The Interviews

 

Interviewer: When did it first happened? What do you remember?

Farer: So long ago Interviewer, that was before the erosions, the eradications-

 Interviewer:-yes we are aware Farer. Just tell me what you know. Some were still left.

(Farer rubs the scar above his ear with the heel of his palm, as if to release or dislodge the memory.)

Interviewer: You look confused Farer. Don’t let the Visions speak.

Farer: I…I… ( hangs head) I remember a Youngling. Yes a Youngling was out. She hadn’t yet seen or been seen. Her eyes were big, yellow.

(Interviewer leans forward, cranks the dial clockwise to digit fifty)

Interviewer: Yes (he zooms in on Farer’s face turning it to fuzzy flickering black and white flecks until Farer’s eye fills the whole screen) Go on Farer, what else?

Farer: (grips onto the cold metal arms and leans his head back on the silver headrest) She had-

Interviewer: Open your eyes Farer, you know the rules.

(Farer blinks then wipes his eyes on the roughness of his sleeve)

Interviewer: (sees a fleck of tarnished gold in the black of Farer’s eyes) That will be all Farer (pushes back his chair, then runs across the rubber floor to unbolt his door.)

 

*

Do you remember?

No. Not before.

I do, she whispered, it changed colour.

Colour?..What do you mean?

Burnt orange, pink, violet, and blue, she sighed.

You’re lying.

No. No. It’s been left in here, she said, tapping the side of her head. They left one.

They’ll find out.

Don’t care.

Do.

Don’t.

Do.

Look I don’t- it’s all I have. Please don’t tell them.

Draw me it and I’ll not tell, he said.

She looked over each shoulder, raised her finger up in the darkness and started to paint.

 

* 

Farer raised the chain. He heaved each rusty link with his large square hands. Lifters hands his mother had said like it was a good thing. He puffed out long laboured breaths then sucked in sharply until he felt the weight at the end of it. He gritted his teeth then pulled it up over the side where it crashed down onto the slippery floor. The horn blew. It was time. 

 

*

You don’t see it do you?

What?

The Light.

No. I used to think I could see tiny dots. But only more darkness came.

There’s still some left Farer. Use the Vis-

-No. No. I can’t. They will know.

How?

My eyes.

 

*

Interviewer: Let’s start again Farer. What do you know about Solas?

Farer: Who?

Interviewer: Solas. You remember. It’s on record.

Farer: (A metal like pain gripped the side of his head) what do you want to know, I told you everything?

Interviewer: No Farer. We found something you never documented.

Farer: I told you where she kept them. (Farer winces)

Interviewer: You’re lying. You know what happens (he leans forwards expanding Farer’s eye) There it is. No doubt about it this time, he mutters to himself. (He grabs Farer’s file and stamps RE-ERASE)