by Ellie Aiden
Living The Way
Ellie Aiden
To The Middle Child.
A.K.A. The Comma Police
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 — Cloud Watching
Chapter 2 — Drama Queen
Chapter 3 — Bon Ham
Chapter 4 — A New Champion
Chapter 5 — I Think She’s High
Chapter 6 — My BFF’s Future Hubby
Chapter 7 — Sleepovers Are Good For The Soul
Chapter 8 — Spying Is Life
Chapter 9 — Truth Bomb
Chapter 10 — Team Glitter Unicorn
Chapter 11 — Emotional Basket Case
Chapter 12 — I Want My Mother
Chapter 13 — Flower Cuddles
Chapter 14 — That Was Sarcasm
Chapter 15 — Thank God For Bacon
Chapter 16 — Rose
Chapter 17 — I Fucking Hate Pink
Chapter 18 — Blaze Of Glory
Chapter 19 — So Many Freaking What If’s
Chapter 20 — Shit Storm
Chapter 21 — The Plan Is Shot To Shit
COPYRIGHT
THE OKURAN. Copyright © 2020 by Ellie Aiden
Cover Art by Ellie Aiden
All rights reserved. Except as permitted by the U.S.
Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be
Reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by
any means without the prior written permission of the author.
First Edition: June 2020
The character and events portrayed in this book are strictly fictitious.
Any similarities to locations, characters, events, or persons, living or
dead, is purely coincidental.
CHAPTER 1 — CLOUD WATCHING
I know if I loved my God as much as I’m supposed to, I wouldn’t be as terrified as I am right now, but as I lay here on the cold hard ground staring up at the start of this dreary day, I have never been more scared in my life. At 17 years old you wouldn’t think there would be much to be scared of, and maybe years ago that might have been true, but in the world I’m living in, terrible things are happening. Probably worse things than even I know.
The Way has been my home since I was five years old and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful. The world outside these walls is a scary place. I don’t remember much from before we got here, but I do remember my mother crying. I remember the look on her face when we left the cabin that had been our home since I was born to escape encroaching gangs. My Father said they were simply getting too close, and we just weren’t safe here anymore. I remember how determined my father looked as he bundled me up, took hold of my Mothers hand, and set off, unsure of where he would lead us.
Then in what now seems like the blink of an eye, we were here. Standing outside of the massive cream colored concrete walls of the compound I now call home. The Church of The Way.
In history class when were just eight years old, they taught us about the beginning. No, no, not the beginning as in, “In the beginning.” In my best baritone preacher voice. No, as in what happened to our planet, to our people. A viral pandemic orchestrated by the men and woman the people were all supposed to be able to trust. Instead, they used their power and money to infect billions of people across the planet with a man-made virus. They called it population control. After two years of the virus spreading across the globe, it had infected, and killed more than sixty percent of the population. Then one day, the virus just disappeared entirely. No one really knows why, but that was really just the start of it. Sure billions died, but the real suffering came after that. Suffering that comes from starving to death, not having clean water, and fighting for your life against those that took advantage of a lawless time.
The Church of The Way was founded in a country called Germany in the 1950’s. They didn’t promote communal living back then. That was something that came about due to necessity much later. Vater Paul, the head of the Church in the year 2025, saw the downfall coming, and sought to create a safe place. Not just for their followers, but for all who would seek to be closer to God
Ha, what a crock of crap. That might have been the original intention, but now, or at least here, in this sect, you don’t get to keep your own religion once you come through the big imposing metal gates. They start off slow at first, easing you into it. A little nudge here, a pinch there, and bam! Leave all your religious ideals behind that don’t conform to, The Way.
I mean don’t get me wrong, there are worse things than forced religion in exchange for plenty of food, running water, clean clothes, and a roof over our heads. Oh and did I mention; the compounds are one of the only places left on the planet with electricity. Can we all just observe a moment of silence for people around the world without it?
Yeah, now that I think about it, I sound like an ungrateful witch. God Anna. The Church took you in when they could have left your ass out in the cold leaving you to be a sex slave, or something equally as awful.
It isn’t like I have a problem with God, or Christianity in general. I don’t mind the teachings of the faith. Hell, I don’t even mind the message The Way is putting out. Beyond that though, I just have this icky creepy feeling there are things going on behind closed doors that most of us aren’t privy to. Then on top of that, there’s “The Placement.” Do you know how creepy that sounds? Vater Paul, you couldn’t come up with something a little less, I don’t know, weird as shit?
“The Placement” and yes, anywhere it’s written in text, it’s surrounding by quotation marks. Like that doesn’t make it more ominous. Oh but wait, if you think the name is bad, wait until you hear more. “The Placement,” is a milestone each girl in the Compound reaches on the month of her eighteenth birthday. One that I personally will hit in just thirty days.
The ceremony takes place on the last day of each month for any girls turning eighteen. Vater Henry, he’s the head of the sect in what used to be called Texas, presides over the ceremony, and while I have no clue what really happens in that room, because its super hush-hush, in the end you’re judged by God. God will either determine your faith is true, and if so, Vater Henry appoints you a husband and a place in the Church, or he determines you don’t truly love and trust God. The worst part, no one knows what happens if it’s the latter.
The Compound I live in is huge. Just over twenty-five hundred men, woman, and children live inside these walls. It’s impossible to know everyone. Honestly, I probably only know about twenty people, and I consider even less than that friends. Okay, I’m lying. I have one friend, but who’s counting. With the size of this place and the fact that while people are friendly in passing, they mostly stick to themselves, it wouldn’t necessarily be obvious if girls started going missing.
Sure there are rumors. I hear things. Just last month in the kitchen, I overheard Angela Whiteberry tell Sara Cross that Mary Wheaton’s daughter America, spit in Vater Henry’s face, cursed God, and stormed out of his office. Supposedly, the next day America walked right out the front gate and never looked back. Except the story didn’t really make sense to me, if for no other reason than I have never, and I do mean ever, seen someone leave out the front gate, with the exception of Elder’s, their wives, or someone accompanied by one of the two.
It’s not like I’ve ever been told we aren’t allowed to leave the Church. Okay, so maybe that isn’t true. In school I do distinctly recall Mistress Bell saying, “It is for your own safety children. These walls are the only thing protecting you from the demons beyond them.” Geez lady, are you trying to give a bunch of 6 year olds nightmares for weeks?
Sure, I realize th
ere aren’t actual demons. Right? Right. She meant miscreants. Bad men, and woman for that matter. The compound walls protect us from the Gangs who would kill us if given the chance, or worse. Yes, there are a lot of things worse than death.
Once again, I have talked myself full circle. Back to being grateful for the safety of the Church. I just wish I knew what was really going on.
***
“Oh God. Oh God, oh God.” I jump to my feet, and brush off the grass and dew, turning and running back toward the main doors of the compound.
I’m late. I laid there feeling sorry for myself when there are starving children in Africa. Okay, so I know nothing about Africa, but my Mother says that constantly. I think it use to be a thing.
I bust through the doors at a full sprint, careen around the corner, sliding along the linoleum in my standard issue black flats, and low and behold run smack dab into the back of Vater Henry. Seriously? This is my life people.
Vater Henry wearing his typical dirty cream color button up dress shirt, chocolate slacks with the pleat in the place I most certainly should not be looking, dear Lord I am so going to Hell, turns to face me and you would think he would be wearing an evil scowl, but instead I stare up at a kind smile, accentuated by warm laugh lines, crystal blue eyes, and salt and pepper hair. Unlike his peppered hair, his thin layer of five o’clock shadow is a dark black, clearly what his hair color once was, and it makes him appear soft and safe. Maybe he isn’t as evil as my daydreams would have me believe.
“Anna, my child,” he lets out the smallest of sighs, before reaching up to cup my chin. “Late again I see?”
“I…I’m so sorry.” I pause trying to come up with the most believable story, while trying to catch my breath, but honestly he knows me and knows I’m always late. Plus, if he is as close to God as he says, then clearly he knows when someone is lying.
So I go with the most believable thing, something close to the truth, “I fell asleep cloud watching. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again, Vater.”
With a curt nod he says, “See to it that it doesn’t,” as he turns and heads in the direction opposite me. Thank God.
As soon as he is out of sight, I take off again. What? Oh, you thought I would actually never run through the halls of the compound again? Yeah, Right. I didn’t even make it five seconds.
I slide around the last turn and burst through the red swinging door of the large industrial size kitchen, every eye on me, and I do mean every single eye. Geez, that’s embarrassing. Look away people, nothin’ to see here.
“Anna Mae Cress, never in my life has a girl tried my patience as you do.” The exasperation is clear, and coming from the most horrible old woman I have ever met in my entire life. Tina McGee, wife to Elder, Gregory McGee.
This woman hates me, nay loathes me. Everyone in the kitchen knows it. She isn’t even secretive about it. In fact, last week she said, “Anna Mae Cress, I hate you.” Okay I’m lying. She didn’t say it exactly like that, but pretty dang close. Ask me if I care though, because the answer is a firm no.
Elder-wife McGee is a hag in my book. The woman has to be nine hundred years old and how someone can be as plump as she is post apocalypse is beyond me. Seriously, is she stealing all the food? The solid grey dreadful tea length dress she wears every single day rides up on her behind, and we’re supposed to prepare food while being subjected to that? It’s a hostile work environment, I tell ya.
I roll my eyes just for good measure, and make my way to the center island to grab a pair of gloves. I’m on peeling duty. Ask me how I know. Because I’m always on peeling duty. It’s the worst job in the kitchen. Everyone hates it, and that ladies and gentleman, is why it’s my job every single day. I told you she hates me.
Peel, peel, peel. Lord help me, if I never see another potato in my life, it will be too soon.
CHAPTER 2 — DRAMA QUEEN
After the fiasco that was my afternoon, I was looking forward to a nice relaxing evening in my room reading, but we all know that’s just not how my luck goes, and I’m in the middle of a really good one too. Last night I passed out mid-sentence, which left me on a cliffhanger. I swear if she chooses the werewolf, I will never be the same. That’s right, I am one hundred percent Team Vampire, and I need to see how this ends, but that is clearly not in the cards for me, as I see Ash barreling down the hall towards me.
My bestie is barely breaking five feet, but she makes it work. Her porcelain doll features give her a demure quality, despite there being nothing else demure about her. I once saw her cut one of Emily Lee’s pigtails off because she cut in front of her in line.
Ash reaches my side and snatches me by the elbow, steering me around the corner, and through the first door we come to. Yes, yes it is a damn broom closet. I swear, my life.
I turn around in the tiny space, knocking over at least five things in the process, and look down into the face of my very pissed off bestie.
Ash is sporting a scowl the likes of which you have never seen, and I’ll be honest, I’m kind of terrified. I’m staring down into cool blue eyes, and I swear I think I see them flash red. Wait, is my best friend a vampire and no one told me? I’m gonna be so pissed if no one told me. In reality, I am probably just manifesting this whole, can I just get back to my room and make sure she makes the right choice already. I mean who in their right mind would pick a smelly, hairy werewolf over a…
Something snaps in front of my face, and I realize this bitch just snapped her fingers at me, “Excuse me, what the hell?”
“Oh, I don’t know Anna. Maybe the fact that you bailed on your best, and might I add, only friend.”
Okay, clearly I am missing something here because I would never, “What do you mean I bailed? I saw you at breakfast, and then I had sewing lessons, and then after lunch I wasted some time cloud watching, and then oh my holy shit.”
Ash nods, realizing I’m finally on the same page, “You totally bailed. You left me alone with Dragon Breath. I spent all afternoon with her less than an inch from my face, describing in detail how to be a proper wife to my future husband. Do you realize how horrendous it is to listen to that woman talk in the first place, and on top of that, you know when there is only one of us in lessons she sits an inch away from your face and breathes all over you.” It’s not a question, it’s a fact, and we both know it.
I let out a big breath, because honestly, she’s right, I spaced, and left my best friend, the white to my rice, the peanut butter to my jelly, the eggs to my bacon, the…Okay, okay you get it. Because of me, Ash spent the afternoon with Dragon Breath, a.k.a. Elder-wife Thompson, alone. That woman has the worst halitosis on the face of the planet. It is not like the apocalypse destroyed all tooth brushes. Sure, we can’t trade them out for new ones every three months, but there is no way that woman even owns one. Why has no one told her? And just think about her husband, that poor man is supposed to kiss her? That’s Nasty.
I place my hand on her shoulder and go in for the most heartfelt apology because really, she deserves it, I am totally wrong for that, “Ashie Poo, I’m the sorriest friend on the face of the planet, and I have never, in my entire life, been as sorry as I am right now. I’ll make it up to you, anything you want, just name it.” There, that was pretty good if I do say so myself.
I take a step back and knock another thing over, because we are still in a damn broom closet, and wait for her to accept my offer.
The evilest of smirks begins to take over her porcelain like features, and I know I’ve won, but I might have also screwed up.
“Anything?” She cocks her head to the side, one pigtail slipping over her shoulder.
I nod a confirmation, “Anything.”
“Okay, I have latrine duty tomorrow. You’ll do it.”
Oh shit. Literally. My head is shaking, but I can’t form words. Not that, anything but that. It’s the only thing on the face of the planet, that might be worse than Dragon Breath.
“Ash, bestie, pal, love of my life…”
>
Before I can finish she cuts me off, “No. You said anything.” Without another word she turns, and skips out of the damn broom closet.
***
Latrine Duty. God I hate my life. I am currently on my knees, staring at a shit stain I have been scrubbing for the last twenty minutes, and praying to god the wetness I feel on my left knee is water. Lord, let it be water.
I’m not really sure how I ended up here. Oh right, Dragon Breath. Poor Ash, that girl has been my number one since day one. Ash arrived at the compound about six months after me. She and her older brother Cody, had fled from a territory I think use to be called Louisiana, after their parents were killed in a Gang raid. They had actually made it pretty far for a couple of kids. Ash was five and Cody was eleven. To be honest, I’m not really sure how they survived out there. One of the elders found them hiding in an abandoned car, on an old dirt road, about five miles from the compound.
It feels like that was just yesterday.
My mother and I sat at a picnic table just off the back steps of the main building. Mother worked at patching a hole in my Father’s grey pants, and I looked on. It had already been drilled into my head what my Mother was doing would someday be my wifely duty. Someday I would be assigned a husband, a man who would love and care for me, and I would patch his pants.
Boys are gross. I’m never getting married.
I heard the groan of the big front gate, and swung my head, slapping myself in the face with a pigtail. Stupid pigtails. Three men, one I knew as an Elder, stepped through the gate followed by two kids; one boy and one girl. The boy looked older, but the girl could be my age, or close enough. I hadn’t really made any friends since arriving. It just felt weird. Months later, and I still felt like an outsider.
I heard one of the elders tell her to hurry along, and she stomped her foot, digging in, placing a hand on each hip, and all out refusing to take another step. Okay, I liked her. Plus, she’s pretty. Her pale skin, crystal blue eyes, and rosy cheeks made her look like a doll I use to have before we left the cabin. I stood, leaving Mother to patch pants, and walked over to where my future BFF was digging in further. I could tell she was no girl to be bossed around by boys.
