Chapter 2 - I have friends I haven't even used yet...
The camera pans slowly across the open space, its long arc taking in the Education Block at one end and Storage Facility 7 at the other. In between, an expanse of dust, shattered foundations and twisted metal skeletons, the remains of once tall buildings, now none higher than a few feet. The buildings are damaged, blockwork exposed beneath render, corners rounded. They have no windows, solid looking but derelict. Nothing moves but the camera, now beginning its return journey. In the moonlight it takes on an alien look, other wordly.
In the shadow of the Storage Facility crouches a darker shadow, still and quiet. It waits for a moment then detaches itself from the building and moves quickly but carefully back, away from the open space and the wreckage, towards the collection of buildings behind, towards the building on which sits the camera. Looking briefly at the position of the camera it darts quickly forward, into a doorway, opens the door and enters.
Once inside the dark figure removes the black overalls to reveal a young girl. She is about 12, tall for her age and has short hair and blue eyes. Corophon is her name and she is not happy.
Stuffing the overalls into a holdall Corophon moves quickly down the corridor, down the three flights of stairs and into the dormitory. Creeping to her bed she is just about to climb in when a voice whispers, 'Been outside after curfew again?'
'Sshh, go to sleep, Kendra.'
But Kendra is not so easily dissuaded. 'What was it this time?'
Sighing, Coro tip toes to Kendra's bed. 'Timing the camera on the west expanse. It's too fast, just like the north, south, and east. I couldn't cover that distance in time. If I'm spotted they'll be after me.'
'Coro, it's not really that bad, is it? Really? We eat, we learn, we work. We even get to play'.
Corophon holds up her arm, displaying faded writing on her wrist. 'This, this is too much'. On her arm is a bar code, printed there that morning, encoding her timetable, status, resource entitlement, medical needs. The code is reprinted each morning, updated and adjusted according to need.
'It makes no sense, it may look efficient but it is not. It restricts and restrains, makes us prisoners as much as the others. We're just better fed and not beaten.' She hesitated. 'I have to get out...sometimes I just know I can't take much more. With my mother gone and my father...'
Kendra reached out and held Corophon's hand, 'He'll be back, I'm sure he will'.
Corophon shook her head, 'I doubt it.'
Almost a year ago her father, a scientist, had been involved In a dispute about allocation of resources. A protest had erupted and a disaffected faction used it to further their own cause. Corophon's father, only intent on the allocation issue, had nonetheless been arrested with the rest of the protesters. On his release he had been 'Confined for an indeterminate period at his workstation'. Effectively he lived in his lab. He and his fellow scientists were escorted to work and escorted to confined quarters at the end of the day. He was allowed contact with Corophon once a week and Corophon was moved from their home to the Group Adolescent Unit.
The GAU, home from home for orphans, young criminals, the mentally ill and the otherwise troublesome. If they weren't in an approved family unit, and they were under 18, they were in the GAU. In the GAU they were taught, fed, trained, assigned and organised. They were the pilot scheme for the new wrist code, if it worked there, it would work anywhere. So far it was working well and would be rolled out across the District very soon.
'Kendra. I'm going. I'm sorry, I will miss you. But I have to. You do understand?'
Kendra nodded. 'I don't have to like it but I do understand. Can I help?'
Corophon nodded slowly. 'I have everything I need but unless I can make it to the wire without being detected it amounts to nothing. I need a distraction. I wont ask you...'
'Of course, just tell me what to do!' blurted Kendra.
Corophon reached out and put her hand over Kendra's mouth. 'For a start, keep your voice down'.
11.30pm. The door to Housing block 9 eases open slowly on previously oiled hinges and two small shadows slide out. They creep forward and, hesitating to check the camera, sprint forward and press against the wall of Storage Facility 7. It is dark, the moon is covered by thick cloud. As the cloud drifts it occasionally uncovers the moon briefly before smothering its white glow again. The smaller of the shadows detaches from the wall and opens a small bag. Tying a small cylindrical item to a piece of exposed ironwork the figure moves back to the wall, trailing a piece of thin wire.
'I'm going to miss you, Coro. Please let me come...'
Corophon is choked for a moment then recovers. 'Kendra, we can't both go, you know that. And I can't stay. You are comfortable here, you're not like me. Stay and be safe. I'll miss you but who knows...'. She trailed off. 'You have to go now, please'. She reaches out and touches Kendra on the shoulder, squeezing it gently.
Nodding, Kendra gathered up the small bag. She takes Corophon's hand from her shoulder. Then abruptly leans forward and hugs her. They hug for a moment and it is Kendra who breaks away. 'Let's do this thing', she says, and they both grin in the dark. It's been a 'war cry' for as long as they can remember.
Kendra heads slowly towards the Housing Block, trailing the line behind her. When she reaches the door she turns and raises a hand, moving it slowly back and forth. Corophon sees it and acknowledges it with a brief wave, then turns away and takes a deep breath. She watches the camera and as it starts its return journey towards the Education Block she begins to count. At 4 she moves forward, low and fast, scuttling over bricks and low, shattered walls, ducking under steel wreckage. 13, 14, 15, 16. Coro throws herself into the brick outline of a demolished building and lays perfectly still. She is a third of the way and this is the last cover. From here to the fence it is open ground..18, 19, 20, the camera will be paused at the Storage Facility. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Up and running sprinting for the fence, no ducking or crawling just sprinting. 34, 35...there is a flash and a loud bang. In the Security Office the guard looks at his screen, glowing bright green as the night vision camera tries to cope with sudden daylight. An alarm sounds and he runs to the door.
Corphon is running too, at the fence she hunts for it, the gap. She has seen it, in the daylight, it's here somewhere. 'Oh god, Kendra, what have I done to you.' 'Focus, too late to change anything, just make it worthwhile.' Ok, each fence has these gaps, some have several but the West fence only has one. But it's bigger than the others, and the route was better, more cover. The flare begins to dim and still there is no sign. Now there is shouting behind. And a shot. Corophon cries in alarm, tears start and she feels the panic rising. 'There it is, there it is.' Stretching the gap as wide as it will go, whimpering like an animal, she thrusts her bag through and starts to follow it. Her jacket catches on the wire and she cannot move forwards. She tries to go back but the wire is pulled into a funnel and it holds her in place. With a final lurch forward and a sob of terror Corophon pulls free. But it's not over, she must now make the tree line unseen or its all been for nothing.
In the office the screen has cleared and as the camera sweeps through its arc Corophon is clearly visible as a dot, made brighter by her body heat, brighter still because of her panic and the effort of running. The camera sweeps past. The guard leaves the door and returns to his seat in front of the screen.
Corophon crawls forward, dragging her bag. She has thought this through, there is no point crawling, reducing the time she is visible is the best course of action. She stands up and begins to run. Either they can see her or they can't.
They can see her...