Amethyst Gem- Completed

Chapter 16

“It’s a very simple code really,” Michael explained as he held the small book within his large palm. “The only reason it is unreadable for most people is they don’t know how to read binary.”

Everyone looked either intrigued and confused at this revelation. I had known the repeated ones and zeroes must have meant something. Although even now, still knowing what the code was called I was still unsure how I was supposed to read it.

“Isn’t that what the computers at the base use?” Griffin inquired.

Michael nodded, “it is well known for being the only language computers understand.”

Comet and I exchanged looks of surprise. We had never had computers in Cloud Topia as they were believed to corrupt the lower classes. Therefore the school only had a couple and families were allowed a private one if they were rank 111 or above. Comet had therefore a singular computer and my family had none.

It was obvious to me that Comet, even being used to a computer, did not know what binary was and Griffin still seemed to be slightly unsure. Perry was absently stroking my hair and smiling happily to himself. He must not have known how to read binary either.

“Here Amethyst,” Michael handed me the book along with a pencil. “Do as I instruct, ok?”

I nodded and held the pencil ready. Comet peered over my shoulder as I followed the man’s instructions.

“Let’s start simple. Place a line after the fifth number from the start.”

I looked at the page in front of me and counted the scribbles. It began 10100 so I placed a small pencil line between it and the next five numbers. Glancing up at Michael I waited for the next instruction.

“For the first couple it will help you to place some numbers above them. Start on the right with 1 and increase it by double each time until 16,” Michael attempted to explain.

I felt as if I was getting in over my head but attempted to understand what he had said. I thought I might be starting to understand what I was supposed to do next.

“For each number with a one beneath add it to the others with a one.”

Stalling I wondered what on earth he was talking about.

“So you add four to sixteen?” Comet suggested unsure over my shoulder.

“And that equals?” Michael asked.

Feeling extremely stupid I muttered a quiet 20, which was obviously correct.

“The letter it equates to within the alphabet is T. Therefore, the first letter is T.” Perry piped up. “It’s quite simple really.”

I scowled at the boy’s smug smirk, directed towards my ignorance at binary. It wasn’t my fault I didn’t understand what Michael was telling me to do. I felt quite annoyed.

We then preceded this tiring process for the entire first sentence. Although at first it still looked to be a bunch of ones and zeroes for nearly half the page, the first word was in fact ‘Today’.

I held up the book in front of me and read out loud. “Today I visited the Queen and her two baby girls.”

“Wait a minute,” Comet demanded in shock. “Is this just the story of the lost princess’?”

Michael shrugged smugly, “maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.”

I threw the items into my lap completely annoyed at this endeavour. “This is a waste of time. We all know the fairy-tale.”

“Yeah,” Honour spoke softly. “The two Terran royalty that misused their power.”

Griffin scoffed, “I think you’ll find they were Mages.”

“Obviously they were Angelica’s,” Comet argued back.

Perry held up his hands for silence, “see, isn’t it obvious you were all told different versions of the same tale. If their race was different then probably what happened was different. Therefore how can you believe any are correct?”

 “Oh, I was meaning to ask, how do you two know each other? You couldn’t have ever lived in Terra Nova could you?” I directed my question towards Perry and Michael. They probably all knew I was really asking if they were related but trying not to pry too much.

“You really ask lots of questions, don’t you?” Michael laughed. It was so deep and glorious, I loved it.

“Michael used to be Bellona’s one true love,” Perry spoke sweetly before pretending to gag in disgust. Little boys are so funny.

“Aww, really?” Comet clasped her hands happily. She was a true romantic.

“But you’re here?” Honour realised. “And you moved away before I was born, right?”

Michael nodded, “We… fell out for a number of reasons. Plus, as you say, she needed to live in Terra Nova and I was forbidden to join her.”

“That’s so sad,” Comet sighed unhappily. I nodded in agreement. Sometimes I realised our system was so cruel, but we needed it to keep us organised.

Michael shifted uncomfortably under all our gazes. Glancing at me he lunged for the book, still in my lap.

“Give me that.”

We all watched as he scribbled hurriedly over all the pages in pencil, pausing only a couple of times to think about what he was doing. After a couple of minutes, which was a lot quicker than what I would have done, he passed the book back to me. The difference with it was now the words spread all throughout the book.

“Wow,” I whispered.

“Go on then,” Michael sat back as if surveying his work.

I glanced up at everyone. “Out loud?”

Honour nodded at me encouragely. Taking a deep breath I began to read from, what I gathered, was Bellona’s old diary. 

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I know this isn't a very long chapter but I decided I wanted the next one to be seperate. I'd love to hear what you think about this one. I included binary! You can tell I've been madly revising for my Computing test coming up can't you.

So are you looking foreward to finding out what the diary says? What do you think we will uncover? Please comment below.