The Eternal Community

by J Meverington

  Then Martin removed some bad memories. Again, the changes were subtle, and he found he could think clearly for the first time in years. He knew something bad had happened to him as a child, but he couldn’t recall it, no matter how hard he tried.

  After a while, Martin added some behavioural cells. That was fun. Charles had gone from having a thick Brooklyn accent to speaking and acting like an upper class gentleman. Some false memories had also been downloaded so Charles would think he came from an upstanding family.

  Something else Martin had been experimenting on was a persuasive cell. It allowed the host to persuade their victim to do what they wanted and that was the most fun of all. Charles used it to his advantage, being able to persuade people to do exactly as he wanted. He had his pick of the girls, but he always got bored with them after a while.

  Before Alice, he’d had three serious girlfriends in his time as Charles. He’d been able to persuade each of them to move in with him, but after a while the effects seem to wear off and they eventually stood up to his controlling ways. Sadly, all of them met an unfortunate accident where they became disfigured and scarred for life. He figured if they didn’t want to be with him, then nobody else should have them. After the third failed relationship, he decided not to get involved seriously with any more women. To remind himself, each night he drank three vodka shots at any bar that took his fancy. Each shot represented a failed relationship.

  Martin, however, always had jobs for him to do, to test how the experimental downloads had worked. Some of the jobs were not pleasant, but he earned good money, so he went along with it. There appeared to be a problem with the computer program though, as the applied effects were not always permanent.

  Martin had been working with a computer expert when he died in a car accident. At the time, Charles had been relieved, thinking he’d seen the last of him. He got to keep his Manhattan apartment and he had millions of dollars saved in his bank account.

  Then, after five years of doing as he pleased, he received a phone call for his next job. It sounded easy enough; all he had to do was to keep Alice hidden from her father, Damion Parker. It had to be done seamlessly though, so her friends wouldn’t suspect anything, so he came up with the idea of making her fall in love with him. It wasn’t such a hardship as she was rather attractive.

  Charles had been warned that Damion liked to snoop, and how he’d uncovered the original purpose of the Community. There were other secrets he did not yet know about and it had to be kept that way. It would not look good on him if Damion foiled the download of Martin’s brain into his host.

  Charles shuddered at the thought of the poor boy losing his personality. The thought of being Martin Bickford-Smith sent a wave of disgust through him; he was thankful that he hadn’t been chosen for that job.

  The only problem Charles could see with Alice meeting her father, was if Damion stumbled onto the real reason for her parents’ death. That could carry serious consequences for him.

  Chapter 43

  Dave and Alice arrived at Heathrow and hopped in a car that Damion had organised for them. Excitement bubbled away in Alice’s stomach at the thought of meeting her father, hoping this might be the beginning of a new life for her. They had a reasonable run into London and arrived at the Community Bar in under an hour.

  They entered and were greeted with a cheer and a warm welcome. The place had been decorated with balloons and a large ‘Welcome Allie’ sign hung above the bar. A tall man, dressed all in black, strode towards them, his persona screaming confidence. Was this her father?

  He held out his hand. ‘Welcome Allie, it’s nice to meet you at last.’

  She shook his hand, the process feeling too formal. But what is the etiquette when meeting your father for the first time at twenty-three years of age? Should she hug him?

  ‘Has Doofy been looking after you?’ he asked.

  ‘Doofy?’

  ‘Yeah, the ugly fella standing next to you. Also answers to the name of Dave.’

  Alice looked at Dave and laughed. ‘Your name’s Doofy? That’s hilarious!’

  ‘It’s a nickname from school, nobody calls me that now, except for this big oaf here.’

  Alice giggled again.

  ‘So, what can I get you guys to drink?’ Damion asked.

  ‘Corona please,’ Doofy said.

  ‘Make that two,’ Alice added.

  ‘You’re in one of the best cocktail bars in London and you guys want a Corona?’

  ‘Sorry Damion, but don’t think I could stomach anything stronger after a long haul flight,’ Doofy replied.

  Damion fetched three Coronas from the fridge, flicked the lids and popped a wedge of lime in each of them. He led them to a private room. Alice felt as though she had been transported to the seaside. In front of her was a beach, with real sand and actual water which extended to a painted sea view. Above her shone what appeared to be a bright blue sky, but it was only painted and lit up to look like a sky.

  ‘Wow, this is amazing!’ she said.

  ‘Welcome to the beach,’ Damion said. ‘Take a seat.’

  They sat on deck chairs that were laid out on the sand. A warm breeze wafted across them from some hidden fans in the wall while seagulls squawked in the background.

  ‘Did you have a nice flight?’

  ‘Yep, slept most of the way,’ Doofy said. ‘Thanks for flying us first class, I loved the flat beds seats.’

  ‘And we got pyjamas,’ Alice said, then took a large gulp of her drink. She felt nervous, not knowing what to expect. The conversation was too formal and stiff for her liking. Damion exuded confidence, but she couldn’t help noticing he seemed a little on edge.

  Damion smiled at her and she relaxed. ‘Another beer?’ he asked.

  Alice noticed she’d almost finished hers. ‘Oh yes please.’

  Damion came back with a bucket full of coronas, all with limes poking out of the top as you see at Mexican restaurants. ‘This should keep us going for a while.’ He smiled, exposing a set of perfect white teeth. Alice was surprised; she’d always thought the English had bad teeth.

  Doofy put his empty bottle down, then stood up. ‘You two have a lot of catching up to do. I shall leave you to it and go check in to my hotel.’

  Alice didn’t want him to leave, but didn’t want to appear rude, or needy, so she said nothing and watched him go.

  ‘You all right?’ Damion asked.

  ‘Yeah, just a little overwhelmed. It all seems a bit... weird don’t you think?’

  ‘A little. I still can’t believe I’ve found you and you’re actually my daughter. Perhaps you can tell me a little about yourself and your life.’

  ‘Where should I start?’

  ‘At the beginning would be great. I have a lot of catching up to do.’

  Alice told him about her childhood and how they lived in a Beverley Hills mansion with a swimming pool. She told him how loving her parents were and how until just recently she hadn’t realised she was adopted. She talked about the fateful day of their death, and being shipped off to her horrible uncle and aunt in Kentucky. She didn’t tell him too much about her awful life there, not wanting him to feel bad.

  When she spoke about her job in the grocery store, Damion butted in. ‘I met the lady who owns it. Mrs K she called herself.’

  ‘Really, when?’

  ‘I came looking for you and I’d managed to find out you’d once lived in Greengrass, Kentucky. Just by chance I popped into the grocery store for something to eat. That’s how I found out you’d gone to New York.’

  ‘Oh wow, they were such cool people, I loved them so much. How are they?’ she asked.

  ‘Only Mrs K was there. When she gave me a photo of you, she mentioned her late husband had taken it.’

  ‘Mr K’s dead?’ Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. A combination of jet lag, emotion and too many Coronas came pouring out in giant sobs. Damion took her in his arms and she let herself go, enjoying the comfort from her father.
After she’d finished crying, she sat back and apologised for being so pathetic.

  ‘Hey, don’t be silly. There’s been a lot for you to take in.’ He handed her a tissue.

  She blew her nose and did her best to regain her composure.

  ‘Poor Mrs K. I must give her a call. I feel so bad for not having kept in touch, but I was too scared to. I didn’t want anyone tracking me down from my old life.’

  ‘Hey, I’m sure she understands. She’s a lovely woman.’

  ‘Mr K, he was lovely too, always trying to get me to drink ouzo when I was underage.’ She laughed at the memory. ‘Hey Damion, do you think we could have an ouzo now, for Mr K’s memory?’

  ‘I think that’s a great idea. I’ll be back in a tick.’

  A moment later he came back with a tray of shots. He handed her one and took one himself.

  ‘To Mr K,’ he said.

  ‘To Mr K,’ she replied, and they downed their drinks in one gulp.

  ‘Another?’ he said.

  ‘Sure.’

  After the third shot they were the best of friends.

  ‘Allie, I felt so bad about my ex-girlfriend giving you up. I tried to stop her, but she just went and did what she wanted. I feel so, so bad I didn’t try harder.’

  Alice noticed a few tears rolling down Damion’s face. It was her turn to comfort him. ‘Hey, it’s not your fault. You were only seventeen. I would struggle to cope with being pregnant now, at twenty-three, let alone when I’d just finished school.’

  ‘I know, but it’s so sad your parents died, and you lived a terrible life with that uncle of yours. If only I had’ve known...’ His words trailed off.

  ‘Hey, it wasn’t that bad,’ she lied, ‘and it’s made me the person I am today. Imagine if I’d continued to be a spoiled brat, I could have grown up to be a horrible person. But I’m not, I’m nice!’ She smiled, trying to cheer him up. ‘And I’d never have met Mr and Mrs K. They were the only ones to remember my eighteenth birthday. They gave me this beautiful locket.’ She grabbed it out from under her shirt to show him. ‘I’ve got a photo of my parents in it, to hold them close to my heart, as Mrs K put it.’

  ‘That’s wonderful; can I have a look?’

  Alice snapped open the locket to show him the photo of her parents.

  He leaned in to take a closer look and his mouth dropped and his eyebrows narrowed.

  ‘These are your parents?’ he asked, deadly serious.

  ‘Yes, why?’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  She looked again at the photo in the locket. ‘Yes, of course I’m sure. Damion, what’s the matter?’

  He took another look and smiled. ‘It’s okay, they just look similar to some people I know. They’re obviously not, though, as the ones I know are still well and truly alive!’

  Chapter 44

  The photo in Alice’s locket concerned Damion. He told himself the alcohol had caused him to see things that weren’t there. It was probably a coincidence, but then he didn’t believe in coincidences. He needed a second opinion, so when Alice went to her hotel to freshen up, he called Terri and Josh. He needed to have a word with them privately before dinner.

  They arrived at five in the afternoon and Damion filled them in with his concerns. He was going to casually swing the conversation back to the locket, so Terri and Josh could also view the photo, just for his peace of mind.

  At 5.30, Doofy and Allie arrived and joined them in the cave for cocktails and canapes.

  ‘Allie, do you mind if I show Terri and Josh the photo in your locket? I want to see if they think the photo looks like our friends,’ he blurted, failing at the casual approach.

  ‘Sure,’ Allie said, unsure as to what was going on.

  She opened the locket and Josh viewed it first, ‘Nah, looks nothing like them. Were you drunk by any chance when you saw it?’ Josh teased.

  ‘Can I see?’ Terri asked, pushing Josh aside. ‘I can see a slight resemblance, but I think perhaps you need glasses, Damion. Your age is catching up on you.’

  Alice appeared to relax. ‘Well thank God, you had me worried that my parents were still alive somewhere and had left me because they didn’t want me!’ She laughed, nervously.

  ‘I’ll grab another round of cocktails,’ Damion said.

  ‘I’ll help,’ Josh said, and left with him.

  ‘Well?’ Damion asked.

  ‘It’s them, no doubt about it,’ Josh replied.

  ‘Shit, shit and double shit!’ Damion cursed. ‘What the hell is going on? The poor girl thinks her parents have been dead for twelve years but they’re not. They’ve been living right under our noses. Josh, I don’t know what to do.’

  ‘Hey, don’t do anything just yet. Act cool. There’s nothing we can do about it right now. Let’s worry about it tomorrow.’

  A voice called out from behind them, ‘Hey what’s the big secret guys?’

  ‘Hey Doofy, business talk,’ Damion said, then ordered another round of cocktails.

  Doofy took Damion by the arm and led him away from Josh. ‘Dude, I know when something’s up. Is it to do with the photo of her parents? Is there a problem?’

  ‘Of course not!’

  ‘Well, something fishy happened in there. Don’t you dare hurt her Damion, she’s been through a lot. Just saying.’

  ‘Give me a break Doof, she’s my daughter.’

  Doofy glared at him, making sure Damion knew he meant business. Damion’s phone vibrated in his pocket, saving him from the Doofy stare. He answered it. ‘Hello, Damion speaking.’

  Camilla’s voice came on the line. ‘Damion, you need to come back.’

  He stepped away from Doofy for some privacy.

  ‘Camilla, I’ve only been back in London a short while and am reuniting with my daughter. I can’t come back just yet.’

  ‘Damion, it’s Leonora. You must come back before it’s too late. Bring Terri and Josh with you.’

  ‘What? What’s happened?’ he said, as panic seeped into his bones.

  ‘She’s not well and needs to see you all, so come as soon as you can,’ she said, then hung up.

  Fear spread through him as he walked back looking white as a sheet. Doofy was still standing there.

  ‘Mate, are you okay?’

  ‘It’s my partner, Leonora I have to go.’

  ‘When?’

  ‘Tomorrow.’

  ‘Oh no, sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do?’

  ‘Yeah, can you take care of Allie for me until I get back?’

  ‘Um... sure. But can’t you take her with you?’

  ‘No, there’s no room. Terri and Josh will be coming with me. Leonora is Terri’s mother.’

  ‘Oh-kaay, that’s news. Sure, I’ll stay here until you get back. I was going to go to Oxford to visit my parents anyway, so I’ll take Allie with me.’

  ‘Thanks Doofy, you’re such a good mate.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. You take care Damion.’

  Chapter 45

  The next day, Damion, Terri and Josh caught a flight back to the Community. They arrived to a morbid atmosphere. Camilla ushered them into the medical tent where Leonora lay, pale and gaunt. Damion and Terri raced to her side.

  She smiled at them, pleased they had come.

  Damion embraced her thin, bony frame. ‘Leonora, what’s happened to you?’

  ‘Cancer,’ she replied. ‘I’ve not been well for a while, but didn’t want to worry you.’

  ‘Are you going to be okay?’ Terri asked, already knowing the answer.

  ‘Yes, I’ll be fine. God will look after me.’

  Damion winced at the finality of her words. He didn’t believe in God, but he was thankful Leonora had faith that someone or something would take care of her.

  She took Terri’s face in her hands. ‘I’m so proud of you, darling, you’ve turned into a beautiful young woman. Keep doing what you’re doing, I know you’ll make a big difference out there in the world,’ she said, before pulling her
into a final embrace.

  She turned to Damion. ‘I fell for you from the moment I saw you, standing in the crowd, totally out of your comfort zone. Back then, I knew you were the one.’ She smiled at the memory.

  Tears pricked at his eyes. ‘I loved you the first moment I saw you too, banging away at your drums on the stage. Your beautiful green eyes captured me and drew me in. Please don’t leave me, Leonora.’

  ‘Sorry Damion, but I have to go. Please know I’ll continue to love you through all eternity, until we meet again. I’ll always be with you, in your heart.’

  Tears streamed down Damion’s face as he held her hand.

  ‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you. You should have told me.’

  ‘Shhh, don’t be sorry, it would have happened had you been here or not.’

  He gazed deep into her eyes. The vivid green had now turned a dull hazel.

  ‘I love you, Leonora, with all my heart. I’ll never forget you.’

  ‘Take care of Molly and Ben. Take them to London; let them meet their grandparents. I’d like you to do that.’

  ‘I will,’ he promised.

  ‘I’ve got to go now.’

  Damion nodded and stepped aside to let Camilla in. She was holding a syringe, a death potion. There was no point in Leonora suffering any longer. She’d requested to die with her family around her.

  Damion, Terri, Molly, and Ben held her tightly as Camilla injected the potion into her arm. Leonora dozed off for the last time.

  Chapter 46

  Leonora’s funeral was beautiful. They took her to the top of a hill overlooking the ocean, and laid her out on the grass. It was Leonora’s wish to give back to the land. The birds and bugs would feed on her body and the Earth would absorb her blood and bone. They planted wild flowers around her body as a shroud. She looked angelic laying there, at peace with the world.