Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“I know I’m asking a lot, Mel.” She tried and failed to get her breathing under control. “I don’t want to do this without you.” She took a deep breath, “I can’t do this without you.”
I knew this, but I never wanted her to feel less than. Our only way out was not a common thing for women in our community.
Driving.
Sounded simple. It was anything but.
Many women were just like my cousin, even into their forties and fifties. Some never got the privilege as it was up to the husband to allow it and teach it.
Lyric couldn’t drive.
I was still wrapping my head around her gift. BJ bought her a car as her wedding present. He said he would teach her when they got back from the honeymoon. Little did he know, he set up our escape. He probably doesn’t realize I drive regularly or even think we would be willing to leave. Obedience had been engrained in us from birth.
I learned to drive out of necessity. My baby brother suffered from severe allergies. It was imperative to get him checked out every time he had a reaction. As the oldest of my siblings still at home, it was my responsibility to get him to the doctor if my mom was out. My mom was one of few women in the community with a job outside of the home. She was an assistant to the vet, not certified or anything, but she’s done it for as long as I can remember. I have two older brothers, but they moved out and have families of their own. The remaining brothers at home were eleven and nine. Neither could drive, and this was the only reason I was ever taught. In our world, a woman’s husband, or in my case, father decided if she was fit to operate a vehicle and choose if and when she learned to drive.
“I have cash from the wedding gifts. BJ told me to take it and ask my dad to take me to the bank Friday while he’s at work and deposit it into his account. BJ doesn’t remember you can drive. I’ll tell him I asked my dad. Instead though, you come over and I’ll have the car packed. We can leave then and no one will be suspicious until we are out of town. By then we will have some distance between us and this place.”
I looked out across the field in front of the house. Wide open with nowhere to hide. We weren’t safe, she was right about that. Leaving here, though, it meant burning every bridge and never looking back.
“Two days.” I whispered as if someone might overhear. “Be packed and ready.”
She nodded. “Pick me up at nine, and we leave. No more marriages, no more rules, and no more worry.”
She gathered herself together and gave me a nod. With one last hug, we parted ways while I tried to wrap my head around leaving the only home I had ever known.
The next night …
The gathering wasn’t in town. It was on the outskirts at an old livestock auction barn that had been repurposed years ago for community functions. Really that was a fancy way of saying, calling all of the good little soldiers in to report. Tonight, the parking lot was packed with farm trucks. All of them, scratched, dented, faded bumper stickers, and seen better days.
Inside the smell of aftershave, sweat, and simply man aroma overpowered the air. Women stood in clusters, myself included with my head down, hands folded together down low, and against a wall. The men mingled amongst one another, laughing too loud, shaking hands and smiling like some secret society ritual was happening.
Then again, I guess it was.
The air shifted, tense and stifling as Pastor James stepped up behind the makeshift podium. To his right side was Brother Jacob with his wiry beard, receding hairline, and smile of a snake, along with Brother Daniel whose sermons always left me with nightmares of burning in Hell for simply not controlling my thoughts.
Pastor James looked around. He had the highest authority in the place. His white hair and pristine suit made him look more like a mega church, televangelist than a small town leader of a cult.
He opened his arms wide as he looked to me. I lifted my head trying to not cower. “Melody Holton, so good to see you.”
I merely nodded in reply. In my head, though, I couldn’t stop the thoughts … where did he think I would be? If a female is summoned to one of these, they must be present. To miss one would be akin to being MIA from the military. It was worse than skipping jury duty. There would definitely be a mob hunting for you like having a warrant for your arrest.