The horse galloped through the field making my hair billow behind me. The day was warm and it buzzed with wildlife, which fed off of the vegetation of the field I rode in. The birds sang their tunes and flew around not bothered about Stan and me. The butterflies landed on the flowers by the white fence to collect the nectar and all was well. The day like my spirit was warm and glowing, though it did nothing but make my pale complexion look sickly. Stan was a beautiful steed with black and white fur and white tufts. He was by no means extraordinary but he was special to me and I to him. I rode with no saddle or reins nor whip or controlling methods I often thought cruel. We were bare back and empty of contents. Just the simple way I moved my body or stroked his thick glossy fur made him understand my wish, which he usually fulfilled unless he knew a better way which I listened to. That was the pure beauty almost freedom of our relationship I listened to him, and he to me. We gave each other what we wanted if he was hungry I fed him, if he wanted company I gave it to him and if I needed him he would be there in a glance. We had cuddled up with each other under the night stars many times both of us sheltering the other. This day was good and bright my long light brown curly hair, flowing through the air like grass flowed when there was a wind the day was glorious. I gasped and flinched as a sharp pain travelled down my back creeping down to my ankles as I rode. The blue sky cracked and thundered and turned a grey so dark it was almost black. Stan stumbled in terror his galloping feet skidded on the floor and he tripped over them causing us to fall to the ground. The crushing weight of his body pinned me to the floor...
I woke with a sudden start after bashing my head painfully on the rounders bat I was holding. The insults of my uncle had stopped and so had the pounding on my bedroom door. The chest of draws I had somehow managed to pull before it had barred his entrance, despite this I sat leaning against it helping it jam the door. For a moment I sat silent just listening to the house trying to distinguish footsteps or harsh breathing through the hum of the radiator and clinks of the pipes. There was nothing but silence; still I clutched the rounders bat and glanced at the clock upon the floor of my bedroom. For me having dozed off I had, had a good nights sleep but it had been dangerous. I opened the curtains that allowed the world to flood into me ...
It was bitter cold out on the platform so I hopped onto the train with my yearlong ticket as fast as I could, to escape the cold and the border patrols that were around the city like flies, their attention had been drawn by something. I watched as they walked upon the deserted platform flashing their torches around in their group of four. They had appeared in their uniforms their build was eerie and made most people shiver at the very thought of them, but not me. My skin was already covered in goose pimples from the cold air, their uniforms were white all around apart from their heavy black boots that often left deep creators in the surfaces they marched on be they concrete or earth. Their heads were covered in white balaclavas that had no openings. Upon them across the middle of the material was a large picture of a black eye looking out at whoever dared to gaze upon it. These eyes though were not merely drawings as the flat surfaces often oozed black, as the eye darted around searching the world for those that would not be part of the Establishment. Many of these so-called outlaws and outcasts were no longer heard of, in fact there had been over 100 years of silence from them, but regardless the patrols of the regime continued. The transport revved up and I jumped back in my seat in a surprised horror as a fifth patrol guard I had not spotted before, popped up before my window banging its thick white hand on the glass as it eyed me. The eye began drooling so thickly and fast the black sludge began rolling down its head. The patrol guard blinked its eye upon me, and just in time the transport pulled away and continued upon its way on the ancient tracks to the city. Weary of the few stops I had before we got to the city I sat back in my seat shaking.
“ What was that
about” The ticket conductor said
I shrugged and the
man stamped half a day off of my ticket...
At around 9 a.m I
woke to find the room still deserted as I lifted my head up I realised there
was something stuck to my face, judging by the sticky warm sensation on my
cheek. As I moved my hand towards it to peel it off, it fluttered to the floor. Like a discarded raffle ticket the bright
Magenta card contrasted against the light brown carpet and dark shadowed wood
of the desk. It was a small card similar to the poster on the wall outside. The
only difference being it simply said EVERYBODY
WANTS TOO, in thick black writing on its plain Magenta background I turned
the card around trying to distinguish its concept and that of the poster
outside. The back too was almost plain, on the bottom of the card was the small
image of the Hillside hotel which had since been turned into a block of flats
all of which were in use, bar from a small disused room on its base. Above the
building almost like a rising moon that wanted to escape the orbit of the card
were the handwritten words tonight 10PM . ..
When I opened my eyes and looked up from the ground
where I had been laying the world outside the bushes was packed with silent
standing figures now stood in a semi circle looking curiously up at the shack
from a safe distance. Each of the eight figures stood twirling, scrunching and
fiddling with the magenta cards in their hands. Slowly I got up letting natures
litter fall from me as I tried to steady myself through my aching head. I held
onto the trees and edged to the outer edge of the bushes as I clutched my card. It was then I realised from each of their
crazy coloured and styled hair or their Establishment uniforms, that every
single one of them was a regular at the basement reading room, like me. As the
glowing moon hovered over the tower blocks mimicking the invitation cards, we
all jumped backwards completing the circle a ninth dark figure had appeared
wearing a long magenta tie and a sinister smile. His cloak like coat billowed
into the night and despite our reaction he stood calmly taking everyone in.
“ Welcome” Disarray said “ I see you all got your
cards, you all know why you are here lets go inside…”
