I put my hand on his arm. "It must be awful to have a memory like that."
"It plays again and again in my nightmares."
"Will it help if we hold hands while we go?"
He smiles. "Definitely."
His callused fingers feel good in my own rough ones. We don't have soft, supple hands. Hard work has damaged them.
He stares strangely at me. "Frida . . ."
"Yes?"
"Don't get angry but I have to ask you for something."
'What is that?" I question with curiosity and some impatience. I'm anxious to get our dangerous walk next to the swamp over with.
"I don't want to die without having kissed you."
"We're not going to die," I assert.
"We may."
I stare back at him uncomfortably. "Miguel, you already kissed me."
His face deflates. "This time I want it to be consensual . . . Just forget it. Forget I asked," he states, turning his face so he can start walking.
"Wait," I blurt. He turns his face back to me and I quickly close the gap between us. As my lips go to his, I think about how much I like him. Despite having been furious with him, I'm glad he's with me. Putting his hand gently on the back of my head, his kiss envelopes me and I'm surprised I'm actually enjoying it. When he had stolen a kiss from me, I had thought it was gross but this time it's so different. So different. I don't know what changed between that time and now.
But something did. For sure.
We reluctantly disengage. He smiles at me and I smile back. "Let's go then," he says, holding my hand. This is the first time I hold hands with a boy. It's good to be connected to someone you trust. The kiss still tingles on my lips, but it's time to concentrate on staying alive.
We walk steadily as we keep an eye on the water. If the anaconda is to snatch us it'll have to take both of us. We're quiet as we keep moving forward, not wanting to make any noise that can pinpoint where we are.
"Made it," I whisper when we get to the end of that side of the swamp.
Something starts to happen with the water. It seems to be opening up. Waves ripple. Large waves. Scaly and lethal, the animal that sliced out of the water stares intently at us. It's tale swinging behind it.
It must be the mother of the baby crocodile that had eaten the snake.
I had spoken too soon.
Chapter Twenty-Two
"Don't move," Miguel says calmly.
I pull out my boomerang.
"Don't hit it," he continues.
"Miguel, it's only a very short distance from us," I say, trying not to panic. "It's going to have us for dinner."
"It can outrun us."
"So we just stand here?"
"Trust me."
"But--"
"Trust me."
As it starts moving with its small legs, Miguel grips my hand strongly so I won't run. It's one of the scariest things to have a crocodile rush towards you with its big eyes on you, the prey, and its huge jaws ready to snap on your flesh.
Miguel pushes himself and me to the ground, his body lying on top of me.
"What are you doing?" I ask him, startled.
"Trust me."
I start to object when I realize what's happening. He covers his ears and so do it.
Then I hear it. Even with my hands over my ears.
The click.
BOOM!
The deafening noise is so huge that my ears hurt with a piercing pain. The vicious animal, dirt and even some water flew upward. I am left speechless. Luckily, the explosion hadn't sent us flying or who knows where we would've landed.
Miguel mouths something to me. Then I realize that he's speaking, but I can't hear him. I can't hear anything. I realize he's asking me if I'm okay. I nod. He seems relieved.
I try to ask him how he's doing. He indicates that his own hearing is problematic too.
I hope we haven't done permanent damage to our ears. It relieves me that he doesn't look too worried.
Miguel points to the road. We must go on. I nod again. When we stumble back to our feet, we keep walking carefully.
I look over to the swamp half expecting another crocodile to come after us or even the anaconda. The water seems calm. There is a land hole, however, where the crocodile used to be. I shiver just thinking about the predator.
Miguel also eyes the swamp. I really feel it for him. Now he'll have two nightmares to contend with.
Once we're out of the area, I automatically sigh with relief. I know that the jungle has dangerous animals outside the water, but I still feel better.
Miguel turns to me. "Can you hear me?!" He seems to be shouting but I can barely hear him.
With excitement I realize that I'm starting to pick up sounds. "A little! Can you hear me?!"
He nods. "Don't worry! We'll be getting our full hearing soon!"
"You think?!"
"Yeah, don't worry!"
I follow him as we start to walk. He's quiet and seems as if something is bothering him. Maybe we won't be getting our full hearing back. I stop him and pantomime my question of, "What's wrong?"
His eyebrow deeply creases.
I insist on not moving forward until he tells me what's wrong. He indicates that it's nothing.
"Tell me!" I demand.
He puts his finger to his lips. It's then that I start to understand why he's shushing me. He pantomimes the explosion. Then he points in the direction of Paradise Village. My mouth turns dry when I fully realize what he's trying to tell me.
The explosion has pinpointed where we're at.
If the Elders hadn't realized where we were now they do. It's calamitous. Now I know why he looks so concerned.
I turn to him to put my hand on his shoulder. Maybe there isn't anything to worry about and the Elders will think it's just an accidental explosion. Those had happened before. I mean, the croc could've just stepped on the landmine without us being there.
I hear growling noises. The sounds are muffled because of my injured ears.
The barking, vicious dogs appear first.
"We got you!" Two Elders materialize, a smirk on their faces.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Self satisfied and sneering, they each carry a shotgun that's aimed at us. The dogs are growling their heads off. Running is not an option for Miguel and me. Instead I stand my ground glaring at the Elders--there is certainly nothing holy about them. I cringe when I think about how we were made to call them holy. I will never use that word to refer to them again.
"Stop," Elder Simms orders the dogs. They promptly obey.
"You'd thought you'd get away, didn't you?" Elder Morrison snaps.
"And you involved poor Miguelito."
"She didn't involve me," retorts Miguel.
"What?"
"You heard me!"
The Elder Morrison's eyebrows shoot up. "Where's your stutter?"
"It magically disappeared in the blast," Miguel says sarcastically.
"You've been pulling our chain all this time!"
"He's done a good job making fools out of you," I retort.
"Well, we'll see who laughs last!"
"You two are going into the discipline room and then that'll be the end of the road for you!"
"Don't you feel any guilt about all the people you've killed?" I question angrily.
"What are you talking about? The Great Master--"
"Cut the total garbage!" I snap. "I know the truth! I heard it from Bledsoe who said all this was a lie so that you could get your own way."
"He couldn't have told you," Elder Simms says nervously.
"No, he didn't tell me," I state.
"I knew it."
"I overheard it. One day you'll pay for everything you've done."
Elder Morrison shakes his head. "Don't be ridiculous."
"Are all of you sociopaths?" questions Miguel. "How can you do so many horrib
le things and not feel even a little bad?"
"Let's stop the chatter!" demands Elder Simms. "We need to be getting back to Paradise Village. You two walk in front of us."
Miguel and I turn around to start our trek back the same way we got here. Miguel walks in front of me. As we are passing the Elders, they growl at us. I lay my sight on them with disgust as I move past them. They walk behind us with the shotguns at our backs and the dogs waiting on their orders.
"Just to clarify some things," Elder Morrison snorts. "How are we bad for taking care of you? We pay the bills and take other responsibilities off your hands. You should be grateful to us."
"Grateful for enslaving us?" I snap.
"I don't know why you're looking at it like that."
"How would you like it if someone took away your freedom?" Miguel questions. "If your life was completely in someone else's hands?"
"And what about having stolen us from our families," I sneer. "Did you ever think about the pain you caused?"
"Hey, all of you were poor. We took you someplace where you'd be cared for."
"Do you honestly think we'd rather be stuck in Paradise Village than with our own parents?" questions Miguel incredulously.
"You are such evil people," I retort.
"How dare you call us evil!"
"You can't think that you're good people," Miguel states.
"We may have a few defects but overall we're good."
I abruptly stop walking and turn around to look at them. The rest come to a quick halt. "Tell me what's good about you?" I snap. "Is it when you steal human beings? Is it when you bring them here as your slaves? Is it when you brainwash them to do your bidding? Is it when you kill them when you think they're of no use to you? Is it when--"
"Shut up! I've had enough of you," snaps Elder Simms. "Both of you shut up and keep walking."
Quiet and seething, we continue our journey. One of the Elders starts mumbling about being misunderstood. When I try to say something, he points the rifle to my head and tells me to shush. Then he keeps muttering about how life is difficult and they have to do what they do. About how having several wives isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Dealing with different tempers in a family is very hard.
I roll my eyes.
I just can't believe the justifications the Elders use to do what they do. They twist their own heads, brainwashing themselves, as to the validity of their evil actions. They honestly think they're doing good deeds. Grinder had gone one step further and started believing the Great Master stuff in order for him to justify himself.
I wince when we get to the swamp. They're not even smart enough to be fearful. I'm certain they know about the dangerous creatures that lurk in the water. Yet, they walk with their chests up as if they've got nothing to fear. Miguel and I are a lot more apprehensive. We know that arrogance doesn't keep you safe. In fact it can do the opposite.
"Monica, you get all sanctimonious on us, but you don't see yourself," Elder Simms retorts.
"I see myself fine, thank you"
"Monica, don't you feel even a little bad at how you've destroyed poor Alcott with your running away?" he snaps.
"I'm sure he's doing fine without me," I retort.
"The guy was willing to throw out all common sense to marry you even with your grotesque arm. I just don't see how you could've done this to him"
"So you think I should feel guilty for getting away from the man who beats me," I growl.
"He does it out of love," Elder Morrison rushes.
"Yeah, well I could use a lot less love," I sneer.
"You just don't understand the stress of being the head of a household."
"And you don't understand the stress of being a slave," I retort.
"We don't have slaves in Paradise Village," insists Elder Simms.
"You don't call what you do to us slavery?" asks Miguel.
"Of course not. Giving you a better life than the one you had before is not slavery!"
G-r-r-r-r-r. The dogs start growling and barking with frenzy. Then we hear a splashing sound. Turning to it, my heart wants to stop.
An alligator scurries out of the parting waters.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Unlike the crocodile earlier this alligator is moving much faster. It scurries towards the closest people to it.
Miguel and I are its targets!
My instinct is to run.
"Run and I'll shoot you in the back," Elder Simms growls at me as if he's reading my mind.
I remember Miguel telling me we probably couldn't outrun the crocodile from earlier. I imagine that it's the same with the alligator, especially because if we deviate from the road, we could meet with an explosion. I'm hoping for another landmine between the predator and us, but Miguel looks concerned. His face doesn't assuage me at all.
"We'll take care of this varmint!" Elder Morrison says gleefully.
He shoots the first round at the dangerous animal. It changes direction and goes towards him. The tight tension in my chest dissipates a little.
"Come and get me!" Elder Morrison chirps.
"Yes, come at us," chortles Elder Simms.
The Elders continuously shoot at the animal. The alligator slows down but keeps moving towards them. They chuckle darkly as if they're enjoying the experience.
"Stupid animal thinking it can go against us," Elder Simms retorts.
"The animal that can beat us hasn't been born," Elder Morrison insists proudly.
"That's right."
I roll my eyes. Arrogance makes people into real idiots. They shoot a few more rounds at the alligator. Finally, it looks dead.
"Shut up, dogs," demands Elder Simms. The dogs stop their incessant barking.
"I hadn't hunted in a while," Elder Morrison comments with a grin. "I had forgotten how fun it could be."
"I'm so glad it was our turn to come after the escapees."
"We really need to do this kind of thing more often."
Stepping over to the animal, they slap one another on the back. Laughing and carrying on, they poke at the animal with their rifles.
"It's deader than a doornail," Elder Simms snickers.
The alligator's huge jaws abruptly open. It's long, pointy teeth gleam. Snapping shut on Elder Morrison's leg, I hear bones cracking.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"
Elder Simms starts shooting at the alligator. Releasing its victim, it tries to return to the swamp. It doesn't make it. The alligator appears to be lifeless, but this time no one gets near it to check. The animal had fooled us before.
Meanwhile, Elder Morrison is writhing with pain as blood gushes out of him. His cries are becoming more muffled as his wet eyes lose their focus. Nearly unconscious, he fights to stay awake. I think he's aware that if he falls asleep, he'll probably never wake up again.
"Stay where you are," demands Elder Simms with a panicky voice as Miguel and I move towards him and Elder Morrison.
"Don't you need help?" I ask.
"You want to take advantage of the situation and overpower me, but I won't let you," Elder Simms snaps, his voice shaky.
"What are you going to do?" Miguel questions.
"I don't know," Elder Simms garbles with anguish in his tone. "I just don't know what to do."
"He's going to bleed to death," states Miguel.
"No, he isn't!" Elder Simms snaps in a pensive state as if trying to find a solution.
"There's an awful lot of blood coming out of him," I state.
"I know that! You don't have to tell me!"
"It's dangerous to stay here," comments Miguel. "We really should get out of here."
"I'm not leaving him!"
"What do we do with him?" asks Miguel.
"You're going to carry him to Paradise Village where we'll get help for him."
"I don't think he'll make it."
"I'm not asking you for your opinion."
"I can'
t carry him with just one full arm," Miguel states, lifting his stub.
"Monica will have to help you then!"
"But--"
"Shut up and do as I tell you. Now both of you can come over, but no funny business," Elder Simms says, raising the weapon to us, "or I won't hesitate to shoot."
As Miguel and I are about to go to the injured Elder, a sound makes us stop. The dogs start barking again. I turn to the swamp. It's the scariest sight I've seen in my whole life.
A huge snake slithers out of the water.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The anaconda swoops down like lightning. It's so swift that it takes me time to realize what's happening.
It seizes Elder Morrison.
Seizes him without any hesitation.
Swallowing him whole as if swallowing a piece of candy, the slithery animal looks self-satisfied.
When Elder Simms gets out of his startled stupor, he tries to shoot. Finding no bullets left in the shotgun, he searches for Elder Morrison's weapon, but it has disappeared. It must've been swallowed along with the owner. His shaky hand goes in his pocket for rounds. The giant snake bores its hypnotic eyes into his. The panic on the face of Elder Simms twists his features. He rushes away, not looking where he's going.
I drop to the ground as does Miguel.
We know what's coming.
The anaconda goes after the Elder but as it's about to open its mouth to swallow him, the inevitable happens.
Click.
BOOM!
Elder Simms and the Anaconda explode. Staying a few seconds huddled to the ground, I finally look up. I had covered my ears as best as I could, but my world is still without much sound. The dogs that hadn't followed Elder Simms to his death in the blast wake me up from my catatonic state as they scamper past me. They move towards Paradise Village.
I stumble up and head to Miguel who is still on the ground. He's motionless. My stomach twists as I reach him.
"Miguel!" I shout.
He doesn't do anything. I check his wrist. He's still alive, I say to myself relief. Slowly, he opens his eyes.
"Are you okay?!" I ask him.
He nods.
I'm so relieved that I give in to my impulses. My lips go to his and I peck him quickly. I release him and he tries to kiss me again.
I shake my head. "Let's get out of here!"
He seems to suddenly remember where we're at and pushes off the ground. Holding hands, we travel in the same direction we had before we were caught. We rush past the bloody ground where Elder Morrison had been. I avert my eyes not wanting to think about what had just happened. Apparently, Miguel does the same.