having trouble with your bro.”

We trundled down the bright corridor into the kinsfolk room. Santy gestured for Orva and Dreng to sit. They did and we went straight into the foodprep place where Deogol sat at the table. His arms were folded, his head turned away from Greatgrangran, who was pushing a bowl of something gooey across the surface.

“You will eat what is presented before you, young ‘un.”

“I will not. Santy lets me eat choc if I want, when I want. She never forces me to munch on stuff that is kept at the back of the food cupboard for a good reason.”

“What a whopper,” I said. Deogol near fell from his chair.

Greatgrangran put her hand to her mouth and snickered. Santy shook her head. My bro lowered his. He stared at the table top as though his eyes would blast through the thing and allow him to make a hasty escape from his embarrassment. “I knew you were fibbing, little earwig. I may be old-old, but I am not addled. Adele, glad you are home all safe.” Greatgrangran looked over my shoulder. “I see you have brought visitors.”

“Indeed. S.A.N.T. guards to protect Adara.”

“From what?”
 

My bro looked up.

“From the folk that wish to grab her and use her skills. The mayor will have her bring the birdles for the OneGreatProvider day. I told you this before I left.”

Greatgrangran scratched her nose and pouted her saggy mouth. “Did you now? Well, I must not have heard you.”

“That would be right.” Deogol turned to us. “All she does is sit on the comfycouch and play on her slab. When I do such stuff I am admonished.”

I near applauded my bro for using such a big word, but Santy frowned. I said nowt.

“Greatgrangran is old and has served our community well. If, in the last great part of her life, she chooses to amuse herself with comp games, then so be it, she is entitled. You are not.”

The argument lost its fire when Orva entered. “Sorry, ‘scuse the interruption, but we have orders to take Adara to practise her vocal skills. The ceremony is but a few moons away.”

I looked down at my dirty outfit. “I need to wash and put on fresh garments.”

Santy relaxed her stiff-shouldered stance, gave Deogol a ‘Don’t you dare say anything’ look and put her hand on my shoulder.

“Indeed you do. Whilst we are all here, I must re-arrange our sleeping quarters so as to fit in our guests.”

Deogol snorted. “I’ll not give up my room. I need quiet and solitude for my studies.”

“What studies are you taking outside of class?”

My bro shuffled in his chair, then went the colour of the sky at sunrise. “Extra stuff that they do not teach.”

“Like what?” Santy said. She bent low, put her elbows on the table and leant in close to Deogol.

“Stuff, just stuff, okay!” He pushed back his chair and stood. His face reddened even more. I thought he was about to blub when Grangran touched his arm.

“Leave the lad be. He has much to occupy his mind it would seem. Who are we to deny him this?”

Santy slowly straightened and took a long breath. “This matter will keep. Deogol, you will not need to give up your room, however, you will need to share it.”

“Not with Adara!”

“Oy, no need to sound so mean,” I said, more hurt than I should have been.

“Calm, calm. No, you will not share with your sister, but with Dreng. Worry not, for he will be guarding Adara during the moontime when you should be asleep. He will rest during your waking hours. Do not show me that face. It is done.”

My bro scowled, clenched his hands, but did not respond. Santy nodded. “Orva and I will share. You can remain as is, Adara. Before you say another word, Deogol, your sister is of an age when she needs alone time and space to become who she is. This arrangement will be brief. Now, go wash and change. You must rehearse before the light diminishes.”

“Rightly so. Back in a few secs,” I said and went to my room.

Once inside I became heavy of limb and longed to lie down, but I could not, so went straight to the cleansing place. I secured the door, not knowing rightly why, and took off my smelly clothes. Then I threw them into the wallbasket, stepped into the glass-fronted cubicle and let the steamshower jets blast away all trace of sweat, muck and slime. Then I dried myself on a fluffly towel and went back into my sleeping quarters to choose suitable attire for my practise.

I opened the clothespace and pulled out my favourite outside troos made from thick, brown synthowool, and a black, long-sleeved tunic. Baggy enough to allow me to stretch and belt out my song. With a wink to my animal murals, I placed said garments on the chair by the window, then took out suitable undergarments from the beddrawer. The bazoomiecups felt tighter than before, yep, for sure my mams were swelling, becoming sore. The reddiness was fast approaching. I dressed quickly and went back to the kinsfolk room.

All were resting on the comfycouch, except for Greatgrangran. She was sitting on the big chair playing something on her slab. Santy stood in the doorway of the eating place and chewed on her fingernail. My bro sat hunched up in between Orva and Dreng, who stared at the wall as if it were showing an interesting vid. “Hi-hi. I am all changed.”

Quick as a Curfewrebel clocked by a Flashlighter, both S.A.N.T.S. poinged up from their seats. “If you are ready we must go.”

“Yeah, in a sec, Orva. I was wondering if I might not partake of some grub first?”

“Ye must practice before curfew. Come now, eat later,” Dreng said and waved his large mitt towards the door.

“I will, I just need something to munch on.”

“If you must. Select something suitable to be consumed on the move. We are to take you to where you will…”

“Practice, I know. Fine, I’ll do that.” But before I could march into the eating place, Santy brought me an oatly bar. “Ta.”

“Go swiftly, the moon is eager to shine.”

“Come, we must get to the practice place.” Dreng heavy-footed it to the exit. I followed whilst Orva walked behind.

When I reached the door, I paused. “Is it safe?”

“As can be. Worry not. Folk will nay bother us for fear of another sound grenade being launched,” Dreng said and opened the door.

Cautious as a birdybird flying too low, I stepped outside. With the S.A.N.T.S. either side of me, we tramped down the landing. Santy’s voice echoing our footfalls as we descended the stairs. “Be careful. Do not Loiter. Be home before Curfew.”

We went out into the almost twilight. I followed Dreng and Orva as they trekked all swiftly to the rough terrain outside Cityplace. Dreng halted just before a perimeter guard post. “Ye may do yer practising here. We will gae to the guard hut and keep watch. We will nay interfere.”

“Thanks.”

“When the light fades we will return,” he said and both S.A.N.T.S. strode off to the Borderguard hut. I stood looking out at the Wilderness, remembering my brief visit to it, and longed to smell and touch its loamy earthiness again.

“You may begin. The guard has turned off the fence alert in case a birdy lands,” Orva called to me. I waved. Then I stared at the greying sky for a bit. “Now would be a good time.”

“Fine, I’m just going to.” Huffin’ hell and twice that profanity. Practice? Practice what? I had no idea how to call the birdybirds. All I knew was how to sing like them, and I had gleaned that info from an archaic slabgame. I had no desire to bring down the raptors or give folk the heebie-jeebies like before, but even from this long distance, I could feel the eyes of the two guards burning into my flesh.

Stepping closer to the fence, I lifted my head, breathed in and let out a high-pitched note. Nowt. I did it again in different keys and lengths, but no birdles called back, or flew down. I looked to the guard hut, but my safekeepers were deep in conversation with the Borderguard.

I tried several more times and just when I was about to stop, I heard a faint warble come from one of the trees in front of me. I swivelled round to see if the others had clocked the sound, but they were as before. I leaned over the railing, cupped my hands over my mouth and made the same tweet. It came back, closer than before. I repeated my song. I saw a rustling high up in the leaves of the tree opposite where I stood. Again I made the sound. Before my eyes, a real live birdybird flew out of the branches.

I slapped my hands against my mouth and held my breath. The birdle swooped low before my face. I saw yellow and black feathers. It swooped again and I swear it was about to land, but a nearby rustle in the shrubbery caused it to zoom up and out of sight. Nad! My very first sight of a birdle, done for.

“Oy!” I cried out to whomever, or whatever made the distracting sound. The foliage rustling stopped. I stood on tiptoes, put my hands on top of the metal fence, and hoisted myself up so that my shoulders and head were free of its constraints. Juddering somewhat in the pecs, I shouted out again. The grass and brambles moved. “Hey! Hey!” I near shrieked as I caught a glimpse of a shadowy form scuttling away. My muscles gave out. I fell to the ground.

“Right. The moon is rising. Best get ye back.”

Coughing, I rose, brushed some muck from my kecks and nodded. Dreng looked over my shoulder towards the Wilderness. “What did ye see?”

I shrugged. “Nowt. Just the leaves and twigs twitch a bit. Thought it was something, wasn’t I guess.”

He lifted his chin and sniffed. “There’s smoke upon the wind.”

“So there is. Yeuk. It has a pong to it I do not care for.”

Orva joined us and narrowed her already narrow eyes. “Move back, the fence is switched on. What you sniff at is Carnie stench. They roast their prey over open fires. So I heard. The smell is that of melting muscle and fat.”

“Again, yeuk.”

“If they are this close, we must prepare.”

“For what, Dreng?”

He stared at me for too long, then spat something green onto the ground.

“Come. Adara. We must get ye to safety.”

His words made my spine itch. “Hang on a sec. Are you saying that the Carnieval is here?”

“Dreng, is not. He is merely surmising that the stink we can smell, is from meat-eaters nearby.” She gave her fellow Backpacker a most furrowed brow look. “This does not mean the Carnies and their mean trickery are upon us. See, the moon is almost up. Come, let us go back to your quarters.”

Nothing would have suited me more, but I had a niggle-naggle nibbling on my top most vertebra. “If they are coming, then we are in trouble.”

“Best not surmise that which we cannot glean.”

I had no argument to Orva’s sensible words, so I just shrugged and followed the S.A.N.T.S. back to Puritytowers.

Chapter Fourteen

Intruders

As we strode forth, I became aware of a strange calm as if all had fallen asleep. Despite there being quite a few folk plid-plodding around trying to get as much light time as they could before Curfew Bell forced them to retreat indoors. The dark had a way of making folk jittery, especially since the Praisebee incident. What was oddly was their lack of chat. They walked all quiet-like, without purpose. I looked to Orva and Dreng; they had tightened jaws and gave out a vibe of alert.

A mist rose from the ground. It spread out in a hazy blanket that almost obscured the Citydwellers. They stopped, so did we. I peered into the mist and saw the shapes of five non-Cityfolk. How the huff did they get in? A murmur grew from where they stood. A name, mine. Huff! Not again.

The residents that stood still did not seem to notice the newcomers and joined in with the stranger’s chant as if they were compelled to do so. The sound grew until ‘Adara’ was near shrieked.

Orva looked to Dreng. He screwed up his eyes and tapped his ears as though something had crawled in. The fog began to dissipate and with it the name calling. I saw the eerie cloud move swiftly towards where the oddly figures stood. It whooshed towards them as though they tugged at it. The voices that called my name grew fainter as it dispersed until it became as nowt.