9. Uprising at the Upright Island
982 Words
Bobbie was in a good mood and so was I. We took a walk outside the village, wanted to examine the island, our possible future home, a little closer. Dot was with us, sniffing and pissing around, marking its new environment. Stupid animal.
Farther away the farmers were working in the field. One of them had a huge animal dragging the plough, but it didn’t look like a horse, or an ox. He was whacking the exhausted-looking animal mercilessly.
”Bobbie, that looks almost like Grog, like a Poromoro”, I said, squinting in the sunshine.
”Yeah, it does, it does indeed…”
”Hey, let’s take a closer look at the windmill over there. Someone just went in.”
The door of the windmill was locked, so we wiped the dirt off the small window and tried to take a peek inside. What we saw was very upsetting. Inside the windmill was a huge cogwheel with five or six Poromoros chained to it. They were plodding around, pushing the huge. heavy wheel, while two guards whipping them. The cogwheel was attached to other smaller, fasten-rotating cogs, who generated electricity. So that’s where the island gets its power.
Bobbie looked furious. ”What the hell is happening here? And where’s that goddamn dog-cat now? Dot!”
We heard its trademark bark-meow near the brick building with bars on the windows. ”What is it, boy?”
Dot was barking frantically, staring at the door. We opened it and went down to the dark basement. There was a narrow corridor full of small prison cells. The building must’ve been decades, maybe centuries old dungeon. Now it was full of captive Poromoros, dozens of them. Dot was standing in front of one of the cells, wagging its tail. Grog was sitting in a corner of the cell, bloody and beaten. He looked at us sullen, didn’t make a move.
”Yes boys, it’s your pet Poromoro”, we suddenly heard Chief Mori’s voice behind us. ”We had to teach it some manners. But don’t worry. It’ll be okay in no time. Soon it’ll join the others in the windmill or in the fields.”
”Looks like you beat him quite badly”, Bobbie said quietly.
Chief Mori lowered his voice. ”Well, it’s the only language those goddam goblins understand. You have to show them who’s the boss.”
”You keep them for slaves?” I asked.
”Now I wouldn’t call them slaves, more like our helpers. And who wouldn’t need a little help every once in a while? I know I do!” he laughed.
Chief Mori stepped between us and put his hands over our shoulders.
”Look boys, let me tell you something. This is the way things are here in the Upright Island. Just like it was meant to be, from the Beginning of Time. We rule, animals follow. Men–mutants–monsters, that’s the pecking order. We, people, are on the top of the food chain. Don’t you feel it, boys? Don’t you feel the POWER?”
We were quiet for a good while.
”I feel it”, Bobbie answered tentatively, sucking up the chief.
Me, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be on the top of anything. What did I knew? I was just a boy.
”Now why don’t you boys go back to the town house, have a nice dinner – there’s pineapple, Max my son – and then a good sleep? I promise you, it all seems more clear tomorrow.”
As we left the dungeon I saw Bobbie putting something in his pocket, probably stealing food from the prisoners. Damn that Bobbie!
*
Just before midnight someone came into my room again, but this one didn’t smell so good. It was Bobbie.
”Max, wake up. We have to free Grog. I stole the key to the cells.” Oh, that’s what I saw. Good old Bobbie.
”Ok, but could you wait for an hour or so? I’m expecting someone any minute now…”
”Goddamn you Max, stop thinking about yourself! Don’t you see what’s happening here? We have to act and we have to act NOW. They’ll find out about the missing key in a morning.”
We sneaked out and ran to the prison building and downstairs to the prison cells.
”Bobbie, we are ruining everything”, I said sadly.
”I know. But we have to.”
Bobbie opened Grog’s cell and told him to wake up. Grog stood up, he was still hurting, but now there was fire in his eyes. He took the key from Bobbie and started opening the other cells. All the Poromoros were coming out. And they looked very pissed off.
Grog took a look at us. I could see anticipation, anger, and determination in his small eyes.
”You go now.”
”Are you sure? You want to stay here? Don’t you wanna come with us, look for another place, a real home?”
”Laulau home.”
We left. So the Upright Island was originally Poromoros’ island? And now it was their time to take it back from the conquerors? We ran through the village, woke up Noona and the Old Ones. Ono and Geronimo didn’t want to leave. They said they’ve ran enough, this was it for them. The rest of us ran to our boat. Behind us the screams of horror were getting louder. We saw the Poromoros attacking people everywhere. They were merciless.
We jumped on our boat and escaped the c*****e into the black sea. In the moonlight we saw Grog standing on the highest cliff, leading his troops in the bloody battle. He was swinging something in his hand. It looked like a human head, with a bright red beard.
- Writer
