Season 04 - Episode 08

‘he sees instead’

“Ok, La,” says the man in the robes with the long grey beard, sitting on a too small chair. “Tell me again about Ty.”

“Ty's my bestest ever friend,” says the little girl happily. She is sat at the old man's feet in her bedroom, playing with a simple doll as she talks.

“Mm hm,” says the old man slowly. “And where does Ty live?”

“He lives in the walls,” says La, walking the doll back and forth with bouncy, exaggerated steps. “He can go anywhere he likes in there.”

“I see,” says the old man, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “And La, where did Ty come from?”

“From below,” says La simply. “From a long, long, long way down. He climbed and climbed all the way up and now he lives here with us.”

“Alright, La,” says the old man, patting the little girl on the head. “That's all for today. You carry on playing, I'm going to talk with your parents.”

Ty watches through the vent as the old man leaves the room. Once the door closes, he hurries along the shaft to the next vent along where he finds La's parents in the room nextdoor.

La's mother is sitting on a low padded bench, pulling a handkerchief through her fingers while La's father paces back and forth. Both wear elaborate clothes made of great folds of material, richly embroidered and patterned. The door to the room opens and the old man enters grandly, his robes swishing around him. La's parents both stop what they're doing and move together to cling like magnets.

“Well, my lord?” asks La's father. “Is she... is she sick?”

“No, no,” says the old man. “She simply has an imaginary friend, perfectly normal for a girl of her age.”

“But it's been months!” cries La's mother. “She spends all her time in her room, talking into the vent. It can't be healthy.”

“Ah dear lady,” the old man chuckles. “Do try not to worry so. I've seen many a child lose themselves in a fantasy world. It is but a phase, they always grow out of it in the end. No, what concerns me more is the heresy.”

“Heresy?!” the couple gasp together, holding each other more tightly.

“Yes,” says the old man slowly, frowning. “She says this imaginary friend of hers comes from The World Below.”

La's mother swoons. Her husband catches her and lowers her back onto the bench.

“Of course the question is,” says the old man, eyeing the pair coldly. “From where has she picked up this vile and dangerous concept?”

“Well not from us, I assure you!” says La's father, indignant. “Our house has been loyal to Governor Corpo's bloodline since The Renovation!”

“Yes, yes,” says the old man, unconvinced. “I'm sure you have.”

“It'll be that old hag at the market,” rasps La's mother. “She's forever ranting about... that kind of thing. La will have heard her ramblings.”

“Hmm,” says the old man. “Well, be that as it may, I suggest you prevent La from repeating these ideas to anyone else. It could reflect very badly on you all.”

“Of course, my lord,” says La's father bowing deeply. “As you say it, shall it be done.”

The old man leaves again and La's parents hug and weep. Ty retreats from the vent and thinks about what he has heard. He has been in this place for months now and still doesn't understand it at all.

Just then he hears a familiar skittering sound but when he turns it's not his little metal friend with the red light that he sees. Instead it is a larger machine with the same spindly little legs but a squat, black box on its back.

As Ty watches, the little machine approaches then settles beside him. After a second more, a bright light shines out of the box on its back and suddenly a picture so perfect it seems solid appears in the vent before him.

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