Chapter seven

Around us stood buildings, trees too, patches of grass even, a forgotten substance before. People walked about, striding in groups, laughing, smiling. Really, smiling. We had been living inside a city.

Son was looking at me, and I returned his gaze, a smile breaking through my lips.

“Didn’t expect this eh?”

He smiled, then laugh, then doubled over in a cackle. Together we laughed, together in this new place, away from our pains.

I straightened, and pulled him up with me. “Well shall we be getting on?"

He nodded, but it wasn't in submission. He took my hand, and we lead each other through the streets.

Brick buildings appeared around us, some towering some not. Colour, splashes, some more dealt, either way colour, brought to the walls. Trees stood tall, flowers gracing their leaves, grass surrounding them. And the people, the most beautiful of them all. They looked no different from whom we had left, except they felt, they felt different; happy. Everything here seemed almost put by chance, but each part now serving its purpose.

“Can I ask you something?”

I glanced down at Son, who was still holding my hand, now looking up at me.

“Aye?”

“What’s your name?” The question came suddenly, and I realised I had not yet told him.

I dared not to pause, but allowed a moment to consider what to answer. My name, the word that I had held close to me, yet had never been my calling. “Harry.” But we both knew I was lying.

We continued to walk, reduced to silence.

Son realised my hand, quickly bending down. I looked to see what he was doing, and found he was now holding a ball. Three boys had run up to him.

“Can we have our ball back?”

But I don’t think he heard. He was turning the ball in his hands, encompassing its red surface, gliding it smoothly between his fingers.

“Hey, can we have our ball?” They demanded it. I had never heard anyone demand anything before.

“Son?” I put my hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at me, then hastily back at the boys. “Sorry,” he mumbled, handing it back.

“Thanks.” They sprinted away, both our eyes trailing to where they stopped. A group of boys played amongst a grassy field, kicking the ball between themselves.

“What was that thing?”

He didn’t know. “It was a ball.”

“A ball.” It was like he was entering a totally new world, not just a new life.

We began to walk again, not knowing where to go, not knowing what to do. Night was still far away, but we could not wander this place forever. “You hungry?” I asked, remembering he had not eaten breakfast.

"No."

"Do you ever get hungry?"

"I never ate much." I'd have to fatten him up.

"What are we going to do?"

He asked the question I had been contemplating this whole time, and still I could not put words to an answer. "Hope for a miracle." And it was then we walked upon the towering building, with the words printed over its gate; Eternity. We both stopped and stared.

"Do you think-" But he didn't finish.

A man had come from the gate, appearing with a flourish through the iron. "Is there something I can help you with?" Maybe he had noticed our gaping mouths. The man was still looking between us, and I knew Son wouldn't be speaking.

"Uh, no thanks mate, we're all good here."

"Are you sure? Do you have somewhere to stay the night?" The way he leant forward, pushed gloss into is words, told me he already knew about us.

I would still lie though. "Yeah, we're staying with a friend of mine, just doing a bit of looking around."

He looked as if he couldn't hold in what he knew for any longer, a moment later it erupted through his lips. "You're from Backland aren't you." It wasn't a question.

Son was holding my hand, tight. I wanted to tell him that it would be okay, but didn't want this man to see our fear. We could run, but somehow Son seemed fixed, not wanting to move.

I nodded.

He smiled, and I could not tell what it was from. "You must've been through a right lot then. Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you here." The man turned his attention to Son. "What's your name?"

Son had retreated to silence.

"My names Harry," I put in, taking his attention back to me.

"Well Harry, nice to meet you, I'm Simon. On behalf of Statelend I'd like to invite you to stay here at Eternity.” He smiled, and extended a hand.

I took it, though cautious and felt the strong confident grip. He could probably catch us if we ran.

Son wasn’t reacting, and I took that as an okay. We followed Simon through the gates that remained open behind us.

“We really are glad that you’re here,” Simon was saying. “We always welcome people from Backland, get them to good order and everything.”

“Good order?”

“Oh, well some are, understandably, distressed. We do the best we can to accommodate their needs.”

I wondered why he was telling us this, maybe because it was already too late to leave.

“I can’t help but ask though, how did you get out?” There we go, the curiosity that would be impolite to voice.

“We just did. Hey, can I ask something myself; Backland?”

“That’s the name given to where you came from, Backland.” We were arriving at the stairs, taking them to arrive at the crest. Double doors awaited us. “You never have to go there again.” And the doors opened to our sight.

A large room with peach walls and paintings stood around before us. Several doors came off the room leading to so far unknown destinations. A single desk sat by the back, a young girl tapping away furiously at the computer. She looked up when she entered, and sighed.

“Oh Simon, not another one of your tales.”

“It’s real this time Marigold, they’re from Backland.” Maybe she sense the sincerity in his voice for she looked up.

“Really?” It was directed at me.

I nodded.

She smiled gleefully. “Oh I’ll send you through right away, he’s not busy right now so you should be fine.”

“Thanks.”

We followed Simon through one of the doors. Blank passages passed us through, a few more doors, and then we were entering a small wing, a bid double oaked door in sight.

“You get to meet the head now.”

“The head?”

“He’s the one that runs everything here. Not fully of course, the people do have a say, he just coordinates it. Ready?”

Son nodded beside me. Simon knocked thrice.

“Come in,” a voice rung out.

We entered, Simon in front.  A large room presented itself to us, old dappled appearances manicured into perfection. The main object, a large desk, sat in front of a man, old though not weathered. He stood as we entered, coming front to stand before us.

“Welcome, I am Nicholas Lage, the Overseer of Statelend.” He shook my hand warmly, gave a smile to Son. “What are your names?”

“Harry,” I replied, hoping the quickness would stop him from turning to Son. But he did.

“And you?”

Son just looked down.

“Don’t worry, there’s no need to be afraid.”

Still Son didn’t budge. I knew he wasn’t afraid, nor shy.

“Do you have a name?” He had knelt down before him, coming close to his face, putting a tone of sympathy into his face.

Son nodded.

“Can you tell me what it is?”

Son shook his head.

“Well we’ll have to have something to call you by. We can’t just go calling you nothing now can we?” He was still kneeling, still smiling.

“Son.” The word came quietly, just a murmur.

“Son? Quite an interesting name.” He kept smiling. “Sit down, please.” He motioned to a couch and we took, himself taking one across from us. “Thank you Simon.” I had forgotten he was still here. He shot us a smile before exiting the room.

“So, how did you get out of Backland?” The question came blunt, the answer wanted quickly.

“We used our brains,” I said, not wanting to reveal our secret.

“And your brains told you to do what?”

“To do what we did.” I wondered how long I could shot back answers.

“It doesn’t matter how you did, I’m just curious you see. Maybe we’d be able to help others.”

“How many people live here?” The question escaped my lips before it went to my brain.

He was clearly taken aback. “Here, oh? Twenty thousand round abouts.”

Backland had five. Why didn’t they just storm the castle? “Why were we living in your city?”

He smiled, a different one though. “A very inquisitive question indeed. A very inquisitive answer too. One I’m sure, will be answered in due time.”

I would probably get as much out of him as he would get out of us.

“Where you escaping Eternity?” He leant forward, eager. Eagerness that would be attributed to being mad.

“No.

“Then what made you leave? Weren’t you happy there?” Happy. The word though said no different to the others struck me. There wasn’t something with it; weren’t you happy there? Something that twisted in my mind.

“No.”

“Pity. Happiness is a wonderful thing to have.” What was it then, that slipped into his voice. Regret?

“Too many smiles there to be happy.”

Nicholas laughed at my comment. “You wouldn’t expect a place that has to many smiles to not be happy.”

I laughed, forced to by the freeness of his. “Wouldn’t expect it one bit.”

We were in agreeance.