Essential as Air and Water by Matthew Bushen

Chapter 16

  They reached the edge of Greater London and a sense of relief flowed through the bus. The journey was hard. Fighting the urge to stop and ask people to join them was more than most of them could bear. Leaving the city partially relieved the tension and let them breathe a little more freely.

  “Do you have any idea how long it will take, Morrison?” Toby asked.

  “On this thing – it’s going to be a couple of hours at best,” he answered. “Is everyone alright back there?”

  “I feel a little travel sick. But I’ll be okay,” said Toby.

  “Sorry Toby, it will be a while yet,” replied Morrison.

  “Where exactly are we headed?” asked Isabelle.

  “Bagshot,” replied Lanegan.

  “And we are meeting someone there?”

  “Yes, we are, Wilfred Appleby.”

  “The Wilfred Appleby who was in government?”

  “Yes. He managed the archives for a long time and he is a unique character. I think he can help us.”

  “In what way is he unique?”

  “I now believe he has a similar view of the world as Jacob, although he does not publicly talk about it. The government is responsible for many historical items of value that are kept safe to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands and as a record of the past. For as long as I know, Wilfred preserved these artefacts. Hence what Stephanie and Morrison found in the archive room at Broadcasting House. Many people have argued against these items being stored and kept, but he argued for their continued upkeep and historical value. The condition was that it didn’t become public knowledge. I am telling you now, because I cannot think of a good reason anymore to keep it a secret. Wilfred is a political man and supports our system, but the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that he has alternative motives. He is passionate about certain areas of politics and is not afraid to get involved personally. The issue that comes to mind was planned by Bukewitz, who created these vast military plans, which would have resulted in the destruction of many of our National Parks and protected natural areas. If I am honest, I didn’t do enough to deter Bob from developing these plans, and actually considered them to have some worth. If it wasn’t for Wilfred’s intervention we might have lost it all, forever. The reason for our visit, however, is in the hope that Wilfred will be able to give us some insight into the past.”

  “He sounds intriguing,” said Isabelle.

  “He is certainly that,” replied Lanegan.

  The bus changed direction as Morrison turned off of the motorway.

  He slowed the bus down to a speed at which he could safely watch their surroundings. His instincts told him to stay sharp and to stay in control of the situation. People could have become fearful of outsiders, especially from the city. It was best to be overly cautious because Morrison knew they shouldn’t assume that they would be welcome.

  They crawled into the centre of the village and stopped. There appeared to be people walking around the streets freely, talking and trading, with children playing as though everything was normal. It felt as though nothing had changed. The sight of the bus arriving made everyone stop and stare. Over the last few weeks, people all over the world had witnessed events that they believed to be only in stories of the past. The bus was probably the last thing the residents of Bagshot expected - until they saw who stepped from it.

  Lanegan walked off the bus to mutterings and whispers. He was fully prepared for this; he would have been confused himself at the sight of the Prime Minister touring the country on an open top bus during a time of crisis.

  “We have failed to contact Wilfred, so far,” said Ken. “We are only assuming he is still local.”

  “Does anyone know where I can find Wilfred Appleby?” Lanegan asked the crowd.

  The crowd were unsure of how to respond and talked amongst themselves. Then a man stepped forward and pointed down the road.

  “He’s organising the storage of our water supplies, down the road,” he said.

  “Thank you,” said Lanegan.

  They began to walk in the direction that the man had pointed, when Lanegan noticed Wilfred walking towards them.

  Wilfred Appleby was in his late sixties with an immaculate head of white hair and beard. He dressed casually but had the look of an authoritative figure.

  “Tom,” he called from a distance. “This is an unexpected surprise. Should I be more concerned than I already am?”

  “Hello Wilf,” said Lanegan as they shook hands. “We are here to ask for your help. We tried to call ahead, but time is against us.”

  “Of course, have you some new information?”

  “Yes, shall we go somewhere private?”

  “Only if it’s absolutely necessary, Tom. I have no secrets from those that are present.”

  Lanegan told Wilf and anyone who was close enough to hear the recent events that had led up to their arrival. Wilf listened intensely and didn’t interrupt once, all the while maintaining eye-contact with Lanegan. As Lanegan finished his recounting, Wilf turned and looked at the crowd that had gathered around them. Lanegan watched, and believed he was witnessing a silent conversation between Wilf and the residents of Bagshot. Lanegan studied their faces. It was as though Wilf was ensuring that they all gave their consent about something that he was about to do. Wilf walked forward and spoke to a lady of a similar age to himself, before turning back to Lanegan, and then to Jacob.

  “I have not seen the videos that you have seen, but I trust your word. You were very brave, Jacob, to bring your idea before the party, and I commend you for that. Your feelings on this subject matter are shared, I can assure you of that. I have never hidden my contempt and anger for the people who tried to eradicate our past, and have fought hard to preserve it. Now it seems the battles we fought were worth the effort. May I show you something?”

  “Of course,” replied Lanegan.

  Wilf turned and the crowd parted to produce a narrow pathway. Lanegan followed Wilf, along with those who were stood watching, causing a bottle-neck effect into the passage.

  “I’m curious as to why Bagshot appears largely unaffected,” said Lanegan.

  “We have been affected, but they don’t seem to stay. It is as though they are pulled towards the cities.”

  They walked a little further, with Wilf setting a quick pace. As they reached the end of the narrow passage, Wilf walked straight across the road to a beautifully kept house on the other side. The house was painted white and had a garden so full of colour that it caused admiration from anyone who passed. The crowd poured out of the passage and filled the street.

  “This is Mary my sister’s house,” said Wilf. “She doesn’t mind if we go in and have a look around.”

  Lanegan was confused. He turned to his travel companions.

  “Wait out here,” he said. “I don’t want to intrude too much. Talk to them – see what you can learn.”

  Outside the house, Jacob’s inquisitive nature got the better of him. He asked some simple questions about the past three weeks, but noticed a look of fear and uncertainty in their faces. They simply did not trust them. At that moment, Jacob became confused. He became quickly aware that they were hiding something. Were they suspicious of the government? Or did they think the troubles would follow them to Bagshot? If Bagshot was an indicator of the response they would receive, then the task they had set themselves, of uniting the country, was going to be harder than they thought. They would have to find a way to break down the barrier of mistrust and suspicion that was clearly present.

  Wilf opened the front door of Mary’s house and let Lanegan enter first.

  “Mary is a retired teacher,” Wilf said. “She still helps at the school when she can. As in Mary’s day, the young teachers today aren’t required to have any knowledge of the things you spoke of; the history lessons always have a message, or warning, whenever certain subjects are brought up. I now freely admit to you, that some of us in Bagshot, and many other villag
es that I know of, have secretly used the things you have mentioned, as methods of educating and helping people; and for the sheer enjoyment of it. The benefits are clear to us, at this time, especially. It is a shame that nobody within Westminster could see them too. And that is why I became as involved in politics as I did, to protect and preserve some part of our past that was so valuable. Once upon a time, London used to be a place that people would visit from all over the world for its cultural variety and history. Now, nobody here has any reason to go. It has nothing to offer us. It has become a city for visiting businessmen and women. Who would want to look at the hotels and conference centres that are architecturally void of character and imagination? Look around you, Tom. What are the differences between this house and those of the people you socialise with?”

  Lanegan looked around. He saw bookshelves filled from top to bottom. In the main living area he lifted a home-made patchwork cover to reveal a baby grand piano.

  Lanegan stared at the piano. It was the first of its type he had ever seen.

  “Everything,” he replied.

  The piano was in perfect condition and reflected the sunlight that streamed through the rear windows like a mirror. Lanegan read the plaque on the side that stated the piano was built in the year two thousand and fourteen. So old, and yet not a scratch to be seen, he thought.

  As they walked into the conservatory an unfinished painting stood with a beautifully kept garden acting as a frame behind it.

  “Don’t worry, Tom. Not all of the houses here are like this one. That would be impossible to keep a secret, of course. But there are some of us who know what is good and worth taking a risk for.”

  “This is certainly unexpected, Wilf,” Lanegan whispered.

  “Is it really? You know me and what I have fought for.” asked Wilf.

  “It is, despite how well I know you. I have a mixture of feelings at this moment, Wilf. I feel betrayed and also envious of what you have here. But that doesn’t matter anymore. Will you help us?”

  “Of course I will - we all will,” he replied.

  “What I need you to do is pass on our message. Do you have transport?”

  “We do.”

  “I know I’m asking a lot as you have safety here and you are not greatly affected, but any help we can get to tell people we have a chance will be most welcome. I would completely understand if you did not want to join us in the New Forest, but we would all very much like you to come and help in any way you can.”

  “It would be our pleasure and we have already packed in preparation for our supplies running out. You are wrong about us not being affected though. This is a problem for every citizen of the world. It will knock on our door given enough time. We will be beside you until it is over.”

  “Thank you, Wilf. Tell everyone to turn on their radios to any station and listen to the message; it gives information of where to go and what to do. Also, when you come, bring as much of this great stuff as you can; whatever you have hidden away - and bring all the enthusiasm you have.”

  “Just try and stop us,” replied Wilf.

  “Thank you,” said Lanegan. “Thank you so much.”

  Lanegan rushed out of the door with adrenalin flowing through him. Wilf was right; if Bagshot existed, there would be more places like it.

  Lanegan walked with Ken back to the bus.

  “I can’t put my finger on it, Ken, but I have a feeling that I have never felt before. It’s similar to the feeling of achieving something in the political world, but different. I hope one day everyone can have the opportunity to live in a house such as the one I have just visited.”

  “I think we are experiencing what Jacob has felt for some time. It must have been frustrating for him to want something so badly, and yet be so afraid to talk about it,” replied Ken.

  “We must let people know that they should not be afraid. If everyone can feel this, then surely we have a chance.”

  As the bus departed, Ken checked his phone to discover he had three missed calls. The messages were from three of the other buses, who by chance had found similar villages. After the visit to Bagshot, nobody was surprised to hear that these communities were offering their help. Their local knowledge would be essential as it was more practical for people to make contact with the villages and towns close to them. Their knowledge of the area would ensure speed and communication with the largest number possible.

  Isabelle sat on the lower level of the bus looking out at the fields and land that was now left without human interference. She turned to see the others in a similar state of quiet and reflection, except for Jacob who wasn’t present. Isabelle climbed the stairs and found Jacob sitting on the upper level alone. He stared forwards as they followed the sun setting in the West. It was cooling down quickly and Isabelle could sense something was troubling Jacob.

  “That’s a nice view; may I share it with you?” she asked.”

  “Of course you can,” Jacob replied.

  Isabelle sat beside him and offered some water.

  “What’s on your mind?” she asked.

  “I’m just watching the sun go down,”

  “I’ve never had a day like this one before,” Isabelle said.

  “Me neither. It’s funny, we’re only a short drive from where we work and live and yet it’s unrecognisable to me. It shouldn’t be though. Where I come from should have been like Bagshot. Maybe it was and I just didn’t know about it.”

  “Jacob, you’re not the only one who this is new to. Even Tom was shocked.”

  “But that’s the problem, how does that happen? How does the government not know what is happening?”

  “I’m sure it is still very rare and Wilf has the advantage of having access to the archives. The good thing is, it doesn’t appear to have harmed anyone. It’s sad they had to be secretive. What’s got you so down? What happened back there?”

  “They fear us.”

  “Who does?”

  “The people of Bagshot. Initially, I thought they were happy to see us and I think they probably were - as well as curious. But when I began to start asking questions they immediately turned suspicious. As though the party had arrived to stop them.”

  “Jacob, it’s not everyday the Prime Minister turns up in your village during an international crisis asking for help. How do you think they felt? I thought they gave away a lot very quickly. It will take time for us to gain trust. Some of them probably thought they had been caught and would have to face the consequences.”

  “What consequences though? This is the part I don’t understand. What would the government have done if they found out under different circumstances?” asked Jacob.

  “That’s a good question, Jacob,” said Ken, who had over heard their conversation.

  “Ken, you made me jump,” said Jacob.

  “Can you answer that question, Ken?” asked Isabelle.

  “Partly. It’s complicated though and I don’t think I could ever satisfy you with my answer. You must understand that we have never attempted to create a state where the citizens are under complete control, without freedom. The party purposely tries to move as far away as possible from those types of political ideologies – those ideologies were used in the past and failed. Complete control is usually only achieved when force is used and we have never and will never use force to achieve political ends.”

  “Bukewitz would. And many in your party would have followed,” said Isabelle.

  “True, but these are exceptional circumstances and there was no end in sight until you spoke in the meeting. You found an answer before the rest of the world could. You should be proud of that. But the answer I think you want to hear is that yes, on some level what we saw today was known about. How could it not be? In this country we have never stormed into people’s property and confiscated possessions of any sort. Most people were willing to give up what they owned so it wasn’t necessary. Other countries have different methods of controlling their citizens that sometimes i
nvolves a stronger hand of persuasion. It is impossible to say for sure, but we have seen no evidence of any action that would violate the original terms of the agreement set out after the crash. If we did witness anything, I assure you we will be the first to condemn them and take the necessary action to try and prevent it.

  I visit towns and cities across the country every week and have never seen anything like what Tom saw in Bagshot. We have a good knowledge about the underground movements that exist, involving many different types of organisations and groups. What Tom witnessed in that lady’s house is not a common site I can assure you. What you are more likely to find is beaten up old relics that are unusable and are only kept because of curiosity and sentiment.”

  “You do know what this means?” Jacob asked.

  “Enlighten me,” replied Ken.

  “That the whole reason for this system is false.”

  “Explain.”

  “It’s justified by the fact that the world has been at peace for decades. If peace has occurred, despite people ignoring the world-wide agreement, then you can’t blame certain elements for causing hostility, anger and ultimately war. Because that is what happened - people were tricked by deceit and outright lies. From what I have read, wars were not started because of things we are banned from doing.”

  “Jacob, I seriously think you are underestimating the power of the things you are talking about. Propaganda frequently, if not always, uses pictures and slogans, and directly affects how we think about individuals and groups of people collectively. In the past nations have been manipulated into accepting the most abhorrent and evil ideas. This was achieved by using clever media and propaganda, and by having generalisations repeated over and over again until they are accepted by the majority. It has happened before and could easily happen again. Before the riots we had never seen anything similar to a major protest in one of our cities. Rubber bullets, riot police and water cannons are new images to all of us. Historically, protests and civil unrest were often associated with what was called ‘art’; whether it was protest songs, literature or desecrating a religious building with graffiti. They walk hand in hand, it’s not a coincidence. Religion was said to be the cause of many conflicts. It’s hard to imagine now, but people did kill and terrorise in the name of their beliefs. It is a powerful force that we are unlikely to truly appreciate. We as politicians strive to avoid the mistakes and conflicts of the past. We are lucky to live in a time when world leaders are reluctant to fight for their national interests – it wasn’t always the case. But, all that said, you are probably right that allowing people to play a piano and paint the ocean will not by itself cause a war.”

  Jacob looked at Ken and appreciated his honesty. He had been too quick to blame those he considered responsible.

  “You’re right,” he said. “I’m being foolish and selfish for making this personal.”

  “It’s natural to think of it in personal terms,” said Isabelle. “With many things in this world your opportunities and choices are restricted by certain factors. Our lives are limited to the time and place we are born.”

  “You must remember, Jacob,” said Ken. “We were all born into this. I was also young once. Everything that you have been denied has been denied to all of us. All we can do is our best to make it better – for as many people as possible.”

  Isabelle and Ken left Jacob to himself where he tried to forget his grievances with the past and began to focus on the future.

  Day turned to night as the autumn sun disappeared. Morrison had been driving for hours and the novelty of the bus had worn thin.

  Stephanie knew he would never complain, but sensed he could do with some company.

  “How are you holding up?” she asked.

  “I am a little bored to be honest,” Morrison replied. “The clear roads were great; now, I would give my arm just to overtake someone.”

  “Has nobody been keeping the big bad security agent entertained?” she joked.

  “Shut up …” he replied. “… but no, they haven’t.”

  “That’s probably because there is nowhere to sit up here. Have you got room for another in there?”

  “Sure,”

  Morrison slid over, revealing half of the seat.

  “So, how far left to go?” asked Stephanie.

  “Not far, under an hour. Have you noticed Lanegan is still awake?”

  Morrison readjusted his rear view mirror so Stephanie could look back.

  “He hasn’t seen his family in a week. I think he’s aching to see them - and you of all people know that Prime Ministers don’t sleep.”

  “That is very true.”

  “Is there anybody waiting for you at the forest? Family, or girlfriend, wife - that sort of thing,” asked Stephanie.

  “Nobody,” he replied. “I’ll be stuck with you guys - if you’re not meeting anyone that is?”

  “No. It looks like we’ll be together a little longer.”

  “It will be nice to be in the countryside and out of the smoke.”

  Morrison’s facial expression changed at the thought of clean air and a less chaotic environment.

  “Ah, a smile, my work here is complete,” said Stephanie.

  “So now you’re going?”

  “No. I like watching the road disappear beneath us - and sitting with you.”

  They sat silently watching the road with the lights of the bus and the moon to guide them. The moment wasn’t lost on either Stephanie or Morrison. The scene laid out in front of them was a pleasant escape from the horrors they had left behind. At this point any distraction was welcome, especially a road trip in an attempt to save mankind from itself. It was scary and exciting.

  “There’s the first sign,” said Morrison.

  The brown signpost read ‘New Forest’ and beneath it was an added sign that simply had ‘ES’ with an arrow.

  “ES?” questioned Stephanie.

  “Evacuation Site,” Morrison clarified.

  Suddenly a loud bang came from the back of the bus causing them both to turn to look.

  “What the …?” Stephanie said.

  A flurry of panic and shouting began.

  “Morrison, he’s turned,” shouted Jacob.

  Jacob quickly ducked and scrambled out of the way of a fire extinguisher that had rebounded off a window.

  “Who has?” shouted Morrison.

  “Toby, we need to pull …”

  But as soon as Jacob began to talk he was bundled out of the way, back into his seat by Toby. He grabbed desperately at Toby and managed to pull him down on top of him. He looked into Toby’s eyes and saw a blankness that terrified him and let go immediately. Toby picked up anything he could find and threw the items randomly.

  “We need to get him off, Morrison,” shouted Lanegan.

  Morrison slowly put his foot on the brake. He was aware that nobody was wearing seatbelts and was hesitant to stop the bus too quickly. The slight delay proved costly as a bottle of water was thrown that hit him in the back of the head, causing his head to hit the steering wheel. He was not seriously hurt, but it was enough to cause the bus to swerve off the road and into fields. The passengers were thrown around as the bus bounced to a stop. The force of the bus stopping had thrown Toby forward down the centre aisle and into the steps by the door of the bus. Morrison looked down towards him. He was certainly knocked out, possibly worse. Concerned with the state of Toby, Morrison attempted to ignore his own pain which had begun to creep up and now took hold. His seat belt had done its job and left heavy bruising as a consequence.

  “Everybody okay?” he called towards the back of the bus.

  Lanegan quickly walked down the aisle, checking each person he came to.

  “Bumps and bruises, but all alive,” he answered. “Where is Toby?”

  “He’s up here,” Morrison shouted. “I can’t move to see if he’s still alive.”

  “Are you alright? Is anything broken?”

  “I don’t think so
, just heavy bruising. I may need help to stand though. Wait, where’s Stephanie?”

  “Shit,” said Isabelle, unable to move. “Down there in the luggage hold.”

  Morrison unbuckled his belt and dragged himself off of his seat. Needing to hold on to two hand rails, he lowered himself down to where Stephanie lay.

  “She’s breathing. I need water,” he called out.

  “Here,” said Lanegan.

  He opened a bottle and handed it to Morrison.

  Morrison poured some water over Stephanie’s face and spoke to her gently so not to wake her suddenly.

  “Stephanie, can you hear me? It’s Morrison Stephanie, wake up.”

  She came round slowly and straightened her limbs.

  “Is anything broken? Is there any pain?” Morrison asked.

  “Of course there’s bloody pain, look where I ended up,” she replied.

  “Well, I’ll take from your answer that you’re going to live.”

  Morrison lifted himself upright and slowly moved towards the bus door where Lanegan was checking Toby.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “He’s alive,” said Lanegan. “I’m not sure we should move him though. Any damage could be made worse, he took a fairly hefty tumble.”

  “We have no choice. The reality is we have to keep moving. If he’s badly hurt he will need special care, sooner rather than later.”

  “You’re right, but we can’t carry him.”

  “Leave him here, make him comfortable and hope the knock isn’t too serious. When we get to the forest I will get new transport and come back for him. We can leave some water and food. Nobody will come for someone who has turned. It’s the general command.”

  “What if he wakes and wanders off in a rage? He could end up anywhere,” said Lanegan.

  “That’s true of any person, at any time. Don’t lose sight of the fact anyone of us could follow him at any moment. We are lucky to have got this far,” said Morrison.

  “Clear the back seat everyone, we’re going to lay him down and put bags in front of him in case he rolls off,” Lanegan shouted.

  They moved Toby’s arms and legs carefully knowing any serious injuries would wake him as he was carried. He lay on the back seat unconscious. As the last passenger left the bus, the door was shut. They left the hazard lights on so the bus could be seen from the road.

  The remainder of the journey would be on foot. The optimism they had felt after leaving Bagshot had been taken away. Toby’s change was a warning that they should not assume they would all make it. The speed of the change put fear into their hearts. They trusted each other, but the uncertainty was a difficult feeling to control. Nobody thought Toby would be the last.