WnW 2.5

“What on earth,” I whispered, touching the point of the antler.

“When did Dad give you your gift?” Jason asked. “We all got ours really young, so I don’t remember it.”

“I… I don’t know.” I said, seizing the base of the antler and trying to pull it out. It didn’t budge and I started to panic. “I need to get it off of me.”

Jason thought for a moment, chewing his lip, then said, “There’s tools in the garage. C’mon, I’ll show you.”

He led me over to the metal building and opened a side door. He cautiously poked his head in to look, then entered.

Big hulking pieces of farming machinery lay around the dark interior. I didn’t know what they were all for, but many seemed to be things that could be attached to a tractor and pulled behind it. Jason went over to a work table lit by an overhead lamp and started to rummage around in the drawers, pulling out tools at random.

“Do you fight with your father often?” I asked, scanning the tools that hung on wall hooks.

“I didn’t use to. It got worse this summer. I was trying to sneak into the kitchen today to grab some food when he caught me.”

I looked more closely at him. His clothes were covered with dust and dirt. They looked big on him, but only because he was so skinny.

“So you don’t eat or sleep in the house?” I asked, shocked.

Jason jutted out his chin defiantly. “No. I have loads of hiding spots. And the neighbours have an apple tree.”

“What about when it gets cold?”

Jason placed a small handsaw gently on the table. “I’m not gonna wait that long,” he said.

I took the handsaw and Jason cranked open the vice grip that was on the end of the table. I thought about taking Jason with me and bringing him to Child and Family Services in Sillwood. It was a tricky subject. It was obvious to me that the kids shouldn’t be around Aaron, there was some clearly sketchy stuff going on. But when I thought about my own childhood, the times when CFS had spoken to me, all I thought was, I don’t want to be taken away from my family.

I lowered the antler into the vice and Jason cranked it tight.

“Can you explain what this ‘gift’ thing is?” I asked, awkwardly trying to position the saw correctly.

“You make a donation and Dad gives you a gift. The gift is proof that you are part of God’s chosen.”

That sent a chill down my spine. “Did you give a donation?”

Jason shook his head. “None of us did. Dad says he donates enough for the whole family.”

But Aaron wasn’t missing any body parts.

“Are everyone’s gifts like…” I gestured at the bone-white antler.

“No. Here, let me try,” Jason turned around with a hammer in his hand.

I reached out, trying to stop him. “H-hold on, let’s-” 

Jason whacked the antler and it shattered into pieces. I fell back onto my butt, no longer gripped by the vice.

He laughed and I frowned at him. “At least warn me next time.” I examined what remained on my arm. There wasn’t any blood and a small round ring was all that was left.

Jason picked up a piece that had landed on the table. He turned to me, looking through it like it was a telescope. “They’re hollow!”

“Is that normal for antlers?” I asked.

“Nope and they don’t usually break that easy.”

“Then why did you try it?” I asked, exasperated.

“Iunno.” He touched a pointy piece. “You really got him good, huh?” He grinned at me, miming a jab with the point.

I grinned back. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

Jason’s expression grew moody. “That’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna show him that I’m not weak. I’m almost ready.”

I was about to ask what he meant by that when the sound of Beth ringing the triangle came through the open door.

Crouching down, I looked Jason in the eyes. “You need to eat. A proper meal, not just apples or whatever. I’m on your side. We’ll face Aaron together, okay?”

He looked down and I saw his shoulders tense.

“I’ll be there the whole time. If he fights, I’ll fight. Besides, he probably won’t be there. I gave him a pretty nasty cut!”

Jason looked up, studying my face. It was a lot to ask of him, to trust a stranger he had just met. But Jason nodded and we both went to the house together.

Beth watched us climb the steps. She didn’t let anything show on her face.

“Not too late are we?” I asked, watching her reaction.

“Not at all,” she said coolly. “I’ll go fetch Abigail and we’ll start.”

We entered the living room. Aaron was already seated, leaning comfortably back on his chair. His right arm was hidden on his lap underneath the table. I stared him down. He held my gaze, a faint smile on his face. Slowly, he lifted his arm and set it on the table. The skin was unbroken and there were no marks or scars. My hand crept up to my arm, feeling the raised disc of the antler, assuring myself that it hadn’t been a dream.

Things just kept getting more and more surreal. And with my dreams growing more tangible with every night I spent here, it felt like reality and fantasy were converging into a confusing mess. I did my best not to let my surprise show on my face, as Aaron sneered across the table at me. I nudged Jason forward and he kept his head down as he sat at the table. 

Beth led Gail into the room and once we were all seated, Aaron spoke, “Let’s pray.”

Everyone lowered their heads and clasped their hands, except for me and Aaron. He watched me as he spoke, “Blessed is our God, who protects us from harm and drives away our enemies. The day of reckoning is very near and on that day, God will usher us into a new age. One where we will be rewarded for our loyalty and sacrifice. The soil will bear its fruit and we will be reborn. Amen.”

No one said a word as we all began to serve ourselves food and eat. I was surprised at how hungry I was, until I remembered why I hadn’t eaten anything today. Ignoring my bruises and pain, I ate my fill. The mashed potatoes were buttery and sweet. Jason ate in fast bursts, cramming food into his mouth, then warily watching his parents as he chewed. Gail picked at her food, sneaking glances at my face. She glanced at her mom and bit her lip. She must have been told not to ask about it.

Aaron let out a satisfied sigh and put his cutlery down. Jason went still. “You might want to get that fixed,” Aaron remarked, looking at me and tapping his nose.

My nose throbbed. I wonder if it’s broken. “If only I could go to a hospital,” I retorted sarcastically.

Aaron leaned forward, a hardy glint in his eyes. “Be happy that’s the worst of it, boy.”

My anger boiled. I needed to throw Aaron off balance.

“I hear you’re in a cult,” I said.

Aaron didn’t react, but Beth’s neutral expression crumbled. She stared at me with a cold fury.

“What’s a cult, mommy?” Gail piped up.

“No talking, Abigail,” Beth snapped. Well, well… She had completely lost her normal calm demeanour.

Aaron chuckled and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Joseph tell you that? That boy is always looking for trouble. I don’t know why I keep paying him.”

My stomach twisted at the confrontation, but I pushed forward. “You aren’t going to deny it?”

Aaron laid his hand over Beth’s. She shut her eyes, breathing in. “Everyone believes in somethin’,” he drawled. “The people ‘round here are different than the city. They can back up their belief with action.” He raised a clenched fist, emphasizing the word.

“Action like beating your own son?”

Gail’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

Aaron studied me closely, then reached towards Jason’s head. Jason was frozen, he didn’t move an inch.

I stood up abruptly, knocking over a pitcher of water on the table. But Aaron simply tousled Jason’s head roughly. “Go to your rooms, kids,” Aaron ordered. Jason bolted out of his chair like a startled rabbit. Gail followed him out and I heard their feet running up the stairs to the second floor.

I waited, watching the two of them. The water dripped steadily onto the carpet. Beth spoke first, “I don’t want to see you talking to the kids.” Her voice contained a dangerous tremor. Her hand was curled into a claw, slightly clenching and unclenching, like she was holding a stress ball in her hand.

My heart lurched while watching her. Like my body was instinctively warning me, danger. 

“If you want me gone, you just have to drive me to Sillwood,” I said softly. Internally, I was telling myself that the second I was away from these people I would report them to the authorities.

“Soon,” Aaron said, staring at me hungrily. “In the meantime, why don’t you go help Joseph?”

I left the room, relieved to be away from Aaron. My heart hammered in my chest, remembering the pain he had so easily inflicted on me. What was I going to do? I wanted to run and not look back. But what if what Joseph said was true and the cops wouldn’t come investigate? I couldn’t leave Jason and Gail to deal with this on their own. I would never forgive myself.

I found Joseph shoveling dirt near the crops, filling in some small holes.

“Hey,” I said.

Joseph violently stuck the shovel into the ground and turned to glare at me. A purple bruise adorned his cheek.

“Don’t talk to me,” he said and stalked away. “I ain’t sharing your punishment.”

I watched him leave, then sighed and uprooted the shovel. The warm wind was a balm to my bruises and as I filled the holes, my muscles worked past some of the soreness. I mulled my predicament over as afternoon turned to evening, but I found no answers.

After I finished filling the last hole, I packed down the dirt and put down the shovel. The setting sun made the wheat look like tongues of fire. I leaned in, looking closely at one of the stalks. There was something about it that drew me in, although I couldn’t say what. I reached out my hand and the stalk seemed to bend towards me, its leaves touching my fingers like it was shaking my hand.

I smiled. The leaves rested in my palm and I traced them with my thumb. I looked over at the tip of the church steeple, way in the distance. I had grown up in the city, yet something about this place seemed nostalgic. I felt a tug at my fingers and looked down.

The leaves ripped as I jerked my hand away. Some of them were still wrapped around my fingers, interwoven like someone had braided them together when I wasn’t looking. I shook them off, feeling cold. What the fuck is happening here?

I returned to my room, feeling scared. It was like the dream was stalking me, blurring reality, waiting to pull me to the other side. I eyed the bed distrustfully, then continued to pace. The two sided coin continued to flip in my head, never landing. Leave or stay. Leave or stay?

I sat on the floor as the moon rose in the sky, head in my hands.

Then I heard voices coming from the hallway. I crept over and opened the door. Peeking down the hall, I didn’t see anything. But there was moonlight spilling in from the entrance, like the door was open. 

A shadow passed over it and I heard an unfamiliar voice speak, “-patience is running out and our enemies are close to sniffing out this location. You need to keep your followers in check, make sure they don’t talk to anyone.”

“You don’t need to worry,” Aaron replied, stiff and formal. “I’ve been living in this community for a year now and I’ve never had a problem convincing them of the importance of the work.” He spoke respectfully and his usual accent was gone. Was he faking it?

“It’s not just about keeping things stable, Mr. Cathrow. The project needs to be completed soon. We can’t delay our adversaries forever and the leaders are antsy for results.”

“Like I said, you will get results very soon. I have a donation that I think will complete it.”

“You’ve already given too much of yourself. Any more samples will interfere with the signal.”

“That’s fine. Trust me. I’m more worried about the witch. Are we sure we want to leave the activation to her?”

“Yes,” the feminine voice said without affect. “She has far more potential than any other candidate. Concern yourself with the fuel, Mr. Cathrow. The tree will die if it doesn’t have enough-” The voice fell silent as a baby’s cry rang out.

My heart skipped a beat as a light turned on upstairs. I hastily crept back to my room and jumped into bed, covering my head with the blanket. Footsteps creaked down the hallway, stopping in front of my doorway.

Then they walked away and I heard the front door shut.

My thoughts whirled with this new information. The other person didn’t make it sound like Aaron leading a cult, they made it sound scientific, a project.

Half-formed theories sprung into mind, but nothing that made all the puzzle pieces fit into place. I ruminated, fighting to keep my eyelids open, spinning in circles of thought as my body grew too heavy to move.