by Shepp, Roman
“I'm Saeed.”
“I heard about the commotion. I have to say that I never expected to see them again,” Adam said, squinting in an attempt to shield his eyes from the sun. He wore dungarees and looked as though he was born to live in a place like this.
“You knew them?”
“Only off-hand. I haven't been here for that long really. I came here a few months ago. Hugo was already in charge, but I heard through the grapevine what had happened to Arthur, the man who founded this place. I think it's a shame that so many people couldn't put their egos aside. I often wonder what Arthur would have made of it all. It's said that he was a man of compassion, and Hugo was his choice to take over in case anything unfortunate happened to him. Still, I guess it's human nature to be grieving. I hope they get the help they need.”
“Is that where they've been taken? To get help? I was hoping that I could see them, just to make sure they're alright.”
“I'm not sure that's going to be possible,” Adam said, shifting his eyes from side to side.
“Hugo doesn't much like people who speak out against the community. He says it's bad for the atmosphere, and I agree. Look at this place, it's so peaceful. We really don't need any disruptive influence.”
Saeed decided to keep what Martha and Belinda thought to himself, not wanting to potentially cast himself as a disruptive influence. If they were right and Hugo did indeed plan to invade the city, then Saeed was likely the only one who could stop it.
“Do you not have another name for this place, by the way?” Saeed asked.
“Some people have tried to come up with one over the years, but everyone always has ended up calling it the community anyway. It's something of a running joke around here, even to us newcomers. You'll get used to these things the longer you stay.” Saeed wondered if he even had a choice about staying. “You should take Tara to the school as well. Charlotte is a great teacher. She takes great care of the kids. Do you know what role you're going to play here?”
“I haven't given it much thought yet. I'm still trying to get used to this place. It's been a long road from the city.”
“I can imagine. So many have lost so much. My heart really does go out to them, but I can't help but think that if they only had listened to us, the country would be in a much better state than it is.”
“Perhaps,” Saeed said, holding his tongue again. He looked down to see that Tara almost had finished her strawberry.
“You'll both be happy here,” Adam said, “and I look forward to getting to know you better. When you think about what your role should be, I'd consider this. We get to work outdoors all the time and, well, we sure could use the help.”
“I'll keep that in mind,” Saeed said, and moved away.
“I suppose that we should go get you enrolled in school,” Saeed said. Tara grimaced, and folded her arms.
“I don't want to go to school,” she said, pouting. Saeed sighed and tried not to smile, remembering a similar conversation he'd had with Aaminah many moons ago. Bending down so he was on the same eye level as Tara, he held her arm.
“I know it's scary to be back in school with all these new people. It's scary for me to be around here as well, but you remember how scared Martha and Belinda were? I want to try finding them and find out why they were so scared. I'd like you to help as well. I want you to go to school and see what they're teaching these people and, more importantly, I want to keep you safe. I know you'll be safe in school. Will you help me with this? It'll be like you're a spy.”
Excitement flickered in Tara's eyes, but she didn't seem entirely sure of what Saeed was proposing. However, she loosened up and Saeed knew he had convinced her.
“And you know that I won't be far. I'll come and pick you up from school as soon as it's over,” he said.
“Okay,” Tara said reluctantly.
“Thank you, I'm proud of you. You know, it's just the two of us at the moment. We're going to have to work together. I hope that somehow we'll run into the others again, but until then we have to be careful and try to figure out what we can do to help.”
“I'll do what I can,” Tara said.
“I'm proud of you,” Saeed said, squeezing her arm.
Though Tara and Aaminah were different in appearance, it was difficult for him not to see his daughter whenever he looked at Tara. Some of the expressions were so similar they could have been sisters, and he found himself wishing that the two of them could have met, for he was sure they would have been good friends. Saeed walked across the camp to where the school was. It was easy to spot for it was one of the largest areas in the camp, and the children were sitting dutifully, listening to their teacher.
When Saeed approached the teacher paused mid-sentence and smiled at him.
“I was wondering when you two were going to come. I'm Charlotte, and welcome to class,” she said, walking up to them and greeting them with a wide smile. Charlotte was a vision of loveliness, with rosy cheeks and dark hair tied back in a ponytail. She looked young, but the role of teacher fit her well.
“Hugo told me to expect a new student and I have a seat all ready for you,” she said, gesturing to an empty seat. Saeed gave Tara an encouraging look, and the little girl sat down.
“School ends at three o'clock sharp, but I'll be here for a while afterward. Welcome to the community,” she said, then resumed her lesson. Saeed stayed there for a few moments, finding it more difficult to leave Tara by herself than he had imagined. Eventually, though, he managed to drag himself away, wanting to find out where Martha and Belinda were being held.
He knew he wasn't going to get many answers from Hugo. He wanted to spend as little time as possible with that man, for Hugo was unsettling. Instead, Saeed remained on the periphery of camp, trying to find someone reasonable to talk to, someone who knew Martha and Belinda and perhaps sympathized with their plight. From the way they had spoken about the community it seemed clear that Saeed would have to turn to someone a little older, and indeed he found an old man with wispy white hair digging up the ground.
“Excuse me,” Saeed said. The man looked up and peered at him through rheumy eyes.
“Can I help you, son?”
“I'm new here. I was just wondering if I could talk to you. I don't know if you heard about my arrival, but I came with Martha and Belinda.”
“Martha and Belinda?” he said, shaking his head. “No, no, those girls left a long time ago. They aren't here anymore.”
“No, they came back.”
“They wouldn't come back here. Not after what happened.”
“We were running from something else. One of the patrols found us and brought us back. I'm Saeed,” he said, holding out his hand. The old man looked at him and reached out his hand tentatively.
“Derek,” he said. “You say they're back?”
“They are.”
“I never thought I'd see the day.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because they vowed they never would return.”
“Because Arthur died?”
“Died? Ha! Is that what they still think? They were lovely women, but they never could see what was happening right in front of their eyes. No, Arthur didn't die. Far from it. He was killed, right in his sleep.”
“What? By Hugo?”
“Oh no, well, not directly. He had his big friend Matthias to do the dirty work.”
“And you know this to be true?”
“Of course! I saw it with my own eyes. I've had trouble sleeping over the past few years, you see, big problem with my mind, always got this ringing inside. Terrible thing, absolutely terrible. Anyway, I was staying up watching the world go by, thinking about things as I generally do, when I saw this big figure creeping through the camp toward Arthur's home. Well, it didn't take a genius to work out what was going on, and there was nobody else it could have been other than Matthias. No, he and Hugo killed Arthur.”
“But if it's so obvious, why does nobody think that's the way it h
appened? Didn't you tell anyone?”
“Who would believe me, a crazy old man? Nobody gives me the time of day, that's why I stay here in my little patch doing whatever I can do to help tire me out quickly, so I get a nice rest at the end of it. No, people only believe what they want to believe. Nobody wants to think that there could be a murderer among us. People would lose their minds! No, it's much easier for them to believe in the lie. Anything to help them sleep at night.”
Saeed had much to ponder. The old man had lived a long life, and it was easy to brush him off as crazy, but the way he spoke had a kernel of truth to it.
“So, why do you stay if you think there's so much danger around?”
“Where else am I going to go? Besides, nobody is going to pay much attention to an old fool like me, especially not if I keep my mouth shut and mind my own business.”
“What about the others? Why would they follow Hugo if some of them suspect that there's something off about him?”
“Because they want someone else to make the hard calls for them. It was the same before Hugo came along. Arthur was a strong man, rallying people to the cause. Those who came here wanted a new start for themselves. Although they didn’t have the vision or the drive that Arthur did. I think that's why he liked Hugo so much, he reminded Arthur of a younger version of himself. But Arthur was blind too and only saw what he wanted to see. Anyway, it's always easier to follow orders than it is to give them, at least for most people.”
“And what about Martha and Belinda now. Where are they?”
Derek rubbed his pointed jaw and looked down at the ground. “Probably in the box,” he said.
“The box?” Saeed asked.
“Aye, that's what they use for punishment around here. Arthur thought it up, considering there isn't any law. It taught people pretty quickly not to go against what the community wanted.”
“Where is this box?”
“Over yonder,” Derek said, tossing his head toward the other side of the camp, “but it's not a pretty sight,” he said.
Saeed thanked Derek and then walked across the span of the camp, talking to a few other members of the community. Most of them were more like Adam than Derek, believing that this place was going to be the birthplace of a new world. When they spoke of Hugo it was with great reverence, and Saeed was troubled by the look of worship in their eyes. He remembered what Martha and Belinda had told them, of how this place had once been defined by philosophies of pacifism, but when he probed and tried to pick holes in their logic he only found a grim sense of justification.
The prevailing sentiment always was that Hugo had been explaining to them what was wrong with the world, and how they had a duty to spread their philosophy. Apparently, Hugo explained to them that simply sitting by and waiting was no longer good enough. The world had changed, and they had to change with it. The apocalypse was a sign from God that new action had to be taken, that the old ways had to be consigned to an old world. While different people had different perspectives, all of them were united in that they believed the world would be a better place if everyone lived according to the ways of the community. It seemed they were willing to adapt their belief of non-violence if it meant they could make the world a better place. Some of them even saw it as some sort of noble sacrifice. Saeed only saw it as weakness, but he was not about to tell them that.
Saeed kept saying that he had to get to Martha and Belinda, but by the time he was able, it was time to pick up Tara from school. He gazed fretfully toward the rear of the camp, fearing that Martha and Belinda were in agony, but there was nothing he could do about it yet. He walked back to the school and was greeted by a smiling Charlotte. Other parents were there picking up their children, while other children made their own way back into the community.
“Tara did very well today. You can be proud of her,” Charlotte said.
“Thank you, I'm glad. By the way, I'm Saeed,” he said, and held out his hand. Her delicate hand touched his and sparks of attraction flickered in his mind, followed by an immediate sense of guilt. Before she could say anything else, Saeed was escorting Tara away, trying to ignore the sense that he was betraying his family.
“What did you learn?” he asked Tara as soon as they were away from everyone else.
Tara relayed much the same as he had learned, that these people were caught in the thrall of Hugo and were being indoctrinated to believe that he would lead them to salvation. The more he listened to Tara, the more he was afraid that this place was beginning to sound like a cult.
“And they all believed this?”
Tara nodded enthusiastically. “Charlotte said that it was the best way to live, and that we're in a better position to succeed in life than everyone else in the world. She said that Hugo arriving was a sign. She said that he's like a prophet, and that we must spread the message of love and peace.”
“Be careful about what they say, Tara. These people are eager to believe anything that will help them have peace. It is always easy to take advantage of people when they are scared.”
“What do you believe Saeed?” Tara asked innocently. She did not know what a dangerous question it was.
Saeed glanced down at the ground, trying to find the words that could encapsulate how he felt when, in reality, he was struggling with his faith. For so long it had been an unshakable part of him, had given him everything he cherished, but then it had taken it all away.
“I believe that we all have a role to play in this life, that if we're good and we behave according to Allah's will, then we will be blessed in the afterlife. I believe that in life we are often tested, and that we must show the strength to pass these tests.” His father had said the same thing to him when he was younger. Now Saeed wondered if his father had struggled as much as him.
Later in the evening dinner was served, and it was truly a communal event. The entire community came out to sit among each other, sharing food and stories. A large bonfire was lit in the middle of the field, and the smoke rose through the air. Meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit all were passed around. It was a real feast, and Saeed ate heartily. While he ate he kept an eye on the crowd. He saw Hugo and Matthias, the man who Derek thought killed Arthur. Everyone seemed too happy here, and Saeed was angry that it was built on a lie. This could have been a home for him and Tara. It could have been a home for all of them if they hadn't built it on murder.
“How has your first day been?” Charlotte said, sitting down beside him. Saeed cleared his throat; her appearance took him by surprise.
“It's been good. Thank you again for what you're doing with the children.”
“It's my pleasure. Spreading the lessons we're taught is a privilege,” she said. “Tara seems like an intelligent child. I don't mean to pry, but am I right in assuming she isn't your biological daughter?”
“No, she's not. Some friends and I rescued her.”
“How fortunate for her! And where are these friends now?”
“I don't know. We...we were separated.”
“That is a sad thing. Hopefully, they all will find their way here and we can be one people. That is what I taught Tara today, that everyone should carry on and look out for one another. Did you hear about the great plan?”
“Something about going to the city?” Saeed said.
“Yes.” Charlotte's eyes gleamed as she spoke.
“We finally are going to enter the world and show people what they have been missing. This is how it has been ordained since the very beginning, and I am honored to play a role. I always envied those who were here at the beginning, thinking that I had been born into the wrong time, but now I see that I am where I am meant to be, as we all are. You have a role to play here too, Saeed, and little Tara. We all do. It is so exciting to think about the children growing up, spreading the word, and of imagining how many other people we are going to welcome into our community. I am more excited about the future than I ever have been.”
Saeed listened to her continue gushing about the comm
unity and all it could offer people before he excused himself for the evening. Charlotte was a troubled soul, having her mind twisted like that. Still, she was not the only victim. Saeed looked at them all with pity. This community could have been something impressive, but they all were walking around with lies in their heart. The truth was banished from their minds, twisted by Hugo to serve some other purpose, and all of them were willingly submitting to him.
When he lay his head down to rest, Saeed found himself wanting to rescue Charlotte and the others. The path Hugo was leading them down only would lead to more death and more destruction. They didn't need to leave this place. They had built paradise themselves, and should have been eager to stay. Closing his eyes, he slipped into sleep, but just as he did Nadya came to him again.
“I'm sorry,” Saeed croaked.
You have nothing to be sorry for. This is why you are here, Saeed. This is your purpose. You have been brought here for a reason. You have endured more than most men. You have been scarred and pushed to your limits. These people all are afraid and they are blindly following a false prophet. You need to show them how to be strong. Show them the way to freedom.
Silent tears trickled down Saeed's cheeks for he knew what his wife was asking him. Doing this would undoubtedly lead to more pain and anguish for him. Had he not already been through enough? Was he not done? Saeed wondered if he ever would achieve peace again, but something told him that would not be possible until he was reunited with his family. However, then he thought about Martha and Belinda. They were in a box somewhere, hurting, crying, and probably fearing for their lives. Such pain would follow everyone who followed Hugo, for if he really planned to declare war on the city so many of them would die. Saeed still had a part to play in the world. That's why he hadn't been taken along with Aaminah and Nadya. He had to do this. It was the only way the death of his family made sense.
Chapter Four
Morning came, and Rosa awoke, although she couldn't have said that she was refreshed. She had been enjoying a nice conversation with Jane when Frank had awoken, and ever since then Jane had been different. She'd marched off into the woods under the guise of a perimeter check, and then turned her back on the rest of them to go to sleep. Rosa had stayed up for a little while longer, until she'd had enough of Frank, and then called for Phil to take over.
