Paradise Escape

by Mia Rodriguez

  "I won't have my sacred surgery for a few more weeks," I say.

  "You don't want to marry, do you?" asks Stacy.

  "No."

  "You'd rather keep being a servant-girl?" asks Lauren.

  "Yes, I'd much rather be one than a wife."

  The Mister and Miguel come back sooner than I thought. Master Barstowe is in a horrible mood.

  "There's nothing we can do, Little Bird," he tells me. "We'll have to wait."

  Relief pours through me.

  "If the doctor operates on you now with a malfunctioning machine then it could mean your life. We can't risk your precious life, my Little Bird."

  The Mister locks himself in his study saying he's too upset to deal with anybody. I want to throw a giant party. Miguel tells me that he's got to take care of some business, and he'll be back later to walk with me to the slave quarters.

  Finishing my chores with a light heart, I can't stop smiling. I know I shouldn't be so thrilled since the wedding is postponed and not cancelled altogether, but if the Elders are trying to prevent it, they may succeed.

  When I step out of the Barstowe household, Miguel is waiting for me on the steps. I'm anxious to know what happened in the hospital. He starts telling me the story as soon as we get to a private area.

  "Master Barstowe tongue lashed Doctor Eckhold, but the doctor didn't budge about needing the part."

  "Did you tell him that Grinder had been there earlier?"

  "No."

  "You didn't tell him?" I ask surprised.

  "I thought it would be better for him not to know. I don't want to make an enemy out of Grinder, and you are so happy at having a few extra weeks."

  I smile. "You can say that again."

  "The Elders are planning something," he says with contemplation. "I hope I can figure it out soon."

  "They're probably just trying to prevent the Mister from marrying me. That would mess up the way they like to do things."

  "If he wants you with your burn then he'll probably prevent them from killing you when you turn thirty."

  "That would definitely mess up the status quo," I state. "That's why they're doing all this with the excuse of the hospital part."

  "Yes, but they don't want to delay your marriage. I'm sure they've got something up their sleeves to cancel the wedding altogether."

  "I hope so."

  Chapter Twelve

  The next few days are peaceful. I go about my usual chores with my usual routine. The Mister seems to have gotten over not being able to marry me right away. I have to resume marriage classes but because of the abundant food they have for us, I actually look forward to them.

  When I learn that Cordelia has been released from the hospital, I feel an anxiety claw at me. I'm very worried about Jana. Miguel has told me that she hasn't improved much and keeps to her bed. Even when Grinder threatens her with his discipline club, she still won't speak or even snap out of her faraway look. The doctor has had to put a feeding tube in her because she refuses to eat. The Elders already warned Grinder not to hit her.

  I wish I could visit with her but that is impossible. Now with Cordelia in the same house with her again, who knows what'll happen. I think about this as I'm doing my chores at the Barstowe household.

  After dinner, the Mister makes me sit next to him in the dining room to practice with utensils. I've been practicing with them during the destiny-bride meetings so my ability to maneuver them has much improved.

  ""I'm glad you're taking your lessons seriously, Little Bird," he comments as he watches me use the fork to get the steak grizzle he had left for me on his plate. I slowly maneuver the food to my mouth.

  I'm so hungry I want to gobble up the grizzle, but his discipline club sits to his right waiting for me to do anything wrong. I chew slowly and calmly.

  "Very good, Little Bird!"

  I swallow lightly, and he looks ecstatic.

  "You've been so good that I left you some barbeque beans. Go ahead and enjoy them!"

  I also eat them slowly. When I finish, the Mister tells me to prepare some coffee for him. It had been a long while since I had used my special ingredient for fear of getting caught. I feel brave today so I go to the kitchen where I start on his coffee.

  "Do you remember how I like it?" he asks gruffly. I hadn't made him coffee in a while.

  "Yes, Master Barstowe."

  "I hope so," he says with a threatening voice.

  Before bringing it out to him, I pull out the little jar with the secret ingredient. I pour some of it in the Mister's favorite Santa cup and take it out to him where I put two spoonfuls of sugar in it.

  He smiles. "I'm very glad you remember what it takes to make me happy." He takes a huge sip. "Excellent! Excellent, Little Bird."

  I'm glad he's enjoying his cup of coffee with dog excrement and urine.

  When one Elder after another starts arriving, I don't think much of it. They often consult with the Mister about different issues.

  "We have a surprise for you, Alcott," Grinder states when he and a few other Elders sit with the Mister in the living room.

  Barstowe frowns. "A surprise?" It's clear that he knows they're up to something.

  "We have a great surprise for you."

  "What is it?" Barstowe questions wearily.

  "Be patient. It's arriving soon."

  "Is it the hospital part?!" he asks excitedly.

  "No, but better than that," assures Grinder.

  Barstowe looks doubtful. "Better?"

  "Much better."

  Even I'm curious as to what they have for the Mister. Maybe it'll be something that'll get me out of marrying him. I can only hope.

  "Monica, would you serve our guests coffee?" he asks in a demanding voice.

  "Yes, Master Barstowe."

  I grin as I go to the kitchen. It's not often that I get to use my special ingredient on so many of the Elders. I prepare their coffee and this time, I pour the whole bottle of dog waste in it. When I serve the Elders the concoction, the Mister orders me to stay in case anyone needs something.

  "This is the best coffee I've ever had," comments Grinder enthusiastically.

  "I don't know what my Little Bird does to it, but she can sure fix coffee," the Mister states proudly.

  I smile.

  "If I would've known that, I would've had her prepare the coffee when she used to be assigned to my house," asserts Grinder.

  "Speaking of your house," the Mister says, "how are you doing now that you have your head-wife back?"

  My ears prick up.

  Grinder clears his throat. "Well, Cordelia is doing a lot better since her fall. You have no idea how clumsy she is."

  I don't know why he's still playing that game. Everybody in the room knows he beat her almost to death.

  "Is she being careful with where she steps?" asks the Mister, a certain sarcasm in his voice.

  Grinder clears his throat again. "Yes, she is."

  "Is she resuming her head-wife duties?" another Elder asks.

  "She's taking the reins of the household again. I've got to admit that for the most part she's very good at keeping order in my house. She's in Jana's room every day trying to help her out of her state."

  I grimace with an anguished look on my face. Luckily, no one sees me.

  When a knock interrupts the conversation, I step over to the door to answer it. It's another Elder. But he's not alone. To my surprise Haley is with him.

  Her little eyes seem relieved to see me. She clutches a cloth doll. What is going on? An awful suspicion starts unraveling in my stomach.

  "I've brought your surprise, Alcott." The Elder nudges Haley to step in the house.

  'What's this little girl doing here?" asks the Mister.

  "Meet your new destiny-bride," Grinder gushes.

  Chapter Thirteen

  "What?" the Mister asks, surprised. It's my sentiment exactly.

  "She
's all yours."

  The Mister is speechless.

  "Isn't she pretty, Alcott?"

  Haley's gives me her hand as she looks at me with eyes brimming with discomfort and fear.

  "Who told you I needed another destiny-bride?" roars the Mister.

  "Look at how much she looks like Monica," comments Grinder. "Don't you see?"

  The Mister's eyes narrow as he eyes her.

  "Come on, Alcott. Surely you see the resemblance," another Elder states.

  "Yes," he mumbles. "I see it."

  "She'll make a wonderful wife," assures Grinder. "She's sweet tempered, quiet, and pretty."

  "What are you going to name her, Alcott?"

  "I think Moira is a good name," the Mister says. To my horror he's warming up to the idea of Haley becoming one of his wives.

  I realize their strategy. They had used the excuse of waiting for the hospital part to bide for some time. Meanwhile, they'll convince him to go with Haley instead of me. Even though I want out of this wedding very badly, I don't want little Haley used as the sacrificial lamb.

  "Moira is a wonderful name, Alcott," gushes Grinder.

  "All we have to do now is cancel your wedding with Monica and we're set to go," another Elder states.

  "Cancel the wedding?!" the Mister snaps. "No!"

  "Alcott," Grinder speaks softly, "be reasonable. Why would you want Monica when you've got Moira?"

  The Mister's eyes are furious. "What kind of stupid question is that?"

  "Alcott--"

  "Don't you understand anything about true love?!"

  Grinder strides over to me and pulls up my sleeve. The Mister winces when the burned skin becomes glaringly visible. "Alcott, this disfigured girl isn't what you should have. You deserve much better, and we've gotten it for you. Moira looks a lot like Monica, and she isn't a monster."

  "Monica isn't a monster!!!" roars the Mister. "Her arm might be a little toasted, but she isn't a monster!"

  "Alcott, just think about it, okay?" asks Grinder. "That's all we ask."

  The Elders tell me to take Haley to the destiny-bride quarters while they continue to try to convince the Mister to drop me for her. Miguel is waiting outside for me, but has to keep quiet for our walk. No one, not even Haley, should know about his real nature. He eyes me throughout with a question on his face.

  When we arrive at the slave quarters, I tell Haley to go to her bunk and I'll join her shortly. I stay outside with Miguel and quickly tell him what's happening.

  "So that's what they have up their sleeve," Miguel states.

  "That's it," I say miserably.

  During the next few days, I try not to think about the horror of what's happening. The Mister insists on marrying me and even worse, he decides that Haley will also be his destiny-bride. She's safe until she turns sixteen but while taking care of her, I start feeling anxiety to an extent I've never felt before.

  This little girl is completely pulling at my heart strings.

  It's been a long time since we've had a child in the slave quarters. In fact, I was hoping that the abductions were long past. How wrong I was!

  I keep asking myself how can I allow things to be going on as they have been? But at the same time, how do I stop them?

  Apparently, the Elders still hope that the Mister will change his mind about me because they still lie about the hospital part not arriving yet. Master Barstowe gets more impatient with each passing day, but the Elders hold their ground.

  In the meantime, a tornado develops inside of me. It's swirling and swirling. My emotions are all over the place. Every time I see little Haley, my heart breaks off a piece.

  I'm thinking a million thoughts as I stare from my window at night. Haley is in the bottom bunk fast asleep. I wonder if I should just take her and run to the jungle? But that would be like killing her. Those landmines would get us for certain. Could we live at the graveyard? No, the Elders would find us there for sure.

  A huge ruckus resonates outside. The fierceness of barking dogs and male voices permeate the air. What's happening? I ask myself. But I'm not the only one wondering. The whole shack wakes up, and I scrabble off the bed. The girls are heading outside to determine what's going on. I tell Haley to stay in bed until I can discern the circumstances.

  "I'll be right back," I tell her.

  Her face is flushed with fear. "You promise?"

  "I promise."

  "You'll be back for me, won't you?"

  "Of course." This seems to make her feel better because she lies back down with her doll. I kiss her forehead before I leave.

  Once I'm outside, I'm struck speechless with the chaos erupting from all sides of Paradise Village. People are rushing all over the place. I try locating Miguel, but I can't find him. He'd be able to make heads and tails of the craziness in front of me. Finally, I find Helga in front of city hall where a large group is gathering. This reminds me of the day Smythee died. I don't have a good feeling in my stomach.

  "What happened?" I ask her.

  "Jana killed Cordelia."

  "She what?"

  "Jana strangled her."

  I had been terrified something like this would happen with Jana's fragile state of mind and Cordelia's viciousness. I imagine that Jana just snapped.

  "Are the Elders going to put Jana in the isolation room?" I mutter, tears slipping from my eyes, but I know that she'll be put to death with swiftness.

  "She's escaped."

  "What?" I ask, surprised.

  "She ran into the jungle. They've sent the dogs after her."

  A huge explosion suddenly rocks us.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I can't speak or think straight. That explosion can be from one or more of the dogs stepping on landmines, I keep telling myself. Not necessarily from Jana. No. She's not dead. She's out there hiding. I have to believe it or go crazy.

  I don't know how long these thoughts run through my mind when Miguel finds me. His light green eyes look at me with worry.

  "A-A-Are you o-o-okay, M-M-Monica," he asks, playing his role of a stutterer in font of the crowd that's congregated in front of city hall.

  "I'll be a lot better when we hear about Jana."

  He nods solemnly.

  The sounds of steps resonate from the jungle. I hold my breath. The dogs, Jory, and some of the Elders come into view. It's quite a pack of evil. No Jana. My heart wants to stop beating.

  "Everything is fine," states Grinder as he breaks from the pack and stands in the middle of the crowd. In his hands he carries a large piece of paper. When my eyes focus better I see that it's a map. "That sinner is dead."

  I hold back the tears. I can't let the Elders see how affected I am by this. They revel in displaying their power and in how weak they make us feel.

  "She'll have to answer to The Great Master for what she did," states Grinder. "Murdering a head-wife got her a ticket to the evil creature's nest!"

  The crowd gasps. I try to swallow the lump in my throat before my anger chokes me. I'm so sick of the manipulations. I'm so sick of the fear tactics.

  "Go back to your beds, followers," orders Grinder. "Don't forget to thank the Great Master for taking care of us."

  Haley's little face lights up when she sees me. I tell her she should be asleep by now. She falls into a slumber only a few minutes later. I close my eyes but don't fall asleep for a long, long time.

  "The hospital part is here, Little Bird!" the Mister tells me excitedly. My mouth turns dry and all I can do is stare at him.

  "Your sacred surgery is set for tomorrow," he states gleefully, " then we'll be married next week."

  For the rest of the day I'm numb. I'm numb during Cordelia's funeral at the church where she is put on the marble slab even though she's already dead. I'm numb when Grinder has us pray for her safe passage into his kingdom. I'm numb when he calls for the Great Master to have the murderer punished to
the highest extent.

  I'm numb when Doctor Eckhold steps up to me after the service is over and tells me he had originally scheduled the operation for the next morning but it would have to be during the evening. What difference does it make? I'm stuck having to marry the Mister.

  After I finish my cleaning duties at the Barstowe household, Miguel walks with me to the slave quarters as usual. He tries to get me to talk at a private area, but I only answer him with short words.

  "Frida, are you okay?"

  I shake my head.

  "Everything's going to be fine, Frida," he tells me with a steady voice.

  "No, it's not."

  "Frida--"

  "How can you tell me that?" I snap. "You know it's not true! Nothing will ever be okay as long as we live here."

  He eyes me painfully. "We have to make the best of it," he mumbles.

  "I know how you try to look at the sunny side of things," I snap, "but I just can't do that!" I realize I'm getting loud and bring my voice down a few decibels. "I can't see the glass half full, especially with everything that's happened."

  "Sorry, Frida," he says miserably. "I understand but there isn't much we can do."

  "I know," I sigh. "Jana is dead. Tomorrow I'll have my surgery. Next week I'll be married to the Mister."

  "Sorry, Frida."

  "In a few more years the Mister will marry Haley. By then she'll have her spirit broken like me."

  "Your spirit isn't broken," he rushes.

  "Not as much as Jana's was, but it is. Poor Jana," I cry. Just thinking of her makes my heart twist in pain. "It haunts me to think about how scared poor Jana must've been when running into the jungle with the Elders and dogs after her. She preferred to face landmines than what was behind her."

  He solemnly eyes me. "I guess in a way it was better that an explosion got her instead of the dogs."

  "The dogs," I mutter. They were so lethal. They would've torn her apart, but she had stepped on a landmine.

  A thought suddenly occurs to me. A very clear realization. A huge one! It's something I hadn't figured out before!

  "Miguel, all the dogs got back, right?"

  "Yes, why?" he asks with curiosity.

  "None of them exploded."

  "I suppose not."

  I stay quiet as we keep ambling over to the slave quarters. My mind is too busy for me to talk.

  "Frida, what's going through your head?" he questions, concerned.