Season 04 - Episode 16

‘home you know’

Iz is out on The Scapes.

She is looking to trade for a few things to improve her shack. The platforms below her new home, are seething with people and initially she enjoys being back in amongst all the stink and shoving.

Then, at a nearby trading table, she sees a young woman staring at her, starstruck and paralysed. Iz frowns and ignores her but as she inspects the table, others begin to stare too. Everyone is watching her now, grinning and nodding and nudging excitedly, daring one another to talk to her.

The trader at the table welcomes her loudly, beaming with pride and making a show of pretending she's a regular, even though she's never seen him before in her life. When he tells her she can take any single item she wants for free however, her patience snaps.

Turning on her heel, she begins to shove her way back through the crowd and that's when the dam bursts. Hands all over her shoulders and back, patting and stroking. Dozens of voices all in her ears, thanking her and praising her, asking her to help or listen.

By the time she loses them she is almost home, having to climb the clanging metal steps two at a time to outpace the mob. As she steps up onto her topmost platform however, she groans at the sight of three people waiting for her up ahead by her shack.

They see her coming and form a line across the platform, chests puffed out, sweaty hands wringing. There's a stocky little man and a tall thin man and a woman who's somewhere in the middle.

“Get out of my way,” says Iz, stopping before the three and glaring at each in turn.

“Firstly,” says the tall man, clearing his throat. “We just want to say what an honour..”

“Go. Away.” says Iz harshly then shoves through them and walks to her door.

“Please!” cries the woman after her. “Please help us.”

Iz stops and curses but doesn't go inside. Instead she turns back to face them.

“What?” she says.

“They're coming,” says the woman, her voice trembling. “GovCo have designated these Scapes as a hotbed of Church sleeper cells. The EnFo's are going to attack any day now.”

“So?” Iz snaps. “What do you want me to do about it?”

“Tell us what to do!” the little man blurts out.

“Yes,” agrees the tall man. “Lead us, please! It's our only hope.”

“Who do you lot think I am?” says Iz, shaking her head and folding her arms. “I don't care about you. I don't care about anyone. I just look after myself. You should do the same.”

“But we can't possibly fight them,” the woman moans, crying openly now.

“She's right,” says the little man. “They're too strong. We're too weak.”

“You sound like Inners,” says Iz, disgusted. “They all think we're stupid and hopeless. That's why they're so easy to trick.”

“What do you mean?” asks the tall man.

“They never expect us to think or plan,” Iz explains. “And they think flat.”

“Flat?” asks the woman, confused.

“Yes, flat!” Iz snaps. “Their whole world, inside The Levels, it's all just left and right, forwards and backwards. We're the only ones who think about up and down.”

“So...” says the short man uncertainly. “We trick them by thinking about up and down?”

“Do whatever you want!” cries Iz, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. “It's not hard! Block off a few doors to funnel them to where you want them. Draw them in with decoys. Drop stuff on them. Drop them off the edge. This is your home! You know it better them they do so just use it, that's all!”

The three huddle together and whisper excitedly before breaking back out to face her.

“Thank you,” the little man gushes, tears in his eyes. “I can't tell you how much this..”

“Whatever,” says Iz, waving away his speech. “If you want to thank me, you can leave me alone. All of you. Forever.”

The three nod stupidly and in unison, each struck dumb.

“Good,” says Iz. “Now piss off!”

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