by Beth Goobie
When the three of them reached Maddy’s desk, August hung around, putting on a show of casual chitchat. Maddy giggled at all the right places – giggled on hyperdrive, in fact, her laughter loud and forced – but she found it hard to concentrate on the conversation. Every time she glanced up, she caught kids flashing her glances. Something new seemed to have hold of them – something edgy, something that was making them nervous. In the back row opposite, Nikki, Sean, and Elliot were huddled over a phone, and they kept looking from it straight at Maddy, then back again. All three were smirking as if they’d borrowed Julie’s face, and as Maddy watched, her heart sank. Nikki had a mean streak – she knew that from personal experience – and no one needed personal experience to know what Sean and Elliot could dish out. Whatever was on that phone screen would blow Maddy’s mind, she was sure of it. Who did she think she was kidding? Her future was over and no one could save her – not August, not Kara, not anyone.
“Okay, this is it,” said August in a low voice. “I am now going into high gear.” Squaring her shoulders, she crossed the short distance to Ms. Mousumi’s desk. As Maddy and Kara watched, she flashed the teacher her most brilliant, persuasive smile, and began to talk. Ms. Mousumi listened, frowned slightly, listened some more; then, to Maddy’s astonishment, the teacher began to nod. Leaning back in her chair, she said something to August. August nodded quickly, obviously agreeing to some kind of condition, and returned to Maddy’s desk.
“It’s a go!” she hissed, before proceeding toward her seat. “She said to listen to Sheng’s chapter, and if mine follows it okay, I can read it today. Then it’ll be you on Wednesday!”
“Did you tell her about me missing my chapter?” Maddy asked in confusion, but August was already out of earshot, passing Paul and sitting down to his right.
Ms. Mousumi stood to call the class to order. As she did, Maddy glanced at the back row by the door. There was Ken, talking to Harvir to his right. To his left, David – no, Maddy realized with shock, David’s seat was empty. Was he skipping again? Were things getting so hot with Ken that he couldn’t face coming to English anymore? Then she spotted David sitting three seats over from his usual desk, in a formerly empty one between Harvir and Elliot. At that moment, Julie slid over one seat, into David’s former desk, bringing Dana and Christine one seat over with her. Ken turned to them with a grin, and he and Julie began snuggling. If Ms. Mousumi noticed any of this, she didn’t comment. But she hadn’t commented on David’s Leaning Tower of Pisa act either, Maddy reflected. Perhaps she was simply relieved David had solved his obvious conflict with Ken without outright hostility.
Sheng Yoo stood and approached the front of the class, carrying a tablet. Slender, with long hair and glasses, she had a reputation for being studious and conscientious. Maddy had once heard her say she intended to be a lawyer. Coming to a halt, Sheng switched on her tablet. She sent her gaze once across the class. If she made direct eye contact with Julie, Maddy didn’t notice.
“It was almost the full moon,” Sheng began, her voice clear and even. “In another month, Farang would turn sixteen. She sat by her secret altar, thinking about her life. She had no friends. She didn’t even know who her parents were. The only people who would talk to her were the partiers, but they were rough and cruel. Farang didn’t want to get pregnant again. She’d lost two babies – that was enough.
“She was so, so lonely. Her whole life was a waste, just pain and more pain. And as far as Farang could see, there was one person to blame for it all: the high priestess. The other night, when Farang was spying, she overheard the priestesses talking. That was when she learned they planned to kill her. Soon after her birthday – they didn’t say the exact day. So now Farang knew her life was never going to get better. In fact, it was about to get a whole lot worse.
“She decided she had nothing to lose. She snuck into the temple to where the knives were kept. These knives were used for sacrifices and were very sharp. Farang chose a small one that she could carry inside her sleeve. Then she snuck into the room where the priestesses slept.
“The high priestess slept closest to the door, probably so she could sneak out at night without waking up the others. But this was also a help to Farang. She crawled to the high priestess’s pallet and knelt there, watching her sleep. The high priestess wasn’t all that old – maybe in her thirties. In her sleep, she looked normal, not evil – like somebody’s mother, maybe yours or mine. But Farang knew better. She knew the high priestess was nobody’s mother and never would be. The high priestess was the priestess of death, and now she was going to die.
“Farang raised the knife and brought it down. But the high priestess was too quick. She shapeshifted into a python. Before Farang knew it, the python wrapped around her hand that was holding the knife and squeezed. So she dropped the knife. Then the python shot up around her throat and squeezed there.
“Farang’s life passed before her eyes. She knew it was ending. She let out a cry and the other priestesses woke up. Because of the kulumulu necklace, everyone knew about the high priestess’s shapeshifting, so they weren’t too surprised. But with the other priestesses watching, the high priestess couldn’t kill Farang. Farang was the tribe’s pain eater, so she was special. She couldn’t die until the gods decreed it, and it had to be done exactly right at a special ceremony.
“So the high priestess let Farang go and shapeshifted back to human. And in that second, Farang got her chance. She snatched up the knife and stabbed the high priestess. The high priestess fell to the floor dead, and Farang ran from the temple into the forest.
“She had defeated her enemy, and she was still alive. But the question was what to do now. And this was where Farang turned back into the loser she was deep in her own heart. She didn’t change. She didn’t say, ‘Enough is enough!’ and leave the tribe. No, the next morning she was at the temple, waiting for her free food again. A priestess brought it out to her. They had to feed the pain eater – that was the law. They knew it and Farang knew it.
“But one thing had changed – the high priestess was dead. Farang hoped this meant she wouldn’t be killed, she could keep on living and being the tribe’s pain eater. But she didn’t think of changing her life beyond that. Whether she believed in being the pain eater or not, she didn’t try to change it. She didn’t leave. And so, in the end, I have to say I don’t feel sorry for her. I’m not saying she asked for it, just that she didn’t ask for anything. Farang was a nothing, a zero. A non-life. She may as well not have been born.
“That’s the end of my chapter.” With a flourish, Sheng shut off her tablet. She glanced expectantly at Ms. Mousumi.
The teacher shifted in her seat. “I have a question for you, Sheng,” she said. “Farang is a character that you created. You decided who she would be and what she would do. So it’s actually you who decided she wouldn’t leave the tribe and try to change her life. Why did you make that choice?”
Confusion twisted Sheng’s face. “I didn’t create Farang,” she protested. “The rest of the class did. I was just following their ideas. That’s what I was supposed to do, wasn’t I?”
“But in your chapter, you chose not to make her leave,” said Ms. Mousumi.
“Because she didn’t before,” said Sheng. “Even after everything that happened, she didn’t leave before. So I didn’t think she would now.”
Ms. Mousumi nodded. “What does everyone else think?” she asked.
As Sheng returned to her seat, Julie’s hand went up. “Sheng’s right,” she declared. “Why would Farang leave now, if she never did before?”
Theresa’s hand shot up. “Two reasons,” she said. “She knows they’re going to kill her – number one. And, number two, she just killed someone.”
Unexpectedly, Sean’s hand went up. “But she is a loser,” he said. “She takes everything they dish out. Maybe she actually likes it, and that’s why she sticks around.”
“Good poisons,” Elliot drawled beside him.
“Doo doo doo doo,” Brent sang softly from across the room.
“That’s enough,” Ms. Mousumi cut in sharply. “You will speak respectfully, or not at all.”
A dense silence fell on the class. For a long moment, no one spoke. Sean smirked at Nikki, who raised a cool eyebrow in reply. Then David raised his hand.
“I think maybe it’s easier to think Farang is a loser,” he said slowly.
Ms. Mousumi’s face quickened with interest. “Why do you say that?” she asked.
“Because then that’s all she is,” said David. “You don’t have to think about her anymore. You don’t have to think about how she’s hurting. How she’s lonely. How everything was taken away from her. How maybe you could help to change things for her.” He shrugged. “It’s just easier.”
“Maybe it’s easier for her, too,” Ken shot back, leaning forward in his seat to look around Harvir. “She’s that way because she wants to be that way. If she wanted to be different, she wouldn’t have been there.”
Maddy’s eyes widened. Beside her, Kara gasped. Four desks over, August cleared her throat.
“Been where, Ken?” she asked hoarsely.
Ken turned to glare at her, his face slamming closed. “The village!” he snapped. “Of course! I meant the village in the story – what else would I mean? Farang should’ve left the village and headed out on her own, like Sheng said.”
Kara’s hand went up. “And maybe wear a smiling, happy mask when she killed the high priestess, so no one would know who she was?” she asked.
Whoa! thought Maddy. Suddenly, things were moving fast – faster than her heart was beating. Across the room, Ken’s gaze darted between herself, Kara, and August.
“Okay,” said Ms. Mousumi, her gaze taking the direction Ken’s had taken, then returning to him. “Some interesting points have been raised here. Does Farang leave or doesn’t she? Is she the shaper of her own destiny, or does she simply accept what happens to her? The final answer is about to be given by August Zire, who has told me that she’s ready today with her chapter. How about it, August – are you ready to finish this off for us?”
“I am,” said August, her voice rock-solid determined.
“Why don’t you come up here, then?” said Ms. Mousumi.
As August got to her feet, Ken gave her a level glare. Two seats over, David stared down at his desktop. And hunched in her front corner desk, Maddy Malone sat silently counting heartbeats.
Chapter Seventeen
August walked purposefully to the front of the room. As she passed behind Kara and Maddy, she ran a finger along their backs – a secret gesture, a promise between her and them. Kara had started this story, and now August and Maddy were finishing it. With everything that had been written in between – soul stones, The Beautiful Land, good poisons, and she asked for it – in the end, the meaning of it all came down to the three of them. And they were ready to deliver.
August came to a halt at the front of the class. She studied her first few lines. Lifting her head, she glanced around the room, making sure she looked directly at Ken and Julie. She smiled. “It was the day before the full moon,” she began. “Farang’s sixteenth birthday. There was no party for her, of course. Everyone ignored her as usual. That night, they were going to spit their pain onto her the way they always did – that was the only present she’d get. Except that now there’d be no poison in her food. Since the high priestess’s death, no one poisoned Farang’s food. She was still getting the tribe’s pain, which did hurt her, but no poison. So she was growing stronger inside herself. Y’see, poison keeps you weak and sickly. Now that Farang wasn’t getting the poison anymore, she was strong and healthy. This made her very different. For years, she was always weak. Finally, it was starting to feel good to be alive.
“The morning of her birthday, some people rode into the village. They came from the capital city of the kingdom of Faraway. This was a long way off, and where the high priestess got her PhD in Evil. At the head of this group was a woman – the high priestess for the main temple in all the land. They went to the temple in the village and met with the priestesses. The villagers were curious. Hardly anyone came to their village, ever.
“That night, everyone gathered together. Things went as usual. Farang waited in the bushes while the people danced and sang. Then she crawled out and they spat their pain onto her. But Farang was now so strong and healthy, she barely batted an eye. She crawled into the cage and ate the food. Then she lay down and relaxed. The people danced faster and faster, but Farang just lay there, enjoying herself. Because she was healthy, their pain was no longer a big deal. The villagers couldn’t do much to her anymore, and she knew it.
“The high priestess from the capital city watched and was impressed. There were rumors about a village pain eater of great power, and she was here looking for her. This pain eater was predicted in the ancient holy books, and a special star was now showing up in the night sky. So the high priestess stood up and stopped the dancing. She called Farang out of the cage and bade her kneel before her.
“‘Farang, you were to die in three months’ time,’ the high priestess told her, ‘but I have come to offer you a great destiny. Instead of dying, you will come with me to the capital city of Faraway. Because the king needs a new pain eater. The king’s pain eater has to be better than all the others. There are special pains for this pain eater to eat. But the king’s pain eater lives differently from other pain eaters. You will have a lovely apartment in the castle. Fine clothes and food will be brought to you. Servants will bow as you pass. For you will be the king’s pain eater, and know all his secret woes. Once a month you will suffer, and it will be terrible. But the rest of the month will be a life of luxury and ease. Everyone will envy you.’
“The villagers whispered in excitement. They couldn’t believe this was happening to Farang, their pain eater. Such an honor for the village! The high priestess had to raise a hand to quiet them.
“‘I await your answer, Farang,’ she said. ‘Will you be the king’s pain eater?’”
August paused. The class sat silent, their gaze fixed on her. Maddy sat with the rest, the blood thudding in her ears. Whatever August had Farang choose, Maddy would have to follow up on it. She darted a sideways glance at Kara, who was watching August with an approving half-smile on her lips.
August lowered the pages she was holding, and turned to face Ms. Mousumi. “That’s the end of my chapter,” she announced. “But it’s not the end of The Pain Eater. There’s still one more chapter, and that one belongs to Maddy Malone because she got skipped two weeks ago, when it was her turn.”
A look of surprise crossed Ms. Mousumi’s face. “Is this true, Maddy?” she asked, turning to look at Maddy.
Maddy felt the eyes of the entire class descend upon her. “Yes,” she managed.
“How did I miss you?” asked Ms. Mousumi.
“You weren’t here,” said August. “A substitute teacher was here for three classes, because you were sick.”
“Oh yes,” said Ms. Mousumi, her expression clearing. “Well, then—”
Ken’s hand shot up. “This isn’t fair,” he said briskly. “Maddy should’ve said something back then, if she wanted to. We all had to follow in order.”
“Oh, I don’t think that matters,” said Ms. Mousumi. “Everyone gets a turn – that’s the point of the exercise.”
Julie’s hand went up. “But the story was going a certain way,” she protested. “Now Maddy’ll step in and change it.”
Ms. Mousumi’s eyebrows rose. “Of course, she’ll change it,” she said. “Just like you had a chance to change it, and everyone else.”
“But they knew,” Ken broke in. “Maddy and August – they’ve known for two weeks. Why didn’t they say something sooner? Because they wanted to take over the story for themselves, an
d end it their way. Not really fair, I don’t think.”
Ms. Mousumi frowned. She glanced again at August, then at Maddy. “Is this true, Maddy?” she asked. “Have you and August been conspiring for two weeks to take over the story and end it your way?”
Maddy grimaced, groping for the right words. “No,” she blurted. “It just…happened that way. I mean, I knew I got skipped, but I didn’t say anything at first because…” She paused, losing out to the flush that had taken over her face. “It just happened,” she repeated lamely. “I was upset, I guess, about…other things, and I didn’t say anything.”
The teacher’s gaze softened, and she nodded. “We all have those kinds of days,” she said warmly. “And I’m actually the one at fault, for not noticing. I don’t think Maddy should be penalized for my error. And, personally, I would love to hear Maddy’s contribution to The Pain Eater. So the class will be hearing from you, Ms. Maddy Malone, two days from now on Wednesday. Okay?”
At the front of the class, August broke into a brilliant grin. Beside Maddy, Kara whistled softly.
“Okay,” said Maddy, her heart exploding in her chest.
“All right then, August,” said Ms. Mousumi. “Thank you, and you may sit down. We’ve got a lot to do today, and since this wasn’t the final chapter, I think we’ll reserve class comments until Wednesday. Now, if you’ll all open your books to…”
August rounded the back of the teacher’s desk and came up behind Maddy and Kara, en route to her own desk. Lifting the pages she had curled in her right hand, she bopped Maddy gently on the head.