A Place Called Perfect

by Helena Duggan

  “William it’s been a long time,” Edward shouted, addressing his brother from his place on the bench.

  “I’m sure you’ve missed me Edward,” William smiled.

  All eyes were on the brothers face off. Not a soul paid heed to the small band of children who fiddled with a strange machine and jars of coloured gas at the other end of the square. Hurriedly, Violet poured seven more imaginations.

  “Of course. You’re my favourite brother. I hope I’ve told you that before,” Edward continued.

  “Eh, I thought I was…”

  “George,” Edward snapped, silencing his taller twin, “anyway we are impressed, somewhat, with your little rebellion William, but it’s time to call a halt. You don’t want anything to happen to poor old mother do you?”

  “Old!” Iris spat, “Edward Archer, I could give you a seeing to when you were a boy and I can still do it now!”

  Edward reddened round the ears.

  “You have Macula!” William shouted, louder than necessary.

  Edward looked at George who shrugged.

  “Yes I know about her Edward and all this time you made me believe she was dead.”

  The crowd behind William hissed and shouted, swelling forwards towards the Watchers. Alerted by the noise, the people of Perfect began to open their doors. The plan was working.

  “Oh perfect, we have an audience,” William smiled, looking around.

  As the brothers continued their banter, Boy with the help of some orphans lifted the Reimaginator. Madeleine had given Violet all the information she needed, so she knew who lived in every home. Silently she beckoned Boy over to a man standing perplexed on his doorstep.

  “Billy Doyle,” she whispered.

  Boy pressed the button and a shot of purple gas flew from the machine up the unsuspecting man’s nose. Just like the others he fell to the ground asleep. Violet pointed at another man and the scene repeated. Soon people were falling asleep all over the street. Quickly they filled and refilled the Reimaginator. They were making their way slowly through the street when a lady spotted the group. Eyeing the sea of unconscious bodies she let out a bloody scream.

  “They’re killing us, they’re killing us!” she roared.

  Violet froze. All eyes, Edward and George Archer included, turned towards them.

  “What!” Edward roared furiously, spying his sleeping flock.

  “Attack!” William Archer shouted, seizing upon the confusion.

  Following his lead, the army of No Mans Landers raced screaming towards the stunned and silent Watchers. The crowd of tool wielding, ragged people charged towards their captors, the years of exile etched on their faces. Anger burned through their eyes.

  “Violet, Violet. Come on. We still have a job to do!” Boy roared, shaking his frozen friend.

  Her body woke. The streets were manic as Watchers were sparring against locals and once sleeping Perfectionists rose from their slumber to join the fight. The unchanged were not hard to spot standing still amidst the chaos. Violet ran straight for a woman just metres away.

  “Sinead Cribits,” she roared, pointing at the lady.

  “I have her, I have her,” one of the orphans shouted running forward to fill the Reimaginator with murky gas.

  Within seconds Boy pushed the button and Sinead was unconscious. Violet fought her way through the sea of battling bodies to point at another Perfectionist. The jars of imagination were dwindling. Their plan was working. More and more waking bodies pulled themselves up from the ground to join the No Mans Landers.

  Violet was pointing at another stunned onlooker when Boy roared and his body collapsed to the ground. George Archer loomed large above him.

  “Think you’ll take Perfect?” he smiled, a golf club hung loosely by his side, “not without this machine you won’t!”

  The tall twin took a swing at the Reimaginator. Glass flew through the air in all directions. Boy crawled away helpless as William Archer’s machine was smashed to smithereens.

  “And you, you’ve been the bane of this place from the beginning,” George Archer spat.

  He raised the golf club above his head and strode towards Boy. Violet’s friend had just fumbled up onto his feet when George Archer brought the club down on his back once more.

  “No,” Violet roared, running blindly for the giant.

  Anger pulsed through her veins; she bared her teeth and bit deep into George Archer’s hand. The taller twin screamed dropping his weapon.

  “You nasty pest!”

  He grabbed Violet by the hair and pulled her close enough to smell his stinking breath.

  “I’m gonna make you watch while I pulverize your friend.”

  Violet squirmed in his grasp as George Archer bent to pick up his club.

  “Who knew playing golf would come in so useful? I have a great swing, everyone in the club says so,” he smiled, dragging Violet over to where Boy lay, “I often wonder: if a golf ball could, would it scream when I hit it?”

  Violet cried out as the club crashed towards Boy’s head. Suddenly she was shunted sideways and hit the ground with a painful thud. There was a struggle beside her. Quickly she crawled away to where Boy laboured onto his knees.

  “What happened?” Boy asked, “I thought he’d kill me. I thought I was dead.”

  “It’s William,” Violet gasped, “he saved you. He saved us.”

  William Archer wrestled his older brother on the ground just metres away. Violet pulled her friend off the road to the relative safety of the footpath. For a moment they rested gathering their breath amongst the madness.

  The fight was in full flow. The people of Perfect and No Mans Land fought side by side against the Watchers. They were winning the battle. Woken up to their new reality, adults and orphans fought like warriors.

  “Violet,” Boy said, dragging her attention away, “Look!”

  Edward Archer stood solemn at the other side of the square. The stocky man watched in horror as his dreams crashed down around him. Suddenly, his gaze fell on William and George exchanging blows. His face changed. With swift and purposeful movement, he disappeared down a side street.

  “He’s up to something,” Boy said, rising gingerly to his feet, “we have to follow him.”

  CHAPTER 34

  Choices

  Boy spoke with certainty, and though Violet didn’t want him to be, he was right. They had to split up.

  “We don’t know what direction he’s gone Violet,” Boy said, speaking quickly, “it’s either the shop or the Ghost Estate. I’ll go to the shop if he’s not there I’ll meet you in the estate, okay?”

  Violet nodded though chasing after Edward Archer alone wasn’t on her list of favourite things.

  “I know you’re scared but we have to do this. It’s for them,” Boy said, pointing to the mayhem, “and for William and for your parents. You want them to be safe; you want them back don’t you?”

  “Of course,” Violet snapped.

  “Well then come on,” he said, pulling her onto her feet, “Go through No Mans Land. Just find out what he’s up to. Whatever you do don’t approach him. He’s probably gone to the shop anyway so you won’t have to worry about meeting him.”

  “And what about you? What if you meet him?”

  “I’ll be fine,” Boy smiled.

  Violet waited as her friend crossed the square ahead of her. She was just dodging the fist of a Watcher when Boy turned and called her name.

  “Violet. Be safe okay?”

  She could manage was a nod, anything else would break her voice and she wasn’t crying in front of Boy. Shaking off her nerves, Violet turned on the spot and raced towards No Mans Land. Guilt ate her up as she ran through the deserted streets. She didn’t wish Boy luck or safety. What if something happened to him? He was her best friend.

  Suddenly there was movement ahead. She stopped. A short, stout figure passed through the barbed wire gates into No Mans Land. Edward Archer. It was too late to run back and get Boy. It was up
to her now. She had to follow him.

  No Mans Land was empty. The streets were a mess, as if every soul suddenly dropped what they were doing to evacuate the town. Like a warm seat when someone’s just left.

  Edward Archer moved as fast as his fat figure could through the claustrophobic alleyways, coming to a halt in the middle of a particularly dingy street. Although all of No Mans Land was in disrepair this place had to be one of the worst. Every window on every home was broken and rubbish piled knee deep along the edges of the street. A rat scampered over Violet’s foot stopping to nibble on her big toe nail. Horrified, she kicked the creature away.

  Holding her nose, she crouched down behind a bin of rotting nappies as Edward Archer disappeared inside one of the derelict buildings. Flies that had been enjoying a feast of moldy baby poo now swarmed round her face. A skull and crossbones and the words “The Everything Evil Shop” were graffitied on the battered iron door William disappeared behind. Torn and tattered posters patterned the shop front with headlines like Passion for Poison? or Mad about Murder? Violet’s heart pounded. What could Edward Archer want from a place like this?

  A few minutes later, the door screeched round it’s hinges and Edward Archer returned to the street. He was carrying a small, slim object barely visible through the barrage of flies.

  “Oh you pretty Pistol,” he smiled, stroking the long black neck of the deadly metal.

  Violet panicked. Edward Archer had a gun! She lost her balance against the bin causing it to rattle. Edward swiftly shoved his purchase into his pocket and looked around the empty street. Violet ducked further down and waited. Droplets of sweat ran down her forehead.

  His suspicions taken by a rat running out from behind some bins, Edward continued his journey. Violet followed a safe distance behind as he passed back through the alleyways and out into the main square of No Mans Land. He then took off in the direction of the Ghost Estate.

  How was she going to stop him? He had a gun! What was he doing with a gun? Suddenly something caught her eye. A swish of material. A flower pattern forgotten until now. She stopped dead and turned. Rose Brown stood in the middle of the empty road. The base of her flowery skirt swung round her ankles. She moved nervously from foot to foot.

  “Mam,” Violet whispered, her voice trembling.

  Rose didn’t answer.

  “Mam,” Violet said, running to her mother side, “Mam, what are you doing here?”

  “Oh I’m sorry. Were you speaking to me young girl? I thought you were addressing your mother. I suppose

  I am the only one in this strange little place,” Rose Brown replied, looking sheepishly around.

  “Mam! Mam please, it’s me,” Violet choked, her voice breaking.

  “I’m sorry, I think you’re a little confused.”

  “You can’t have forgotten me already. You can’t Mam. Please! I only left a few days ago.”

  Her mother eased away from Violet.

  “I don’t know how I ended up in this place,” she stuttered, turning her back on her daughter, “I was walking towards town and I saw those pillars. I’d never noticed them before. Isn’t that odd? They are quiet huge…”

  “It’s No Mans Land Mam. It’s where I’ve been. I’ve missed you so much…”

  “Please little girl,” Rose interrupted, “I’m not comfortable with you calling me your mother. Have you hit your head dear? Maybe it’s this place. It is very confusing. Come on I’ll bring you back to Perfect and help you find your parents.”

  Violet searched her mother’s face for some recognition, something that told her the last ten years had not been forgotten. Rose moved further backwards away from her daughter.

  “Do you happen to know how to get out of here? I have to get to the shop; ran out of eggs you see. You can’t make Madeira cake without eggs,” she laughed nervously.

  “I’ll get William,” Violet said suddenly, “That’s what I’ll do. I’ll get William. He’ll fix the Reimaginator and then he’ll fix you. I have your imagination Mam. I left it in Iris’s.”

  “I think you’ve banged your head dear. Anyway it was lovely to meet you but I must be on my way.”

  “I can help you get out of here,” Violet shouted, quickly incase her mother ran away, ”Please, please, follow me.”

  Her mother looked around cautiously and after a little hesitation followed her daughter. They were just passing through the square when a loud bang shook the streets. Violet and Rose jumped in unison.

  “My goodness that sounded like a gun shot!” Rose gasped, her hands cupping her mouth.

  It had to be Edward! Boy, her Dad, Macula, William, Violet was about to abandon them all. Finding her mother had pushed them from her mind.

  “Mam,” she said, quickly changing her tone, “you have to stay here. There’s trouble in Perfect. I have to go but I’ll be back for you. I promise.”

  “I’m not your mother little girl. Please stop calling me that!”

  “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Violet stuttered, thinking on her feet, “its em…it’s the Archers. They asked me to find you. They said you make the best…em…the best Madeira cake in Perfect. They want you to make some for a party they’re having…”

  “A party, how wonderful. Why didn’t you say so sooner little girl. We must get going then. I really need those eggs now,” Rose said, walking towards the gates.

  “No!” Violet shouted, “No they said to wait here. They are getting the eggs delivered here. The shop is closed for Christmas.”

  “Closed for Christmas but it’s only September?”

  “Oh Christmas is early this year,” Violet said, pulling over an abandoned crate, “Sit here and don’t move until I come back. The Archers are very excited.”

  “Okay but make sure and hurry back with the eggs won’t you?”

  Violet nodded then sprinted down the road Edward Archer had taken just a short time earlier. She passed through the streets at bullet speed and without hesitation ran headlong into the Ghost Estate. The place was still glacier cold but the sadness didn’t affect her. Her heart and soul were on fire. She was going to save her family.

  CHAPTER 35

  Edwards Escape

  A little into the estate Violet slowed her pace. Edward Archer was about. She was nearing Macula’s house when another shot ripped the air. Suddenly the place was filled with the cry of a thousand screeching babies. The eye plants had woken. Goose pimples dimpled her skin. Just then two figures emerged from the fog ahead walking through the park in her direction. She ducked down by one of the half built walls.

  Edward Archer pushed Eugene Brown roughly across the grass. Her father’s weakened body stumbled on several occasions as he tried to keep up with the twin’s brisk pace. Her usually strong father was now feeble. She turned away, plunged her fingers deep into the loose earth and gripped the soggy soil. Her body shook with the pressure of an inner scream. From Boy she’d learned the art of timing. If she acted now any chance would be lost.

  “Faster Eugene!” Edward Archer roared, “We have to get out of here. That blasted brother never could keep to his own business.”

  “I can’t move any faster,” Eugene Brown coughed, tripping over a tuft of grass, “I need food.”

  “I fed you last week! Now move it or it’s your eyes I’ll be stealing next.”

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Somewhere else; I’ll create my own Perfect where William won’t find me.”

  “What about my family? You promised they’d be okay.”

  “Oh they are Eugene. Well your wife is at least. She’s perfect. As for that daughter of yours, I left her in the middle of a battle with any luck a Watchers squashed her.”

  “Violet’s fighting back? I knew it. She’s braver than all of us.”

  Her father’s voice was weak. He was standing on Macula’s lawn just metres away, a broken man. She had to do something. Suddenly Violet was on her feet.

  “I’m here! I’m here Dad!”

 
Eugene Brown turned to face his daughter. All weakness left him and he ran. Wrapping her in his arms he held Violet tighter than ever before. All her bravery fled and she collapsed into him, a kid again.

  Another shot cut the night. Eugene shoved Violet behind his back and turned to face Edward. The stocky twin pointed his pistol at the pair. His cocked arm shook as he stared in hatred.

  “Eugene. GET.BACK.HERE!”

  “You’ve had your day Edward Archer. I won’t let you take my family from me,” her father’s voice was strong and steady like it used to be.

  “I don’t want your stinking family, they can go to hell as far as I care. I only need you!”

  Edward’s eyes bulged from their sockets.

  “You can’t have me. You’ve taken enough.”

  “I can have whatever I want. I have a whole town at my finger tips.”

  “Had,” Violet shouted, sneaking out from behind her father, “the town is not yours anymore. William saved it!”

  Something moved in the upstairs window of the house. A shadow passed by the pane, rested for a moment then pulled back into the room. It was Macula Archer.

  “William is better than you’ll ever be,” Violet roared, drawing all attention towards her.

  “Oh William, William, William, the prodigal son. Everybody loves William. Well he can take Perfect if he wants but I have Macula!” Edward laughed.

  “You kept her prisoner,” Violet shouted, loud enough for Macula to hear, “You told her lies, made her believe William was dead when he’s not!”

  “You better learn to shut your mouth little girl!” Edward’s voice was full of venom.

  Macula silently prized open the window. Eugene had seen her now too.

  “Just go Edward, we won’t try to stop you. Perfect is gone. The game’s over,” he said.

  “Not without Macula!”

  “She doesn’t love you!” Violet roared.

  “I will not leave without Macula! William took my mother from me, but who wants that old bat anyway! He took my friends too, they were a bunch of brainless buffoons - but then he took her and she was meant to be mine! I loved her. I still love her and you Browns are not going to stop us being together!”