Our Blue Orange by A Merrydew

Author:A Merrydew [Merrydew, A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-08-28T05:00:00+00:00

C H A P T E R 2 4

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Far away from the leafy suburb of Dusty Bottom Lane, Ethel and Semilla finally arrived for work at the Ministry. The multilane pavements leading from the station were brimming with people making their way to the metropolis, and most of them, unlike Ethel and Semilla, had had the benefit of a good night’s sleep. Having been up all night, they were both thoroughly exhausted. Neither of them had any hope of getting through their respective day’s work and even less hope of fulfilling tonight’s covert act if they didn’t get some sleep beforehand. So it had been discussed and agreed around the kitchen table at Godfrey’s home that they would therefore need to adopt a ploy. They were to make their presence at work something of an illusion, when in fact they would spend the day sound asleep.

On entering the foyer at the Ministry, both Ethel and Semilla deliberately approached an android and made polite conversation about the weather. This ensured they were logged on as having arrived for work and no one would therefore investigate their absence. With this undertaking completed, Semilla left Ethel in the foyer and disappeared to find a quiet corner to make a call. Several minutes later, she returned.

‘So what did she say?’ Ethel asked her.

‘There’s not a problem. She’ll have them ready for tonight,’ Semilla told her. ‘I’m to pick them up after work.’

Ethel looked up at her with tired eyes. She felt sick from lack of sleep. She desperately hoped she had done the right thing by suggesting that Semilla participate in this part of the plan. ‘I’m having second thoughts about you doing this, young lady. If this goes wrong I will never forgive myself.’

‘Stop worrying, we’ll be fine,’ Semilla said, reassuring her as they entered the nearest lift. ‘Besides, you can’t do this by yourself.’

Later, on floor eighty-three, an ‘Out of Order’ sign hung on the door handle of a ladies’ rest room. The door was firmly locked from the inside, and it needed to be, as Ethel and Semilla wanted to sleep all day undisturbed. As Ethel rested her head on the back of a restroom chair, she closed her eyes and pondered their evening ahead. If her husband Edward had still been alive he would have certainly helped them in their exploit and would have made it fun, if only to mask the danger from her. He had been a good man who always had time for people and would help them in any way he could. Their sons had both taken after him in so many ways, and she missed him dearly. Though the boys came and visited her whenever they could, their families and their work took precedence over her and she understood that. She opened her eyes and looked over at Semilla, who was now fast asleep. When she had come to stay with Ethel, life had taken on a different meaning, as the young girl soon became one of her family.

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