Chapter 20
Isabelle awoke to silence.
“Are you awake, Jacob?” she asked.
“Yes,” he sleepily replied.
“Can you hear what I can hear?”
“No. I can’t hear anything.”
“Precisely. It’s so quiet.”
“It’s nice. It’s been a long time since I have experienced this sort of quiet.”
“Stephanie,” said Isabelle. “Are you up yet?”
“She isn’t awake yet,” said Morrison.
“Oh dear, Morrison,” said Isabelle. “You look like you haven’t slept - and you look really uncomfortable.”
“Both of those statements are true, yes. Stephanie fell asleep on me and I didn’t have the heart to move her. She’s lying on my ribs which are really quite sore.”
Isabelle fought to resist but could not help bursting into laughter. Jacob quickly joined in.
“What’s so funny?” grumbled Stephanie.
“Nothing,” said Jacob. “Did you sleep well?”
“Like a log,” she answered.
She looked up to see Morrison, her pillow for the night looking less than pleased.
“Hi,” she said.
“Good morning.”
“You look tired.”
“Thank you, I am. You don’t.”
This was too much for Jacob and Isabelle who simultaneously roared with laughter.
“Pack it in you two,” said Morrison.
“Sorry,” said Stephanie.
“Forget about it,” said Morrison. “Tonight though, I’m finding a bed.”
Isabelle stood up and walked towards the window. Outside she saw Lanegan and Ken talking to Wilf.
“They’re already up and outside,” she said. “Time to go to work.”
They dressed and walked outside to a beautiful clear sky. The chill of the early autumn morning made them inhale as soon as they felt the air.
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” said Stephanie.
“What?” asked Isabelle.
“There is no smell of burning – or of stuffy underground offices. I like it.”
Staff from the Sir John Barleycorn appeared with fresh coffee for them all and the day officially began.
“Morning everyone,” said Lanegan, enthusiastically.
“Morning,” they all replied.
“Are you alright, Morrison?” asked Ken. “You look tired; you should be used to putting in a night shift. You don’t have to stay up all night guarding this lot now though, we have the military.”
“Maybe the last few weeks have begun to catch up with me,” Morrison replied.
He looked towards Stephanie who mouthed the word ‘sorry’. “I will be fine though, thanks for your concern, Ken.”
“Okay everyone,” interrupted Lanegan. “Wilf believes he can set up a PA so that hopefully we can reach the whole site. He and Ken will oversee its installation. I will make a speech at midday. First things first, though; I would like to show all of you something. Follow me, please.”
Excitement grew as they followed closely behind Lanegan and his family, who had an added skip to their steps as they walked in a line holding hands. The scenery had rejuvenated them all.
The military vehicles that had brought them to Cadnam were waiting for them and they left with the roofs down. The combination of the fresh air and the scenery took them as far away as it was possible from London. It didn’t seem possible that two experiences so different could be witnessed only a day apart.
The edge of the village arrived within a minute and soon they were guests of the forest. The sunlight broke through the treetops creating a mirror ball effect, with daylight allowing them to see their surroundings which were hidden the previous night. The trees covered them from the full glare of the sun which was beginning to burn through a slight mist that could still be felt in the shade.
As they drove, white flecks of colour began to appear as the trees thinned by the roadside. Whatever it was, it was not a natural part of the landscape due to their uniform layout making them all intrigued. The trees that lined the road stopped suddenly and disappeared into the vehicle mirrors. What appeared before them was beyond any of their imagining. Row upon row of tents and marquees covered the landscape. The joy of arriving at the pub the previous evening had made them forget that they were amongst the evacuees who had been housed in the forest. The population of the towns and cities of Britain was vast and could not be accommodated in the small villages and hamlets within Britain’s National Parks. There would simply not be enough bedrooms and floor space. The answer was to build a new town in every National Park and open space available.
“Impressive, isn’t it,” said Lanegan. “All of this accomplished in such a short space of time. Within the boundaries of the National Park we have access to nearly everything we need. The local villages and towns have electricity during the day for washing clothes and cooking food. Running water is piped from all over the Park and food is available three times a day. It is a major operation, but the military have been well drilled and are in control.”
“How long can we last here? Won’t the food simply run out eventually?” asked Jacob.
“Of course given enough time it will run out. But we believe that there is enough to last months rather than days or weeks.”
“Months?” said Jacob, “Where is it stored? And what sort of food is it?”
“We have vast sites around the country that keep supplies for this type of scenario.”
“For this type of scenario?” asked Stephanie. “Was this expected?”
“Of course not,” said Lanegan. “But it now seems we were right to green light the programme. You can thank Bob Bukewitz for all of this; he pushed for it. We considered it too expensive and unnecessary, but it was given the go-ahead to keep the armed forces occupied and was useful for training exercises. We have lots of small high calorie meals the same as the army carry with them on exercises. It isn’t fine dining, but it keeps you alive.”
“Will we be moving over here soon?” asked Isabelle hesitantly.
“You can move here whenever you’re ready,” replied Lanegan. “Or you can all stay at the Sir John Barleycorn with us if you prefer.”
“I think I would be of more use at the Sir John Barleycorn - personally,” said Isabelle.
“Yes, me too,” agreed Stephanie. “It doesn’t take long to get here, does it.”
“You may be surprised what you find out here,” said Ella. “It can be a lot of fun. In fact it’s nearly nine; time for school.”
The jeep slowly bumped and rolled through the vast mass of tents. It didn’t seem possible for a school to exist in this setting, but it was not an ordinary school and these were not ordinary circumstances.
The children gathered in a series of large open-sided marquees. The number of children was staggering to the eye and not easy to guess. The teachers were led by a local headmaster by the name of Mark Waits. He was given the role after he took it upon himself to ensure the children continued some form of education, as this was missing from Bukewitz’s plans. A recruitment drive was initiated and within two days he had hundreds of teachers from various towns and cities in the south of England. It was decided that the village schools were not big enough for the influx of new pupils, so an open space within the forest was chosen. The freedom of space transported the children into a world of exploration and fun, as the stuffy formality of a city classroom was erased from memory. The forest was their playground.
Lanegan watched the children. He was impressed by their willingness to try new things and adapt to a new environment, and began to realise how easily they learnt and how well they responded to new ideas. If he was to be responsible for introducing a cultural revolution, he felt confident and reassured that future generations would embrace the changes necessary with the enthusiasm required to succeed.
They left the children under the cautious eye of their security personnel and stood for a moment in admiration. Th
e school was different from what the children were familiar with, but what it lacked in materials and solid walls, it made up for with the determination to keep going.
Lanegan’s brief moment of joy was disrupted by the driver of the jeep they had arrived in.
“Prime minister, I have been asked by Ken Buckley to drive you to a location in the forest to meet with him immediately.”
“Did he say why?” asked Lanegan.
“I’m afraid not, just that it was urgent.”
“Okay, we had better go.”
Lanegan turned to Ella who smiled.
“I’m glad you saw the school,” she said. “I have something I would like to show your friends. I’ll meet you back in Cadnam.”
Lanegan smiled back at her and then nodded to the driver.
They jumped back on the jeep and drove a short distance to a section of forest where a hiking route began. Ken was already waiting with a small squad of army personnel.
Lanegan jumped from the jeep.
“What is it Ken?” asked Lanegan.
“We have received an anonymous tip that certain members of the site have been reluctant to let people who have turned leave,” said Ken.
“What do you mean?”
“People are still frequently turning, even out here. We believe some of them are being forcefully kept here.”
“How exactly?”
“We don’t know. We are about to find out.”
“Where do we think they are?”
“We think they are approximately two hundred metres down this hiking route.”
“Okay then, let’s get it done.”
Ken nodded to the officer in charge who in turn gestured to the squad under his command. They spread out either side of the path and moved quickly. Lanegan and Ken waited in silence. The uncertainty of what would be discovered made them nervous. Lanegan knew that intense and unfamiliar situations could change people’s behaviour. He considered how he would respond to his wife turning. Would he simply let her go as he had commanded others to do? When it affects those who we love commands become irrelevant, it is instinctive to protect and defend them. How could he blame someone for trying to help and protect their family? Despite these thoughts, Lanegan couldn’t allow imprisonments by vigilante-style groups to occur, as remaining in control was paramount to avoiding anarchy. It was simply a matter of doing the best for the greater good.
A minute passed before they saw a member of the squad jogging back towards them.
“We’ve found the site Prime Minister,” she said. “The tip-off was correct. If you would like to follow me I’ll take you there.”
Lanegan and Ken jogged slowly down the trail, their shirts and trousers restricting their movement. As the trail twisted and turned their shoes slipped on the uneven surface. They both instantly recognised the ridiculousness of their appearance in this environment and wondered how they had ever intended to blend in. Lanegan began to feel insecure about maintaining his credibility and considered that moments like this might be detrimental to his leadership. ‘Strong and in control’ he began to repeat to himself as he jogged.
They entered the forest at an opening and trudged through the soft decaying leaves that had fallen from the trees. Lanegan and Ken struggled as their clothing offered very little protection from the branches that seemed to have been placed on purpose in their way. They could hear voices further ahead. Unexpectedly, they were calm. Lanegan had envisaged a confrontation and resistance, but he was wrong.
As they arrived at a small clearing, he looked with confusion as eight people sat chained to trees, with three more people apparently guarding them.
The Officer walked to Lanegan and Ken.
“Prime Minister,” he said. “They have shown us no signs of aggression and it appears to be a mutual agreement for the prisoners to be here.”
“They agreed to be prisoners?” asked Ken.
“Maybe not at first, but they appear satisfied with their predicament.”
“Thank you,” said Lanegan. “I’ll talk with them now.”
“Of course,” said the Officer.
Lanegan walked to the three people who were sitting in a row on a log, their nervous condition clearly on display.
“Can you tell me what is happening here?” he asked.
“We didn’t mean to cause any harm,” said one man. “We thought we were doing the right thing by stopping them.”
“We didn’t have a choice,” said a woman. “They would have destroyed the camp.”
“Then why didn’t you get help?” asked Lanegan.
“The army doesn’t do anything,” she replied. “They just let them go. We’ve had enough of it and they don’t seem to mind too much.”
“Who doesn’t mind?”
“Those sitting in front of you,” she said pointing to the prisoners.
Lanegan stood up and walked over to the eight men and women who were chained up.
“Do you know what is happening to you?” Lanegan asked.
“We can’t control it,” said a man. “It comes and goes as it wants. This is the best place for us.”
Lanegan looked to Ken and then back to the man.
“You believe you should be locked up?”
“I do, I’ll probably end up hurting someone if I’m out there.”
“The rioters are not targeting people. I’m afraid that we can’t have this sort of justice system.”
“What does that mean?”
“You can’t stay here. We have to let you go.”
“You can’t do that, where will we go? I’m terrified of what I might do.”
“You have to believe me that we are trying to find a cure. Go back to the place you came from and try not to hurt anyone.”
“You don’t understand what it’s like, it never truly stops. You can’t fight it. It compels you and controls you. It won’t end.”
The man was visibly becoming more agitated. His face was reddening and his voice grew louder.
Lanegan took a step back.
“Keep them secured and take them away from the forest,” he said.
“And then what?” asked the Officer.
“Release them.”
“And these three?”
“They can go back on the condition they report themselves to the military twice a day so we know this doesn’t happen again.”
The Officer led the prisoners away. As they walked away they had one last look back at Lanegan. He could feel the abandonment and betrayal they were experiencing, which released a churning feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Lanegan walked to Ken.
“We’re in danger of losing control, Ken. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. We need to act now.”
Ken nodded without reply.
Then Lanegan turned sharply.
“Take me back to Cadnam.”
Lanegan and Ken had only been mildly exposed to the distressing scenes that most people had lived with for days. But now it was becoming more personal and inescapable. They had put themselves into the heart of the troubles and were beginning to accept that they would see the worst of human behaviour, as each day became more desperate and stressful. Ella and the others were more fortunate. Unaware of much of what was happening, they sat patiently waiting.
“While we wait, shall I show you the children’s gallery?” said Ella.
They all looked to one another and were surprised at the possibility of a gallery existing anywhere, never mind in the middle of a forest.
“You have a gallery? Does Tom or Ken know?” said Stephanie.
“Yes we do and no, not yet. It has been useful to keep the children occupied. I’m not sure of how Tom is going to react to this sort of thing, but when you see it, you will see why I love it so much. Follow me then,” she said.
They walked a short distance to a section of forest with a sign that read ‘The New Forest Park Gallery’.
“I have never seen anything like this,” Jacob whispered.<
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“It is quite unique,” said Ella.
“What sort of things are inside?” asked Isabelle.
“It contains all of the things the children have made at school. It is quite precious to us,” said Ella. “I must warn you, the person who created and looks after the gallery treats every item as his own so don’t fool around in here.”
“Are they not concerned about being found out? About the consequences they might face?” asked Isabelle.
“Of course, but they believe it is worth the risk,” replied Susan.
“Who is the person that created this place?” asked Stephanie.
“He’s standing right behind you,” said Ella.
As they turned back to the forest, a man had appeared from the trees. His appearance resembled that of somebody who may well have lived in the forest. His clothes were dirty and a little tatty; he was a big man with wild hair down to his shoulders, which explained his nickname.
“Who have you got there, Ella?” said the man.
“Morning Willow,” said Ella. “This is Isabelle, Jacob, Stephanie and Morrison?”
“It is my pleasure to meet you all. Would you like to have a look around?”
Everyone nodded enthusiastically.
As they walked into the gallery their eyes widened at the sight of hundreds, possibly thousands of objects made from forest ingredients. They followed a trail that led them through an archway of branches to a natural opening with logs for seats. In the middle was the ash remains of a fire. Surrounding them were items made by the children. Ribbons were looped over branches creating a multi-coloured spider web effect; rosettes, stars and moons of all colours were pinned to the trees.
Jacob spun in the middle, making the contents of the gallery and the trees blend together.
“I think it’s incredible,” he said.
“Well, this is all by the kids. They have been busy and done remarkably well considering our limited resources.”
“So what do you do Willow?” asked Isabelle.
“I’m a man of the forest. A local if you will. We all do many things here to keep the forest a nice place to live. You probably think we didn’t want everyone invading our lovely peaceful spot. But you and everyone else in the fields seem very nice, under the circumstances. When I look at you, I can see what you have been through, probably trying to solve this whole mess on your own until you realised that was impossible. Am I right?”
“Yes,” they said collectively.
“Do you know what I have learned about you people already? You’re friends. You probably weren’t to begin with, but certainly now. You’ve crossed a bridge in terms of how you see yourselves and the world, probably because of your friendships with each other. You arrived here believing you were going to tell us how to cure the problem - a problem that has affected all of us, not just yourselves. And now you know you need us, just as much as we need you. Am I right?”
“You are, Willow,” said Isabelle. “And we would like to learn from you and have you follow us back into London. We have no idea how we will do it yet. But we know part of what causes people to turn and potentially what will stop it. Will you help, please?”
“I already said I would. Some of the others may not want to, the old and young maybe. But I quite fancy a holiday. Might even keep going north afterwards and see some old friends. That sounds like fun.”
“It does indeed.”
They sat and talked for a while before travelling back to Cadnam in silence. A shared feeling had grown within them, one of a new beginning. Some self-awareness had crept in that was unnatural in the arrogant, hard-headed world of London. It was a brief moment of joy amongst the confusion and pain.