Divided.

Divided. (Part 25)

As Daisy slept on a purpose made bed in the corner of a windowless room that looked medieval with candlelight flickering lighter and darker up the stone walls allowing shadows to hide in the corners the tall man looked down inquisitively at the 'person in charge.' This man sat at the head of the government, with no prime minister to run the country it fell to the government to make all decisions and for 'this man' to have the final say in all goings on. He was an elderly man of 145 years but didn't look a day over 60. He wore a dark grey suit under a layer of dust and the tall man was certain it had been a while since his leader had been up and seen daylight. He had a temper attached to a very short fuse and no man dare dispute his decisions for fear they wouldn't be killed but be forced to work the rest of their years in the farm as slaves to the law; blind with no promise of future or hope. His name was Charles.

Charles was known for his hate for the un-advanced society which is why the tall man couldn't comprehend what Charles was saying.

"We need her," he said staring at the young child who had almost disappeared under the heavy blankets as she lay asleep on the bed in the corner, "I need her."

The tall man was happy enough with these words; he was relieved to have been asked to prevent her from entering the dark room. He knew what awaited her in the dark room. But why had Charles ordered him to do such a thing? The word pity was unheard of down in these depths. Charles ruled his farm with an iron fist and no un-advanced human being was safe embedded in-between these prison walls.

"So what now?" The tall man with the secret soft heart asked. He looked from Charles to the child and then back again.

"We need to use this to our advantage. Do we know of her family?" He asked stroking the chin of his beard with the rough skin on his fingers. Charles had known about Daisy since her first meeting with Jack behind the bike shed in the school playground. He hadn't done his research yet as he hadn't expected to see her so soon. It had only been brought to his attention that she was here at the very last moment. When he heard of her presence he immediately demanded she be brought to his quarters until a plan could be put back in place.

"A mother." The tall man answered back quickly, "Only a mother."

"Is she well?" He quizzed.

"No hospital visits," the tall man said of the top of his head. This was all written down in a large file headed Daisy Woods in the bookcase on the back wall but the tall man had memorised every small detail. It was the tall mans job to keep the details of Daisy's life documented.

"And the other family ... the boy?" Charles said walking closer to where Daisy lay.

"We have yet to contact them."

"The father?" Charles said thinking.

"The doctor," The tall man advised and Charles nodded in recognition.

"Ah yes the doctor," Charles looked ever the more thoughtful, "We let the child go."

"And then?"

"The mother. We use the mother to bring the two families closer."

"What do you mean?

"Cancer." The word echoed around the room and it took a moment for the tall man to understand Charles's plot. Cancer was nothing to an advanced on account of the fact that it was easily treatable. But for an un-advanced ... cancer had gotten worse ... the hospital's hadn't progressed at all and treatment was limited.

"We give the mother cancer," Charles said developing the plot within his head, "The child ... would she go to the doctor?" He asked himself out loud. If Daisy were to go to Jack's dad for help then the families would be united. She'd play straight in to Charles's hands.

"Could we not bring the plan forward?" The tall man said looking painfully at the child who'd been picked to do something she wouldn't even comprehend. He didn't want to stretch things out for her. He didn't want to risk her losing her mother to the disease if Jack's father wouldn't help her with the cure.

"She needs to trust the family." Charles said certain in himself. The plan couldn't be brought forward.

"She already trusts the boy," The tall man pointed out.

"That's not enough. We can't fail again. We need to be certain. She must trust every word that they speak and they must do as we tell them. Nothing else has worked so far. I have a good feeling about this child. We take her back and we wait."