Paradise Escape

by Mia Rodriguez

  "The Mister is just being a jerk about his toy being broken," I blurt angrily.

  "He's in real pain, Frida."

  "Pain is what he causes with that stupid club of his," I state.

  "Yeah," agrees Miguel, grumbling, "and he's sure been using it on his poor wives. I'm not the only one who he takes his frustrations out on."

  I sigh miserably. "My poor friends."

  "Anyway, can we drop this conversation about Barstowe? It's depressing me and I don't want to be depressed when I finally get to see you."

  I smile. "Okay."

  "I've got some good news for you."

  "What is it?" Who couldn't use a healthy dose of good news?

  "Jana is getting out of the hospital tomorrow."

  "I'm the one who's going to take care of her."

  "I know," he states, smiling.

  "Do you know everything?"

  He grins. "I can't help it if I'm always doing work for the Elders and overhear stuff."

  "They trust you so much."

  "They hardly know I'm around. They're so used to me."

  "So Jana's getting out tomorrow," I say, deep in thought.

  "Yep."

  "I just hope Jana will be okay at that house," I say, worried. "It's pretty crazy there."

  His eyes turn solemn. "I know, Frida. I know."

  When I arrive at the Grinder house, Jana is already there. She lies in bed with a faraway look on her face. I try to talk to her but she answers in monosyllables. Her pallor is a greenish tone and her eyes lack any vivacity. According to what Miguel had told me last night, she had a few cracked ribs, numerous lesions, a broken arm, and a severely sprained leg.

  Jana isn't well. She isn't well at all. And in my estimation her emotional health is even worse than her physical one. I try to comfort her, but she doesn't respond.

  I'm reluctant to leave her, but Grinder had made it clear that I had to assume my responsibilities in the house along with taking care of Jana. I try to divide my time amongst the two duties. I clean a while and then go check on her. I worry that her state is always exactly the same. She hardly makes any movements.

  "Hurry up with your cleaning," snaps Cordelia. "You're so slow today!"

  I have to lessen my visits to Jana. Speeding up my work, I want to get back to her as soon as possible. Even though she's in a zombie-like state, I feel she knows I'm there. When I had first arrived and I had spoken to her, one teardrop fell from her right eye.

  "Why won't Jana respond to me," Cordelia demands to know as I'm doing the clothes in the laundry room.

  I groan. This is what I've been afraid of, that Jana has to put up with Cordelia's idiocies. If I'm in the same room, maybe I can find a way of curtailing them,

  "She's sick," I say simply.

  "Does she talk to you?"

  "No, she hasn't said a word to me."

  "Not anything?"

  "No."

  "This seems fishy to me," she snaps, her tone angry.

  "Fishy?"

  "She's milking her condition!"

  "What?" I ask incredulously.

  "She's faking!"

  "She's got a cast on her arm and a sprained leg. How can she be faking that?"

  "A broken arm isn't such a big deal."

  I want to strangle her. "I understood that she's got cracked ribs and lesions all over the place."

  "She was in the hospital for weeks. She should be healed by now."

  "I'm sure those injuries take time."

  "Shut up, servant-girl. You don't know anything," she retorts stomping off.

  Quickly finishing the last of my chores, I rush to Jana's room. If Cordelia is with her, there's no telling what kind of havoc and damage she's brewing. There's no telling what kind of evil she's spewing. I hope I can help with this situation. I badly hope so.

  As suspected, she, along with the other family-wives, stand around Jana's bed. She's praying fervently.

  "Please, Great Master, forgive this sinful child of yours. She deserves all the punishment you give her, but we beg for her anyway."

  I'm forced to keep my mouth shut. If I interrupt their prayer, Grinder may throw me out of the house and who'll take care of Jana? I can't let that happen, so I have to stay silent as I listen to Cordelia's accusations in disguise of a prayer. Fortunately, it doesn't last for much longer.

  The family-wives open their eyes. Jana is still staring off into space as if oblivious to what's going on around her. I hope she doesn't wake up to this.

  "Family-wives," Cordelia says, "We need to keep praying throughout today."

  I want to sigh in frustration. They'll probably be in and out of this room for the whole day.

  "Yes, head-wife Cordelia," they say in unison.

  "We've got to try to save this sinner from the clutches of the evil creature."

  "Yes, head-wife Cordelia."

  "This is the home of the Great Master's son, and we have to make sure we're worthy of it. We need to make sure evil doesn't try to take over it!"

  "Yes, head-wife Cordelia."

  The wives seem like robots to me. Maybe that's what too much brainwashing does. It turns off your brain lights.

  "Let's pray in silence for a few minutes," Cordelia demands. They bow their heads one more time and I groan inside, wondering when this entire charade will be over.

  A few seconds later, Cordelia suddenly starts jerking around in spastic movements. I'm not sure what to do, but one of the wives rushes over to her.

  "Are you okay, head-wife Cordelia?" she cries one with a frightened voice.

  "The Great Master has just spoken to me!" Cordelia wails.

  "What did he say?" asks another wife.

  "Jana, you are to get up off the bed and walk!" she demands. "If you don't then the evil creature is inside of you and we have to get rid of him at all costs!"

  She's talking about murdering Jana!

  Chapter Seven

  "The Great Master has told me that Jana is to either dispel the evil from her body or she must go with the creature to the inferno!" assures Cordelia, her eyes wild and crazed.

  I don't know what to do! But I do know that there's no way I'll let her murder my friend! How do I stop this?

  "Get up, Jana! Get up!"

  Jana keeps looking past her with a faraway look.

  "You'd better wake up from your evil!"

  What do I do?

  "Get up, you sinner!"

  Think of something, I tell myself.

  "Get off that bed! I order you!" Cordelia grabs some scissors from the nightstand. I swiftly move towards her, trying to keep the tragedy from unfolding. The wives rush in front of me and create a strong barrier. I lurch towards them anyway but they shove me back, knocking me to a wall. I stumble up, catch my fleeing breath, and I keep trying to break past them with my own furious force, but there's too many of them against just one of me.

  "You'd better stop your insolence, servant-girl," snaps Cordelia as she points the scissors at me.

  I have to think of something before she plunges the scissors into Jana or me.

  "I will cleanse you with these," Cordelia tells Jana, indicating the sharp scissors, "if you don't wake up!"

  It occurs to me in my panic that Grinder is in the house. I open the door as if I'm about to leave, but I pretend to change my mind and don't close it again.

  "Wake up! Wake up from the coma the evil creature has you in!" The rest of the wives start chanting along with Cordelia.

  "What's all this noise?" asks Grinder with annoyed irritation as he steps into the bedroom. The wives look at him with surprise as if not expecting him. No one says anything. "What's going on here?!" His eyes open wide when they fall on the scissors. Rushing to Cordelia, he snatches them out of her hands. As he throws them out the open window, his face burns with fury.

  The wives stare at him, flabbergasted. I had taken the gamble of leaving the door open because I
was positive that he wouldn't allow anyone to kill Jana. The repercussions it might bring Grinder with the other Elders would stop the murder. Besides, his ego wouldn't allow anyone else but himself to kill one of his wives.

  "Cordelia, what's going on here?!!!" he demands to know. I don't think I've ever seen him this furious. "I'm not asking again!"

  "The Great Master spoke to me," she says in a feeble voice.

  "The Great Master what?" he roars.

  "He said that if Jana doesn't stand up to walk, I should send her to the evil creature where she'll be punished for the wrong she's done to you."

  "Why would the Great Master be talking to you? Who are you but just a wife?!"

  "Highest Holy Grinder--"

  "Do you in your feeble mind realize what kind of trouble you would've caused me if you had killed her?" His eyes are twitching with rage.

  "Highest Holy Grinder, I was just trying to honor you," Cordelia gulps, tears run down her fearful face.

  "Come with me!" he yells as he strides over to her and snatches her by the shoulder.

  "Please don't hurt me, Highest Holy Grinder," she pleads in between harsh sobs.

  "You really asked for it!" he snaps, dragging her with him.

  The family-wives stare fearfully at each other as we start hearing the shrieks and sounds of explosive violence. Thud! Thud! Thud! The noise doesn't seem to have a stopping point and nor do Cordelia's cries.

  After an eternal moment, Cordelia's voice is suddenly silent. Grinder calls us to the living room. Cordelia is slumped on the floor next to the stairs. She makes no motion as he stands over her, the discipline club still jerking in his hand.

  "Is she dead?" asks one of his wives, her voice shaky.

  "Of course not! She's just a little bruised. Get her in her room and in bed!"

  "Aren't you going to take her to the hospital?" another wife murmurs.

  "No!"

  He'd rather see her die than let the other Elders see how out-of-control he is. I'm disgusted.

  The doorbell rings, and our eyes automatically shift to the door. Grinder frowns furiously. He strides to it, probably to get rid of whoever is on the other side of the door himself. When he opens it, it's another Elder.

  "I thought I'd come over to discuss--" He stops himself when he sees Cordelia. Rushing to her, his face is horrified as he kneels to take her pulse. "What happened to her?"

  "She fell off the stairs," Grinder lies nervously.

  "We've got to get her to the hospital immediately! Her pulse is barely there!" He pulls out his cell phone and within minutes, the emergency jeep is here. As the Elder carries her outside, I return to Jana. She hasn't moved a muscle. In fact she looks unfazed by what just happened. I wonder if she'll ever be back to normal.

  A week passes and the Grinder household is much more peaceful without Cordelia. She's still in the hospital. Apparently, she's in worst shape than Jana ever was. Grinder seems to be in meetings all the time so I hardly see him. Thankfully! I have a feeling the other Elders aren't buying his story about her having fallen off the stairs. It's just a sensation I have at the pit of my stomach.

  Meanwhile, Jana's coloring is doing much better. The greenish tone is gone. I try everything I can to get Jana to eat and speak. She barely tastes her food but I get her to eat some of it every day. Still, I can't seem to get her to snap out of her zombie-like state. When I finally get her to give me a yes or a no, I feel I've made a major accomplishment.

  "Do you want me to open the curtains?" I ask her.

  "Yes."

  "It's so beautiful outside," I say, sliding the window up. "Would you like to go out today?" She had answered me with a no the past few times I had suggested it, but I am still hoping she'll change her mind.

  "Yes."

  I'm so thrilled that I rush to the closet to get the wheelchair the hospital had loaned her. With difficulty, I maneuver her into the chair. It is a difficulty I gladly welcome if I can get her out in the fresh air. Maybe she'll start coming alive again.

  As I wheel her out of her bedroom. I feel incredibly grateful that she's on the first floor of the house or we wouldn't have been able to do this. A small smile spreads on her lips when we're outside and she sees the radiant spring day. I move her to a huge Maple tree where her eyes focus on a bird's nest on one of the branches. The chirping sounds that reach our ears seem like a tonic to her.

  "Happy birds," she says. I'm so relieved that she is speaking that I embrace her. My impromptu action surprises her, but she firmly squeezes back.

  "They're happy birds alright," I state when I let her go. "I think they're bluebirds."

  "They're free," she mumbles sadly.

  I don't know what to say.

  "Free, free, free."

  I nod solemnly.

  "Will we ever be free?"

  I want to say something hopeful, but I can't. "Maybe," I manage to say.

  "Maybe," she repeats.

  "Jana, what do you say if we just enjoy the moment?"

  She nods.

  "Everything is so pretty out here. We can stay here for the rest of the day."

  Her face clouds as if a thought disconcerts her. "Where is he?"

  She didn't name him but I know who she's talking about. "I heard him say he'd be gone all day."

  I thought the news would make her happy. Instead tears start flowing down her cheeks in a rainstorm.

  "Why did he do this to me, Monica?" Jana asks, the words choking in her own throat. "What did I ever do to him?"

  Chapter Eight

  After Jana had asked me that awful question, I had pondered it in my head for the rest of the day. What have we done to the Elders and the Masters to make them treat us this way? Why do they feel they have a right to our lives? Don't they have beating hearts? Don't they ever feel any remorse whatsoever? Does the Mister ever think about having murdered Betsey? Does Grinder feel even a small pin prick of guilt over having put two girls in the hospital?

  Are these Masters of Paradise Village nothing short of monsters?

  When it starts getting dark, I wheel her back into her room and maneuver her to her bed. The family-wives made a chicken soup, so I put some in a bowl to feed Jana. They grimace at me, but I ignore them. Without Cordelia, they're pretty harmless.

  As Jana is taking another spoonful of soup, Grinder storms in. Jana starts choking on her food, and I quickly thump on her back. She stares at Grinder with terrified eyes as if she's seeing the most horrible vision imaginable.

  "How are you feeling?" he snaps.

  "Fine," she mumbles, barely audible.

  "You've caused me a lot of trouble!"

  Jana's eyes grow rounder, and she tries to sink into the mattress.

  "You and Cordelia have really messed up my life!"

  Jana throws up a hand with her fingers spread out as if subconsciously trying to protect herself from any blows.

  "The Great Master is my witness as to what bad wives you both are. I don't know why I have to put up with this! I'm the son of the Great Master!"

  Why is he still on that ridiculous lie?

  "Are you going to change your ways, Jana?!"

  "Yes, Highest Holy Grinder," she mutters.

  "Are you going to submit yourself to the rules of the Great Master?"

  "Yes, Highest Holy Grinder."

  "Are you going to stop being rebellious, disrespectful and sassing me when I try to correct you?"

  Did he really believe the total garbage that Cordelia and he made up about Jana? He had hit her over an oatmeal cookie. Has he forgotten that and has he brainwashed himself?

  "Yes, Highest Holy Grinder."

  "You'd better," he threatened as he strode out the door. "Next time, I might not be so merciful with you."

  When he closes the door, Jana starts to weep. Her cries break my heart. After she calms down I try to get her to finish her soup. She doesn't and instead falls asle
ep amidst her tears. I go to the kitchen to wash the dishes. The family-wives have eaten all the soup not leaving even a drop for me. But that's okay. I'm not very hungry anyway.

  As I'm pouring soap into the water, their voices from the living room reach me. They are agitated and upset.

  "Why won't they let us see her?"

  "She's still very sick."

  "But she's our head-wife, and we should be able to visit her."

  "Highest Holy Grinder doesn't want us to."

  "It's all Jana's fault. Why is the Great Master testing our faith through her wicked ways?"

  "I don't know. Only the Great Master knows his own mind."

  "That girl is such a bad seed here. She's so sinful and evil."

  "She's conniving and vicious."

  I just can't believe how thorough their brainwashing has been. Jana is one of the softest and kindest souls I know. How can they not realize this about her? They've been living with her long enough! Why are they allowing fiction in their brains when they know the truth?

  "She does nothing but cause trouble in this house."

  "We'll be watching her every minute when she gets out of that bed."

  It is then that fear explodes inside of me. Jana's life here is going to be even more miserable than before. And what's going to happen when Cordelia returns? I'm certain that she'll make Jana pay for what Grinder did to her.

  When I step out the door that night to go to the slave quarters, my heart is so heavy that I drag myself forward. I'm surprised to find that Miguel is waiting for me. He gives me a smile like he always does, but I notice it's not as bright as his usual one.

  "I'm walking with you," he whispers.

  I smile but I worry about him. Something is on his mind. I have to wait until we're in our private area to ask him.

  "What's wrong?" I question.

  He ignores my question. "The Elders are really after Grinder because another one of his wives landed in intensive care."

  "I'm assuming they didn't buy that Cordelia fell down the steps."

  "No, not even for a second."

  "Why don't they do something about Grinder?" I ask, frustrated.

  "They're keeping an eye on him."

  "They need to do more than that!" I realize my temper is flaring and my voice is escalating, so I clamp my mouth shut before someone catches my voice in the wind.

  "I know," he states, his voice miserable.

  "Can't they see how dangerous he is?"

  "Until Grinder does something directly to them, they probably won't do anything serious about him."