He purposely bit the tip of his tongue and turned to face Doov. “Lining-” he began, his damned tongue betraying him anyway. But he recovered immediately. “Bullshit.”
Doov poked a finger on Obe’s chest. “Who you once knew as your brother is no more,” Doov said. “That’s what you’ve refused to learn here. It’s why you’re still green. Every part of your former life is dead.” He turned to look as his little congregation. They stared back, unable to speak.
“The greatest truth of this island is that men who bring with them the baggage of the past will never survive. I’ve seen dozens of greenhorns die, and their memories simply fade away.” He turned back to Obe. “And you’ll go just like them. Now… about that other comment.”
“What other comment?” Obe swallowed, trying to remember what else he’d said. The high he’d been on from his bold words had blinded him from something.
“You’ve talked to the Hillbruhs,” Doov said.
Obe swallowed harder. His litany was suddenly screaming inside his mind. “I was just getting some water,” he said. “That’s all.”
“Oh really? And what, pray tell, did you offer in trade? It could not have been food since you gave your last bag to the Family. You remember that contract, don’t you O. B. E. Obe? The Family agreed to protect you, and you agreed to protect the family.”
Obe stuttered, wondering what to do. Did Doov know more than he was letting on? If the Hillbruhs had spies, wasn’t it conceivable that the Family did as well?
“I…” Obe tried, but he could not fathom a plausible lie fast enough. His eyes found Leb, who only shook his head in helplessness.
“It has come to this,” Doov said. He turned and ascended his bucket once more. His congregation followed him with their many eyes. When he spoke again, it was to the group at large.
“Obe no longer has a place in the Family of Blue,” Doov said. “Since his arrival last Sunday he has caused a stir. He is a danger to himself and to every man around him. For the safety and benefit of the Family, I must therefore permanently banish him from the Family of Blue.”
Some shocked gasps burst through the crowd, but Obe was crushed more by how few there seemed to be than by his actual punishment. Just then, he was glad to be rid of them.
“We wish you well and a long survival against the demon called woman, but you will no longer be accepted in food, trade, or conversation by any of us. Anyone seen doing so will join his fate.”
He turned his attention back to Obe. “You are dead to us,” he said. “Now go.”
Obe looked at Doov and suddenly felt the dagger hit home. No food. No trade. Not even any conversation. Even Leb would not risk being caught with him. How long could he expect to live stealing food from the greens before the women saw? Weeks? Months? He doubted even this was possible. He suddenly realized he had just committed suicide by proxy.
Doov led the final movement in Obe’s time in the alley. Without saying a word, he slowly turned his back. Then the crowd, as if of one solid mind and body, turned from him as well. In seconds he saw only a sea of backs instead of the eyes which had so recently haunted him. Only the youngest men were slow to turn.
Obe wanted to speak, to start over again. He had gone too far. His anger had made him stupid. He saw Tick, the man who had saved his life by distracting the women. He was nothing but the back of a head now. A faceless, stoic impasse. He saw Rein, the man who had stolen his sneakers at the end of his long first day in the grocery alley. He saw Doov and Baj and Slet. All blocks of wood, cubes of stone. Then he saw even Leb, a man so recently punished, but a man who had crossed a far less delicate line. A man Obe had allowed himself to believe could develop into a true friend. He was as faceless and uncaring as all the rest.
Desperately, knowing how useless it was but unable to stop himself, Obe tried to call to him. “Lining?” he said.
And this was so easily the final blow.
Obe stood a moment longer trying to will his shallow breaths back to full life again. But they were as dead and empty as hearts of the Family of Blue. He stepped away toward the open end of the alley without a satchel of food in his hands, without a friend to make conversation, without even an enemy to trade or sell him some food when he would get hungry, and then he stepped again.
From behind him there was such silence that he could have been alone in an empty warehouse or the sole insect in a vast stretch of desert. He was a body falling through the windless air plummeting toward the rocks below.
His third step was onto a small pebble, and his heart silently broke a little more because he knew no one would care.
The fourth step was at a run, and Obe didn’t stop until he’d gone through the alley, through the streets, and through the hills he found beyond.
CHAPTER 9
DEPARTURES
1
“So what’s your take on the new girl?”
A long silence lingered while Emma finished the final dozen reps of her squats. “Pass,” she said when she was done. She was not out of breath.
“You don’t think she’s got the mustard?” Sherry asked. “If not, she’ll be outta here before Lucy.”
“I dunno,” Emma said. “Maybe. Probably not, but maybe.”
“Then what’s your beef?”
Emma positioned the weight stack pin another two notches lower, adding another fifty pounds to her exercise. “Not sure,” she said. “I just don’t like her I guess. Seems like a pussy.”
“She just got here,” Sherry defended. Weren’t you scared your first week? I mean, the initiation and all…”
“No,” Emma said with open disdain. “Why the hell would I be afraid? Fear is for the weak. You telling me you weren’t thrilled with the notion?”
Sherry twirled the handle of the weighted jump rope she’d been about to employ. “Well, yes. I mean who wouldn’t? But I’m not ashamed to admit I was also afraid. It’s… you know… intense.”
Emma laughed her standard, high cackle. “That’s exactly what I loved about it!”
The two girls continued with their respective routines several minutes more. Eventually, Sherry broached the inevitable next part of their conversation. “So you wanna lay odds?”
“Thought you’d never ask,” Emma smiled. “I’ll give you two-to-one she doesn’t make it.”
“Two duties to my one?” Sherry asked. “You’re feeling generous in your old age.”
Emma cackled again. “Ha! You only wish I was old. You’re just jealous Gertrude made me her second-in-command when Lucy dropped that bombshell.”
“Jesus, I can’t believe she’s leaving already. It feels like just yesterday I came here and met you all. Where do you think she’s going to shack up? Somewhere tropical I bet. Just take that million-plus and order around the cabana boys.” She smiled wickedly and added, “During the day, that is. At night she’s going to be a dominatrix.”
Emma laughed again. “Nah,” she finally said, “she’s sick of everything about islands and whatnot. I bet she moves to the city. Surround herself with people again. That’s where I’d go. In the city you can get away with a lot.”
Sherry wiped the sweat from her brow and examined herself in the mirrored wall. She wasn’t nearly as big as Emma yet, but finally she felt like she wasn’t such a frail woman anymore. Her chest was broad, her breasts subdued, and her legs thick.
“I’ll take your bet at three-to-one,” she said. “Anyone willing to start out at a deuce should be willing to make it three.” Her wicked grin stretched a nonce wider as she awaited Emma’s reply.
Emma refrained from answering until she was once again done with her repetitions. When she finished, she refused to wipe the sweat from her own brow. She had always liked the feel of her hot sweat collecting and rolling down her face.
“I’ll take it,” she said. “Because you’re still going to lose.”
“Sucker,” Sherry said. She offered her hand and Emma slapped at it.
“You’ll see,” she said. �
�Ain’t nothin’ more obvious to an experienced huntress like myself. This Heather chick’s going down.”
“So says you,” Sherry said, still smiling. “But I think she’s got a bit of a surprise in her.”
Emma didn’t say another word. She only adjusted the weight stack pin another notch lower and began grunting out another set of muscle-building, man-killing lifts.
2
Josie stood with her back to her open office door, her arms behind her and one hand in the other. She was looking through the giant window at the hills of Monroe’s Island beyond. Sunlight and a cool ocean breeze streamed in and brought life to the huge, empty desk and the refreshed, empty floor behind her. Her sight was keen and her hearing was sharpened. But inside her head a typhoon whirled, thrashing and ripping away at so many parts of her life.
Power, she thought. That’s what all of this is about. Just power, and showing it off.
She stood calmly so anyone entering would feel welcomed. But she wondered if she’d ever be away from the storm called power now that it had arrived. She doubted she would ever be truly at peace again.
Earlier that morning she had met with Sharon, the oldest and highest-ranking girl in her squad, to finalize everyone’s new schedules. Even after the meeting the night before, she hadn’t been sure Sharon would react well. After all, she had been on the island almost two years longer than Josie. If anyone had had the true experience to take over the vacated headwoman position, it would have been her. But Sharon hadn’t brought up this or any other point about the recent stirrings. She’d only answered Josie’s questions quickly and respectfully, and offered her own opinions when prompted, all just as a good second-in-command should.
No, she amended herself, thinking of Sharon. This is all about respect. Respect trumps power. Respect begets power. And more. All I need is respect. If I have that, power and the rest will come, in time.
But even this wisdom came with trepidation, because time was the one thing Josie knew she had precious little of.
The previous night had been a success. She needed to remember that. It had been odd to set up a meeting under the cover of darkness, but the clandestine mood had been purposeful, and it had seemed to work. Her squad of five, still dressed in blue, had arrived at her office as requested, and before it was over she’d gotten her first dose of honest respect.
She had stood at her desk then much as she did now, with all the patience in the world despite the typhoon churning behind her eyes. When they had quieted all at once like a classroom of nervous students, the nervousness had found and attacked her instead. Back home, Josie had never liked speaking in front of a class. Suddenly being in charge of even a small group such as this had, for one long terrifying moment, almost been too much. Their eyes had soaked her up, waiting for something wonderful, something grand, but all she had had to offer them was regular old Josie with perhaps a little extra spit.
No, that wasn’t true, she thought now. I’m my own woman now, ready and willing to take on a great injustice.
“Evening, girls,” she had said, and they had all nervously responded with their own individual hello’s. Only Steph, already knowing what to expect, had said nothing. Instead, she stood in the back and nodded once and slowly. You can do this, that look seemed to say.
Josie hadn’t been sure if her lungs would give voice to any of the words her mouth was going to form. And then, when she tried, she found everything worked fine.
“This is strange, I know,” she had said. “And I don’t mean meeting everyone late at night like this. I mean, things are a little weird lately, right?” The five girls had chuckled, even Steph, and magically, Josie saw that just being herself for a second and saying what she felt like saying had an amazing calming effect. The girls had also dropped their shoulders an inch and let out their held breaths. She had thought then that maybe she could really do it all. Her whole wild, crazy scheme seemed possible.
“But with any change of office,” she had continued, “come other changes as well. And I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for whatever departures from the norm I’ll be making. I’ve called you here tonight to explain some of what to expect.”
Don’t mention having been part of the blue squad just last year, the typhoon had screamed. You can be yourself, but you really can’t be their friend anymore. They won’t accept it. Not this soon.
“The first…”
And then she had stumbled, unsure how to say it.
“The first…”
Oh God, she’d said it twice. This was horrible.
“I’m going to start from scratch,” she had blurted. “Without any preconceived notions. About anyone.” She had tried not to look at Sharon when she said this, but her eyes had betrayed her and gone directly to the one among them who could make or break her early reputation. Sharon’s face had been a perfect statue.
“In order to do that I’m going to… well, evaluate each of you myself. It’s an unfortunate necessity. One I wish I could avoid, but the distinction here is that all of Lorraine’s notes on you have been thrown away. I never read them. And I have no intention of asking Monica for her… opinions. I prefer to make my own.” She had looked at them, half expecting smiles of pure glee, but had seen the reality instead: blank confusion.
“And just to clarify,” she had added, “I want you to know I intend to listen more than I speak. I’m no fool. I know the rumors we headwomen get from the rest of you, and I’m aiming to change that too.” It was then the smiles had come, and Josie had been pleased to hear several chuckles as well.
“I’ll begin Monday and see one of you each day,” she had continued. “Sharon?”
“Yes?” Sharon had said, quick to stand taller than the others and help bring a little formality to the meeting.
“Can you come tomorrow to help me set up a schedule?” This was another of Josie’s prescribed moves. A headwoman needed never ask a girl of her squad anything. She needed only command. Additionally, her desire to hear Sharon’s input on such a menial procedure was equally unique.
“Um, yes,” Sharon had said. “Before breakfast?”
Josie had laughed and flapped a hand at her. “Please, God no,” she said. “That’s hardly necessary. I’d prefer sometime before lunch, if you could. Otherwise, whatever suits you is fine with me.” Behind the other girls, Steph was nodding her approval.
“After breakfast then,” Sharon had said, and Josie had been happy to hear it was a statement this time instead of a question.
“Excellent.”
“Josie?” Erin had said while raising her hand. This was the youngest of the crew and the one who had been transferred from Beatrice’s green squad to fill her own created gap. She’d been on the island only three years.
“Yes?”
The girl- and that’s truly what she was, at not even twenty years of age- had looked a little scared, but mostly confused. “Um… I don’t mean to sound ignorant, but, uh… why?”
“Why what?” Josie had asked. She had used her happiest, most accepting of smiles.
“Why… do you… you know… care?”
Josie’s smiled had changed, and standing now in the open, inviting room less than a day later, she felt confident it was one of the defining moments of her life. It was certainly one of her favorites.
As her smile had softened at the corners and her eyes had followed suit, she’d explained simply, “Because I’ve been where you are,” she had said. “And I’ve learned from the mistakes of my predecessors. Tell me, Erin, have you ever considered having children when you get back home?”
“Um… I guess,” Erin had admitted, looking even more confused now.
“And haven’t you already determined several things you’ll never do… or be sure to do… with that child based on how your own parents raised you? I’m not saying they were horrible parents, I’m only saying we have to learn if we expect to progress.”
“Well, yeah, sure,” Erin had said. “And for the record, my parents we
re idiots. All they cared about were my grades. They had no idea who I really was.”
“Exactly my point,” Josie had said. “No woman… no person for that matter… should ever be judged without getting the opportunity to speak for themselves.”
That’s when it happened, Josie thought now. They knew they could trust me with that statement, and that’s when I gained their respect. Still…
She remembered Sharon’s face, confusion in it for the first time because her elected superior had just made the first open suggestion that the men had rights too.
I’ll need to see how she’s taking this tomorrow, she had thought then. But the truth was that Sharon hadn’t waited until the following morning to show her true colors.
“Headwoman,” Sharon had said. “Would you prefer we all maintain our current exercise schedules until hearing from you? Or is there a specific routine you’d like us to employ until then?”
All heads turned back to Josie, even Steph’s. This was always a topic of great interest since it took up so much of everyone’s time. Josie hadn’t been prepared and made a snap decision.
“Workouts,” she had said. “Yes, we’re going to have some significant changes there, too. For now… I’ll let the choice be yours. If any of you are not sure what to do with such freedom, then perhaps sticking with your current routines would not be a bad idea. But hear this,” she had consciously placed her hands on her desk and offered up yet another warm smile, “I have a lot of ideas, and almost all of them involve letting you girls make more of your own decisions. No, scratch that. Forcing, not letting. So you’d better get used to the idea of making choices you can live with.”
And that, she thought now, still looking through the giant window, was the moment I scared them.
“You all know the saying,” she had said to them. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step. I want you to realize that The Cause is more than just a thousand-mile journey. It’s a complete overhaul of the world as it’s been running for thousands of years. And I believe that’s going to mean an overhaul in our thinking as well as everyone else’s. So be prepared to start taking some steps.”
Woman Scorned Page 27
