The crowd began to disperse and many made their way to a door to the right of the hall.
His own hunger was all Rowan could think about. He wanted to eat and did not want to wait to speak to David. He would work out what he was going to do after he had eaten. Rowan tried to follow the others to the dining hall but Indigo held onto him until he had no choice but to see what David had to say. He hoped David would be brief.
Kayleb was surprised to see that they were not the only newcomers. Six others waited, all, like themselves, looking apprehensive about their situation.
David walked across the hall towards them and smiled.
‘I know what I said earlier must have sounded quite alarming and probably a bit bizarre,’ he added.
‘That’s an understate ...’ Rowan stopped short as Cornwall poked him in the ribs.
‘Come with me. Rowan is starving,’ David said. ‘I will tell you everything as we eat. You can leave in the morning, if you want to.’
David led them into a large dining hall. There were no tables or chairs, just rings of cushions on the floor and at the centre of each ring were bowls filled with bread, chicken, fish and fruit. The food was simple but smelt delicious. It tasted even better. Taste buds tingled with excitement; good food was most welcome.
Rowan was about to speak when David interrupted.
‘You are worried, angry and afraid, aren’t you, Rowan? You are afraid to accept help and fear there may be a price to pay. You do not like to show weakness.’
Rowan looked at David. He did not like his feelings being exposed in this way. David infuriated him. He did not need psycho- analysing. His innermost feelings had been laid out for everyone to laugh at. All David was useful for was food and information on how to get into London.
‘No ...’ Rowan said defensively. ‘I’m fine, I just want to know how to get back to London in one piece.’ He felt everyone stare at him.
‘We all fear the unknown, Rowan. Life is unpredictable, and it is that which makes us wise,’ said David. ‘You are all so helpless at the moment and do not know who to trust. Some of you have been presented with an almost impossible task, to return to London, and you cannot understand why it should be like this. It is quite likely that you will be killed or die of exposure and not make it back to London at all. Why should it be that way? Why did your mentors not stop all this madness and save you from such an ordeal? What do you think, Kayleb?’
Kayleb was thinking about his mentor Conrad. He had not shown any emotion or anxiety when Kayleb turned sixteen and certainly did not talk about the task. He must have done the task himself; why did he not give him any advice? Why had he only heard unbelievable stories of the taskers’ ordeals and no actual records? It was generally accepted that taskers returning from the wilderness did not talk about their ordeal. Or was it that they couldn’t remember for some reason? There were teenagers that Kayleb had not seen since they were sent to do their task. Their mentors had moved to a new flat in another part of London and all contact was lost, so no one knew if the boy had survived or not. This was all very odd, Kayleb thought, perhaps they were forced to move and then brainwashed so they couldn’t remember whether they had a child or not.
‘I think,’ said Kayleb hesitantly, ‘that our mentors have no memory of their own task and for some reason do not know that other mentors have lost children. They use the memory gas or something like it. That’s it, isn’t it? Our memories of the task will be erased when we return.’
Rowan felt uncomfortable again. His whole world was crashing down into pieces around him. He did not like what he was hearing. London was his home, predictable and normal. He had felt no need to question his life and now here in the wilderness he was being forced to open his mind and see the grisly reality of it all. Perhaps it was a good thing to have the memory of this nightmare erased from their minds.
‘This is what it has come to,’ David said, looking a little sad, ‘mind control and a contrived utopian dream, thought up by clinical idealists who are unable to see humans for what they really are. Peace and harmony cannot be installed into a soul; you are too fragile to control it. No amount of genetic engineering or memory eradication can produce a perfect person. We all have a free will and eventually that will always override any outside interference. Unfortunately, as well as good and peaceful souls there will always be those that have primeval urges and will cause war and destruction.’
‘So are you human?’ asked Cornwall. ‘Why do you want to go to London? It sounds like a bad place. It’s much nicer here.’
‘I do need to go there. I have been to London before and my reception wasn’t a happy one. I think they saw me as a threat and cast me outside into the wilderness. Memory gas does not work on all of us. Those that come from our planet are able to resist the effects of the gas. Things are different now and I must return to London.’
Rowan laughed. ‘You don’t really expect us to believe that. You don’t look like an alien.’
‘Alien is a harsh word. We are essentially the same, although we have evolved differently as our planets are not an exact match. We are essentially human and are also host to others.
‘Your planet has more sea and green areas than ours. The distance from our sun is almost identical to your planet. Our sun is dying and we need to find another to inhabit before it is too late. Your sun is dying too but there is a few million years to go before we will all have to look again. We found Earth when it was evolving and tried to give you moral guidance but unfortunately, our assistance wasn’t well received and one of us died trying to help you all. We are a lot more advanced than you and are able to use our minds more effectively. This is due to our atmosphere and the air and minerals that are absorbed into our food chain. We are not as destructive and perhaps a little more knowledgeable. We hope to come down to Earth soon and live here. We are sure that we can help make this planet a good place for everyone to live on.’
Rowan could feel the heat rising in his cheeks; he couldn’t believe he was sitting listening to such drivel.
Indigo, however, was fascinated and sat there wide-eyed listening intently to every word.
‘What is your planet called? Have we heard of it?’ asked Kayleb. He was keeping an open mind. If David was speaking the truth, then maybe he could help Earth. Kayleb did not want his memory erased when he returned home. There were things he had experienced that he did not want to forget. Surely everything they had been through in the wilderness would make them worldlier and make them appreciate what they had in London. What exactly did they have in London? Was London really what he thought it was?
‘I think you have probably some idea of what my planet is, and some have been there and are there now waiting to return. You have heard of it by another name, but we call it Veenah. It is, as I said, not much different from Earth, perhaps a little hotter than here,’ continued David.
‘Why are you telling us all this?’ asked Indigo. ‘You are too trusting. We could go and tell the people in London about your plans. How can you trust us when you do not know us?’
‘I know enough. You all need to go to London for one reason or another and I know you have all been through many ordeals. I feel it. We can help each other. When you reach the edge of London, a section of the defence shield will be lifted for a moment and when you walk through, then we too can enter without being detected,’ said David, offering around a bowl of fruit. ‘I will show you a safe route through London and then you can help us and join us later if you wish to once we have settled inside the shield.’
‘Can’t you just make a hole in the shield and climb through, like you did earlier,’ inquired Indigo. ‘I have to say, I’ve never seen anything like it. I would really like to do that. Could I? I’ve got quite a lot of scientific experience and am sure there is some sort of scientific explanation,’ continued Indigo eagerly. ‘You have a great mind, Indigo, and anything is possible. You will make a real difference when you go back. You puzzled me at first but I can see how you managed to end up here. You are going to find it difficult to return home when you get back to London but I am sure you will find a way. I am unable to penetrate the shield around London. It is too big and I am not strong enough. That is why I need your help.’
‘Can I sneak in with you?’ Cornwall asked. She had been deep in contemplation and now her eyes lit up enthusiastically. ‘They will not allow me in, as I am a waster. I don’t want to live in the wild any more. I want to be civilised and live a better life. I also,’ she said quietly, ‘need to find out if I have the AIDS virus. I don’t want to die.’
‘I think you will be disappointed with London life as it is. You can stay with us and we will look after you,’ said David. ‘I can tell you if you have the AIDS virus. Here, come and stand in front of me. I will be able to feel it. I will only need to put my hand on your forehead to tell.’
Cornwall looked towards Kayleb for his approval. Kayleb had been shocked into silence. His head was whirling. David had offered to look after Cornwall and he felt sad inside, like he was losing something important. He was beginning to trust David, despite stories of dying planets and invasion plans. David was somehow intriguing and he felt uplifted in his presence. Kayleb nodded at Cornwall and she cautiously walked up to David, who had risen to his feet also.
David held out his hand and placed it on Cornwall’s head. She squealed and jumped back. The heat from his hand had taken her by surprise. David waited patiently and she stepped forward again allowing him to replace his hand on her head. He closed his eyes.
Minutes passed and everyone waited in silence as David attended to Cornwall. Rowan looked over to Kayleb in disbelief and was just about to say something when David spoke, interrupting him again.
‘There, all done. You can sit down again,’ he said, looking quite pale, as he had done when he had made an entrance into the fort. ‘Your worries about your health were not unfounded. The virus has gone from your body now and you will feel very tired for a few days but I can assure you that you are better now. Why were you trying to keep your mind blank as I helped you? What are you hiding, Cornwall?’
‘I can’t believe it!’ Cornwall laughed. ‘It’s true, I felt the heat go through my body. It was amazing,’ she said, taking her seat again and ignoring David’s last question.
A glimmer of hope for his mentor Helen swept over Kayleb. Perhaps David could help her too, he thought.
David looked sadly at Kayleb. Kayleb could feel him looking at him, but dared not meet his eyes in case his worst fears were confirmed.
‘You might be terrorists, planning to wipe out London,’ said Rowan sourly. ‘How do we know whether we can trust you or not?’
‘You are wise to be sceptical; only your heart will be able to tell you,’ replied David. ‘You must go back to your rooms and talk. In the morning come and see me and tell me of your decision. I will be in the hall again at dawn.’
David stood up and wished them goodnight and then went around the dining hall talking to everyone.
‘You can count me out. I’m not going anywhere with that loony,’ said Rowan decisively. I can see by all your faces that he’s taken you all in, so I guess I’ll be making my own way home in the morning!’
Rowan walked off towards his room leaving Kayleb, Indigo and Cornwall and the others in the dining hall to the mercy of David.