prospect and turned to Santy Breanna. “Is there any way I can be spared this embarrassment?”
“I think not. All eyes are indeed on you Addy. Square your shoulders, lift your chin. Flaunt your imperfection. This is your day and no mistake. I will be right behind you.”
She touched my cheek, frowned and pulled a Steriwipe from her pocket. I took it, turned away from the throng so as to give my face a goodly wash. Santy patted down my unruly, short hair, then twiddled me round. Mayor Eldwyn waved to the assembled folk. “Make noise with your mouths, hands and feet, in praise of Adara - Catcher of Birds!”
A great roar rose from the crowd. This time, the musicians played a quick-time jig. The trumplets and fluttles sending forth high notes that quite frankly hurt my ears. The mayor took my hand and led me forward. The music faded as the drummer struck up a solemn beat. Santy stood to my right and Mayor Eldwyn gave me a slight push. “Go before the rabble riot.”
I straightened my spine, threw back my shoulders and walked steadily through the plaza. The band followed, so too the crowd. All was a cacophony of discordant notes from instruments and voices. I wanted to put my hands over my lugholes to dampen the hideous din and leg it fast home, but knew I could not.
Orva and Dreng strode in front and pushed away the occasional folk that tried to touch me. How I became an icon so quickly was baffling. Not so long ago Drysi and Hrypa were humiliating me in front of one and all. Now? Now I was being cheered and revered. I strained my neck to see if any familiar faces were there. “Where is Greatgrangran?”
Santy leaned forward. “I have left her with Deogol. She is fierce when she wants to be. Easily able to keep him from going out and getting lost again.”
“What? What is this about Deogol getting lost?”
“Never mind all that, carry on walking. I will fill you in with what’s what when we are home.”
She stood straight and waved to the onlookers. As I followed a humungous rapture-filled shrieking erupted. Huffin’ hell, how folk can change and become as one when forced together. I became uneasy at the wild-eyed expressions on their faces and hurried my pace to keep up with the S.A.N.T.S. ahead. The mayor trotted up beside me. “Too many wanting to grab a piece of you. Good that you will be out of the plaza soon.”
Orva and Dreng pushed a path through the gathered folk. I hurried through the gap. As I did, I felt many hands touch my arms and head. My heart pounded and I began to breathe all-quick like. When the crowd began to close in and paw at my clothes as if to rip pieces off by way of a souvenir, Santy whistled. Orva and Dreng whipped out a dispersal grenade and threw it into the air. The red disc twirled most rapidly before exploding with a loudly shriek.
The crowd moved away as the ear-piercing siren continued. Mayor Eldwyn, hands over his ears like the rest of us, nodded and walked rapidly in the direction of his top-notch accommodation in the swanky Authority Homes. A part of me regretted not taking him up on his offer of a stay in the grand place, but I yearned to see Deogol again. A thing I did not normally do, but I could not get an image of him out of my thoughts. Why I should be so antsi over my bro so suddenly, I could not tell. Santy, all squint of eye, chin gestured for me to carry on walking and I did, most quickly.
What a wonder the grenade was. The sound it emitted was so unpleasant that within a few secs my adoring public were nowhere to be seen. Finally, the horrible noise faded and I freed my lugholes of the fingers I’d inserted to quell the din. “Wow Santy, that is a powerful weapon.”
“Indeed. Shame we have so few at our disposal. Once we could order them direct from the Agros, but no more. They have cut off all communication with S.A.N.T.S.”
“What is their plan?”
“This we do not know.”
I felt all squirmy inside and was glad to see the shinning shape of
“I think not. All eyes are indeed on you Addy. Square your shoulders, lift your chin. Flaunt your imperfection. This is your day and no mistake. I will be right behind you.”
She touched my cheek, frowned and pulled a Steriwipe from her pocket. I took it, turned away from the throng so as to give my face a goodly wash. Santy patted down my unruly, short hair, then twiddled me round. Mayor Eldwyn waved to the assembled folk. “Make noise with your mouths, hands and feet, in praise of Adara - Catcher of Birds!”
A great roar rose from the crowd. This time, the musicians played a quick-time jig. The trumplets and fluttles sending forth high notes that quite frankly hurt my ears. The mayor took my hand and led me forward. The music faded as the drummer struck up a solemn beat. Santy stood to my right and Mayor Eldwyn gave me a slight push. “Go before the rabble riot.”
I straightened my spine, threw back my shoulders and walked steadily through the plaza. The band followed, so too the crowd. All was a cacophony of discordant notes from instruments and voices. I wanted to put my hands over my lugholes to dampen the hideous din and leg it fast home, but knew I could not.
Orva and Dreng strode in front and pushed away the occasional folk that tried to touch me. How I became an icon so quickly was baffling. Not so long ago Drysi and Hrypa were humiliating me in front of one and all. Now? Now I was being cheered and revered. I strained my neck to see if any familiar faces were there. “Where is Greatgrangran?”
Santy leaned forward. “I have left her with Deogol. She is fierce when she wants to be. Easily able to keep him from going out and getting lost again.”
“What? What is this about Deogol getting lost?”
“Never mind all that, carry on walking. I will fill you in with what’s what when we are home.”
She stood straight and waved to the onlookers. As I followed a humungous rapture-filled shrieking erupted. Huffin’ hell, how folk can change and become as one when forced together. I became uneasy at the wild-eyed expressions on their faces and hurried my pace to keep up with the S.A.N.T.S. ahead. The mayor trotted up beside me. “Too many wanting to grab a piece of you. Good that you will be out of the plaza soon.”
Orva and Dreng pushed a path through the gathered folk. I hurried through the gap. As I did, I felt many hands touch my arms and head. My heart pounded and I began to breathe all-quick like. When the crowd began to close in and paw at my clothes as if to rip pieces off by way of a souvenir, Santy whistled. Orva and Dreng whipped out a dispersal grenade and threw it into the air. The red disc twirled most rapidly before exploding with a loudly shriek.
The crowd moved away as the ear-piercing siren continued. Mayor Eldwyn, hands over his ears like the rest of us, nodded and walked rapidly in the direction of his top-notch accommodation in the swanky Authority Homes. A part of me regretted not taking him up on his offer of a stay in the grand place, but I yearned to see Deogol again. A thing I did not normally do, but I could not get an image of him out of my thoughts. Why I should be so antsi over my bro so suddenly, I could not tell. Santy, all squint of eye, chin gestured for me to carry on walking and I did, most quickly.
What a wonder the grenade was. The sound it emitted was so unpleasant that within a few secs my adoring public were nowhere to be seen. Finally, the horrible noise faded and I freed my lugholes of the fingers I’d inserted to quell the din. “Wow Santy, that is a powerful weapon.”
“Indeed. Shame we have so few at our disposal. Once we could order them direct from the Agros, but no more. They have cut off all communication with S.A.N.T.S.”
“What is their plan?”
“This we do not know.”
I felt all squirmy inside and was glad to see the shinning shape of
Similar Books
