The Fall of Chance (9 page)

Unt was happy, Bull was happy and now he remembered Mélie. He’d forgotten she’d got an Educator’s post and now he wanted her to do well. She had always been nice and she deserved a bit of happiness. Unt thought he would have been happy with Mélie if he hadn’t got Crystal.

He could see her sleek hair off to his left. Her head was unmoving as she waited for her number. The field had thinned and there was a mix of decent guys and bad ones. He was relieved when she got a clerk called Durum. He was a bit weedy and a bit boring but at least he wasn’t like Colun.

Colun got some other poor soul. It would have been better if it had been Olissa and they could have had a lifetime grating on each other but Olissa drew someone else. She got a cartwright named Mitt who was as plain in looks as he was in wit. Unt felt a shameful bit of pleasure at her less-than-happy look.

Unt had thought that that was the last bit of interest for him but he’d forgotten one person. Once more, Rob had yet to be drawn. Unt had forgotten to even look at him after Crystal picked himself. Now would Rob show the same emotion as his father? Would the same furious look be set upon Unt?

He glanced over in a rush, half afraid to do so, but Rob wasn’t looking at him. He only had eyes for Crystal and he stared at her, unblinking. His whole body was a statue, immune to proceedings around him. If his name had come up, he wouldn’t have noticed, he was so intense.

For Unt, it brought doubts about Crystal flooding back. If she felt the way for Rob that he clearly felt for her, Bull’s reassurances stood for nothing. For the first time in his life, Unt felt jealousy: proper jealousy, not your day-to-day, grass-is-greener outlook on the little things. It was absurd because it was Rob who should be jealous but that was definitely what he felt.

With an effort, Unt decided that he would be the better man. He would will a bit of fortune on Rob. In all honesty, Rob had done nothing to deserve his appalling luck today and another girl might be some crumb of comfort to him.

The remaining girls were probably eying him up too. They’d been given a chance that they’d never thought they’d have. That made a second person who would benefit from Rob getting a partner and there was the added bonus that a wife for Rob might help split the bond between him and Crystal.

Unt continued to watch the draw. There were sixteen girls left now and twenty three guys to choose from. The odds weren’t overwhelming but they were in Rob’s favour and the sixteen girls weren’t a bad set.

The first of those girls went to someone other than Rob, then another, then another. Each pin down shortened the odds. A good chance became an even chance, became a poor chance, became a long shot. At last, there were three girls left; two girls; one. One girl for eight guys.

Her name was Kitt and she held the hopes of eight men in her hands. She rolled and got the Functionaries. Excellent, thought Unt: that was Rob’s Order. He was one of three still left in the pot and as Kitt went to pick her fate, Unt surprised himself with how much he cared. Her hand went in. She drew a number: it wasn’t Rob.

There were six points of disappointment around the room and one great sigh of relief but from Rob there was nothing.

*              *              *              *

That was the last pairing and all that was left now was to decide where each couple should live. After the seriousness of the two draws before it, such a thing seemed trivial and there was impatience to get it over with. All the youngsters cared about was that they were moving into a place of their own: where it was scarcely mattered right now.

This time, it was the boys’ turn to make the deciding roll and for most, it was a very simple matter. A single die would be rolled and on a score between one and three, the new couple would live with the man’s order: on a score of four or more, they would live with the woman’s.

Unt was the exception in caring because he didn’t want to leave his home. He was also an exception because his outcomes were different. On a roll of one, he and Crystal would move in among the Councillors: on a six, they would live with Crystal’s Medics. Anything else and they would stay where they were.

Unt had expected not to care, but he did. Living among the Councillors had a prestige to it. Living with the Medics would keep him in the same neighbourhood with Bull. They were both good options but the more he thought on it, the more he was certain he didn’t want to move.

When his turn came around, he rolled a three. He’d be staying where he was: Crystal would be moving in. In a day of victories, this one felt the most pure.

*              *              *              *

When all the housing had been done away with, Kelly began his closing remarks. Everyone was now keen to get away but first they had to listen to the Councillor. “Partners in Fate, the final draw has been made and the Fall of Chance is concluded. Now, it is time to relax and reflect with friends and family.

“Try not to dwell on what you see as good or bad fortune. Fate is not judgmental, it is not biased, and it the end, it always adopts balance. The time to accept that might not be now but it will come and then, happiness will follow.”

True enough, thought Unt but the mood around the room didn’t reflect that. The contented ones listened with benign neutrality while the unhappy ones whom it was aimed at just didn’t hear the words. He was surprised at the negative vibe that held the balance.

The whole crowd shuffled as though ready to rise but Kelly wasn’t finished. “I have one last thing to say,” he said. “The Fall of Chance is not the end of your destiny. For each of you, there are pleasures and pitfalls ahead. There is no solution to this except to take the bad with the good and I urge you all to do so.

“Now, go in peace and may Fate be with you.”

And that was that. The Fall of Chance was over. Released from long-imposed restriction, the whole crowd rose in body and voice. Hours worth of suppressed conversation were suddenly released.

Only Unt, it seemed, was weighing Kelly’s words. It didn’t say much for him as a speaker that his words of warning were as fruitless as his ones of hope but in Unt at least, they’d struck a chord. It seemed unnatural that such good fortune could fall in one swoop. He was looking out for the setback.

Bull had spun round and was shaking hands with a host of friends so he wasn’t on hand to catch Unt’s sombre mood or to tell him to snap out of it. Unt too was suddenly bedecked with handshakes of his own and was swamped with hearty words of congratulation.

He smiled and accepted it and made polite remarks wherever he could remember how people had got on. The warmth of affection was so genuine that he found himself embracing the mood.

The spectating families were already on their feet, pressing for the exits so they could catch their sons or daughters as soon as they left the Hall. As the initial flurry of talk subsided, the kids started to move to the exit as well.

With no parents to meet, Unt was happy to let the others get ahead. He’d join up with Bull’s folks eventually but that wasn’t quite the same. He sat back down and let the throng pass.

“Congratulations,” a dead voice said. An open palm was thrust before him. He looked up and Rob was standing before him.

“You too,” he said, not knowing what else he could say. There were no words he could give Rob that would fit.

He took the offered hand. It was firm, strong and cold, clinical in the same way as a doctor’s. As he shook it, Rob pulled him forward; not violently or forcefully but with his natural authority alone. Unt’s face was brought close to Rob’s and for a second, Unt felt a thrill of fear.

But the Councillor’s son had only words for him. “Be good to her,” he said into Unt’s ear. It wasn’t quite a whisper but it was like a private transmission between the two of them. It wasn’t a threat and it wasn’t a plea: it said all sorts of things and Unt nodded his understanding.

With that, Rob took his leave and Unt sank back on his bench, drained by the brief encounter. At last, he remembered Lasper but when he looked, the Councillors’ bench was already empty. Only Croker and Morley were still in the room, shuffling the last few steps to their exit.

Bull was on his way to the public way out, propelled along by a group of lads around him. “Hey, Unt!” he called, “You coming or are you gonna mope inside all day?”

Unt looked around and realised that already he was nearly the last person in the Hall. “Yeah, be right with you,” he called back. This room of panelled wood would be his domain soon but not now. Now was a time to get out and enjoy the day.

Taking his time, he ambled after the general press so that as he reached the outer doors, the way before him was clear. He stepped out into the sun, felt its warmth on his face - and an ice-cold hand on his throat.

“You!” hissed a voice, “I don’t know who you are but you’ve just stolen my son’s life.”

Startled, he saw the sallow face of Lasper. The old man had stolen around the building lightning-quick and had set an ambush for Unt. His boney hand was disguised by the voluminous material of his sleeve and a rictus smile tried to disguise the livid hate within. The gums around his teeth had receded and the remains were long and knife-like. The eyes were wild and his pupils mere pin-pricks in a milky-blue sea.

Confronted with this image of raw aggression, Unt couldn’t speak. He wanted to reach up and snatch the hand away but the claw seemed possessed with a paralysing force. All he could do was stare back as Lasper released his grip and pointed skyward.

“Enjoy your day in the sun,” he said, “Because when I get the chance, I’ll break you. The second you make your first mistake, I’ll gut you. I shall make it my life’s mission to find you out and destroy you.”

“I, I-” Unt tried to speak but his voice was like poultry: a senseless, clucking noise.

Lasper gripped him by the shoulders with both hands. “Don’t waste your breath, child. What’s done is settled and can’t be undone, but mark me-”

“Mr Lasper!” Bull’s mother’s voice cut in like a charge of cavalry, “Unhand that boy!” she scolded, “For shame. You should take a leaf from the book of that son of yours and bear yourself with dignity.”

She placed her own arm over Unt and put herself between him and Lasper.

“Don’t interfere,” said Lasper, “He’s a man now and I’ll confront him as a man.”

“He’s a boy,” said Yvesse, “And you’re a Councillor and a bully. Maya would be ashamed to see her husband act like this.

The mention of his wife’s name filled Lasper with fresh rage. He drew himself up, saying, “Don’t you-”

“Don’t you try and threaten me,” Yvesse cut him short. “You’re here to serve the public trust, not act like some petty despot. Now, I suggest you slink away before I raise a complaint with the Council.”

Lasper looked like he might strike back with sharp words or even a sharp blow but with a visible effort, he checked himself. He backed away and Unt watched him go, seeming to glide like a spirit under his robes. It wasn’t until the Councillor was gone from sight that he turned to Yvesse and whispered, “Thank you.”

With her arm still on Unt’s shoulder, Yvesse just smiled and led him away from the steps, down toward a brazier where Bull and the rest of his family were gathered. “Don’t worry,” she smiled maternally, “Lasper’s bark is worse than his bite. The whole point of our system is to stop little tyrants like him from having any power. Soon, you’ll be a Councilor too and a damned sight better one, I’ll bet.”

As they got closer, Sandy hurried forward. “What was all that about?” he asked his wife.

“Oh, nothing,” said Yvesse, “Just an old dog trying to show its teeth.”

“Really?” said Sandy, not quite understanding. ”Well, never mind - but congratulations to you, my boy!” he thumped Unt’s hand.

“Oh, thanks,” said Bull, stuffing his face with a pear.

“You too, of course!” Sandy slapped his son’s shoulder. “But it’s Unt that I haven’t had a chance to congratulate, yet.” He followed up with another slap on Unt.

“Thank you,” said Unt.

He felt a tug at his trouser leg. It was Jenna. “I liked your new wife,” she told him.

“Oh, yes,” said Sandy laughing. “Quite the looker, that one! Is she about?” He scanned his head around but was too short to see anything. Unt, being taller, made her out at the far side of the Square. Rob was with her and like last night, they were headed up Gate Street, alone.

Before he had time to dwell on that sight, he felt a punch on his arm. It was just Sandy. “Don’t you think, Unt?” he asked him.

“Sorry, what?” Unt realised he must have missed something.

“I was saying our Bulton hasn’t done bad for himself either,” said Sandy. “He’s copied in the footsteps of his old man and got himself a girl two times smarter than he is.” He pulled his wife close, “Believe me, it’s best that way. It means that when they know they’re in the right, there’s a good chance they actually are.”

“Sandy,” said Yvesse, “Let the poor boys get a word in edgeways. You’d think it’d been you who’d just had your Fall.”

“See what I mean?” Sandy threw his arms over Unt and Bulton, “But a man can’t be blamed if he wants to offer his young fellows a hearty congratulations. Speaking of which - you two must be thirsty. I suppose you’ll both take an ale apiece?