Tremor: If your world was falling apart, how far would you go to save it? (The Tremor Cycle)

by Ryan Mark

  The smells of burnt life and ashen clouds wrap themselves around her. The thought of oblivion is her only comforter, when this painful existence disappears into the dark that surrounds it.

  But if she could see him one more time, see his blue eyes, it would make this easier. She thinks about ending her life before they can and is filled with ice.

  Her hope used to be high, but now it melts with the land, crumbling down into the greyness of the water. And yet she knows that soon that will steam into the sky too. There’s nothing left, not anymore.

  Chapter 7

  All Powered Up

  Silence. Everyone in the tavern turned and faced them as they walked up to the bar. William felt his stomach lurch; this was so awkward. ‘Where is he?’ he asked through tight lips, eyes skittering over every greasy head.

  Two skin-headed brutes at the bar suddenly started to laugh, slapping their knees, and commotion filled the air again. William sighed. Phew, they really didn’t need a scene to break out, not right now.

  Feeling calmer, he took in the clammy room. The air – no, not just the air, everything – reeked of staleness, years of it collected in one tightly packed space. The dishevelled, dark wooden furniture cluttered the shabby, floral carpets and the walls were filled with a timeline of mismatched collectables. He didn’t want to touch anything.

  ‘Who’re you meeting here?’ asked Ori, who had climbed onto one of the stools and was leaning on the bar.

  ‘Don’t get too comfy,’ said Althea. ‘We’re meeting someone who’s going to help us find William’s mum.’

  Ori clicked his fingers. ‘Three lemonades please,’ he said, reaching into his small knapsack and placing two carrots on the bar top. ‘It was Grandad’s favourite drink. We should toast him.’

  ‘Lemonade, are you kidding? There’s none of that anymore,’ said the barman, handing over three glasses of rank-looking liquid and snatching up the carrots.

  Ori’s face fell to the bar-top, his big eyes staring into the grim substance. ‘I miss Grandad,’ he whispered, dipping his finger into the glass.

  William bit his bottom lip. What the hell could he say to make him feel better? Nothing, because he felt the same, and there were no words that could help either of them. He gazed around the room.

  ‘There he is,’ he said, pointing to a dark booth in the corner. He was glad of the distraction.

  ‘How can you tell?’ asked Althea, squinting.

  ‘The white in his fringe, yeah, I can just about make it out,’ he replied, helping Ori off the stool.

  ‘Hey, we still need to toast. It’s what you do isn’t it? We didn’t give him a proper funeral; we should do something. We have to do something,’ said Ori, pulling away from William’s grip.

  ‘We can do it later, alright mate?’ William replied, rubbing Ori’s head and squeezing his shoulder. ‘We just have to get this sorted first.’

  They approached slowly, only sitting when Ichabod gestured with his hand to the seats opposite. ‘You came, I knew you would,’ he said, smiling, ice blue eyes just visible in the dim light. ‘I see you bring one more with you?’

  ‘He’s Ori, my brother and there’s no one else left to look after him. You don’t need to worry, he’s my concern not yours,’ said Althea brusquely. Althea still didn’t trust the man, but William decided this wasn’t entirely without merit.

  ‘Their grandfather just died,’ William added, and Ichabod indicated he understood.

  ‘Nice to meet you sir,’ said Ori.

  ‘It’s nice to meet you too, Ori. I’m Ichabod.’ He turned back to Althea with an expression of confusion. William guessed he was trying to figure out the right thing to say to the kid. ‘I’m so very sorry to hear about your grandfather. Was he ill?’

  ‘He started going downhill when my mum…’ Althea paused for a moment. ‘Well, anyway, thanks,’ she said, rubbing the tops of her shoulders.

  Ori leant forward and grabbed the white streak. ‘I like this,’ he said, his head tilting from side to side. ‘I’ll call you Bod. It’s good to give friends nicknames isn’t it? Grandad always gave people nicknames.’

  Ichabod pulled his hair back. Althea chuckled, clearly impressed with the way Ori had taken the man off guard, but William shook his head, feeling red leak into his cheeks.

  ‘Sorry about that, he’s a little upset with what happened. I suppose death affects us in different ways.’

  ‘I suppose it does…’ said Ichabod gently. ‘Should we move on to the other matter now? Like I said, time is imperative.’

  ‘Yes, let’s get on with it,’ William replied, ruffling Ori’s hair to show he wasn’t suddenly forgotten. Ori huddled in close.

  Ichabod pulled a small rectangular piece of card from his pocket. ‘This will get you in William. It’s the worker’s pass, which will get you past the Peace Enforcers.’ Next, he pulled out another, much larger piece of paper. ‘This is a map of the plant. I’ve circled and marked with arrows the area you need to get to. It’s by an emergency exit, minimum security, and where we’ll be waiting. You’ll let us in through this door and we’ll go to the office of the power plant’s Overseer from there.’

  ‘I’m guessing this is the easy part,’ said William, showing white teeth.

  ‘Yes it is, but getting to the Overseer’s office will be like walking through a minefield. We’ll need to be very careful, so I’ve brought a Taser. I managed to procure it a couple of days ago, and let’s just say it wasn’t easy. If we come into contact with any Enforcers we can use it to silence them. It’ll cause minimal noise.’

  ‘So no crossbow or plated gloves?’ said Althea, mouth curving down.

  ‘Only if we’re found and the alarm is raised,’ replied Ichabod. ‘Follow this plan and we should get into that office with ease.’

  Ori grabbed Ichabod’s drink, took a sip and spat it back out. ‘Yuck, that was rank!’

  ‘It’s whisky, my little friend. I’d leave it be if I were you.’

  Grinning at Ori, William asked, ‘And what if what we want isn’t in that office?’

  ‘If the plan fails, we abort and regroup,’ replied Ichabod, taking back his glass. ‘We will think about that when it comes, well, if it comes. I’m ninety-nine per cent sure the Overseer will have something to tell us, especially when I’m finished with him. He’s been involved in cataloguing the abductions, so he must know something.’ He clicked his knuckles and pulled out his cane. ‘Now, it’s time to go.’

  ‘That’s a good plan, Bod! We’ll get Will’s mum back for sure,’ Ori said, reaching for the whisky again. ‘Can I have some more? It might be nasty, but it’s made me feel all warm.’

  Ichabod shook his head and downed the remaining drops.

  ‘And when we find out who did it, we’ll get revenge for our parents too,’ Althea said, quietly enough so that only William heard.

  He knew Ori was too young to be exposed to the truth about what’d happened to his mother and father; it’d probably tear him apart. Crap, William was probably too young as well, but he’d had to grow up quickly. Their horrible new world had forced him to. Being oblivious was probably the best thing for Ori at the moment; it’d keep him safe.

  ‘Ready?’ asked Ichabod.

  They nodded in unison. William felt excited, if you could call the sickly sensation he could feel in his stomach excitement.

  ‘Follow me.’

  Once outside the pub, they slipped through some long-abandoned industrial buildings, most of which were bare frames, their contents looted in the distant past. This part of Kentvale really was on the edge of extinction. A few more tremors and William knew it would be gone.

  Moments later they found themselves in another claustrophobic alley, its brick walls covered in cracks and grime. Ichabod stepped towards a massive object blocking the end of the space and pulled off the worn sheet that covered it.

  ‘I give you our mode of transport,’ he said, climbing into the driver’s seat.

  ‘A bus, that’s so
awesome!’ Ori exclaimed.

  ‘I can’t believe you have one,’ said William, running his hand over the heavily armoured bonnet. The vehicle was battered and bruised, its blue paintwork rusted and flaky, but it still looked as if it could drive a couple of miles without breaking down.

  They climbed in and stood by Ichabod as he secured himself behind the wheel.

  Althea was dubious. ‘We’re going to have trouble getting this out of town. The Enforcers confiscate all vehicles. How’ve you kept it hidden, anyway?’

  ‘An ally of mine helped bring it in piece by piece, mainly through the sewers. And I managed to fill it with fuel, syphoned from an abandoned petrol tanker I found hidden in the wastes,’ replied Ichabod, turning the key. ‘And the Peace Enforcers who guard the town only have batons at their immediate disposal. I’d like to see them try and stop us with those. They’d have to muster their trucks, and we’ll be long gone by then.’

  A blast of smoke exploded out of the exhaust and a black haze filled the alley. The children quickly sat down as the engine lurched into action, throwing the bus forward. William managed to stay in his seat, hands gripping the one in front, its bristly fabric tickling his palms.

  He hadn’t been in a vehicle for ages and felt the memories racing back. He remembered his grandmother buying him his first bus ticket so they could go and feed the ducks by the river in town. The memory was a happy one, but he forced it away. It seemed so long ago now, and he didn’t want to feel those feelings, not when his mother was somewhere beyond his reach, maybe struggling to survive.

  Despite Ichabod’s positivity, William knew getting to the power plant through the five miles of hazardous terrain that separated it from Kentvale would be hard going. Maybe if he pretended he was meant to be there, pretended that he still lived in the cottage, it’d make him feel a bit better? No, pretending was pointless, and wouldn’t stop a tremor from killing him. All he could do now was swallow his fears, for his sake and everyone else’s.

  The bus sped through the streets, smashing over tumbled buildings and debris. A crowd of Enforcers began to chase, but there wasn’t enough of them to make an impact, or even stand a chance against the armoured body, which was like stone against their batons. William smiled a satisfied smile.

  ‘We’re going to get away!’ shouted Ori, kicking William’s seat.

  ‘Watch it, mate!’ said William, jokingly. He looked out of the caged window. The eastern walls of the town were coming up.

  The east gate stood no chance, smashed to pieces by the armoured bumper of the bus. They were finally out of Kentvale and speeding through the countryside, which William hadn’t seen in months. Much had changed. The healthy green had faded to a dull brown, and nothing but twisted bracken remained in the murk of the landscape. If Kentvale had been bad, then this was nearing hell.

  ‘There’s nothing left, it really is a wasteland,’ said Althea, taking his thoughts and putting them into words. ‘It looks like the land’s been set on fire… Have tremors really done this?’

  ‘Tremors wouldn’t cause fires in the countryside,’ William said, shaking his head. ‘Terrafall must have burnt everything to stop the Scavengers and bandits.’

  ‘There are still pockets of life, don’t worry. You just have to find them. Terrafall has developed a nasty taste for burning things,’ said Ichabod, cranking the engine harder. ‘The power plant is only a few miles from here, built in the hills to the east.’

  A thin layer of ash and incinerated life stretched across every vista. William wished he didn’t have to see this. There was nothing left. The broken road weaved through the loose debris, tossed up by an untameable wind. Fissures dotted the ground, and they had to swerve to avoid them, almost flipping over a couple of times.

  ‘Whoa, we were nearly goners then,’ said Ichabod, spinning the wheel frantically in no clear direction. ‘And look, there’s that wretched Pit!’ He pumped the accelerator manically.

  William tried to avert his eyes. It wasn’t the best thing to see when he was trying to forget about the mess that surrounded them.

  ‘What is it?’ asked Ori, face pressed against one of the smeared windows.

  ‘It’s a jail, well more like a dungeon. That’s why it’s called The Pit. The bunkers everyone hid in during the war were turned into it,’ Althea said, shuddering.

  ‘And there’s the power plant, behind it,’ Ichabod declared, still driving like a lunatic.

  William couldn’t help himself and looked up. A huge, heavily patched-up building scarred the landscape. The power plant’s rusted metal walls were built into the hillside, and its soot-stained chimneys poked out of the skewed roof, filling the air with thick, lung-scorching smoke.

  The ground shook, but Ichabod managed to keep the bus on the road, pulling into a secluded rocky outcrop at the side of the power plant. The bare, harsh rocks looked perfect in their positions, at home unlike them. William knew there was no point in pretending he still lived in the cottage now. This place had changed so much. It was no longer home. They were aliens, he decided. They didn’t belong here anymore.

  ‘This is where you get out, William,’ said Ichabod, pulling out the map and pointing at the main gates. ‘Go there and present your pass. Remember my instructions. Follow the arrows to the circled exit.’

  William nodded. ‘Got it,’ he said, taking the map from Ichabod. ‘I’ll try to be quick.’

  ‘Oh, and take this.’ Ichabod passed him a black jacket. ‘It’s got the Taser in it. Push its button and it’ll send out a shock. Use it if you need to, but remember, the batteries have a limited charge. They won’t last too long. Good luck.’

  Althea jumped up and hugged William, squeezing him tightly. ‘Be careful. You can do this; just think of your mum.’

  ‘Alright, I think. Here goes…’ William stepped off the bus and made his way out from behind the sheltered rocks, running towards the huge wrought-iron doors. The mere sight of them made him quake, but the memory of his mother’s loving face suddenly hit him and he carried on, determined.

  Chapter 8

  Into the Furnace

  The doors opened, the chain mechanism clattering into the empty landscape. William’s knees shook, but he pushed himself forward. As expected, a guard appeared, holding out his hand. William pulled out the work pass, and the man tipped his filthy, blue cap, taking hold of it.

  The man regarded the work pass, glaring at the small plastic card and then back to William until finally he said, ‘Where did you get this?’

  William’s throat became dry. ‘Err–I…’

  ‘Spit it out boy. I haven’t got all day.’

  ‘Both my parents, they… they died. So I went to some people at Terrafall and told them what happened. They gave me this and told me to come here, said they’d look after me. I’ve been walking for ages.’

  The man tapped the work pass on his knuckles. ‘Yeah, yeah, I hear that story a lot. Shame. Report to Sector Two for briefing,’ he said, indicating the gloomy entrance hall. William was unsure if the guard was trying to convey genuine sympathy, or if he was simply entertained by the encounter. ‘Good luck,’ he finished, not waiting for William’s reply.

  William took a step forward.

  ‘Hang about.’

  William felt as if his legs were about to liquefy. Crap, had the man guessed he was lying? He tried to control his breathing and turned around slowly, fists at the ready. He couldn’t risk being found out now; he’d have to try and fight. He gulped, hands shaking.

  But the man was smiling. ‘You’ll need this,’ he said, passing back the work pass. ‘Jeez, you look like you’re about to be sick, boy. Make sure you get far enough away so I don’t have to clean it up. Go on, off with you then.’

  William shoved the work pass into his pocket and swallowed nervously. Thank God! Running down the hall, he found a quiet corner and pulled the map out of the pocket of his new jacket. Sector Two was very close to the emergency exit he needed to open. His luck was changing. He ca
rried on through the hall, feet padding on the steel floor. There was nothing to the place, just metal. It was like being in one of those freight containers.

  ‘Crap, this is scary,’ he whispered, to himself. The wound on his forehead began to bother him, itching like crazy, but he tried to ignore it and pushed on.

  Ahead was a set of stairs. He looked for it on the map and saw it led up to Sector Two. As he progressed, the air became warmer and water dripped from the pipes that snaked up the walls. There was also a dull clunking sound that seemed to time itself to his heartbeat. He tried not to think about the orphans who, unlike him, were stuck in this place.

  He lowered his head when a group of half-starved boys slogged past him. God, how could Terrafall do this? These kids had lost everything, they’d lost their families, and they had no one. They’d come here under the impression that they’d be rewarded for their hard work with food and comfort. This was a new kind of slavery, and William felt Terrafall’s sinister vibe more strongly than ever.

  Did these horrible working conditions support the notion that Terrafall might be involved with the abductions? The link they’d found in Archive Row implied it, but they needed more evidence to prove it.

  These thoughts pushed him on. The image of his mother in awful conditions like the orphans was not something he wanted to think about.

  William stopped at the turn-off to Sector Two, looked left then right to make sure no one was coming, and ran quickly towards the steel door that doubled as an emergency exit. He looked at the map again, just to check the door was the right one.

  He knocked three times. Three knocks sounded back. He glanced around once more, making sure everything was clear, and then pushed down on the bar, releasing the door from its hinges.

  Two faces peered in at him.

  ‘Are we good to go?’ whispered Ichabod, cane held in front of him.

  William nodded.