The Prophecy Overground Chapter One

Kaleem fidgeted. The room was annoying him. He had been sitting in the uncomfortable, old-fashioned chair for what seemed like hours. Some of the suggestions the others were making really irritated him. Why didn’t they think? He wished he didn’t have to be here. He’s much rather be back at home, working on the  dataserve his mother had at last managed to buy for him.

His eyes strayed to the window. That was some compensation at least. A relief from the gloom of  the caves. The sun was shining brightly, catching the reds and oranges of the leaves from the now sixteen-year-old trees. A squirrel jumped on the tree nearest the window, making its branches shake.

‘So, Kaleem, why do we consider it important to preserve all forms of life on Terrestra?’  Maggie Johnstone’s voice was piercing and high pitched. This lot was enough to make anyone nervous. ‘Including squirrels, if you like,’ she added. From other teachers, that would have sounded sarcastic. From her, though, it was just a gentle tease.

‘Oh, Maggie, it’s cos he lives in a cave!’ answered Stuart Davidson.

‘Yeah, look at him!’ Erik Svenson joined in. ‘He’s not so pure himself.’

Kaleem blushed. He was only too aware that his skin was browner than that of the other white members of his class, and his hair was blonder.

‘Yeah, Goldilocks day dreaming again!’ giggled Rozia Laurence.

That one hurt. She obviously didn’t think much of him. But she was absolutely gorgeous. Sleek black hair and a pale face. The perfect Terrestran looks, in fact, if you couldn’t be respectably yellow or black .

‘Now, come on folks,’ said Maggie, blushing herself a little too.

Kaleem suddenly felt sorry for Maggie. She was trying really hard to make them think for themselves and to include everybody in the conversation. She wasn’t much older than them. She probably hadn’t been doing this very long.

‘You do know about throw-backs?’ Maggie continued.

‘What’s that then?’ asked Pierre LaFontaine.

‘Look,’ continued Maggie. ‘Kaleem can’t help the way he looks. Occasionally, genetic information comes through from generations ago. Before Terrestra became a One World, there were several nationalities that had skin which tanned easily and fair hair. The Swedes, for example. They coped less well with the cave life and gradually died out.’

‘Sounds like a vegetable!’ sniggered Erik.

‘Hey, Kaleem’s a turnip!’ laughed Stuart.

Kaleem slumped down further in his seat.

‘What do you mean different nationalities?’ asked Rozia.

‘Well,’ began Maggie. ‘There used to be ….’

Suddenly the large datascreen lit up. The face of  Rajud Hepman, the coordinator of their schooling group, appeared on the screen.

‘Miss Johnstone,’ said Rajud. ‘A word, please. Students, you may dismiss early.’

Maggie blushed deep red now. Rajud Hepman’s voice sounded stern. A shame; she had been trying so hard to be fair to everyone.

‘Throw back!’ scoffed Erik as made their way to the transports.

‘You going straight home?’ asked Pierre.

‘Yes, but I want to walk,’ answered Kaleem.

‘You’re strange, man,’ said Pierre. ‘It’s cold out there!’

‘But I like the fresh air!’ replied Kaleem.

Pierre’s teeth were chattering.

They both knew the real reason, though. Kaleem just didn’t want to go back home. The colours up here were such a contrast to the grimness of the caves and they were so much more alive than the ones on the screen of his dataserve. No, he never wanted to leave the cosiness of the cave, but once he was out, he never wanted to go back down.

The two boys made their way across the square towards the park. There weren’t many people about today. Just an older looking man, who seemed to stare at the two boys.

‘He’s a bit creepy,’ said Kaleem.

‘No, he just thinks we’re nuts for being out here,’ replied Pierre.

‘So why’s he out here then?’ asked Kaleem.

‘Cos he’s nuts as well?’ suggested Pierre.

Kaleem shrugged. He stared at the old man. Although he was still quite a distance away, Kaleem could tell that he was staring back. Kaleem shivered.

‘Come on then,’ said Pierre. ‘It’s too cold to stand still. He’s probably getting near to switch-off.’

Kaleem watched the man turn and start walking away from them. The park was deserted now. Most people just did not stay outside for very long. They preferred the controlled, even temperature inside the buildings.

The grass in the park was damp, and there were dried leaves covering the paths. They crunched underneath their feet.

‘Breathe that air, man,’ shouted Kaleem. ‘It’s rich, rich, rich!’

‘It hurts if you breathe too hard!’ laughed Pierre. ‘Look, I’m getting frost bite here. I’m going to hop on to a transporter when we get to the other side.’

As soon as they arrived at the station, a transporter glided in humming and hovered gently as its doors opened. It was one of the old ones that used to run through the caves. There weren’t many people in it. People preferred the quieter ones with the seats which moulded themselves to you to give the maximum comfort. They would let these relics from the below-ground life go by.

‘Coming?’ asked Pierre.

Kaleem went to get on. Stuart Davidson and Erik Svenson were grinning sickeningly though the window of the carriage that stopped in front of them. Rozia was with them.

‘I think I’ll walk,’ muttered Kaleem.

‘Suit yourself,’ said Pierre. ‘Only don’t blame me if your fingers fall off!’

The doors of the transporter slid shut. Pierre waved. Rozia smiled at him. Erik and Stuart were whispering. They pointed at him and laughed. Just as well he couldn’t hear it. It was probably not at all nice.

The transporter vanished. Pierre was right. It was cold. But he just couldn’t have faced those Muppets. Perhaps he should log a request for another transporter?

No, that would mean he would be back in the caves within minutes. If he walked, he would have at least half an hour ‘outside’. It was good to see so much colour.

Kaleem set off. He walked smartly and that kept him warm, though the ends of his fingers were numb with cold.

They ought to bring back gloves, he thought. They’d had them before the poison cloud arrived. But nobody bothered enough with outside. Only the people whose job it was to maintain the new parklands and gardens. They wore gloves all right. But those were to protect their hands from spiky plants and dirty soil, not to warm them.

Kaleem’s thoughts soon turned from gloves to the questions which always bothered him when he had time to think. Why did he and his mother live in the caves? Why were they so poor? Why wouldn’t she go out? She had no contact with the outside world. She never used the movie screen and she only used any of the communication systems for essentials - ordering food and discussing Kaleem’s schoolwork. Where and who was his father? Why did he look so different from the others? He was different. He felt different…as if he knew some things and understood some things about which the others hadn’t even the seed of an idea.

All too soon, he was at the mouth of the cave. He cursed himself for forgetting to enjoy the view. He took a last look round. It was getting dark now, and even the outside colours were beginning to fade to the similar monotones that surrounded him inside the cave. The setting sun was glorious though. Pink cotton wool clouds floating on a sea of gold. Even though they had a skylight in the apartment, and even though the plastiglass had been replaced with veriglass, it wasn’t the same, seeing it from the inside, as it was seeing the whole of the sky in one go as he could now.

Kaleem stared a few moments and watched the sun fade completely. He was about to go down in the artificial blue light and pale concrete of the caves when he saw someone move in the distance.  They moved slowly and deliberately, obviously someone quite old. Was it him again? Whoever it was stopped and turned and waved to Kaleem. Kaleem shivered again.

Minutes later he was opening the door of their apartment.

‘Hey Kaleem,’ called his mother. ‘How was it?’

He daren’t answer that one truthfully.

‘Ok,’ he called. ‘You should see the sunset! That’s why I’m so late. I had to watch it all the way down.’

‘I saw it,’ she replied.

She was pale. A little too pale perhaps. It must be because she spent all of her time in this dull apartment. And she worried. He knew that she didn’t sleep well at night. He’d heard her prowling about.

‘So, what happened at the meet?’ She stared at him from her dark circled eyes.

‘Oh, usual stuff,’ mumbled Kaleem. Usual arguments, usual hot air about nothing. ‘Some people just don’t have anything sensible to say.’

He remembered the conversation about the Swedes and turnips. He couldn’t help smiling to himself. Of course, it was a pain, putting up with certain people’s interpretation of that, but yes, it was funny, if he was like a Swede, or maybe, even a turnip….

Then he remembered then what had happened to Maggie Johnstone.

‘Mum, do teachers ever get fired? For saying the wrong thing?’

‘Mmm?’

‘Well she was saying something about the Old Times. When there were different nationalities. All because they were having a go again about my hair.’

‘Oh, Hidden Information,’ she said. She paused, and stared out in front of her, a deep frown cutting through her forehead.

What was she thinking about now?

She shook her head. ‘Anyway, why do you want to know about that?’ she asked, looking straight at Kaleem now.

He told his mother more of what had happened.

‘Well, I guess Rajud Hepman will at the very least take her off the programme for retraining,’ said Maria.

That was a real shame. Maggie Johnstone was one of the most straightforward adults Kaleem had ever met. He was sure he was learning something with her.

‘Well, sweetie,’ said Maria. ‘I’ll get something to eat. Why don’t you relax a bit while you wait?’

But Kaleem didn’t want to relax. There was something he wanted to check out.

He went to his room and told the dataserve to come on. He asked for information about other planets. He wanted to know just exactly what was so special about Terrestra and the people on it.

At least that’s allowed, he thought. That’s not Hidden Information surely? Only about other nationalities before we became a One World planet.

He wondered for a moment about Hidden Information. He was certain that some of the people in his group used it. He’d heard one or two whispering about it. What was it, really? What did it do to you if you got hold of some of it?

‘Request denied,’ sang the tinny voice of his dataserve after a lot whirring and chuntering to itself.  No matter what Kaleem asked, the only information he could obtain about any other planet was its size, the name of its inhabitants, what the planet produced and which other planets it traded with. Nothing about what the people were like or what they believed in. No mention of trading with Terrestra, of course. That’s what the seminar at the meet had been about today.

The smell of leek, potato and quimnet soup wafted into his room. He hadn’t realised just how hungry the walk back to the caves had made him. He started to set the machine to stand by.

‘Supper’s ready,’ shouted Maria.

Kaleem was about to command the dataserve to close down all programmes, when a Wordtext file suddenly appeared on the screen. It looked like complete gibberish, with words he could not understand, though he had mastered Wordtext four years ago. This was not Terrestran English. In fact, it appeared not to be English at all. Apart from the odd word here and there, and over and over again,  Peace Child Project.

It must be a mistake, thought Kaleem. It’s probably meant for someone else.

‘Hey, not hungry then?’ Maria called out.

Kaleem stared for a few seconds more at the screen. The file was still loading. Then he made his way to the communal space. The machine carried on working.

The Propehcy Underground Chapter Four

Marijam stuffed four old ripon tunics into the overnight case. She picked up the pretty pearl and gold jewellery box her aunt had given her. That, with other bits and pieces her aunt and grandmother had given her might be more useful as currency in the Z Zone than Terrestra credits, until she managed to get a false credit account.

She had briefly also thought about trying to make her way to the Citadel, where the Elders lived. She had heard rumours that they could be kind, and they would often help Normal Zoners who got in to some sort of trouble. But she had no idea how to get there. That would have meant delving into even more of the Hidden Information. At least she knew where the Z Zone was. Somehow, she thought, that was just as well. She deserved the poverty of the Z Zone more than the luxury of the Citadel.

She obstinately refused to let Louish help her with the packing. She said she wanted to get her thoughts straight about the Northern Lights Project. Louish had been taken in.

Neither of her parents mentioned Gabrizan’s disappearance again, nor how pale she looked. Oddly enough, over the last day or two, the nausea had all but disappeared. Just a hint of it now and then. Perhaps it was the shock.

Well, she was dressed smartly enough for a science project interview. She was wearing a  newer, plain tunic. She washed her hair carefully and some of the shine came back. She didn’t look too bad in the mirror, even though she still felt completely drained.

Better keep up appearances, she told herself.

The pearl necklace her grandmother left her bought her some Hidden Information. If anyone found out, she would probably have to go to prison for the rest of her life. She shuddered when she thought of her meeting with the Ambassador, as he called himself. She would have sworn he was actually a Z Zoner, but one who spent an awful lot of time in the Normal Zones. He’d been so easy to find, too. Well, she’d known all along that some of the other kids in her social group sometimes accessed Hidden Information just for a bit of a laugh.

But it was nothing to laugh about. What she found out sickened her. She was almost grateful to the authorities for keeping that sort of information hidden. She had just two choices. She could give birth to the baby. That would be painful and could even kill her. Or she could get rid of it. That wouldn’t be all that pleasant either and was just as risky.

Both meant disappearing into the Z Zone. No-one in the Normal Zones would help with either. She would go there to get the help of the Z Zoners in delivering her baby, not in getting rid of it. It was Gabrizan’s baby. This would forever change her way of life and there would be no going back.

Marijam shivered as she thought of the Z Zone. She had found out more about it from the Hidden Information. She had already known that people who could no longer live in ordinary society were sent there. Until she’d got the Hidden Information, though, she had not known that Z Zoners did not have enough food, light and clothing. She had not realised that they had few dataserves and that any technology they did have was years out of date. The only concession they had to modern Terrestran life was a completely normal diastic system. The population there was getting thinner - maybe one day it would die out altogether. Would it though? she asked herself. Wouldn’t there always be misfits who needed hiding away?  She flinched as she remembered what she had found out about birth control in the Z Zone. They had a full Stopes programme going on there. Not even Z Zoners got pregnant these days. But they also rarely made it to the hundred years and switch-off. They didn’t die of illness. They became tired, literally worn out, or they starved. They did die, the old way, and the average age for death was forty-five.

Marijam bit her lip when she remembered what it had been like getting that Hidden Information. No wonder they kept all of this from normal people. It was horrific.

Marijam looked around the room which had been hers for as long as she could remember. She had just a little more space in her bag. What else should she take? Then she saw it. Another gift from her grandmother. Oma had given it to her on her switch-off day. It was a book, a children’s picture book. Most stories were told in super-four vision these days, but this antique was beautiful. She found it hard to decipher the old-fashioned text.  She knew the story off by heart, though, and she loved the pictures. She quickly flicked through the finely detailed paintings of the tower leading up to the sky. She loved the puzzled expressions of the people who found that they could not understand each other after they had tried to reach God.

Marijam heard her parents in the entrance hall to the apartment.

‘Are you coming?’ called Louish.

‘You go ahead, I’ll catch you up later,’ replied Marijam, trying not to let her voice tremble. It was really scary to think that she would never see her parents again.

The vacuum doors closed. Marijam stuffed the book into her bag. She took one last look around her room.

‘I’m sorry, Mum, Dad,’ she whispered.  She thought about what might happen to her father after she had left. Would they allow him to carry on as a service head, if he couldn’t even deal with his own daughter? Just as well that he didn’t know why she had left.

Then she too walked out of the apartment.

The lifts to the surface had long queues to them. People chatted excitedly and jostled one another to get to the front of the queue. They won’t half feel dizzy, thought Marijam, when that real air hits them.

She decided it would be easier to get to the Z Zone across the top. The tunnels were so complicated underground. Many of them were blocked where roofs had caved in. The authorities had decided not to repair them. They didn’t particularly want Z Zoners mixing with ordinary people.

I hope they’re not going to spoil everything, she thought. It wasn’t going to be the same with everyone else sharing the outdoors. Oh, it wasn’t going to be the same without Gabrizan.

The lift stopped. A door had been set into the tube which went across the surface. People streamed out. Marijam enjoyed for a few seconds the thrill of breathing real air. But she was used to it, unlike the people around her. They looked dazed. Some clung on to pieces of rock. Others sat down on the ground. One or two were taking great gulps of air. Some medical workers walked about.

‘Don’t breathe too fast,’ they advised. ‘Don’t stay more than ten minutes. You’re not used to the changing temperatures or the natural mix of air.’

‘Isn’t this something?’ Marijam heard one woman say. ‘I’m so glad it’s happened in our life time.’

‘It’s a miracle,’ replied the man at her side.

Marijam put her hand to her tummy. I suppose this is a miracle as well, she thought. Only I think I’m off miracles.

Someone suddenly tapped her arm. She jumped.

‘It’s amazing, isn’t it?’ said a too familiar voice.

Marijam turned to see Ponty Davidson. ‘Yes,’ she replied, ‘though it makes you feel funny, doesn’t it?’ I hope he can’t see I’m already used to it, she thought.

‘Will you walk a little way with me?’ asked Ponty. His breathing became shallow.

‘I, er I think,’ stammered Marijam. ‘I think I need to go back in. I’ve already been out quite a while.’

She walked away from him, back towards the opening in the tube. She stopped at the entrance and turned to see what he was doing. He staggered a little and one of the medical workers came up to him. She watched him sit down as two of the medics now spoke to him. Then, his head was down between his knees. It was safe for her to go now. He would not see her.

She set off again. She went behind Ponty and the two medical workers. He was recovering. She must hurry. She quickened her step.

‘Marijam,’ she heard Ponty call. ‘Where are you going?’

She pretended not to hear. She walked faster and faster until she was almost running. The ground became rougher. She would have to be careful. But she didn’t stop until she could no longer hear the crowds. She turned once more to look. No one was following and most people seemed to be making their way back to the open tube.

She sat on a rock at the side of what was left of the road. She took out the map she had got from the Hidden Information. This was scary, oh so scary. I need to go south she thought. She looked up at the sun. It was high in the sky and straight ahead. One of the old twenty-third century roads could still just about be seen.

Well, this is it, she thought. She lifted her bag on to her back. She couldn’t walk too quickly across Terrestra’s broken surface. Yes, she was following the old E723 Super Highway. There were bumps and cracks everywhere and places where there was no road left, only a patch of mud. Sometimes the road had caved in completely and Marijam had to climb in and out of a huge hole.

You never know, she thought. This might hurt the baby and then there might not be a problem anymore. Then she felt ashamed of thinking that. After all, this was Gabrizan’s child who was growing inside her.

A couple of times she sat down to rest. She was able to use the mini compu to tell her the direction. She knew, though, that soon she would be in the area which was not mapped by Standard Information.

Then one time she sat down and pressed the button on the mini compu. The screen was completely blank.

That’s it then, she thought. I’m on my own now.

The sun was beginning to set. Marijam studied the map again. The Logan cave must be another couple of kilometres from here. Then she would be in the Z Zone.

Marijam felt as if her heart and her stomach were chasing each other as she trudged along those last two kilometres. Once she went into that cave, there would be no going back. She could still change her mind now and go home. Explain everything to her parents. Surely her father would find a way out? No. It would ruin his career as well. Better this way.

It was completely dark by the time she arrived at the cave. A faint pink glow came from the entrance. Marijam could hear a soft noise. Was it their old mechanical machinery? Were they managing better now that the surface air was breathable again?

Marijam followed the tunnel which led down underground. She could see where the pink glow came from. The pathway was lit with strange burning lights. She supposed it was some sort of gas. There had been nothing about that in the Hidden Information.

It was cold in the caves. The ground was uneven, not like the solid floors of the normal zones. It was mainly made of dirt, with some bits of natural rock here and there. She suddenly remembered her first climb to the surface with Gabrizan. The path to the exit had been just like this. A pain that was almost physical shot through her as she thought of Gabrizan. Then something else happened. Her womb seemed to contract. Then there was a real pain.

I’m going to lose it, she thought. I shouldn’t have done this.

The pain stopped almost immediately. There was a strange tickling sort of feeling, like tummy butterflies, but a little lower down.

‘You’re moving,’ Marijam whispered as she put her hand over her stomach.  Gabrizan’s child was moving. So this had been the right thing to do.

The noise of the machinery grew louder. Marijam could also hear people’s voices. Her heart started crashing into her ribs now.

‘Sorry, baby,’ she muttered. ‘I don’t want to scare you, but I’m terrified.’

Marijam heard a sudden movement at the side of her.

‘Hey, what’s this then?’ a gritty voice rasped.

A gloomy figure stepped into Marijam’s path. The smell was the worst. She found it hard not to vomit again. This was what the unwashed must smell like, something she had never experienced before.

‘What do you want, then, little rich girl?’ snarled the man, wiping his hand on the dirty torn tunic.

A second figure came forward out of the shadows. This time it was a younger man. He was just as dirty as the first, and his brown tunic was made of the same rough looking material. But he didn’t seem to smell quite so much. His face looked a bit kinder too.

Marijam could not move. She wanted to run, but she could not get her legs to do what  she asked them. Even if they had moved, she knew she would not be able to get far. She was too tired.

‘Well?’ asked the first man, grabbing Marijam’s arm so hard that she could already feel the bruise forming. ‘Why have you come here? Running away from something are you?’

‘Look, I’ve got some things you can have,’ stammered Marijam, pointing to her bag which was beginning to slip from her shoulders, ‘if you’ll let me stay.’

‘Go on then, get it open!’ shouted the first man, pulling the bag away from her and gesturing to the younger man.

The younger man took the bag and began to empty its contents on to the cave floor.

‘You won’t be needing those here,’ commented the older man, as the younger one piled up the few tunics she had brought with her.

‘No, you’ll be much too cold,’ said the younger man more kindly.

‘That’ll do!’ cried the other man. He snatched the jewellery box.

‘Hey, wait a minute, Franck!’ cried the younger man.  ‘Take a look at this.’ He was holding the picture book. His rough hands were thumbing through the pictures.

‘My God!’ replied Franck. He also now started pawing at the book. ‘Does this mean…?’

The younger man nodded.

Marijam wanted to scream out to him to be careful. How dare such a brute touch her precious book.

Franck’ face was white and there were now beads of sweat on his forehead.

‘Do you really think this can have happened to us?’  asked the younger man.

Marijam didn’t have time to think what this might all be about. The two men quickly bundled her things back into her bag.

‘Ianus, we’ll have to get her to the wise woman,’ hissed Franck.

‘Well, we’d better get a kartje,’ replied Ianus. ‘We can’t risk  anything happening to  her. She looks exhausted already. We can’t expect her to walk any further.’

‘Right,’ said Frank. ‘You sit down there, Miss. Ianus will be back soon.’

The smell was still quite disgusting, but Marijam felt a bit more comfortable now. They seemed to think she was something special. Goodness knows what that was all about, but it was helping. And she was tired. Oh, so very tired. She closed her eyes. She could hear Franck breathing, but he didn’t seem inclined to say anything. When she opened her eyes again, he was staring at her and frowning slightly.

Ianus came back a few minutes later. Then Marijam realised what a kartje was. It was something from the last century. A type of small cart which hovered a few inches off the ground. She didn’t think there were any of those left.  And she thought they had been called carrels. But then, this was the Z Zone. Anything could happen.

Ianus helped her into the small vehicle.

‘You’ll still have to hold on,’ he warned. ‘It can only keep about twenty centimetres off the ground, so it still goes up and down a bit’

Franck climbed in behind them with her bag. Ianus moved the controls, and soon they were rushing forward a little above the ground. There were some uncomfortable twists and turns and quite a few jolts where the ground suddenly dipped away or rose up.

Occasionally they passed groups of people who were working with their hands or on old pieces of machinery. They all wore the rough-looking tunics and had the same leathery skin. Some of them stopped their work and stared at Marijam.

‘Watch out! We’re on important business,’ Franck would call.

Ianus frowned at him.

‘We ought to keep quiet about her really,’ he said. ‘Make out that she’s nothing special. See what the old one says first.’

Marijam was beginning to feel very sleepy. This place was cold and uncomfortable. The people looked rough and it was clear that life was very hard for them. She wouldn’t have chosen to live here if she’d really had any choice. The thought of giving birth actually terrified her. If only she could have told her parents what had happened, or, better still, Gabrizan.

But she was beginning to feel safe. These two rough men seemed to accept her, seemed to have been waiting for her, almost. She had no idea why they thought she was important. But whatever it was, it was just helping her to be accepted and she thought she ought to be grateful.

The kartje stopped in front of a doorway which seemed to lead into a natural cave.

‘Old woman!’ called Ianus.

The door of the cave opened slowly. A woman stood in the frame. Her silver hair hung loosely over her tunic, almost reaching her waist. She peered at Marijam, a slight frown on her forehead.

‘Ah,’ she said. ‘So you’re here. I see you have the Book. At last. Come, we have been expecting you.’

The old lady’s eyes pierced into hers. Marijam wanted to run away. But she knew that all she could do was follow the woman slowly towards the door. Ianus and Franck went to follow her. The old woman put out her hand up to stop them and shook her head. Ianus handed her Marijam’s bag.

Marijam shivered. But this time it was excitement, not fear.

The Prophecy Chapter Three

This just did not happen. Not in the thirty-fifth century. There
was no need for it. It was barbaric.
No matter how she tugged, the tunic would not close at the
back. She couldn’t bear anything touching her breasts. She
couldn’t even bear touching them herself. And this horrid feeling
every morning, and sometimes at other times of the day. This
feeling of fullness, of something wanting to get out, then her
throat filling with the foul-tasting liquid, which forced itself out
of her mouth.
Gross! She thought as she looked at the contents of the lavatory
pan.
It wasn’t supposed to happen anymore, either. But the diastic
monitor had not been able to adjust the water supply this time.
The alarm bell rang – the first one to ring for over two hundred
years.
Marijam shuddered as she remembered. She was alone then
and managed to disconnect the machine before it relayed its
information to central control. She started to do her own research.
It was called vomiting. It used to happen when there was
something wrong with the digestive system. Nobody had things
wrong with their digestive systems any more.
She’d found out just the day before. Vomiting also used to
happen often in the first stages of pregnancy in the old days when
babies were gestated in a human womb, not in artificial incubators
as they were now.
Surely she had received the Stopes treatment as a child? She
rechecked her medical record. Certainly, it was there. And surely
Gabrizan had done the same?
So how had this happened? She must talk to him. Last night
was the first time she hadn’t seen him since that first time at the
Waterfall when he had kissed the back of her neck, sending ripples
of excitement through her…

Gabrizan had had his interview yesterday for the Northern
Lights Project. He had had to stay overnight at the Nuffield Centre.
Would she hear something soon?
On cue, the dataserve kicked in. There was an important message
for her. She held her breath.
Her father’s picture came on to the screen. He had his official
face on. It was probably being broadcast to everyone, then, and
not a personal message.
Marijam didn’t know whether she liked him most when he
was just being Dad or when he sat there as now, looking wise and
dignified and seeming a whole ten centimetres taller.
‘Well Miss Kennedy,’ her father’s official voice spoke. ‘Good
news. You are invited for interview to join the Northern Lights
Project as a research student. On successful completion of your
Part 1, you would be able to proceed to becoming a full research
fellow.’ Frazier Kennedy then grinned. ‘Well done, sweetie,’ he
beamed.
He really looked happy. For a few seconds Marijam felt
pleased as well. Then that uncontrollable wave of nausea came
again. She ran towards the bathroom.
Just in time, she managed to bend her head over the toilet.
The vile orange fluid came up again.
This is really gross. But really, thought Marijam. This can’t
be happening. Why hasn’t the Stopes programme worked?
She must find Gabrizan. Perhaps he would know how this had
happened. Was it something to do with him?
Pull yourself together, lady, she said to herself as she made
her way back to her room. You’ve got some important business to
sort out here.
The dataserve whirred.
‘Downloading joining instructions for the Northern Lights
Project interview,’ said the tinny metallic voice.
‘Relate,’ said Marijam.
‘Your interview will take place on Level 6, Lab 10 at the Nuffield
Centre,’ she read. ‘Please report 15.30, Day 79, 3500. A

transporter pod will be sent to collect you at 14.00. Please bring
overnight bag. Interview procedures take 24 hours.’
Lab 10! That was where Gabrizan had had to go yesterday.
Perhaps he would be going back there? Perhaps they would be
able to work together. If she was allowed to work at all, of
course, now.
What was she going to do? Was she some sort of freak that
the Stopes programme wouldn’t work on? Or Gabrizan? Should
she tell her parents?
She couldn’t. How could she tell that their daughter was a
misfit, a quirk of nature?
At least Gabrizan was due back this evening. How she was
going to tell him she couldn’t begin to think. But it would be
good to see him.
She didn’t look too bad in the blue velvet tunic. It was the
best colour for the moment. The only one that didn’t make her
look even greener. But it still wasn’t a pretty sight that greeted
her in the mirror. Her hair seemed to have lost most of its shine.
There were dark circles around her eyes. She had not been able to
sleep well for the last two nights. Her face was white.
What will he think? she asked herself.
Marijam felt dizzy as she made her way up the rungs in the
tube. She was used to the fresh air now, but feeling so ill and
worried seemed to make her unsteady. Even so, it was still a thrill
to breathe the natural atmosphere and taste the delicious green
smell. It would be good to see him. Even if she did have to give
him this unbelievable news.
She arrived early. That gave her time to sit and think about
what she should say to Gabrizan when he arrived.
The sound of the Waterfall was soothing somehow. She was
so looking forward to seeing him, despite everything. Everything
seemed so much more alive up on the surface. The running water
moved on its own. The water channels in the caves were driven
by motors. It smelt so different, too. She dangled her hand into
the pool that formed at the bottom of the fall. It felt silkier than
her finest tunic. The soft breeze, moved one of the ferns so it

looked as if it was waving to her. Shoots of green which were
coming up through the now much browner earth. And it was just
eight weeks since the poison cloud had lifted. What was it going
to be like when the others came up to the surface in two days’
time? She was going to have to pretend she was surprised too.
It began to get dark. Marijam shivered. Where was Gabrizan?
It wasn’t like him to be late. She was beginning to get cold. It
hadn’t been this cold before up on the surface. The sun was going
down rapidly now. Some clouds were forming on the horizon – the
first ordinary rain clouds since the poison cloud had disappeared.
Marijam decided to walk a little way up the path which led
from the base of the waterfall to the cliff above. It must have been
a natural path, because it was still easy enough to walk along,
even though no-one had been along it for over 1200 years – apart
from when she and Gabrizan had been up there a few days ago.
She just loved the view from up there. She could stare for hours
at the pink and grey rock which was getting a lace-like coating of
green.
By the time she reached the top, though, the sun had gone all
together. The clouds were so thin and scanty it was still possible
to see the night sky. But she couldn’t see land like she had the
other time.
Marijam sat and stared at the stars. They were so clear and
bright compared with how they had looked from behind the plastiglass
and further dulled by the poison cloud. Time never seemed
to matter to her and Gabrizan when they were out there.
Only it wasn’t ‘they’ tonight. It was just ‘she’ now. Marijam
shivered again. She pressed the controls on her wristband. 20.30
already. He had never been this late. In fact, he had never been
late. Now it was more than an hour after the time he’d said he
would come. Why didn’t he use the mini compu? Was he so far
away that he was out of range? Perhaps being outside made a difference.
Marijam wasn’t so sure she liked it out here so much now that
she was on her own. It was getting colder and colder. She touched
the button of her compu.

‘Gabrizan Taylor 0051,’ she said, after the tinny voice had
asked whom she wanted to contact.
‘Unavailable,’ squeaked the robotic voice. Not out of range.
Nor occupied. Just not available. His interview was taking longer
than they had expected. Oh she hoped he would get on the Northern
Lights Project. And that she would, too. It would be great to
work together.
Except there was just this one little problem. Well, no it was
actually quite big really. Another wave of nausea passed through
Marijam. She knew that this time it was not to do with that
strange biological change that had taken place in her body. Not
directly, anyway. It was because she didn’t think she could face
the other changes which were about to happen.
She shivered again. Well, it was obvious she wasn’t going to
see Gabrizan tonight. He just must have got held up at his interview.
It was almost a relief not to have to give out this dreadful
news tonight. Even though she missed seeing him.
Marijam was quite glad to get back inside. It was more frightening
and less of an exciting adventure to go out there alone. She was
feeling tired as well. Perhaps she would sleep better tonight, now.
The lights were on in the communal room of the Kennedy
apartment when she arrived back. Both Frazier and Louish Kennedy
were sitting there in silence. Their faces looked grim.
‘Well, did you see him?’ asked Frazier. Marijam had never
heard him sound so angry.
‘Did he turn up for you?’ he demanded. ‘Because he sure
didn’t turn up for his second interview!’
‘We tried to get you on the mini compu,’ said Louish. ‘Only
we couldn’t get through.’
Marijam wondered whether it had been because she was outside.
But then her compu had communicated with the centre. Perhaps
it could get to the centre but no further…or perhaps they had
called just as she was trying to call Gabrizan.
‘He’s a waste of space,’ hissed Frazier. ‘We’d set up a really
expensive programme for him. No-one else could do what we had
in mind for him.’

Then Marijam realised what her father had just told her. Not
only had Gabrizan not turned up to see her this evening, he had
not turned up for the second part of his interview. He had disappeared.
He was gone. She was on her own now.
The nausea came again. She managed to mumble something
about being tired, and hurried off to her room.
She just made it to the bathroom in time. Now it came as a relief
to throw up the heavy feeling out of her stomach. As if she
was giving way to all the tension that was inside her.
She came back from the bathroom and collapsed on to the
bed. The tears started. She could hear her parents’ muffled
voices. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but that her father
had sounded angry and her mother concerned. She heard the
door open and her mother say, ‘Can’t you see how pale she
looked? That boy has hurt her.’
Marijam closed her eyes. Then there was nothing. Just blackness.
Marijam hoped she might never wake up.

Chapter Two The Prophecy

The stranger was walking over towards them.
‘Hi, you guys,’ he said. ‘Can I introduce myself? Gabrizan
Taylor. I’ve just come in with my folks. My old man’s involved
with the Cloud Project.’ He shook the hands of those people
nearest to him.
How cute, thought Marijam. Where on Terrestra did he learn
that?
Gabrizan stretched his hand out towards her. Marijam was annoyed
to find herself trembling slightly. She felt as if her chest was
going to burst. Her cheeks flushed bright red. This time not because
she was embarrassed or felt uncomfortable. This was exciting. Even
so, she was glad that it was too dark for anyone else to see. Two
deep blue eyes met hers and she felt as if she was being drawn in.
Before she could take his hand, though, Rainer interrupted.
‘How come you’re here, then?’ he asked. ‘I thought the Cloud
Project was based in Melbin.’
Gabrizan appeared thoughtful for a second or two.
‘Well’, he said suddenly, ‘you can hardly see the Northern
lights that far south. If that’s what they are. Both of my parents
are here to investigate them.’
‘Will you be schooled through Project 57?’ asked Sadie.
‘I think so,’ said Gabrizan. ‘It’s similar to the Alexander Project
we did down there.’
‘Oh, I hope they’ll put you in our Social Unit then,’ said
Sadie.
‘I guess they will,’ said Gabrizan, smiling warmly at Sadie.
‘They suggested I came here.’
Marijam’s fingers were pressed into her palms. Hands off,
he’s mine, she thought, trying to catch Sadie’s eye.
The excitement was growing in the Laguna. People were now
squashed up against the dark walls of the cave. Marijam sipped
her nectar slowly. As the sweet liquid smoothed the back of her
throat, she began to feel like she belonged.
21
Gabrizan was deep in conversation with Rainer now. She
could not hear what he was saying, but they were both frowning.
Every so often one of them would shake his head or rub his chin
thoughtfully, occasionally looking up at the big screen and pointing
to something.
Probably trying to work out what has been happening, she
thought. She wanted to join in but knew that if she tried she’d be
tongue-tied as usual. And anyway, it was actually quite nice just
sitting there watching him. His blond hair and his brown skin fascinated
her. She couldn’t help noticing how tall he was.
‘Hey,’ said Sadie, ‘what are you staring at?’
‘Oh, nothing,’ said Marijam, going red again.
‘You don’t fancy him do you?’ asked Sadie.
Marijam turned away from Sadie. She was certainly not going
to answer a silly question like that.
She was facing the two boys directly now. Gabrizan waved
and smiled. She just about managed to smile back.
I hope I don’t look stupid, she thought.
She saw Gabrizan mutter something to Rainer. Both of them
looked at her again. Rainer gestured with his hand towards her.
They’re talking about me now, she thought and tried to get
away, but she was hemmed in. Gabrizan was walking straight towards
her. Rainer stayed behind, and Sadie rushed straight towards
him.
Thanks, Sadie, thought Marijam. She couldn’t cope with this
sort of thing. She wanted the comfort of her room with the skylight
and the dataserve.
A hand was held out across the table. Marijam leant forward
to take the hand. She was trembling.
This is ridiculous, she thought. I’m behaving like a complete
idiot.
The handshake was firm. She wasn’t used to people her own
age shaking hands with her. And even an adult’s hand had often
been limp and damp.
‘I’m Marijam Kennedy,’ she managed to say surprisingly
calmly. ‘I’m on Project 57’.
22
‘Hello, Marijam Kennedy,’ said Gabrizan slowly. ‘I’m really
glad you’re on Project 57. That’s where I’ll be schooled. Let’s
hope they have a meet soon.’
He’s flirting with me, thought Marijam. He’s flirting and I actually
think I like it. But I don’t know what to do.
He was smiling at her now, his eyebrows slightly raised.
Suddenly the News screen sprang into life, and filled with her
father’s face.
‘This is a special announcement for all seniors,’ he was saying.
‘What has happened tonight is of monumental importance
and is going to change dramatically our way of life on Terrestra.’
Frazier Kennedy paused. People gasped. Some reaffirmed their
opinion that what had happened tonight was something to do with
the poison cloud moving. Others also speculated what had caused
that to happen. When everyone had quietened down again, Frazier
continued.
‘Obviously you will wonder what I mean by that remark and
you will no doubt have many theories about what actually happened
tonight. What has happened is much too important to discuss
via a News screen. Therefore, all seniors are to return to
their homes immediately and be ready for a meet in their normal
Project Room at 9.00 a.m. sharp tomorrow. And allow plenty of
time for the journey. Everyone else has also been called for a
meet at their work centres. The transport systems will be overloaded.
But don’t worry, and sleep well. It is just good news.’
The screen went blank again. There was silence at first. Then
some students pushed towards the exits. Others got in their way
as they lingered behind, unwilling to be sent home when there
was so much to talk about. Gabrizan stood to one side as Marijam
struggled out from behind the table. He walked behind her as she
turned towards the door. He kept close to her most of the way towards
the transporters. The crowds left them little other choice.
She didn’t want to turn and look at him. That would have seemed
so rude. But she knew he was at her side all the time. That made
her feel proud, as if she were royalty, and she was sure everyone
was looking at her.
23
I am being ridiculous, she thought.
‘This is where I leave you,’ said Gabrizan, as they arrived at
the A Transporters Deck. The grey platform was crowded. Already
she could hear the high-pitched whirring of one of the
steel-nosed jet-trains. The usual swish of air as the machine hovered
near the platform told her she was going to have to leave this
fascinating person very soon.
‘Save me a place at the meet if you get there before me,’ he
added putting his hand gently on her back. ‘And if I’m there first
I’ll save you one.’ He smiled and winked.
Marijam felt a big lump in her throat.
‘See you tomorrow then,’ she managed to just about whisper.
* * *
‘You look very smart today, sweetie,’ said Frazier Kennedy.
Marijam plucked nervously at the edge of the navy tunic.
‘Not that you need to dress up. You’ve inherited your
mother’s good looks,’ her father continued. Then he laughed,
looking at himself in plastiglass window as the private transporter
pod they were using sped though the dark tunnels. ‘You certainly
didn’t get them from me.’
If only you knew, thought Marijam.
She had had no trouble feeling wide awake this morning, despite
not getting to bed until well past midnight, and then being
too excited to sleep for most of the night. She had dressed really
carefully today, something a bit better than the grey ripon tunic,
but nothing too showy. She was fairly confident that the well-cut
navy suede-effect tunic was just right. And she knew exactly why
she had made an effort with her appearance.
There was just one other person in the room when Marijam
arrived at the room designated for her group’s meet. Her heart
started pounding as she went through the door and saw him.
Gabrizan signalled with his head that she should sit next to him.
She felt herself blush again.
‘It certainly seems clear out there,’ he said as she sat down.
‘Have you had a look yet?’
24
She hadn’t actually. She realised she hadn’t bothered looking
through her skylight when she got back the night before. She had
had other things on her mind. She shook her head.
‘Anyway,’ said Gabrizan, leaning back into chair, his arms
jangling limply at his side and his legs stretched out in front of
him. ‘I want to know all about you.’
As the others arrived, Gabrizan punched questions at her.
‘Do you have any brothers and sisters?’ he asked.
‘No,’ she replied. ‘I’m an only child. What about you?’
‘Just one sister. Is it as good as they say, then, being the only
child?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know really… it’s a bit lonely sometimes…’ she answered.
‘Makes sense. There couldn’t be another as gorgeous as you.’
Marijam felt her cheeks start to burn. She tried to be polite
and ask him similar questions back, but his answers were dismissive.
His home was fairly ordinary. He wanted to know about her.
And he seemed to find her answers so interesting and delightful
that she really began to feel important. His eyes smiled at all of
her answers.
Soon the room was full. The dataserve’s tinny voice proclaimed
that all students on Project 57 were present. Frazier
walked into the room.
‘Right, folks,’ he began, ‘you will be pleased to know that the
speculation was correct. The poison has indeed dispersed. Every
single trace of it has vanished and in one night of astounding
electrical activity. We are not quite sure how or why it happened
yet, but the main idea we have so far is that some strong force
entered the cloud and seeded it, just like they used to in the twentieth
and twenty-first centuries.’ He then showed them pictures of
rain clouds over the African mainland from the year 2005. Small
primitive aircraft had flown into them dispersing chemicals,
which helped the clouds to release their moisture. ‘The case is a
little different here,’ he added. ‘Something has set up electrical
charges within the cloud. We believe it is from a type of metal
not found on Terrestra, as we have already tried this with every
25
metal known on Terrestra. This has discharged the poison from
the cloud. That was what produced some of those glorious colours
you saw last night.’
Marijam noticed that Gabrizan was now sitting forwards on
his seat, his knuckles white as he gripped the sides. There was a
slight frown creasing his forehead. Marijam caught his eye and he
relaxed, flashing her a wide smile. His eyes danced again for a
few seconds, but then the concentration came back.
Frazier was now showing pictures from the night before.
‘You are a very privileged group,’ he said finally ‘to have
witnessed something like this in your final year of schooling.
There are five research places now open to students of Project 57.
Anyone interested can apply through InterEducation as usual.’
Everyone sat in silence for about ten seconds, then everyone
started talking at once. Questions were shouted out without the
normal order and discipline in a school meet – especially when
the Head of Education was there. Frazier Kennedy did his best to
answer them, but even he was not his usual unflappable self.
For a short while Marijam forgot who she was sitting next to.
Even Gabrizan seemed less important than the news they had just
been given. So the poison cloud was gone after all that time, and
it had gone so quickly in just one night of the most fantastic light
display she had ever seen.
‘Are you going to give it a go?’ asked Gabrizan, now sitting
back in his chair again, and pulling her out of her day dream.
A little thrill of excitement ran through her as she looked at
him.
‘I think I’d like to,’ she managed to say. There was a strange
lump in her throat and she thought her voice came out a bit
squeaky. She was really interested in the project, but she was fascinated
by him.
‘Well, I’m going to,’ said Gabrizan. ‘Hey, don’t you think it
would be good for the two of us to work together? Maybe we
could take on a joint research project. It would be a great Part II.’
Wouldn’t it just? thought Marijam. Especially if I was doing it
with you.
26
‘Will you meet me later?’ asked Gabrizan, as they were about
to leave the seminar room. ‘There is something I think you would
really like to see.’
‘Oh, just one thing,’ called Frazier Kennedy as the students
started to make their way towards the exit. ‘No-one will be allowed
up to the surface for a while yet. We need to carry out
further tests, then get it ready. We’re pretty sure it’s safe out
there, but we must be certain. We think the strange metal entered
Terrestra’s atmosphere randomly, but we have to be sure
that it was not fired or planted there by people from another
planet. Also, it will take some getting used to the outside air.
Anyone caught going out before the all-clear is given will be
dealt with severely. Everybody needs to get used to the idea
anyway. But,’ he paused. There was a twinkle in his eye.
‘Some of the outer plastiglass comes off the windows straight
away.’
‘Intersection Q5A. Seven fifteen,’ Gabrizan whispered.
Marijam turned to see Gabrizan walking away from her. He
waved and grinned.
* * *
‘Well all I can say is,’ said Louish Kennedy, looking at her
daughter in the silver silk, ‘he must be a pretty important guy.
I’ve never seen you look so well-groomed. It’s good to see you
get away from that dataserve a bit as well.’
‘It’s the new chap, isn’t it?’ said Frazier, grinning
hugely. ‘That’s okay by me. He’s quite a man. Got his application
in for Project Northern Lights already. And it’s looking
good!’
Already? thought Marijam. How on Terrestra had he managed
that? She would have to get cracking. But not tonight. She briefly
thought of the chaos she’d left in her bedroom. All of her tunics
were strewn across the bed. It had taken forever to decide what to
wear, and even now she wasn’t sure. But it was time to go. The
silver silk would have to do.
* * *
27
Marijam had never been to Q5A or even to this side of town before.
It was right where this cave network ended. A transporter
system could take you to the next network, but it would usually
take a long time for one to arrive.
There was something dull and tarnished about the caves here.
They looked as if they had not been cared for in a long time.
Marijam was so nervous that when her arm brushed one of the
sides, she sprang away, startled.
‘Leave me alone!’ she shouted. It had only been the bare rock,
though. She put her hand on its surface. It was cold and clammy.
Obviously, it had not been dehumidified and damp-proofed like
the other cave networks she knew.
‘You look gorgeous,’ said a voice. Marijam jumped again.
She hadn’t seen him there, standing in the shadows.
‘Thank you,’ she managed to remember to say.
‘Come on,’ he said. ‘You’ll find this unbelievable.’
‘Where are we going?’ she asked.
‘Don’t be frightened,’ he said. Could he see how much she
was shaking? ‘Nothing’s going to hurt you.’
She followed him along the cave path. It was really rough just
here. There were loose rocks, which you couldn’t actually see, all
along the pathway. Marijam tripped several times. Once, she fell
to the floor, grazing her hand.
‘Are you all right?’ asked Gabrizan, moving towards her. He
sounded concerned.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, quickly getting back up before he could
help her. She wasn’t really. Her hand was throbbing. But she felt
too embarrassed to admit that she was hurt. He might think she
was clumsy.
What a silly time to wear a silk tunic, she thought.
It was really hard to walk. And it was so dark here. She supposed
it was because they were so close to the edge of the cave
network. Every so often, Gabrizan turned to see whether she was
still coming.
‘Nearly there,’ he said, as they came to a real bit of cave
where it was even more difficult to keep going.
28
‘Here,’ he said a few minutes later as they arrived in front of a
steel door.
Gabrizan took a strange looking object out of his pocket and
started to work at the door’s lock with it.
‘What’s that?’ asked Marijam.
‘Have you not seen one before?’ Gabrizan was not looking at
her. ‘It’s a just a little gadget I always carry with me. It’s especially
good for opening stubborn doors.’
In seconds the door was open. Marijam realised what was
happening. She remembered her father’s warning about how it
might not be all right outside and how people would be punished
if they were caught.
Gabrizan turned to face her.
‘It will be all right. Really, it will. Trust me.’
Marijam’s mouth went dry. The shaking became worse.
Gabrizan was still staring at her. His eyebrows were slightly
raised as if he was asking a question. He smiled slowly. Of course
she could trust him!
‘I’ll be behind you all the way,’ he said. ‘It’s only a few metres
up here. But you might feel funny when the air hits you.’
Carefully, Marijam stepped on to the first rung of the metal
ladder. She made her way up slowly. She was afraid of what she
was going to see at the other end. Gabrizan didn’t say anything as
they went up, but she knew he was behind her and that reassured
her.
‘We’re half way there,’ he said suddenly. ‘Just another twenty
rungs to go.’
Marijam could feel the air on her face now. It felt like the way
the water from the cooler tasted. Of nothing, but cool and fresh.
Everything seemed to be jumping around and she couldn’t focus
her eyes on anything.
‘Careful,’ said Gabrizan, gently. ‘Don’t breathe in too much
at once. You’re not ready for the natural mix yet. There’s actually
more oxygen out here than in what they pump through the caves.’
How does he know? thought Marijam. How can he know it’s
that safe?
29
Marijam couldn’t help feeling excited, though, as she came to
the top of the shaft. She felt even dizzier as she let go of the rungs
and pushed herself onto the surface of Terrestra. There was something
soft and powdery beneath her hands. Pink dust.
‘It’s been scorched,’ said Gabrizan, coming up behind her.
She was glad he was there. It made her feel safe. ‘It will soon be
green again, though,’ he added. ‘Now that the poison cloud’s
gone, they can bring the plant life back.’
‘How long do you think it will take to come back?’ she asked.
After all, the cloud had arrived gradually. No-one had realised at
first. But she remembered from her history lessons that the plants
had started to die and then people started to cough and choke on
the bad air. The authorities at the time had decided to get everything
that lived underground. Would it come back just as gradually?
Gabrizan shrugged.
‘I guess it’ll take a while,’ he said. ‘Oh, but just look at that,’
he said, pointing towards the dark blue sky.
Marijam stared at the stars. They seemed so near, and she
could see so far. A bright moon was shining. It seemed to Marijam
brighter than the sun usually was. There was no plastiglass or
rim in the way. A breeze tickled her neck. There was the faint
scent of something a little familiar but which she could not name.
‘What’s that?’ she said.
‘What?’ asked Gabrizan.
‘That sort of green smell,’ she replied suddenly realising it
was what the greenhouses smelt like, only not so overpowering.
‘I wonder…’ He grabbed her hand.
Gabrizan walked rather quickly. Marijam found herself slipping
on the pink powder. It was so different from walking on the
special surfaces in the caves. Each step took longer as she kept on
sliding back. Soon she was out of breath.
‘We’re nearly there,’ said Gabrizan.
Marijam could hear water rushing. It sounded like a huge tap
running. The ground beneath them had stopped being soft and
had now turned into solid rock. It was hard and cold beneath her
30
feet. Gabrizan stopped suddenly. Marijam shivered. Gabrizan put
his arm around the waist and held her closer.
‘Look,’ he said.
In front of them a waterfall tumbled over the rocks.
‘Can you see it?’ asked Gabrizan.
Marijam looked to where he was pointing. Nestled in the
rocks were a few strands of green.
‘That’s what you could smell,’ he said, ‘ferns which have
lived despite the poison cloud.’
Marijam breathed in deeply. She could taste the air. There
was something sweet about its dampness, and underneath a taste
of something like fresh salad. The breeze danced around her
cheeks again.
‘How did you know it was here?’ she asked Gabrizan.
‘I’d seen there used to be a waterfall on the map,’ he said.
‘And when we noticed the green smell, I guessed it was still
there.’
Marijam bent down and touched the ground beneath her. Its
hardness and rough surface startled her. She drank the air, swallowing
mouthfuls at a time. She looked up at the sky again. She
had never seen so much sky. She had never seen its blueness
properly before. The poison cloud had always cast a grey
shadow.
‘It is so amazing,’ she said quietly. ‘So… it’s hard to describe…
well, alive, I suppose…’
But there was something else.
Marijam turned to face Gabrizan. He was staring at her, his
eyes wide open.
‘What I see is also fantastic,’ he murmured.
Marijam suddenly felt uneasy. Yet tingles of excitement ran
up and down her body. Gabrizan touched her face gently.
‘You’re so beautiful,’ he said. Then he laughed suddenly.
‘Come on,’ he said. ‘We’d better get back. Being outside for
the first time is too much of a shock.’
But Marijam knew they would be back. Oh yes they would!
Outside was definitely good!

The Prophecy Underground Chapter One

Marijam looked up at the skylight. The smoky plastiglass, which
covered the ordinary plastic window, was distorting her view of
the stars. But it could not dull the brightness of the strange lights,
which were shooting across the sky tonight. They were still
changing colour. They were even more intense now than when
they started an hour ago.
‘Is it working again?’ her mother called up from the other
chamber.
Marijam looked at the dataserve screen. Still frozen. She bit
her lip and ran her fingers through her hair. She wanted to finish
the unit on the causes of sunlight poisoning in the late twentythird
century. That would complete her Part One, the first of her
Specialist Study for her High School Graduation Certificate and
well before the summer holiday.
‘No!’ she called back.
‘Well give it a rest, now, sweetheart,’ her father called. ‘You
really should watch this. It’s the first time the Northern Lights
have appeared for centuries.’
Marijam’s mother, Louish Kennedy, came into the
room. Dressed from head to toe in a besequined pale blue
satin, Louish stood out as usual from the damp greyness of
the cave walls. Marijam winced as she saw her. She preferred
to blend in with her surroundings. But even Mrs
Kennedy couldn’t compete tonight with the light show out
there.
‘Do you think’ she said to Marijam, ‘it might mean that the
poison cloud’s beginning to lift at last? And it really is something,
isn’t it?’
Marijam watched as a sheet of light shot across the sky. Marbled
streamers of pinks and golds and greens flowed into one another.
Marijam had never seen so many colours in one go. It was
so dull down here in the caves. And even when you went up into
the tubes and walked across the surface, you looked at everything through grey glass. The colours were so bright tonight that the
glass couldn’t dull them.
‘I don’t think it is actually the Northern Lights,’ said Marijam’s
father, appearing in the doorway. ‘I’ve seen movie clips of
them, and they weren’t this pretty. Even when you saw them direct,
and not through plastiglass.’
‘I don’t think you’ll be able to get anything else done tonight,’
said her mother. ‘There are too many problems with the
network.’ She shivered. ‘The other support systems will work, won’t they?’ she asked, looking at her husband.
Marijam’s father, Frazier Kennedy, Head of Education,
smiled.
‘They’ll be fine,’ he said to Louish, combing his hand through
his wiry black hair.
Marijam recognised the gesture. He always did that when he
was trying to convince himself rather than the person he was
speaking to. He hugged his wife, resting his dark brown cheek
against her greyish pale one. Not for the first time Marijam
looked at her own arms and wished she had inherited her father’s
skin colour instead of her mother’s. The cave-life was just washing
white people out.
‘They always give the air top priority,’ Frazier continued, the
skin round his eyes beginning to crinkle as his eyes smiled.
‘They’ll keep the seals in place as well.
‘But they’ve got to keep the life support systems going… on
the farms and everything,’ Louish continued.
Marijam suddenly noticed how anxious her mother looked.
The pupils of her eyes were bigger and her face was a shade
whiter than normal.
Frazier shrugged his shoulders lightly and opened his arms,
turning his palms upwards, and admitting defeat. ‘The education
networks will be the first to go down,’ he said. ‘They’ll keep the
lights on in the plantation caves, and yes, they’ll let us carry on
breathing. Don’t worry so much.’
A purple light, edged with silver and blue streamed across the
sky, catching Marijam’s eye and making her look again through

the skylight. She held her breath. Not even the Midsummer Presidential
Laser Show could match this.
It wasn’t just the lights, though. There was something about
the atmosphere tonight. It was warm, even with the air conditioning,
and she had this overwhelming feeling that something tremendous
was about to happen.
‘Well, I guess nobody will be studying much tonight,’ said
Marijam’s mother. ‘Everyone will be up in the tubes, getting a
closer look at the sky.’
‘You should go and meet your friends,’ said Frazier. ‘You’ve
just got to enjoy an event like this with people of your own age.’
‘Well, we’re going anyway,’ said Mrs Kennedy.
It probably was a good idea. There seemed to be little hope of
completing her project tonight. And goodness knows when anything
as exciting as this would happen again. Marijam felt a
strange fluttering in her stomach. Her heart was racing.
‘Go on,’ said Louish Kennedy. ‘Put on your best tunic. Go
and meet your friends. I’ll bet they’re all out there.’
They left her room. Marijam turned to her wardrobe. It was
overflowing. She was the only daughter of the Head of Education.
All the Heads of Services – Education, Transport, Agriculture, Life
Support, Diastics and all the other services which kept this isolated
planet going – were rich and important. Marijam could have anything
she wanted apart from fresh air. Her parents had even let her
have the room with the skylight. She opened the door. Row upon
row of tunics. Black and grey ones. Some were made from expensive
wool and cotton. Then there were the ordinary ones out of
ripon, the cheap comfortable cloth that everyone wore. And some
in blue, red, lilac, in fact every colour you could think of.
How can I possibly choose from all these? she thought. So
much for equality.
She always felt guilty that her father’s position allowed her so
much. Everyone was supposed to be born with equal chances.
She knew, though, that she had it easier than many. That was why
she normally preferred to just wear a comfortable dull-coloured
ripon tunic.

She really didn’t go out much, even though she was allowed
to use the cyber beaches and holoscenes as much as she liked.
That was yet another advantage of being the daughter of one of
the Heads of Services. There was never a question about the cost.
On the whole, though, she preferred the solitude of her room and
her dataserve, and the sky above, which she looked at through her
skylight. She liked to dream of a time when all the people – even
those from the Z Zone – would be able to walk freely on the surface
of the planet. Would they ever be able to again? And would
it be in her lifetime?
No, that won’t do, she thought to herself as she took down her
old grey tunic. Not today. Today’s really special.
Marijam found herself gently touching a purple silk tunic. It
was so soft and smooth beneath her fingers. She had not worn it
before. It had been a present from her aunt, her mother’s sister.
‘You should get out more and enjoy yourself,’ Aunt Kayla
said. She always told Marijam off about spending too much time
in front of a dataserve screen, of not going out enough and mixing
with other young people.
Well, Aunt, thought Marijam, you would be astounded. Yes,
this will do nicely.
She felt the soft fineness of the silk next to her skin. It added
to her excitement. She sprayed on some perfume, and even put on
a little make up. She looked at herself in the mirror.
Yes, she would do nicely as well. Though for what, she was
not quite sure. Another streak of pink light rushed through the sky
above. She heard the swish of the vacuum doors closing in the
entrance hall below. Her parents were already on their way. Time
to get going for her as well.
The crowds making their way through the cave networks were
stifling. Marijam had never seen so many people out at once. If
you could really call it ‘out’. Even up in the tubes wasn’t really
‘out’. She had often wondered what ‘out’ would really be like.
Not even this many people were around for the President’s Laser
Show or the Christmas Walks. The queues for the lifts were really
long. Marijam asked herself whether it would be better to just
make her way to one of the large skylights. But no! Looking up
from a tube would be a bit nearer to standing in a field and staring
at the night sky.
‘Oh come on, get a move on,’ she heard one man mumble under
his breath.
Exactly, she thought.
‘I expect we’ll get there eventually,’ a woman’s voice answered
him.
It was amazing how calm people were staying.
Eventually she was at the front of the queue and the lift came.
In seconds they were up at the surface, and she was joining the
crowds now making their way along the tubes. She desperately
wanted to get to somewhere where they didn’t criss-cross over
each other so much, so that she could get an uninterrupted view
of the sky.
Odd that she had not yet seen anybody she knew. She had to
walk almost half a mile before she came to somewhere she could
stand and look.
The lights still rushed across the blackness. Occasionally two
from different directions would collide and then a shower of
golden and lilac stars would sprinkle down towards Terrestra’s
surface. But it was not accompanied by the ‘oohs’ and aahs’
heard at the President’s laser display. Everyone stood in absolute
silence. This was something really special. The excitement carried
on growing inside Marijam’s stomach. She felt as if she were
glowing. And it was good watching the lights through the plastiglass
tubes. She seemed as if she was nearer to them than when
she looked through the sky light. You didn’t have the long tube of
rock and stone.
Gradually, though, the brightness of the lights faded, and their
path across the sky became slower, less urgent. Suddenly, one
last vibrant streak of red seemed to rush at the plastiglass tube
where they were standing.
The silence broke. There was a gasp of surprise, perhaps of
fear. The light hovered, almost threateningly. Then it vanished
suddenly. There was nothing left but a clear night sky. Clearer,

Marijam thought, than she had ever seen it before. Was her
mother right? Was the poison cloud shifting at last?
The noise that the people now made as they moved towards
the lifts compensated for the earlier silence. There was an excited
chatter. And all sorts of ideas about what might have caused the
lights.
‘I bet it’s somebody from another planet,’ a young boy cried.
‘I bet they’ve got some guards up there that they didn’t tell us
about. They’ve been zapped.’
‘It could just be some strange meteorite storm,’ the man with
him replied.
‘I wouldn’t have thought they’d be that colourful, though,’
replied another man.
Marijam didn’t want to go back to the apartment. It would be
too much of an anticlimax to go back to work. And she was not
far from the Laguna, the nectar bar where people from her school
level were encouraged to go to meet people of their own generation.
For once, anyway, Marijam felt the need to be amongst people,
and drink some of the state-provided nectar with its mild
mind-altering chemicals.
The Laguna was buzzing when she arrived. Marijam almost
turned straight back. People she wanted, yes, but not this many.
But she had to pause a moment to admire the granite walls. The
Laguna, at least, was a real cave, unlike most of the man-made
ones that inhabitants of Terrestra used as their homes. The ceiling
was covered with a huge screen, which showed the picture taken
from a camera up on the surface. You could almost believe that
you were outside.
Marijam looked up at the sky. No, there was definitely no
more sign of the lights. And yes, she was sure the sky did look
clearer than normal.
‘Marijam!’ a voice suddenly called. ‘Over here!’
Marijam turned to see who had called her. A girl in a silver
tunic and with purple hair was waving frantically at her. A whole
group from her school unit were sitting in one of the alcoves. It

was Sadie Rojens. They had once worked on a project together,
though mainly via the dataserve.
‘So what do you think caused those lights?’ asked Sadie excitedly.
‘We’re just getting one or two ideas here.’
‘What would you like to drink, Marijam?’ said a male voice.
A tall boy who was now standing up next to the table. It was
Rainer Elbman. He looked quite elegant in his deep navy tunic. It
looked as if it was made of wool and so must have been expensive.
‘Oh, er… a peach and melon, I think,’ said Marijam blushing
slightly.
‘Hands off, he’s mine,’ Sadie hissed in her ear.
The thought had never occurred to Marijam.
‘Well, Marijam, what do you reckon?’ asked another masculine
voice. Ponty Davidson. ‘What was all that about?’
Marijam felt herself flush. Ponty made a point of talking to
her at every school meet. She always felt so awkward talking to
boys, but with Ponty it was worse. He seemed to stifle her. She
couldn’t work out what he wanted of her.
‘Do you think it’s the poison cloud going?’ she managed to
mumble eventually.
‘Maybe,’ replied Ponty. ‘Or maybe it’s because one of the
most delicious girls in our social group has decided to show off
her assets at last.’
His pupils were wide open and she could feels his eyes first
on her legs, and then on her breasts. He slid an arm around her
waist and pulled her towards him, nestling his nose into her hair.
‘Oh, and you smell so gorgeous too,’ he said. ‘Have you any idea,
what you’re doing to me?’ he asked.
‘Put her down,’ said one of the other girls. ‘This is much
more interesting.’
Marijam managed to wriggle free. She was surprised, though to
see something different flash across Ponty’s face. There was something
in his eyes. He looked almost as if he was going to cry.
‘Sorry,’ he mumbled. ‘Won’t you go out with me, though? I
promise I’ll behave well.’

‘Oh look,’ said Marijam, as another bright flash chased across
the sky. When she turned back, Ponty had disappeared.
‘Well, I guess we’ll know soon enough, what’s been happening,’
said one of the other boys. ‘I bet the scientists are on to it
already.’
‘They’ll be putting it up on the news screens soon, then we’ll
know,’ said someone else.
Rainer placed her drink down in front of her.
‘Who’s that over there?’ he asked.
Marijam looked over to where he was pointing. It was a boy
she had never seen before. His tunic was a little odd. Not really
quite the usual shape. He was white but had much darker skin
than she had ever seen before and his hair was much lighter than
everybody else’s.
I don’t know, thought Marijam, but I wish I did. That odd,
exciting feeling was beginning all over again. Her stomach was
turning summersaults and her heart was racing. She held her
breath until she really needed to breathe again.
Now she understood what Sadie was talking about. She took a
sip of her peach and melon nectar.
Want to read more? 

Extracts from The Prophecy

I'm publishing extracts form The Prophecy here. If you like what you read, why not buy the book?

The Prologue 
‘It’s quiet, isn’t it?’ said the commander of the Scouting Vessel
2195, Western Sector 3.
‘Well, that’s what you’d expect, isn’t it?’ replied his young
trainee, Kyle Thomas. ‘No craft landing. Nor any coming from
it,’ remarked Kyle. He looked down at the milky blue planet.
They were quite close to it now, and it filled almost half of the
screen. It seemed so still, as if it were surrounded by a pool of
quietness.
The rest of its solar system was buzzing. Small scouting
vessels like their own, and bigger cargo ships were busily going
backwards and forwards between the planets. It made
navigating this stretch of the Sector 3 rather tricky. He was
glad the autopilots were amongst the most sophisticated
available.
‘Well, it sure is still a fairly blue planet,’ Nielson continued.
‘Shame, though. It used to be so much prettier than this. It was
even bluer. And you could see greens and brown as well, before
the poison cloud.’
‘Why do they bother?’ asked Kyle. ‘They have a poison cloud
and they’re still living there? They could live anywhere.’
‘I suppose they feel safe enough down there, ‘replied Nielson.
‘What with all their farms and things tucked up nice and safe in
those caves of theirs. The rest of us could learn a thing or two, if
only they’d let us get a bit closer.’
‘Not much chance, though is there?’ replied Kyle. ‘What with
them wanting to keep disease out. They won’t let anybody in.’
‘Yeah, well,’ said the Commander. ‘That’s something else it
would be great to learn about. It’s funny how they’ve gone so
shy. Considering it all started there in the first place.’
‘When was the last time anyone moved from the planet?’
asked Kyle.
‘2309,’ replied Nielson.
‘Just after the first colonies formed?’ asked Kyle. ‘So, over a
millennium ago? It’s mad.’
‘Yep,’replied Nielson, ‘and they’ve reported being diseasefee
for just over two hundred years now. So, it ain’t just that So, it ain’t just that
9
that’s keeping them there. I reckon they’re just using that as an
excuse.’
They were beginning to leave the blue planet behind.
‘Right, we’ll go on to manual now,’ said Nielson. ‘I want to see how well you can steer this thing.’
Kyle felt the power surge as the scout switched over.
‘One wide orbit around Terrestra and then out to the end of
the solar system,’ said the Commander.
Kyle turned the craft. It wobbled and juddered a little. He
fought hard with the controls for a few seconds and then she began
to glide gently back over Terrestra.
He began to get the scout under control. He had the measure
of her now. She was purring along.
It was then that he noticed it. A flash of green lightening
ripped through the soft blue mist that surrounded the quiet planet.
A cascade of sparks followed. Kyle opened his mouth to say
something.
‘Watch it,’ said Nielson suddenly.
A smaller scout was nudging its way across their flight path.
‘Watch the dataserve,’ said Nielson. ‘You must follow its coordinates.'
Kyle concentrated on the controls again.

Glossary G - L

Gabrizan Taylor

Gabrizan is a Zandrian, with the Zandrian name of Nazaret Bagarin, sent to Terrestra to help investigate the poison cloud that plagues the planet.  When the cloud lifts spontaneously, the mission is aborted and he is called back to Zandra.

Whilst on Terrestra he meets and falls in love with Marijam Kennedy. He has the impression that his feelings for her are stronger than hers for him; he sees her as someone who is intent on having a very interesting career. In an attempt to impress her, he applies to be part of a very prestigious project. It is whilst he is attending his two day interview that he is called back to Zandra. 

He never really gets over Marijam and never has another serious relationship.

He works hard on restoring plant life to Zandra, a planet that will soon be in even more crisis, because of its dying vegetation, than Terrestra was at the time of the poison cloud.

One day, however, he meets Kaleem. He is shocked to find that he has a son. He is reconciled with Marijam and she agrees to become permanently attached to him. 

 

Golden Knowledge

Only elders have access to this. It is the totality of Hidden Information and then some. The Babel Prophecy is Golden Knowledge, for instance. Elders are so naturally wise and have access to so much extra wisdom that they are close to knowing the meaning of life, so normal Terrestrans believe.  

Heads of Service

These are to Terrestra 3500 what ministers are to UK government. They are elected by other members of Council. And will take on a particular role. So, there are Heads of Transport, Science and Education, for example.       

Hidden Information

This is information that is kept from the general public. Heads of Service have access to Hidden Information that pertains to the service they administer. Elders have access to all Hidden Information and also to extra information called Golden Knowledge. For instance, the Head of Transport would have known that in fact a few people did leave the planet, but the Head of Education would not. All elders would know this.

Information is hidden in order to control the population and because a little knowledge can be dangerous. Hidden Information is to Terrestra 3500 what drugs are to earth in the 21^st century. Punishments for accessing or attempting to access Hidden Information are severe.

Marijam dabbles in this a little and Kaleem more so. Kaleem also gets involved with Hidden Information Pedlars.   

Hidden Information Pedlars

These are the equivalent of our drug pushers. They live underground. They try to pull others into their world. They are a criminal force. Kaleem has quite a brush with them in The Prophecy.               

Hololessons

As Kaleem is not able to travel to other planets, he spends some time in interactive scenes that are created with sophisticated holograms and extremely clever dataserve programmes. He learns how life on other planets amongst other cultures might be.  

Holoscenes

The technology for this is good on Terrestra and even better on Zandra. You can go to the gym in your own home, for instance, by calling up a holoscene. A good holoscene will really make you think that you are there.

You can also project yourself somewhere else in a holoscene.  Razjosh visits Kaleem several times this way.  

Ianus

Ianus is one of the Z Zoners who finds Marijam and puts her in contact with Narisja. 

Kaleem Malkendy

Also known as the Peace Child, Kaleem Kennedy and Kaleem Bagarin. However, until almost the very end of the book, he is known as Kaleem Malkendy.

We first meet him when he is sixteen years old. He is different from other young people: he is blond and has skin that tans easily at a time when white Terrestrans are pale-skinned and have dark hair, he lives in a cave apartment beneath the surface of Terrestra whilst most other families live on the surface now that the poison cloud has gone, and he has no idea who is father is at a time when family connections are well-documented. He is bullied by some of the young people in his schooling group. 

The elder Razjosh, the current Peace Child, has been watching him and sees his potential as the next Peace Child. There is also a suggestion that he might be the Peace Child who is associated with the Babel Prophecy. His mother, Maria Malkendy, also happens to own a copy of the famous picture book The Tower of Babel, written and illustrated by a well-known 21^st century artist, Davina Patterson.

Razjosh provides Kaleem with a better dataserve and starts training him up as the new Peace Child. He also uses hololessons and also visits Kaleem in holoscenes. 

Kaleem becomes ill with the Starlight Racer Fever. This is extremely worrying as there has been no disease on Terrestra for over 200 years. The diastics system cannot cope with this disease, and soon it is widespread, causing several deaths and Maria to go into a coma. Whilst ill, Kaleem begins to dream about the Babel Tower and some strange children with adult faces. He continues having these dreams throughout the novel. 

Kaleem is desperate to find out about his father. Whilst Razjosh is on a Peace Child mission, and whilst all on Terrestra are confined to their homes, Kaleem leaves his apartment and starts looking at some Hidden Information. It brings him no news about his father and he only just manages to get clear of the Hidden Information pedlars.

Razjosh’s mission to get help from Zandra with the Starlight Racer Fever fails. The situation on Terrestra becomes even more desperate. Kaleem has to go and live as a spy on Zandra. All is going well until he gives himself away by mispronouncing a word.

He is put into prison. Prisons on Zandra are quite benign, though his situations is slightly uncomfortable as his is kept in isolation. However, the one human prison guard who visits him from time to time, Charlek Smithin, becomes a friend. 

Whilst in prison, Kaleem is allowed to carry on with some projects. Ironically, it is whilst he is there that he learns more about the role of the Peace Child. He suddenly has a brilliant idea about how he can persuade Terrestrans to trade with Zandrians. He and Charlek establish that Terrestra can swap Starlight Racer Fever vaccine for acorns, which Zandra desperately needs and which are plentiful on Terrestra. This can be done without any fear of spreading disease and without any need for Terrestrans to leave Terrestra.

Kaleem is allowed to discuss his ideas with the experts at the Planation Centre. He goes there with Charlek. He meets Nazaret Bagarin there. Nazaret looks like an older version of Kaleem. They manage to talk. Nazaret aka Gabrizan Taylor is indeed his father.

Kaleem successfully gets the powers that be on both Terrestra and Zandra to accept his ideas. Nazaret and Maria are reconciled. In a voice file, Marijam Kennedy aka Maria Malkendy explains the circumstances of Kaleem’s birth.

Kaleem now feels a little more secure about his identity, though he still worries about his otherness, the burden of being the Peace Child and the aggravating mystery about the Babel Prophecy. These concerns provide the basis for two further stories, Babel and Peace Child.    

   

(Aunt) Kayla

Kayla is the sister of Louish Kennedy and therefore the aunt of Marijam. She has constantly tried to instil some fashion sense into Marijam – and failed. Marijam still prefers dull grey ripon tunics.    

 

Lana Gylson

Lana is the line-manager of Tulla Watkins. She knows much about the poison cloud on Terrestra. Kaleem is so taken aback by this that he pronounces a word that Zandra and Terrestra share the Terrestran way. Shortly after that, Kaleem is arrested and is charged with being a spy.

 

Lorretta

Lorretta is the android guide who shows Kaleem around during his hololesson on Tarantet. 

                         

Laguna Bar

This is found deep within the cave system. However, it has a skylight that connects to the surface through a system of mirrors, a little like a periscope. It is such an iconic meeting place that it stays open even after the poison cloud has shifted.

Marijam and Gabrizan met in this bar the night the poison cloud lifted. 

 

London Harbour

This is the biggest town in the A Zone (see Normal Zones). Most Heads of Services and even most ordinary Council Members opt to live here as they can more easily get to the meets, even though most of the time, of course, they work form home. 

It has the name “harbour” because in the days when Terrestrans still travelled, most of the spaceships, including the big supercraft departed from here.        

 

Louish Kennedy

Louish is the permanent attachment of Frazier Kennedy and mother of Marijam. She is full of fun and very glamorous. She stops Frazier from taking life too seriously and is a good contrast to her rather serious daughter.