The Pole Shift

Macka Lett and Sean

Macka trinagulated Sean and Lett with his stance and they both looked at him confusedly.  That feeling remained with Sean as Lett looked more thoughtful. Sean started to talk about the cellar, , the thousands of cans and how it was more of a laugh than anything. Lett cut him off, "So you're not the Pole Pigs, you're government, or something else? What could you want with us, with him?"

                Macka holstered the pistol. He paced to the window and looked at the Pole Police on the dirt road, the lights were flashing, and the neighbours were gesturing to the house and making demands. He hoped they didn't get too difficult, the Pole Police had got nasty, intolerant and ready to exert martial law if they felt in the slightest bit threatened. He sighed deeply, he would have to let that scene ride.

                "You are being watched for one reason. It has been determined, don't ask my how or why, that you might have something to offer a world after the Pole Shift. Of course you are not being invited to the High Country, that is the domain of my masters, and me." He was speaking cordially, truthfully. It was the only way. Lett repeated her earlier question.

                "Him?" Sean had gone quiet, trying to understand what he had been told.

                "Yes Lett, him. Sean Waters,  of whom you know nothing about. Unless you count spying on him from the woods as an in depth character judgment. You know nothing of him. Don't be so proud." Lett went to stand but was gestured back down. She snapped:

                "I've seen all I need to know. You'll be telling me Sean Waters runs deep next." She sneered. The joke made him smile and he turned to Sean who was still scratching his head. Under Macka's gaze Sean said:

                "Are you one of the illuminati?" The question wasn't unexpected, he knew the conspiracy websites Sean had visited were spouting all sorts of theories. The secret sect, The Elite, planning to let the world drown whilst they stood on their shoulders was one of them. How close to the mark Sean was, if only it had been his own thought and not something parroted off the internet Macka might have engaged, instead he ignored him.

                "Listen up, this is what you are going to do. You will get no help prior to the cataclysm, no access to systems anyway. "

                "Systems?" Lett went to stand again.

                "If you don't stay the fuck in that seat I'll kill you. What happens to you is up to me, for now anyway.  Think of yourself as a contestant on a reality show, I'm the judge. I could cease you myself, or a drone will. You know what drones can do don't you." Lett shrank back, chastised for the first time. "We will make things easy for you, current society wise. For instance we will allow Sean to build up his cellar, show him how to make a fucking sling shot. That sort of thing. " Macka's eyes ran over Sean. "Why a slingshot?"

                "I could kill a rabbit or a bird with it, to eat, ya know?" Macka rolled his eyes.

                "You need to think very differently. Think about how it's going to be to have  everything turned upside down. Things will fly at you, earth wind and fire.  Hard, it will come hard, it'll kill you. Spend your time thinking about that, mayhem."

                "Well, yeah but after?" Sean was earnest and Lett laughed at him.

            "Don't laugh Lett, you see the soul of this man in that question. He says after." It took a moment for her to understand, then she looked at Sean again, her answer was direct.

                "He's stupid, life goes on for the stupid." Macka ignored her, Sean wasn't his type either, but he knew that to judge was to guess. He went on:

                "We could also cease those that sought to interfere with you. Those next door for instance, the whole family, the kids - and friends." Sean snapped out of his bewilderment.        

                "Kill them?"

                "Sean, we want things to go on as they are. We want everyone to brace. We don't want blood. We are all in this together."

                "But you said you could kill them if you wanted to?"

                "Yep, stone dead. The kids, your ex-wife and her fat boyfriend. We could do it and no one would ask a question. Because they don't matter, Prophet, algorithms,  say they don't matter. Algorithms say you both do, for whatever reason. Think of it that you are special." He turned to Lett.

                "You're gonna have to ditch your boys Lett." Instead of the sadness that had suddenly spread across Sean's features, Lett looked elated. Her hand reached to her stomach. Macka didn't need to know Prophets thoughts, she had already planned the same thing. "Even the father of your twins." For the first time she was taken aback.

                "Twins?"

                 "Clarky The Stoner is the father. in case you wondered." 

                Macka left Sean Water's house and nodded to the two Pole Cops. They were just about at the end of their tether, in fact a doughy man was holding his head, blood dribbled through his fingers to mingle with the dirt of the road. The other members of the family were aghast and Macka felt some explanation rather than threat might work.

                "Your neighbours, that is Sean Waters and his partner, Lett Smith are under government protection. If you go near them or harass them you will be dealt with under martial law. To be clear, that is death."

                "His partner? He works for the government?" The woman who had been nursing the bloodied fat man stood and approached Macka, forgetting her patient.  This was the ex wife, this was where the problem would be he thought sourly.

                 "He is more than you ever knew.  Our protection extends to any interference from you, Mrs Waters." She gasped and retraced her steps but Macka saw the age old swing of allegiance. Yes, she would make a move, and Sean would probably welcome it.