A Song of Spiders

Chapter 15 - Charlie's

Dex's skull was ringing like a struck bell. With his eyes still closed he could hear voices arguing behind him. One said ‘this is not within our parameters, not at all, at all. This will change everything. Oh my.’ Another replied ‘we shall consult the oracle. And that will be that.’ Then a third further away answered in an echoing and metallic voice that seemed to fill the room ‘I HAVE DONE SO. THIS IS SANCTIONED’.

He turned his head over on the ground and tried to open his eyes. Here I am on the ground again, he thought. The floor seemed to lurch under him and he felt sick, so he closed his eyes again. After a few moments he tried again. When he opened them this time believed he was hallucinating. Gnome Ann was standing in front of Tetsu and Jack. Tetsu was pacing nervously while Jack was washing his ear as usual. Gnome Ann slowly turned to him and spoke ‘DO NOT BE CONCERNED DEX. THIS IS SANCTIONED.’

Dex slowly and carefully sat up and looked around. He looked in horror at the bodies of Rachel and Karma torn up by bullets. Then, like ice melting, the bullet holes disappeared. The sapper however still looked very shot. He had ugly and painful looking holes all over his body. There was very little blood. His face was still. He was the first dead body Dex had ever seen. He turned back to Gnome Ann and said. ‘Where did those bullets go? Are they alive like me? Why not him?’ 

Tetsu said ‘exactly my question, seems Gnome Ann here knew this was going to happen but neglected to tell the rest of us. I would be literally crapping my pants right now if I could crap. Or had pants.’

Jack turned his sleepy looking eyes to Dex. ‘By way of explanation, very simple force field. Guns are pitiful weapons really. Plus a wee virtual magic to look like blood and bullet holes. Seems Ann was sanctioned to keep you guys from takin' a dirt bath with baby Jesus today. Hehe.’ He made a laughing sound like a sneeze or a cough.

Rachel sat up suddenly and said ‘Holy Christ, was I wearing armour I didn't know about?’

Karma sat up too rubbing her head, looked at the talking mobiles and said ‘no, it seems we were saved by a gnome, a rabbit and a dragon. Yep, really saw that one coming. What the hell is going on?’ She looked at the man beside her and moved away quickly. ‘Oh my God, this guy is shot!’

Gnome Ann paused then looked at Dex and said ‘TIME AVAILABLE FOR SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION IS INSUFFICIENT.’

Tetsu said ‘What she said, but to more pressing matters. Those Roamers will be back with body bags any minute. We have to get ourselves back underground. I know we are from your point of view your phones just came alive and starting doing crazy stuff. But there will be time to talk about this when you all are safe and sound underground. Agreed?’

‘Agreed, laddie’ said Jack. He hopped to the door that led down to the water pillar.

‘FOLLOW ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE’ said Gnome Ann as she waddled towards the door, her little yellow parasol on her shoulder.

‘I'm following the gnome’ said Dex and shrugged his shoulders and got up.

The other two looked at each other, also got up and they all left, closing the door and bolting it from the other side as they went.

‘CARRY US’ said Gnome Ann. The three picked up their smart mobiles, then Rachel followed by Karma jumped quickly into the hole in the platform and dropped through to the boats below. Dex stood for a second, looking into the white and brown whirlpool below him. Behind him he could hear Tommy's men return on the other side of the door, bang on it, curse when they found it locked and then to start to talk urgently. He looked down into his pocket and said ‘down the rabbit hole again, eh Jack?’ then he jumped too.