GETHSEMANE

CHAPTER SIX

‘What’s your plan?’ the girl asked. ‘How do you plan to pay me?’

‘You said it already. We’ll look for another tractor.’

‘Pff, if I knew of any lying around I won’t care I lost this tractor – really, I don’t feel like talking about it.’ The girl sniffed. ‘Let’s just go.’

Fanta was curious about her surroundings. In the fortress, there were no trees. The only greens around were does in plates and factories, biogenetically grown. It was exciting to be walking in the midst of this dream. Maybe this was Gethsemane – but it did not feel right. She had expected flowers and a breeze filled with flowery scents. She remembered that smell, if only brief and faint, but she had smelt it.

‘You have to keep up to survive.’ The girl stamped her feet. Fanta realized she had stopped and was staring at a deep green leaf. ‘Don’t touch those. Anything could be poisonous and you could die!’

Fanta withdrew her hands, inspecting it in fright. ‘Look, I think – I don’t know.’ She shoved her hand at the girl.

The girl burst into a fit of giggles. ‘Got you silly’

‘You tricked me! How could you?’ Fanta’s eyes bristled with tears, but she was the kind who was quick to recover from anything.
‘What would you do about it though?’

Fanta shrugged. ‘I know why you did that.’ She smirked. ‘You’ve had your laugh.’ ‘Geez, you’re revengeful. What’s your name anyway? Did I tell you mine?’ ‘I am Fantasma.’

‘Ellen, come on.’

‘But serious here, are the plants here dangerous?’ Fanta asked.

‘Not for you and me, but a lot of people in the fortress.’

‘WHAT?!’ ‘You mean you weren’t kidding the first time?’

‘I can’t really think right now Fantasma, but you survived the dump so –’ Ellen trailed off.

‘What was that thing back there? It was –’ Fanta shuddered. ‘Terrible.’ ‘More than terrible – scary’ ‘Frightening’

‘I get your point. I have no idea, but you won’t catch me anywhere around it.’

‘Thanks again for earlier.’ Fanta said.

They arrived before a wide picket fence.

‘Home’ Ellen breathed. She pulled open the gate and let Fanta in. ‘There are rules here.’

‘Like’ Fanta looked around at the strange smelling place. The vast land filled with many growing greens, similar to the manner of growing in the factory nurseries. ‘What are these?’

‘Drugs’

‘That’s plenty of money.’

‘Yes, but my tractor is dead so except you hurry with your plan you’ll be dead first, after me of course.’

‘That’s a mean thing to say Ellen. I see you have buyers and I’m sure this is not the end for us.’

‘Rules remember? So the general rule is to not touch anything and we are good.’

‘Too much for only one rule – might just tell me to leave.’ Fanta joked. She could see a clearing ahead. Above the clearing was a tree house. ‘Is that our home?’

‘Hm, I built it from scratch.’ Ellen said evenly.

‘Fine’ Fanta said patiently. ‘It is yours may I be allowed into your tree house, please?’ she asked, ‘– and I don’t mind really if you have other arrangements.’