by H. D. Gordon
In the end, I went with the only thing I could think of that would’ve comforted me when I was a child, the only thing I’d ever hoped to hear. “I’m sh-sure of it too,” I told her. “But I’m huh-huh-here to help, so t-try not to worry.”
She slipped her little hand into mine again as we walked together toward the others, and though I knew Fae was still watching, I couldn’t bring myself to reject Madison’s hold. With her free hand, she tucked some of her light hair behind her ear and tilted her head back to look up at me.
“You got a plan?” she asked, sounding old beyond her years. “I hope you got a plan, because tomorrow’s the day. I can feel it. My tummy says so…but you already knew that, right? That tomorrow’s the day? Cuz you got your annoyance.”
I felt my lips tug up in a sad half smile and gave her tiny hand a squeeze as she unknowingly squeezed my heart. “Yes,” I said. “I’ve got my uh-annoyance. You luh-let me worry about t-tomorrow, Madison.”
She was silent for a moment. Then she said, “Okay. You can call me Maddie, then.”
I nodded, but found I couldn’t hold her eyes. There was so much hope swimming in the green of them, hope I had put there. And now, if I failed this child, however much longer I lived, I would never, ever forgive myself.
Chapter 53
Middle Man
The event that would trigger the disastrous Sunday evening festivities happened the Saturday evening before. It came in the form of a phone call. While there were certainly other factors that played a role—including a very disturbed, paranoid man—the phone call was like a single lick of flame to a highly explosive situation. It was the hand that spun the wheel, the finger that squeezed the trigger.
Ron Reynolds was alone in his office when it came. It was nearly midnight, and he had just finished snorting a line of the white stuff up his left nostril. Even though there were still obvious issues afoot, the drug made him feel better, loosened him up. His poison drills were rooting out the deceivers, and Dorie and Bobby were still doing their best to find that little Ross bitch.
Everything could still turn out okay, he thought, as his head fell back against the high back of his leather chair, and his eyes slipped closed.
And then the phone rang. It’s loud, shrill call made his head snap forward, and he snatched it off the receiver, thinking it was Dorie or Bobby calling to tell him they finally had the little reporter bitch. Had he not been high as a kite, he might’ve remembered that Dorie and Bobby wouldn’t call on the landline. They would’ve called on his cell phone.
So when he snatched the phone out of the cradle on his desk, he placed it to his ear and said, “What’s the news?”
There was silence for a small moment on the other end. Then, a familiar female voice said, “It’s funny you should ask that, Mr. Reynolds, because as it turns out, you are.”
He jolted upright in his chair, his back stiffening. A surge of terrible anger rushed through him, and it was all he could do to keep his tone light as he talked through his teeth. “Miss Ross,” he said. “How nice of you to call. Still doing the devil’s work, I see.”
There was a sound like the little bitch sighed or something, and Ron Reynolds smiled. He bet he could make her sigh…or something.
“Mr. Reynolds,” she said, her annoying voice cutting into his thoughts. “This is really just a courtesy call. Though I’m not sure you even deserve it, I think it’s only fair to let a person know when a story is being written about them…or in this case, has been written about them.”
That knocked him right off his cloud and sent him slamming back down to earth. “What are you talking about?” he said, his teeth tight enough to crack.
“I’ve written a story about Heaven’s Temple and The Family Ranch,” she said. “Beth Johnson and several other brave former members of your organization have come forward and spoken to me about Heaven’s Temple and the things going on at your ranch, but you, in particular, are the focus of the article, Mr. Reynolds. You’re the man in the middle of it all.”
All he could see was red as the bitch’s words sank in. He was unaware that his right hand was tangled in the phone cord tight enough to lose circulation in his fingers. He wished the bitch had the balls to tell him these things to his face, because he would love nothing more than to wrap this cord around her skinny little throat and—
“Are you interested in hearing what the article says, Mr. Reynolds?” she asked.
His voice came out in a growl. “You mean, do I want to hear the dirty lies you plan to tell about me in your two-bit little paper? Yes, I would say I do, Miss Ross.”
Another sigh. Oh, how it made him want to strangle the air out of this audacious little bitch.
“Fine,” she said. “The headline reads: REVEREND RON REYNOLDS AND HIS ROAD TO NOWHERE. The subtitle is: The hellish truth behind Heaven’s Temple and The Family Ranch.”
Stars were bursting behind his eyes now, and he slammed his fist down on the top of his desk. “I’ll sue you and your shitty little newspaper if you run that, Miss Ross! I’ll sue you into the ground! So help me God, you will regret this slander.”
Her voice was calm, collected…condescending. “I think you mean, libel,” she said. “But this is neither, Mr. Reynolds, and we both know it. Also, I’d like to return to my apartment at some point, so the sooner you want to call off your two watchdogs, the better.”
Any restraint he had managed to hold on to was gone now. “You listen here you devil-worshiping little bitch—”
“I’m just going to stop you there,” she cut in. “As I told you, this was a courtesy call, but since you want to name-call, I’ll just let you read the rest of the article when it comes out.” There was a short pause. “It’s going to be front page this coming Monday. Good evening, Mr. Reynolds.”
There was a click as the call was disconnected, and Ron Reynolds could do nothing but sit with his mouth agape for several moments, staring in disbelief at the phone. When he snapped out of it, he stood from his desk, ripped the phone right off its cord and heaved it across the room, where it crashed into his bookshelves and broke to pieces.
He flopped back down to his chair, his breathing harsh, stars still dancing behind his eyes. A moment later, Ron Jr. came charging into the room.
His son’s eyes were wide. “Dad? Are you okay?” he asked. “I heard a loud crash. What happened?”
Reynolds barely heard his son’s words, all he could think about was how the world was crashing down all around him, and how incredibly unfair it all was. After all the sacrifices he’d made, all the Godly work he’d done for this forsaken community, this was how they were going to repay him? After the bitch’s article ran, they would call him a freak and pervert, just like when he was a child. They would turn their backs on him. They would cast him out. The same way they casted Jesus out. He could see it all now, so clearly. It was so obvious, he didn’t know why he couldn’t see it before.
The world would never change. There would always be evil. The devil would never stop coming for him. Not until he was far beyond reach.
And they would come for his people, too. He had to protect them from that. He was, after all, their Father. They were counting on him. He had to give them salvation.
It was so very clear now. It was his duty; his cross to bear. The children deserved their heaven. So he would lead them to it.
As the clock on the wall behind his desk struck midnight, he thought it was only appropriate that today should be a Sunday.
It felt like destiny.
Chapter 54
Joe
Sunday. Of the six days and six nights I spent at The Family Ranch, Sunday would end up being the one that I would remember the most clearly, no matter how much time passed afterward. That Sunday had the same feel as all the other drawing-disaster-days I’d faced in the past. My stomach was a mess and the world had a surreal sense to it, as if all of this were some nightmare I would eventually wake up from.
And I felt alone and unready. D
esperate didn’t even begin to describe me. I was out of time, and that meant I needed to make some important decisions, and hope that my instincts wouldn’t fail me.
One thing was for certain; I needed allies. I had left Michael and Mr. Landry out of things because they didn’t have anything to do with this, but all the people here at the ranch were already involved, so I felt they were fair game as far as being dragged into my mission was concerned. The only question was, who could be trusted? I don’t think I need to go into why my choices here would be so important.
I’d stayed up all night thinking about it, in fact, fighting sleep my body desperately needed as I went over every detail of the past week in my head. I considered enlisting Fae, but finally decided she was not an option. She’d been by the reverend’s side too long. Fixing what was wrong with Fae would take years, and I didn’t have that kind of time. None of us did.
Since I hadn’t seen Kayla other than in passing since my first night here, she obviously wasn’t an option, either. I had to assume that she hadn’t told the reverend about what I’d said, but she also clearly hadn’t made any attempt to reach out to me despite my warning that something bad was going to happen. I just couldn’t be sure what was going on in my old friend’s head, and the situation being what it was, this ruled her out for me as well.
The only other obvious choice, and the one I ended up settling on, was Troy. My reasons for choosing to include him were mostly a combination of small, but important things. For one, he had looked as angry as I’d felt during that first poison drill when I’d held him back from speaking out along with Christine. For two, he seemed to me to be one of the most genuinely kind people I’d ever met; even the children were fond of him. And third, and most importantly, Troy’s assigned job at the ranch had to do with packaging the pretzels.
The only trouble was, I needed a few minutes alone with him to explain things without Fae overhearing. This was how I came to the conclusion that I would need another ally. And though it made me feel rotten, there was really only one other option left.
Madison. I tried to think of a way other than using her. I mean, I tried like hell, but by the time the sun was peeking in through the windows, seeming to scream in at me with its golden light that Sunday had arrived, I’d decided it was the only way.
While Fae was using the bathroom that morning, I pulled Madison aside and told her the plan. We were standing outside the bathroom door, and I scooped her up in my arms to whisper in her ear. My heart hurt as I realized how tiny she felt in my arms.
“I nuh-need your huh-help with something,” I told her. After explaining what I wanted her to do, Madison agreed. She pulled back and smiled at me, her green eyes still so full of that heart-breaking hope.
Then she thanked me. I set her down and was almost glad when Fae came out of the bathroom a moment later. I couldn’t afford to be choked up. There was too much to be done.
After the morning bathroom routine, like always, Fae, Madison and I headed outside to cross the walkway to the Family Building. My heart was pumping as we stepped out into the heat, hoping that Madison wouldn’t forget what she was supposed to do.
All of the residents were outside, walking the paths as well, heading to whatever their job was here at the ranch. I chanced a look down a Maddie, who was looking around for Troy, just like I’d told her to do. I breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn’t forgotten. Then again, I shouldn’t have worried. Madison was like me; she couldn’t forget if she wanted to.
Madison spotted Troy walking across the path at the same time as I did, and she stopped in her tracks and clutched an arm across her stomach. Her pretty little face scrunched up in pain, and she pulled Fae, who’d been holding her hand, to a stop. “Ohhhh,” Madison growned. “Ohh, I-I don’t feel so good.”
Fae looked down at Madison, her brows pulling down in concern. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
Madison gagged before answering, her eyes watering up and her tongue coming out as her little stomach heaved. I understood now why she’d told me this would be easy for her. She didn’t have to fake feeling sick when the impending disaster was already doing that to her.
“My tummy hurts really bad,” Madison said, bending over double now as she clutched her stomach. “I feel like I’m going to be sick.” She gagged again, and again, and I had to turn my eyes away because it was hard to watch.
“Shit,” Fae mumbled, scooping Madison up in her arms. She looked around, as if considering asking one of the other residents for help.
I spoke quickly. Well, as quickly as I could manage. “You wuh-want me to t-t-take her to the infirmary?” I asked.
Fae’s eyes jerked to me, and I could just see the wheels turning in her head. After another long groan from Madison, she shook her head. “No, I’ll take her,” Fae said. “You go to the childcare room and start setting up for the children. I’ll be back in just a minute.”
I nodded, then watched as she hurried off toward the infirmary, which was on the opposite end of Family Building. Fae hadn’t been lying about me only having a minute. I looked around quickly and spotted Troy. With no time to waste, I jogged over to him.
“Hey,” I said, pulling up alongside him on the path he was taking toward the rear of Family Building, where the bakery’s back entrance was.
Troy turned his head and gave me a smile, but it seemed more forced than usual. In fact, now that I was thinking about it, it seemed his smile had been growing tighter and tighter each time there was another poison drill. I could only hope this meant I was right about him.
“Hey, Joe,” he said. “How’s it going?”
I drew a little closer to him and made sure to keep watch around us. My voice was only loud enough for him to hear me. “Not good,” I said. “I duh-don’t have t-time to eh-explain, but I need your huh-help. It’s rrreally important.” I gripped his hand to emphasize my point and then quickly released it. There were so many people around, and all of them were potential spies.
Troy tried to come to a stop, but I nudged him to keep him walking. He looked more serious now than I’d ever seen him, a shift so opposite from his usual jolly demeanor that he almost looked like a different person. Now he snatched up my hand, and held it too tight for me to pull away from. My heart stopped, suddenly feeling like a fool for trusting him.
But he released me a moment later, and now his face was as grave as an undertaker’s. I jerked my hand back and looked at him. I’d seen that look before; the one that had been on his face when he’d taken my hand. I’d seen that look on Mr. Landry’s face a hundred times…
My head spun. My mouth fell open. I couldn’t think of a single thing to say.
Luckily, Troy spoke for me. “Jesus Christ,” he said. “Okay…okay. I got it. I’ll do it.” He glanced around. “We better go. We’ve been talking for too long. Don’t worry. I’ve got your plan and I’ll do it. You better go now.”
He turned to leave, but I stepped in front of him, my mouth still hanging open. “Wuh-wait,” I whispered. “Why duh-didn’t you t-t-tell me?”
Troy gave me one of his contagious half smiles, but there was a sadness in it that I understood all too well. “Same reason you didn’t tell me,” he said.
And then he was gone. I stood stalk-still on the path for a moment before rushing off to the childcare room. Mr. Landry’s words to me during one of our talks, before I decided to fling myself into this mess alone, came back to me then.
I can hear thoughts, Joe. I don’t think you understand what that means. I been listening to the inner workings of folks for over eighty years now, and I’ve learned one thing for certain. Nobody, I mean nobody, is ever really what they seem…Hell, all you gotta do is look in the mirror to see that.
I didn’t have time to contemplate this interesting new development, or what it meant, because the children would be waiting for me. We all had our roles to play, and the children, I’d decided, were the number one priority. I wasn’t going to leave their sides today until I knew the
y’d reached safety.
After that, all I would need to do was climb through hell and back, carrying as many souls out with me as I could manage.
There was one small mercy. When it all happened, it happened fast.
Chapter 55
Joe
The summons came right before dinner time. The speakers, present in every corner of this God-forsaken place, carried the reverend’s sick voice to every ear. As soon as he spoke, as if his words were the trigger, that dreaded feeling I’d come to know so well struck me in the gut hard enough to make me grind my teeth to keep from doubling over. My heartbeat jumped into overtime. My neck and back grew hot and my throat tight enough to make me gasp for air.
There was no mistaking the feeling. The time had come. His words confirmed it.
“Come, my children! Join me in the church and pray with me for our salvation! The devils are closing in, and there is no time to waste! Come mothers! Come brothers! Come children! Quickly, now! Quickly, quickly, quickly! Father will take care of you. We are strongest together. Come, now, my children! Come to me now!”