by Jordan Rivet
“They made a spectacle of it,” Esther said. “Why would they do something like that in front of everyone and then immediately begin a meal? Even if he deserved to die, it’s sick.”
“I agree,” Simon said, his face very pale. “It was unheard of in the modern world—before the disaster—for human sacrifice to be part of a religious celebration. The Dentist has an unprecedented level of influence to get away with something like this. His people must be very afraid of him.”
“He didn’t do it in front of us by accident,” David said. “This was a warning.”
“We have to get Naomi out,” Esther said. “Now.”
“We can’t get caught,” David said. “If the townspeople put up with this for one of their own, we can’t expect any mercy for outsiders like us.”
“I can find my way back to the Bunker,” Esther said. “I think I know how to get inside the building, but it was too dark to get a good look at the lock on her cage. We’ll have to improvise.”
“I’ll ask the Elders to find out for sure, but I’m guessing they won’t have sacrifices two days in a row,” David said. “Tonight bought us time, if nothing else.”
“The real question is, how do we get Naomi out without putting everyone else in further danger?” Simon said.
Esther studied the Lucindans. David and her father. Anita, her face a little green. Dax with his arm around Cally, who was wide-eyed and solemn. Cody, his round baby face looking a decade older beneath his silly straw hat. Then Esther caught sight of Yvonne sitting by herself at the edge of the crowd. Her face was streaked with tears, confirming Esther’s suspicion about the identity of the prisoner. Louis. The man her sister loved.
She knew what she had to do.
“We don’t,” Esther said, her path suddenly as clear as seawater. “You guys have to take the whole crew out of the village. Otherwise, we’ll just end up with more people in jeopardy.”
“You’ll need help,” David said.
“I don’t think numbers will make much difference. Everyone has to get away from here, and then I’ll sneak her out.” Esther put her hand in her pocket to make sure the fish knife was still there. She felt the smooth edge of something else in her pocket too, and it gave her an idea. She smiled.
“What do you have in mind, Esther?” Simon asked.
“You have to leave too, Dad,” Esther said. She lowered her voice, looking between David and her father, the two men she trusted more than anyone else in the world. “If too many people stay behind, they’ll get suspicious. Take the others to the Lucinda and wait for me out of sight of the dam. Or return to Emilio’s people if you have to.”
“You can’t do this alone,” Simon said.
“I have to,” Esther said. She gripped his hand, clutching his fingers to avoid hurting his cuts. She remembered grabbing his hand as a child, holding on as he protected her from a world gone haywire. “I have a plan to get Naomi out of the Bunker, but we can’t start a fight. Most of the people here are decent.” Esther glanced at Yvonne again. Betsy had gone to sit beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders. “Get everyone out of here, and I’ll join you.”
“Are you sure?” David asked.
Esther was glad he didn’t say she couldn’t do it.
“She’s my sister.”
“She’s also my daughter,” Simon said. “And so are you.”
“Dad, for my plan to work I need to be fast and completely silent. Your injuries would only slow me down. We can’t keep arguing about it. It’s time to move.”
Her father was quiet for a long moment. He rubbed at his knee and frowned at the bandages wrapped around his badly mangled legs. “Okay,” he said with a sigh. “I trust you, Esther.”
“So do I,” David said brusquely. “We’ll return to the Lucinda first thing tomorrow. All we need is an excuse to leave you behind.”
Esther smiled. “I’ve got a plan for that too.”
Esther was not at all sure she could get Naomi out, especially if she really didn’t want to leave, but she had to make David and her father believe she had a plan. She would not allow anyone else from the Lucinda to be harmed. She had been selfish for too long. If she was killed, then so be it. She couldn’t abandon the young woman in that cage whether or not it was really her sister. She would make sure no one else suffered for her mistakes.
Chapter 32—Departure
THE LUCINDANS ATE BREAKFAST in the Lodge the following morning. The Dentist took his place at the head of the long table. As before, a few single people and prominent Elder families had been invited to share the meal of scrambled eggs and fried green peppers. The Lucindans sat together at one end of the table. They had already been warned of the plan. Esther hoped they could all act.
Immediately after the meal David raised his voice a bit. He didn’t stand, so it would look like he only meant to address his own crew. It was showtime.
“Everyone,” he said, “I’ve been doing some thinking. We’ve enjoyed the hospitality of the good people of the Lake, but I think we’re not as good a fit here as we had hoped. I believe it’s time we continued our journey in search of a new home. The snows could already be starting in the high mountains. We should be on our way before our path becomes too dangerous.”
“Do we have to go so soon?” Cody asked. “I like it here. And I still haven’t gone on a wild boar hunt!”
“There are things I’d still like to do too,” David said, “but after last night I’m not sure it’s the right fit for the whole Catalina community.”
A few of the townspeople had leaned in and were listening to their conversation.
“I’m not sure everyone would be able to follow the Code anyway,” Dax said. “And that’s important here.”
“Perhaps we’ve imposed on our friends here for too long,” Simon said. “It may be time.”
“I agree,” Anita said.
“It’s settled then,” David said.
“Should we continue on foot from here?” Simon asked.
“No, let’s return to Ixcuintla to get vehicles,” David said. “We can try to catch up to Jackson’s team on the road.”
“If we move soon, they won’t be too far ahead,” Simon said.
“Let’s pack up after breakfast then,” David said.
“Wait!” Esther shouted. She blushed when the whole table turned to look at her, including the Dentist. Good.
“What is it?” David asked.
“I don’t want to go yet.”
David gave her a withering look. “It’s not up to you.”
“But we’ve only just started learning about the farming life here. I haven’t done so many things. And the Shepherds were so kind to me when I was sick. I want to stay longer.”
“I’ve made my decision,” David said.
“No!” Esther stood up from her table, accidentally knocking over a jug of goat’s milk. “I want to stay a few more days. This is a good place. It’s safe and there’s plenty of food.”
“I’m the leader of this expedition,” David said. “We leave today.”
“I don’t want to—”
“You know what, Esther?” David said. “I’ve about had it with your insubordination. You want to stay? Fine. The mission will be better off without you.”
“Fine! I’ll stay then.” She jutted her lip out in a pout, then pulled it back again. Too much. She didn’t dare look at Cally or she might laugh. “The lake is better than the sea anyway,” she said.
“Oh sure. That’s why. Tell the truth, Esther.” David stood, his face a thunderhead. “This is about him, isn’t it?”
Esther blinked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” And she really didn’t. This wasn’t part of the plan.
“You think I don’t see the way he looks at you?”
“Who?”
“You know who. I shouldn’t have believed you’d be faithful. You’re a fickle woman, Esther. You do what you want without regard for anyone else’s feelings.”
“Is that what you think?” Esther sputtered.
“Yes,” David snarled. “You’re too immature for me anyway. And selfish. You’d never make a good wife.”
Betsy’s mouth hung open. The other townspeople shifted in their seats, looking discreetly down at their scrambled eggs.
“Excuse me.” That seemed far enough to Esther. “You think you’re so smart, but you’re not the world’s greatest captain. Not even close.” She needed to get back on script. What was she supposed to say again? Right. “I know now there are better people to follow. Better leaders.”
“I suppose you think you should lead,” David said. “You always think you know better than everyone else, that it’s up to you to do the right thing.”
The other Lucindans began to appear uncomfortable too. Dax’s jaw looked like it might fall off. Esther’s face grew hot.
“We’ve decided to move on,” David continued. “So pack your bags.”
“You can’t tell me what to do, Hawthorne,” Esther snapped.
“That’s enough.” David lowered his voice dangerously. “You’re out of the crew. Everyone else, get your gear. We leave at 1100 hours.”
The Lucindans mumbled their assent. Cally no longer looked in danger of giggling. Esther couldn’t look at any of the crew. She focused on her plate, fuming. Some of what David had said hit a little too close to home. She looked up at him, and he glared at her. She jerked her gaze away and found herself locking eyes with the Dentist.
He wore a slight smile. She couldn’t tell if he knew what they were up to or not, but she was almost too angry to care now. How dare David say those things in front of everyone! And to call her fickle after everything they’d been through!
She stood, shaking with anger, and stalked over to the Dentist’s chair.
“Sir,” she said, “I’d like to ask your permission to stay at the lake. When I was ill, the Shepherds took such good care of me . . . I like what I’ve seen of your life here and . . .” She had practiced this speech, but she was forgetting some lines. Salting David Elliot Hawthorne. He threw her off. The fight was never supposed to get that personal. “And I’ve made friends here. Please, can I stay?”
The Dentist studied her, pressing his fingers together beneath his chin.
“I’ll work,” Esther said. “I’ll earn my keep, and I swear I’ll follow all the rules of the Code.” Something Betsy had said floated back to her. “The road isn’t safe for women, and I want to stay somewhere I’ll be protected. The others can go on without me.”
“We will hold you to the Code,” the Dentist said. “And you’ll have to swear to serve the Lake, as we all have.”
“Of course.”
“And I will not stand for insubordination. Understand this well.”
“Sir, I have no problem following the orders of a worthy leader.” Esther shot a glare at David. He had begun to usher the Lucindans toward the doors. Cody hadn’t even finished his breakfast, and he forked a few more bites into his mouth as he stood.
“Very well,” the Dentist said. “You could do with a steady hand. I’d urge you to find a husband sooner rather than later.”
Esther nearly swallowed her tongue, but she forced a smile. “I look forward to my new life here.”
A slow smile spread across the Dentist’s face. There was no way he believed her. He was playing along for his people’s benefit. How much did he know? She didn’t break eye contact with him until the door closed behind the Lucindans.
The crew gathered their belongings quickly. They hadn’t unpacked most of their stuff, so they could move at a moment’s notice. Cally and Anita had already collected their knapsacks from the single-women’s dormitory when Esther returned there after breakfast. She changed back into the skirt and blouse Yvonne had given her. She had to show her commitment to becoming a woman of the town.
She went out to see her friends off, though. They would hike back down to the river and be on their way within a few hours. She might never see them again. There was only a slim chance this would work.
A few townspeople gathered to say good-bye to their visitors. Esther stood beside Yvonne as her friends prepared to head into the jungle. Thompson and one of the Elders emerged from the village to accompany them down to the river, shotguns resting in their hands once again. Thompson met Esther’s eyes for a minute, his expression cloaked. He was still a loose wire, one she hadn’t been able to tie down. She hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
Esther’s father hugged her fiercely before turning and limping down the path, assisted by a walking stick one of the townspeople had fashioned for him. As he disappeared into the trees, she could still feel the warmth of his arms.
She still hadn’t told him the whole truth. If she failed in this attempt, at least her father would know she had been doing it out of love for her family. And he would never find out that Naomi claimed not to know them. That was all she could give him.
There were tears in Cally’s eyes when she said good-bye.
“Be careful, Esther,” she whispered. “I need you.”
“You’ll be okay,” Esther said. “Don’t break too many hearts.”
Cally sobbed and hugged her again. Then she marched down the path, leaving Dax and Cody to follow in her wake.
David didn’t look at her at all. He shook hands with the Dentist, who had come to see them off. She wanted him to glance at her, to give her some sort of sign that they were okay. But he avoided her gaze entirely, standing straight and elegant as ever. Then he walked away from her without saying good-bye.
Esther was still scowling at the bend in the path where David had disappeared when the Dentist turned to her.
“I believe it’s time to get to work, don’t you think?”
“Yes, sir,” Esther said. She wiped angrily at the tears welling up in her eyes. “And thank you.”
The Dentist smiled, and Esther felt a viscous hatred, like oil sliding through her stomach. It was his fault she had to say good-bye.
Esther followed Yvonne back to the hatchery and spent the day helping her feed the chickens. The evil birds made her cringe, but it kept her busy. She would make her move at nightfall. By that time the Lucinda should be under way. Her friends would be safe, even if she never saw them again. She had a pretty good idea of what to do. She just had to pull it off. A few chickens were nothing. Esther would not let herself be afraid.
After work Yvonne dragged her off to watch a game of soccer. She seemed to think Esther was nursing a broken heart and wanted to distract her. Yvonne assured her there would be plenty of nice-looking men at the game.
They sat in the grass with a few other women and watched. The teams were Elders against ordinary townsmen. They wore armbands in two different colors to help tell the teams apart. The goals were wooden posts with fishing nets spread between them to catch the ball. The ball itself had been repaired many times, and the canvas patches were almost as numerous as the white and faded black ones.
“I wonder where Thompson is,” Betsy said, flopping onto the grass next to Esther and Yvonne.
“He usually plays?” Esther asked.
“He’s team captain,” Yvonne explained.
“He should have been back from walking your people to the river by now,” Betsy said. She studied Esther carefully as if waiting for a reaction.
“Maybe he had work to do,” Esther said.
“He never misses a game.”
As far as Esther knew, there had been no plans to mess with the guards. The Lucindans were supposed to make sure the Lake People knew they were truly leaving. She hoped David hadn’t done anything rash. They couldn’t afford mistakes at this stage. Her bigger fear, though, was that Thompson had acted against them after all.
The game was fast, and the men shouted and laughed at each other as they played. A handful of children kicked a makeshift ball around on the sidelines. Esther wondered whether her sister used to sit with Yvonne and Betsy to watch the games. Had Louis played too? Had his former teammates
been among the men who pushed him into the lake to drown?
Loathing for the Dentist filled her. She was sure he was the one responsible for all this. Life in this town could be so good. In other circumstances it was exactly the sort of place she would have liked to create for her friends from the Catalina. But this town only accepted those willing to follow exactly the same set of moral guidelines and pay lip service to the Dentist’s version of God. For everyone else this place was not the folksy paradise it seemed.
At halftime Bole jogged over to sit beside them. Yvonne pulled Betsy away, winking at Esther.
“Hey there.” Bole sat in the grass beside her.
“Hi. You were great,” Esther said.
“Thank you. I heard about what happened between you and Hawthorne. Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay,” Esther said. “I’m looking forward to a fresh start here.”
“I get it,” Bole said. He smoothed down his beard and tightened his long ponytail. Then he whipped a dandelion from the grass and tucked it behind Esther’s ear. “I’m sure you’ll need time and all, but I wanted to tell you I plan to officially court you just as soon as I can.”
Esther blinked. “Uh, I’d like that.”
“Thought you would.” Bole grinned.
“I might need a little time, though. I hope you understand.”
“Sure thing. You’re probably kinda sad right now. Courting’s no fun when you’re sad.”
“Thank you for understanding,” Esther said. “I need someone who really understands me.” As if on impulse she leaned in and hugged Bole, wrapping her arms around his sweaty waist.
“Aw, you’ll be all right.” Bole patted her on the back. “Hey, don’t forget about propriety.”
“I’m still getting used to how you do things here,” Esther said, smiling tremulously.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you.” Bole adjusted the dandelion in her hair and grinned. Then he leapt up and returned to the field.
Betsy and Yvonne had much to say about Esther and Bole as they watched the rest of the game. For a community with strict rules about what couples could and couldn’t do, they seemed to love any hint of romance. Esther let their conversation wash over her, wrapping her hands in her skirt. She thought she knew now what David had been doing. The Dentist and the townspeople might not have believed she really wanted to live like the Lake People, but a lovers’ quarrel was another matter. Bole was only helping the illusion. She should have realized what David was doing at breakfast, but she had been too angry. Her reactions had been totally genuine. That must have been what David had planned. Damn it, the man knew her too well.
