The Owls Who Watch

Chapter 15 - Commotion

A middle-aged woman was standing atop the highest balcony on one of the street's many staircases. People below were listening to her words. No one noticed Kevin, they were all too engrossed in her preachings. The woman began rambling in a tremulous voice, "New people are emerging, do you see them? More people who need to hear the truth. They deserve to hear the truth. And now, with the patrollers gone from this street, they can hear the truth!"

The people in the crowd below, mostly elderly or middle-aged began cheering and fisting the air, "Tell them", one cried, "We need to know how to protect ourselves", another man cried. The woman above pointed at the man and promised she would protect them as best she could. Another lunatic, Kevin realised, thinking on whether he should go indoors. He decided against it. At least this contrasted the monotonous boredom of staring out of fucking windows all day.

"Good people of Arumlily. You have been lied to. You have been manipulated. You have been drugged", the woman continued, cementing Kevin's stay, "The scum who calls themselves escorts, therapists, psychiatrists, guardians, home-helpers, and the rest of them want you dead. Ask yourselves, who funds these people? Were you sent here on genuine terms? Do you really suffer from the illnesses they claim that you have?"
"NO!", many of them cried, "They poisoned us", another cried. All in the crowd were booing. Kevin looked at the staircases to the left, opposite from the rambling woman. All of the young folk were silently observing from their windows or their balconies. Many leaned on their balconies and windowsills with leisure, making it hard to tell whether or not they regarded whatever the woman was saying as even slightly credible.
A younger man with long brown hair and glasses descended from his staircase and called out to the woman. "They killed my neighbour. She was fine when she came here, after me. They told her she had schizophrenia and after that, all she did was scream about gods and aliens. They poisoned her!"

Many more cried out in agreement. "You see, people?", the preacher continued. Refuse their medicine. Refuse their authority. They cannot take all of us down. If they do, there will be another uprising."

Uprising, Kevin considered, I've heard that before. When she spoke that word, the crowd fell silent.

"Fear not, people. They all want to kill us anyway. Would you die a prisoner, or would you fight like a hero? Think of your friends and neighbours they have killed. Remember the lies they tell us. They blame mental illness and The Cavs, but neither exist".
The crowd's spirits were raised again. One man, wrinkled, grey hair, and balding, cried out from the crowd with a thick, Scottish accent.

"This is no haven, people. This is both a prison and an inhumane experiment. Every one of us here knows more than one person who has disappeared. They blame their health. They blame the Cavs, and by extent the victims who escaped from the forest. That is another lie they tell you", he turned around to the younger folk at the balconies, looking at each of them as he spoke, "Us older folk, we've seen their vans. We've seen neighbours and friends taken in the dead of night when we're poisoned with sleeping gas. You all need to be ready too. We have had enough. They're going to kill us and you too, and we all need to defend ourselves in case the worst comes to happen. In case they kidnap us in the dead of night and take us to gods know where".

By the end of his argument, a couple from the crowd had fled back to their homes. The woman from atop the balcony had already fled to her home. Patrollers soon marched into the street, guns and tasers at the ready.

"Against the wall!", one cried. Many tried to flee until a patroller grabbed them, or tased them. Before Kevin could enter his flat, many were screaming. A patroller was chasing him.

"Stay there, don't move", the patroller cried, the flickering lights from above reflected on his dark helmet and illuminated his grey suit. Kevin nodded in surrender, and began to explain himself, but found himself speechless when he gazed over to the crowd. Many were on the floor with hands on their heads. Patrollers were beating many of them. Some fought back, and those that did were shot in the head. Most of them screamed.

"You killed him!", an elderly woman wailed, "You killed him". She got on her knees and sobbed over a dead man until a patroller dragged her away and placed her in chains, knocking her out to silence the screams. Only a couple were killed. Those that survived were cuffed. Reinforcements arrived to take the people away. Terror struck Kevin. He would be next.

"I thought I was meant to be outside. I only just left", he explained, "They were crazy, rambling about killing their therapists. Gods. I should have stayed at home".
While he couldn't see the patrollers face or eyes, Kevin could feel him being gazed over. He tried to look as confused as possible, as to not let the patroller suspect he took the preaching to heart.

"Open your door", the patroller commanded in an English accent. Kevin did as he was bid and immediately stepped inside.

"You stay in there, boy. Whatever you heard was a lie. If you go spreading rumours I will take you home with me".

What the fuck? Kevin nodded, trying to conceal his shock with a look of understanding. Anyone can tell everyone what happened, and I'd get the blame? "I understand. But, there were lots of people at their windows. I didn't see them but I wasn't the only—"
"I told you, boy. Keep your fucking mouth shut. The rest will be told the same."