Inner City Read online

  The chamber was in silence. No-one dared move. It was an awkward moment. The most respected members of the community were being told by a man they had granted citizenship to that they did not know best on their most important issue.

  “And you do?” Gerda asked, with a disapproving tone to her voice.

  “Yes.”

  “And for the past twenty years whatever it is we’re not understanding - you’ve kept to yourself?”

  Lien knew he was asking a lot of the Elders to criticise and then expect their understanding, but he saw no other way of achieving what he felt, personally, needed to be achieved.

  “I’ll admit I can’t be sure about this ideas, but in Callen we have the perfect opportunity to take the truth of the Outlocked back to the city and find out how great the risk is of city dwellers wanting to give up their modern lives to enter the Outlocked world.”

  The Elders erupted in protest. The thought of setting Callen off to deliberately publicise what lay beyond the city walls seemed suicidal. Why should they voluntarily take a course of action if it presented any risk at all to their own survival?

  “I don’t believe there is a risk,” Lien said. “I don’t think he’ll be believed and I don’t think any who do believe him will want to give up what they have for something unknown. They’re lazy. They don’t want to do any physical work or face hardship. They’re only concerns are personal and selfish. They don’t want risk and uncertainty in their lives.”

  “If you’re wrong it could mean war!” one of the Elders yelled at him.

  “Against people who would never be willing to fight a war. I lived in the city for half my life time, remember, and I know what sort of people they’ve become. If I’m right about this, we’re wasting years taken from our the most productive members of this world to serve as border guards.”

  The room fell silent. The Elders looked to one another not sure what to make of the idea.

  “Do you think the boy will be in danger if he returns and starts to talk of what he’s learnt?” Gerda asked.

  “I think he’ll be ignored. If he is it would redefine the way we live and allow us to concentrate on more important things than guarding a border that poses no real threat to the way we live our lives.”

  “What if he isn’t ignored?”

  “Then we’ll be exactly where we are now; needing to defend our borders as we’ve always done.”

  Gerda sat for some time, staring directly at Lien. The Elders around her indulged in a series of nervous gestures, they were scared of this idea. Eventually Gerda wrote on a pad of paper in front of her. She tore the page and passed it to the Elder next to her. The page was passed around the table until it reached every member. All nodded on reading what was written. With a rap from her gavel she spoke.

  “Clear the chamber; everyone, including those appearing.”

  This was an extraordinary happening and it only occurred on very rare occasions. The Elders had heard everything they needed to hear and wanted to debate the issue in private. It would be a chance for them to drop the act of impartial arbitrators they maintained for the public and speak openly and honestly about how they each felt.

  Lien and Callen were the last to leave the room and they were greeted by Eve who wanted to know what happened. Lien gave her a brief run-down. Eve shot an exasperated look to them both - her nervous wait was a long way from over.

  Into the second hour of waiting, Eve managed to steal a moment alone with Callen. She knew a decision was imminent and pleaded with Callen one last time to change his mind and give up his plans to return to the city. Callen wouldn’t. Eve was almost in tears.

  “I love you,” she said timidly

  Callen looked over his shoulder to Lien, who was sitting on his own. He leaned in close.

  “I love you too, but I still have to do this.”

  Eve became more upset. She couldn’t begin to understand how he could consider leaving her and placing his life in danger. She assumed, because of his refusal to place her above his city, his feelings for her weren’t nearly as strong as hers. There was no way she could know how wrong she was. Callen was feeling unsure about every feeling he had, except those he had for Eve.

  Inside the chamber the Elders were behaving without decorum. Some were up and pacing the floor, others had taken to pounding fists and pointing when they spoke. None of these antics helped to reach a decision. Gerda sat through it all, watching each member and listening to concerns of every description. A few of the Elders had taken a bold stance and agreed with Lien. The boy’s quest was a golden opportunity to find out exactly where they stood in relation to their more powerful neighbour.

  For years the Elders policy, a policy adopted and embraced by the Outlocked population, was one of isolation. But, the debate over assigning young volunteers to defend, or in extreme cases, partner and tie such intruders to the Outlocked world, had raged for many years. It was seen as a heavy sacrifice on the part of the young people involved. Here was a chance to test whether these practises were warranted. The Elders siding with Lien argued the chance should be taken to allow Callen to return home with news of what he’d experienced. The reaction he received would help to determine future policies for generations to come.

  Other, more conservative Elders were outraged at the thought and felt that allowing Callen to go home would spell the end of the Outlocked freedoms and most likely lead to their annihilation or at best, being overrun by disgruntled citizens from within the City’s walls. Either way, the risk was not one they were prepared to take and the passion of debate was growing fierce.

  Gerda listened without speaking. Next to her Cole did the same. As the Chief Elder’s deputy, his vote would be crucial in deciding this case and he was still a long way from giving any indication which view he was leaning towards. Some of the Elders slumped onto the nearby benches, fearing the argument would never move out of deadlock. As hands ground into eyes and backs arched in an attempt to revive themselves, Cole spoke. His words were so well placed that everyone stopped to listen.

  “Tell them,” he said loudly.

  Heads swung back and forth between Gerda and Cole. A gentle pause followed, broken by an intense chill as Gerda spoke directly to Cole.

  “Tell them what?”

  Cole stared at her for some time, deciding whether or not to continue.

  “Tell them about the meetings”

  Gerda looked to Cole with a blank look on her face. Those away from the table made their way back to listen. Gerda had little choice. She began to speak, shaking her head slightly at Cole as she did so.

  “I love this land of ours and our people and I would do anything, if I felt it would help even one of them lead a better life. When I took over as chief Elder I learnt a number of things I hadn’t known while I was an Elder. Recently, I met with the board members from the city. And I’m not the first Chief Elder to do so. I am the first who told their deputy about it - a foolish decision, as it turns out.”

  Cole looked unrepentant. The remaining Elders were in shock. Gerda was compelled to make a full and frank confession.

  “For years, we have sentenced our own people, once convicted, to serve us within the city’s walls. It is not an avenue for espionage, as you’ve previously been told. And it is achieved and regulated with the full knowledge and approval of the city’s board. And there are other areas where we have open lines of communication with the city. There’s always been contact. And like myself, when I found out, you should all be feeling foolish it never occurred to you before. They have exhaust systems into our land, into our air and into our rivers. They mine our hills for resources and take what elements of nature they can use to supplement those they’ve learnt to synthesise. Do you think these things were put in place and managed by chance? How do you suppose we always manage to stay out of their way. Why do their work groups never try to mine resources outside of designated areas? How could they conduct maintenance on their facilities without ever catching our communitie
s off guard?”

  A voice spoke up in a pause Gerda took to catch her breath.

  “Why do we commit so many young people and so many resources to defend our land if this communication exists?”

  “Because to defend a land gives pride in a land. It allows our people to feel we’re worth defending, that we’re standing alone and able to survive against a terrible enemy. How can people not be proud of that sort of achievement? As we allowed the city to place infrastructure on our land, we’ve gained leverage with them. And throughout history, leverage with powerful neighbours has been the most effective defence of any nation. We allow the city what they need from our land and provide them with a deterrent against those wishing to leave theirs. This boy will be a huge threat to them. His return will increase our leverage.”

  “What will they do to him?” one of the Elders asked.

  “He wants to do this,” Gerda said. “No-one’s forcing him.”

  Gerda drank from the glass in front of her. When she finished and looked up, every person was looking to her.

  “What we know from our past contact, is the city’s defence is directed at maintaining order amongst their own people, not any outside threat. They have a decreasing population, not increasing. They aren’t after more space. What they want is obedience. And we help them achieve that. That’s our leverage and the key to our survival.”

  “So we gain leverage at the expense of this young man’s life?” Cole said.

  “You have a better solution?” Gerda shot back, still plainly smarting from his betrayal. Cole looked pained.

  “No, I don’t. But we’re deciding on the fate of a very worthwhile young man here.”

  “I know that. We’ve all met him. We all know what’s at stake. But now you also have all the facts and our job is to make decisions for the good our people, not theirs.” Gerda looked around the room. No-one had anything more to say.

  “I think we’re ready to vote.”

  All agreed and each one cast their ballot. The ballots were folded and passed to Gerda, who waited for them to arrive in front of her before proceeding. Slowly she began to open the folded papers counting the tally aloud as she did so.

  “One in favour of the boy returning. Two in favour. Three.”

  The tally grew until a vote against Callen’s return was read. Gerda glanced at Cole then continued.

  “Tell them to re-admit everyone.”

  Outside there was a commotion as the doors swung open to re-admit the crowd. Eve turned to Lien.

  “They’ve made a decision?”

  She joined the crowd heading past the great wooden doors and back into the chamber. Nothing was going to keep her locked out this time.

  Confusion reigned, as an entire audience tried to reseat themselves, on unmarked benches, in the same arrangement they had previously been in. A number of small arguments broke out, as groups argued over varying recollections about who was seated where. Finally calm descended and Gerda brought her gavel down.

  “Callen. You have our permission to return home. Next case,” Gerda said, as she looked to some papers in front of her concerning the next case to be ruled on.

  The usually sedate and respectful audience erupted in noise. Cries of protest could be heard. Callen was quick to his feet and immediately swung around to thank Lien for everything he’d done. Lien took his thanks in an uncomfortable manner. He was feeling extremely guilty about his motives for championing Callen’s cause. Eve looked devastated at the result and rose to her feet almost in shock. Gerda rapped her gavel four times in quick succession.

  “Next case,” she issued with more force.

  It was enough to hush the crowd. Callen, Lien and Eve were free to leave.

  Chapter 13.

  The ride home was almost routine. While Callen was eager to return to ‘his’ City he knew how upset and worried he’d made Eve. She was riding ahead and couldn’t bring herself to look at him since the decision was handed down. Lien rode somewhere between the two. He watched as Callen tried to close the gap with Eve only to have her increase her speed to stay ahead. Lien drew up alongside Callen.

  “There’s going to be a few people who think what you’re doing’s a bad idea. Looks like Eve’s one of them. Maybe you shouldn’t tell anyone back at camp what’s going on. Just stay quiet and leave”

  Callen took the advice on board. Now he had a second secret to keep.

  At the evening’s campsite, Lien made a point of taking himself away from the couple with the excuse of trying his hand at fishing the nearby stream. It was a concession made so his daughter and Callen could talk in private. Lien felt, given Callen’s plans, it was the least he could do.

  Callen and Eve sat in silence on opposite sides of the fire. The atmosphere was tense. The smoke changed direction repeatedly from one to another as if trying to force them closer.

  “You’re really going to do this?” Eve said, without looking at Callen.

  He nodded.

  “Dad said they wouldn’t let you go. I don’t understand why they have.”

  “They weren’t going to until he spoke up.”

  Eve thought she must have misheard.

  “Dad spoke at the hearing?”

  “Yeah, I said everything wrong. Then he gets up and talked them into it. He’s amazing – knew just what to say.”

  Eve stood and walked away. Callen stared after her bewildered.

  Lien was quietly fly fishing. With a flick of his wrist his line danced on the water. It wrote poetry in simple lines through the air above his head then licked the water near the centre of the river.

  “How long have you known?!”

  Lien stood like a statue, staring at Eve who had broken through the scrub by the river’s edge.

  “You do know, don’t you?”

  “What do I know,” he asked, going back to his fishing. Swish, swish, swish, went the fly as he gave it flight overhead.

  “Tell me I’m wrong!”

  Lien let the line ride the river. He stood staring at the miniature weir it made on the water’s surface as the current worked against it.

  “I’m not, am I?”

  “There were other reasons.”

  “Do you know what you’ve done?! If anything happens to him, anything, I’ll never forgive you!”

  “I’m protecting you from things you know nothing about.”

  Eve shook her head, feeling sure Lien was risking Callen’s life to keep them apart.

  “If he goes back, I’m going with him!”

  Lien dropped his rod and began to cross the rocks he’d been fishing from.

  “No you won’t! You’re a guard in my command so I have total authority over you!” he bellowed back, knowing he had more authority over Eve as a commander than as her father.

  “If you disobey me I’ll have you locked up.”

  Eve didn’t care and turned walking defiantly towards the campsite, calling over her shoulder as she went.

  “Arrest me then. Because the first chance I get, I’m gone!”

  Lien let her go. He’d let her calm down and then try to reason with her. He doubled back to pick up his rod. The line had tangled around a fallen branch and this small frustration provoked a rage that ended with him snapping his line. There would be no more fishing on this trip.

  Callen had heard the shouting and was concerned when Eve arrived back.

  “What happened?”

  “He knows we’re together and he wants you dead.”

  Callen froze.

  “How does he know? We were so careful.”

  “Why do you think he argued to let you go back? He wants us as far apart as he can get.”

  Callen stared at Eve who sat next to the fire waiting for what she knew was coming. Lien arrived about ten minutes later. Callen rose to greet him.

  “Before you say anything, let me explain.”

  “Shut up. I saw you together on the rocks yesterday. I had to wait for you to finish before I rode down.”

>   Callen’s face reddened.

  “I meant what I said to the counsel. Eve,” Lien said as he glanced to his daughter. “She thinks I only did it to split you up. She’s wrong. I did it for the reasons I told the Elders. But that doesn’t change the fact you lied to my face and disrespected me.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Shut-up,” Lien spat at him. “She thinks she’s going with you to the city. Here’s your chance to get that respect back - tell her she’s not.”

  Lien moved to the side of the campsite and picked up a sizeable log with one hand. He returned to the fire and threw it into the bright centre of the flames sending showers of sparks and sunset bright coals in all directions. Callen jumped backwards. Eve hadn’t taken her eyes off her father since he returned. He walked to the very outer limits of the campsite and lay down for the night.

  The fire crackled back to life. Flames found a welcome playground on the bark of the new log. The fresh colour gave Callen and Eve more light than they wanted. Callen, still on his feet, looked to Lien and then back to Eve. He slowly moved and sat down next to her as the lights from the fire danced across them both and the smoke swung in every direction but theirs. Callen inched closer until he sat touching her. Eve let him. He put his arm across her shoulders and she quickly turned her head into Callen’s chest and began to cry.

  “You’re not going without me.”

  Callen didn’t know what to say. Eve forced his hand.

  “You want me to come with you, don’t you?”

  Callen hesitated enough to anger her.

  “Do you love me or not?!”

  “You know I do.”