From Another Place Ch. 07

In the morning Sally woke, her arms still around me. The room was cooler, and she shivered.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

She stretched. "Pretty good, actually."

I glanced across the room. "You awake, Tim?"

"Mmmf," I heard.

"Come on," I said. "Breakfast first, then the last step of our journey."

Tim pulled clothes from his case. "I'll go in the shower room to change."

He disappeared, and Sally dressed quickly, in a long skirt and a cotton blouse. "Right, Amy, your turn."

I thought for a moment, then changed my long cotton nightshirt for an outfit like Sally's.

Tim reappeared in trousers and a shirt. "Will this be OK?"

I nodded. "Let's go."

We walked back down the stairs and into the dining room. "Sorry, Sally," I said, "no cereal today. But I think you'll enjoy what they have."

I walked to the kitchen door and spoke briefly to the cook. He nodded, and turned back to his work.

We found a table, and a waiter approached. "Coffee, tea?"

I turned to Tim and Sally. "Neither will be quite as you're used to, but I think you'll like them."

"I'll have coffee, please," requested Tim.

"Tea, please," said Sally. I nodded. "And for me."

He returned with our drinks, then went to the kitchen door. The cook handed him a tray, and he brought it to our table.

Sally looked at the plate that stood on the tray. "What are these?"

"A kind of flatbread, deep-fried – think of them as a sort of croissant."

I took one, and spread it with butter, then jam from a small pot, and Sally and Tim followed suit. Sally bit into hers, and smiled. "These are good."

I nodded. "The locals think it's crazy, eating them with butter and jam."

We finished our breakfast, and I went out to the reception desk to arrange transport. After a few minutes, a car appeared, and I wondered to myself if the battered vehicle was capable of making the journey.

We got in, and the driver set off, returning to the main road. We negotiated potholes for a few minutes, then turned off onto a track, bumping our way through stands of palm trees.

The road emerged into the open again, crossing a small stream. In the distance I saw the destination I'd been aiming for ever since we left home. Ahead of us was a high wall, painted a light yellow colour. The driver drew up by modern-looking glass doors, and we got out of the car. I paid him, and the car pulled away.

I turned to Tim. "This is it. If we're going to find any protection, it's here."

He nodded. "Whatever happens, Amy, I want to thank you. You've already taken a huge risk."

He turned, and took Sally's hand. "Come on."

We walked through the doors and into the reception area. The dark-haired girl behind the desk looked up, and for a moment I was tempted to reach for her mind, but I reminded myself that we needed the goodwill of these people.

Anyway, I reflected, for all I knew she had the power to resist even me. I honestly didn't know what these people were capable of.

Tim stepped forward. "Hello," he said. "Can we talk to whoever's in charge?"

She smiled. "Of course. Go through, someone will meet you."

We walked out into the sunlight. At the far end of the enclosed space, a group of children was playing a makeshift game of cricket, and from an open window I could hear the sound of singing.

A door opened, and I waited to see who – or what – would emerge to meet us.

From the relative dimness within stepped a tall figure, a man in his late forties or early fifties, wearing a black academic gown.

Tim took half a pace forward, about to speak, but I could see the man's eyes widen as he looked at me.

He turned to Tim, and spoke, his voice stern. "Do you not know what you have brought to us?"

He shook his head. "But then, perhaps you are her puppets, not responsible for your actions."

He shifted his attention to me. "You play a dangerous game, coming to us so openly. Tell me, for what purpose are you here? What can you hope to gain?"

I was silent for long moments, knowing that he knew me for what I was. Then I did the only thing I could think of to convey the change in me. I sank to my knees in front of him, heedless of the dusty ground, and bowed my head, resting my chin on my chest.

I raised my head again, to see him shaking his head. He spoke under his breath, and I caught his words. "Do you not know that we will judge angels..."

He stretched out his hand, and I took it, getting to my feet.

He looked into my face. "What were you, in your proper sphere?"

My voice was steady as I answered. "A principality, my lord."

He made a dismissive gesture. "Don't call me that." He softened the rebuke with a smile, and turned to Tim.

"Please, forgive my harsh words. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that any of those who fell, has set foot on the path to redemption."

Tim shook his head. "I don't really understand much of this. My daughter Sally knows more than I do. I'm Tim, by the way."

"Welcome, Tim, Sally. I'm David Cook, though most people here call me Professor, I'm sure you can guess why."

The professor turned to me. "And how shall we call you?"

I smiled hesitantly. "To the family, I'm just Amy. Will that do?"

He nodded. "We can discuss your real name on another occasion – it may be needful."

He turned back to Tim. "Please, let me organise some refreshments, and you can tell me more of your story."

He led us past the building from which he'd come, and onto a shaded verandah. A young woman came from an inner room, and he spoke to her briefly in her own tongue. She nodded, and returned inside.

"Please, sit," indicated the professor.

When we were seated, he said, "While we wait, perhaps I should tell you a little of what we do here."

He indicated the children, now sitting in a circle around another young woman as she read to them. "We have the orphans, of course – their home is the building at the far end of the compound. And the school, over there. The training centre – that's my particular responsibility."

The young woman returned, carrying a tray with a jug of some kind of juice, glasses, and fruit. The professor nodded his thanks, and she left.

"Please," he said, spreading his hands, "refresh yourselves." We drank, and Sally picked up a piece of fruit.

"This smells very... unusual," she said.

The professor smiled. "Like a number of other things, it's something you either love or hate. Try it."

Sally took a tentative bite, and chewed slowly. Her doubt gradually changed to pleasure. "Actually, it's very good."

"So, Tim," said the professor briskly, "tell me how you come to be here, and how we can help."

Tim glanced at me, and began to tell the story from his point of view. When he came to the place where I confessed my secret identity, I could see the professor unsuccessfully trying to hide his amusement.

"Amy," he said, "I'm impressed by your creativity. I imagine Tim has all sorts of speculations running through his mind – the Mafia, Al-Qaeda, even one of Ian Fleming's arch-villains."

He turned back to Tim. "The truth is simpler, but I have to say infinitely more frightening."

I could see Sally nodding as the professor continued. "Perhaps the easiest way to introduce you to what's really happening is if I find you a copy of Paradise Lost."

He turned to Sally. "I'm sure there are things you want to add to your father's account."

She nodded vigorously. "I've seen Amy change – in a way it's like what happened to me."

She reached for my hand. "I don't understand everything, but I know Amy says we're in danger. Can you help us?"

The professor looked grave. "It's true that because of what's happening here, it's more difficult for Amy's former organisation to operate, but if they have a compelling reason, they can still bring influence to bear."

He paused, and I felt him come to a decision. "None of this is a coincidence. There must be some purpose behind it, something for good."

He looked at Tim. "I need to ask you to decide. You're welcome to stay here, but if we're to help you, you have to trust us, and submit to the outcome, whether or not you fully grasp what's happening."

Tim nodded. "I understand."

The professor stood. "In that case, let me go and make arrangements. I take it you were staying nearby last night?"

I nodded. "The jungle lodge."

"I'll arrange for your things to be fetched," said the professor. "Please, feel at home. The midday meal will be ready soon."

He stood, and walked across to the reception area, speaking to the young woman behind the desk. She nodded, and picked up the telephone.

He returned to us. "That'll be no problem. Let me show you to your rooms."

We followed him to the end of the verandah, where steps led up to the second storey of the building.

"When we built this, we added facilities for visitors," the professor explained. "It's fairly basic, but you'll have everything you need."

He pushed open a door, and we walked into a hallway. Ahead and to the right were bedrooms, and to the left was a shower room almost identical to the one at the lodge.

Sally glanced at Tim. "Can Amy and I have the one on the right?" she asked.

"Sure," Tim nodded.

"I'll leave you to settle in," said the professor. "You'll hear the bell for lunch, just come downstairs and I'll meet you."

Tim went through to his room, and Sally and I explored ours. There were windows on three sides, and a cool breeze blew through. From one window we could see out of the compound onto open fields, with forest in the distance. Here and there long-legged white birds stood, occasionally stabbing their beaks into small pools of water and retrieving insects or small frogs.

Sally turned to me. "This is an amazing place. Whatever happens, I'm glad we came. Thanks, Amy."

As she gave me a hug, there was the sound of a bell from outside.

"That must be lunch," she said.

We went back down, finding Tim talking to the professor on the verandah. We followed them inside, finding a large table already laid with covered dishes. Three young women sat at one side of the table, talking animatedly to one another in the local language. They fell silent as we entered, and the professor turned to us.

"Let me introduce you to some of the other members of the team."

He indicated the three young women in turn. "Akuti, Neela, Taruni. They do most of the work around here – looking after the children, cooking, taking care of guests, greeting visitors."

We sat down at the table, and the professor put his hands together and spoke a brief grace in the local tongue.

"Now," he said, "try a few of these things – we always make sure there are some dishes that are a little less spicy, in case visitors do come, and Neela will remember anything you particularly like."

We started to eat, and I saw Tim nodding appreciatively. "This is good."

"Are you OK, Sally?" I asked. "I know you're not great with really spicy food."

She smiled. "Sure. Generally I can tell from the colour how hot things are going to be."

Akuti spoke, and the professor nodded.

"The rest of the team will be back later," he explained. "They're usually out most of the day travelling round the villages. We'll all get together after the evening meal and we can look for guidance on what our next steps should be."

When we'd finished eating, the professor said, "Your cases should have arrived from the lodge."

We walked back to the reception area, finding our cases waiting for us. Tim glanced at them. "I'll take these upstairs. Why don't you two go and meet the children?" Sally and I walked to the far end of the compound, where Akuti was teaching the children a song. We listened for a while, and Sally tentatively began to imitate the simple chorus, mimicking the actions. The children started to giggle, and Akuti smiled. "You teach them?"

Sally grinned, and we spent a happy time working through "Row, row, row your boat," then "The wheels on the bus," and "Hickory Dickory Dock."

Akuti glanced up. "Time for the children to have a drink."

The children obediently trooped back to the main building, and we followed them. Neela was waiting with jugs of squash, and we drank with the children, even getting a biscuit each.

"OK, time for a nap," said Akuti, and the children made their way back to their own building with her.

She returned from settling the children, and I saw Taruni walking from the reception area. I felt the anticipation in their minds, and I turned to Sally. "You might find what happens next... unusual."

I didn't tell her of my own apprehensions – whether I'd changed sufficiently to be able to bear these young women entering into the presence of the being I'd learned to hate and fear above all.

The three sat down, including us in their circle, and each of them put their hands, palms up, in their lap. Neela began to speak softly in her own tongue, and as soon as the first syllable left her lips the atmosphere changed. But instead of the condemnation I'd feared, I felt only acceptance, love, infinite compassion.

I felt Sally's hand on mine. "It's OK, Amy."

The young women spoke in turn, then fell silent, only their lips moving. I felt the sensation of a great weight moving, lifting from me, a door opening, light pouring from it.

Taruni opened her eyes, and smiled at us. "Enough for now – more later when everyone's here."

She stood gracefully, and returned to the reception area, while Akuti went to see to the children.

Neela smiled. "Time to start cooking – you come?"

We followed her into a kitchen area, two wood fires burning, each sending a thread of smoke through a vent in the roof.

"Please, sit," Neela invited, pulling two low wooden stools from nails on the wall.

We sat down, and watched Neela moving around the kitchen, preparing vegetables, filling a large pot with rice and adding water.

She glanced at us, and smiling, took some of the peeled potatoes and quickly grated them. She formed them into flat cakes and put them into a pan over the flames, the oil sizzling. We watched fascinated as she turned the cakes over and over, then slid them onto a plate.

"Eat," she smiled, holding the plate out to us.

Sally took a cake, moving it from hand to hand and blowing on it, then carefully took a small bite. "Mm, delicious."

I took one myself and nodded. "They're good."

Neela continued her work as we ate the snacks she'd prepared for us, and after a few minutes we heard voices outside. Neela glanced up. "Everyone's home," she said.

Sally and I stood. "Thanks for the snacks," Sally said.

We went outside, and found Tim with the professor.

"Let me introduce you to Amrit and Anjali," the professor said.

The young woman turned, and I felt everything I thought I'd left behind come crashing back on me.