the ground floor of a department store. It had been turned into a gymnasium, with green rubber flooring. There was basic sports equipment spread around, like goal posts, basketball hoops and cricket stumps. A hand-painted banner hung along the far wall: Welcome to the Ocean of Love .
There were about fifty kids spread over the gym, and based upon the amount of unfashionable footwear, three-quarters were Survivors. Some kids were playing volleyball, others soccer, or cricket in practice nets. A bunch of the youngest kids played a leapfrog game, supervised by older teenagers. The orderliness surprised James, given that there was no obvious adult supervision.
‘Is there anything you’d like to try?’ Ruth asked.
Lauren had her eye on a giant trampoline and headed off with Mary. James spotted a miserable-looking kid in the corner and pointed him out to Ruth.
‘Isn’t that Terry, from our class? I didn’t think he was one of you lot.’
Ruth smiled. ‘Terry’s father goes to one of our therapy groups.’
‘He doesn’t exactly look happy to be here.’
‘He’s a devil,’ Ruth said.
James looked confused. ‘Why do you lot call people devils all the time?’
Ruth smiled again; in fact Ruth seemed to be smiling permanently. ‘We Survivors believe that the world is divided into a battle between angels and devils. Survivors are angels. Anyone who isn’t is a devil.’
‘So, am I a devil?’
‘Not for as long as you have potential to become an angel.’
James shrugged. ‘To be honest, I don’t think I even believe in god.’
‘Then I feel sorry for you,’ Ruth said curtly.
‘Does that make me a devil?’
Ruth shook her head slowly. She was fourteen, the same as James, but she had an authority about her that made her seem far older.
‘James, if you’re interested in our beliefs I can give you a book to read. Maybe you could even speak to one of our counsellors if your mum will let you. But right now, it’s Saturday night, and on Saturday night we invite all of our friends into the community room to play games and have fun. There’s only one rule: everyone has to join in.’
‘What about Terry?’
‘He’s a devil. As far as we’re concerned he’s not here. So what do you want to play?’
James looked around the gym and spotted Lauren bouncing several metres into the air on a giant trampoline. A group of barefoot girls playing volleyball caught his eye. There were a few mingers, but most of them were fit.
Ruth worked out what he was looking at. ‘Volleyball, that’s a really good idea, James.’
They walked over to the girls.
‘This is James, everyone,’ Ruth shouted excitably. ‘This is his first visit to our community.’
All but one of the girls on the court were Survivors and they stopped playing and smiled while they queued up to shake his hand.
‘Have you played volleyball before?’ a pretty redhead called Eve asked.
‘A couple of times,’ James said. ‘Not seriously though.’
‘That’s good,’ Eve said. ‘We’re not serious and you’re only allowed to say positive things on the court.’
‘Eh?’
‘Just follow our lead,’ Eve said, handing James the ball to serve.
James rested the ball in his palm before batting it away. It skimmed limply over the net, making an easy return for the other team.
‘Nice try,’ Eve said, as she backed up and pounded the ball back over the net.
‘Crap,’ James said as his clumsy swipe missed the ball entirely.
Before he knew it there were three girls in front of him,
with Survivors’ smiles on their faces.
‘James,’ Eve said sweetly, wagging a finger under his nose. ‘You’re doing great, but remember you’re only allowed to say positive things.’
Ruth had joined the other team to even up the numbers and was grinning through the net. ‘She’s right James. Negative thoughts are for devils.’
James couldn’t help smiling back at them. ‘You girls are weird,’ he grinned. ‘Wonderfully, positively,
There were about fifty kids spread over the gym, and based upon the amount of unfashionable footwear, three-quarters were Survivors. Some kids were playing volleyball, others soccer, or cricket in practice nets. A bunch of the youngest kids played a leapfrog game, supervised by older teenagers. The orderliness surprised James, given that there was no obvious adult supervision.
‘Is there anything you’d like to try?’ Ruth asked.
Lauren had her eye on a giant trampoline and headed off with Mary. James spotted a miserable-looking kid in the corner and pointed him out to Ruth.
‘Isn’t that Terry, from our class? I didn’t think he was one of you lot.’
Ruth smiled. ‘Terry’s father goes to one of our therapy groups.’
‘He doesn’t exactly look happy to be here.’
‘He’s a devil,’ Ruth said.
James looked confused. ‘Why do you lot call people devils all the time?’
Ruth smiled again; in fact Ruth seemed to be smiling permanently. ‘We Survivors believe that the world is divided into a battle between angels and devils. Survivors are angels. Anyone who isn’t is a devil.’
‘So, am I a devil?’
‘Not for as long as you have potential to become an angel.’
James shrugged. ‘To be honest, I don’t think I even believe in god.’
‘Then I feel sorry for you,’ Ruth said curtly.
‘Does that make me a devil?’
Ruth shook her head slowly. She was fourteen, the same as James, but she had an authority about her that made her seem far older.
‘James, if you’re interested in our beliefs I can give you a book to read. Maybe you could even speak to one of our counsellors if your mum will let you. But right now, it’s Saturday night, and on Saturday night we invite all of our friends into the community room to play games and have fun. There’s only one rule: everyone has to join in.’
‘What about Terry?’
‘He’s a devil. As far as we’re concerned he’s not here. So what do you want to play?’
James looked around the gym and spotted Lauren bouncing several metres into the air on a giant trampoline. A group of barefoot girls playing volleyball caught his eye. There were a few mingers, but most of them were fit.
Ruth worked out what he was looking at. ‘Volleyball, that’s a really good idea, James.’
They walked over to the girls.
‘This is James, everyone,’ Ruth shouted excitably. ‘This is his first visit to our community.’
All but one of the girls on the court were Survivors and they stopped playing and smiled while they queued up to shake his hand.
‘Have you played volleyball before?’ a pretty redhead called Eve asked.
‘A couple of times,’ James said. ‘Not seriously though.’
‘That’s good,’ Eve said. ‘We’re not serious and you’re only allowed to say positive things on the court.’
‘Eh?’
‘Just follow our lead,’ Eve said, handing James the ball to serve.
James rested the ball in his palm before batting it away. It skimmed limply over the net, making an easy return for the other team.
‘Nice try,’ Eve said, as she backed up and pounded the ball back over the net.
‘Crap,’ James said as his clumsy swipe missed the ball entirely.
Before he knew it there were three girls in front of him,
with Survivors’ smiles on their faces.
‘James,’ Eve said sweetly, wagging a finger under his nose. ‘You’re doing great, but remember you’re only allowed to say positive things.’
Ruth had joined the other team to even up the numbers and was grinning through the net. ‘She’s right James. Negative thoughts are for devils.’
James couldn’t help smiling back at them. ‘You girls are weird,’ he grinned. ‘Wonderfully, positively,
Similar Books
