The Tunnels Below by Nadine Wild-Palmer (have you read this book .txt) 📗

design our new future! What we need to do now that we have harnessed the power is to control it. But how? Let me introduce our honorary speaker, Violet.”

A big hunched crow shuffled slowly forwards from the Corvus Community banner lining the stage behind Jacques d’Or. Cecilia had not noticed her before. Her feathers were tattered and patchy, reminding Cecilia of when she found her favourite jumper had been munched by moths over a particularly warm summer. Violet’s presence hushed the crowd and she began.

“The Corvus Community has worked tirelessly at trying to find ways to bring more light through to the furthest reaches of this great intricate network of tunnels in which we dwell. And the system we have come up with has not only proved to be a success, but we have found new ways to generate more light and keep the growth of the Black Forest circulating clean air around our system. However, as the lake below Polaris—the lake of light—continues to shrink, it has become even more important to encourage a sombre tone among the dwellers so that they will increase their production of tears to refresh the supplies that support the function of Mr Sparks—our generator.”

There was an outbreak of chatter among the audience.

“Please, please, calm your beaks.” Silence fell once again. “As a result we have decided we need to bring morale down to an all-time low in order that the output of tears is higher and the lake fuller, and thus, the light of the tunnels generated by Mr Sparks brighter. To do this we have devised a plan to put an end to the Ride or Sigh competition, to shut down all luxuries and to permit only what is necessary to sustain life among the dwellers. In the meantime, to enhance the wave of sorrow we are going to take hostage key figures of the community. You know the types I am talking about. They are the do-gooders, the respected figures, the creatives, the poets and the sigh riders, the folk who…”

Violet paused dramatically, ensuring she was in complete command of the crowd.

“…bring the dwellers hope!” she finished with disdain.

Applause and a chorus of caws broke out, shaking the dome above their head. Black shadows jumped into the air, swooping all around, screeching.

“Of course, we will look after our own, and committed Corvus Community members will receive ample opportunity to prove their worth and be rewarded for it. Just as these next two have.” Violet flicked her head in a robotic fashion and Julius and Marvin stepped forward into the spotlight. Cecilia bubbled with rage as Violet began commending them on their “good work” and retold the story of how they had captured Kuffi. Enraged, Cecilia fought the urge to boo and hiss. The situation forced her to listen to what Violet had to say.

“Julius and Marvin found a certain somebody’s ID papers were due for renewal. Using this knowledge they closed the ID Office early because they feared there might be some sort of gas leak.” Violet gasped for effect. Cecilia could hardly bear to listen to the lies. “The cunning Corvus,” Violet continued, “then sought out the offending party and rechecked the papers. As the office was now closed that dweller could no longer renew their ID papers before they went out of date, and Julius and Marvin were forced to bring the offender in and hold him at the Nest!”

Violet stalked the stage, then swept back into the spotlight.

“This is the kind of initiative we expect from you, the Corvus Community! What a cunning plan! Now let’s employ this as a method to control. We decide who stays and who goes, and all the while we are still keeping the peace and protecting the dwellers. How often do dwellers really check their papers? We have cleverly made copies of invalid documents to be switched with the originals on point of contact with these ‘respected’ types for the very purpose of removing them from our society altogether in the coming months. Because without these ‘role models’ we can bring morale right down to an all-time low. Let’s extinguish hope, for without hope there is only grief, and the greater the grief… The greater the relief… MORE FEARS FOR TEARS!”

Violet screamed and to Cecilia’s and Luke’s terror the crowd roared the slogan back over and over so they too were compelled to do so. Even if they didn’t agree with it, they did not want to stand out in this crowd. Cecilia felt incredibly sad. She tried not to show it, but it was at that point that she knew their plan would work to make the dwellers sad too.

“Thank you, Violet,” Jacques d’Or said, hopping in and tapping her on the shoulder to reclaim his spot centre stage.

“More fears for tears,” he said plainly.

The crowd went wild. Jacques d’Or smiled, beaming with pride, and stood there soaking up the atmosphere.

“The unhappier our society is the more the dwellers will cry. Nothing grows in the dark except the Corvus Community. We will make history here today, remember that! We are the shadows and it is the shadows that control the light! Let’s give you a good example of the type of dwellers we will be looking to remove. Bring them on, guys!”

At this point Kuffi and Madame Midnight were escorted onto the stage. Luke visibly clenched his jaw and his nostrils flared; tears edged Cecilia’s eyes, and she pulled a fake smile to try to mask her heartbreak.

“Welcome the first of our ‘missing’ dwellers,” said Jacques d’Or. There were a few gasps of surprise and delight dotted about the audience. “We will hold them in the Nest for the next few weeks and when they are at their weakest, lowest point, we will send them to the doldrums where we’ll let the gas explosions deal with them—or worse still, they’ll wander off into the Black of Beyond… FOR EVER! The likelihood of their survival is next to none. During which time