The Chardon Chronicles: Season One -- The Harvest Festival

by Kevin Kimmich

  “Bullshit, Matt. These assholes work on projects for hundreds of years.”

  “But maybe it won’t be dangerous for long.” Telia said hopefully.

  “Maybe not.” Robbie brightened a bit. “Look, I guess we won’t know for a while, but I’m going to hope for the best. I am not going to let her think you died.”

  Matt nodded. “That’s good, but we’ll be out of touch for who knows how long.”

  A black car pulled into the driveway. Two men got out. Both of them were wearing three piece suits. Their hair was styled and they were both clean shaven and fit.

  They were incredibly quick with the business. A corporation had been set up in Robbie’s name. It had $10 million dollars in assets, stock, cash, real estate, and precious metals. He signed a few papers. The banker notarized them and they left.

  Matt said, “Hey you’re a millionaire!” The joke fell flat with Telia and Robbie.

  Robbie picked up the folder the men left with him and went into the house.

  Matt said, “I’ve got to do one more thing.”

  Matt knocked on Tracy’s door, “hey girl!” she was laying on her bed, reading and listening to music on headphones.

  “Hey Dad!” she took the headphones off. She’d been home for days and was loving the time away from school.

  “I have something to teach you.”

  Telia sat down on a chair. “How does this work?”

  Matt said to both of them, “Before there was writing, people passed knowledge along with stories and songs. It sounds so poetic and imprecise, right?”

  Tracy nodded. Telia shrugged, “I guess.”

  Matt said, “They also had techniques for passing along perfect, precise information about complex subjects, basically whole worlds of knowledge that could be folded up and tucked away in memory.”

  Tracy said, “That’s cool. So, why do we go to school?”

  He grinned, “That is a really good question, right? Well, this technique is not well known. It used to be a secret. People liked to control information, because they used it to control people.”

  “That’s not nice.” Tracy said.

  “No it’s not.” Matt said. “But that’s the way some people are.”

  “OK, well, that’s cool, thanks for sharing with me, Dad.”

  He laughed, “Well don’t thank me, yet, because I’m going to teach you The Library. Actually, I should probably apologize because this will be so weird.”

  Tracy narrowed her eyes, “Weird? What do you mean?”

  Matt said, “Unfortunately this technique is the only one I know that actually works. We’ll basically build a map in your mind, but it won’t make any sense, maybe for years. You won’t even recall this session until your mind has fully digested it.”

  Tracy asked, “I don’t understand…”

  Matt said, “That’s alright. You will someday. Anyway, this will take a couple of days, sorry.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Present Day

  There was a pep rally in the gym. The Hilltopper marching band was impossibly loud and the antics of Topper fired the crowd up into a frenzy. The football team was presented. Richard and Berto were co-captains of the team, and they were also on the homecoming court. Richard wore his knit cap and mirrored sunglasses and had a candy cigarette hanging from his lip in studied indifference to the proceedings. Berto wore his letter jacket over his jersey and joined in the ceremonies. He presented the homecoming court with a little funny, charming, but slightly off color story about each.

  He put his hand on Richard’s shoulder, “This is my buddy Richard Golden. I ‘member in elementary school our teacher, Miss McLeland read through the list of names, last name first. She says, ‘Golden, Dick’ and the whole class laughs, but even back then Richard was just too cool for school.” The audience chuckled. Richard bowed and there were whoops and howls from the rest of the football team, “GOLDEN DICK, GOLDEN DICK, GOLDEN DICK.” they chanted. Berto calmed them down.

  He presented the girls. They were standing in a row, all wearing red gowns and beaming at the crowd. Berto started with Penelope Bruce, she was a special education student with Downs syndrome. He gave her a hug, and worked his way down the line. There were ripples of laughter, applause, whoops and catcalls as he told their stories. He was a natural. The crowd was hanging on his every word.

  The red gown was giving Chloe flashbacks to the basement of the Old Stone Hall. She tried to ignore the memories, but her pulse was racing. She was working hard to keep composed. Berto saved her for last.

  He started the story, “I don’t like to brag, well, I do like to brag.” the crowd laughed, “I have a shot at breaking the state record for the hundred this year, something I worked for every day these past four years,” the students applauded, “But I had the misfortune to be in a footrace with Chloe and Richard at the Wells farm. This girl blew my doors off--I was running my hardest--for her it was like a Sunday jog in the park! I’m pretty sure if we put football pads on her, she’d tear up Lincoln High like they were tissue paper!” the room whooped and stamped the bleachers. “But she’s got it all, grace, beauty, and intelligence, miss Chloe Marte.” The crowd applauded and whistled.

  She was relieved it was over. She wiped her brow with her hand. The court walked out of the gym to have pictures, yet again.

  Tracy asked her, “Are you alright?”

  “Yeah, flashbacks, weird flashbacks. The energy here is more positive, not as creepy, but still, this is very weird to me. Standing up in front of everybody as what? A slab of meat? An idol?”

  Tracy agreed, “Yeah, plus I didn’t think it would be so much work. Don’t worry. People will forget all about this tomorrow.”

  “I can’t wait to get it over with.” Chloe said. She sipped a bottled water.

  “The parade should be fun, anyway. So cheesy!” Tracy laughed. “I can’t wait to get out of this fucking gown. My tits are chafing.”

  Chloe guffawed, “You’re all class baby! I am literally taped to this. I hope my sweat doesn’t make it slip or I’ll be holding it up all night.”

  Tracy whispered, “I think I actually like Richard.”

  Chloe smiled slyly, “Ohhhh. That bad boy thing getting to you?”

  Tracy said, “He really just doesn’t give a shit about this. I asked him why he said,” she imitated him, “Brah, there’s dudes surfin’ in tahiti right now.’”

  Chloe chuckled, “That was good. Hey Richard,” she shouted, he walked over. “She can do you.” She winked at Tracy.

  “Oh god, thanks for that, you subtle chica.” Tracy shoved her.

  Chloe said, “Do it again.”

  “Brah, there’s dudes surfin’ in tahiti right now.’” Tracy said again.

  “Dude!” he high fived her, “That was classic. But man, there are, and we’re here. We’re getting trotted around like slabs of meat and cheesecake. If I get my picture taken again, I think I’ll go blind.”

  Tracy slapped his butt football style, “Tough it out.” She laughed.

  He slipped the sunglasses down and eyed her. “I’ll see you tonight, Wells. I gotta go ball now.”

  Chloe stifled a laugh until he was a few feet away. “He is cool. Like he studied the cool book and took some cool classes. I’ll give him that.”

  Tracy said, “Well let’s go do this parade already. I’m tired of sitting and waiting.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The parade cars lined up in front of the school. Local businesses sponsored some floats. The girls and boys had been separated onto two flatbed trucks. The boys sat on bales of hay that surrounded a giant plaster hilltopper statue. The girls were on a truck that had corn stalks and wheat sheafs. Chloe and Tracy kept doing their fake royal wave like automatons, and would occasionally burst out laughing. Monica Merchant took her role seriously and kept giving them dirty looks.

  The marching band fired up a drum cadence and the truck lurched forward. All the girls stumbled a couple paces, “Whoa!” Tracy
almost fell. Chloe grabbed her. “My tittie almost popped out!” Tracy said. Chloe laughed hysterically.

  Monica said, “Would you guys shut up? You might not take this seriously, but some of us do.”

  “Fuck you, Monica.” Chloe said bluntly. “If you take this seriously, you’re seriously deluded.”

  “It’s a tradition. It’s important.” Monica managed to say, even though she was afraid of Chloe.

  “Bitch, I’ve got one thing to say to you. If you fuck with my car again I’ll kill your ass.” Chloe snarled. Her temper was rising.

  Tracy grabbed her shoulders, “Whoa! Easy tiger. Chill. Just do this.” Instead of waving at the crowd she held up her middle finger and waved it at Monica.

  “Geez, you guys are weird.” Monica tried to ignore them.

  The parade plodded along the route. People who were walking down to the stadium from around town stopped a few minutes to watch it go by. Richard was sprawled on top of the bales of hay soaking in the rays of the autumn sun. He was almost asleep.

  The parade made its way around the square. Chloe noticed a set of black cars were parked inside of some traffic cones and there was a group of people gathered inside the cones. She recognized Morgan. “Holy shit,” she gasped to Tracy, “look.” she pointed Morgan out.

  Morgan was arm in arm with Demetria. She was wearing a clinging golden gown that was slit all the way up to her hip. She was flanked by girls in white robes. A crowd had congregated around them. She and Morgan walked out in the street and her driver Mike stopped the parade by stepping in front of the truck.

  Morgan helped Demetria climb up onto the back of the truck and Morgan hopped up after her.

  “Tracy and Chloe, this is Demetria.” He said.

  Demetria wiped a tear away and hugged each of them tight. They were a little dazed. “Sisters. Oh, you are such bright visions. You are stunning, both of you. You do your town proud.”

  They gaped at Morgan. He said, “I’ll try to explain later. We’ll be at the game and the dance, so I hope we can catch up.” He helped Demetria down. They stepped away from the parade and Mike let the truck continue.

  The other girls looked at them quizzically. Chloe just shrugged. Monica said, “Was that Steve’s cousin?”

  Tracy said, “I don’t think that was Steve’s cousin!”

  As the parade continued, everyone in the procession tried to get a look at Demetria. She waved and blew kisses to them all. The kids who really got a good look at her or caught her eye smiled dreamily.

  After the parade passed, Demetria greeted the crowd. She shook hands with men, hugged women and children and patted dogs on the head. Then they piled into the cars and drove in a slow procession to the field. All eyes in the crowd followed them.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Demetria’s staff cleared a central row of the bleachers. She stood at the end of the row and greeted all the parents and family who’d been ousted. Their angry faces melted into smiles and somehow they felt lucky to have been displaced. A younger couple worked their way down the row to her. They had a five year old boy.

  “Oh he is so handsome, just like his father.” She brushed the boys cheek. He smiled at his parents. They beamed back.

  “Thanks! I keep tellin’ my wife that.” The man guffawed. Demetria put her hand on his forearm.

  “You’re a lucky lady.” Demetria said. She kissed the woman’s cheek and embraced the man. “Can the boy stay with me a while?”

  “Oh yes!” the mother said.

  “Marta show him to our spot.” she pointed to the center of the row. The boy was bewildered but happy. Marta took him by the hand, then the entire ensemble took their seats. Demetria and Morgan sat together, and the boy was between her and Marta.

  The loudspeaker crackled. “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the playing of our National Anthem.”

  Everyone stood up. Demetria slowly rose to her feet and then gestured to her girls. They sang along with the anthem. The crowd around the group was mesmerized. When the band concluded the anthem the girls sang a hymn to Demetria. She sent the young boy to join them. His eyes were as big as saucers. Cell phone cameras were popping all around. Demetria’s face was radiant under the glow of the fields’ lights.

  She took Morgan’s arm, “When is the fertility ceremony?”

  “It’s in the middle of the mock combat ritual.”

  She nodded, sensing the moment she stood up and shouted to the crowd with her fist raised, “To our boys! Victory!” The stands erupted in howls.

  Morgan felt a visceral thrill course through him. Demetria’s pupils were dilated and her skin was rosy as if an inner fire burned. He could smell her, a delicious honeyed spice scent. The crowd around her shifted uncomfortably as it reached them, and whispered directly to their animal self. Husbands and wives moved closer and eyed each other hungrily.

  “Oh it’s starting.” she breathed. The kickoff went to Lincoln. The return man was fast and agile and he worked his way toward the sideline looking for a seam, but the Hilltoppers were much better trained and disciplined and there was only a wall of black and red.

  A man yelled, “Destroy him!”

  The boy absorbed a crushing hit from his blind side and was knocked over the sideline. He fumbled the ball out of bounds into his teammates. One of the Chardon players picked it up and started to return the ball through the crowd. The referees had to break up the play. Whistles were blowing and the crowd roared wildly. Demetria goaded them on. She was radiant.

  For the first time in his life, Morgan enthused at the game, he felt the waves of energy from the crowd and started working with them. In prior seasons, a shell of irony and cynicism shielded his mind from the bestial energy that coursed through the mob, but Demetria was acting like a bottle for the lightning, and he started to understand the mechanics of it.

  Lincoln went three and out and punted. Berto received the kick and started up the field and broke free. Only the punter was left to beat. He attempted to tackle Berto, but he hurdled the boy and continued onto the endzone. He spiked the ball then sprinted all the way back down the field pointing up in the stands at Chloe.

  The crowd roared. Demetria said, “That was magnificent! He carries all the hopes of his people admirably.” She leaned over as whispered to Marta and pointed over at Chloe and Tracy. Marta leaned over and talked to Mike. He nodded.

  “Tracy? Chloe?” he leaned over and talked to them. The homecoming court sat together on one side of the bleachers.

  “What?” Tracy asked. She was a little confused.

  “Come with me.” he said firmly.

  They shrugged and followed him. Demetria was beaming and the entire crowd was watching them. Photographers had gathered around the bleachers and cameras were popping. Somehow the crowd decided the gathering of these three women was especially important.

  Demetria put her arms around the two girls and they posed for the cameras. “You two are so special. Transcendent beauty and power. You help fulfill all their hopes.” she gestured to the crowd. Hundreds of eyes were on them.

  Morgan asked Tracy, “Do you feel it?”

  Tracy said, “I do feel something.”

  Demetria asked, “Will you sit with us?”

  Chloe shrugged, “Sure.”

  Demetria whispered in her ear, “I think that boy loves you.” she pointed at Berto. “He’s very spirited.”

  Chloe’s ear tickled down her spine. She pulled her hair aside and glanced at Demetria. “Love? No. Maybe something like love, though.”

  Demetria ran her fingers through Tracy’s hair. Tracy was so used to Dana’s aggressive affection that she merely put an arm around Demetria’s waist instead of pulling away. Demetria said, “you are very much like Morgan. I think you two are somehow attached?”

  Tracy blushed slightly. “I’ve known him for years. We are very close.”

  Demetria sighed, “I would like to be close to you, also. There is a lot to you. You’re like Morgan in that way, too
.”

  Tracy smiled at her. She basked in Demetria’s warmth.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chardon was well ahead as the second quarter wound down, but the boys were still playing hard. Lincoln was starting to get frustrated. The red lights on the scoreboard showed a slaughter unfolding. They managed to kick a field goal and get on the board.

  The kickoff went to Berto. It looked like he’d broken clear again, but the kicker was dogged and angry. Berto tried to hurdle him again but as he planted his foot to jump the boy dove at his leg. The knee snapped and he flipped over the kicker and landed flat on his back and his lower leg whipped around like it wasn’t attached to the rest of his body.

  The kicker was appalled. He took his helmet off. “Doctor! Doctor!” he screamed and waved at the Chardon sideline.

  Chloe was shocked. She stood up and started toward the field.

  “Oh no!” Demetria said. The rollicking joy of the crowd turned to stern concern. She deflated. Morgan felt it too. Tracy followed Chloe down but they couldn’t see anything from their vantage point, so they climbed up higher in the bleachers.