Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

David came round, eyes opened slowly; his mind trying to comprehend why he was on the ceiling and the floor above his head.  Lights; no Beacons where flashing, David realised they were part of the Fire Alarm.  He couldn't understand why the Fire Alarm wasn't blaring if the Beacons were flashing.  Emergency Lights glowed through the dust; a blue strip neon light flickered beaming morse code in an alien language.  It was so quiet, David couldn't comprehend the silence, where was the music, the girl, where was the girl?.  The room span David shut his eyes then reopened them, he was back on the floor, the neon light laying next to him.  The ceiling was back where it should be, David noticed the Glittering Ballroom Globe had disappeared; only its cord remained swinging.
Noise faintly eaked it's worming way into his head.  The Fire Alarm was now just audible; squawking its warning, urging all to leave, run, flee.  David tried to move, it was so hard; he took it slowly testing each limb one by one. Arms, yes, legs ok.  He sat up; the room did a couple of 360's, he flopped down, the room halted its waltz.  He lay there unsure what to do, unclear of who, what or why.  Rolling onto his tummy he started to crawl towards a light which illuminated the words 'Emergency Exit' promising sanctuary.  The Fire Alarm ceased its convulsions, in its place moaning and soft crying of his fellow dancers now entered his conscience.  With gritted teeth he dragged himself onwards towards the light.  He became aware other ghostly murky shapes were also lurching, crawling towards the light.  Hope beckoned from the light, he raised up an arm stretching for the push-bar to open the Fire Door.  Briefly his fingertips brushed the metal, his strength failed him; his arm lowered, fell; weak and exhausted, the powerful muscles now jelly like.  Laying by the door David saw through the gloom a shape with arms outstretched drunkenly weaving wending its way towards him.  As he watched this monster approaching he realised he couldn't smell anything, not a whiff.  The monster clumsily stepped on him, slipped; then crashed through the double doors.  Fresh clean air flooded in, debris and dust wafted out.  David flopped over and dragged himself onto a mat of grass, water, no rain splattered his face, he licked his lips and sat up, the world span, he lay back down, rain invaded into his eyes, nose and mouth.  The mouth welcoming the wetness, his caked tongue eager for the purity.

A shape hovered over him, words whispered, the shape had a mouth, the mouth was moving again, the whispering resumed, he couldn't understand the words.  Another form loomed over him, a bigger more frightening shadow, this form manhandled him; lifting him effortlessly then carried him towards a blue flashing light.  All went black.

When David next came too; a piercing bright white light was blinding him; he brushed it away, a voice murmured. "Ok, easy, your safe, your in Hospital, it's ok, relax.........no relax".
David looked up a man in a white medical jacket, with large black rimmed specs which sat upon a pointed nose.  A stethoscope was dangled around his thin pale neck.  A Nurse hovered into view, the two professional exchanged words, some David understood, others were meaningless.  With a 'Get some rest, you'll be fine' from the Doc; David was left alone tucked up in crisp white sheets, his eyelids became heavy, he slept.

Awakening to daylight and a beaming sun David was helped to the bathroom and on his return to his bed was given breakfast, he struggled to feed himself, the conditioning of being hand fed was too much for him, he put the bowel of Cereal down and concentrate on the mug of cheap coffee instead.  Looking out of the window at the filling carpark he tried to make sense of the nights events.  A voice disturbed his pondering.
"Not hungry boy?"  David's snapped his head round and instantly regretted doing so a dull ache in his head flared into a hammering of pain rattling in his scull. Mistress Blackstock stood in the doorway regarding him.  Dressed in a smart black dress with a high neckline, a pearl neckless fastened around her perfect neck, holdups and patent high heels completed her dress.  With a start David realised he should be kneeling and started to get out of bed.  With a "No boy, stay"  Mistress Blackstock moved swiftly to him placing a retraining hand.  "Stay, your safe, it's ok". She smiled at him before sitting down on the high backed pink hospital chair, she looked at the bowel and enquired if he wasn't hungry.  David looked ashamed before admitting he was starving but just couldn't face feeding himself.  Mistress Blackstock smiled a warm smile picked up the bowel and fed him. David was completely unnerved.
The intimacy of feeding was something they both found they relaxed into.  They talked quietly until suddenly David panicked realising he hadn't seen Mistress Amphere, Mistress Shania or m, he only calmed down when he got a firm assurance they were all fine and safe.  Mistress Blackstock explained that although a bomb had gone off it appeared that it hadn't fully detonated, David's compatriots had gravitated to the quiet lounge so had been untouched.  The bomb had exploded in the Disabled Toilets set just off the dance floor, although the damage had been severe in the blast area it had been limited to the dance floor and toilets, with the toilets getting the worse of it.  She gently explained that two people were dead and five unfortunates had life changing injuries.  David was confused how he got of so lightly considering where he was, Mistress Blackstock shrugged her shoulders and speculated that he might have been shielded by a pillar.  David thought about this for a bit before realising that he hadn't mentioned that he had seen the woman, the warrior.  He looked at Mistress Blackstock; glanced downwards as he was unable to hold her gaze and told her.  She gave no outward sign of surprise or shock, instead she probed him, checking then rechecking his account.  A Nurse entered; curtseying to Mistress Blackstock and request "Ma'am depart now please".
Mistress Blackstock politely thanked her, enquired how her boy was, smiled and nodded at the brief positive reply before giving David a pat on his check and left.  The nurse gave David a professional smile and said. "Back to sleep boy, but take these first".  As she proffered a couple of tablets and a glass of water.
David gave a weak.  "Yes Mistress" and meekly took his medicine.  The Nurse snuggled him up, closed the curtains, finally turning off the lights before shutting the door as she left.
David slept.

When he awoke later Mistress A was sitting in a chair reading the Telegraph.  On seeing his eyes looking at her she folded the newspaper, creased it with thumb and finger before resting it on the small table next to her.  She shook her head and said "Well boy what is it with you?  You'll be the death of me!. She placed a hand gently onto his forearm, this set him off and David sobbed a little, salty tears rolled down his cheeks. Smiling a beaming smile she rubbed his head.  "Let's get you home little one, would you like that?"
David reached out to her and they hugged.

A couple of days later Mistress Bevan popped into Wendy's on speck, hoping for a coffee and gossip.  Wendy was out, but fortunately for Mistress Bevan; Cathy however was at home and politeness being such a big thing in the Mistress world she was invited in and bone china cups soon rattled.  Mistress Bevan found talking to Cathy very hard, it was difficult to have a conversation with someone who just answered yes or no in a dull monotone manner. Racking her brain for something to say she told the story of the boy with three red stripes who was found in a house that had been burgled fitting an Intruder Alarm.
Cathys head shot up; the table had lost its attraction. "What was the boys name" Cathy asked in an urgent tone, "The name, please the name" she implored.
"Not sure" came the reply, "Mind saw him parked outside your house the following day".
Cathy fixed Mistress Bevan with a hard intense look.  "Was his name David by any chance?"  The monotone had disappeared.
Mistress Bevan was taken aback by the change.  "Why yes my dear I rather think it was".
"The lying scheming bastard bitch" snarled Cathy; followed by "Please excuse me, cake? More Coffee, please tell me more". Mistress Bevan recovered quickly from the verbals and being Mistress Bevan did one of her favourite things and gossiped and strung out the story.  Cathy listened; her face now calm; but her blood was boiling.

For David next few days were quiet ones, David spent most of the time in Mistress A's lounge watching Sky Box office.  Then like all good things it came to an abrupt end, the telephone rang and they were summoned to Mistress Blackstocks abode for two o'clock, sharpe.  At the appointed hour; naked; in three David waited upon his owner, Mistress A standing next to him; chain in her right hand which was clipped to his steel collar.
"Two, free look; free talk" came the snapped order from his owner.  Moving gracefully David looked up; gazing into those steel withering eyes, he swallowed hard.  Leaning forward, hands and forearms resting upon her desk she looked down at him.  The silence was awful; the ambiance unsettling, distrurbing, distrustful.  "That's it boy, we've got her on the CCTV, a good picture of her face, we will soon identify her, that bomb going off was  Devine Help; you can go now to the Cafe, I will be there within the hour, unclip him please".
David was unclipped, he was stunned, what was going on he wondered, it just wouldn't sink in, was that it, freedom?  Was he free he enquired in a stammer, the words tripping over each other.
"Oh yes indeed" came the curt reply, then "Just for two weeks and then I'll cut your throat!".
David's mouth stopped working; his jaw gapped open; saliva ran down his chin.  Mistress A  started to remonstrate, she became vocal, angry, her hands curled into fists.  Mistress Blackstock remained impassive, unyielding and resolute in her position.  Finally Mistress A muttered threw clenched teeth she would take him to the cafe herself.  Then as gently as she could she dragged a paralysed David out.

Mistress Blackstock let out a sigh before picking up the phone, then on hearing an answer she said "Send her in" in a weary voice.  A second door opened next to the Fire Place, it was difficult to see as it appeared to be part of the paneling."Hello Aunty" came the briefest of acknowledgements from Cathy as she entered, "Wheres David?".

They looked into each others eyes, each now waiting for the other to speak.  The battle of wills endured with Mistress Blackstock finally yielding.  "I've got to go out now, let's speak later" she said followed by a small mean smile". Cathy folded her arms in a nows a good time pose.  Mistress Blackstock rose and walked to the main door; almost rushing to escape, with a parting "Sorry must dash, talk later" she sped out.  Cathy pursed her lips, uttered something not very ladylike before sitting at the desk; unsure what to do.  For a few minutes she sat there deep in thought, just staring downwards, not focusing just lost on the next move she should take.  Then she focused, the next move lay on the desk,  an A4 diary open at today's date, meetings booked throughout the day. Two caught her eye,
1400 David
1500 Cafe, return his things, swop bullets for blanks.
She knew which cafe, and who was getting his things back, the bullets worried her, where had David got bullets from and why? She asked herself.  At least no mention of a gun she comforted herself.  Running downstairs to the garage she demanded a car from a Slave Dog who had just driven in, the Slave Dog looked confused; but managed a bob-curtsy and offered the keys to his ride.  Cathy grabbed them, shouted "Good boy" and was off in a squeal of rubber and smoke.