Marital Law Page 14

  “With my spear in hand, I headed straight to the arena. The walk there was excruciatingly painful, thanks to my sprain. But I continued forward, masking my pain, turning it into anger towards Della. By the time I arrived, I barely even noticed the black looking, throbbing, swollen limb.

  Della gave me a look of intimidation, no doubt hoping to scare me into submission. I saw red, and immediately charged her. We wrestled around for what felt like hours, trading blows with our spears. When something sharp sliced across my right shoulder, my hand automatically opened, dropping my own weapon to the dusty earth and causing my knees to buckle. I could hear the crowd gasp, quickly followed by yells for Della to finish me.

  “Their lack of loyalty caused my resolve to strengthen, my anger to soar. I pretended to close my eyes, in an effort to make Della think I was getting ready to pass out. Squinting, I saw Della rush in on me. Seizing the moment, I did a barrel roll to my left, grabbed up my spear and sent it sailing into her stomach. She tumbled to the ground, a look of pure shock on her face.

  Getting up, I dusted myself off, and took note of all the faces that had cheered against me. I made a mental check against them, to ensure they felt the pain this mistake would cost them. And over the course of the next year, I sought them out, one by one, and beat an apology out of them. Respect, Sidnie. They don't give it, you take it!”

  “You say that, but I can see the worry in your eyes, Mother. And if I’m not mistaken, fear. This isn’t common for you, Mother. You don't think I can beat Kaylee, do you?” I said.

  Sonia hesitated, and then looked away. Finally, she said, “I, I worry about your asthma, Sidnie. I know you don't want to hear it, but your condition makes you...it makes you more vulnerable in battle.”

  “I will show you how vulnerable I am! I can and will beat Kaylee, and anyone else who

  dares challenges me!”

  “Sidnie, Sidnie, you are such a headstrong young woman. I believe you can beat, Kaylee, but you've got to strike the first blow. You can't allow this to turn into a long, drawn out fight. The longer it goes on, the greater the chance of your asthma acting up. Don’t be angry at me for giving you sound advice, Sidnie.”

  Opening and closing my hands into balled fists, I dug my nails deeper into my palms each time. The pain felt good, helping me keep focus and not say something I'd later regret.

  Changing the subject, I said, “What do you know about the dwellers, Mother?”

  Chapter 19

  “I know what you know, Sidnie. They are a sworn enemy of Providence, have lived out there ever since MOM took over, and are known to kidnap and torture our people,” Sonia said, pointing towards the forest.

  “But we do the same to them. We go out every coming-of-age ritual and take one of them from their home and family,” I said, a little too forcefully.

  My mother looked at me curiously and said, “You can never repeat a word of this to anyone, Sidnie. Do you understand?”

  From her tone, I believed she was getting ready to tell me some of the dark, hidden secrets of Providence, and I grew excited at the thought, making me feel like I was thirteen again. I also wondered if she might finally clue me in on my little surveillance mission she’d sent me on prior to my sixteenth birthday at the Capitol. “I won't say a word.”

  Sonia said, “When I was little, around the age of fourteen, my mother confided in me that she seen something while delivering food to MOM's guards at the palace. Shortly after she’d entered through the front gate, she heard a series of loud screams coming from one of the rooms adjacent to the guards' living quarters. Curiosity getting the better of her, my mother ventured over to see if she could glean what was happening.”

  “Peering in through one of the dusty windows, she saw a group of men huddled around a large table and what appeared to be a woman with chains binding her arms and leg. She said something about the woman missing her right leg.”

  “She went on to say that the woman was fighting frantically to get free, her wild eyes like that of a caged lion. She yanked on her chains to no avail, and then she let out numerous loud screams.”

  “This did nothing to stop the men gathered around her from continuing their task. The one closest to the woman's head moved even closer, holding out some sort of bowl in his hands. Two other men grabbed the woman's head on either side of her and held it firmly. Bowl man used his free hand to pry her jaws open and then he upended the bowl. Satisfied its contents were void, they all stepped back and waited.

  “Mother said the woman's face changed, maybe her entire body. The woman turned a deep shade of crimson, her eyes rolled back in her head and her body appeared to bulk up, right before her eyes. The woman had been small of frame, but all of a sudden, she looked as if she'd grown twelve inches, and put on thirty pounds of muscle. Her hair began falling to the floor in large clumps, similar to the way recruits got their locks chopped off prior to entering service in MOM's court. But there were no scissors involved in this process.

  “When the woman yanked at her chains this time, all four of them snapped like they were mere strips of fabric. The thing that had once been a very striking female was now zombie-like, and mad. She grabbed the two men nearest her, by the neck, lifting them high into the air, as if they were nothing more than mere scarecrows on sticks. The creature suddenly let out a loud yell and this time it wasn't in pain, but in a bitter rage, filled with hatred.

  “The doctor that had given the woman the drink yelled, ‘Put them down immediately!’ And a confused look came over the woman's face. She looked left at the one man and then right, at the other. Slowly, and gently, she lowered them both to the floor. They collapsed, rubbing their necks, struggling for breath. The woman looked back towards the doctor, uncertain.

  “Lucy, I want you to listen closely. You now belong to me. I have given you a new life. From this moment on you will do everything I say. Do you understand?” the doctor said.

  “The new Lucy seemed to struggle within herself before finally giving in to the man. And then she dropped to one knee and said, ‘I will follow you, master.’

  “There was madness in the doctor's eyes, as he bent and pulled the woman back to her feet. My mother said she watched the woman's own eyes turn blood red, and her face transformed into a maniacal grimace. It was almost as if the doctor was communicating with her telepathically.

  “When all heads suddenly turned towards the doorway, my mother's followed. She said she saw this abnormally tall man standing there, his tall obese frame disgusting…”

  “Lucius, the tall, fat man. It was Lucius wasn’t it?” I interrupted.

  “Yes. Mother said he walked over, stood in front of the two and made them both bow down to him. Not a word was spoken, but it was obvious that this man commanded them all.

  “All of a sudden, Lucy went berserk and attacked everyone in the room. She managed to kill the two men kneeling, but Lucius quickly pulled out knife and stabbed her in the chest.

  “After that encounter, my mother said she started hearing similar yells, followed by screams of terror, in the outer regions of Providence. My assumption is that Lucius was experimenting on people, and from what I’ve heard, he was eventually successful in his efforts.”

  “Are you saying he has been taking the people from our community and turning them into...into these savages I keep hearing out there?” I asked, pointing towards the woods in front of us.

  “Shh! Keep your voice down! I'm not saying anything of the sort. I'm just telling you what my mother told me, many years ago. We could both be put to death for even speaking of this, Sidnie. Now, just forget about the past, and focus on the fight in front of you. Kaylee has been around you for the majority of your life. She knows everything there is to know about your fighting style.”

  “Not everything. A true warrior doesn't divulge everything, even to their closest friend. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

  “Just don't underestimate her, Sidnie. I trained her just like I did you. She has a
true killer's heart,” said my mother, and I could hear the rest of her unspoken words in my head.

  “And I don't? What are you trying to say, Mother?”

  “You know as well as I do that you have two sides, Sidnie. Your heart can be your own worst enemy.”

  “Are you saying that I'm too soft, too nice? Because if you are, I'll have you know...”

  “That's not what I'm trying to get at, Sidnie. It's just that your care and concern for people can be viewed by some as a sign of weakness. You know as well as I do that the women around here are constantly searching for anything they can use against us.”

  “All too well. Rest assured, mother. My heart for others won't interfere with my ability to put Kaylee or anyone else who challenges me, in the grave!”

  “Just remember what I taught you, Sidnie. Strike first, strike hard.”

  “Don't worry. Kaylee will regret turning her back on me, on our friendship. I will protect what is mine, and no one will take Caleb from me!”

  Closing the small space between us, my mother did something that caught me off guard.

  She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me even closer into a loving embrace. This outward show of affection just wasn't something you did in Providence, so I initially didn't know how to react. After a beat, I reciprocated my mother's hug, forcing tears back as I did so.

  My mother was everything to me. She was the embodiment of strength, respect, true leadership and spiritual mentoring. I wanted to be just like her, wanted to be a strong leader in my family and in our community. And I planned to do everything in my power to make it happen.

  I’d betrayed Colin and the dwellers, but there was nothing I could do about that right now. I would deal with my misgivings. But my fight was here, and I either won, or I would be left single, and a laughing stock. Those who were defeated during a challenge often left town and were never heard from again. The shame was just too much for them.

  Emotions ran through me like electricity, awakening a part of me that I had long ago cut off, killed. Prior to the age of becoming an adult, I remembered throwing myself around my mother's waist and squeezing so tightly that my arms hurt, but I had still refused to let go. Often times, she would have to pry me off of her, like peeling wall paper from an old wall. I wanted to do the same thing in this moment, wanted to hold on for dear life.

  After our embrace, my mother turned and left. I remained in place, my mind

  alternating between Kaylee and the forest dwellers. Strategizing for the battle that lay ahead,

  I mentally ran through all of Kaylee's weak and strong points. She wasn't as quick as me and she wasn't as good a marksman, but she was stronger, more adept at reading one's face to figure out where they might strike first. Ours had all the makings of an epic battle, but I prayed no one would die in the process.

  Switching over to the dwellers, I pictured others like the one my mother had just told me about--the one forever altered by the scientist, this Lucy. I could see them ravaging the Manumissionists, killing anyone who came across their path. And I couldn’t help but wonder who these subjects might’ve been, what family they might’ve come from.

  Colin had told me that the savages were mainly people taken from the forest and forever changed into these creatures. Where had Lucius gotten his test beds prior to the dwellers?

  Another loud scream tore through the peaceful night like the blaring horn of a locomotive, signaling its presence through an intersection. My previous sightings of the savages had left me with an unavoidable sense of trepidation at the thought of actually having to go up against them. They were no longer human, but just knowing that they once were made it hard for me to deal any of them a striking blow of death.

  Tentatively, I took a few steps forward, my mind sending off warning bells like a pig that had just been stuck with my spear. I felt my heart kick into double time, and I had to force every step I took deeper into the land of the unknown. Somewhere off in the distance, I heard the sound of twigs snapping, and the slow, deliberate pace was maddening. I felt like I was being hunted, targeted. A strong sense of déjà vu hit me, along with Kaylee running over to stand with me.

  All of a sudden, someone grabbed my arm from behind. I wretched it away and spun around for the attack. Seeing Caleb cower, I slowly lowered my spear and said, “What are you doing out here? Are you trying to get yourself impaled?”

  “I, I was worried about you. You left in such a state. I didn't know what to do,” Caleb said, slowly making his way back to his full stature.

  “Go home, Caleb. I'm fine. I plan to remain in the woods tonight, sleep under the trees. I'll see you in the morning.”

  “Oh, okay. It's, it's just so quiet around the house without you,” Caleb replied with his head down.

  My patience was running thin, my mind elsewhere. I listened intently for another rustle in the forest but heard nothing. Whatever it was must've been spooked away by Caleb, and his fear of being alone in our small home. He'd never been much of a 'need some time to myself' kind of man. He was more of the 'stay near and hold me' type. Cuddling and spooning had never been my strong suits. I'd much rather spread out in the bed like wall to wall carpet.

  I started to tell Caleb to toughen up but thought better of it. He was a kind-hearted man, and it wasn't my nature to treat people badly. “Just give me the night, Caleb. I promise I will be home in the morning.”

  “Alright. Just be careful,” Caleb replied.

  “As always. Now go home and get some rest.”

  A few minutes after Caleb departed, I turned back to the forest, and listened for anything outside the norm. When nothing happened, I did a 180 degree turn and made for the woods nearest my home.

  The walk soothed my tense nerves, held my impending headache at bay. I forced all thoughts of Kaylee and our future battle out of my mind. I thought of nothing but my training, the skills I'd honed to perfection over the years.

  Killing hadn't come natural for me, but through sheer determination, I'd managed to become very good at it, maybe the best. While many of the warriors in Providence rushed into battle, I liked to take time to study my opponent, seek out their weaknesses. It had served me well over the years, while hunting both animal and human.

  Chapter 20

  Plopping down next to my favorite oak tree, I took off my overcoat and wrapped it around me like a blanket. The weather was mild tonight, but I knew that would change in a couple of hours. I leaned back, resting against the massive trunk.

  Slowly, I closed my eyes, my thoughts going back to my first overnight stay in these same woods. My mother had done everything in her power to ensure I was ready, prepared. Not only was mine and my sister’s survival training skills above par, our schooling was even more rigorous at times.

  My mother was a very smart woman and she ran a strict education system for me and Adeline. We were up at six each morning, trained until ten. School began immediately thereafter and lasted until four each day. We had a thirty-minute lunch break in between, which was more often than not used to study for the numerous tests she'd created to evaluate our comprehension. We were well read, often using words many adults didn't even know.

  This was my first real training test. I was twelve years old, weighing less than eighty-five pounds. Fear coursed through my veins, but I wasn't about to tell anyone such madness. If I wasn't successful, I would die trying.

  With spear in hand, I had made my way over to the same oak tree that I was currently resting against. My first order of business was to gather wood for a small fire. Second, dinner. Satisfied that the twigs and broken branches were sufficient, I ventured out deeper into the dark, mysterious woods. My heart felt as if it were growing inside my chest, with each step. I fully

  expected it to explode, like a balloon filled with too much air.

  I had seen this happen once, an over-filled balloon, that is. One of my childhood friends had found a balloon that had somehow made its way into the river near the back of her property and
after a little experimenting, decided to blow into it. The thing got bigger right before our eyes, a sight which made everyone standing near, take a few steps back in sheer amazement. When the thing burst, a few of us took off running.

  Lying in the prone, I had waited nearly two hours for any sign of animal life, any sign of dinner. The sound of something barreling through the woods, heading right for me, scared me stiff. Everything in me screamed “run,” but I'd been trained not to heed that ridiculous voice.

  The Rashelluses weren't runners; we were a fierce breed of warriors. I held my ground and when the creature finally came into view, I almost dropped my spear as recognition dawned. It was the hairiest, nastiest beast I'd ever seen. Wild boars were common in these woods, but I knew this one was different, special.

  Black Death was the name that had been given this particular boar, due to the fact that he'd killed two other women who had attempted to make him their family dinner and had crippled a third. The creature had made such a name for himself that every young girl in Providence feared him, and that was saying a lot since we were taught not to fear.

  The jagged scar on the right side of the animal's snout was said to have been given him by one of Providence's fiercest warriors, who in turn, had fallen prey to the animal as well. Legend had it that the animal had gone rabid, attacking people randomly, had even managed to bite off one woman's fingers. Ever since that day, hunters were on the lookout for it. After it killed two people and wounded a third most just tried to steer clear of the beast.

  Having been singled out due to my love for people, I saw this as an opportunity. I had to kill this creature, had to bring its head to the leader of Providence South. This would earn me the respect I needed, deserved. The other girls would no longer talk behind my back or conspire against me. If I managed to spear this creature, without getting myself killed, I would make a better name for myself. A name that would make others think twice about testing me.