Held (Gone #2)

by Claflin, Stacy

  She put her hand in and jumped back. It was ice cold—it was even worse than the shower she had taken earlier.

  Chester laughed again. "We can warm it in a few of the pots. I'll help you in a minute, Heather."

  Macy filled a pot with water, put it on the stove, and then went back for another. Before long, the water was the right temperature and she had a sink full of warm water. She mixed in some soap. It was had the same horrible smell that she had been forced to use in the shower earlier.

  She heard Chester put something in the icebox and then he stood next to her, drying off the dishes she had just washed. He chatted about the house, telling her that they would warm their baths the same way, and then he explained the clothes would be washed in some kind of a basin.

  He continued to talk until they had the kitchen clean. "Let's sit in front of the fire, shall we?"

  "Okay." Macy followed him to the couch as he carried an oil lamp. It did an okay job of lighting up the rooms, but it didn't compare to a light bulb.

  Chester sat down and Macy sat at the other end of the couch, as far away from him as she could get. He scooted closer until he was right next to her. Then he put an arm around her. "Aren't you excited about becoming a family again, Heather? We're going to have a mom, dad, and child. It's a beautiful thing. Who knows? We may even have more children. In fact, we probably will. I can't imagine they allow birth control here." He laughed again.

  Macy squirmed. She didn't want to talk about birth control or him making babies with his new wife. Time to change the subject. "What's her name?"

  "You'll call her Mom, but her name is Rebekah."

  "Is that her real name?"

  "It's her new name. Like us, she came from the world, but she ascended into her role in the community. That's why she's now allowed to get married."

  "Even though you haven't ascended?"

  "Correct. Jonah received a vision about me rising in the ranks quickly. I'm going to be the fastest person to become a prophet. I'll need to prove myself, but then our family will be one of the revered ones."

  "How did you find the community if they never leave?"

  There was a knock on the door.

  Chester gave her a hug and then opened the door. A freezing cold gust blew in. Macy hadn't realized how well the little stove had warmed the house up.

  Jonah and Eve stepped inside. Jonah looked at Macy. "Are you ready for your unveiling, Heather?"

  "Yes," said Macy, since she had been spoken to directly.

  "Good. Once we've completed that ceremony, we'll have the wedding. Then you get to come home as a family. This is a truly blessed day."

  Eve walked over and took her hand, helping her off the couch. "Everyone is so excited to meet you two. Jonah has had so many visions and messages about your dad. I'm sure you already know what an amazing man he is, worthy of the reverence to be bestowed upon him."

  All eyes were on her, so she nodded.

  Eve let go of her hand and then took Jonah's.

  Jonah raised his other hand. "Let us go. The time has arrived."

  Ceremony

  Macy took in the large room. She'd never seen so many people dressed in all white before. A hushed whisper ran through the room as people turned to look at them. There wasn't much to see. Their heads were still covered. They probably looked creepy—at least Macy thought so. Everyone else looked at them, appearing to be in awe.

  They had another thing coming if they expected Chester to be a great prophet. He would only be able to keep his facade for so long before his true colors showed.

  Jonah raised a hand and the crowd moved aside, creating a path. Jonah and Eve walked down first, hand in hand. Chester took Macy's hand and they followed. Macy was aware of all the eyes on her.

  Once they reached the front of the room, Jonah let go of Eve's hand and raised both of his hands. All at once, everyone in the crowd sat on the floor. Jonah motioned for Chester and Macy to move to the left. Abraham, Isaac, and some lady stood at their right. Was that one of their wives, or was it Rebekah?

  Stepping forward, Jonah looked at the crowd. "Tonight is a most special night. Not only do we have an unveiling and a wedding, but we are unveiling a future prophet. I've been sharing my visions of him since before his identity was revealed. He is the person who will rise to become a prophet faster than anyone besides myself. This is a most exciting night, is it not?"

  "It is." The group spoke as one.

  Jonah walked back and forth. The room was so quiet the only sounds were of his shoes moving across the floor. The anticipation could be felt. Macy knew it wasn't just her nerves, but everyone before her was eager to see their future leader.

  "I have received yet another vision this very afternoon." Jonah stopped and scanned the audience again. "It has been solidified and confirmed. The man here before you," he pointed to Chester, "is going to become a prophet even sooner than we believed. In three months, he shall be your newest prophet."

  Gasps ran throughout the crowd.

  "I know," Jonah replied, his eyes wide. "He is chosen specifically from above. There is a mission for him to complete, though what it is has yet to be revealed. I think he will help lead us into the great and mighty Promised Land, but that is purely conjecture on my part." He paced back and forth again.

  Eve walked up to him. She carried two red flowers.

  Jonah looked at her. "You may speak."

  She faced the crowd. "The time has arrived for the unveiling." She handed Jonah the flowers. Together they walked over to Chester and Macy.

  Macy swallowed, nervous. As she looked at all the people watching her, beads of sweat formed around her hairline.

  Jonah handed Chester one of the flowers, and Macy the other. He turned around and touched Chester's arm.

  Chester let go of Macy's hand, which she had forgotten he was holding. Her heart picked up speed.

  Placing his hand on the top of Chester's head covering, Jonah looked back to the crowd. "And now I give you Chester Woodran." In one quick movement, he pulled the fabric off Chester's face.

  Everyone rose and bowed. "Chester Woodran." It sounded more like a chant than actual speaking.

  Jonah raised his hand and everyone sat.

  "And now I give you his daughter—your new sister. Heather Woodran." Jonah walked around to the other side of her and yanked her head piece off. Macy could feel her hair pull up with the covering. Her hair had to have been sticking out in every direction.

  The crowd stood again and gave a less dramatic bow. "Heather Woodran." Then they all sat.

  Eve walked over to Macy and pulled her hair back into a tight bun. She then whispered in Macy's ear, "You must always wear your hair like this outside of your home."

  Jonah paced again. He spoke of more visions and messages that he had received that day. Macy tried to pay attention. She didn't know if she would be quizzed. But she felt too self-conscious, standing in front of so many people.

  Jonah turned to face Macy. It felt as though he was reading her thoughts. Somehow just having him look into her eyes made her feel exposed. Eve took her hand and led her to the middle of the stage, where Chester met them.

  Waving his hands, Jonah came to stand with them. He spoke in words that Macy had never heard before. It sounded like another language, although it was nothing like one she had ever heard before. He raised his hands up high and Abraham and Isaac walked over.

  Jonah placed a hand on top of Macy's head. She looked over to see he had his other hand on Chester. He was speaking faster and Macy still couldn't understand a word.

  Her instincts were to run, but she knew better than that. Even if she could get out of the building, there was no way of escaping through the fence. Then what? Chester would be mad at her for ruining the ceremony. He would lock her up for sure.

  Something wet fell on her head and dripped down the sides, running through her hair. She looked up to see Isaac pouring something from a small jar over her. Abraham had a similar bottle and poured ye
llow liquid on Chester, although he didn't have as much hair to catch it.

  Once the bottles were put away, Jonah turned to the crowd again. "They have now been anointed with oil and are officially part of our great family. Now it's time for Rebekah to come up so we can have the wedding."

  Macy looked through the audience, anxious to see the woman she would soon be calling "Mom." She couldn't see anyone at first, but then at the far end of the room, someone rose and walked over. She wore the same white clothing as everyone else. Didn't she want to have a special dress for her wedding day?

  As she came closer, it was obvious that Rebekah was young—not all that much older than Macy—and beautiful. Even with her hair pulled back tight, no makeup, and wearing a nondescript white outfit, her beauty shone. If she lived outside the community walls, she could easily be a model or an actress.

  She finally made it to them and she stood near Jonah and Chester.

  Jonah looked over the crowd. "Now we are about to have a new family unit. Nothing is more prized than family. We are all truly blessed this day, but especially these three."

  Macy couldn't take her eyes off Rebekah. She looked over and they made eye contact. Rebekah smiled, easing Macy's nerves.

  Rebekah walked to the other side of Chester. Jonah still spoke about the importance of families. Macy couldn't concentrate.

  It might not have been so unnerving had she been away from people for so long. For the last month, she had only been with Chester and his parents. She'd spent a lot of time alone, especially when he had her locked away under the barn.

  Jonah raised his voice, startling her. He practically shouted about the beauty of marriage. He said it was an everlasting, eternal gift that would follow them into the beloved Promised Land. He lowered his voice and looked into the eyes of Rebekah and then Chester.

  The silence made Macy's ears ring. Jonah knew how to make his voice take up the entire building, and when it stopped, deafening silence followed.

  "And now," boomed Jonah, "I pronounce you husband and wife. Let the festivities begin."

  Everyone stood, clapping.

  Chester took Rebekah's hand and they both bowed.

  No kiss? Even though Macy wasn't excited about the wedding, if it could even be called one, she felt gypped with no kiss.

  Macy turned to Eve, who was still close. "No kiss?"

  Eve shook her head. "Public displays of affection aren't appropriate. Are you excited? Now you have complete family unit."

  Before Macy could respond, Jonah shouted again. "Time for a grand celebration. Eat, be merry, and meet our newest brother and sister."

  "I need to help bring out the food." Eve squeezed Macy's hand and walked off, followed by Abraham and Isaac.

  Macy stood, watching the scene before her. People were lined up in front of Chester and Rebekah. Everyone was speaking, the noise making Macy dizzy. She wanted to run.

  Jonah put his hand on her shoulder. "Stand by your parents and greet your new brothers and sisters. Everyone is excited to meet you."

  Macy made her way to Chester, standing at his side. The lady speaking with him turned to her and clasped Macy's hands into hers. "It's so wonderful to have you two join the community. We've been looking forward to your arrival. Personally, I can't wait to see your dad grow into his role and become anointed as a prophet." Her eyes lit up and she squeezed Macy's hands. "We'll have to have you over for dinner soon. Oh, I'm so excited." She grinned and then walked away, allowing the next person to gush over Macy and Chester.

  By the time the last people in line finally walked away, Macy was exhausted. Everyone was eating. Somehow while they had been meeting everyone, the room had been transformed into a banquet hall. Chester smiled, looking back and forth between her and Rebekah. "Shall we join them and get something to eat?"

  Rebekah nodded. "Yes. I'd like to officially meet Heather first, if that's okay, Sir."

  Sir?

  Chester stood taller, obviously enjoying it. "Of course. I should have introduced you myself. Heather, this your new mom. Rebekah, this is Heather."

  Rebekah smiled wide, showing perfectly straight teeth. She had to have come from the world also, because no one was born with teeth like that. She gave Macy a hug. "It's such an honor to meet you. You're so beautiful, Heather. You look just like your dad. Do you hear that all the time?"

  Before Macy could respond, Isaac and Abraham walked up to them. Isaac looked at Chester. "You three will join us at our table tonight. Follow us."

  Chester took Rebekah's hand and then Macy's. Chester and Rebekah marched forward with smiles on their faces. Macy fell behind a little, and Chester tugged on her hand. Macy picked up her pace to walk in line with the two of them.

  They made their way to the table, finding plates already waiting for them. Chester sat first, followed by Rebekah. Macy sat at the end, next to Rebekah.

  Macy wasn't particularly hungry because of her nerves, but she ate anyway.

  Decisions

  Zoey stared at her Geometry book, unable to concentrate. How did anyone expect her to get anything done? Was life just supposed to carry on like her best friend hadn't disappeared without a trace?

  Was she supposed to go to counseling and that would solve everything? Right.

  Zoey's eyes became heavy again. How long would she be so tired? Every time she sat down, she wanted to sleep. The last thing she cared about were isosceles triangles, so she climbed into bed. She would at least be only a year ahead of Alex if she was held back.

  She closed her eyes, but instead of sleep all she could see was Alex's hurt expression when they were arguing. He knew she was hiding something.

  Obviously she'd have to tell him about her doctor's appointment. More than that, about their baby growing inside of her, making her so tired. It didn't even feel real—how could she have a baby in her stomach?

  Aside from being exhausted, she didn't feel any different. Did she look different? Zoey got up and stood in front of the mirror. She had bags under her dark brown eyes, but otherwise looked exactly the same.

  She pulled off her shirt and examined her stomach. It was still flat…but for how long?

  One thing she knew was that she wasn't getting an abortion. Over the summer, she had taken her friend Tara to get one and it almost killed her. Tara had begged Zoey to go with. She hadn't told anyone else, including the guy. They lied so Zoey could be in there during the operation and said that they were sisters, even though it was pretty obvious they weren't. Tara had bright red hair and Zoey was half-Japanese, thanks to her absent dad.

  Everything had been going well with the procedure, as they kept calling it. Then Tara's face lost all of its color and her eyes looked cloudy. Zoey had been sure that Tara was going to die in front of her.

  The nurses shoved Zoey out of the room. She was left to worry in the waiting for what felt like an eternity. She hadn't been able to get the look in Tara's eyes out of her mind. Every time someone came into the waiting room, she expected them to tell her that Tara hadn't made it.

  Tara ended up being sent to the emergency room at the hospital. Zoey had to take the bus home alone, worried about Tara. She had to act normal when she got home, but it had taken months for the image of Tara to stop haunting her dreams. In fact, it was Macy's disappearance that distracted her.

  She hadn't even been able to talk with Tara after the ordeal. Her family moved before school started and all of her social media accounts had been deactivated. Tara's parents had probably figured out what happened and freaked out, moving her away from all the bad influences. Like there wouldn't be other kids just like their group of friends wherever they moved.

  Zoey's mom walked in, bringing her back to the present.

  "What are you doing? Oh, Zoey, you've lost weight. You better take those vitamins the doctor gave you. I don't want to see you waste away, dear."

  She almost laughed. Losing weight was the least of her concerns. "I'll be fine. I just haven't been hungry lately." She put her shirt b
ack on.

  "Are you hungry? The Mercers invited us over for dinner. Alyssa said they have enough to feed ten people."

  Could she face Alex's family? Zoey could barely even look Alex in the eye, how would she face Chad and Alyssa? They would probably hate her when she had to come clean. The news people watched every little thing they did. Sometimes there was even a van out in front of their house, recording. She might destroy their reputation.

  There had been a few times that Alex hadn't been able to sneak out to see her because of the stupid van. The last thing they needed was for his sneaking out to be broadcast to a popular online page.

  "Zoey? Are you listening?"

  "Sorry." Zoey shook her head, trying to clear it. "Yeah, let's eat at their house."

  "Maybe that'll pull you out of your funk. Why don't you brush your hair?"

  "Whatever."

  Before long, they were over at the Mercer's eating from a huge spread. Dishes were piled high with food across the table and there was even more on the counters. A large pork roast sat in the middle of the table surrounded by mashed potatoes, a green bean casserole, fruit salad, a pasta dish, and even more.

  "Is this supposed to last all week?" Zoey asked.

  "You'd think," Chad said. "But it's just tonight's meal. I think that church is trying to fatten us up."

  Alex wasn't saying much. Zoey could tell he wanted to know what she was keeping from him.

  How would he react? He was only thirteen. He wouldn't want to become a dad. There was no way.

  What if he got mad at her? Her stomach twisted in tight knots. She kept her eyes on her plate and forced herself to eat. As good as everything looked and smelled, she couldn't bring herself to eat much.

  "Are you okay, Zoey?" Alyssa asked. She looked concerned.

  "Just not too hungry today."

  "I know what you mean. My appetite has fluctuated a lot over the last month."