A Place Called Perfect (16 page)

CHAPTER 32

The Give Away

It was another gloriously sunny day in Perfect. The Watchers were relaxed as, except for a handful of disruptive youngsters, not a soul from No Mans Land tried to enter the town. The Archers were happy too; the tills were overflowing as an unusual amount of customers looked to have their glasses repaired.

“People are getting very clumsy lately,” George Archer remarked, fixing yet another cracked lens “must have a word to the Watchers. We don’t want to mush people’s brains altogether.”

Their customers were unusually chatty that day and, distracted by small talk, the brothers didn’t venture into their storeroom at all. Had they managed a trip they would have been shocked by the shelves that now hung bare. Regular trips led by either Boy or Violet meant that all imaginations now rested under the stairs of Iris Archer’s hovelled home. By six that evening as Edward and George literally pushed their last customer out the door, a crowd had gathered in Iris’s. A crowd that was about to change the face of Perfect forever.

“Who do I get next?” Madeleine Nunn, asked walking back to the door.

“These ones,” Boy said, handing her a list of seven names he’d just taken from the top of the jars.

“I’m not sure Boy. Seven is a lot. I don’t want to cause suspicion.”

“You won’t,” William replied, pouring more jars into the Reimaginator, “We have to change as many people as quickly as possible, before my brothers discover the empty storeroom. The Reimaginator can take seven at a time, so I think that’s what we should do.”

“Ok, if you’re sure,” Madeleine said nervously exiting the house.

A few minutes gone by and Violet was stacking jars under Iris’s table when Madeleine sprinted back past the window.

“I em…I was nearly caught,” she cried, bursting in through the door to the tightly packed house, “I’m so sorry I forgot the rules. I nodded at the Watchers.”

“You what?” William said, standing up from his seat.

“I’m so sorry William. I was nervous about bringing that many people back. I completely forgot I wasn’t meant to see them!”

“Slow down Madeleine, what exactly happened?” William asked, pulling out a chair for her.

“Well I was
walking into Perfect just past the group of Watchers. They were playing cards you see…”

“And,” William said, trying to speed up the story.

“And well, I was just minding my own business when one of them looked up at me. I caught his eye and trying to hide my nerves, I nodded. I don’t know why I did it. I’m so sorry.”

“Did he say anything?” Violet asked, from her spot on the floor.

“Well at first nothing. I didn’t even realize I’d done it. Then he shouted after me and I stopped and asked him what the matter was,”

“No!” Violet cried, “you’re not supposed to be able to see them!”

“I know that Violet!” Madeleine snapped, “I think I covered it up though. I said I used to be in Perfect but was thrown into No Mans Land a few days ago.”

“Did they believe you?” Boy asked.

“Well…”

Madeleine was just about to answer when a loud knock hammered the door. Every soul in the room stopped breathing. Iris Archer immediately shot up from the table beckoning everyone to grab an imagination.

“Quickly take them into the garden and out through the fence Boy,” she said, “you know the way. Go now. Hurry!”

Boy nodded and quickly directed everyone out of the house. Violet, William and Merrill moved the Reimaginator into the back room and watched the proceedings through a gap in the door.

“You see Iris me dear, she was still wearin her glasses. Now why would someone from No Mans Land be needin to wear their glasses?” the Watcher smiled, as he barged past Iris into the house, followed by a gang of his bandits.

“I don’t know what you mean, who’s she?” Iris asked, “It’s just me here, me on my own, on my ownie, ownie, own. Like always. Just the walls to talk to here. You want tea? I like visitors; I haven’t had anyone to talk to in as long as memory serves me.”

“Come on now and don’t play the fool Iris Archer,” the Watcher growled, pushing her frail body up against the white washed wall, “we all know you’re not as stupid as you look. I’m not neithers!”

“I’m not stupid?” Iris smiled.

“Lads search the house,” the Watcher said, pushing the old woman down into a wonky chair.

“We knows something’s up and you’re gonna tell us what it is,” the Watcher roared, as William pushed Violet out a back window into the garden.

Quickly she sprinted across the grass and clambered through a hole in the fence. The others stood waited in an alleyway behind the house.

“What’s going to happen to Iris?” Violet asked breathlessly.

“She’ll be fine Violet,” William said, “they won’t hurt Mam. No matter what they think of me I know my brothers wouldn’t harm her.”

“What about our plan?” Boy whispered.

“We need a new one,” Violet said, before William could respond.

CHAPTER 33

Let The Battle Begin

Darkness had fallen once more as Violet and Boy snuck along a deserted side road into Perfect. Violet tiptoed up to the corner ahead and peered around. A huge crowd of Watchers congregated in the main square having abandoned their posts. There were lots of them, millions even.

They were gathered round a park bench that sat centre in a pristine flowerbed. Sitting on the bench, her face stern and body stiff was Iris Archer. Edward and George were perched either side of their mother.

“What are they doing?” Violet whispered.

“Waiting for us,” Boy replied, “we have to tell William.”

The pair sprinted back up the street as quietly as possible and didn’t stop until they reached the entrance to No Mans Land. William Archer stood just inside the gates, his back to the Reimaginator, his front to an elated crowd. Everyone was hugging and there were lots of tears.

The people of Perfect, the ones that had been changed, were reunited with lost friends and family. The streets of No Mans Land were alive with talk of revolution. People who once rubbished William now brandished all sorts of tools ready to invade Perfect.

“It’s happening,” William smiled, hugging the pair as they reached his side, “it’s really happening, we’ll take Perfect tonight...”

“They’re onto us, they’re already waiting in the square. They have Iris,” Boy interrupted, pushing back from William’s embrace.

“How many of them?” the older man asked, his tone suddenly serious.

“Lots,” Violet replied, “more than us by a long way. I didn’t know they had so many Watchers!”

“I don’t know if we can beat them,” Boy continued, “we haven’t changed enough people yet.”

“We can change more,” Violet said quickly, “I know we can.”

“How Violet?” William asked, “they know we’re coming now. They know something’s up.”

“What if we distract them?” Violet replied.

William Archer and his makeshift army strode through the gates of No Mans Land towards Perfect. William didn’t look at the ground as he had in the past, he was soldier straight and focused.

Boy and Violet watched the huge group leave then quickly moved along the side roads towards the opposite end of the town followed by the orphans. They carried with them the remaining imaginations and William Archer’s machine. Slotting into place at the other end of the square, the Watchers, distracted by Williams approach, didn’t notice them.

“William it’s been a long time,” Edward shouted, addressing his brother from his place on the bench.

“I’m sure you’ve missed me Edward,” William smiled.

All eyes were on the brothers face off. Not a soul paid heed to the small band of children who fiddled with a strange machine and jars of coloured gas at the other end of the square. Hurriedly, Violet poured seven more imaginations.

“Of course. You’re my favourite brother. I hope I’ve told you that before,” Edward continued.

“Eh, I thought I was…”

“George,” Edward snapped, silencing his taller twin, “anyway we are impressed, somewhat, with your little rebellion William, but it’s time to call a halt. You don’t want anything to happen to poor old mother do you?”

“Old!” Iris spat, “Edward Archer, I could give you a seeing to when you were a boy and I can still do it now!”

Edward reddened round the ears.

“You have Macula!” William shouted, louder than necessary.

Edward looked at George who shrugged.

“Yes I know about her Edward and all this time you made me believe she was dead.” 

The crowd behind William hissed and shouted, swelling forwards towards the Watchers. Alerted by the noise, the people of Perfect began to open their doors. The plan was working.

“Oh perfect, we have an audience,” William smiled, looking around.

As the brothers continued their banter, Boy with the help of some orphans lifted the Reimaginator. Madeleine had given Violet all the information she needed, so she knew who lived in
every home. Silently she beckoned Boy over to a man standing perplexed on his doorstep.

“Billy Doyle,” she whispered.

Boy pressed the button and a shot of purple gas flew from the machine up the unsuspecting man’s nose. Just like the others he fell to the ground asleep. Violet pointed at another man and the scene repeated. Soon people were falling asleep all over the street. Quickly they filled and refilled the Reimaginator. They were making their way slowly through the street when a lady spotted the group. Eyeing the sea of unconscious bodies she let out a bloody scream.

“They’re killing us, they’re killing us!” she roared.

Violet froze. All eyes, Edward and George Archer included, turned towards them.

“What!” Edward roared furiously, spying his sleeping flock.

“Attack!” William Archer shouted, seizing upon the confusion.

Following his lead, the army of No Mans Landers raced screaming towards the stunned and silent Watchers. The crowd of tool wielding, ragged people charged towards their captors, the years of exile etched on their faces. Anger burned through their eyes.

“Violet, Violet. Come on. We still have a job to do!” Boy roared, shaking his frozen friend.

Her body woke. The streets were manic as Watchers
were sparring against locals and once sleeping Perfectionists rose from their slumber to join the fight. The unchanged were not hard to spot standing still amidst the chaos. Violet ran straight for a woman just metres away.

“Sinead Cribits,” she roared, pointing at the lady.

“I have her, I have her,” one of the orphans shouted running forward to fill the Reimaginator with murky gas.

Within seconds Boy pushed the button and Sinead was unconscious. Violet fought her way through the sea of battling bodies to point at another Perfectionist. The jars of imagination were dwindling. Their plan was working. More and more waking bodies pulled themselves up from the ground to join the No Mans Landers.

Violet was pointing at another stunned onlooker when Boy roared and his body collapsed to the ground. George Archer loomed large above him.

“Think you’ll take Perfect?” he smiled, a golf club hung loosely by his side, “not without this machine you won’t!”

The tall twin took a swing at the Reimaginator. Glass flew through the air in all directions. Boy crawled away helpless as William Archer’s machine was smashed to smithereens.

“And you, you’ve been the bane of this place from the beginning,” George Archer spat.

He raised the golf club above his head and strode towards Boy. Violet’s friend had just fumbled up onto his feet when George Archer brought the club down on his back once more.

“No,” Violet roared, running blindly for the giant.

Anger pulsed through her veins; she bared her teeth and bit deep into George Archer’s hand. The taller twin screamed dropping his weapon.

“You nasty pest!”

He grabbed Violet by the hair and pulled her close enough to smell his stinking breath.

“I’m gonna make you watch while I pulverize your friend.”

Violet squirmed in his grasp as George Archer bent to pick up his club.

“Who knew playing golf would come in so useful? I have a great swing, everyone in the club says so,” he smiled, dragging Violet over to where Boy lay, “I often wonder: if a golf ball could, would it scream when I hit it?”

Violet cried out as the club crashed towards Boy’s head. Suddenly she was shunted sideways and hit the ground with a painful thud. There was a struggle beside her. Quickly she crawled away to where Boy laboured onto his knees.

“What happened?” Boy asked, “I thought he’d kill me. I thought I was dead.”

“It’s William,” Violet gasped, “he saved you. He saved us.”

William Archer wrestled his older brother on the ground just metres away. Violet pulled her friend off the road to the relative safety of the footpath. For a moment they rested gathering their breath amongst the madness.

The fight was in full flow. The people of Perfect and No Mans Land fought side by side against the Watchers. They were winning the battle. Woken up to their new reality, adults and orphans fought like warriors.

“Violet,” Boy said, dragging her attention away, “Look!”

Edward Archer stood solemn at the other side of the square. The stocky man watched in horror as his dreams crashed down around him. Suddenly, his gaze fell on William and George exchanging blows. His face changed. With swift and purposeful movement, he disappeared down a side street.

“He’s up to something,” Boy said, rising gingerly to his feet, “we have to follow him.”