The police arrived hours later, the special force surrounded the clubhouse at a safe distance and waited for daybreak. There were a few survivors, the police shot them, the police destroyed and removed all of the evidence. This was a non-story, the media would not be allowed to report it. A few missing politicians, not much of a story, you can't interview missing persons.
The videos hit the internet in the early Sunday afternoon. Operation Broken Hearts showed a little girl in a black tutu punching men in a dimly-lit room. She punched their hearts out. As each man fell, his name appeared on the screen – famous bishops, politicians, police chiefs, senior civil servants, criminals – some of them you could actually recognise. It was Betty. She trod on some necks and punched two guys using both fists at the same time. Long live Betty!
The favourite video clip was Politician Loses His Wits. The politician was well-known, he was obviously drunk, he was gasping for fresh air and vomited all over his shirt. He stared at the camera holder, was it Betty? The camera jumped in the air and punched a hole through the politician's head. His brains spurted out of his ears. End of politician. EOP.
The socwok didn't like the videos, no, just awful. Betty enjoyed them, but didn't show it. Betty had had time to think, she was very stiff, her wounds made her skin very taut. Betty is not stupid, it was very clear to her that the socwok had woken in the night, found no Betty and was worried stupid – what had happened to Betty?
The video clips were worse, Betty could have been killed, the socwok was obviously worried stupid. Betty had been selfish, Betty had not been good enough to the socwok. Betty decided that she would never leave the socwok again, this was not difficult, Betty liked being very close to the socwok and all of the time was a very good idea. But how could Betty get this across to the socwok?
As I said, Betty was not stupid, she had long ago figured out that other people communicated by moving their lips, she had never realised what function the flaps on the side of the head have. Betty had never understood the box in the corner that everybody but Betty looked at, it probably had a pair of lips hidden inside it.
A few weeks ago when Betty was playing with her sister Henni, Betty stroked her sister's face and played with her lips, she liked playing with her sister. Henni smiled and told Betty that she loved her. Betty lit up and buzzed. Betty moved Henni's lips just as Henni had.
“Henni” I said “Henni, I think that Betty wants to learn to talk.” Henni took Betty's two hands in her two hands and moved her lips with them. Betty was very interested. Henni put one of Betty's fingers on her tongue and spoke again. Henni put Betty's other hand on her throat and hummed. Betty could feel the vibrations. Betty hummed.
Henni clapped her hands, she was very excited. Henni pointed at Betty's lips and touched her tongue. Betty understood what Henni was thinking, it was difficult, but Betty wanted to do her best.
Betty hummed and Henni spoke, Henni loved Betty. Betty tried, it sounded very odd. The two practised for hours – Betty knew the value of practice – Henni loved Betty and Betty loved Henni.
Betty remembered what she had learnt – she sat on the socwok's lap, hummed and made the sounds “I lubs hoo.” This was a huge surprise for the socwok, more of a surprise when the socwok realised what the sounds meant. The socwok clamped herself around Betty and Betty nearly disappeared inside the socwok.
Everyone wanted to talk to Betty, everybody wanted to interview Betty, but where was she? It was Thursday before the media found Betty. They occupied the garden around the house, Henni was not amused. What to do?
At three o'clock Henni opened the front door and announced that Betty would appear at five o'clock. The media expected a press conference. At quarter to five some heavies from the carnival club built a small temporary stage in the garden.
At five o'clock the patio doors opened and Betty jumped onto stage and walked to the front and bowed to everyone. She performed the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, the dance master accompanied with a clarinet. Applause. Betty bowed again. Betty performed her carnival routine, the dance master played a snare drum, much jumping, pirouetting, cartwheeling and splits at high speed. Applause. Betty bowed again.
Henni, the dance master and the socwok joined Betty on the stage. Betty jumped into the socwok's arms, put one arm around her neck and waved at her audience. Betty was happy. Henni spoke.
“Hello everybody! My name is Henni, I'm Betty's younger sister. This is Betty with her friend, the socwok. And this is Betty's dancing teacher.” Applause. “I want to tell you about Betty. Betty cannot hear, she has never learnt to speak or read or write. She can only communicate with you by dancing. However she does know if there is goodness or evil in your hearts.”
“Betty has fought for this country, to make it a better place. You all know this. She has removed much evil from this land. I'm warning everybody here with evil in their hearts. Change your ways! Betty can see inside you. Change your ways! Or lose your hearts like Archbishop Trydragon and Senator McCrane.”
“I'm telling everybody here with goodness in their hearts. Be happy! Betty has danced for you. Betty loves you. Be happy!”