“Yes sir.”
“Good. Now.” I turn to address the majority of them. “I am Malachi. I am your Taker and as far as you are concerned, there is no other. No past, no future, just me, here and now. I am back and I plan to stay. I know Crandle was very much interested in this human girl. This Sherry. I admire him, the man had taste. However, my plans do not include her unless she is to be my lunch or playmate. My plan is not to eliminate the humans. What purpose would that serve? My plan is to enslave them. They will work for us, do our bidding, become our brothers until every last Lighter has been given a new body and to feed and entertain me. Other than that, they are not to be destroyed and needlessly killed. Is that understood?”
“Yes sir,” a chorus rang out.
“Good. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a human sympathizer. I don’t want them killed because they are of use to me. You don’t throw perfectly good...what are they called? Batteries? Yes, that’s it. You wouldn’t throw perfectly good batteries away now would you? No. And we won’t throw perfectly good humans away either. Only the ones who, after heavy persuasion, can’t be swayed will be eliminated. Now go. You know your jobs. We’ll meet with the enforcers tomorrow evening to hash out a further course of action.”
“Yes sir.”
As they walked out, I grabbed a particularly tall one.
“You. Where are the girls?”
“Excuse me, sir?”
“The ladies. The whores. The followers who want nothing more than to bang the Taker,” I explained and watch him scramble.
“Uh...I’m-,”
“Crandle didn’t have ladies for his pleasure?” I explained more slowly so he can understand.
He squinted and shook his head until...Light bulb!
“No, sir. He spent most of his efforts to find the human girl, Sherry.”
“What a waste. And a disgrace. Then again, maybe I should meet this Sherry after all and see if she’s worth all the trouble. Ok. You get me girls, now. At least three and they better be young and hot.” I couldn’t help it. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. “It’s been a bloody long time. And I’m ready to play.”
Restoration
Chapter 26 - Sherry
Polly and Piper were both taken down to their rooms and told to stay put. To emphasize that order we put someone there to watch the doors, as their rooms were across the hall from each other. Miguel was the first to pull watch duty, though he had no idea why. Most people didn’t know what had happened and I was glad to keep it that way.
Everyone was told as we convened for lunch that Piper and Polly had used Polly’s gifts on someone here to harm them and they were being held until it could be decided what to do with them. That was a good enough explanation for everyone.
Piper was also berated for a good long while about threatening her charge and a Special. Jeff and the others couldn’t seem to fathom how she could do that. She stayed silent and cried her angry tears and refused to further address anyone but Jeff didn’t give up.
“You can not harm, in any way, emotional, physical or otherwise anyone if this bunker or you will leave. Are we on the same page, Piper?” Jeff asked, not deflecting his tone.
“Who died and made you boss?”
“Piper...,” Jeff warned.
“Whatever,” Piper mutter.
Then Jeff turned to Polly.
“You will not use your gift on anyone is this bunker again or you will leave as well.”
“So not fair! I shouldn’t be held responsible-”
“Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” Polly sneered and huffed.
She was upset too but for different reasons. She thought she should get off the hook completely because Piper ‘made’ her do it. The Keepers explained to her that it was her choice to participate and she should have gone to someone else for help instead of letting Piper sway her choices. She squealed in protest but eventually was taken back to her room by Miguel and Piper was escorted by Ryan.
The Keepers were all about choice.
And Piper and Polly could no longer be considered friends. I heard them yelling all the way down the hall as they made their way to their rooms.
“Don’t bump me,” Polly growled.
“You bumped me!”
“Stop being a brat. It’s not my fault you’re stuck here. You got me into trouble!”
“You’re the brat! And spoiled!”
“So!”
Afterwards, we finished lunch. Margo, who had finally come down sometime during all the drama, sullenly made the soup I had prepared last night and tonight I’d make ramen noodles. Mmm.
Merrick was still feeling guilty and walking around like he had something to apologize for. I assured him over and over that I was fine. He hadn’t really hurt me.
He had pushed me against the wall. Grabbed my arms. I think that’s where his biggest problem was. He had used physical force on me in anger, though he didn’t really have any control over it.
I decided it was time to put an end to his misery and hash it out, once and for all. I made sure Lily was with Marissa and Jeff before I retreated. They were just coming back from the hall where their room is and we were walking hand in hand. I asked them if they minded watching her for a while as I had to try to help Merrick get over this. They understood and Marissa apologized again for not believing me.
Lily went to them eagerly and they skipped off to the second room together.
I pulled Merrick to our room for a little R & R. Requite and Restoration. Requite for the love he’s always shown me and restoration of his feelings that I trust him and love him completely.
He came with me but reluctantly, he wanted to stay out where people could see us. Didn’t want to be alone with me, which I was some peeved about. He was afraid. If it had been so easy for Polly to do that before, she could do it again and make him hurt me for real he had said. But I knew he’d never hurt me.
“Sit,” I ordered him and locked the door behind me.
He sat down and I kneeled in front of him.
I explained how I knew there was something wrong the entire time he was angry with me. That I never doubted that he really loved me. That I knew something had to happen, to be resolved and was happy when it did.
He explained his feelings during it all. How he couldn’t believe how angry he was and was guilty for yelling at me but couldn’t do anything about it at the time. It overtook him. How he really and truly thought I could just leave him and move on because he wasn’t human and wasn’t good enough.
And that hurt me more than anything else he had to say or do.
“I can’t believe after everything we’ve been through together, you’d think that.”
“You’re better than me, Sherry. I believed it because it was believable. It’s not crazy to think that Cain could have had feelings for you. Your gorgeous and lovable, you’re sweet and you take care of everyone. I just assumed that someone else showed interest and finally you decided to act on it, this time.”
“That’s crazy! I’ve told you time and time again that that isn’t going to happen. I don’t know any other way to say it, Merrick!”
I was crying by this point, which he can’t stand. He is undone by my tears.
His face fell and he started to wipe them away with his thumbs.
“I’m sorry. Don’t you want me to be truthful?”
“Yes. Always. But I don’t want you to think that.”
“But, that’s how I feel,” he confessed as he pressed his head to mine.
“Listen to me.” I was upset now. Almost as upset as when he accused me to begin with because now he knew the truth and was still thinking that the day will come when I’ll leave him for someone else. I pulled back. “If I wanted someone else I wouldn’t be with you. There’s so little time left to waste it on something your heart’s not in. I love you and I swear if this doesn’t stop I’ll...I don’t know but I’m sick of it! There is no one else I want. Nothing else I want. How many times
do we have to be together in this room? How many times do I have to tell you I love you? How many times do I have to marry you for that to be crystal clear?”
He seemed taken aback. I was yelling and he knew I was serious. I was scared too. Scared that I’d have to have this argument every month for the rest of my life, every time a semi cute new guy came into the bunker. I was not interested in that.
“I know you love me but, I just think that you didn’t date enough before all this and you had a bad experience. You haven’t experienced enough to see what’s out there and you’ll see something you didn’t even know you wanted in someone else later and that’ll be that.”
“Never. That’s the whole point in marriage, Merrick! You don’t get married until you find something better then get a divorce. You know, even if I did see something else I wanted, which I won’t, I promise you that, I would never act on it. The whole point of this ring I’m wearing,” I picked my hand up in front of him in the dark, knowing he could see it, “is to show people, ‘Hey, I’m married, back off’. I would never do what you saw me doing with Cain in that vision. Not with him, not anybody.”
“I know you think that now, but you can’t know what you’d do in the future.”
“Then why did you marry me?” I countered.
“Because I love you.”
“Then why can’t that be my reason? Who’s to say you won’t see something you like in another woman and leave me, huh?”
He snorted like that was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard. It pushed me passed the boiling point. My heart rate and breathing were out of control and I snapped.
“Merrick! Stop it! I’m not the kind of person to do that to someone else,” I fought it but I burst into a sobbing mess, “and for you to have so little faith in me, hurts worse than anything. I’d rather you’d pushed me into a hundred walls than to say that to me.”
I got up to leave. Our first real fight, without compulsion, and I was walking out. I thought he was going to let me go, let me walk out and leave him there but no. Just as I reached the door handle and wretched it open he grabbed my upper arm and swung me around, kicking the door back closed with his foot. He pulled me to him and kissed me fiercely until I couldn’t breath nor think.
He moved me backwards to the wall and continued to kiss me, so deeply I thought I’d suffocate if he didn’t let up soon. But he didn’t and despite my feelings, I didn’t die. He lifted me up and pressed me into the wall, his hand caressed my face, my arm, my hair, while his body held me in place. My legs instinctively wrapped around him. Then he pulled back enough to gasp out his words to me.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured low into my hair and neck. “You’re right. Here you are, the sweetest thing to walk this planet and you’re mine and I can’t stop thinking about you not being mine. I’m sorry... It still just seems like a dream to me that you really want to be here with me. Maybe it’s the way this body reacts... I don’t know. It’s just so hard to accept that I could be what you really want, especially being a Keeper, not to mention be worthy of you.”
I pulled back so he could see my face in the dark and know I mean business.
“I understand that, I feel the same way about you, and I have never cared that you are a Keeper. Have I ever said or done anything to make you think that that bothered me?” I didn’t give him time to answer. “I can’t handle this anymore, Merrick. I can’t handle you thinking I’m playing some kind of game with you. Not only is it insulting, but it’s absolutely not true.”
“I know it’s not a game. You’re right. I was being an idiot. You’re just too good to be true sometimes. I promise I’m done, no more. I’m sorry. Ok?”
I paused just a second and heard the truth ring out in his voice.
“Ok.”
I heard him exhale, like he’d been holding his breath. I realized I’d been holding mine too.
“I missed you so much,” he breathed.
He nuzzled my neck and kissed under my jaw.
“I missed you, too.”
“I’m so sorry. For everything,” he said huskily as he continued to caress me.
“I know.”
“Forgive me.”
I couldn’t speak, he wouldn’t let me as he seared me with more scorching kisses.
“Say it. Say you forgive me, baby.”
“I forgive you,” I whispered against his chin.
“Say you want me.”
“I want you. I’ll always want you.”
“Tell me you need me here with you.”
“I do need you. I can’t live without you, Merrick. You’re honest and thoughtful and human and a great father to Lily and you drive me crazy in every good way. I love you.”
He exhaled, because he knew I was telling the truth.
“That’s good enough for me.”
“Promise me that you’re done with this. Promise me that you understand that you are absolutely, not getting rid of me even if you wanted to, stuck with me.”
“With all my heart, I promise.”
“Good, now please, stop making me talk.”
And he loved me and I loved him until it was so late, it was useless to even get out of bed. Though it hadn’t been much a fight to begin with, I think I learned why that little phrase about make-up sex is so very true.
I feel someone rubbing my arm. I wake up, fully expecting to see... Who? Who was I expecting to see? I’m in the Rabbit after all. Nobody ever rides with me but Danny. Matt refused to ride with me in it. We always took his big quad cab Ford everywhere. But, I had a feeling like I should be somewhere else, with someone else.
I pull off the ridge but am surprised at how dark it is out. It should be the afternoon. It should be...wait. Who’s that? A lady. Wait- I know her. Mrs. Trudy? I stop the car.
She waves to me and then she’s there, in the seat next to me. How do I know her?
“Hello, sugar.”
“Hey. How did you-”
“No questions. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I know you.”
“Why of course you do. I’m only gone this world a few months and you already writing me off as a bad memory?” she asked playfully.
It all floods back. Everything. I remember her, her son, the bunker, her death. Merrick.
“Oh, Mrs. Trudy,” my voice cracks with emotion.
“No tears, honey. Got no time for that.” She looks at me thoughtfully. “You are still just as pretty.”
“Mrs. Trudy. I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too. But, darling, you gotta be strong, for my family. Our family. Be strong. Things are coming. Bad, bad, and more bad things. You gotta be perseverant. Diligent. Careful. Understand?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know, Mrs. Trudy. I don’t know.”
“Yes you do. You can do this. Everything hangs in the balance. Everything. We gotta tip the scales, sugar. So eat up.” She smiled. “Pack in all you got and be ready for whatever they got to throw at ya.”
She started to wave, her image waved and moved like ripples of water and I remembered this. This is a dream. This is how people leave my dreams, just like my dad did that time. Her body swayed, then the background.
The ridge in front of us started to bleed and run like paint thinner splashed on a portrait. The rabbit was the last thing to go and I looked once more at Mrs. Trudy and she touched my cheek easily.
“You were the daughter I never had. Bye, sugar.”
“Bye,” I said through tears.
I awoke instantly and felt Merrick’s hand rubbing my arm, in his sleep. I took a deep steadying breath and wiped the tears from my cheeks. I didn’t know if the dream had been real, it felt real, but I needed it nonetheless. I needed a boost of Mrs. Trudy’s guidance and no nonsense encouragement. I needed the calm of my ridge for just a minute.
Later on in the morning, it was Sunday so there was no school lessons, no training lessons, no chores except kitchen duty so I sat by the stairs with Merrick and Lily, Calvin a
nd Lana, Jeff and Marissa, Lillian and Cain, and Danny and Celeste. We played Name That Tune, with me on the piano. Cain won, almost every round. He was pretty impressive.
Celeste had finally gotten her mom to come down during the night while everyone was sleeping but has now barricaded herself in her room. We just decided to give her time and leave her alone.
After a while Cain got out his guitar, which I didn’t even know he had brought one with him. It was a yellow wood Gibson acoustic. He sat down on the stairs in front of us and tuned it. He looked around and smiled shyly. I thought he looked kinda nervous, which was weird for Cain. He looked at Lillian and they smiled wide at each other.
Then he began to strum Collective Soul’s ‘Run’. He started to sing the words and I froze in utter shock. He could sing. Seriously.
Are these times contagious
I've never been this bored before
Is this the prize I've waited for
Now as the hours passing
There's nothing left here to mature
I long to find a messenger
Have I got a long way to run
Pretty soon, people gathered around and he played a few more and sang with that easy mellow voice. I joined in on some with the piano if I knew them but mostly just listened. He then played Mat Kearney’s ‘Where We Gonna Go From Here’ to honor Aaron and Mitchell since they were buried and we hadn’t gotten to have a memorial yet.
It was sweet of him to think of that.
All of your ways and all your thunder
Got me in a haze running for cover.
Where we gonna go from here?
Where we gonna go from here?
The back of your eyes look like my mother’s
When we talk you’re like my brother.
Where we gonna go from here?
Where we gonna go from here?
Lillian was smiling through her tears the whole song. It wasn’t a popular song. With this group of people I figured only Cain and I had ever heard it but it was pretty and soothing. We cried, we sang and just remembered the ones we’d lost. There were so many now...