Emerald Oasis

The Plan

Victoria was walking. She lifted her head and sneered at the funny shaped ornament and beige walls. She ran her finger through the tales and a cloak of dust coated her nails.

"Ghastly place." She flicked the dust on the floor. "It's so dusty and hideous."

"You told us you couldn't walk!" Rodger raised his voice. "Now you're out and about dusting."

"You better sit down," Dorothy suggested. "You might fall and the carers will tell you off."

"Why do we have to eat here?" Victoria grumbled. "What's wrong with the dining room?"

"I already told you," Rodger said, "the staff will overhear us. Do you want to see your husband's grave or not?"

"Of course I do."

"Then sit down for God's sake."

"It's the fairies!"

"Don't be silly," Victoria said to Joyce with sharpened eyes, in between the other two ladies. "There's no such thing as fairies."

"But we did see one," Dorothy reminded them.

Rodger raised his hand. "Ah, but that was an illusion caused by the medication. We've only seen her once."

"I see them all the time," Joyce said. "I was there at one of their debates. They've got an election coming up to see who's going to be the fairy emperor for the next fifty years."

"What are you talking about?"

"The general election is coming up soon," Rodger said. "The prime minister just announced it."

"A lot of fairies are mad," Joyce explained. "Because of the Fairy Empress, Fee Ickersurfs banned the tooth industry, so a lot of fairies are now unemployed."

"I still don't know what you're talking about."

"She's confused," Rodger told Victoria. "BHS has closed down and thousands have lost both their jobs and their pensions. I think she's referring to that."

"Really?" Dorothy shrieked. "I worked there for years. My sister worked there too, and my daughter and nieces."

"It's a shame." Rodger leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I wanted to go there for my breakfast tomorrow."

Joyce inhaled through her nose and squinted at him, resting her head in her hand. "How long do you plan on going out for?"

Rodger cracked out laughing as he rubbed his hands together. "As long as I can!"

"All the doors are locked at night," Dorothy reminded them. "How are we getting out?"

He covered his mouth. "Easy: I know all the codes." He unfolded a piece of paper from his pocket.

Joyce took a good look. "There's a lot of numbers here."

Codes

Main door: 1961 (in) 1997 (out)

Red Unit: 1961 (in) 1997 (out)

Blue Unit: 1961 (in) 1997 (out)

All Offices: 1961 (in) 1997 (out)

Safe: 3456

Storage rooms: 1234 (in) 5678 (out)

The Sluices: 1234 (in) 5678 (out)

Staff Room: 1234 (in) 5678 (out)

Stairs: 1234 (in) 5678 (out)

Rodger put the codes back in his pocket. "Better put it away," he whispered, "don't want them to see it."