Profundis by Richard Cowper

Author:Richard Cowper [Cowper, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci Fi & Fantasy
Publisher: Pacer Books
Published: 1980-01-09T00:00:00+00:00

sixteen

Cecil made a phone call from Maggie Tulliver’s and slipped out without telling Tom where he was going. After two shots of ‘Maggie’s special’ Tom was in no shape to question him. He lay sprawled back in a shabby loafer, burping gently from time to time. There was a slightly dazed grin on his face and his chin was shiny with protofry grease.

Maggie came back into the parlour carrying a pair of grey overalls. ‘Dese are de only Nukes I can find,’ she said. ‘Mebbe they’ll fit’

Tom heaved himself upright and took the garment from her. ‘What about Cecil?’ he asked ponderously.

‘He’s lookin’ out for hisself.’ Maggie lowered herself into a chair and contemplated him thoughtfully. ‘How long have yous two boys known each other?’

‘We’re buddies, Maggie. He’s going to help me.’

‘Help ye what?’

Tom licked his lips1 ‘Help me spread the Word, Maggie. Make ’em see. We’ve got important work to do, my buddy ’n* me.’ He closed his eyes, then opened them again and gazed at her owlishly. ‘I’ve been chosen, Maggie. By God. And I’ve chosen Cecil.’

‘Mother of Mercy!* she exclaimed. ‘How old are ye, Tom?*

‘Seventeen.’

’Ever been up on “E” before?’

‘No.’

Maggie shook her head. ‘Well, hadn’t yet better see if dey fit?’

Tom climbed laboriously to his feet, shook out the grey garment, held it to his chest and peered downwards. As he did so Maggie thrust a hand like a pound of raw sausages behind the coy screen, seized the tab of Tom’s moss-green fatigues and unzipped him from his chin to his crotch. ‘Shuck ’em off, lad,’ she said.

Tom gulped. ‘Now?*

She sat back, reached out for the flask and poured herself another drink. ‘Sure. Not shy are ye?’

He shrugged his arms free, allowed the fatigues to drop to his ankles, then hastily kicked them clear and prepared to step into the others. Maggie watched him over the rim of the beaker and grinned. ‘Yous got nuttin’ dere to be ashamed of, lad,’ die assured him. Take it from me.’

Tom blushed and made haste to scramble into the overalls. They fitted him surprisingly well. He closed up the zip and gave a faint sigh of relief.

Maggie poured him another drink and passed it across. ’Tell me some more about dis Word yous goin’t’ spread,’ she said.

Tom subsided into the chair opposite her. ‘Are you happy, Maggie?’

‘Well dats a foin question,’ die said. ‘Sure I can’t complain, boyo. I’ve known worse. I get by.’

‘Maybe it’s different up here on “E”,’ said Tom, ‘but down where Cecil and I come from no one’s happy. Take those fries for instance. No one ever sees food like that down oh “M”.’

‘Sure I haven’t always lived here on “E”, Tom. When I was a chit I worked on de incubators. Dat’s way down on “Y”. Dat was pretty tough tod, I don’t mind tellin’ ye.’

Then how did you get up here?’

‘Dey offered me a transfer into a Dream parlour. All of thirty years ago, dat was. Ye mightn’t tink so to look at me now, Tom, but in dem days I had a figure on me would have blown yer zip apart.

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