Dystopian Tales

The God Camp

Ju-Ju, Julie's youngest and named after a long line of Julies came charging into the clearing.  The tangerine girl was the last remaining of a set of five.  She spoke vigorously, not caring about the rules of quiet. Pursed lips and furrowed brows smoothed warily when she announced:

"I found a camp! A really old old, really grown over, not murdered not burnt camp. Red stones and doors. Not seen one like it before ay?"

"Stones and doors? Must be one from after the booms, must be one they made from the God camps, quick lead us Ju-Ju!" The girl beamed satisfaction, pushing her copper hair away from opal eyes, so she could both appraise and be admired. She sprang away after the pause. 

The budding teen slipped them through the undergrowth, along an old road where the black stone stood out in parts. They paused often to analyze sound. Occasionally one of the seven would wait behind, listening. Then one would go ahead, one to each flank, very careful, their movement like a heart beating blood, in and out. Then they clambered down a slope through trees that had grown free for three generations. "Here." Said Ju-Ju with her pride glistening in her eyes.

It took moments to make it out, there was a camp, where trees and vegetation formed a shelter over it, blurring lines. Four of the group stepped away to stand to the four winds and listen, whilst Julie and Strong Arm Daniel carefully examined the strange place.

"See, a, door?" The three squatted in front of a rotting yet sound barrier, glass paneling stood intact.

"Glass, unbroken. Is it a city?" Ju-Ju went to touch.

"Don't touch it! Traps! Magic? This is a God camp, untouched since before The Booms. The three hesitated in trepidation before Strong Arm Daniel whispered:

"We cannot be afraid, this camp has been waiting for us. It is not a city." Cities were the new underworld.

"Truly a God's camp?"

" Truly."

"How was it not to be found?"

"Tree magic, the trees have cradled it from fires and eyes. It found Ju-Ju, she must go in." The tangled haired girl's pride suddenly turned to fear.

"I must?"

"Not through the door, look a square opening, a branch has speared the glass, through there." Ju-Ju was hoisted into the opening, broken glass nicked her in two places, and red rose petals fell in and out of the God camp. Her mother spoke:

"The God's have taken her blood, this is good! Half for God, Half us, half-half  blessing! We are wanted here!" They took great emotional comfort from the observation, almost overcome with relief.  Although Ju-Ju's bleeding did not stop she was gifted bravery by her mother's words. She stood on a stone floor, calm. In the filtered sun light strange dusty objects greeted her, straight lines, collapsed lines. Objects not of nature stood on flat surfaces. Some familiar, other not. A tree grew in and across the room, then up to another level. She walked to a flat surface that stood to her navel. a block held handles and she drew one. Her eyes opened wide:

"Knives!" Strong Arm Daniel could not remain and clambered through, careful to remove glass before placing hands. He ordered Old Julie to call the others, and a warbling whistle came four times, each different, each directed at the four winds.

The leader of the group inspected each knife in turn, his calloused finger probed sharpness and he nodded in appreciation. He looked upwards and muttered:

"Allowed?" They all paused to listen, then little birds with blue breasts flew in, across the room then out. Old Julie whispered:

"Allowed. There will be no blame." Daniel beamed and secreted the largest knife to a patched coat pocket and one to a boot made of tyre. The remaining four he handed to the wind watches. To Ju-Ju he handed the remaining object in the block, a large fork.

"Reward." He said. Ju-Ju twitched disguised disappointment.

The God camp was slowly unraveled. Little doors were opened, handles pulled. There was astonishment at the collection of vessels, more knives were discovered. The bones of a dog were looked upon, sadly. They had lost their dogs. Kate-kate the north wind watcher appeared at the broken glass and whispered in hushed s's:

"Strawberrie-s! Herb-s! Much needful thing-s around the God Camp." The wind watcher's mother had recently died, and they were all glad to hear her announce her findings with the glee tongue. 

Old Julie sat amongst a pile of rectangles that seemed melted together, she picked them open and spider web lines filled pages. "These are books, my mother knew but I don't know how to weave the letters properly. There will be some who would trade mighty for these." She let them fall back together, crumbling as they did.

In one of the rooms sat an object they were familiar with, but it only had one wheel. Jimmy-Jimmy the south wind watcher mounted the bike and began to peddle, smiling as the wheel moved but he did not. A little flat box lit, and presently a voice sang along with the beauty of unseen instruments. The wind watcher shot off the bike.

"The God voice?" They all looked at Old Julie.

"It might be but it was music." They had experienced music, but never had it to themselves.

"Do it again, oh do it again." Pleaded Kate-Kate, her lips red with strawberry.