Catch Me If I Fall

by Barry Jonsberg

  ‘You’re a sore loser, Delatour,’ came a voice from the back. Justin, a beefy kid with attitude who barely pretended to be interested in lessons. According to Charlotte he was going to inherit the family business and was just counting off the days until then. Mr Meredith had had trouble with him before.

  Aiden turned.

  ‘Not a sore loser, Justin,’ he said calmly. ‘Just trying to get the facts straight.’

  Mr Meredith, perhaps sensing that it would be a good idea to intervene, held up his hands for attention.

  ‘It’s a good point, Aiden,’ he said. ‘I should’ve said the highest official record. Should we do another tie-break question? Charlotte, would that be okay?’

  ‘Not necessary,’ said Aiden. ‘I’m happy that Charlotte’s won —’

  ‘Well, you sure don’t sound happy, Arseon.’

  Aiden turned back to Justin once more.

  ‘That’s enough!’ shouted Mr M, but things had gained a momentum by then that was always going to be difficult to stop.

  ‘Arseon?’ Aiden said. ‘That’s your wordplay on my name, is it, Justin? Impressive. And I know that no one else in this class could have come up with such a witty remark at such short notice.’

  ‘You being sarcastic?’

  ‘Enough!’ yelled Mr Meredith again. Aiden smiled. It was his calmness that unsettled me.

  ‘Justin,’ he said. ‘I’m delighted to see that you’re not letting an education get in the way of your ignorance.’

  ‘What?’

  My brother turned to the class. ‘Our classmate may look like an idiot and sound like an idiot,’ he said. ‘But don’t let that fool you. He really is an idiot.’

  That did it. The next thing, Justin had launched himself at my brother, who calmly side-stepped, punching him in the gut as he passed. And then all hell broke loose. Mr Meredith tried to come between them, other kids crowded to get a better look and I tried to squeeze through the scrum to help Aiden. When I finally got there, he was sitting on Justin’s stomach, his knees pinning the boy’s arms to the floor. His fist was raised to punch him in the face.

  ‘Aiden!’ I yelled, but I don’t think he heard me. Mr Meredith was holding on to his upraised fist, trying to stop it from descending. I went to the other side of my brother as he lifted his left arm. If he couldn’t punch with his good arm, then he was obviously going to use the other. I tried to do what Mr M was attempting. I held on to his arm, but I knew I wouldn’t have the strength to stop him. As it turned out, Aiden just twisted his fist and lashed backwards, catching me in the mouth. I felt the sharp tang of blood on my tongue and I fell back onto the floor, dazed.

  Aiden must have glanced behind him and seen what he’d done, because the next thing I saw was his face above mine.

  ‘Oh, my God, Ash,’ he said. ‘I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it was you. I’m …’

  But he didn’t get to finish and I didn’t get the chance to warn him. Over his left shoulder I saw Justin getting to his knees. His face was flushed with rage. He moved his right shoulder back and I tried to say something, I tried to tell my brother but it all happened so fast and it all happened so slow, maybe because of the knock to my head and the dizziness that resulted, but I saw the fist coming down and then I heard the sound of knuckles against bone and my brother’s eyes widened and then turned up into white and the last thing I knew was his dead weight on my body.

  The school nurse examined my face and said I’d got a cut lip and that I’d probably have bruising for a few days, but other than that there was no real damage. Once Mum had satisfied herself that I was basically okay, she quizzed Mr Meredith on exactly what had gone down. She’d already sent Aiden to the clinic in the car for yet another check-up on his head. He had come to within a few minutes and said he was all good, but naturally Mum wasn’t taking any chances and insisted he be given the all-clear by a qualified doctor, rather than a nurse. The school nurse had pursed her lips at that but said nothing. Aiden grumbled, but there was no reasoning with Mum and I couldn’t blame her. As I said to Aiden, there was no point taking a risk with his health. There had to be a good chance he’d got concussion and it was better to be safe than sorry. He just nodded at that and went meekly.

  I didn’t hear everything that Mum said to my teacher because they were locked in the principal’s study, but judging by the amount of time she spent talking compared to Mr M (the closed door kept most of the sound in – most, but not all), I reckoned she was unimpressed with the school’s track record of keeping me and Aiden safe. Getting over the fence to go to the park, then the disaster at camp and now this. I was worried Mum might not be so supportive of Mr M this time. I got the impression she thought once might have been accidental, twice was getting careless but three times was downright negligent. Anyway, I sat on a chair in the corridor and listened to the rumble of their voices, trying to make out the words but really thinking about my brother.

  I wished he’d stop getting himself in trouble. And look after his head. Was that too difficult? Apparently it was. I’d have a good talk to him about that when he got back from the clinic.

  The car returned and Mum and I finally drove home. She’d told Mr Meredith that we wouldn’t be in for the last day of school, all things considered. Mr M promised that Mum and Dad would get a copy of the incident report that he would compile and that, unfortunately, he couldn’t see an alternative to Aiden being suspended for some days next term. Of course, similar punishment would apply to the other boy involved. But Mum didn’t seem to care about any of that. I wondered if maybe we were destined for enrolment at a different school or even, God forbid, another round of homeschooling.

  Mum made me go over the whole thing once more on the ride back. I stressed that Justin had provoked Aiden and that it was Justin who’d started the fight.

  ‘But Aiden was going to finish it, by all accounts,’ said Mum. ‘He was trying to punch that boy in the face before you got involved. Is that a fair summary?’

  ‘Yeah, but …’

  ‘And he punched you, too.’

  ‘He didn’t punch me, Mum. His hand caught my mouth, that’s all. He was so upset when that happened. And that gave the other boy the chance to hurt him. He got punched in the head because he was trying to protect me.’

  ‘Hmmm.’ Mum just pursed her lips. But she stopped the questions and just stared out of the window for the rest of the trip. I was glad. My mouth hurt and I think one tooth was a bit loose, but I wasn’t going to complain. Anyway, it gave me time to worry about my brother.

  I had to tell the whole story all over again to Dad when I got home. Mum left me at the front door and drove off to the clinic to check on Aiden. I asked her to send him my love and she promised she would.

  I tried swimming a couple of laps, but I wasn’t in the mood and anyway, it wasn’t as much fun by myself. So I tried playing with Z, but he wasn’t in the mood for that. He just stared at the front door as if willing Aiden to walk through it.

  ‘Hey, mutt,’ I said. ‘What about me, huh? What about some loving for me?’

  But apparently there wasn’t enough to go around. I video-called Charlotte instead and she wanted to go over the whole fight again, so I pretended I had to go to dinner and got off the tablet as quickly as I could. Her hologram seemed disappointed when it puffed into nothingness.

  Mum got home about dinnertime. Dad had made a vegetable lasagne, but none of us were very hungry, so we picked at the food and left most of it. Mum normally wouldn’t let that happen, so I knew she was really worried. She’d told me and Dad that Aiden was being examined and that he’d be staying overnight at the clinic again.

  ‘He’s starting to spend more time there than here,’ I pointed out. I was trying to lighten the mood, but Mum and Dad didn’t say anything and just continued toying with their pasta. I asked if she’d sent Aiden my love and she said she had, but I think she must have forgotten because she didn’t look me in the eyes when she said it.

 
; I spent some time in the library before bed, but once again I couldn’t seem to concentrate. I wanted to video-call Aiden but Mum said he was under general anaesthetic and anyway, I knew that I was to leave him alone when he was in there. The mood in the whole house was pretty foul. At one point I heard Mum and Dad arguing in the kitchen. Their voices were raised, but it sounded like they were trying not to raise them and failing. I heard Dad say something about being devastated and I wondered if they were finally having that talk about him going back to work and if Mum was putting her foot down.

  None of my business, so I kept out of the way. I had an early shower and played a video game on my tablet, but I couldn’t even get into that. I was on the point of giving up and going to sleep when I heard shouting down the corridor. To be honest, there was swearing as well. Then footsteps up to my door, which was flung open. Mum was standing there, Zorro in her arms, and she was not happy. In fact she was furious.

  ‘Your damned pet just bit your father,’ she said. She thrust him into my chest. ‘Keep it locked in here with you, do you hear me? I’ve had just about enough today.’ And she was gone, the door slammed.

  I knew what she meant. I’d just about had enough today as well. I hugged Z to me. Now I had to worry about him. What had Mum said? One more incident and ‘it would have to go’? Over my dead body, I thought. She couldn’t do that to us. We hadn’t had time to do the retraining yet. She couldn’t be so heartless. Could she?

  It was a question that rolled around in my head as I drifted off to sleep.

  I don’t know why I woke up in the early hours of the morning. I don’t know why I decided to go to the fridge. Maybe all that toying around with dinner had made me starving and that’s what had woken me. I guess it doesn’t matter now.

  I was padding down the corridor to the kitchen when I heard voices from the media room. Mum and Dad. Talking. Maybe arguing. I should have just walked past, got a snack and headed straight back to bed. But I couldn’t resist. I knew that what they were talking about concerned me and I had to know what it was.

  The door to the room was slightly ajar and I pushed it open a little further, stepping noiselessly into the room. No one would see me, since it’s set up like an old-fashioned cinema, seats all pointing towards the screen, the entrance at the back. Mum and Dad were on the front row, so I sat on the floor in the back row. I could hear everything now.

  ‘You do know that Ashleigh will be destroyed by this, don’t you, Chrissie?’

  ‘Of course I know. I’m not stupid, Gareth. But this can’t go on. It can’t. I cannot risk it.’

  My blood ran cold. Mum was going to take Zorro away from us. That was so unfair. I bit my bottom lip to stop myself from crying out.

  ‘And so what are you going to do? Just tell her straight out?’

  ‘Maybe that would be best,’ said Mum. ‘But no. I’ll just say he died in his sleep. Of course she’ll be upset, but she’s young. She’ll get over it in time. She’ll —’

  ‘I will NOT get over it,’ I yelled. Tears were running down my face and every part of me was shivering. Mum and Dad had jumped to their feet and were watching me. I wanted to be more grown up. I wanted to show them I could be mature about things, reason with them, persuade them my dog would be okay, we’d all be okay. But my foot was stamping the floor and I was howling. ‘You will not kill my dog, Mum. You will NOT.’

  And then Mum had my shoulders in her hands, but I didn’t want to look her in the face. I heard Dad say, ‘Chrissie?’ and his voice was worried, but Mum’s grip was firm and I couldn’t help myself. My face lifted and I met her eyes.

  ‘I’m not talking about your dog, Ashleigh,’ she said.

  ‘Chrissie!’

  ‘I’m talking about Aiden.’

  ‘What?’ My voice choked on a laugh.

  ‘Chrissie? Don’t.’ But Mum never took her eyes from mine.

  ‘It’s time you knew, Ashleigh. It’s time you knew. Aiden is not your brother. He’s not even human. Do you understand?’

  I shook my head. I was numb and none of this made sense.

  ‘I made him, Ashleigh. I made him in my lab to protect you. Aiden’s a machine.’

  13

  Dad made me drink a glass of water. I didn’t want it and most of it spilled out of my mouth and onto the floor. They sat me on one of the chairs at the front and Mum got a cold towel and wiped my face.

  ‘I can’t believe you just did that, Chrissie.’ Dad’s voice.

  ‘Are you feeling okay, Ashleigh?’ said Mum.

  I shook my head. The pattern in the carpet was shifting, small spirals of red and green twisting and turning. I was close to passing out. That was okay. I didn’t like where I was. I didn’t understand anything.

  ‘Chrissie, we need to talk,’ said Dad.

  ‘No, we don’t,’ Mum replied. ‘Ashleigh and I need to talk. Ashleigh and I will talk. We’re not leaving this room until we do. Do you hear me, Ashleigh?’

  ‘This is crazy …’ said Dad.

  ‘Gareth, do us all a favour and get something strong to drink from the kitchen. Whisky on the rocks for me, a diluted brandy for Ashleigh.’

  ‘She’s a child. Alcohol is not …’

  ‘I know she’s a child and I know she’s in shock. A small brandy won’t hurt. Now stop arguing and just go and do it, Gareth.’ Mum’s voice. Angry. Hard.

  I put my elbows on my knees, my head into my hands. Dimly aware that, somewhere behind me, a door closed. I wanted to vomit but there was nothing there. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mum doing something on her tablet. There was a loud click and then she was speaking.

  ‘Gareth, I have locked Ashleigh and myself in the media room. You cannot come in. Do not try to override the security program. It won’t work because the system will only answer to me. My daughter and I are going to have a conversation and I am going to explain everything to her. It may take time. It will take time.’

  ‘Chrissie …’ Dad’s voice. Worried. Hurt.

  ‘I’m turning off our communication channels now. Wait for us.’

  Silence.

  Mum was pacing in front of the media screen. I could only see her legs moving one way and then the other. It was really strange. There was a buzzing in my head.

  ‘Ashleigh, look at the screen.’

  I lifted my head. It didn’t really matter if I lifted my head or not. There was a map of Australia up on the screen, but it was a strange and distorted one, bigger than the proper map. I recognised it from lessons at school.

  ‘This was Australia at the beginning of the twenty-first century, Ashleigh.’ Mum was off to my right but I didn’t look in her direction. I just stared at the screen. She must have pressed something on her tablet because the image changed to the real map, the familiar map, a bit like the old one but shrunk around many of the edges.

  ‘Rising sea levels, caused by global warming that melted the icecaps, did this to Australia in a very short period of time. A crazy percentage of people, eighty-five per cent is the accepted estimate, lived within fifty kilometres of the coast. Twenty million Australians, most of whom, over time, became homeless. You know this from school, right?’

  I didn’t say anything. I was fixated on the map. I couldn’t see where home was. Mum waited a few seconds and then carried on.

  ‘Some tried to migrate to other countries, but nearly all were turned back. Many people died at sea in ferocious storms that swept most of the world.’ She gave a strange and twisted laugh. ‘Historians have often said that’s ironic since successive Australian governments had banned migration to Australia by boat. Now we needed help, but found we had to reap what we had sown.’

  I wondered what Aiden was doing. Was he awake? Mum had said they’d tell me he’d died in his sleep. Did that mean he already had, or was that something that was going to happen? I tried to figure it out, but I couldn’t make sense of it. There was a banging on the door and Dad’s voice, muffled, shouting something. I couldn’t tell what it was. After a w
hile, it stopped. Mum was still talking.

  ‘… and naturally one of the consequences of all this was that international trade more or less stopped, many of our farms were destroyed and we didn’t have enough to eat. That, added to natural disasters – tornadoes, cyclones, blistering heat, torrential rains, brought the population to just over seven million. We had created global warming. Now it killed us in the millions.’

  ‘Aiden …’ I said.

  Mum crouched down in front of me.

  ‘What did you say, sweetheart? What did you say?’

  But I couldn’t remember. After a while, she got up and continued pacing.

  ‘Australia was hit very badly, but many other places had it worse. It was close to an extinction event for humanity, but we survived, Ashleigh. Bruised, battered, but we survived. Many animals did not, as you know. There was once a time when Australia had a fantastic and diverse range of flora and fauna. Plants and animals.’ I knew what flora and fauna meant, but it didn’t matter. ‘Most died out, the mammals first, but then birds and insects. And that made the environment, already crushed, even worse.’

  She stopped for a while. I thought about asking if I could use the bathroom, but then I remembered there was a bathroom in the media room. I wasn’t getting out of here until she was ready. A machine? How could my brother be a machine?

  ‘What food we needed, we had to grow. But there was virtually no fuel for the engines – we used to use fossil fuel back then, rather than renewables. That was a large part of the problem. That’s why the world now is basically vegetarian. The animals we used to keep for food would eat a huge amount of food that we could eat. A criminal waste of resources. It was wrong to eat meat then. It’s even worse now.’

  I kept zoning out, but my head was starting to clear. I missed a lot of what Mum was saying, but then I knew most of it anyway. A part of me wondered why we were going over history. Then she told me.