Milo Moon: It Never Happened (11 page)

Michael started at A sector, and Anne at G sector, and worked towards each other looking for any pattern that could indicate where there may be unmapped ducts.

‘This may be a silly idea, but maybe fresh air comes in one end, and then it goes out the other,’ Mary chimed in, while they were all concentrating on the maps.

‘No. Not a silly idea at all, Mary,’ Milo replied. ‘Maybe a bit of a guess, but the fresh air must be pumped or pushed, so that would have to come from a supply system. Maybe this CERN place. But the used air must be sent out an exhaust. Away from the supply system.’

‘Away from whatever is above us?’ Anne reasoned.

‘I think you have something, Milo,’ Michael joined in. ‘We’ve been thinking about getting to what is above us. Whoever they are, probably wouldn’t be too welcoming if we just popped up there and said hello.’

‘I think George made it clear that we were controlled from above. So, I’m sure they wouldn’t be happy about that,’ Milo said.

‘The exhaust would have to be some distance away from any structure, otherwise it would contaminate the fresh supply,’ Anne said, as she continued studying the maps.

‘Wouldn’t it be logical for A to be the beginning and G the end?’ Mary asked, but with little conviction about her logic.

‘We’ve been missing the obvious! You might be right, Mary,’ Michael said. ‘George mentioned the collapse he witnessed was at the edge of Sootere, plus this recent one was also. The deeper a structure, the less chance there is of a collapse from above. So, just perhaps we’re closer to the surface than we think. So if G sector is the exhaust, there must be at least one duct leading out of the system.’

‘But how do we find it?’ Anne asked. ‘There’s nothing on the maps to tell us.’

Milo pulled a hair from Anne’s head.

‘Ouch!’

‘Sorry!’ Milo said, as he held the single hair and watched it move with the small amount of air circulation in the duct. ‘The air goes out that way, I think.’

‘Agreed?’ Michael asked, and Anne and Mary nodded their approval of Milo’s simple logic.

‘It might be some way, so we’d better get all our supplies first.’

‘Yes.’ Anne agreed, and they walked back to collect their food and supplies.

Within an hour and a half, Michael and Anne were following a duct line that was now not on their maps. It was hard going, as the duct was rising slightly and it made it difficult to walk on the slippery metal. Then they faced a choice.

‘Left or right?’ Anne asked, as they reached a junction in the duct. Either way, the duct narrowed and would mean crawling on all fours.

‘Ouch!’

‘Sorry Anne,’ Michael said, as he pulled another hair from Anne’s head.

‘I wish you would stop doing that! I’ll be bald soon.’

‘Well, my hair’s too short to be of any use.’

‘Just get on with it.’

Michael held up the hair at the junction. It was fluttering and pointing towards the two directions, but after watching it for nearly a minute it was noticeable that it fluttered right far more often.

‘Right?’

‘Fifty-fifty chance I suppose,’ Anne said, and made her way towards the right hand duct. ‘Follow me then.’

Now on all fours, crawling in a narrow duct that was more like a small square tube, it was very slow progress. With a slippery surface, and nothing firm to grab, it was hard work and both needed to rest every ten minutes or so.

‘Do you feel that, Anne?’

‘Yes. The air current is slightly stronger.’

‘I don’t think I need anymore of your hair to check.’

‘That’s a relief.’

‘Okay, let’s keep moving.’

The duct’s upward angle increased and they had to brace themselves with their feet to gain any traction and use both hands against the walls to force themselves forward.

‘Are you all right, Anne?’

‘Yes,’ Anne said, breathing heavily. ‘I’m fine.’

The perspiration on Michael’s hands was making it more difficult to gain traction. He wiped them on his trousers before every push forward. He could hear Anne grunting with the effort of moving forward. Both wondering how far, how long and would it lead anywhere? There was no way to stop and rest, as they had to brace themselves against the incline, just to stay still.

‘I’m not sure how much longer I can keep going, Michael.’

‘Yes, I know,’ Michael said, almost breathlessly.

Anne pushed on, slowly. Grunting louder with every move that only produced a forward movement of a few inches. Michael keeping the same pace, but knowing they were running low on energy.

‘There’s something ahead!’ Anne said, excitedly and almost lost her traction.

‘What is it?’

‘There’s dim light and it looks like a level junction area.’

Although only a short distance, it took another thirty minutes of grunting and extreme physical effort to reach the junction, and a small level area just large enough for the two of them to lie flat and recover from their physical exertion. Both feeling their chests rise and fall as they struggled to regain their breath. It took a few minutes before they could even find the energy to drink some water. They stayed quiet, as the strain of climbing the inclined duct had sapped so much of their energy, it was difficult to even speak.

Michael sat up first and looked at the two possibilities. One duct was circular, reasonably large in diameter and looked level, while the second was smaller, square and on an upward incline. The air current was definitely heading up the smaller duct with more force and there was a hint of light penetrating down the duct.

‘I’ll be back in a minute, Anne. I think the smaller duct is the way to go, but I just want to see if this larger duct leads anywhere first.’

‘Okay. But don’t waste all your energy. I think we’ve still got a long way to go.’

The duct was large enough for Michael to make rapid progress by crawling on his hands and knees. Within ten minutes he reached the grill face at the end of the duct. He recognised what he saw, and turned to return to Anne.

‘I found it Anne!’

‘Found what?’

‘The large machine. It’s a huge tunnel area with a large sort of pipe running through the centre of it. Lots of electrical equipment and pipes and cables running around the walls of the tunnel.’

‘So we’ve made it up one level. The next is this CERN thing.’

‘Well hopefully, outside this CERN thing,’ Milo interjected.

‘Me too,’ Mary replied.

There was no debate. The duct to the machine would take them nowhere, or worse, an unfriendly welcome, so they decided to prepare themselves for another physically demanding climb by resting, eating a little and getting enough water back into their system. After two hours, they felt they were ready.

Even though the duct was smaller that the one before, it wasn’t as steep an incline and with the benefit of a little light seeping in, there was no need to hold torches any more. That gave them easier movement, as both their hands were free to push their bodies upward. Michael was leading this time, and tried to temper himself not to rush, as it was still physically draining to make progress.

‘How are you doing there, Anne?’

‘Oh, I’m fine,’ she relied, but noticeably breathing hard. ‘Anything interesting up ahead?’

‘No, nothing yet. Sorry.’

‘Well, it’s probably a better view than I have right now.’

‘Yes, well not my best angle, Anne.’

‘You’re right about that!’

Both tried to have a small laugh, but it was weakened by their lack of energy. They grit their teeth and pushed forward on what seemed like a never-ending tunnel of aluminium.

‘There’s a turn to the right coming up.’

‘Okay.’

It was a sharp ninety-degree turn in the duct and Michael had to squeeze his body through the restricted area created by the junction. There was so little space; he had to push his sack in front of himself and breath in deeply to get his torso to follow his head and shoulders. At first he felt he was stuck and with nothing for his hands to grab, he couldn’t pull his body through the space. Anne waited patiently and silently as she watched Michael struggling to free himself. He turned his body slightly to his right and breathed out fully then pushed against the walls of the duct with his feet. He made a few inches of progress. After five more pushes he finally got his chest around the turn and could then use his hands to pull his body forward. Exhausted from his efforts, he breathed hard, but was pleased to notice that the duct was now level and he could see light ahead.

Anne wriggled her body through the turn a little easier than Michael, and had the added luxury of having Michael’s foot to grab hold of, and as he pulled his leg forward, she got a little extra help as she navigated the sharp turn.

‘Are you all right, Michael?’

‘Yes. Fine,’ Michael replied, but he was breathing very hard. ‘I just need a minute or two to catch my breath.’

‘Right. No problem. Only when you’re ready.’

Once Michael started forward again, the going was much easier as there was no incline. It was still a small space to move in, but the light ahead kept them moving forward with hope. After a little over an hour of inching forward Michael thought he heard a faint noise ahead.

‘Do you hear something, Anne?’ Michael asked, as they both stopped and listened.

‘No. I don’t think so.’

They started moving forward again and after another ten minutes they could both hear the noise.

‘It sounds like a motor.’

‘Something like that. I don’t think it’s too far now. The light is getting brighter.’

‘Okay.’

Finally the end was in sight.

‘Only another few feet, Anne. I can see the junction. It’s large and the light is coming from above it.’

‘Right behind you.’

Michael popped his head out of the duct into the junction and immediately saw where the noise was coming from. The floor of the junction was a steel grate covering a large fan about ten feet in diameter that was spinning and forcing air upward. He recognised it immediately as an exhaust fan that was helping circulate the exhaust air towards its exit point. As he got the rest of his body into the junction area he looked up and saw a round vertical shaft above him with light streaming down. There were small metal hoops going up one side of the shaft forming a ladder. Anne followed, and they both looked at the next stage of their climb from Sootere.

As there was still a long climb ahead of them, they again rested a little, but the forced air from the fan was becoming uncomfortable.

‘Ready Anne?’

‘Yes. I suppose so. It’s just what’s at the top that I’m not sure I’m ready for.’

‘We’ll all find out soon enough,’ Milo piped up. ‘You okay Mary?’

‘Thanks, Milo. I’m fine.’

Chapter 11 - Day Break

‘Can you hold this while I try and turn from the top?’ Michael asked Anne, as he tried to unfasten the bolts that held the grill cover in place. He had forced his right hand through the grill that had obviously been bolted in place from the outside. Anne held a wrench around the nut under the grill, while Michael turned the bolt from the outside of the grill. They continued with the other seven retaining bolts.

‘They look like three quarter inch hex bolts. Never saw them that big at work,’ Milo said.

‘Very informative Milo. Thanks,’ Michael said, as he tried to release the bolts.

‘Nickel coated too. Made to last.’

‘You know a lot about these things, Milo,’ Mary said.

‘Thank you, Mary.’

‘Oh no. I was wrong. They’re metric,’ Milo said, on inspection of a bolt Michael had removed.

‘You’re really so smart, Milo,’ Mary said.

‘You are too, Mary.’

‘Okay, enough you two,’ Anne snapped. ‘Let’s keep our mind on what we’re doing.’

The grill cover was vertical and the shape of the cement walls around them formed a curved top and back with flat walls on either side. The grill was a few feet above the ground that they could see below them. As they worked away at the remaining bolts, they were both looking at what they could see, but had no words for. Fields, grass, trees, birds, sky, clouds, mountains, roads and sunlight. They didn’t know that they were experiencing their first ever, real morning. A beautiful autumn morning in the Geneva countryside.

With the last bolt finally removed, Michael gave the grill a hefty shove with his shoulder. It moved a little and he needed to give it two more hard shoves before it dropped to the ground. They manoeuvred themselves through the opening, dropped to the ground, and stood in front of the shaft opening, and looking around at a new world.

‘Better get that grill back on. Don’t want to leave too many signs for anyone to follow us,’ Milo suggested, and Michael and Anne immediately went about putting the grill back in place.

‘Now what?’ Mary asked.

‘Good question,’ Michael replied.

‘And the answer?’ Anne asked.

‘Start walking I suppose,’ was Milo’s considered wisdom.

‘Look. Over there!’ Anne half shrieked.

They all turned and looked. Not far behind the exhaust shaft was a large and very long blue sign.

‘CERN - Aimant Dipôle - Superconductor - LHC’

‘What’s that big brown ball?’ Mary asked.

‘No idea, but I think the opposite direction might be a better thought,’ Milo warned.

The exhaust shaft they had exited from was located in a field bordered by small roads on three sides and on one side by a major highway; Route de Meyrin. They looked in both directions, and decided that the direction away from the big brown ball and CERN sign was their preferred choice. They were not to know that they were heading towards Geneva. If they had chosen the opposite direction, they would have arrived at the French border within a short distance. They passed a large square blue road sign on their left that read,

‘CERN ENTREE A - PARKING GLOBE’

With an arrow indication to turn right. They didn’t, and kept walking directly ahead on Route de Meyrin. After only ten minutes of walking, they saw another sign that gave them their first choice to make. Left to Meyrin Village. Straight ahead was indicated by a big red circle, and right, something indicated with a big ‘H’ and also something called Genève. After a while, they decided to keep following the same road straight ahead.

Another half an hour of walking saw them pass a green sign on their right saying, ‘FRANCE’, but they didn’t turn. They stopped to drink some water from their sacks and realised that their supply was nearly gone. There was no food left either. They kept walking ahead still not knowing what they were looking for.

Large and noisy cars were crowding Route de Meyrin in both directions. Tall buildings on either sides of the road were bigger than anything they had ever seen. Above them was blue with white fluffy things seemingly floating high above them. A strong light was beaming down on them, and so strong that they couldn’t look at it. There were large vehicles carrying many people. Huge vehicles carrying cargo roared passed them making a noise so loud it hurt their ears. They walked on the part of the road where they noticed other people were walking, and were very happy that the cars did not use it too.

Another sign.
‘Lausanne - Aéroport
’, but the road ahead still looked more inviting.

‘Have you noticed all these little red circular signs saying fifty?’

‘Yes, there’s been a lot of them. Don’t know what they mean though,’ Anne replied.

‘Are you doing all right, Anne?’

‘Fine, Michael.’

They continued walking. Luckily they came across a small stone fountain on the roadside, and they drank to quench their thirst and refill their containers. As they passed by the buildings that were now lining both sides of the road, they could smell food from time to time. Although hungry, they didn’t really know what to do or how to ask, so they kept going forward.

‘Avez-vous l’heure Monsieur?’ a man passing in the street asked Michael. He didn’t understand what the man said and had never heard such strange words.

‘I’m sorry, I don’t understand.’

‘Vous-êtes anglais?’

‘I’m very sorry. I don’t….’

‘Are you English?’ the man asked in heavily French accented English.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘C’est pas grave Monsieur. Bonne journée,’ the man said, and continued on his way.

‘Did you understand, Anne?’

‘No. It’s a very strange sound.’

‘The road has change names,’ Milo commented. ‘The sign up there says Rue de la Servette.’

‘Do we keep going then?’ Anne asked.

All agreed to continue on, occasionally being spoken to by passers by but not understanding anything. There were many more people around them now, and it was becoming difficult to walk on the small roadside path that was narrower than before. Both Anne and Michael excused themselves when they bumped into people coming towards them and kept an eye on those behind them. They had been walking for more than two hours, and were hot, and feeling burnt by the light that was shining down from the blue above them. Taking a rest in the shade of a building, Anne saw a display of sandwiches, rolls and fruit, and noticed that people were taking what they wanted. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand what was being said, or what it meant when the people exchanged pieces of paper and small pieces of metal.

‘I’m hungry.’

‘Me too,’ Michael replied, and after observing other people for a short while, they also selected some items and promptly sat down at a small table on the roadside and ate their food. They continued to eat while a woman shouted at them in the same strange sounds that they had been hearing all morning. They finished the sandwiches they had taken at first, and then still hungry, went back to select some more, plus two bottles of something that Anne had noticed were popular with other people. All the while, the woman was shouting at them, and shouting to another woman inside. When they returned and started on their second servings, the screaming woman had gone back inside, so they ate their food in peace.

‘What do we do now?’ Anne asked.

‘A rest here for a little while won’t hurt. My legs are very tired,’ Michael said.

‘Well, one thing is for sure. George was right. We do look just like these humans. But he didn’t say anything about the strange sounds they make,’ Milo added. ‘I think we need to find someone who we can understand.’

‘You’re right Milo. But how do we do that?’ Mary asked.

‘I’ve noticed that I understand some of the signs we have passed,’ Milo said. ‘So I’m presuming that there are people who will understand us. Maybe we should start asking people if they understand us until we find one who does.’

‘Well, after a short rest here, we’ll try. Okay?’ Michael asked, and all seemed to agree that Milo’s idea was worth pursuing.

‘What do you think that means?’ Anne asked, as she pointed to a sign that read;

‘Gare Cornavin - 200 meters’

‘No idea, Anne,’ Milo replied.

The rest was doing them good after the physical exertion of climbing through the ducts and walking all morning. While keen to move on, the comfort offered by the chairs was so welcomed by their legs that they remained long enough to meet the results of the woman’s earlier screaming.

‘Votre nom Monsieur?’ a man in a uniform, accompanied by a woman in a similar uniform said.

‘I’m sorry, I don’t understand,’ Michael said, for what he thought must have been the fiftieth time.

‘What is your name sir?’ the uniformed woman asked.

‘Oh, I’m so glad someone understands me. My name is Michael. Michael Fischer.’

‘And you madam?’

‘Anne Drayford. Nice to meet you. What’s your name?’ Anne asked innocently.

‘I am Police Officer Marie Dupont, and my colleague is Police Officer Marc Renoir. He doesn’t speak English very well though.’

‘Well very nice to meet you,’ Michael said, enthusiastically as he was very pleased to finally meet someone he could understand.

‘We were called because the owner of the shop said you didn’t pay for your food,’ Officer Dupont stated.

‘What is pay?’ Michael asked.

‘Money, Monsieur.’

‘No, I’m Michael,’ he corrected Officer Dupont.

‘Can I see your identification please?’

‘What?’

‘Your identity card or passport.’

‘I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean,’ Anne answered in all honesty.

‘You must have some kind of identification, surely,’ an exasperated Office Dupont said, now becoming a little annoyed.

‘Only this,’ Michael said as he pulled up his right sleeve to reveal
‘M41-6779-78-gamma-13.bod’
branded along the length of his forearm. Anne took the cue to reveal hers as well for Officer Dupont.
‘F47-7876-81-beta-15.bod’.