The Gem (pt. 3)

Chapter four: Lillith the Traveller

The Core

Click.

Another shot. Stronger this time.

Click.

“Rising by 300% LuciCorp far outstrips any other...”

Click.

The room went cold as he saw the girl lying there, on the screen. It was illuminated only by the huge plasma screen TV and the lava that was being harvested outside the window. So much for “accentuating the natural light.”

Shadows spent a full five minutes watching Lillith falling out of the sky.

“Why didn’t I know?” he whispered to himself. His hand ruffled his snow white hair. Shadows could see everything that went on. But still, he had managed to miss the most important traveller of this generation broaching the divide for the first time. He clicked the remote again and zoomed in on that museum. Pausing the live feed he squinted, there was a green orb protecting the cesspit. So, Alice had been involved in this? That stupid bitch. But, she was old now and he could do what he wanted when Lillith arrived in Marina. He was in charge there and nobody much opposed him.

“Spit-,” his number two’s voice was cut short by the orb of lightning that flashed through the air. As the squeals grew further and further away, Shadows got comfortable and pressed play on the screen outside a caravan. Pressing the remote control again, a cage opened and three clay birds flew out and started pecking at each other.

“My creation.” He smiled.

The first one fell to the ground, stone cold and his face fell with it.

Samson bros Carnival, Marina

“We have a problem.”

This was Stroud.

“What?”

This was Marianna, answering the door because Jackson was asleep.

“She fell out of the sky.”

They were both out of the trailer in an instant.

“She’s a traveller?”

They stopped outside the tent.

“Does Samson know?”

This was Jackson.

“Samson’s been outside since she got here.”

He was behind them, holding his great red jacket that he was seldom seen without.

“We can’t say anything to her when she wakes up. Everyone needs to remember that. We have to act like there’s nothing wrong, but show her that there’s something deadly going on here in Marina. Even the slightest slip and the Agents might sense that we’re talking about him. And then they’ll be back and this time they’ll annihilate us.”

The group; comprised of Stroud, Marianna, Jackson, Mr Samson and the old man that they all knew as the hermit. He’d never told them his name.

Samson rubbed his arm and Stroud eyed his shirtsleeve curiously. He could see some black welts. Samson snapped his arm back and smiled at Stroud.

It was, to Lillith, completely alien. The sun shone brightly onto the coloured canvas under which Lillith had been asleep. She woke with a start and lay staring at the canopy of bright fabric. The last thing she remembered was falling and that strange dream about the office. She rolled over and came face to face with the signed piece of paper which she picked up and put in her jeans pocket without a second thought. She looked at her watch, 13:09.There was something funny about that, but she couldn’t quite remember what. She could hear what sounded like a crowd outside. Am I at a gig?

“Is she-?” But this last voice was cut off as the canopy above Lillith began to shake. Lillith got up slowly, supporting herself on a tent pole as a face poked into the tent. He was a middle aged man wearing extremely scuffed leather boots, a very frilly shirt, a long dark red coat and carrying what looked like a sword at his waist. His head was topped with a bright red top hat. Lillith got up shakily from the feather bed she had been sleeping on. More hats?

“No,” the man smiled at her, “You are probably very tired Lillith, you must rest.”

“How?” Lillith paused, “How do you know my name?”

“I met you. Many years ago by my count – but,” he looked at her seriously for a moment, “I don’t think you know who I am yet, do you? And then I met someone who told me about different worlds.”

 “Different worlds?” Lillith paused, flashes were coming back to her- of the museum and falling and stars. Her head spun.

“Where am I?” Lillith asked the man, “and who are you?”

The man peered through the curtain and then looked at Lillith, paused and looked out of the curtain again. He seemed almost, nervous. Lillith’s eyes narrowed.

“You need to get into those clothes,” he gestured at the robes that were lain out on a chair beside the feather bed that Lillith had been sleeping on, “I’ll be back in five minutes.”Lillith sat down on the floor and examined the overalls .They looked like something out of a costume drama, there was actual rope to tie them together and some trousers to wear underneath them. Then, there were the sandals, made from something altogether coarser than leather they too looked unlike anything Lillith had ever seen. I’ve landed in a hippy cult.

Five minutes later, the man poked his head into the tent.

“Are you ready?” Lillith admired the intricate gold buttons on his jacket. Really, this dream was mental. She was momentarily blinded stepping into the sunlight and then a strong pair of arms helped her up. Not those of the mysterious jacket man but another. She found herself looking into a pair of strong blue eyes framed by golden blonde hair. Her breath caught in her throat.

“I’m Stroud.” The boy smiled radiantly at her and let go.

“Stroud...seriously...” this was the other boy, “Ignore him...he’s a knob...I’m Jackson by the way...”

This other boy had a huge smile but by contrast was about an inch shorter than Lillith. His black wiry hair made up for the difference in height, but Lillith wondered what she would see of him if he stood sideways.

“Great.” The girl moaned, “Why am I here again?”

Jacket man hushed her.

“Is this really her?” a girl asked from behind them. “She don’t look like much?”

“Well,” the man sighed heavily, “neither do you Marianna. And we say she doesn’t look like much-language is an art.”

“Yeah, but she could have just like...faked it...falling out of a tree or something.”

“This is her, Marianna.”

“Just saying.” The girl scuffed her boots and stormed off to talk to Jackson at the front of the group.

“I’m Sam.” The man said cheerfully, “now, are we going to explore?”

Lillith nodded slowly and they were off into the group of tents.

“This,” the man started talking and Lillith tried to listen, “is the Samson bros carnival; my carnival.”

“You have a brother?”

“Not exactly – more like we’re like family here.”

 They led her outside to where the sun was shining on the green grass below it. Outside was a hustling bustling crowd of tents and people dressed in all manner of costumes from dancers to workers, and animals shouting at one another. The stink of the animals clashed with that of the food coming from two of the caravans that they walked past and Mr Samson stopped at.

One of the workers wolf- whistled Lillith. She ignored him, preferring to look at the view. I’m getting hit on by my own dream now? This gets weirder and weirder...The golden sun in the sea blue sky. The little caravans, smaller than ants against the forms of the great grey mountains. Then, standing tall and mighty above the other tents, framed against the blue sky– The Big Top. Carnivals are waay better than Portshaven...I could stay asleep here forever man...

They walked down a couple of alleyways and Stroud stopped in front of a trailer. Quickly swiping a jacket from the inside he ran to keep up with Lillith.

“So how are you liking it so far then?” he asked her, and Lillith thought she might faint when she looked into his eyes.

“Yeah...it’s...pretty cool...”

They walked along in silence for a bit, stopping when Samson pointed something out until Stroud said something,

“I could steal that and she’d never notice.” He was eying some washing on a clothes line. Lillith was forcibly reminded of Fry the first time they’d raided the shop together. Their hair was the same; he had the same aura of somebody that always landed on his feet – no matter what life threw at him. And she liked it. He flashed a warm smile and jogged to catch up with Jackson and Marianna leaving Lillith at the back of the group.

Everywhere they walked people were stepping out of their way. Lillith was too entranced by the little horse drawn caravans to notice the looks people were giving her even though she was wearing the same overalls as them. They had stopped for drinks at one of the caravans when she saw the tent. At first she thought it was a pile of rubbish the state it was in. Then, she saw that there was furniture inside it and the blackened sooty material that hung above the furniture was decorated.

“It’s a house...” she breathed stepping off the decking to get a closer look.

“Hey...” she said at the group, but none of them had noticed the state of the tent. She snapped her fingers, but still they wouldn’t look at her. Finally loosing it she clapped her hands and shouted, “Is anybody listening to me...this is supposed to be my dream...”

“Yeah,” Samson answered, “We’re just having drinks is all.” His voice was harsh, like something terrible had happened in the two minutes that they had been stood drinking juice.

“What’s that?” she asked him pointing at the tent. He blinked and put his glass down,

“I don’t see anything.”

“Seriously?”

“Yup.” The others shook their heads when she asked them. Lillith walked up to the mass of material and smelled it. It still smelt like smoke. Look at them, they’re shit scared. They aren’t going to tell you what happened. But then, why take me here unless they actually want me to work it out. Look at me, Lillith the dream ninja. This is gonna be one to talk about when I wake up...

Lillith took a sip of her juice. Samson started telling some story about himself and a woman.

Mental dream, maybe I actually am in hospital? But anyway...they obviously care about this tent. So if I like...destroy it...they’ll maybe tell me? Worth a go I guess...

“So,” she shouted, “If I take this cloth and chuck it...nobody is going to say anything?”

There was silence from behind her. Marianna’s fists were clenched, Lillith saw in the corner of her eye. Lillith started pulling the cloth.

“THAT’S MY HOUSE!”It burst out like a curse, something she had been trying to repress.

“What happened to it?” Lillith asked letting go of the material. Silence hit them like a train.

Stroud met her gaze neutrally. Marianna didn’t. Lillith paused again, eyeing the tent.

“It’s alright I’m alright Jackson...” the old man from their group had tripped over a stone on the way inside. Lillith bent down to help and, as she did, his sleeve came down revealing the most blackened pungent cut that Lillith had ever seen oozing pus...she moved back and the man nodded in approval, tying his sleeve back up and getting up slowly by himself.

“There are things we don’t talk about here,” he whispered in her ear, “You’ll soon see why.”

Stroud and Lillith were put to work for a crone called Cordelia. She looked at them pulling up weeds from under her matted grey hair and red checked apron. Mostly, the day went easily with her asking Stroud about his life; he’d grown up at the carnival, he didn’t talk about his parents and he enjoyed playing sport and his drum, he was a member of the carnival band. My dreams are cool.

She felt her heart skip a beat as Stroud offered to help her with a tent pole. His eyes are so blue. They were putting up a tent for the show that evening. Marianna was actually in the show. The others had gone off somewhere...Lillith shrugged and focused on putting up the tent.

As day turned into dusk and Stroud came back with warm sandwiches people started arriving. Lillith and Stroud started taking their money, which was a crazy shape compared to earth money. Lillith was holding one upside down when Jackson arrived.

“Torsten says,” he told Stroud, “That his box is broken and he’s on in two acts and could you go and fix it or the spirits will haunt us all.”  He winked at Lillith and Stroud snorted. Picking up his toolbox he left. Jackson sat down in his space.

“What’s your name?”

“Jackson.”

“Wow. I’m Lillith. I guess you already know that though. For a dream person you’re pretty fast, at remembering stuff.”

Jackson stopped and looked at her, “You think you’re...dreaming?”

“Why’s that so weird?”

Jackson took her hand and pinched it. Hard.

“OW!” Lillith rubbed her injury sourly. Jackson sighed.

“Still dreaming?”

Lillith shook her head.

“You haven’t got it yet have you? You haven’t ever done this before?”

“Done what?”

Then, this boy- Jackson, who was about Lillith’s age and half an inch shorter than her asked the question she had been half expecting from the start of this dream.

“How did you get here?”

“I...I...” That was when Lillith remembered the museum and the Office, “I guess I fell through a painting.”

“What if...” Jackson paused, “What if that wasn’t a painting? What if it was more like a hole in a wall that you fell through, into somebody else’s living room?”

Lillith paused to consider this, “and what, we’re in somebody else’s living room?”

“You are. You’re the traveller. Some people, like you, can get away with it. They follow certain rules and try to keep the balance with the help of others, Gatekeepers.”

“Gatekeepers?”

“Like me, like...a guide...there’s two in each world.” Jackson continued, “It’s a responsibility. You travel, and keeping to the rules you learn to protect the Citizens, like Marianna.” Lillith coughed.

“What if someone breaks the rules?”

“Then I don’t know.” He stopped and put a finger to his lips. Somewhere a clock tower sounded. The melody was haunting. A sound that Lillith would have expected glass chimes to make, not a huge old metal bell.

“Yeah,” Jackson said jolted out of his reverie – “That’s the tower.”

“Why does it play that song?”

“Nobody knows, some people say that the lady of that house bewitched it to play the sound every time an Agent was made. Either way, somewhere in this village a person is slowly entering the final phase of transformation,” Jackson said.

“Can’t we help?” Lillith asked him.

“No.”

A shiver ran down Lillith’s spine. She swallowed as tears threatened to overwhelm her, and smiled.

“You like Stroud don’t you?” Jackson asked her suddenly.

“Yeah, he’s awesome isn’t he? Aand if he isn’t a dream person...” Lillith sighed.

Jackson smiled and took her hand, “Be happy...make sure you’re going to be happy together and go for it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’ll be fine, I know you will.”

“You say that like Stroud is...I dunno, dangerous.”

Jackson didn’t answer.

His silhouette was still against the night sky and the sounds of cheers coming from inside seemed incredibly distant in that moment. Lillith started asking him another question but he put his hand in front of her mouth. What’s going on?

“Under the table,” he hissed pushing her under and pulling the table cloth down so all she could see was wet grass and his sandals and two black shadows.

“We know she’s here.” Their voices were quiet, like a cold breeze sending shivers down Lillith’s spine. More people like that woman? They sound the same...

“We wouldn’t hide such an individual from president Shadows. As your commander it is surely him that is looking for the traveller girl?”

“We do not answer. We ask only that you watch us.”

Then Lillith had to stifle a scream as she heard the crunch of bones and the shadows started receding. She heard a slump and came cautiously up to find Jackson wincing and holding his arm.

“Are you ok?” She asked him in amazement and Jackson nodded, wincing he took his jacket off and tied his arm in it like a sling.

“Erm...nod or shake...was that what your friend meant before? When he said you don’t talk about some things here?”

Jackson winced as he edged his arm up. He nodded slowly.

“Lillith,” he said slowly...painfully, “you trust me, don’t you? Forget about this.”

Lillith looked at his expression and nodded. But in reality, the experience would stay with her long after the people of the below village came out of the tent and the carnival folk lit a huge bonfire.

“Have you ever been to a party like this before?” Jackson asked her curiously.

“Erm...no...” Lillith stared at the women’s intricate floral skirts spinning around her.

“Come on,” his eyes were alight with laughter, “Dance with me!”

They spun around each other in the light of the bonfire to the music of the drums. Lillith, oblivious to the idea that she might one day have to leave this place.

Later, when they were sat in front of the fire laughing at the clowns, one of the children spoke up.

“Yes Julius?” Samson smiled as the kid ran over to him.

“Can Lillith tell us a story?”

Lillith looked up in surprise.

“Please!” A little girl was stood up now, “Tell us about your world, Lillith.” Her request was echoed around the Carnival. By children and adults alike. Lillith hadn’t thought that the Carnival artistes might be asking themselves about the girl who had come out of nowhere , so absorbed was she in the existence of worlds beside her own. But of course, they’d be curious too, I would be.

“Lillith?” Mr Samson asked her.

“Uh,” Lillith spoke up from her chair, “my world is called Earth, the people there are different in so many ways. I live in a house-,”

“You live in a house-?” the little boy asked her, “I’ve never lived in a house!” His mother blushed and muttered apologies, Lillith smiled at her and carried on, “Sure, everyone does, or at least most people do. I go to school in a place called Portshaven.”

This time it was Marianna’s turn to look shocked, “You, a girl, go to school?” The bonfire flickered as Lillith watched the other girl for a moment, she seemed almost uncomfortable at having everyone look at her. Can’t think why, she’s gorgeous.  She watched Lillith back defiantly for a moment and then Lillith spoke.

“Yeah, why?” Lillith asked her.

The whole carnival was watching this exchange, awestruck.

“Well, it’s just that girls aren’t given the right to go to school here in Marina. Only those boys who belong to families that honour Shadow’s regime here in Marina are allowed the chance to go to school and even then, they only learn what Shadow wants them to learn.”

“Really?” Lillith asked, “Don’t they do anything to stop it?”

“They can’t.” Marianna said curtly. “They’d get...”

“Oh- it’s not safe right.” Lillith remembered.

The atmosphere around the fire grew decidedly chilly for a minute until another child spoke,” What’s your mummy and daddy like?”

Lillith had to think about how best to answer this question.

“I’m not sure. My daddy died when I was younger...my mum...”

Mr Samson was watching her intently.

“...is an amazing woman.” She said meeting his gaze defiantly.

“I’m sure,” he said so only she and Jackson could hear him.

Lillith felt a funny sensation in the pit of her stomach then, just as the old man tapped the flautist and he began to play the melody from the clock tower before. Everyone went to the side of the circle and Marianna and Cordelia started handing out candles whilst the man called Torsten put out the fire.

The scent of burning wax filled the air as Jackson handed Lillith one and whispered in her ear.

“He’s going to tell us the story of that clock tower. But, he’s going to do it the traditional way.”

“What...by reading it?”

Jackson smiled, “No – here in Marina we make people dream it.”

“Dream?”

He nodded and then pointed at the old man, settling down in a sleeping position on the grass. Mystified, Lillith did the same.

“I was told a tale of love,

By one I once did love,

Of a sage and a lady

Who could be called snake,

Lillith’s head began to spin whilst the old man was singing.

“In green pastures and plains,

Our fair child played games,

Till when she met another,

And found herself in love.

Lillith could see a girl dressed in a green dress dancing amongst flowers. Every time she spun past Lillith she seemed to grow older – entranced she got up not noticing her own body lying asleep next to Jackson. A man came to join the woman in the field now.

No more was she a child,

She was soon to be wed,

‘Till when she met death,

Not through herself but through another

Lillith watched horrified as the field ran red with blood and the woman held a knife to

another woman’s throat. Glistening next to the knife was a gem on a black string that shone and blinded Lillith.

And so the tragedy takes hold,

For here we must behold,

The lies our child told –

To keep herself clean too.

When Lillith looked up she could see the man running away from the woman, who turned around to another man.

Death met her once again,

And pulled her to its den,

But not before, she kept her score,

By stealing Death’s finest gem.

Surrounded by people on a cliff the woman turned to them and held up her gem turning back around and leaping off the cliff.

When Lillith woke up she found herself inside Jackson’s trailer. Jackson was watching her. Marianna was asleep in a corner.

“Can’t sleep?” He asked simply. Lillith nodded. He got up and took one of two mugs filled with a steaming hot brew. Handing it down to her he came and sat beside her. She sipped, it was tea. Camomile. The kind her mum used to make her when she was younger.

“It’s going to be alright you know?”

Lillith looked at him. He seemed so sure. Home seems so far away right now.

Chapter five: The Leader Passes

The Hospitalet, Office of Pilusis

Get well soon.

His card stood futilely in the sunlight on a shelf above Alice’s head. Her face shone. Samuel watched her intently; she had been there two weeks now and despite the fact that she had named him her regent, he still believed she would wake up. She had to wake up. He needed her to wake up. Sympathetic clerks and orderlies brought him cups of tea but they either went cold or got tipped into the window box to the side of the bed.

People thought nothing of this. He was the only person she had. He was also the strongest of the legendary twelve; the travellers who had other abilities, apart from travelling between worlds. They were close, as one clerk whispered to another. They defeated Jebediah himself together. On the day she finally died, it was quiet. Samuel had fallen asleep by her side and he awoke to find her wrist dangling awkwardly limp near the bedside cupboard.

Worried he had checked her pulse and found she was gone. It was like a block of ice. He was the Regent now. This was happening. He shut his eyes and saw it – time. The future. The past. It washed through him like a great wave of emotion. The future is but a meandering stream.

He didn’t cry.

Alice didn’t cry when she had shouldered this, and now he wouldn’t.

I will make you proud Alice. You will be glad that you believed in me.

The funeral took place in a small room, just off the great entrance hall as Alice had asked. Samuel and the two clerks were alone in watching the traditional words being said and in the moment that Alice’s coffin was lowered, Samuel shut his eyes.

I will always remember, even if others don’t I will remember Belladonia. There will never be another home for me, mine is gone now. And there will never be another friend, a better friend than you, Alice.

The ashes that were Alice floated through the window and, somewhere in the back of his mind Samuel heard a door open. He smiled. She was still here, for a few moments.

 “I know you can hear me, Alice,” he whispered to the breeze, “I’ll look after it for you.”

That afternoon, while the paperwork was being checked, he went to check on Lillith. Pausing to gaze through the door as he held Lillith’s paperwork in his hands, he saw a lengthy queue of people before he heard the noise of their complaints.

Name: Lillith Amelia Bridgestone

Age: 16

Number: 09876 545 52

“HOW DARE YOU CALL YOUR SUPERIOR THE INFIDEL!”

Lela’s voice. She may have been small, but her voice compensated for her height. The second of the twelve, and as he walked out of the corridor into the grand hall everything fell silent. So they knew, already?

Quietly he went to stand behind Lela, who was still shouting at the clerk. Desk 52? This would be the clerk that had shown Lillith the most important secret of being a traveller. That was all clerks existed for. Human dummies that did the paperwork and had programmed into them the secrets of how to travel, techniques that travellers used to ensure that they weren’t incinerated between worlds.

And then the clerk exploded.

“What was that?” Lela stepped back, suddenly unsure of herself.

“Minor problem: that was the clerk that initiated our new leader.  If she hasn’t been blown up by now.”

“So Alice is really gone huh?”

“Yeah. She really is.” Samuel swallowed and continued, “Lillith made it though, I saw through the glass. But we’re going to have to rely on the gatekeeper’s help now.”

“I trust that one. Lillith will be fine.”

Lela stooped down and turned the faulty clerk over. On his arm there were two criss crossing black welts.

“It was the Agents?” she asked him.

“Yes, but they reckoned without some of our other friends.”

“Lillith is lucky to have such good friends.”

Marina

Meanwhile, Lillith had almost forgotten about the cloaked strangers who broke Jackson’s arm. She was too busy enjoying her work fixing the carnival with Stroud, or playing draughts with the old man or trying some new kind of food. The Carnival, for her, was like wonderland. The day the man came was a golden sunny day like any other. Lillith nearly didn’t see him at first but for the twig that he broke.

She looked up.

“Don’t...don’t...” he seemed to be in some kind of trouble coming up with what he wanted to say next, Lillith realised. He was a state. Covered in mud.

“I can go and get you a blanket.” She said awkwardly.

“NO!” Lillith shrank back at the sharp tone of his voice.

“Lillith – run. Get out of here now.”

“Who are you?”

He put one finger to his lips, Lillith squinted into the bracken. She couldn’t see his face.

“What-?”

“Lillith, don’t think about me, think of yourself. You need to get out of here.”

“How?” Lillith asked, “How? I don’t even know how I got here. Besides falling through a painting.”

Seth nodded, “That’s my fault, Lillith. I should have told you.”

Lillith stared opened mouthed at the man.

“Who are you?” He looked strangely familiar.

And then the Big Top exploded.

BOOM!

Shreds of fabric and shrapnel flew everywhere. Lillith turned around and the man had vanished into the trees.

BOOM!

The second explosion shook the ground. Lillith was thrown onto her knees by the force of it. The shout for help was caught in her throat as she felt a cold clammy hand on the back of her neck and was forced around to two agents looking at her with their red empty eyes.

“Watch us.”

BOOM!

“Watch us and we need never search for our father again.”

BOOM!

And she was catapulted into the caravan. Dimly she saw a tall blonde figure whack them and their black cloaked figures crumple. He came closer and she could see it was Stroud.

He put her arm around his shoulder and helped her up.

“Lillith, we have to move.” His face was serious.

Lillith tried to nod. Together they made their way around the back of the caravans, dodging the flames and shrapnel that the Agents’ weapons threw into the air.

BOOM!

“In here!” Someone shouted above the noise and Stroud turned them into a hole in the ground covered by rubble and the wall of a caravan. It was Jackson.

Lillith fell onto the floor and she didn’t know anything else until much later.

Marianna’s hand was on the hilts of the golden swords that hung from her belt before the first explosion. Gold met silver in a flash of thunder. Torsten, the magician was fighting another. Marianna whirled underneath her opponent and came up behind them. Flashes of sound swept past her, and before she knew what was happening the Agent had disappeared and her golden sword lay in a small pile of ash.

She picked it up.

There was an inhuman scream as the other Agent was reduced to ash as well.

And Torsten fell on the floor.

“Torsten?” Marianna moved towards the old magician, feeling slightly detached.

“Mari...I’ll be fine, you...get a caravan...go to Marina city...the carnival will come there...whats left...stay safe...”

“But...”

“GO! They wanted the hermit...it was him, he was the new Agent.”

She swallowed and stepped back.

“Go.”

So Marianna ran to Jackson’s caravan. The Battle for the caravan raged on around her as she led Torsten’s horse to the caravan.

BOOM! The first explosion. The horse, Wildfire neighed as though struck by lightning.

BOOM! The second explosion and Marianna and the horse moved forward, Agents jumping to the side and trying to slash them with their silver weapons.

BOOM! And the adrenaline pumped through her as she fought them off.

BOOM! And she saw Jackson trying to pull Lillith out from under the rubble. Steering the caravan towards them she started shouting for Jackson’s attention and helping him, as he reached for her whilst holding onto Lillith.

When Lillith woke up the two of them were watching her worriedly. Their eyes where the first thing she saw. Jackson breathed a sigh of relief as she focused on his face. Marianna was looking out of the window.

“He should be back by now.” She said in a voice that Lillith obviously wasn’t meant to hear, “What if....”

“Don’t say that.” Jackson said flatly.

“Who should be back?” Lillith asked them.

Marianna stopped.

“Stroud. He went to look...for Samson and he’s not back yet.”

Wincing, Lillith tried to get up.

“We need to find him.”

The two of them looked at each other.

“Lillith,” Jackson began, “I know he’s your friend but...Stroud knew what might happen when he went back out there. He did it so you could be safe; you wouldn’t want to change that, would you?”

This was the wrong thing to say. Lillith stopped moving and stared at him.

“He’s your friend too.” She said icily. Forcing herself to stay steady she picked up a stick from the table and propping herself up she made for the door.

The battle had finished. The carnival was deserted and smoking. A strange mist had descended on it, along with the silence of tragedy. Lillith hobbled forward, followed by Marianna and Jackson.

“Samson!” she shouted.

Nothing.

“SAMSON! STROUD!”

Still nothing.

“SAMSON!” Marianna joined in.

Lillith stopped on the dusty path that once led up to the Big Top.

“Sh.”

They were surrounded. Stroud and Samson stood, back to back watching the Agents.

“It’s ok.” Stroud whispered.

Then, as the Agents turned around, realising that Lillith was watching them.

Letting go of the stick Lillith ran forward. Marianna following her, swords out of her belt.

“It’s ok,” Samson smiled as she saw he was wounded, “it’s ok. They can’t hurt me.”

“But...” Marianna began and two tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Hey,” Samson said turning to her, “You know what your mum would have said, don’t you? She would have told you not to cry. She hated it when you cried,” he brushed her hair back and smiled through his wound, “You look like her...”

And Jackson put an arm around her. Stroud stepped back so he could be closer to the rest of them.

“I’ll be fine,” Samson told them, “But you have to go now. Go to Marina City, that’s where everyone’s heading,” he held a hand up to Jackson’s objections, “ You know she needs to see this Jackson, it’s what he would have wanted and now he’s gone ,” he nodded, “This is right.”

“What?” Lillith asked. Stroud took her hand.

“Will you watch us, Ringleader?” One of the Agents asked and the others sheathed their blades.

“We will leave the others in their blindness if you watch us.”

“Turn around,” Stroud whispered.

Just for a minute, a small quiet minute, and when she and the others turned around Mr Samson and the crowd of dark haired, red eyed people were gone.

Lillith shivered, “Where did they take him?” she asked the air. Nobody answered.

The whole carnival was quiet. The empty silence threatened to drag them down with it, into the void.

Marianna walked off into the forest, tears in her eyes quickly followed by Jackson. Stroud looked at Lillith and motioned for her to follow him to the back of the Caravan. Once he was there, he spoke.

“See there,” He said pointing at the horizon, she followed his gaze and saw a space between two of the snowy peaks.

“That’s the Agents city – Milmort.”

“You think he could be OK?”

“I’d say it’s a possibility – but don’t tell anyone I told you, OK? Marianna is going to be really cut up about this,” Stroud was a bit older than Lillith and the others and it showed in his eyes in that moment, she nodded.

“He was like her dad,” Stroud was saying slowly, “You know; looked after her when her parents died, gave her a home, helped her...”

Lillith looked through the trees where she could see the vague shadows of Jackson comforting Marianna.

“But,” she stopped awkwardly, “Even if they haven’t taken him there, do you think he’ll be ok? You know if something bad...”

“The Agents wouldn’t have killed him.”

“But if they did?”

“I...” Stroud paused for a moment, “As long as there are people that love us, people that know us well...then I think we’re fine. It’s when nobody understands us that there is the problem. I think there is somewhere we go, somewhere we can look down on the people that loved us and care for them.” Are you watching me then, Dad? I hope you’re happy...with what you see.

Lillith nodded slowly. Fumbling around in her pouch her hand closed on those pink headphones.

They where there for a couple of hours.

When Jackson and Marianna arrived together in silence they made their way back to the caravan.

That night they lit a fire.

It was Stroud’s idea. That they should light a fire and say something about Samson. He went first,

“Samson,” he said, “knew everything about everyone in this Carnival. He loved it like his family and he’d have wanted every one of us to be happy. Even though he’s gone, I hope that lives on.” His face was serious, in the light of the burning embers. Lillith felt the heat go to her face.

He sat back down under the starry night sky.

“I didn’t really know Samson as well as you guys,” Lillith began feeling warm, “But in the time that I knew him, I knew a man that made me feel at home even though everyone else wondered where I came from and looked at me different. Samson let me in, even though I come from Earth.”

Even though I don’t know how to get back. Even though nobody knows where I am.

She covered herself with another of the blankets.

“Samson was the bravest man I knew,” Jackson spoke into the darkness, “He didn’t ever let it show when things... got too hard. He cared too much for that.”

There was silence for a minute and then Marianna spoke.

“Samson was like a dad to me.”

She misses him.

Lillith put an arm around her, awkwardly.

The Core

“Cute,” she sniffed.

The light of the lava wasn’t as bright here, but this district was cheaper. She turned away from the Alatriz mirror as there was a knock on the door, plated with the word, “Warden.”

“He’s here.”

“Bring him in.”

            And the Agent forced Samson to his feet. Together with another Agent, they pushed Samson through the door.

Chapter Six: Treetop town.

Marina

A week passed, more or less in the same way.

“We’re lost.” Marianna voiced what they had all been wise enough to keep to themselves. Stroud stopped. He sniffed loudly. Lillith sighed again. No people, No shower...if I was dreaming I would so have woken up by now...

“Well,” he said, placing a great deal of emphasis on this word, “Well, I don’t see you trying to read the map.” They had all agreed not to go back to the Carnival as it wouldn’t be safe for anyone that had escaped the Agents as they had to go back there. Or rather, Jackson, Marianna and Stroud had agreed. Lillith hadn’t known what to vote for sure.

The map was a map they had found buried deep in one of the chests stored in their caravan. The caravan that, for the past week they had had to share. Lillith stood in the middle of the caravan and put both arms out. Each fingertip touched opposing walls.

Lillith sighed again.

Shouts came thick and fast from the front of the caravan.

“Look,” Stroud shouted excitedly, “Look a city!” A smile lit up his face, “food!”

It wasn’t exactly a city. Not in the normal sense. In a normal city you would expect all the buildings to be on the ground and separated by roads and pavements and tarmac. Or at least, that’s what Lillith would have expected. But no, this city was built in the treetops of the forest which they had been navigating for the past week. Each tree had two houses stood proudly amongst the branches of the trees. Joining the city together was a network of flimsy dangerous looking logs and rope that had been twisted together into ladders. And in the centre of the clearing, a tent, with a hot air balloon parked outside.

Dubiously, Jackson parked their caravan beside the hot air balloon and jumped off the bench stroking the horse. “I don’t like this,” he said shortly.

Marianna and Stroud looked at him as one confused. Lillith just scuffed her shoes against the caravan, trying to look like she was in on the discussion.

“What’s not to like, we can stock up on food, ask for directions- who knows maybe there’s someone else in there,” she pointed at the tent, “going to where we are going, wherever that is.”

Jackson pulled on their old donkey’s reins leaving the mule tied to a tree surrounded by luscious green grass.

“Fine, don’t blame me when they’ve got here too.” He said simply, “and we’re going to Marina City like Samuel said.”

Jackson was the only one of them that ever called Mr Samson, Samuel.

In one of the tents at the back of the town, people were drinking. The air was thick with cigarette smoke and three men sat counting their profits.

“We need two more to make Casper’s quota.”

The other two nodded and were so busy thinking how they would come by their next two slaves that they didn’t realise a man in a suit walked past them swiping the fullest purse. Shadows smiled to himself as he felt the slightest trickle of fresh air through his projection.

Meanwhile, Lillith and Jackson were wondering lost in a side street.

Suddenly, Lillith found herself being shoved roughly to the side of the street. She looked up to see who had her by the scruff of the neck and she saw that it was Jackson. “What-?” she tried to ask, but failed because the next thing she knew Jackson’s hand was clamped over her mouth.

More of them. The Agents.

They marched in groups of three, silver axes drawn. Pale white skin covered with rough black fabric. They stopped. In front of a man sat outside what could only be a pub.

“Mornin’ Gents.” The man lifted his stetson to the Agents.

“Are you Jonathan Jenkins?”” One of them asked.

“Well my friend that would depend,” the man tilted his head back and Lillith could see his piercing blue eyes looking straight at her. Their eyes met and his looked away, “On why you might be askin’ me of my birthname.”

“Do you own the balloon parked outside this marketplace?”

No answer.

“Do you?”

“No.” Jonathan Jenkins looked into the eye of the Agents “I do not.”

The Agent, he looked like a man to Lillith, slammed the man’s head into the table. Blood spurted out from his nose. Lillith gasped, stifled by Jackson’s hand.

“Make sure I don’t find out that you do.” He said coldly and walked down the street disappearing in the cloud of smoke generated by the marketplace.

By the time Lillith had recovered from the shock Jackson was already out helping the man.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Quite fine thank’ee kind sir.”

Lillith followed him cautiously; the man’s eyes met her with a glitter.

“Sir,” he said to Jackson, “You shouldn’t be leavin’ such a fine lass alone in this town,” he gestured for Jackson to come closer, “there’s people as would buy a fair lass like this one and sell her for profit.”

 “I am here,” Lillith pointed out to the man.

“Slavers?” Jackson asked the man who nodded sharply.

He looked at her for a moment, “Of course y’are fair lass and that’d be why I’ll be buyin’ y’ a drink na.”

“You’re ok though?” Lillith looked at the man worriedly.

“Course, I’se at peace. I understands the meaning of,” he jerked his head towards the Agents path, “certain actions. We’se used to it ‘ere.This is...our reality if you be understandin’ me?”

Jackson shrugged and sat down.

Lillith looked back at the man.

“What will y’ be havin’” he said clearly, as though he knew Lillith wasn’t used to his accent.

“Water please,” she said slowly, sitting down.

“One water,” he called to the round waitress serving another table, Jonathan looked at Jack next,

“One rammer beer please,” Jackson called to the waitress,

“An’ I’ll be havin’ the same again if you be not mindin’ Sheila.”

“Oh I rue the day I let that man in this pub , “ the merry faced waitress smiled at Lillith before waltzing into the bar. Lillith was watching the pub sign flutter in the breeze. The tent was held up by wood and stretched as far as Lillith could see. Easily five times as big as that of the carnival.

“So,” the man- Jonathan- said expectantly. Back to reality...

“So,” Lillith repeated nervously.

“You’re a long way from home,” Jonathan Jenkins’ eyes twinkled at Lillith.

“How do you know?” Lillith asked.

“Because your friend here was hiding you from the Agents.”

Jackson gave a small smile at this.

“That’ gotter make you rather important, somebody they are after, in fact.”

Jackson looked at his palms nervously. What’s got him?

“An’ I’ll wager,” Jonathan Jenkins took of his hat and crossed his boots, “that your friend hasn’t told yer any of it.”

“Hey!” Lillith was instantly riled against this stranger, he smile at her.

“I didn’t mean t’ get you angry my dear but tellin’ the truth is what I grew up with and, being from a different place,” Lillith gasped at this and Jackson shushed her, “I know people from different places, if y’ get ma drift.”

“You’re like me?” Lillith looked around but nobody seemed to be listening in, “from another world?”

He nodded, “A world too similar t’ this one, full of cert’n people so evil it still makes my skin crawl.”

Jackson looked at him, “what happened?” he asked the man, “to make you move here?”

“I‘s forced to move here.” He gestured them in closer, “by The Agents.”

He looked around again.

“You aren’t a t-?” Jackson’s hand was over her mouth before she could finish. Jonathan Jenkins shook his head.

“Quiet lass’. You don’ wan ter  be sayin’ tha’ ‘ere. You never knows who’se listenin’.”

“I used to be a bad bad man. I robbed and plundered for a livin’. But it never made me ‘appy – y’undestand? Once I plundered a ause-.”

“A what?”

“A house” Jackson explained.

“A ause from another bad bad man who came lookin’ for me one day.” Then the man got up, still eyeing the streets cautiously. He pulled down the neck of his jacket to reveal an ugly scar.

“He shot me. He was with a lil’ boy younger than yourselves i’ll wager and as I lay there dead to all but myself and anyone that watches us from up above he screamed and screamed. Then. Then he laid his hand on my head and I woke up here in me’ air balloon,” Jonathan Jenkins took a swig of his drink, “in Marina.”

“So what do you do now?”

“I fly.”

“In your air balloon?”

“Why most certainly young lassie.”

“C’mon ,” Jonathan smiled at Jackson and Lillith, “Shall we go some place quie’r?”

Lillith and Jackson exchanged a look. How did they know they could trust this man? Jackson was the first one to stand up. “Can we stay in the market? We have to get supplies.”

Jonathan smiled at them, “y’ can help yerselves to some supplies from mah air balloon if yer like?”

Lillith nodded slowly, getting up to follow Jackson.

As they made their way back out of the air balloon Lillith remembered, “Our friends are going to be waiting for us,” she said into the sunny midday. Jackson snapped around, almost as though he’d forgotten Marianna and Stroud too.

“Ah dunna worry my lass,” Jonathan grinned, “t’clock will bong and yer will know to go an’ meet yer friends.”

Friends who, at that exact moment were filling their arms with more food than they could possibly carry. Hecklers called out as they spent their money buying fish or fruit. Marianna turned around to look for Stroud and suggest going to put some of the food in the caravan and her heart sank. He was nowhere to be seen.

Pulse pounding in her head she began retracing their last steps. Maybe she’d left him staring at something on sale. But no Stroud. Her head spun with the effort of running so quickly.

Vaguely she tried to remove what felt like fingers in her mouth.

And fell to the floor.

“Youse unlucky.” This was Jonathan Jenkins, sat outside the balloon.

“Why?” Lillith asked curiously, who despite the problems she was having understanding him, was beginning to like this strange man.

“Because youse got the job of Marina,” Jackson looked like he might try and stop the very drunk Jonathan Jenkins from saying anymore, “Thems travellers...theyse should have come ‘ere eons ago...but i thinks theyse got their own problems. Theyse not going to be athinking about little old us. Meanwhiles peoples are scared ‘cause theyse can’t speak the name of these people that move them from world to world...that recruit them...the Ag-”

Lillith didn’t quite know what to say to this, Jackson smiled at her confusion and got up.

“Thankyou for all your...erm...stuff Mr Jenkins but really, we should get back to our caravan now.”

Night was beginning to fall as the drunken Jonathan Jenkins took them back to their caravan. But, there was nobody there.

“Where are they?” Lillith asked the air. Jackson was stood there looking stunned, then he turned to face the man.

“You told us when the clock went, we’d be able to meet our friends,” Lillith watched him, the feeling of dread spreading to her, “do you know when the clock is going to go?”

“Tomorrow morning when the slaves gets sold, its simples.” He pointed at Jackson, “nobody would mess with that boy. But two children on their own, straying to these scariests parts.”

Jackson was looking horrified.

“Youse not got a chance of finding them now. Sleep. Rest. Then tomorrow we’ll rescue your friends.” Jackson stepped back, Lillith moved to catch her friend.

That night, nobody slept in the caravan.

“You still trust him?” Jackson asked Lillith.

“I...yeah...” He told us about the stuff he did to that house. Why would he lie about that?

Jackson was quiet.

Marianna and Stroud didn’t sleep so much. Stroud was quiet, his glassy blue eyes reflecting the moonlight, Marianna fluctuated from reassuring herself that Jackson would find them to debating how best to escape the barn they had been chained up in. But even if they did escape where would they go with no money/ clue where they were?

Time passed and she lapsed into silence.

Things had got so much harder now, since Samson had...died.

“I miss him.” She said out loud and Stroud looked at her curiously.

“Who?”

“Samson, who else?”

The two pairs spent the night in silence after that. When Jackson and Lillith woke up and got out of the caravan they were met by a cheerfully Jonathan Jenkins.

“C’mons, we’se going to be late. We’se must be off to t’market.”

“I have fifty-.” Jackson began fingering his wallet. Jonathan put his hand on it,

“Nowt can pay for friendship, don’t y’agree young un’? I’ll be payin’ for your friends to be together.”

Dumbfounded Jackson stood back.

“Thank you.” Lillith rasped her first word of the cold crisp morning and the man smiled and tipped his hat. Together, they made their way to the market.

Bong! Bong! Bong!

The great clock that hung from a tree branch bonged and Jonathan led them inside the tent.

“And now welcome,” a voice rang out of the megaphone on the stage, “to the annual Treetop Market!”

“Oh. My. Lord.” Jackson breathed.It was people.People for sale. And then, Lillith saw the worst thing. Marianna and Stroud being dragged, in handcuffs on stage.

Marianna muttered behind Stroud, “I want to go back.”

“Back where?” Stroud looked at her.

“Home.” Marianna said simply, “I want to go back home to my parents house. I want to see it again.”

“If we get out.” Stroud sighed and Marianna glanced at him curiously, not saying anything. She noticed that his feet had an ugly black rash and shook herself. Trick of the light. It had to be...Stroud was her friend. His feet looked fine in the light...

A man crashed into the room and pulled Stroud and Marianna up. “Some haul.” He muttered to himself oblivious to Marianna’s pleas. He hauled them outside to the stage and shouted incomprehensible words at the roaring crowd below them. Marianna’s last thought was that they were done for.

Stroud’s eyes lightened when he saw them in the audience.

Jackson and Lillith broke into a run pushing past dozens of people.

“Can we start the bids then please?” The man on the stage was saying.

Pushing past the crowds of people to get to the front...

 “Do we have no higher bids?”

“I’ll be biddin’ .”It was Jonathan Jenkins. White moustaches and shining blue eyes. “hey, friends’es all we got when we’re in a world of our own an’ anywayse youse be forgettin that I has a debt to repay, the way youse looked after me in the street like that, is not somethin’ that every person would do. Thankees.”

Lillith watched with an overpowering sense of relief. The other bidder had backed out. Jonathan was going to collect them.

“That’s 50 Argentiums then sir,” and Jonathan handed over the money and Stroud and Marianna were free.

Half an hour later in the sunshine Jonathan Jenkins was preparing to set off.

“Thank you,” Jackson was saying and Marianna was nodding- eyes shining, “I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

Jonathan Jenkins leant in and whispered something to them. Jackson nodded.

Stroud was whistling softly a little way away from them, his hands running through the rope that moored the air balloon. Lillith looked at him. He seemed so carefree after his day. Jackson had explained that Stroud had been in trouble with the law before, but somehow she couldn’t picture it. No. He’s so open. Not him.

“Lillith,” someone whispered her name voice as inviting as a fresh breeze.

Under the luscious green trees there was a shadow of a man. He nodded at her.

“Just- going- to-eat an apple.” Lillith stammered in the general direction of the group, squinting at the shadow in the trees. The man turned his head to meet her. He was handsome, at least 40 years older than Lillith, dressed in creased grey linen suit. Lost in his eyes Lillith was brought back down to earth by the sound of an apple falling from the trees.

“Do I know you?” she asked him, without being able to help herself, he looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him. Warily she eyed the apple he was holding. It was scarlet against his suit.

“Sad, Isn’t it Lillith?” He smiled at her, anything but sad, “That in a free world such as this one should have to rely on such a dirty trade. Your friends were lucky, oh so lucky, but every second of every minute of every day somewhere someone is kept. Under lock and key, not free to fulfil themselves. Not able to make their own choices. People are betrayed by those...closest to them. The people that are meant to protect them.”

“Right.” Lillith said nervously.

“All I want Lillith, all I ever wanted was to make a world where people were free from what binds them – when you see somebody hurt do you stop and help them because you want to, or because you feel others are making you? I want the choice.” When Lillith didn’t answer the man continued. He isn’t from here either, is he?  Lillith looked at his white hands, a feeling of dread creeping into the pit of her stomach and taking hold. Transfixed she stood watching him fill the orchard with his presence.

“Join me Lillith; help me create a world with no bounds. A world where any man can make his destiny.” He tossed the apple to Lillith. “Think about it – after all nobody’s forcing you- but -if you decide to join me plant that apple anywhere. I’ll know and then I’ll come. Ask me to come into this world and I will be all too happy to come.”

“Lillith!” It was Jackson, “We’re going!”

The man’s eyes hardened as he took Jackson in on the horizon.

“Think about it Lillith.” And he was gone.

“Who would that un’ be now?” It was Jonathan Jenkins; face barely an inch from hers.

“Some psycho who gave me an apple.”  Lillith eyed the apple and then bit into it.

“Ugh!” She spat it out. It was writhing with maggots.

Jonathan nodded, “Stay away from that un Lillith, he means to hurt you. You an’ this world.”

“You mean that was...” Lillith looked at the place where the man disappeared.

“Hush,” Jonathan muttered, “Don’t say it. It’s not safe. He can hear you. He’s watching you, Lillith.”

And together they went back to their group, staying out of the shadows.

“Will we ever see each other again?” Lillith asked.

“Course we will young un’.”

And Stroud slashed the ropes.