The Mayor shut the door behind himself and left Paul alone with his thoughts.
10:16 p.m.
“So, do we go out there or do we stay in here?” A finger pointing at the door indicated precisely where out there was.
That was the question of the hour. There was a tension in the air coming from the sure knowledge that the Takers were on their way.
They all knew the question, but no one had the answer.
“Maybe we should just stay here.” Henry ventured this opinion.
“Maybe.” This from Sarah, “but we aren’t any safer here than we are out there. In some ways, we may be safer out there.”
“In what way?” This from Ruth.
“When that Taker came into the house with Henry and me, we were trapped. If we stay inside, we can be trapped again. The lock barely slowed it down.”
Her words settled in the room and stirred through Matt. An idea started to form in his mind, but before he had time to think it through clearly, Henry spoke up.
“We’ve got to go right now.”
Matt’s eyes slid over to Henry where he stood staring out the back window where the rock had been floating. Henry glanced back at him with his eyes wide and pointed out the window. “There’s a Taker outside.”
10:21 p.m.
In the room alone Paul tried to rock back and forth to loosen the rope. He tried rubbing his cheek on his shoulder to free his mouth. The tape started to lift, but Paul didn’t get time to celebrate because the door swung open again. This time a group of the Mayor’s closest friends appeared. Or really, his closest lackeys.
The four men trouped into the holding room together and surrounded the chair. The tape muffled Paul's attempt to yell, and his struggles met with their complete disregard.
Murmuring quietly to coordinate efforts, they arranged themselves with each man having a grasp on the chair. They lifted it up with Paul still strapped to it. They maneuvered him through the door and carried the chair through the back halls of Town Hall to a small hallway with a door at the end.
It was one Paul had never seen before. The four men set the chair on the floor, with Paul still attached to it, and took up positions along the wall, silent sentries to their captive. From here though, he could hear the Mayor talking to the rest of the town council gathered in the main hall. His voice was soft and somewhat muffled by distance, but Paul could still make out his words. He could only assume that was the reason for the move.
“… I know. I know that this is frightening. I’m frightened too, but we have to do what is right to protect our town. To protect our families.” He paused in what Paul assumed was an attempt to gaze out at the crowd and make eye contact with as many people as he could. It was something the Mayor frequently did and with great effect. By making eye contact, he pulled them in, made them feel like they were a part of the whole as if he spoke to each one personally. Paul had seen it work time and time again.
“The Takers have come back. They are moving through the town again, even as we speak.”
He paused again, letting the townspeople to gasp and exclaim amongst themselves before continuing.
“My father warned me that this day would come. The day when the Takers no longer followed our agreement. My father and his father before him both faced these challenges. The Takers agree to protect us from the evils of outside influences, and all they ask in return is for a sacrifice. Many times, this sacrifice is a volunteer who is near the end of their life. Sometimes, unfortunately, we need to choose a sacrifice as we did tonight.”
Paul was sure the Mayor was looking as pious and subdued as possible.
“You may be asking yourselves why the Takers are back when we’ve made their sacrifice. I knew this day would come. We have failed to uphold our end of the bargain. The people of this town doubt our need for the Takers. And the Takers know. They see it. When we doubt that we need them to keep our town and our families safe, when that happens, this is the result.”
Even in the back hallway, Paul could hear the murmur of the people responding to the Mayor’s words. For one second, he was filled with hope that the people would hear the bullshit in his speech.
But the Mayor continued. “Now, we must respond quickly to secure our town. I know this is scary. None of us want this, but here we are. The next few hours will be difficult, but we will get through this and in the end, we will be remembered for saving our town.”
More murmurs from the crowd, but to Paul’s distress now the murmurs contained a note of hope and anticipation rather than the fear they were saturated with before. His shoulders slumped, and he sagged in the chair, the rope the only thing keeping him in place.
“We need to renew our contract with the Takers. We will show them that we are dedicated to this town and need their protection for our families.”
Now Paul could hear the affirmations.
“That will take sacrifice. A loss to show that we are serious. A loss to show that we respect what the Takers give to us.”
Paul dreaded his next words.
“We need to cull our town, to purge ourselves of the negative influences that teach our children disrespect and the doubters that draw our children off the path. These doubters would be stumbling blocks to our children’s walk of faith. We must stop the disbelief and show the Takers how serious we are.” A pause for dramatic effect before the Mayor continued. “Now this is a serious thing we are discussing, and I want us all to get together on it. Paul stood here tonight and showed his discontent with how we live and how we survive. I see a solution, a way out of this, but tonight I can’t make this decision alone. We all need to be together, united as one. What do you think we should do?”
If free, Paul would have banged his head against a wall. Didn’t they see what was happening? How he was manipulating them? The Mayor would convince the town that Paul had to die, making everyone complicit. They would have to agree with it being a sacrifice for the greater good. Because if they didn’t, they were simply cold-blooded murders.
This was how he kept the town going, how he kept his power. He kept the town believing in him because if they doubted the morality of the sacrifices, then everything they thought to be true about themselves would be false. Right and wrong had been twisted. It was sick and sad.
Paul recalled every time he had watched one of his neighbors walk out the Town Hall door to be sacrificed. The horror of it weighed on him. The guilty weight threatened to send him to the same black place he was in after Claire’s death. For one moment he was tempted just to accept his coming death, to accept it as his due, after all he’d allowed to happen.
But the thought of Claire kept him grounded, made him sit up straight. Determination sharpened his spine. He was probably going to die, but at least he could go out with his head held high, and if given the opportunity he would say what needed to be said.
Paul tuned back into the Mayor’s words. “… This is not something to take lightly. Let’s spend some time in quiet contemplation. Then we will make a decision and move forward.”
Paul gazed at the floor in front of him. He heard the click of a door and then footsteps before brown loafers stepped into his view. He raised his eyes to look up at the Mayor.
“One day, Paul, you will be remembered fondly as helping to save Heritage. When the Takers come for you, I will renew the faith of this community. I will renew the belief, and you will be remembered not for speaking out, but for ensuring our ongoing tradition.”
10:25 p.m.
Sarah stood with the others at the back door staring between the houses behind them and at the Taker across the street. It didn’t move, and there were no more strange flashes of light. Just the steady figure draped in the dark. The Taker didn’t appear to be staring at Henry’s house or focused on them. The street light above flickered now and then, but otherwise, everything was still.
“What is it waiting for?” Henry whispered.
“Maybe it’s waiting for its orders,” Matt replied.
<
br /> That was a scary thought. “So, what do we do?”
Matt spoke. “Sarah, can I see your bag?”
Sarah handed it over without hesitation, and Matt started searching through the pockets. “Sarah, go check the front door. We need to make sure we have an exit.”
Sarah ran to the front of the house and then hurried back, staying as quiet as possible. “It looks clear.”
Matt handed Ruth a box of matches from the side pocket and then glanced around the kitchen mumbling to himself.
The others watched Matt look around the kitchen. Ruth decided after a few seconds of watching him pull out drawers and search through cabinets that the best thing to do was to follow along.
“What are you looking for?” Ruth asked as Matt pulled a bottle of red wine from the fridge.
“I need a cloth and a stick.”
Henry darted into the living room and came back with a fireplace poker. Ruth started rooting through drawers looking for a towel.
They gathered around the table with the wine, matches, towel, and steel poker. Soon a torch started to take shape as Matt wrapped the towel around one end of the poker.
“What’s your plan?” Sarah’s question was quiet and serious.
“We draw the Taker in here and trap it.”
Ruth sounded doubtful. “I certainly hope there is more to your plan than that.”
“Well, to be honest, I was kind of hoping you could help me with the details.” Matt shot a grin at the rest of the group.
There was one long second of silence. Then Sarah had an idea. “You want to draw them inside through the back door and close them in, while we escape through the front.”
Matt nodded. “Yes.”
“Okay, then we will need to close the back door behind them and barricade it, somehow. There are four of us. One will need to keep watch out the back; one will need to keep watch at the front. One to barricade the door, and then one to attack the Taker.” Sarah pronouncement was the only noise in the room. She looked around expecting Matt to take charge, but he just watched her. Okay, she needed to take charge.
“Henry go watch the back, tell us if you see any other Takers or if you see them moving at all.” Henry dashed to the back door. “Ruth go stand watch at the front. Let us know if you see anything out there that might block our escape.” Ruth moved slower than Henry but made her way to the front door. Matt and Sarah were left standing at the table.
This time Matt spoke. “One of us needs to barricade the door while the other handles the Taker.”
“Ok. I’ll go outside and block the door, so the Taker can’t get out, but you need a better weapon than just a torch.” Matt looked at her blankly. Sarah kept her face straight, but inside she could feel her eyes roll. Did Matt seriously think he could use one torch to take down a Taker? She loved him, but he could be an idiot.
“Keep the torch, but also use this and a match.” Sarah dug in her own pack and produced the can of aerosol hairspray she’d found in the bathroom. “You will be able to control the flame better. Do you have a lighter?”
Henry called from the doorway. “I do.”
Matt and Sarah explained the plan to Ruth and Henry before the four split up, each going their own direction. As they parted, Ruth called out to Matt, “you remind of my Sam. He was stupidly brave too.”
10:29 p.m.
Matt’s stomach was in such knots that he felt anything but brave. He tried not to overthink about what he was doing. He was reasonably sure that if he thought about it that he would end up curled up in a corner somewhere until this night was over.
Back in the kitchen, Matt saw Sarah coming up the steps from the basement with a bungee cord in hand. When she saw his look, she motioned to Henry. “It was the kid’s idea.” Henry took his gaze off the backyard long enough to shoot a quick grin over his shoulder.
“Anything back there, Henry?”
He shook his head. “It’s still just standing there.”
“Sarah?”
She replied, “I’ll circle the house and hide in the bushes on the right side where I have a good view of the backyard. When the Taker goes inside, I’ll bungee cord the door shut and then cut across the yards and meet Henry and Ruth at the truck.”
Matt and Sarah walked together to the side door. Sarah put her hand on the knob when Matt’s hand on her arm stopped her. She turned to look at him and must have seen something in his eyes that gave her pause. She took a step closer and caught Matt’s face between her hands. They’d been best friends since they were five. She was probably the person he was closest to in the whole world. She knew when he was scared and right now Matt knew she was seeing through his tough guy demeanor.
“Hey, we’re going to be okay.”
Matt gave a little uncomfortable laugh before Sarah continued. “No. After everything we’ve been through tonight, Matt. After all of the close calls, there is no way this is ending any way except us all getting out of here. We keep Henry and Ruth safe. We look out for each other. And we’ll make it through.”
Matt gave a short nod of his head before grabbing Sarah in a tight hug. The feel of her thin arms wrapping around his larger torso settling something deep inside.
“Okay,” he pulled back and kept his hands on her arms. “Keep close to the house and in the shadows. When you’re in place, send a text. Once you bungee the door, get out of there. I’ll meet you at my truck.”
Sarah nodded. “Okay, and you blast the sucker and then run. Don’t stick around and play hero.”
One last tight clasp and Sarah stepped outside.
10:33 p.m.
They were taking a vote, his friends and his neighbors. People he lived near his whole life were deciding about sacrificing him to the Takers. Paul leaned his head back. Right at this moment, there was nothing he could do. Nothing but wait.
The Mayor’s four men stayed with Paul. They surrounded him but also ignored him.
About five minutes ago the Mayor had presented his plan to the town to place Paul outside for the Takers. The Mayor said he would wait with Paul and make it clear to the Takers that the town was 100% behind the deal and that the extra sacrifices were proof of their commitment. Ending of course with Paul as their final and best sacrifice.
The voting was done silently by a simple yes or no written on a piece of paper. Paul didn’t doubt what the outcome would be. They would vote yes to save themselves. He would be put outside and Taken.
10:35 p.m.
Sarah crouched at the side of Henry’s house. Large evergreen bushes ran the length of the house just as they did at every home in Heritage. Sarah had fleeting thoughts of the spiders that were probably living in those bushes, but she crawled behind them and crept along the side of the house, her backpack pushing the branches away behind her. She reached the back corner and peeked around at the Taker standing on the opposite street.
One part of Sarah, deep inside, was screaming at her, asking what in the world she was doing and why wasn’t she somewhere safe. She did her best to squash that doubting, fearful voice. This was no time to panic. She’d already had more near-death experiences this night than she ever imagined.
Sarah peeked again at the Taker, pressed against the house, and pulled out her phone. She sent a quick text to let Matt know she was in position. Behind her, in the house, she heard movement, and the back door opened. Sarah peered between the bushes just as Henry let out a blood-curdling scream.
She watched with bated breath, but the Taker didn’t move. So, what now? Her phone silently vibrated in her hand.
It’s not moving
I know
She looked back around. Nothing. What were they missing? Light?
Sarah sent another text. Have him scream again and this time turn on the porch light.
She flattened herself against the outside wall, making sure she was out of the path of any light.
The porch light flickered on, and Henry’s scream again split the night air. This time the Taker reacted. It jolt
ed and flickered. Then it turned to face the house.
“Come on, come on,” Sarah hissed under her breath. A part of her honestly wasn’t even sure if she wanted the Taker to come towards them or move on. For a second, she let herself fantasize that the Taker left and that she could go back home, but then the Taker began to move toward them as the porch light flickered out.
10:41 p.m.
Henry ran through the house. His feet slapped against the floor in rapid rhythm with his heartbeat. He ran past Matt, who was crouched in the living room holding a lighter and had the can of hairspray ready. Henry wanted to join him. He wanted to be an adult. Big and brave like Matt, to be smart like Sarah.
For one heartbeat his feet hesitated, and he almost turned back. But Matt saw the intention in his face and gave him a quick head shake. Henry sped up again and met Ruth at the front door. She grabbed his hand.
“Come on, Henry. We’ll meet up with them before you know it.”
With their hands clasped Henry and Ruth ran outside, along Walnut street to two houses down where they cut in between the houses and through the backyards. They came out one door down from the partially burned remains of Sarah’s home.
Henry could just see the dim outline of Matt’s truck parked haphazardly at the curb, a mere thirty feet away.
The only problem? A Taker stood between Ruth and Henry and the truck.
10:41 p.m.
The Taker moved across the yard toward the back door.
From her hiding place, Sarah watched him come. He moved like the others. No discernible steps, more of a gentle glide. She heard feet thunder inside as Henry ran through the house. This was it. She shifted her body, ready to move. She adjusted her grip on the bungee cord, keeping an end in each hand. Once the Taker was inside, she had to jump up and wrap the cord around the doorknob to secure it.
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