Falling Water: A dystopian climate change novel

by Isa Marks

  “Technically she’s my older sister,” Murphy added, making Adrien slap him in the face.

  “God, you are lucky Doc wants you alive. If it were up to me all of you would have been floating in the water by now. But no, the big boss has a weak spot for survivors, lucky you. That doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun with you however.” His face turned from angry to a sinister smile.

  That’s doesn’t sound good, Murphy thought. They had tried for hours to get out of the cuffs and ropes, and nothing seemed to work. There was no way to overpower this guy. Maybe Daryl could have, but he still didn’t seem himself after being hit in the head. What was his little bony ass going to do against a guy twice his size? He stood no chance.

  He thought about grabbing the keys from Adrien’s key chain, but how was he going to open the handcuffs without him noticing? He would notice the missing key as soon as he tried to open the door anyway, because that key was on the same chain.

  Adrien sat on the edge of the table, picked up a plate and filled it with a big scoop of slimy mashed food from the large bowl next to him. He smelled it.

  “Well it smells better than it looks, who’d like a taste? The big boss ordered me to feed you after all, and if you remember the speech from before: If you behave you get pie, if you do not cooperate . . . well you get what you deserve. And guess what, that’s not pie.” He pulled the plastic spoon up, leaving a trail of goo hanging from it. He put back the spoon and picked up a plate of pie in his other hand, balancing the two up and down. “It’s your choice really.”

  “I think I already know which ones you’ll pick though,” he said. He stepped over the line of square light and dropped a plate of slimy mash in Murphy’s lap. “And pie for the little girl, right? That’s what I thought.” He took another trip to the table. “Round two, the big boy could use some carbs,” putting a plate of mash on Daryl’s knees. “And pie for the boy in row two, yes that seems right.” Adrien looked at him closely. Jake could not hold back his tears. Before Adrien could put down the plate he saw a wet spot forming in the boy’s lap, spreading slowly, dripping down the side of the chair.

  “Well I am known to have that effect on people, guess I’ll have to put in a request for new carpet today after all!” Adrien laughed.

  “You don’t think we’re actually going to eat this, do you?” Murphy said.

  Cathy gave him a stare, her eyes were big and questioning. What was he thinking, taunting Adrien like that, did he have a death wish?

  Murphy continued, “Who says you didn’t drug the food?”

  Adrien turned around and took a big spoonful of the mash on Murphy’s plate, put it in his own mouth and chewed while looking Murphy in the eyes.

  “You have serious trust issues don’t you boy, Daddy didn’t love you or something?” he said with his mouth full. He swallowed and went for the table again.

  “Third round, well this is a hard one.” He looked at the two girls, Cathy in the front and Faye in the back. He took two of the same plates, hesitated and put one back on the table. Then he picked a different one and walked towards the girls. “The back row seems more cooperative than the front row. You know what the Field’s like, I bet you don’t want to go back to that. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt.” He put the plate of pie in front of Faye, while leaving a plate of mash in Cathy’s lap. “I don’t trust people who hide and disguise themselves. No matter what the big boss says, I don’t think you will cooperate.

  “What are you waiting for? Eat!” Jake broke off a piece of the pie with his fingertips, trying to bring it to his mouth with his hands tied. It tasted salty from the tears that rolled down his cheeks. Moon followed his example silently, as did Cathy who tried to bring a spoonful of mash to her mouth.

  “Any chance you could take the cuffs off,” she tried, but Adrien just laughed as he leaned back on the desk. “Guess not,” she mumbled.

  She was brave, Murphy thought, she always had been. Adrien had apparently seen it too, since he gave her the mash instead of pie. He looked at Daryl, who hadn’t touched his plate yet.

  Adrien walked up to Daryl and took a closer look. He pulled his head up by his hair and looked in his bloodshot eyes. “You took quite a hit,” he laughed, putting a spoonful of mash in Daryl’s mouth.

  “I know how it feels, man. I remember being hit in the head like that, it was the day they brought me here actually. I was of course a lot younger, eight maybe, but I had been beat up pretty good myself. My group was under attack while searching for supplies in a nearby city. They told me to hide on the top floor of one of the buildings. I listened, got out of the boat and crawled into one of the towers.” He took a sip of water before continuing.

  “There was screaming, I looked out of the window and saw the boats sink, the people I was with were in the water, drowning. I couldn’t watch it and hid. Yeah, I was a weak little kid, just like you,” he looked at the back row, squeezing another spoonful in Daryl’s mouth. It got to him more than he expected, telling his story.

  “Next thing I remember I was on the top of the roof, I was being beaten by two men, they had found me too. I thought I was going to die, right then and there. I lay on the ground and from the corner of my eye I saw a glider flying.” He went to the table to get another cup of water, God he was thirsty.

  “They saved me,” he said loud, waving his arm in the air. “When I woke up I was here, in the Bunker. I looked pretty much like that big guy there.” He pointed at Daryl, who tried to chew with his bruised jaw, his head lifted slightly more than before.

  Daryl felt a bit better, but the light hurt his eyes. He had a concussion for sure.

  “If those guys from that glider hadn’t saved me, those people would have killed me, I’m sure of it.” Adrien’s eyes filled with tears.

  Murphy still sat there, he hadn’t touched the plate in front of him. His hands were in his lap, on top of the pocket of his blue joggers. He could feel the mushrooms, they were still there, although there were less than before. He had wondered how long it would take for them to kick in and show the first effects. And if it would be as strong as the mix Doc had given him. He observed the slight changes in Adrien’s behavior, the magic had started.

  “Are you sure they saved you?” Murphy interrupted. Adrien looked up, he had been staring in the distance quite a while, sobbing. “Well it’s just that it could be that those guys in the glider were with the same guys that attacked your people in the first place. Maybe they were working with the guys that hit you?”

  Cathy looked confused at Murphy and then at Adrien, who started sobbing more severely.

  “What are you saying?” Adrien said.

  “Well think about it, maybe they killed your people, like they killed ours.”

  “We don’t kill peepl, we downt kill pee... people,” Adrien said. He grabbed for the water again, emptying the jug in his plastic cup.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Cathy whispered to Murphy. He took one of the mushrooms out of his pockets and turned is between his fingers, showing her the magic little piece of nature responsible for Adrien’s strange behavior.

  “I drugged him,” he said with a cunning smile.

  She looked at him surprised. “You did what?”

  He raised his shoulders. “I couldn’t help it, the guy is so annoying.”

  CHAPTER 24

  THE WOLF

  “It sure is hot in here, isn’t it?” Adrien said. His heart pounded in his chest, drops of sweat formed on his forehead. “You wouldn’t lie to me would you?” He wiped the tears from his eyes and walked towards Murphy.

  “No I would never do that,” Murphy said. “I am your friend remember.”

  Adrien stared at him. “You’re my friend? You’re my friend. My friend yes, friends don’t lie to each other.” He touched Murphy’s hair, it was beautiful, he thought. The way the light touched it was magical, a bright golden yellow.

  “How long is he going to be like this?” Cathy asked Murphy.

 
“I’m not sure, hopefully long enough for us to come up with a plan. Let me try something.”

  He looked at Adrien who was still gazing at him and stroking his hair. “Adrien, friend. Can you uncuff me?” He lifted his hands to show him the handcuffs.

  “You are prisoners?” Adrien said. “What are you doowing out of your cell? I must return you immeliedly. Orders are orders.” He untied Murphy to take him back to the prison. He pulled him out of the wheelchair and pushed him toward the door.

  Murphy’s bony legs failed to support him, causing him to fall to the ground. He tried to break his fall with his cuffed hands, but it didn’t help much. He grabbed his ribs in pain and screamed.

  “No no no, the screaming,” Adrien said, while the tears started to flow in his eyes again. He stumbled back, away from Murphy and turned around. He stared at the wall as if looking through a window. In his head he saw the boats, his family, his friends going down in the waves. He crawled to the corner and closed his eyes. “Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop!”

  “God, this guy is killing me,” Murphy sighed. He tried to stand up but crashed back to the floor in screaming pain. He crawled back to the wheelchair instead. “Well, that didn’t work,” he said. “Any ideas?”

  “You’re hurting him Murphy, can you stop it, please?” Faye said.

  “I’m hurting him? Did you not see what he just did to me? And don’t forget he said he would have killed us if it were up to him.”

  “I know, I know, it’s just . . . you just shouldn’t, it’s not good.”

  “If we don’t want him kicking the hell out of all of us then maybe we should try a more positive approach.” Daryl mumbled.

  “Yeah,” Murphy said. “I tried that, you do it this time, let him drool all over your hair.”

  It took a while before Adrien looked back up, his dilated pupils focused on the ceiling light. He licked his lips another time and reached out with his hand. His hand moved in the air as he tried to touch the moving fractal pattern of colors above him. The world looked as if he was looking through a kaleidoscope. Like drifting on a cloud of love, so calming.

  Suddenly they heard movement at the door, a soft rattle of a key turning the lock. All six of them focused their attention to the door, all except Adrien who still stared at the light in amazement.

  Someone came in and locked the door behind him as fast as possible. He looked around the room and saw Adrien sitting in the corner, staring in the distance. He turned to the group in front of him. They were gesturing him to stay silent, so he tiptoed towards them.

  “Please tell me Doc didn’t send you?” Murphy whispered.

  “No,” Teagan said. “I overheard Doctor Miller talking to my father and ehm . . . well Cecilia convinced me to take Daryl’s advice and read the files in my father’s office. You know, believe what the facts say.” He crouched next to Daryl, who was smiling.

  The boy was smart, he had noticed that, but he hadn’t expected him to be brave as well. Especially brave enough to stand up against his own father.

  “You don’t look too good,” Teagan said, putting some painkillers in his hand. “Here, this will help with the pain.”

  “So you and Cecilia, I had no idea,” Murphy said, while he held his hands out in his direction. Teagan crawled over and uncuffed him.

  “Thanks, but that wasn’t quite what I meant,” he whispered while bowing his head closer to Teagan’s. He glanced at the pocket the pills had come from.

  “Sorry,” Teagan said, and gave him something for the pain. “And not just sorry for this . . . If I had known what I know now, what I read in those files, I wouldn’t have participated in Doctor Miller’s trials.”

  Those files were the proof that his father was not the man he had thought he was. He had given the okay for all those destructive projects that killed hundreds if not thousands of people. And even though it was possible that his father and Doctor Miller believed they were doing the right thing, saving the world even, he couldn’t let this go on.

  Adrien started to move toward them now. The over friendly smile on his face had made place for a serious frown. He was looking at Teagan, still crouched next to Murphy.

  “Well what do we have here?” he said in a military tone. He crept closer and closer to the two guys.

  “Mushrooms right?” Teagan whispered to Murphy, quickly putting two and two together.

  “Just returning the favor,” Murphy confirmed with a naughty smile.

  Teagan stood up as straight as possible. “Officer Wolf, please return to your post.”

  Adrien saluted with a “Yes Sir” and clicking of the heels before returning to the corner.

  “Wow, that’s quite impressive,” Murphy smiled.

  “Or I was just lucky,” Teagan answered. “The reactions are not predictable, you never know how it works out.” Pretending to be his father seemed a smart move, giving the order to Adrien, making him think it was an order from his boss.

  “Where did you get those keys?” Cathy said surprised.

  “I took the spare ones from Doc’s office. Fortunately they are universal.”

  “Well it’s easier than taking them from him,” Murphy pointed to Adrien who seemed restless in his corner. He was scratching his head, hiding his face behind his arms like a scared animal.

  “Wolf,” Adrien said.

  “Yes Officer Wolf, stand down,” Teagan tried talking to him in a calm voice.

  “Wolf, wolf, wolf . . .” Adrien repeated. He looked straight at Teagan. There was fear in his eyes. “Wolf!” he yelled, now pointing at him.

  Adrien’s voice sounded panicked. He ran to the chair and climbed onto it, then onto the table. He took some of the food and started throwing it at Teagan.

  “Wolves, get away from me.” He grabbed his baton and waved it around frantically. Everywhere he looked were wolfs now, the table was surrounded.

  Cathy helped Daryl to his feet and the six of them followed Teagan to the door, while carefully dodging the swings of the baton.

  “Can we leave him like this?” Faye asked.

  “That man is sick,” Moon said, “maybe we should lock the door so he can’t hurt anyone.”

  “I like the way you think girl,” Murphy said, gesturing Teagan to turn the key.

  “Okay, follow me,” Teagan said, removing the key from the lock. “If you want to get out, you better hurry.” He led them down the hall to the stairs.

  “Can we get down to the boats from here?” Daryl asked.

  “What? No way you can get out by boat at this time. They just returned from the Sea Farm, they are unloading most of the night.”

  Daryl grabbed his head. “Now what, do we have to wait all night?”

  “I have a better idea,” Teagan said and gave him a strange looking key.

  “Take the stairs up, to the aviation department. There are self starting gliders there. Just turn the key and press the green button. It’s simple really, the buttons are self explanatory.”

  They heard footsteps on the metal stairs far below.

  “Hurry, and keep out of sight.”

  “You’re not coming with us?” Cathy asked.

  “No, Cecilia and I talked about it and it seems we have quite a bit of work to do here,” he said smiling.

  Cathy hugged him and followed the others up.

  Murphy put his hand on Teagan’s arm and pulled him closer. “Thanks, friend,” he said, patting his back. His other hand slid in Teagan’s coat pocket, but it was empty. He didn’t find the pills he was hoping for.

  CHAPTER 25

  ISLANDS OF LIGHT

  Murphy dragged himself out of the wheelchair, pulling himself up on the railing of the stairs. It was a long climb to the top level. It felt like he had climbed a mountain, looking down from what was only the fourth level plateau. The footsteps on the stairs below them had disappeared. They were probably going to the interrogation room they had just escaped from.

  “It won’t be long before they find Adr
ien,” Daryl said to Cathy who was supporting his left arm. His head felt better, still walking did not go as fast as he would like.

  “You’re probably right. The guards will be looking for us soon. I hope Teagan made it out unseen,” Cathy said.

  “I hope so too, he’s a good kid. If his father finds out he’ll be in real trouble.”

  “Adrien will keep those guards busy for a minute.” Murphy laughed through his pain. The painkiller had settled in a bit but his ribs were still killing him. He could really use something stronger right now, if only he had his bag . . . His hand was on the mushrooms in his pocket, it felt so tempting, but he knew it was not a good idea to take those now. The last thing they could use was a bad trip slowing them down. Like the one they had just witnessed. He pushed his nail in the rubbery stem feeling the slimy substance on his fingertip. A good one however . . . Murphy tried to push those thoughts out of his head. He tried to focus his mind on the climb in front of him. They continued climbing the metal stairs up towards the door on the top level.

  “Shhh,” Daryl said.

  They could hear clanking on the stairs below them again, followed by a hard banging sound. There was talking and creaking voices on a walkie.

  “They know we’re gone.” Daryl said. “They must have found the wheelchair. We need to hurry, they’re coming up.”

  Faye put Moon down on the ground and opened the door to the Aviation Department. Before them was a long hall with doors on both sides. The offices were empty, leaving nothing but a weak red emergency light illuminating the hallway from above. Jake took Murphy’s right arm and wrapped it around his neck, his other arm around his bony waist. He dragged him down the hall as fast as possible. Moon ran out front and Faye helped Cathy support Daryl. The yelling on the stairs was getting closer by the minute. The six of them dashed through the double doors at the end of the hall.

  The cave like room in front of them was huge. It took a moment before Cathy could wrap her mind around it, leaving her standing breathless in front of the double doors. Before her was a gigantic flat open space. The smooth floor ran on and on and on, ending in a sudden abyss. Behind that was a magnificent view of twinkling lights in the dark sky. It was like they had hollowed out the entire top of the mountain. She gazed up, at the metal construction that was placed on the inside of the dome shaped ceiling, it reminded her of the greenhouse dome at the Farm. Would they ever find a place like home again?