Climate Countdown
A novel by Vadim Chelom
Chapter 1
Ms Brook paused, pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose and stared at the students in front of her. Her eyes, magnified by the thick lenses, conveyed an expression of imminent threat. Of the twenty or so pupils in the room only one or two raised their heads. The rest made no effort to conceal their expression of unmitigated boredom. Satisfied that no mischief was taking place, she turned back to the blackboard and continued her monotonous dictation:
‘...the inundation of pacific islands and low lying land masses wrecked havoc and devastation to the native populations of Patagonia, Grenada and the Baltic States...’
It was an open secret to everyone in the classroom that Ms Brook could not see beyond the second row or so. This gave the pupils seated near back of the class an open license to behave as they wished. Clara was seated in the furthest corner of the room near the mildly tepid heating radiator. The warmth of the radiator and the relative distance from the teacher's desk made this spot a prized sitting destination, which Clara has earned through a combination of high grades and strategic doses of fake enthusiasm designed to convince the teachers of her maturity and love of learning. The truth was that Clara hated schoolwork. The idea of writing just one more assay on Environmental Degradation and Carbon Pollution filled her with disgust. Right now she was resting her back on the radiator, her chair tilted sideways. The notebook on her lap displayed a doodle drawing of Ms Brook as a hedgehog, with spikes emerging from a rounded scalp. The bubble above the picture read 'I know you all hate me, I just don't care'. Around her, other pupils were finding their own ways to pass the time. Maya the Class Monitor stared out the window. In the other corner Troy and Spencer with the help of some masking tape and a box of rubber bands were constructing an elaborate flying object, destined inevitably to strike at the vulnerable parts of one of the teacher's pets in the front row.
‘Michael!’
The shout pierced the quiet laziness of the room. Ms Brook now had the look of a vulture which has spotted a juicy piece of carrion down below. Her neck was stretched out trying to get a better view of the hapless victim. Michael knew he was in for it. His head was hidden behind the large ‘Earth Studies’ textbook. A thin glossy page conspicuously protruded from behind the thick volume revealing his true intentions for everyone to see. Michael was seated in the second row and therefore just visible to Ms Brook's astigmatic eyes. He knew he was taking chances. Visibly to everyone, the textbook was clearly intended to conceal some king of extracurricular reading material. Clara couldn't quite make out the contents of the pages inside. A toss up between a comic book and a girlie magazine, she thought.
‘I see you have been busy covering today's reading material. Why don't you read out the last sentence I have just dictated.’
Ms Brook had a way of slurring the words together when angry. No one knew if it was a speech impediment or a conscious strategy of intimidation. In any case it worked. Michael stood up, his face instantly turning a greenish shade of white. He had no idea, of course what has been dictated. Everyone else was now waiting to see how this scene will unfold and what punishment will eventually be meted out. Most people who work at a job they dislike find a way to cope with their predicament, a way to smuggle a spark of satisfaction into an otherwise dull day. For Eleanor Brook this satisfaction was an occasional opportunity to humiliate one of her pupils in front of their peers. It was the pleasure of seeing an expression of terror on a child's face that would help her get out of bed on Monday morning. Right now the anticipation of such an event made her eyes glimmer with delight.
‘You don't know what I have been dictating, do you?’ She hissed triumphantly ‘Because you have been reading something. Something unauthorized. Now, why don't you read it out so the whole class could hear!’
Michael didn't move. He just stood there with that stupid grin on his face. The pupils were now positively excited and hoping for a bit of early afternoon entertainment. Troy was sniggering in the corner. He was the one sent to the Principal's office earlier today and a though of someone else bearing the punishment this time was giving him some cheer.
This was a no brainer, now to everyone's satisfaction Michael will be made to read a few paragraphs out loud and once the laughter is over, he will be sent to the Principal's office where a Detention will duly issued. Clara didn't share in everyone's delight. She felt kind of sorry for the guy. Not that Michael was all that popular, and definitely not much to look at. A quiet kid with few things to say, he would be the one staying up all night reading 'Oliver Twist' only to find that tomorrow's test is on Shakespeare. Clara found exasperating his inability to give good answers in class to the questions he clearly knew. Few students had to work so hard for so little result. In contrast Clara would do little schoolwork and get top grades anyway.
‘Did you hear what I said?’ Ms Brook was becoming impatient. ‘Ok then, give it to me right now and I will read it myself.’ She stretched out hand waiting.
It was beginning to become apparent that Michael was not prepared to read his book out loud or to hand it over or to perform any other of his teacher's commands. His face was still deathly white but staring right back at Ms Brook, a note of defiance was creeping into his frightened expression.
‘No’ Michael said this word very quietly, so that only the pupils seated around him could hear.
‘What are you waiting for? Do as I say!’ The pause was becoming unbearable. At that moment Michael stepped forward inadvertently bumping against his desk and spilling its’ contents on the floor. Down tumbled the thick textbook, the multitude of colored pencils and a few crumbled sheets of writing paper scattering all over the room. The mysterious book fell out from underneath the junk on Michael's desk and made its way slowly across the room. Sliding along the polished floorboards, it glided with the grace of a sailing boat into the very corner of the class, coming to rest somewhere between the back legs of Clara's chair. In an instant, without a moment's thought she reacted in a way that would puzzle her own mind for days to come. Carefully, Clara removed her shoe and with a bare toe she felt the slippery, cold pages of the crumpled book behind her. Moving slowly she worked the book slowly around the desk and into her half-open school bag.
Meanwhile the scene in the classroom was pandemonium. Grateful for an opportunity to hide his face, Michael dove to the floor where, crawling around on all fours he began gathering together his scattered stationery. Ms Brook was livid with anger as she ran aimlessly around the room. Without the incriminating evidence her well planned act of humiliation was becoming a joke. The other students were now roaring with laughter, openly enjoying this comical scene.
‘To the Principal! Right now! For disturbing the class!’ Ms Brook shouted exasperated realizing that the game was now lost.
As he walked out of the class, Michael looked at Clara and moved his lips in a silent message spelling out two words 'hide it'.
Chapter 2
The cold gusts of autumn wind stung the skin to the bone. The street looked almost empty now except for occasional passers by rushing on in a hurry to reach the relative warmth of their destination. A Green Police patrol marched grimly down the street checking electricity meters and occasionally lifting the leads of recycling units. Clara felt cold and alone. Escaping the elements she huddled inside an empty bus stop. This was a rather conspicuous hiding place as the sign clearly announced that 'Bus service is closed due to Carbon Offset limits'. The school day had long finished and the torrent of home-bound students has subsided. Somewhere in the distance a loudspeaker announced:
‘Dear citizens, please note that paragraphs six and eight of your Climate Audit will now be merged into sections 34, 56 and 79. Save the Planet by completing your Climate Audit. Penalties apply. Your Earth Loving Global Government.’
From her vantage point Clara watched the hordes of relieved pupils rushing home, like caged animals suddenly released. She was sure that Michael was not among them. ‘Michael, what kind of a twisted guy is he?’ she thought to herself.
Just an hour earlier she held her breath counting the minutes to the last school bell. Then, rushing out of the classroom first to avoid questions, she locked herself in a toilet cubicle and held the book for which she just risked certain detention, for which Michael was prepared to risk even more by openly defying his teacher. What was it, an anarchist manifesto? A bomb making manual? Clara stared in disbelief. Was this somebody's sick joke? The front of the thin pamphlet read 'Proceedings of the 25th National Meteorological Congress'. Inside it were a few articles, some tables of data - boring science stuff! She twisted the book this way and that looking for a hidden message, some kind of clue. Why would anyone take a risk for this! The most obvious explanation was that Michael was just a crazy geek and maybe just a little deranged as well. Still, what if there was some mysterious reason why this book is worth sticking you neck out for. Clara had to find out.
Her thought trailed off. There he was, coming out of the school doors right now. Even before catching up to her, Michael was well into his apology speech:
‘Thank you so much for what you did. I don't know how to thank you enough. I mean, to take a risk like that. For me...’
‘Oh it's nothing really. Would have done it any time.’
Michael took the book carefully, like a precious thing, smoothed out the wrinkles and started putting it into the back.
‘Listen, I know it's not my business or anything ... I just have to ask ... What's the deal with this? I mean, why did you have to hide it and all that. I mean, it's just some stupid textbook.’
He lifted up his head and looked at her for a moment:
‘So you don't know.’
‘Don't know? Don't know what?’
He quickly glanced up and down the street. It was all looking terribly conspiratorial.
‘Not here. You want to go to the lake?’
‘Yeah, sure. I guess.’
Clara really didn't know. Don’t know if this was time to call in the men in white coats.
The lake was part of a Nature Reserve just behind the school. As well as a regular destination for science excursions it was also a great place to skip class. Clara has spent many hours here feeding the ducks or just lying on the grass staring into the sky. Today the cold wind was lashing the reeds and even the ducks didn't seem keen to venture onto open water. The lake looked dark and uninviting. Clara sat on the grass near the water hugging her knees and shivering.
‘Well, spit it out or I am going to freeze to death.’
Michael kneeled down, carefully took the book out of the backpack and flipped to the last page. There, in the corner Clara could see a neat little stamp. It read:
‘Requisitioned by the Earth Loving Global Government. Possession prohibited by law.’
Clara instinctively recoiled dropping the book into the mud.
‘Are you crazy? I had my doubts but now I see you are a crazy freak. Why are you hiding a Forbidden book? You want to go to jail?’
Michael's expression didn't change. He intently studied her face for a minute, then carefully bent down and picked up the book brushing off the dirt.
‘I am sorry. I didn't mean to get you into trouble. No-one knows you had this anyway. Just please don't tell anyone that I have it. OK?’
Without waiting for an answer he turned around and started walking away.
Catching her breath Clara watched his figure grow smaller in a distance. Then suddenly, without thinking she called out:
‘Michael!’
He turned around.
‘Michael, come back.’
He walked back casually.
‘What is it?’
‘I am sorry I said those things to you.’
‘It's OK. It's nothing.’
‘I didn't mean to offend you.’
‘I am not offended.’
‘I wouldn't tell anyone, I promise.’
‘I know.’
‘Can I just ask you one thing? Before you go, I mean. Why are you hiding it? What is it to you?’
Michael pulled out a blade of grass and stuck it into his mouth chewing intently.
‘This whole Forbidden book business. Do you know why the Government does that?’
‘Of course I don't know why the Government does that. Must be a good reason. I mean, it's not like I read them. Since they are forbidden and all. Right? Get it?’
‘Yeah, but they weren't forbidden once. I mean, someone did publish them. And then suddenly someone else decides that we can't read them any more. It's like going back on your word, don't you think?’
Clara had to admit that she never thought about it like that. Actually she never thought about it at all.
‘How did you get the book?’
Michael stared at her for a minute, as if trying to work out the thoughts in her head:
‘I thought you might be asking a different question. I mean, aren't you a little bit curious? Don't you want to know the answer? Don’t you want to know why they banned this book?’
Clara couldn't find the words to answer. She didn’t want to know. It was a stupid question anyway. What does it matter why they banned it? Must have been a good reason. What was it to her anyway? She wanted that thing gone. Preferably burned or flushed down the toilet somewhere. A picture flashed in her mind of them eating the book together right there at the lake. It didn't look very appetizing. Well maybe, maybe she was just a tiny bit curious why they banned this book.
Michael carried on undaunted: ‘It took a while but I think I worked it out. It's here on page 3.’
Half-whispering in a breathless voice he began to read:
‘“In his introductory speech, the Chairman of the Global Earth Loving Government Gilbert O'Brian has warned that the current drought extending throughout the continent is not a temporary phenomenon but is in fact the new climate reality brought on by unabated man-made Carbon pollution. He also predicted that the national rainfall will drop even further causing widespread devastation and suffering…” It goes on and on like this. And look here - it's dated four months ago.’
He looked triumphant. Clara didn't understand.
‘Don't you get it? Four months ago. And what happened last month?’
'What?'
‘The big downpour! Remember? Flash flooding, unprecedented rainfall, freezing conditions on the coast ... It made that O'Brian dude look like a complete idiot. Like he is making that stuff up. So you know what they did? They just banned the whole thing so now no-one knows. Do you know how hard it was for me to get this book?’
‘Hang on, what are you saying? You are saying they banned it because that guy made a mistake.’
Michael picked up few pebbles and walked over to the edge of the water. He threw the first pebble trying to make it bounce. The pebble sunk with a loud ‘plonk’. The second pebble hit an unsuspecting duck. At that point Michael decided to stop trying, turned around and started to answer:
‘No, not a mistake. A prediction! It's their job to make predictions. Our whole lives are built around their predictions. Why should we believe in his predictions for the next 300 years if he can't get it right for three weeks?’
Clara took a breath:
‘Michael, and don't take it as an insult or anything. I promise I wouldn't tell anyone. As soon as you answer I'll just walk away and forget this whole conversation. I just need to know. Are you a denier?’
Michael's face darkened. That same monotone loudspeaker voice announced:
‘Dear citizens. Remember to recycle your toilet paper. Save the Planet by recycling toilet paper. Penalties apply. Your Earth Loving Global Government.’
Michael thought for a moment and then answered slowly:
‘I want you to imagine, just for an argument's sake, what if maybe it could just so be that the whole Climate Change, Global Warming thing, you know - humans burning fossil fuels and causing more CO2 in the atmosphere which heats up the Earth, what if it wasn’t true?’
‘Right. So everyone around you is crazy and you are the only normal one.’
‘No, not everyone around me is crazy. Take you for example, I bet you have never thought about it. The stuff they tell you, I mean.’
‘Well, actually yes. I mean no. I mean I have never really thought about it. Because there are lots of other people thinking about it all the time. Like scientists and politicians and stuff. And you are obviously saying that they are all lying. Like one giant crazy conspiracy.’
‘OK, so I am crazy. But you answer me this one. If I am crazy then why are they banning books? If I am crazy then why do deniers go to jail? Have you noticed how the rules are always changing? One day it's a drought - that's Global Warming. The next day it's raining - must be Climate Change. And when it's a snowstorm no-one says anything. Except there hasn't been any warming. Not since 2001 anyway.’
‘And what if, just for an argument's sake I say that it's you Michael Steyn who is a crazy, insane off you head denier who needs his head examined and should go to hospital or a nuthouse to have his brains adjusted and cleaned of all this rubbish.’
To her surprise instead of getting upset, Michael suddenly smiled at her with possibly the brightest grin she has ever seen.
‘For someone who doesn't care you are getting pretty worked up about it. I am not just a loony, you know. I’ve been studying this stuff for months: reading books, science articles, I read every meteorology book you can find. I’ve got it all catalogued and filed over at my house. Would you like to see? It will only take five minutes. I mean, unless you have other plans of course. Because if you do, you can just drop by another day when it’s convenient. Tomorrow after school maybe, or the day after that. I’ve got this whole week open and the next too. I am basically free any time it suits you.’ – Michael kept mumbling in this way for quite a while. Clara thought about her plans for the afternoon. She did promise Maya to drop in some time after school but even though everyone thought of them as friends, just a thought of another minute with Maya made Clara cringe.
‘I could stop by today, I suppose. Just for five minutes.’ She said casually.
***
Clara never knew that Michael lived in the big apartment block down the road from her house. Just imagine - in all the years she has walked to school and home again, not once has she noticed this boy walking in the same direction. It made her quite embarrassed to realize that this ignorance was not mutual.
‘I've seen you walking home to the big houses on the estate.’ Michael held open the heavy creaking iron door at the front of the building. ‘Compared to your home this place must look like a real dump.’
He wasn't far off. To get to his flat they first had to walk around the giant recycling unit smelling of last week's bananas, then up two flights of dark slippery stairs and down equally dark corridor. Inside the flat it wasn't much warmer then out on the street. ‘Climate Credits.’ Michael said matter-of-factly ‘We usually run out about middle of the month and after that it can get pretty cold.’
Once inside, he carefully closed the bedroom door and with the look of a magician unveiled a tattered cardboard box from under the bed. The word ‘Girls’ was written across the lid. ‘Keeps mum off my back.’ Michael shrugged to Clara's look of surprise.
Inside the box was a pile of scientific magazines, newspaper cutouts and hand written notes.
‘You know how they keep telling you stuff over and over again. So many times that you start to believe that it's your own thoughts, that everyone in the whole world thinks like that unless he is crazy or stupid.’ Michael was carefully arranging the papers on the bed ‘Except then you wake up one day and realize that you haven't even been listening to those words. And when you start listening - they don't make any sense. Just listen to this one’ – he pulled out a page torn out of a newspaper and began to read – “‘The Government has ruled out constructing a new dam arguing that Climate Change has made plentiful rainfall of past years a distant memory…” That was a year ago. But just last month, after the floods we’ve been having, listen to what you find in the same newspaper: “The panel of scientists has warned that the recent spate of natural disasters is consistent with computer models projecting the effects of Global Warming.’ See what I mean? And then there is this one…’
Suddenly his face changed to a look of fear. Neither of them noticed that someone has been standing at the doorway all this time.
‘Mum, I didn't know you were home.’
‘Good afternoon Ms Steyn.’ Clara tried to harness all the cheerful politeness she could muster – ‘Your apartment is lovely.’
Ms Steyn ignored her completely. She was not in the mood for complements.
‘I've checked the meter this morning and guess what, we are almost out of Carbon Credits.’ Her eyes were squarely fixed on Michael. ‘Now the funny thing is, I am sure we had more credits then that the evening before. So were did we lose all that electricity?’
‘Electricity? At night?’ Michael looked distinctly uncomfortable.
‘So I figured’ Ms Steyn continued ‘maybe someone in this house has spent the night with the lights on! Maybe someone has been reading!’
‘Reading? All night? Who could that be?’ Michael was now looking like a criminal caught red handed.
‘And you can forget about TV tonight and for the rest of the week.’
‘No TV? But what about ‘Egg on Your Face’. You know I love ‘Egg on Your Face’. It's my favorite show.’
‘And how do you expect me to make you hot breakfast in the morning, or do washing, or have a shower? There'll be no more TV or there will be egg on your face.’
‘You could watch ‘Egg on Your Face’ in my house.’ Clara said softly.
‘Really? You mean that?’
‘But there is a condition attached.’
‘A condition?’
‘This stuff you have been reading - I want you to show me all of it.’
She has never seen anyone's face go as quickly from gloom to sunshine as did Michael's.
Enjoyed it?
I hope you like what you have read so far. The story is just beginning...
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Vadim
A novel by Vadim Chelom
Chapter 1
Ms Brook paused, pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose and stared at the students in front of her. Her eyes, magnified by the thick lenses, conveyed an expression of imminent threat. Of the twenty or so pupils in the room only one or two raised their heads. The rest made no effort to conceal their expression of unmitigated boredom. Satisfied that no mischief was taking place, she turned back to the blackboard and continued her monotonous dictation:
‘...the inundation of pacific islands and low lying land masses wrecked havoc and devastation to the native populations of Patagonia, Grenada and the Baltic States...’
It was an open secret to everyone in the classroom that Ms Brook could not see beyond the second row or so. This gave the pupils seated near back of the class an open license to behave as they wished. Clara was seated in the furthest corner of the room near the mildly tepid heating radiator. The warmth of the radiator and the relative distance from the teacher's desk made this spot a prized sitting destination, which Clara has earned through a combination of high grades and strategic doses of fake enthusiasm designed to convince the teachers of her maturity and love of learning. The truth was that Clara hated schoolwork. The idea of writing just one more assay on Environmental Degradation and Carbon Pollution filled her with disgust. Right now she was resting her back on the radiator, her chair tilted sideways. The notebook on her lap displayed a doodle drawing of Ms Brook as a hedgehog, with spikes emerging from a rounded scalp. The bubble above the picture read 'I know you all hate me, I just don't care'. Around her, other pupils were finding their own ways to pass the time. Maya the Class Monitor stared out the window. In the other corner Troy and Spencer with the help of some masking tape and a box of rubber bands were constructing an elaborate flying object, destined inevitably to strike at the vulnerable parts of one of the teacher's pets in the front row.
‘Michael!’
The shout pierced the quiet laziness of the room. Ms Brook now had the look of a vulture which has spotted a juicy piece of carrion down below. Her neck was stretched out trying to get a better view of the hapless victim. Michael knew he was in for it. His head was hidden behind the large ‘Earth Studies’ textbook. A thin glossy page conspicuously protruded from behind the thick volume revealing his true intentions for everyone to see. Michael was seated in the second row and therefore just visible to Ms Brook's astigmatic eyes. He knew he was taking chances. Visibly to everyone, the textbook was clearly intended to conceal some king of extracurricular reading material. Clara couldn't quite make out the contents of the pages inside. A toss up between a comic book and a girlie magazine, she thought.
‘I see you have been busy covering today's reading material. Why don't you read out the last sentence I have just dictated.’
Ms Brook had a way of slurring the words together when angry. No one knew if it was a speech impediment or a conscious strategy of intimidation. In any case it worked. Michael stood up, his face instantly turning a greenish shade of white. He had no idea, of course what has been dictated. Everyone else was now waiting to see how this scene will unfold and what punishment will eventually be meted out. Most people who work at a job they dislike find a way to cope with their predicament, a way to smuggle a spark of satisfaction into an otherwise dull day. For Eleanor Brook this satisfaction was an occasional opportunity to humiliate one of her pupils in front of their peers. It was the pleasure of seeing an expression of terror on a child's face that would help her get out of bed on Monday morning. Right now the anticipation of such an event made her eyes glimmer with delight.
‘You don't know what I have been dictating, do you?’ She hissed triumphantly ‘Because you have been reading something. Something unauthorized. Now, why don't you read it out so the whole class could hear!’
Michael didn't move. He just stood there with that stupid grin on his face. The pupils were now positively excited and hoping for a bit of early afternoon entertainment. Troy was sniggering in the corner. He was the one sent to the Principal's office earlier today and a though of someone else bearing the punishment this time was giving him some cheer.
This was a no brainer, now to everyone's satisfaction Michael will be made to read a few paragraphs out loud and once the laughter is over, he will be sent to the Principal's office where a Detention will duly issued. Clara didn't share in everyone's delight. She felt kind of sorry for the guy. Not that Michael was all that popular, and definitely not much to look at. A quiet kid with few things to say, he would be the one staying up all night reading 'Oliver Twist' only to find that tomorrow's test is on Shakespeare. Clara found exasperating his inability to give good answers in class to the questions he clearly knew. Few students had to work so hard for so little result. In contrast Clara would do little schoolwork and get top grades anyway.
‘Did you hear what I said?’ Ms Brook was becoming impatient. ‘Ok then, give it to me right now and I will read it myself.’ She stretched out hand waiting.
It was beginning to become apparent that Michael was not prepared to read his book out loud or to hand it over or to perform any other of his teacher's commands. His face was still deathly white but staring right back at Ms Brook, a note of defiance was creeping into his frightened expression.
‘No’ Michael said this word very quietly, so that only the pupils seated around him could hear.
‘What are you waiting for? Do as I say!’ The pause was becoming unbearable. At that moment Michael stepped forward inadvertently bumping against his desk and spilling its’ contents on the floor. Down tumbled the thick textbook, the multitude of colored pencils and a few crumbled sheets of writing paper scattering all over the room. The mysterious book fell out from underneath the junk on Michael's desk and made its way slowly across the room. Sliding along the polished floorboards, it glided with the grace of a sailing boat into the very corner of the class, coming to rest somewhere between the back legs of Clara's chair. In an instant, without a moment's thought she reacted in a way that would puzzle her own mind for days to come. Carefully, Clara removed her shoe and with a bare toe she felt the slippery, cold pages of the crumpled book behind her. Moving slowly she worked the book slowly around the desk and into her half-open school bag.
Meanwhile the scene in the classroom was pandemonium. Grateful for an opportunity to hide his face, Michael dove to the floor where, crawling around on all fours he began gathering together his scattered stationery. Ms Brook was livid with anger as she ran aimlessly around the room. Without the incriminating evidence her well planned act of humiliation was becoming a joke. The other students were now roaring with laughter, openly enjoying this comical scene.
‘To the Principal! Right now! For disturbing the class!’ Ms Brook shouted exasperated realizing that the game was now lost.
As he walked out of the class, Michael looked at Clara and moved his lips in a silent message spelling out two words 'hide it'.
Chapter 2
The cold gusts of autumn wind stung the skin to the bone. The street looked almost empty now except for occasional passers by rushing on in a hurry to reach the relative warmth of their destination. A Green Police patrol marched grimly down the street checking electricity meters and occasionally lifting the leads of recycling units. Clara felt cold and alone. Escaping the elements she huddled inside an empty bus stop. This was a rather conspicuous hiding place as the sign clearly announced that 'Bus service is closed due to Carbon Offset limits'. The school day had long finished and the torrent of home-bound students has subsided. Somewhere in the distance a loudspeaker announced:
‘Dear citizens, please note that paragraphs six and eight of your Climate Audit will now be merged into sections 34, 56 and 79. Save the Planet by completing your Climate Audit. Penalties apply. Your Earth Loving Global Government.’
From her vantage point Clara watched the hordes of relieved pupils rushing home, like caged animals suddenly released. She was sure that Michael was not among them. ‘Michael, what kind of a twisted guy is he?’ she thought to herself.
Just an hour earlier she held her breath counting the minutes to the last school bell. Then, rushing out of the classroom first to avoid questions, she locked herself in a toilet cubicle and held the book for which she just risked certain detention, for which Michael was prepared to risk even more by openly defying his teacher. What was it, an anarchist manifesto? A bomb making manual? Clara stared in disbelief. Was this somebody's sick joke? The front of the thin pamphlet read 'Proceedings of the 25th National Meteorological Congress'. Inside it were a few articles, some tables of data - boring science stuff! She twisted the book this way and that looking for a hidden message, some kind of clue. Why would anyone take a risk for this! The most obvious explanation was that Michael was just a crazy geek and maybe just a little deranged as well. Still, what if there was some mysterious reason why this book is worth sticking you neck out for. Clara had to find out.
Her thought trailed off. There he was, coming out of the school doors right now. Even before catching up to her, Michael was well into his apology speech:
‘Thank you so much for what you did. I don't know how to thank you enough. I mean, to take a risk like that. For me...’
‘Oh it's nothing really. Would have done it any time.’
Michael took the book carefully, like a precious thing, smoothed out the wrinkles and started putting it into the back.
‘Listen, I know it's not my business or anything ... I just have to ask ... What's the deal with this? I mean, why did you have to hide it and all that. I mean, it's just some stupid textbook.’
He lifted up his head and looked at her for a moment:
‘So you don't know.’
‘Don't know? Don't know what?’
He quickly glanced up and down the street. It was all looking terribly conspiratorial.
‘Not here. You want to go to the lake?’
‘Yeah, sure. I guess.’
Clara really didn't know. Don’t know if this was time to call in the men in white coats.
The lake was part of a Nature Reserve just behind the school. As well as a regular destination for science excursions it was also a great place to skip class. Clara has spent many hours here feeding the ducks or just lying on the grass staring into the sky. Today the cold wind was lashing the reeds and even the ducks didn't seem keen to venture onto open water. The lake looked dark and uninviting. Clara sat on the grass near the water hugging her knees and shivering.
‘Well, spit it out or I am going to freeze to death.’
Michael kneeled down, carefully took the book out of the backpack and flipped to the last page. There, in the corner Clara could see a neat little stamp. It read:
‘Requisitioned by the Earth Loving Global Government. Possession prohibited by law.’
Clara instinctively recoiled dropping the book into the mud.
‘Are you crazy? I had my doubts but now I see you are a crazy freak. Why are you hiding a Forbidden book? You want to go to jail?’
Michael's expression didn't change. He intently studied her face for a minute, then carefully bent down and picked up the book brushing off the dirt.
‘I am sorry. I didn't mean to get you into trouble. No-one knows you had this anyway. Just please don't tell anyone that I have it. OK?’
Without waiting for an answer he turned around and started walking away.
Catching her breath Clara watched his figure grow smaller in a distance. Then suddenly, without thinking she called out:
‘Michael!’
He turned around.
‘Michael, come back.’
He walked back casually.
‘What is it?’
‘I am sorry I said those things to you.’
‘It's OK. It's nothing.’
‘I didn't mean to offend you.’
‘I am not offended.’
‘I wouldn't tell anyone, I promise.’
‘I know.’
‘Can I just ask you one thing? Before you go, I mean. Why are you hiding it? What is it to you?’
Michael pulled out a blade of grass and stuck it into his mouth chewing intently.
‘This whole Forbidden book business. Do you know why the Government does that?’
‘Of course I don't know why the Government does that. Must be a good reason. I mean, it's not like I read them. Since they are forbidden and all. Right? Get it?’
‘Yeah, but they weren't forbidden once. I mean, someone did publish them. And then suddenly someone else decides that we can't read them any more. It's like going back on your word, don't you think?’
Clara had to admit that she never thought about it like that. Actually she never thought about it at all.
‘How did you get the book?’
Michael stared at her for a minute, as if trying to work out the thoughts in her head:
‘I thought you might be asking a different question. I mean, aren't you a little bit curious? Don't you want to know the answer? Don’t you want to know why they banned this book?’
Clara couldn't find the words to answer. She didn’t want to know. It was a stupid question anyway. What does it matter why they banned it? Must have been a good reason. What was it to her anyway? She wanted that thing gone. Preferably burned or flushed down the toilet somewhere. A picture flashed in her mind of them eating the book together right there at the lake. It didn't look very appetizing. Well maybe, maybe she was just a tiny bit curious why they banned this book.
Michael carried on undaunted: ‘It took a while but I think I worked it out. It's here on page 3.’
Half-whispering in a breathless voice he began to read:
‘“In his introductory speech, the Chairman of the Global Earth Loving Government Gilbert O'Brian has warned that the current drought extending throughout the continent is not a temporary phenomenon but is in fact the new climate reality brought on by unabated man-made Carbon pollution. He also predicted that the national rainfall will drop even further causing widespread devastation and suffering…” It goes on and on like this. And look here - it's dated four months ago.’
He looked triumphant. Clara didn't understand.
‘Don't you get it? Four months ago. And what happened last month?’
'What?'
‘The big downpour! Remember? Flash flooding, unprecedented rainfall, freezing conditions on the coast ... It made that O'Brian dude look like a complete idiot. Like he is making that stuff up. So you know what they did? They just banned the whole thing so now no-one knows. Do you know how hard it was for me to get this book?’
‘Hang on, what are you saying? You are saying they banned it because that guy made a mistake.’
Michael picked up few pebbles and walked over to the edge of the water. He threw the first pebble trying to make it bounce. The pebble sunk with a loud ‘plonk’. The second pebble hit an unsuspecting duck. At that point Michael decided to stop trying, turned around and started to answer:
‘No, not a mistake. A prediction! It's their job to make predictions. Our whole lives are built around their predictions. Why should we believe in his predictions for the next 300 years if he can't get it right for three weeks?’
Clara took a breath:
‘Michael, and don't take it as an insult or anything. I promise I wouldn't tell anyone. As soon as you answer I'll just walk away and forget this whole conversation. I just need to know. Are you a denier?’
Michael's face darkened. That same monotone loudspeaker voice announced:
‘Dear citizens. Remember to recycle your toilet paper. Save the Planet by recycling toilet paper. Penalties apply. Your Earth Loving Global Government.’
Michael thought for a moment and then answered slowly:
‘I want you to imagine, just for an argument's sake, what if maybe it could just so be that the whole Climate Change, Global Warming thing, you know - humans burning fossil fuels and causing more CO2 in the atmosphere which heats up the Earth, what if it wasn’t true?’
‘Right. So everyone around you is crazy and you are the only normal one.’
‘No, not everyone around me is crazy. Take you for example, I bet you have never thought about it. The stuff they tell you, I mean.’
‘Well, actually yes. I mean no. I mean I have never really thought about it. Because there are lots of other people thinking about it all the time. Like scientists and politicians and stuff. And you are obviously saying that they are all lying. Like one giant crazy conspiracy.’
‘OK, so I am crazy. But you answer me this one. If I am crazy then why are they banning books? If I am crazy then why do deniers go to jail? Have you noticed how the rules are always changing? One day it's a drought - that's Global Warming. The next day it's raining - must be Climate Change. And when it's a snowstorm no-one says anything. Except there hasn't been any warming. Not since 2001 anyway.’
‘And what if, just for an argument's sake I say that it's you Michael Steyn who is a crazy, insane off you head denier who needs his head examined and should go to hospital or a nuthouse to have his brains adjusted and cleaned of all this rubbish.’
To her surprise instead of getting upset, Michael suddenly smiled at her with possibly the brightest grin she has ever seen.
‘For someone who doesn't care you are getting pretty worked up about it. I am not just a loony, you know. I’ve been studying this stuff for months: reading books, science articles, I read every meteorology book you can find. I’ve got it all catalogued and filed over at my house. Would you like to see? It will only take five minutes. I mean, unless you have other plans of course. Because if you do, you can just drop by another day when it’s convenient. Tomorrow after school maybe, or the day after that. I’ve got this whole week open and the next too. I am basically free any time it suits you.’ – Michael kept mumbling in this way for quite a while. Clara thought about her plans for the afternoon. She did promise Maya to drop in some time after school but even though everyone thought of them as friends, just a thought of another minute with Maya made Clara cringe.
‘I could stop by today, I suppose. Just for five minutes.’ She said casually.
***
Clara never knew that Michael lived in the big apartment block down the road from her house. Just imagine - in all the years she has walked to school and home again, not once has she noticed this boy walking in the same direction. It made her quite embarrassed to realize that this ignorance was not mutual.
‘I've seen you walking home to the big houses on the estate.’ Michael held open the heavy creaking iron door at the front of the building. ‘Compared to your home this place must look like a real dump.’
He wasn't far off. To get to his flat they first had to walk around the giant recycling unit smelling of last week's bananas, then up two flights of dark slippery stairs and down equally dark corridor. Inside the flat it wasn't much warmer then out on the street. ‘Climate Credits.’ Michael said matter-of-factly ‘We usually run out about middle of the month and after that it can get pretty cold.’
Once inside, he carefully closed the bedroom door and with the look of a magician unveiled a tattered cardboard box from under the bed. The word ‘Girls’ was written across the lid. ‘Keeps mum off my back.’ Michael shrugged to Clara's look of surprise.
Inside the box was a pile of scientific magazines, newspaper cutouts and hand written notes.
‘You know how they keep telling you stuff over and over again. So many times that you start to believe that it's your own thoughts, that everyone in the whole world thinks like that unless he is crazy or stupid.’ Michael was carefully arranging the papers on the bed ‘Except then you wake up one day and realize that you haven't even been listening to those words. And when you start listening - they don't make any sense. Just listen to this one’ – he pulled out a page torn out of a newspaper and began to read – “‘The Government has ruled out constructing a new dam arguing that Climate Change has made plentiful rainfall of past years a distant memory…” That was a year ago. But just last month, after the floods we’ve been having, listen to what you find in the same newspaper: “The panel of scientists has warned that the recent spate of natural disasters is consistent with computer models projecting the effects of Global Warming.’ See what I mean? And then there is this one…’
Suddenly his face changed to a look of fear. Neither of them noticed that someone has been standing at the doorway all this time.
‘Mum, I didn't know you were home.’
‘Good afternoon Ms Steyn.’ Clara tried to harness all the cheerful politeness she could muster – ‘Your apartment is lovely.’
Ms Steyn ignored her completely. She was not in the mood for complements.
‘I've checked the meter this morning and guess what, we are almost out of Carbon Credits.’ Her eyes were squarely fixed on Michael. ‘Now the funny thing is, I am sure we had more credits then that the evening before. So were did we lose all that electricity?’
‘Electricity? At night?’ Michael looked distinctly uncomfortable.
‘So I figured’ Ms Steyn continued ‘maybe someone in this house has spent the night with the lights on! Maybe someone has been reading!’
‘Reading? All night? Who could that be?’ Michael was now looking like a criminal caught red handed.
‘And you can forget about TV tonight and for the rest of the week.’
‘No TV? But what about ‘Egg on Your Face’. You know I love ‘Egg on Your Face’. It's my favorite show.’
‘And how do you expect me to make you hot breakfast in the morning, or do washing, or have a shower? There'll be no more TV or there will be egg on your face.’
‘You could watch ‘Egg on Your Face’ in my house.’ Clara said softly.
‘Really? You mean that?’
‘But there is a condition attached.’
‘A condition?’
‘This stuff you have been reading - I want you to show me all of it.’
She has never seen anyone's face go as quickly from gloom to sunshine as did Michael's.
Enjoyed it?
I hope you like what you have read so far. The story is just beginning...
The full text of my book is available at:
https://www.createspace.com/3614966
Please buy one for your friends, I guarantee you it will be a gift unlike any other.
Soon I will be adding an MP3 audio downloader for those of us who don't have the time to sit down.
Stay tuned.
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