Children of the uprising
Chapter two- Geth
Begw woke, shivering. Her hair was dripping wet, and her clothes were soaked through. After escaping from the institute, she had found herself a corner in between a phone box and the wall, where she had curled up to sleep. To tire to think even, she had slipped on her dress and coat on over her nightgown, and curled up like a stray kitten.
Three hours later, she awoke to the sounds of the city stirring. As she rubbed her numb legs, trying to get some feeling back into her limbs, she considered for the first time her future. In the immediate future- preferably that morning, she would need food, and something warm. In the long term- before nightfall, hopefully, she would need to find shelter.
Slowly, she got to her feet, and edged out from behind the phone booth. She stood, shivering for a moment, before sneezing loudly. A passer-by glanced at her scornfully, and tossed her a copper coin. She grabbed it gratefully, but before she could slip it into her pocket, a large hand grabbed hers, and forced it open. She looked up. A tall, muscular youth, with dark, greasy hair, and a pierced eyebrow stared down at her.
“Wat y’a doing on my patch, y’a skiv?” He said glaring down at her, in Irisian. “Go find ya’r own spot!”
“Who are you, the king? You don’t own the place!”
“Shut u, Y’a skiv. I told you to get lost, so get your arse out of ‘ere!”
“Shut up your self, y’a shik!”
Just then, a large fist came crashing into her face, and there was darkness.
* * * * *
Begw woke with a thundering head-ace. She didn’t bother opening her eyes, and just listened. She happened to be listening to an argument between to people, their identities as yet unknown.
“Look, I felt sorry for ‘er, is all. Her face is on posters all over town already, she deserves a chance, without me punchin’ ‘er face in!” said a familiar voice, in Galanean
“She’s a criminal Geth, she ‘alf killed that woman. Wat y’a doing bringing ‘er ‘ear. She’ll jus get us all in trouble”
“We’ll get ‘er out of ‘ere when she comes-to, she can fend for herself after that, but personally, I don’t blame her for punching that woman. We all know how foul those witches can be…..”
“Well then, you can get ‘er out of ‘ere right now, ‘caus she’s awake”
Begw opened her eyes. She was in a small room, and from the damp running down the wall’s she guessed that it was under ground. The two speakers had been the boy from the phone box, who she now knew was called Geth, and a young girl, around sixteen.
“So she is.” Said Geth. “Wat’s y’a name skiv?” he said, pointing the question to Begw.
Seeing no point in doing otherwise, she answered truthfully “Begw”
“ You got’s any other names, or just Begw?”
“Begw erch Llywelyn”
“So your family’s one of the old ones then. Dangerous to be an ap or erch anythin’ these day’s. So how come you ended up bein' behind that phone box t’day?”
“Geth!” said the girl “You said that she would be going once she got to!”
“Oh shut up Cennin, at least let’s hear her side of the story first.”
“Why’s it now y’a decide to find a conscience?”
“Look, just shut up all right?” he turned to Begw “ Come on skiv, tell me, and no lyin’, right?”
“Why should I tell you anythin’?” asked Begw, glaring at him. “All I know about you is that you ‘alf killed me out there, on for all I know, it’s finishin’ the job what your intendin’ on dowin’ next?!”
“I’ll tell you why you’re going to tell me! Caus right now, there’s a warrant out for your arrest, on charges of criminal damage and grievous bodily ‘arm. And right now, I’m the only thing standing between you, and the police. Now start talking.”
Begw sat, dumfounded. A warrant for her arrest? That was not something she had been counting on. She supposed she should have seen it coming. You didn’t attack a matron, and destroy the doors of the institute and get away with it! But GBH, that was a bit much!
Suddenly, a loud crashing noise came from above. Screams echoed, and gunfire could be heard. Geth, and the girl, Cennin, got to their feet, their faces panic stricken.
“They ‘ve found us!” yelled Cennin, above the gunfire. “It’s all your falt! She screamed, aiming a slap for his face.
“ Shut up and follow me, the two of you!” he said, walking towards the wall opposite the door. Just then footsteps could be heard outside. Geth pressed a panel on the wall, and tappen a sequence onto an invisible key board. The panel swung open, and he ushered all of them through. As the panel closed, Begw could hear someone forcing the door open, but by then they were safely behind the panel door, and hurrying along a dark, damp corridor.
Three hours later, she awoke to the sounds of the city stirring. As she rubbed her numb legs, trying to get some feeling back into her limbs, she considered for the first time her future. In the immediate future- preferably that morning, she would need food, and something warm. In the long term- before nightfall, hopefully, she would need to find shelter.
Slowly, she got to her feet, and edged out from behind the phone booth. She stood, shivering for a moment, before sneezing loudly. A passer-by glanced at her scornfully, and tossed her a copper coin. She grabbed it gratefully, but before she could slip it into her pocket, a large hand grabbed hers, and forced it open. She looked up. A tall, muscular youth, with dark, greasy hair, and a pierced eyebrow stared down at her.
“Wat y’a doing on my patch, y’a skiv?” He said glaring down at her, in Irisian. “Go find ya’r own spot!”
“Who are you, the king? You don’t own the place!”
“Shut u, Y’a skiv. I told you to get lost, so get your arse out of ‘ere!”
“Shut up your self, y’a shik!”
Just then, a large fist came crashing into her face, and there was darkness.
* * * * *
Begw woke with a thundering head-ace. She didn’t bother opening her eyes, and just listened. She happened to be listening to an argument between to people, their identities as yet unknown.
“Look, I felt sorry for ‘er, is all. Her face is on posters all over town already, she deserves a chance, without me punchin’ ‘er face in!” said a familiar voice, in Galanean
“She’s a criminal Geth, she ‘alf killed that woman. Wat y’a doing bringing ‘er ‘ear. She’ll jus get us all in trouble”
“We’ll get ‘er out of ‘ere when she comes-to, she can fend for herself after that, but personally, I don’t blame her for punching that woman. We all know how foul those witches can be…..”
“Well then, you can get ‘er out of ‘ere right now, ‘caus she’s awake”
Begw opened her eyes. She was in a small room, and from the damp running down the wall’s she guessed that it was under ground. The two speakers had been the boy from the phone box, who she now knew was called Geth, and a young girl, around sixteen.
“So she is.” Said Geth. “Wat’s y’a name skiv?” he said, pointing the question to Begw.
Seeing no point in doing otherwise, she answered truthfully “Begw”
“ You got’s any other names, or just Begw?”
“Begw erch Llywelyn”
“So your family’s one of the old ones then. Dangerous to be an ap or erch anythin’ these day’s. So how come you ended up bein' behind that phone box t’day?”
“Geth!” said the girl “You said that she would be going once she got to!”
“Oh shut up Cennin, at least let’s hear her side of the story first.”
“Why’s it now y’a decide to find a conscience?”
“Look, just shut up all right?” he turned to Begw “ Come on skiv, tell me, and no lyin’, right?”
“Why should I tell you anythin’?” asked Begw, glaring at him. “All I know about you is that you ‘alf killed me out there, on for all I know, it’s finishin’ the job what your intendin’ on dowin’ next?!”
“I’ll tell you why you’re going to tell me! Caus right now, there’s a warrant out for your arrest, on charges of criminal damage and grievous bodily ‘arm. And right now, I’m the only thing standing between you, and the police. Now start talking.”
Begw sat, dumfounded. A warrant for her arrest? That was not something she had been counting on. She supposed she should have seen it coming. You didn’t attack a matron, and destroy the doors of the institute and get away with it! But GBH, that was a bit much!
Suddenly, a loud crashing noise came from above. Screams echoed, and gunfire could be heard. Geth, and the girl, Cennin, got to their feet, their faces panic stricken.
“They ‘ve found us!” yelled Cennin, above the gunfire. “It’s all your falt! She screamed, aiming a slap for his face.
“ Shut up and follow me, the two of you!” he said, walking towards the wall opposite the door. Just then footsteps could be heard outside. Geth pressed a panel on the wall, and tappen a sequence onto an invisible key board. The panel swung open, and he ushered all of them through. As the panel closed, Begw could hear someone forcing the door open, but by then they were safely behind the panel door, and hurrying along a dark, damp corridor.