The Circle Breakers by Patience Agbabi

Author:Patience Agbabi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canongate Books

Chapter 12:00

HIVES, HONEY AND HEXAGONS

What’s the point in doing work experience when we’re working on the most important mission of our lives? No wonder Big Ben and I neglected to organise a placement like the rest of the class. Mrs C Eckler offered to organise a morning at the Music, Maths and Movement School which would have worked well with our specialist subjects: my athletics and Big Ben’s maths.

But then Maria stepped in: she reminded us that she and Jake were going to E-College-E in 2050 next Wednesday morning and there were still free places. Did we fancy it? We said yes because we knew Otto would be running a workshop and we might find out some useful information about him that could help in our mission. Also, we’re both passionate about saving the planet. E-College-E is the ideal place to learn new eco practices.

It’s now Wednesday the 9th of November 2050. We leapt from the same date in 2022 to the woods beside E-College-E to protect our secret Gift. We’ve been briefed that if anyone asks which school we go to, we should say we’re home-schooled to avoid any probing questions. E-College-E is a series of bright white, split-level, flat-roofed buildings covered in plants from all over the globe. Even some of the walls are sprouting grass! This is only our second time here. The first was Halloween night, so we only saw the disco hall, which is where we are told to assemble before the first workshop we’ve signed up for: Queen Bee or Key Workers? Inventing your own job.

It’s a bit chaotic in the hall because their Tenth Year pupils have organised the day. There are about 30 teens from E-College-E and 15 from other schools. I guess the host school want young people to learn management skills in a practical way. A few teachers are there to supervise though, and they introduce themselves informally. Mrs Storm is the first to come over. She’s the teacher with purple hair we’ve met before on the Leap 2048 trip and seen onstage at the Beat Battle. She smiles with recognition.

‘Hello Elle, Big Ben, Jake and Maria. Delighted you could make it, even though it was last minute for a couple of you.’ She chuckles at her time-related joke. She knows all about Leaplings but is very discreet. ‘I’ll be running the first workshop. I’m really looking forward to your input.’

As she’s talking, I notice another familiar face across the room, an old man with untidy white hair that looks like he’s had an electric shock. His silver metallic jacket is a late ’60s interpretation of the future. It’s Otto, the judge who gave MC2 and Kwesi a 6 at the Beat Battle, aka Eight in The Vicious Circle! He’s talking to a small group of boys who are obviously mesmerised by him. But I’m not. I narrow my eyes at him; I’m looking forward to attending his workshop this morning. The more we find out about individual members of The Vicious Circle the better.

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