A seedling of a plan was growing in my mind. Of course, we needed to know what TLEU (ATA) was up to. Try as I might, Tree wouldn’t tell me.
The Ents were after me constantly. “Did Tree say anything?”
“What’s TLEU (ATA) up to now?”
“Evil, they’re just pure evil.”
“I am not some Wi-Fi router that I can just connect to their network, guys,” I said, but they kept badgering me. I was scared to tell them that I suspected Tree was weakening. I was scared to even say that out loud.
So, for the last few days, every time during break, I would rush to Tree and hold them, telling the Very Cool and Hip People that I needed to go to the bathroom. At last, after spending an entire lunch break pleading with Tree, I sunk into their memory, but this time around, it wasn’t a boardroom.
“This is highly abnormal.” Uncle no. 54 pushed his sweatshirt sleeves up as he addressed TLEU (ATA). They were meeting at a jogger’s park. “Look, I am telling you, our reports tell us that the kids are up to something.”
“Listen, kids are stupid—their brains are not fully formed,” Uncle no. 14 said. “That’s why they go to school, to learn things. They’re up to nothing good only. All they do is create mischief and break windows. The other day, this brat was playing cricket in the park and her ball came . . .”
“Wow, they still play cricket?” Aunty no. 2 said. “That too outside?”
“Are you sure it wasn’t a USB stick or, you know, a console?” Uncle no. 65 asked.
“It was a ball—I recognize cricket balls,” Uncle no. 14 said. “How do you chase after a console?”
Everyone in the park fell silent.
Uncle no. 14 cleared his throat. “So, where was I?”
“Your cricket ball.”
“Not mine. That brat’s. Anyway, that’s not the point, is it? It’s just that children should not be allowed to play in parks where people go for walks.”
“I think we were talking about the tree actually.”
“Yes, yes, I was getting to it. Stop interrupting me,” he harrumphed. “Yes, the tree. Work starts in two weeks on felling the tree.”
“Yes, but isn’t it strange that there have been no protests, no noise on social media, nothing?” It was Uncle no. 34. He looked bewildered.
“Is it really? Who would dare? Who would also remember to . . . ?”
Everyone burst out laughing. Hooo hooo, haaaa haaaa, heeee heeee. They raised their hands and wriggled them in the air.
That was true. Over the last many years TLEU (ATA)’s nieces and nephews and their cousins had slowly taken over news companies, websites, and social media sites. They’d also taken over malls and media companies and ad agencies and publishing houses—all sound investments—which meant that now the only news and stories that got out were the ones they wanted out. Like how felling this tree was good for Progress. There were movies being made about this and a web series, even documentary films. Social media influencers were peddling this amazing story to their thousands and millions of followers.
“So what is the problem?” asked Aunty no. 1, who had dialed in via video call.
“Those kids,” Uncle no. 34 said. “They are making no noise in the school. I get the feeling that something is afoot.”
“They’ve been distracted,” Uncle no. 54 said rather smugly. “Told you, it was like taking candies from a baby. Well done, us.”
I came back to the real world with a jolt and rushed to the canteen. I was torn between immediately telling the Ents what I had heard and not raising the hackles of my other friends. Already Toffee was offering me a range of digestive supplements. The Very Cool and Hip People it was. The Ents could wait until after class. I did not want more fancy Gelusil being thrust in my face.