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As Fogart walked off Carl followed him. The official crossed the square and came
eventually to the barricade across the main street. Beyond the barricade were a number of
other men with red armbands and red caps. Fogart passed through a small gate in the
barricade, guarded by another. This other pushed Carl back as he tried to follow Fogart.
'Hey you, get back! Where d'you think you're going?' 'I'd like to speak to the Quartermaster, sir. That gentleman there said I should.' 'What? Get back! Before I break you're head.' The guard aimed a swipe at Carl with a staff he carried and struck his shoulder, knocking him to the ground. 'Get in line. Do as you're told like all the rest.' There was no way through the barricade except where, to the left along the wall, the line of people waiting to be inducted ended at another gate. Here many other officials were congregated. One official recorded each person's name; another gave them something small to eat, a third a drink to wash it down; a fourth and fifth then decided if they were to be admitted, presumably if they were from Drummerton and if so, a sixth permitted them to pass through the gate and showed them where to go down the empty main street beyond. Quite a number of people were being turned back but it was apparent that these became calmer and happier than the others behind them in the line after they had experienced this procedure. The fact of the presence of responsible individuals in the square gave Carl confidence. He understood immediately that they were just doing their jobs and had no time for him. However, since the first official he had encountered had in fact responded to his question, he hoped that he might yet discover another with more time to address the question of how to reach the Quartermaster so he headed back towards the feeding huts. On the way he encountered Ursus and Sister Helen walking arm in arm. Ursus appeared quite cheerful and unaffected by the crowd. He patted his stomach, 'We found some food after all! Carl, are you still sane among all these nuts? Did you find out what we ought to do?' It was hard to say how Helen felt. She was smiling but clinging tightly to the hunters arm and appeared to have no desire to participate in the conversation. The hunter went on, 'Seems like there's not much room to sleep here, doesn't it?' 'The Dentonsville Brigade does not have to register until tomorrow at noon,' said Carl. The atmosphere had begun to affect him again and he perceived the hunter rather dimly as if in a far-off dream. 'Ah!' said Ursus, 'we probably can stay where we are then, tonight?' When Carl did not respond at once Ursus shook him with his free arm. 'Eh, Carl, what d'you think?' 'Yes, I think you're right.' 'You'd better get out of here, Carl. Before you loose it. We all better had, before its too late.' 'No,' Carl heard himself say, 'I'm still going to try and get permission from the authorities. You go back and wait for me.' Ursus shook his head sadly and left without further ado. There was no protestation from Sister Helen. In the two western corners of the square narrow openings led off between the boxes. These were blocked by chest-high, unguarded barricades. After stumbling around for some time Carl eventually arrived at one of these. By this time the sights and sounds were having such an effect upon him that his mind was again filled with desperate thoughts. His desire to reach the Quartermaster had become an obsession. He saw that it would be easy to climb over these barricades. He knew that doing so would be a contravention of the law but also his chance to find the official of that name. And so he went. If it seems odd that it was so easy for Carl to cross this fence, it should be pointed out that it was actually a sophisticated electrical barrier designed to stun but not to kill. However, the administrators of the Collecting Center - i.e. the Quartermaster and his antecedents – had found over several generations that deliberate crossings of these barriers were rare but accidental burnings due to peoples habit of lounging on them had been quite common at one time. Such burnings gave Collecting Centers a bad name in peace time and could cause riots in the crowds of War. Thus, since the populace was loyal, the current was turned off. Similarly, as Carl proceeded down the lane between the boxes and turned left at the first intersection where a broader avenue went parallel the main street he passed by other security devices which had long since been turned off for maintenance and never re- activated. Once out of sight of the square he encountered no opposition but the fierce emptiness of the place itself. Like others before him he cowered in the shade of the wall of the box nearest him and was restrained from making another left turn that would take him back to the main street by the sun glaring at him down the lanes. There were three warehouses along this avenue. He passed a few doors in them and many signs that he found hard to read: Freezer Shed #2, Coolant Service Station; DANGER, Heat Exchanger Access Only; CAUTION, Automatic Access Bay; DANGER - Radioactive; Freezer Shed #3; DANGER - High Voltage; Dry Goods Warehouse #1; DANGER, Low Internal Pressure; CAUTION, Automatic Airlock in Operation, Robot Warehousemen at Work; AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY: Proceed beyond this point at your own risk! Along the wall of Dry Goods Warehouse #1 a mouth opened in the wall beside him. From inside came a roar, answered by another from the wall of the shed across the road where a second mouth had opened. The superceded proletarian stood between the two. In the depths red, green and blue lights winked. Then Carl threw himself frantically to one side as out shot a series of bright yellow trucks. They quickly disappeared into the other mouth and both doors shut with a clang but by then Carl had reached the forest at a run. |
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