by Matt Rogers
Not Maeve. Not her husband.
A boy and girl in their early twenties, if not younger. They were adults, but only just. They drove an old Toyota Land Cruiser pickup — four-door, not two — with room in the back for Alexis and Violetta.
The women stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the backdrop of Bicentennial Park, with its beautiful green lawns home to soccer and baseball fields. A couple of teams of elementary school kids conducted early morning practice.
A world away from what Alexis and Violetta were about to step into.
Alexis saw the truck approaching, and out of the corner of her mouth she muttered, ‘Last chance. Protect yourself and your baby.’
‘You need me,’ Violetta muttered back. ‘You saying you’ll go in there alone?’
‘Gladly. If this makes you uncomfortable, don’t do it.’
‘It’s always uncomfortable. That’s the job.’
‘Look at them,’ Alexis said, staring through the grimy windshield at the driver and passenger. ‘They’re kids, just like Jace.’
‘Easily susceptible,’ Violetta said. ‘Prime targets for manipulation. And they’re young. They’ve got no money. They’re vulnerable. Like we’re pretending to be.’
Alexis said, ‘I’ll remember this when I’m standing across from that bitch.’
Violetta said, ‘I’ll be there alongside you.’
Conversation ceased abruptly as the Toyota pulled up and the pair got out. Up close they resembled each other like mirror images. The same flat faces, small eyes, asymmetrical jaws. They both had pale skin and bad complexions. The guy was younger, taller, lankier, and the girl was short and squat. They both had an eerie detachment in their eyes, a faded milkiness like they were high. Alexis guessed they were brother and sister, and also guessed they had a mutual affection for Bodhi.
But they certainly weren’t on a potent dose right now or they’d be rolling around in the grass, incapable of operating a vehicle.
The guy said, ‘You’re Violetta and Alexis?’
He addressed them in the correct order, first looking at Violetta, then across to Alexis.
Violetta said, ‘That’s us.’
‘Pleased to meet you,’ the guy said. ‘Brandon.’
He spoke with youthful indifference, and Alexis guessed he was eighteen or nineteen. His sister hadn’t opened her mouth yet, which didn’t seem abnormal. She was quieter, more reserved. Her eyes were the same as her brother’s, but there was something else in them. Not uncertainty … but she definitely wasn’t as comfortable in this role as Brandon.
Alexis kept her gaze on the girl and said, ‘What’s your name?’
‘Addison,’ she mumbled.
Brandon said, ‘Sorry. She’s a bit tired. Can I throw your bags in the tray?’
Alexis nodded politely. She wanted to use her social skills to take over the conversation, fill the awkward silences, make Addison more comfortable, give Brandon something to respond to. But none of those avenues would align with the image of a wandering backpacker, still a little awkward from lack of societal integration. So she shut her mouth and let the silence play out. Violetta kept quiet, too, acting the shyest of them all.
They got in the back of the pickup’s cabin and found the long footwell littered with fast food wrappers, empty Gatorade bottles, and a couple of empty vials with the odd drop of leftover amber liquid inside.
Alexis froze, wondering if this was all a setup.
They were being so blatant with it…
But you don’t know what Bodhi is, she reminded herself. The vials mean nothing to you.
Brandon got behind the wheel and Addison got in the passenger seat. They drove away, manoeuvring through Gillette until they took I-90 out of the city limits. They stayed on the highway for close to an hour, passing through Wyodak and Rozet. The sleepy towns showed little sign of life as they went by outside the windows.
Finally, when they turned off I-90 into the small town of Moorcroft and headed south toward the Thunder Basin Grassland, Alexis pretended to get the courage to ask questions.
She said, ‘So how long have you two been living with Maeve?’
‘We don’t live with her,’ Addison answered immediately, anxious to respond to any queries after such a prolonged silence. ‘We live in the bunkhouses.’
‘That’s not what she meant,’ Brandon said. ‘She meant how long we’ve been in the commune.’
‘Oh,’ Addison said, hunching over in disappointment.
She didn’t enjoy being the fool.
Brandon said, ‘Just over six months now.’
He sounded like he wanted to say more, but he didn’t. He must have been instructed to keep information sparse. As far as the newcomers were aware, it was just rural living, away from civilisation. Like-minded people collaborating to create a peaceful existence.
There was far more to it than that, and before long the new arrivals would be converted…
But they weren’t yet.
Violetta said, ‘Do you like it there?’
Brandon said, ‘It’s the best place on earth.’
Violetta said, ‘Addison?’
Addison twisted in her seat to make eye contact. Either she was an impressive actress or the unease she’d shown earlier was truly gone. But her eyes were honest and frank as she said, ‘There’s really no place I’d rather be.’
Alexis said, ‘What makes it so good?’
Brandon said, ‘You’ll see.’
He said it fast and sharp, allowing a trace of hostility to creep into his tone. Alexis knew why. Addison was being uncharacteristically open, even turning to meet the eyes of the strangers in the back, and she might get too complacent with her newfound behaviour and say something she wasn’t supposed to.
They sat in silence for the rest of the journey, driving deeper and deeper into the desolation. The plains were staggeringly empty. There was so much land in every direction, panning as far as the eye could see. If you ran out of fuel out here, you’d probably die of dehydration before you stumbled on a trace of human life.
It was perfect for Maeve Riordan.
Out here, you could make your own rules.
33
Brandon took the pickup truck down an unpaved trail, and it led them around the perimeter of a long shallow hill that gave the landscape its undulating look.
On the other side of the broad landmark, nearly a dozen buildings were burrowed into the base of the hill in a tight cluster. They approached from the east, but the commune was visible from close to half a mile away given the nature of the terrain.
Brandon said, ‘Home sweet home. Welcome.’
‘Does this place have a name?’ Violetta said.
‘Our group is—’ Addison started.
‘The commune doesn’t have a name,’ Brandon interjected sharply, shooting a dark look at his sister. ‘Our community has branded ourselves with a name, but that’s not important. You two might just be passing through, after all. You don’t need to know what you don’t need to know.’
Silence elapsed, and he cocked his head in irritation at the haste with which he’d had to come up with the spiel. It hadn’t sounded right, and everyone in the car knew it.
Alexis watched the buildings get closer through the windshield. The commune was centred around two structures that were far larger than the rest — a grand building with a conical spire that could only be a church, and a big rectangular building that looked like a mess hall for troops stationed overseas. Around the centrepieces were around ten long low buildings that had to be accommodations, a couple of enormous garages, and finally a simple two-storey farmhouse further away from the rest, up a long driveway that finished a third of the way up the hill.
The farmhouse was like a king’s throne, elevated above the commune, looking down on its subjects. It was old and constructed with remarkable care and attention to detail, whereas the rest of the buildings appeared to be thrown together with modern materials. A byproduct of rapid expansion, Alexis
figured. With the followers growing in droves, they had to be fed and clothed and given somewhere to sleep. Depending on how long Mother Libertas had been in operation, Maeve might soon have command of a small city’s worth of devotees if she kept her current recruitment pace.
Men and women moved between the buildings, like ants from this distance, but rapidly growing larger in the windshield. As far as Alexis could tell they were normal. They dressed simply and made no strange movements, just carried on about their day like serenity was their main priority.
She said, ‘Are you going to introduce us to all your friends?’
‘Not yet,’ Brandon said. ‘You’ve got an appointment at the big house.’
‘The big house?’ Alexis asked, but she knew.
Addison pointed at the farmhouse. ‘Maeve’s place. She asked us to bring you there first. There’s some introductory stuff to go over.’
Brandon said, ‘You need to know how things work here.’
Violetta said, ‘Can’t you tell us?’
She saw him mask a smile in the rear view mirror.
‘No,’ he said. ‘No, I can’t.’
34
The pickup kicked a plume of dust off the previously undisturbed driveway as it pulled up to the farmhouse.
Alexis said, ‘She was expecting us?’
Brandon said, ‘Of course.’
Maeve stood at the top of the steps leading up to the porch, clad in a farm dress, every part the humble, simplistic commune leader. It was an impressive act, given what they knew about her true nature.
She descended the porch steps, lifting the hem of her dress as she stepped down. She walked across the driveway to them as they got out of the car. Like automatons, Brandon and Addison bled into the background, walking away silently. When Violetta looked over her shoulder, they were already halfway down the decline to the commune, having abandoned their vehicle.
Probably because it wasn’t theirs.
Must be one of the communal rides.
Maeve stepped forward and embraced Alexis in warm arms, curly hair framing her face. Violetta realised how good of an actress Alexis was when she bowed her forehead to Maeve’s shoulder and sighed in her arms, as if the hug was what she’d been searching for all along.
After a long silence Alexis stepped out of the embrace and said, ‘This is my friend, Violetta.’
Maeve turned to Violetta and smiled. ‘I’ve heard so much about you, dear. Oh my, you two are a sight to behold together, aren’t you? Such gorgeous creatures.’
Violetta squirmed uncomfortably, playing shy.
Maeve said, ‘I’m Maeve. Maeve Riordan. This is my commune.’
Violetta cleared her throat. ‘Sorry, I know. I suppose not saying anything was mighty rude of me. I’m happy to be here, Maeve. Thank you so much for the invitation.’
They could see the excitement barely suppressed in Maeve’s eyes. Two polite, shy nomads, ripe for exploitation. She thought they’d bend to her every word.
Maeve said, ‘Come inside. I’ve prepared tea.’
Falling in behind Alexis as they went up the porch steps, Violetta felt like she’d been transported to the Wild West. It truly was a different life out here. She wondered how the commune generated power, and what sort of system they had for maintaining a steady train of supplies. Mostly she found herself flabbergasted at how a community of this magnitude could fly so effortlessly under the radar. She’d seen the number of buildings. There had to be at least a hundred people living here, if not more.
How had no one back in civilisation acknowledged it? Not even with something as small as an online post?
Because people who hear about it disappear…
Maeve led them through the screen door into an old-fashioned sitting area with rattan chairs, a faded leather sofa, and ornate side tables. A royal blue rug covered most of the floorspace, making the room feel cosier than if the wooden floorboards underneath were left exposed. A soft breeze blew in through a handful of windows that were cracked open, circulating fresh air from one end of the ground floor to the other.
Maeve gestured to the sofa. ‘Please, sit.’
They sat.
Alexis said, ‘This place is lovely.’
‘One second, dear,’ Maeve said, disappearing into the kitchen.
She returned with a kettle that looked as if it had come off a charcoal burner moments previously. Steam crawled out of the spout. It was then that Alexis noticed the teacups already on the low table between the sofa and the armchairs. There was a measure of fine powder — bright green, in the distinctive matcha style — in each cup. She poured near-boiling water into each mug of fine china, then took a whisk from beside the cups and stirred the contents into thin green tea. She handed them over, one by one.
Alexis sipped hers.
It was very good.
‘Did you have a pleasant journey?’ Maeve said as she took her own cup and sat delicately in the rattan chair across from them.
Both women nodded.
Alexis sat forward. ‘I guess we don’t know exactly what to expect. But we’re coming in with open minds.’
Maeve swirled the tea in the mug and took a soft sip. ‘That’s fantastic news. Really, that’s all you need to make the most out of life, isn’t it?’
Alexis shrugged.
Violetta stayed quiet.
Maeve cocked her head. ‘Did I say something offensive?’
‘No,’ Violetta said, speaking for the first time since they’d sat down. ‘Definitely not. Sorry … we’re shy, is all. Don’t do well with small talk.’
She looked over to Alexis, who nodded her confirmation.
Maeve said, ‘Shall we get straight to the point then?’
Alexis said, ‘Which is?’
Maeve sipped from her teacup, settled back in the chair, and watched them.
Alexis and Violetta shifted restlessly on the sofa.
Maeve said, ‘Do you think there’s more to life?’
Silence.
35
Alexis said, ‘I’m sorry?’
‘Have you ever looked back on your life and thought, “What if…?”’
More quiet.
But Alexis started to open up. ‘I guess I have.’
Violetta nodded, mute but understanding.
Maeve said, ‘Isn’t that a fascinating concept, though? That in every moment we have in time, we choose what action to take. It draws parallels to quantum physics. In each moment there is limitless possibility, infinite choices, and therefore there are limitless versions of ourselves. In some parallel universe, there’s a version of you that has made every choice correctly. Imagine where that person is now. Imagine the sorts of things they’ve accomplished. Imagine … your ideal self.’
Alexis said, ‘I couldn’t begin to picture…’
Violetta’s gaze went far away, the concept dawning on her.
Maeve said, ‘That’s why we’re here in Thunder Basin.’
‘I’m sorry?’
‘To become what you could be, you must do something out of the ordinary. Wouldn’t you agree? Isn’t that the very definition of ordinary? Choosing to remain within the walls of your old life…’
Alexis said, ‘Yeah, I guess.’
‘That’s why we’re away from civilisation,’ Maeve said. ‘We’re mastering our destinies, to use a cliché. But it’s true. Here … you’re alleviated of all the responsibilities of that dreaded rat race that takes place back in the real world. We come here and we breathe the pristine air and we … evolve. We become the people we should have been all along, through a series of practices and habits and mantras.’
They took in the words.
Alexis realised that if she had no idea who Maeve was or what the cult leader truly did to get results, she’d fall for it.
That terrified her.
Maeve carried on. ‘Think about this rationally, then, and ask yourself what’s stopping you from living the rest of your life by this ideal? In every single moment, you
make the right choice. You tap into some primordial consciousness, you grow connected to this earth, to all other living beings, to Mother Earth herself. You liberate yourself from mediocrity and complacency. You achieve unimaginable things, and you do it effortlessly, because you make the determined, conscious, committed choice to do it. Does that sound like something you two might be interested in?’
Violetta said, ‘Hell yes it does.’
Maeve laughed. ‘I like your spirit. And you, Alexis? Are you willing to find out what you’re capable of?’
But Alexis hesitated, unwilling to dive in so fast it’d seem suspicious. She let her face turn overcast. ‘I wouldn’t know where to start. That’s not … who I am.’
Maeve stood up, rocketing out of the chair. Her voice rose. ‘Don’t you understand, girl? That’s what this place is. That’s why you ended up here. It was Mother Earth, Gaia, guiding you to a better future. I’ve studied the power of the human spirit my whole life. I’ve found ideas, actions, habits … that make you unstoppable. I want to share these gifts with you, Alexis. And you, too, Violetta. I want to open your eyes to a new world. Where every action you take, every step forward, is charged with purpose. Every time you make a decision it’s bursting with relentless energy. It comes from this ground we live on, this bubble we inhabit. It’s right there for the taking. I would like to show you how to take it. If you’ll let me.’
Violetta said, ‘Yes,’ without hesitation.
Alexis said, ‘What does it involve?’
Maeve sat back down and smiled warmly. ‘Nothing crazy. But now I feel comfortable sharing some things with you. This commune is a liberation movement. We call it “Mother Libertas.” We’re unlocking human capacity, becoming the optimal versions of ourselves, finding purpose in a cold, sad world. I warmly extend an invitation to you both. If you’d like, join us. If not, carry on with your travels. But I want you to give it some real thought. You might choose to leave too hastily, and end up back in the aimless wandering you’re already sick of, and then you’ll most definitely look back on your life and ask yourself … “What if?”’