The Changes

Nicky and her parents are at home. It is late but Nicky is trying to finish her English homework as she has a test the very next morning. For some reason her head feels as though it has a block and she has difficulty concentrating. Her mum and dad feel the same way but blame it on the unusual weather they have been having. The television is on in the background and a news reader tells of strange weather all over the country. Suddenly without warning a loud grinding like noise is heard and Nicky's dad picks up a floor standing ashtray and starts smashing up the television. The family then turn on anything with power running through it and gather all lamps, toasters, etc. into the middle of the kitchen floor and starts destroying them. Outside a state of anarchy seems to be ruling. Buildings are being destroyed and set on fire and vehicles are smashed. The next morning Nicky is adamant that she is going to school to sit the English tests. Her mother forbids it, as she is worried about dad as he left a short while ago to see if he could find out what was happening and has not yet returned. Nicky storms off to her bedroom annoyed that she cannot go to school. Half way up the stairs though she makes a quick break for the door, grabs her coat and heads off through the streets. Everywhere, machines and being smashed and fires are lit. No one seems to notice her as they are all too busy destroying technology. She eventually arrives at school only to find a notice on the gate stating that it is closed. She returns home where her frantic parents are packing and intending on heading for France where everything is okay. Outside Nicky and her parents move slowly through the streets where upon Nicky hears a man preaching about the evil amongst them. Suddenly Nicky is overcome with the urge to start smashing items up. Her parents do not notice that she has wandered off and when Nicky returns to normal again she is lost. Her father goes in search of her but cannot find. Nicky returns home alone and waits in the house as this is the first place her parents should return to. The next morning, Nicky awakens to find herself still alone. Her mother and father have made it to the coast, but before they can get onto a boat, Nicky's pregnant mum complains about the baby starting to come. Back at the Gore house, Nicky leaves a note on the door and then decides to head out on her own. Each day she scouts the town for her mum and dad before returning each night. On one of her outings she comes across an old man sat on a door step. He tells her not to drink the water as there is something bad in it. He tells her that if she stays she too will become like the others. He is a very nice old man but does not have long for this world. He wishes to remain with his cats where he intends to die. She leaves him on the doorstep stroking his cat.

Nicky leaves the old man who tells her if he is going to die would prefer to die at home with his cats. As she walks along the road she comes across a small column of Indian people pulling a few carts with what remains of their belongings. She stops the people and asks to join them but at first they refuse. She then manages to help them by telling them about the sickness and stops them from going down a road where the sick man is to be found. They allow her to join the column at the very back. Whilst Nicky is walking with them, she feels the strange feeling again accompanied with a strange noise. She feels a compelling force to destroy any machinery and tries to attack one of the men near a car. They manage to stop her and realise that she may be of use to them. In exchange for their protection and food, she must inform them of anything they do which might endanger the group. She informs them of the danger of the city and they would be better off in the countryside. They move to more rural locations but soon encounter hostility from a local pub. One of the Indian group is struck by a stone thrown by one of the yob like villagers. The men from the Indian group armed with long sticks frighten the villagers off. Soon they make camp and Nicky goes off looking for supplies for the group. When she returns she finds that the group have decided that she must leave at the next village if they are friendly. She is told that the group fear she will be attacked like they were that morning but Nicky eventually gets to the truth. Apparently, the group is concerned about the free spirit of Nicky and that it is rubbing off on some of the children in the group. She again requests to stay and they agree but they warn her that she will be in danger. When they move on Nicky begins to feel the danger feeling again. She beings to look all around her and eventually her eyes look up to the electricity pylons.

Nicky, Gopal and Ajeet are within the column of people and carts travelling slowly down a country lane. Nicky suddenly starts to feel uneasy and feels the urge to destroy coming on again. She quickly looks around to see where it is coming from and eventually looks up at the electricity pylons towering above her. She tells the others that they frighten her but the other two do not understand. Gopal tells Nicky that there nothing going through the power lines and to close her eyes and they will help her through it. Nicky does this and the column eventually passes safely through the area. The group eventually arrive at a small farm with a large barn and after Kewel has checked it is safe, they all move in to stay the night. Meanwhile Nicky, Gopal and Ajeet go and look in the farmhouse. They pick some flowers for Ajeet's Grandmother. Nicky then feels uneasy again and refuses to go near a small shed. Gopal and Ajeet go into the shed and find a large tractor / combine which is what Nicky could sense. The group decide to take over the farm and make a new life there. They continually ask her advice about starting things such as the blacksmiths forge. Nicky asks about where the iron would come from but decides it would be okay and that they should now fear retaliation from any of the surrounding villages. The group work really hard and soon have made several tools which they wish to trade with the local villages. Nicky volunteers to go into the village and speak on their behalf. She still has to run the gauntlet past the pylons though as the feeling of destruction still tries to overcome her. Chacha and Kewel, who have gone with her wait outside the village just in case she needs help. The two realise that the presence of the pylons maybe the reason why they have been left alone for so long. Nicky goes to the local pub and speaks to two men sitting outside. At first they are not pleased to see her especially when she reveals whom she is staying with the group at Brooker's Farm. The two men call the Indian group, "the devil's children" however they are interested in the tools they have to offer. One of the men Max, goes to fetch the village leader whilst Tom stays behind with Nicky. Tom tells Nicky that his grandmother used to tell him stories of the people underneath the hill and that they used to be great smiths and iron forgers. Max returns with Mr. Arthur Barnard who is a large man who appears to be in charge. Barnard was a former cow hand but took over the village when he dealt with some local robbers. He is not happy that Nicky and her group have taken over Brookers Farm and is less happy when Nicky talks about tractors. The first mention of the word and Barnard lashes out at Nicky and tells her not to dare speak of such evil things. He does however accept that they will need ploughs and other items and so gets Tom to give her his fork to see how good the repairs will be. Later back at Brooker's Farm, Nicky watches some of the men practise sword fighting and then Nicky starts to learn some of the Indian language. The next day, Nicky returns to the village with the repaired fork. She is taken by Tom, to the local court house where Barnard holds court on Mondays. Inside they wait at the back whilst a case of flower border digging by a dog is brought by Mrs. Sallow. Her case is dismissed as they are just flowers and not important. Barnard is the judge and also makes the point that women are lower than men when it comes to matters of the village. Tom then brings forward the fork. Barnard does his best to break the iron but fails. He does however snap the wood but has to admit that the repair work is good. He tells all present that from now on the only dealings with "the devils children" (as he calls them) is to be done through either himself or Tom. He then warns Nicky that none of the Brookers Farm lot should enter the village or he'll deal with them himself.

The villagers have sent more items to be repaired and the Brookers farm group have received livestock and food in exchange. Each time the transaction happens, Tom brings a wheelbarrow load of items and Nicky takes back sheep and food. They are both uneasy passing the pylon but they manage it. Even Barnard seems pleased with the work and all seems to be going well between the two communities. One day, however, Nicky and Tom are returning to the village when they hear a scream. They run to the centre of the village and see a new group of men lead by one on a horse. The men are robbers and have taken all the village children hostage whilst Barnard is nowhere to be seen. Nicky is able to escape unheard and unseen and heads back to Brooker's farm. She tells them what has happened and that they must prepare for a similar attack. Chacha states that Brooker's Farm must be made safe before the group can help the villagers. At night Nicky goes to the village with Gopal. She learns from Tom that Barnard was killed by the robbers just after she left. The village people could not warn Barnard as they were all held inside their homes. Three robbers on horse back charged him down and skewered him before he could do anything to protect himself. All the village children are being held in a large stable up at the white house and that they will be torched if anyone in the village caused any trouble. Before Tom can tell her any more, the leader of the robbers and one of his henchmen arrive. They take some ale off Tom and then push him out of the room. Nicky hides down the side of a sofa and listens to what the robbers have to say. She hears the leader say that they will deal with the Brooker's farm lot pretty soon. Nicky then heads back to base to inform Chacha and Kewel of the robber's plans. The Brooker's Farm group decide that offence is the best course of action but first they must rescue the village children. The attack begins once the children are safe watched over by Nicky and Ajeet. Ajeet reads them a story which takes their minds of the events that are unfolding. Most of the robbers are killed as are a couple of Sikh members. The robbers still manage to set fire to the barn which draws the attention of the local villagers. They arrive to see their children running down the hill brought to safety by Nicky and Ajeet. The villagers then decide to help the Brooker's Farm group in dealing with the robbers.