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053 :: Sparkle protests
Naomi stopped at M&S. Orders and collections. She tapped the screen. 15 minutes.
Naomi wandered along to the M&S window display. A row of characters on a big screen watching the passers by. Naomi stopped. One of the characters stepped forward. An au pair worried about making dinner. The other characters faded away leaving only a chef. Not a chef to help her cook. A chef bringing a prepared meal from M&S. The smell of the meal filled the air. Roast chicken. Roast potatoes. Rich gravy. M&S saved the day. The au pair stepped back. The other characters reappeared. Waiting for another passer by to look their way.
Naomi watched the passers by. Au pairs like her doing errands. Delivery staff. A cleaner. A person in gym outfit. Two people walking together looking at their Skrolls. Walking in silence. Everyone walked in silence. Looking at the ground as they walked. Pretending they were alone. No hello. No smile or friendly nod. No comment on the day. Or the strange smell in the air. Silence in a city where the cars were silence too. Just the hum of the tyres on the tarmac. No hooting or other vehicle noises. Just silent electric motors.
Naomi collected the order. She walked towards the river. She looked about trying to work out what smelled so foul. She leaned on the railing watching the water flow passed.
You looking for the sparkle protests? (Peter)
Naomi turned. Smiled. Pulled out her Skroll. Worked out her words.
What sparkle protests. (Naomi)
It is the people outside the barrier. They do not like the partition so they make stink bombs. They put them in dissolving plastic tabs. They throw them in the Thames. When the tab floats it sparkles. When it dissolves the stink comes out. That is why the Thames smells like shit. (Peter)
Naomi read the translation. Watched a minidoc of children running to the river. Emptying boxes of tabs into the water. Running away. Chased by drones. Taser drones stunning them.
Why they hate us. (Naomi)
Not us. Them. The wealthy of the world gathered in this city of luxury. (Peter)
Peter swept his hand about showing the luxury apartments in a block that shaped like a boat.
Look. Just us. (Naomi)
What do you mean. They have no way of knowing who we are. They just doing it to get on the news. (Peter)
There are only people like us on the streets. Look. Au pairs. Maids. There is a delivery man. The rich are in their houses. Or in their pods. Or at work. It is only people like us who get to live in the stink. (Naomi)
Naomi held up her Skroll to let Peter read the translation.
Maybe. (Peter)
They stood looking at the river. Sparkling tabs floating by.
So what if it is just us. So what if the know. They are just stupid. If they were willing to do real jobs they would be here and not us. If they had a job they could make it better for everyone. Them. Us. Everyone. (Peter)
They stood in silence.
They are just haters. (Peter)
Silence.
I am going to the gym. (Peter)
Naomi followed him. In the gym they did not speak. Naomi used the ski machine. Peter used the cycle machine. Naomi used the rower. Peter the skier. Naomi showered. Peter showered. If someone was watching they would have through them strangers. The machines did not. Their movements were tracked. Their day was summarised. Recorded and saved. They lived in the house of John Stone. John was rated highly enough for his household to be recorded. And a note added about how long the two au pairs did not speak to each other.
How much to go outside London. (Naomi)
Too much. (Peter)
How much to go outside London (Naomi)
Do you have any money. (Peter)
Naomi shook her head.
You will have enough money for the journey in two weeks. It is a waste. You will find nothing outside London. You will not find a beautiful rebel waiting to explain his passion to you. There will just be the usual tourist sights to see. You will just be a tourist. Like you are here. There are no Robin Hoods in real life. (Peter)
They walked towards the main street.
I am not saying those idiot rebels do not exist. I am just saying you will not meet them. And if you do they will be just like any other bigot you have ever met. (Peter)
They turned off the main street. They walked slowly.
You will just find people doing normal things. Just like here. All we ever see is people doing normal stuff. Going to work. Going to the shops. Going home. Just like us. You cannot just arrive in another place and suddenly expect to be let into their secrets. That is just stupid. (Peter)
054 :: Silence like discouragement
They were quiet in the house. Quite...
