Marital Law Page 10

  The trip would take Marcella's entire afternoon, and this put her in less than chipper spirits. Everyone in the Capitol knew better than to mess with her when she got like this.

  The horse and carriage was currently her only means of transportation, and she detested the smell of the nasty creatures. Even with her servants bathing them on a regular basis, they still reeked of straw and feces.

  Once she got the oil refineries operational again and the vehicles back on the road, Marcella fully intended to feed every mount she owned to the Badlanders, ridding herself of them forever.

  Glancing out the window of the carriage, Marcella took in the rundown area of eastern Providence. Everything was in disarray. Only a few homes remained standing, and even those were badly burned. Weeds grew unabated, completely obliterating many of the roads and discarded vehicles.

  The place was a ghost town—not even a stray dog in sight. Of course, this could be attributed to how close it was to Caine's Badlanders. Stray animals were known to disappear, and it was even said that the Badlanders had taken to raising them like cattle, for obvious purposes.

  Getting out of the carriage, Marcella pushed up her breasts and said, “Two of you come with me.” To the carriage driver she said, “You remain here, look after those foul beasts.” Even though she hated the horses, she knew without them her trip back would be long and hard.

  Maneuvering her way up the side of the mountain, Marcella cursed outwardly for wearing high heels. She slipped numerous times and hit her monitors in the back of the head each time they tried to support her. Seeing Caine up ahead, she scrunched her nose, dreading their meeting.

  Coming forward to meet her, Caine offered his ragged hand. It was wrapped with a filthy bandage, and Marcella just knew she would contract some sort of disease if she took it. The man's every movement brought forth a new wave of stench, and Marcella had to use her handkerchief to cover her nose.

  “Ah, you made it. I was beginning to wonder,” Caine said, lowering his neglected hand.

  “Your message made it sound like I didn't have a choice,” Marcella replied, disgusted at Caine's yellow, toothy smile. The man wore a long overcoat which at one time might've been beige. Now, it looked a stained, dark brown.

  Marcella envisioned Caine and his people gathered around, feasting on a human body. She scrunched up her face in disgust, but quickly turned her head to keep from offending the strange man.

  “It doesn't have to be this way, Marcella. We made a deal, and it seems you are failing to hold up your end of that little arrangement,” Caine said, nodding his head.

  “As I already told you, Caine, I'm doing my best to get you more bodies. If you would get your people to attack the forest, you would no longer need my help,” Marcella said pointedly.

  “My people want nothing to do with those creatures your evil wizard has created. Listen Marcella, I will lay this out as simple as I possibly can. You either help us, or we will help ourselves!” Caine said with an evil glint in his eyes.

  “As I’ve said a thousand times, Lucius controls the savages, and I control him. He will keep them away from the forest and allow your people to take as many you want. All of them preferably.”

  “It doesn't matter. No amount of convincing is going to get my people to go in there after them. Now either uphold your end of the deal, or I will be forced to make a new one!”

  “Don't make empty threats at me, Caine!”

  With an evil smirk, Caine replied, “Who said they were empty? Rest assured, they are threats. Our numbers have enlarged. We will sweep through the Capitol, decimating your meager protection force within a matter of days. Is that what you want, MOM? Aren't you supposed to be the mother of the people of Providence, their protector?”

  “Just so we’re clear—those savages you are so afraid of can be called into action to protect the Capitol at a moment’s notice, if need be!” Marcella replied.

  Silence. Finally, Caine said, “Hunger is a powerful tool, Marcella. No, my people don’t want to engage your wizard’s evil creation, but we now have a taste for human flesh, and I can assure you that we will be satiated, at any cost. Now I don’t believe either of us wants that to happen, Marcella. It’s up to you to find us some middle ground, a way of working through this.”

  A beat. Marcella knew Caine was right. She had to give him something—had to make concessions. Her mind racing, she said, “I might be able to send a small group of prisoners your way, if you can assure me they won't escape and somehow make their way back inside Providence.”

  “I thought we already cleaned out the prisons,” Caine said.

  “Let's just say there could soon be an influx of law breakers coming to the Capitol,” Marcella said, thinking of different ways she could arrest some of the men around Providence. It had to be the males. The only females she would ever hand over to Caine were the sick and aged.

  Smiling, Marcella decided upon a way of gathering up a decent meal offering to tide Caine and his people over for a few weeks. She would send the monitors door to door in the outer region of Providence west, have them plant photos of the old world, and then accuse the men of espionage against the Capitol.

  It was well known that anyone harboring pictures or other memorabilia of that time would be swiftly dealt with as traitors. The only one caught to date was Ellen Reyes, but Marcella had made sure the monitors showed all of Providence what happens when her people disobey her orders.

  “Oh, you have my word. They will never again step foot inside Providence, once you’ve handed them over to me. Oh, and Marcella, the more the merrier,” Caine said with an evil glint.

  Wrinkling her nose, Marcella said, “I think I've had enough of this place for one day, maybe a lifetime. My monitors will deliver seven men to you by week’s end. Make them last until spring, Caine. If all goes well, you will have an entire forest to feast on by that time.”

  Chapter 14

  The smart thing to do was to wait another month, before I ventured back to the Capitol, so that’s what I decided upon. I had already seen all I needed to see about the buildings, but I hoped to catch a glimpse of the monitors this time.

  I wasn't sure why, but something told me that whatever would be happening in the future would certainly involve them. Plus, I had a secret motive for coming back, and upon entering through the gates, I made a beeline in that direction.

  Elisa's house was the first one going left to right, marking the distinction between the rundown ones versus the well kempt homes. It was easy to spot. I just hoped her obnoxious neighbors wouldn't be lurking about as well.

  Ensuring the coast was clear, I made my way to her front door and rapped gently. After a brief couple of seconds, a small, frail looking woman appeared. She appeared sickly, weighing little more than a child.

  “Can I help you?” she managed with some effort.

  Ashamed, I found myself counting the woman's ribs clearly visible through the small shirt she wore. “Uh, is Elisa around?”

  The look of sadness on the woman's face hit me harder than any enemy possibly could. “Surely not…I mean she can't be...” I started.

  “Come inside,” The woman said as she ushered me in.

  “She died two days ago. We weren't able to feed her anymore, and everyone here in Capitol refused to help.”

  “Were forbidden, to be honest,” said an even smaller man than the woman I was speaking with. He'd suddenly appeared inside the doorway, and I could tell he felt just as hurt and angry as I now did, or else I would've chastised him for interrupting two females engaged in conversation.

  “I am so sorry. I wish I would've come sooner.”

  “Did you know Elisa? What's your name?” asked the woman.

  “Sidnie. And not really. I just met her a while back when she asked me for some food. I didn't have anything at the time, but I brought this,” I said, reaching inside my shirt and producing a loaf of bread, a piece of last night's cooked squirrel, and a couple of carrots and onions from the
garden.

  The woman came forward and gave me a hug, and then she took the food and gave half to the man in the doorway. “I can’t tell you enough how much we appreciate this, Sidnie.”

  “If only I’d made it sooner. I should’ve come back right after she asked me,” I replied.

  “There’s no way you could’ve known, Sidnie. Try not to beat yourself up about this. Elisa is in a better place now. We can only pray we join her there soon,” said the woman, in between huge mouthfuls of bread.

  As I left the couple, my spirit was so low, I envisioned myself dragging it behind me like a steel ball attached to a chain. Spying a group of monitors near the Capitol training grounds, I made my way over to them, hoping to at least learn something that might be useful in the future.

  There were only five of them, and all looked out of sorts. It was the one on the end that caught and kept my attention. It was Colin, and the way he listened to the men barking orders at him made him look almost robotic. He didn’t seem human anymore, and this only further sent my spirit into the dumps.

  I wasn’t sure why I felt so bad seeing Colin after all these months, but pangs of guilt hit me at the thought of what I’d done. I’d taken him from his people, from his very home, and deposited him here in this land that was foreign to him. And now he was basically a prisoner of MOM. Why are you feeling guilty, Sidnie? This is the way it works. They brought this upon themselves. They are traitors, nothing more!

  ****

  One month after Colin was handed over to the monitors

  There was no telling how much time lapsed, but by the time the lights finally came on and the door to the room opened, Colin's mind was in shutdown mode. He'd fallen asleep numerous times, soiled his pants after shouting until his throat hurt for someone to release him so he could relieve himself, and his hunger had surpassed ravenous and was currently in the, if I don't eat right this second, I will be forced to tear the meat right off my own arm level.

  A tall, overweight man looking like a scientist walked over to the table and gazed down upon Colin. Hallucinations set in, and Colin thought the man had two heads. When Lucius brought the needle down to his neck, Colin thought it was a large knife, and strained against his bonds for freedom.

  In mere seconds, his mind began to fade and sleep came on like a raging storm.

  A sharp, piercing pain awakened Colin. His eyes flew open but couldn't find focus. Everything blurred, his arm ached. He could feel something coursing through his veins, something foreign. Voices flowed in and out of his head, none recognizable. He was in a different place, a cold, lifeless room.

  Two monitors came in and took up position on either side of him. The smaller of the two said, “You will soon have a visitor. If you disrespect the ruler of all of Providence, I will be forced to deal with you accordingly. Do you understand?”

  “What?” was all Colin could get out. His mouth was too dry to form words, and his tongue felt like a thousand bees had flown inside and went on a sting fest.

  The larger of the two men popped Colin in the jaw with a left hook so fast Colin didn’t see it coming. He certainly felt it though. “My partner here asked you a question. It’s disrespectful to answer a question with a question, so you’d better find the right words, and quick!”

  Recognizing the one speaking from the last time he was conscious, Colin knew it didn’t matter what or how he replied—he would get beaten regardless.

  The two men pelted Colin for a few, and then took up position behind him.

  The sight of Marcella Munford caught him off guard. She was beautiful, not the beastly woman he'd expected after hearing how evil she was. She strode into the cell where Colin was being held prisoner, where he was chained to the ceiling and the rear wall.

  Marcella had long, blonde hair, deep blue eyes, a slightly upturned nose, and prominent cheekbones. She had an air of self-assuredness about her, but Colin automatically took it as egotistical. All he'd ever known her as was the evil MOM, the murderer of his people.

  As she walked up to Colin, Marcella reached out and took his face in her hands and said, “You look just like your father, Jeremiah. Tell me, how is he doing now, hiding out like a thief in that dreadful forest? Is he enjoying a life of luxurious living?”

  Uncertain how to respond, he said nothing at all.

  One of the guards to his right rushed forward and kicked Colin hard in the ribs. The pain was instant, the blow snapping the bone like a small twig. Colin winced inwardly, refusing to give them the satisfaction of crying out.

  Gritting his teeth, Colin said, “We are doing just fine in the forest, because we have something not allowed here in Providence: freedom to go wherever and do whatever we please.”

  “You are just a child! You have no idea what freedom is, nor will you ever again. I own you now, Colin. From this day forward, you will be my little toy. I will play with you when I want and throw you in the corner when I get tired of you.”

  “There's nothing you can do to hurt me, Marcella. I—” Colin started.

  One of the monitors whacked Colin across the jaw so hard he saw stars—perhaps an entire solar system. “You will call her MOM and give her the respect she deserves!”

  When Colin came back to, he realized he was in a different room, and he was no longer shackled to the wall. He was lying face down on a large, plush bed, which surprised him even more.

  Why had they moved him? A bed? From the way Marcella Munford had spoken to him, he certainly hadn't thought he was about to be treated like a house guest. To the contrary, he fully expected to be tossed into the foul place where they dumped the Palace's refuse, and have human waste poured all over him.

  Thinking back to his last day with Sidnie, Colin wondered where she was now, what she was doing. He’d tried denying his feelings for her, but his efforts were futile. Her face, and the time they’d spent together were forever branded in his heart. But he knew it probably no longer mattered. After all, Sidnie was most likely married off and would soon be the proud new owner of a child of her own.

  He wished things could've been different, that Sidnie would've walked away from her life in Providence and remained with him. But at the time, Colin just couldn’t bring himself to put such a burden on her small shoulders. It was too much.

  The sound of footsteps approaching stirred Colin's attention. He gingerly made it onto his feet and waited at the foot of the bed, his heart racing. He didn't know what to expect next, had no idea what deception Marcella Munford might throw at him. His body ached, his ribcage looked deformed with the broken one sticking out at an odd angle.

  When the overly tall and flabby Lucius entered the room, Colin feared his life was over, as well as his mission. Even though this wasn’t his first encounter with the man, this was the first time he’d actually been coherent long enough to have a conversation. But Colin doubted he would be the one doing any talking. He'd heard the stories—believed beyond the shadow of doubt that this man was pure evil.

  Lucius walked over and plopped down in the chair situated next to the bed. He barely even had to look over at Colin, when he said, “Welcome to Providence, Colin. I hope you’ve found our accommodations to your liking. If not, no need to worry. I have an extra special place for you to rest your head for the next few days.”

  The look on Lucius's face caused Colin's knees to weaken, the evil in the man's eyes almost made him soil his pants. This was foreign to Colin, as men rarely caused him concern. Only the savages engendered such reaction. It only made sense that the creator of these beings brought him great fear too.

  “Now that I have your full attention, how would you like to make things easier for yourself and make this all go away? All you have to do is tell me where the dwellers are hiding out in the forest, and I’ll spare all of you. You will all get to live out the rest of your lives as prisoners in the cellars beneath Providence.”

  A few beats. Colin's mind swam with questions, concerns. He knew he couldn't give up his people, his family. Bu
t the thought of what Lucius might put him through, was almost too much to bear. He began to sweat, the smell of his own stench turning his already weak stomach. Finally, “I—I can't. I mean, I wish I could, but, but they are my family,” Colin said almost pleadingly.

  “My dear boy. You might want to think long and hard about the decision you're making here. The lives of your family and your own depend on it. Please don't make me get ugly. I grow tired of all the killing, all the senseless bloodshed. Only you can stop this, Colin. Only you can end this nasty feud your people started against Providence.”

  “It's not that easy. I...”

  “Don't you trust me, Colin? Haven't I proven myself by allowing you to stay here in my home? To sleep in my guest bed?” Lucius asked, his tone growing dark.

  A beat. Colin's mind swam with the possible choices, and his resolve began to weaken. Hearing his mother's words replay inside his head, they will tell you many things to get you to turn against us, Colin. You must resist them. You must not give into their lies.

  Colin narrowed his eyes and said, “Do with me what you will, but the location of my people you will never find! That I can assure you!”

  Lucius bolted out of his seat and pounced on Colin with the speed and precision of a jaguar in the desert. He’d never seen a man of Lucius’s size move like that before. Surprise and shock came first, followed by fear.

  Colin felt Lucius's large, icy cold hand wrap around his throat, and he'd never been so afraid in his life. Not even his short encounter with the savage had brought such utter fear and dread to him. Lucius was evil, of that Colin was sure.

  As Lucius's hand squeezed hard into his windpipe, Colin did his best to pry it from his neck. But his efforts were akin to a young fawn trying to get out of the jaws of an alligator.

  Lucius said through gritted teeth, “People don't tell me no, Colin! I'll tell you what I'm going to do. You have three, maybe four seconds at most to change your mind. Do you understand me?”