Tales From The Village

The pair of steel doors opened and the tall frame of No.14 walked down the ramp. No.2 was sat in his black spherical chair drinking coffee, pictured on the wall screen in his cottage was No.36 who paced the floor of his lounge.

 “Help yourself to coffee 14.” “Thank you sir” and he picked up the silver Georgian coffee pot and poured out the black liquid. 

 “He hasn’t talked.” 

 “No sir” 14 agreed adding two lumps of sugar and milk to his coffee.

 “You told me that everyone talks on the third day.”

 “As a rule” 14 said stirring his coffee. 

 “Then Number 36 is apparently not in accordance with that particular rule, wouldn’t you say?” 

“Yesterday we tried the psychology, the day before that we tried brute force, and the day before that we used 66’s feminine wiles.” 

“And today we give 36 the silent treatment!” 

“How do you mean sir?” 

 “Drink your coffee then I’ll explain.” 

    An hour later No.36 was brought to the Green Dome by two guardians, and seated in a black leather chair. No.2 sat in his chair, and No.14 perched himself on the edge of the grey curved desk, neither of them said a word. 14 was thumbing through a black file while No.2 sat looking at the wall screen, watching citizens enjoying themselves down on the beach. Eventually they turned their attention to No.36, and just stood there looking at him in complete silence. No.36 was beginning to wonder why he had been brought to this purple walled chamber, and why he was being given the silent treatment.

 “What’s the matter with you two today, cat got your tongues?” No.2 and No.14 simply stood there, silent and staring.

 “What’s the matter, aren’t you going to ask me any questions?” Response there came none. 

“Well I can sit here just as quietly as you pair……………….. Alright, ask me something……anything…….. why are you two acting like a pair of brainwashed imbeciles? What do you want to know, I’ll tell you anything you want to know, I can’t be fairer than that can I? First of all there was this file that once crossed my desk by accident…………” No.14 folded his arms “I’m surprised, this technique actually works.”

 “I told you 14, give the subject the silent treatment and he will soon begin to talk, he won’t be able to stop himself.” 

 “Are you two listening to me?” 

 “Yes 36 we’re all ears……..first of all tell us all you know about the projects you know about, the files you have seen, details not just headings…………” 

 

Be seeing you