Toxic Treacle

by Echo Freer

  Love and compassion and desire had overwhelmed him and he’d thought he might explode with the intensity of his emotions.

  He looked into her eyes now, even more beautiful framed by her fragile features and wispy hair. He shook his head. ‘You first: how was your interview?’

  She shrugged. ‘OK - I think. I still find it hard to concentrate for long but they said they’d take that into consideration and let me know. And, by the time I start, I should be back to normal, so - who knows? Fingers crossed, eh?’

  ‘You’ll get in, no probs. Star student like you? You’ll be able to have your pick of unis.’

  ‘We’ll see. Anyway, tell me how you got on. What did the doctors say?’ Angel asked him.

  Monkey slipped his hand in hers and sat down on one of the new benches facing the river, pulling her down onto his lap. He sighed. ‘Not good.’ He looked out across the water so as not to meet her eye. He didn’t want her to see his sadness. ‘Looks like I won’t be able to play professionally.’

  ‘Oh, Mickey!’ Angel dropped her head on his shoulder.

  ‘No, it’s fridge - really. I knew what they were going to say, so it’s no big deal.’ Monkey put on a brave face, determined not to let her see his disappointment. The severity of the knee injury sustained at the time of his arrest had come to light at his trial for the Pro-academy when he’d failed the physical. But he’d still held out hope that he’d be given the OK in the end. He’d told no one the devastating news, not even Eric who’d arranged the appointment for him at one of the top clinics.

  They sat in silence for some time, the kaleidoscopic lights flickering on the water and the discordant tunes and squeals of laughter behind them in stark contrast to their mood.

  It was Angel who broke the silence. ‘You could get a second opinion. We could go up to the capital to one of the teaching hospitals and...’

  Monkey squeezed her hand. ‘Thanks, but there’s no point. It’s been playing me up since that bastard arrested me so I knew what was coming. Said I’d never be fit enough to ref professionally either.’ He took a deep breath, forced his mouth into a smile and turned his face to hers. ‘But they said I could probably train as a manager or coach if I wanted - and I could play social football.’ He tried to make light of it, ‘But, hey, it’s not like it’s the end of a dream or anything - I’ve still got you.’ He looked away so that Angel wouldn’t see his sadness.

  ‘And will you? Train as a manager?’ she asked gently, aware of the finality of the news he’d received.

  Monkey shrugged. ‘Dunno what I’ll do. It was all I’d ever wanted for as long as I can remember. I need to rethink my whole life plan.’

  ‘Well, not the whole of it - I hope.’

  She bent forward and kissed him on the lips. Monkey responded, pulling her to him and feeling her lips parting under his. He ran his tongue across hers and felt an involuntary pulse stir in his loins, as he so often did since the ‘vitamins’ had been withdrawn under The Unity Party. He pulled back and grinned sheepishly. Although he and Angel had often talked about breeding in the future, the legislation was still going through that would allow them to consummate their friendship and Monkey felt embarrassed that his body was such a giveaway.

  ‘You can’t get rid of me that easily,’ he laughed to try and divert her attention. ‘I love you so much, you’re gonna be in my life forever - like it or not!’ He pushed her forwards playfully. ‘Hey, who knows, now I’m never going to be a pro-footballer, maybe I’ll even go to uni with you?’

  Angel stood up laughing. ‘Why not? You are an urban legend, Michael Gibbon! I think that qualifies you to study Politics with the best of them!’

  He put his arm around her shoulder and they walked along the riverbank, towards the town. ‘Maybe I could study Law,’ he ventured. ‘Eric was talking about me going and working with him one day. We could be: Randall and Gibbon - Attorneys-at-law! Or, better still: Randall and Son!’ He ran ahead slightly then turned around and walked backwards, so that he was facing her. ‘You remember when we were in court and there were all those people in cravats - that could be me, eh?’ He pretended to be flicking a cravat between his fingers. ‘Actually, I think I’d suit a cravat. I’m sure Eric’s got one I could borrow.’

  ‘You’re such an idiot, Mickey!’ Angel laughed at him affectionately, then her face adopted a more serious expression. ‘How is it living with your Dad?’

  ‘Aw, it’s fridge! He’s all right, you know, old Eric. And he’s been seeing this nurturer recently, so he’s hardly ever at home - which means that I get his massive plasma-screen all to myself most nights, and he leaves me his card details to order in takeaways. Trevor comes round now and then but he’s heavily into that Zoë he met in the village. They’re going to go to uni together.’

  Tom and Jane were now living together openly, as were many other couples - whether they had bred together or not. Since the repeal of the Segregation Laws, cohabitation was being positively encouraged, especially where there were children in the household. Trevor’s girlfriend, Zoë, had had no compunction about moving in with him and his parents.

  Angel nodded and smiled. ‘And Penny? How’s she doing since Moni left?’

  Monkey took up his place by her side once more as they strolled along the towpath, holding hands. ‘Doesn’t say much. She comes over to Dad’s every few days but I think it hit her hard. She idolised Moni - God knows why!’

  ‘Moni was my friend, too, you know,’ Angel feigned offence.

  Monkey shook his head. ‘Do you hear from her?’ Not that he cared, but he thought he should ask out of politeness.

  ‘No. I doubt we’ll see her again. I was in hospital when she left but Sal said her nurturer moved them out under false IDs the day after the election. I felt a bit sad that she didn’t even come to say goodbye.’

  ‘All I can say is: you need to pick your friends more carefully!’

  ‘Hey! I picked you, didn’t I?’

  They continued with their easy banter as they walked back to town, stopping occasionally to kiss - as passionately as Monkey could bear without losing control. They kept a watchful eye out for marauding hoods. Although the opening up of the zones and the encouragement of co-parenting and discipline was being re-introduced, change did not happen quickly, and there was still a nucleus of pre-breeders who were out of control; roaming the streets causing trouble, albeit more vandalism than violence since the election.

  When they reached the Upper Bridge, Monkey began to guide Angel away from the river towards Moonstone Park where she still lived with Sally and her brother, Alex. Although Sally Ellison had traced the father of her children, Paul McFadden, an activist with P.A.R.E.N.T. in Wessex, he was now living with a different nurturer and had bred a new family. Angel and Alex were planning to visit mid-term in the autumn, if Angel was strong enough by then.

  ‘Where are we going?’ Angel asked.

  ‘You look knackered. I’m walking you home.’

  Angel looked disappointed. ‘I still haven’t seen where you live these days.’

  Monkey pointed to the large tower blocks at the other side of the river. ‘You see that block on the right? Well, Eric’s is right at the top.’

  ‘I meant from the inside,’ she smiled.

  ‘Oh - OK.’ Monkey looked uneasy. Although curfew had been abolished and there was free passage for anyone to enter any zone at any time of day or night, he’d never thought to invite her up to the penthouse as he did Trevor. ‘I don’t know if Eric will be in or not,’ he warned.

  ‘He won’t.’ Angel winked at him. ‘You know that nurturer he’s seeing? Well, she works with Sal and it’s all arranged.’ A knowing look spread across her face. ‘In fact, he’s likely to be out all night - if you get my drift.’

  Monkey swept her up into his arms and kissed her again. ‘You are one amazing woman, you kn
ow!’

  She pulled a packet of the newly available contraceptives from her pocket and shook them in Monkey’s face. ‘I thought, with the coast clear, it was about time we practised some pleasure not procreation! What d’you think?’

  ‘I think,’ he said with a huge grin, ‘I love you very much.’

  Epilogue

  In memoriam

  OBITUARY

  MICHAEL GIBBON

  Former Premier: celebrated as the father of modern society.

  Michael Gibbon was a reluctant politician despite being instrumental in the downfall of the Distaff Party and the exposure of their subliminal indoctrination regime known as T.R.E.A.C.L.E. at the age of only fifteen.

  As a youth, Gibbon’s ambitions to play pro-football were thwarted by a knee injury sustained during the civil unrest of the last century, so he followed a career in the Law, becoming a legal advisor to the British Football League and, later, sports advisor to the New Assembly. It was at his suggestion that competitive sport was reintroduced into schools, thus paving the way for his sons to follow his own personal dream of playing professional football.

  Tragedy stuck Gibbon when his life partner and childhood sweetheart, Angelina Ellison, the renowned politician, died of a brain haemorrhage, thought to be linked to injuries she sustained during the anti Segregation Law riots. They had four children together and her death devastated Gibbon. However, he was determined that her life should not be wasted and vowed to continue her work with the New Assembly. Gibbon gave up his job with the Football League and devoted his life to politics.

  Throughout his thirty seven years in the Assembly, Gibbon was known for his fairness and equality. He believed firmly that child-rearing should be a joint venture. Partners were encouraged to live and work together to raise their children, but, where this was clearly not possible, policies were implemented to ensure that the interests of the children were paramount, including the appointment of impartial advocates where parents could not agree. Legislation was also put in place so that providers who refused to attend school or medical meetings or engage with their offspring were fined through the National Maintenance Fund. But, likewise, nurturers who wilfully tried to prevent providers from being involved, received no State funding, as they were deemed to have been damaging their children’s emotional wellbeing. In the early days of his leadership, it was not uncommon for nurturers who repeatedly broke these agreements, to be sentenced to a period of residential parenting, so that they would fully appreciate the importance of a balanced upbringing.

  It was Gibbon’s belief that learning to appreciate any given situation was essential to fulfilment and happiness. To this end his leadership brought about widespread reforms in the education system with the introduction of REG, Respect, Esteem and Gratitude classes to the curriculum for all ages from pre-schoolers upwards. Healthy competition was reintroduced as a means of achieving excellence and inter-regional contests for Sport, Art, Music and Dance were used to cross zones and help to break down the areas once known as hoods. As a result, the crime levels dropped dramatically and the gang-warfare that pervaded the streets in the middle of the last century is now a thing of the past.

  It was Gibbon who also implemented the widespread road regeneration programme and encouraged personal carriage ownership with solar and hydro-powered vehicles thus offering the ordinary person the freedom to travel and boosting the almost defunct tourist industry.

  Gibbon’s reforms were used as a model for other countries and adopted throughout the western world. They heralded one of the longest periods of peace in modern history. He has left a legacy of respect across the globe and will go down among the greats of British politics.

  After the death of Ellison, his name was never linked to anyone else. He is survived by his four children, twelve grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

  Michael Gibbon, Politician and lawyer. Born 7th April 2037: died 31st January 2123

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank the following people for their advice, patience, expertise, time and all-round support while I was writing Toxic Treacle:

  My long suffering agent, Caroline Montgomery of Rupert Crew Ltd, for having faith in me and this book through its many, many re-writes; my fellow authors: Michelle Lovric and Nick Green for their help with a number of specific difficulties I encountered, as well as Diana Kimpton for her book ‘Cracking Codes’; Craig Orr Q.C. for his advice on the legal system, Lynda Sinclair and Kameran Dhillon for painstakingly proofreading the manuscript for me, Claudia Pellegrini for her insight and, finally, my husband Frank and children, Imogen, Verien and Jacob for their unswerving support through the rough and the smooth.

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