Sundry Days (16 page)

Chapter 30

Rebekah

Wedding Preparations

Our best chance, maybe our only chance to escape, will be during the wedding.

It’s an all-day affair. The ceremony will be a long one, according to Willa. There will be pontificating on the sacredness of one man-one woman marriage, and speeches by the Righteous Ones on the proper behavior of a wife.  Then, after the ceremony, there’ll be a big communal feast.  People will be in a happy mood—as happy as they get around here, anyway. The men will be ogling the prepubescent girls.  From a distance, of course.  And they’ll also be partaking of some libations obtained from Winnipeg just for the occasion.

The women, meanwhile, will be allowed to go off by themselves and visit with each other for as long as they like until sundown.

There’s a good chance David and I will be able to slip away unnoticed, thanks to our ever-faithful courier, Caleb.

He’s agreed to charge our sun-cycle—he knows how—and put an extra sun-cell on it. He’ll make sure it’s in a spot where we can get at it.

I’ve told Caleb not to tell David about how I’m rewarding him for his services—especially the extra-special reward he’ll be getting for taking care of the sun-cycle.

I’ll tell David myself when the time comes.  Caleb says David hasn’t asked.  Maybe he thinks the boy is just good-hearted and wants to be of help. But I doubt it. He’s been giving him stuff, like his extra razor. He’s also been trying to build a rapport with him, spending extra time with him, explaining things to him about the hydro-works and how the mill operates.

Caleb likes that. For now, he’s probably the happiest little citizen of Eden Falls. And, with any luck, no one will ever find out that he’s been our go-between.

David has been pretending to adjust to life here.  He’s written to me about all the incentives Jacob has promised him—how he’s been assured that he can become a Righteous One when he’s older. So he’s stopped asking about me—stopped staring at me during Sabbath services.  David is supposed to move in with the single men after Jacob and Willa get married. He’s been making friends with some of them. Finding things out—like where the landmarks are between here and Winnipeg. He’s got our backpacks.

Willa is understandably terrified about her upcoming nuptials.  Sally tells her she’ll be fine. That they’ll still see each other every Sabbath. But I can tell she’s grieving for the life her daughter will have to live.

I think Sally is hoping Walter won’t die until she’s old enough to remain a widow.  Maybe someday, after Willa has birthed enough babies and Walter has finally died, she’ll get to live with her daughter again. Widows are sometimes allowed to become helpers in households with lots of children. That’s the best she can hope for.

But I worry for Willa.  She’s not built for childbearing yet.  Her hips are still too narrow.  Her breasts are still very small.  She only started menstruating this year. Some girls take longer than others to mature. There’s a reason females aren’t required to marry in the Coalition until they’re 18.

So the day before the wedding, I plan to give her a gift.

In my last message to David, I asked him to take three of the smallest sponges from my backpack, wrap them up so they can fit in Caleb’s pocket, and give them to him along with his message.

David must wonder why I want them now.  Or maybe not.  I’ll explain later—assuming there is a later for us. I’m just relieved when he does what I said.

Caleb hands me the package, not in the least curious about what’s inside. He’s only got one thing on his mind. I put the sponges aside.

Willa, as usual, is standing guard. She’s extremely nervous.  So am I. This will take a little longer than the usual breast squeeze.

I sigh, roll my eyes at Caleb, who’s standing where I told him to—more than an arm’s length away—and unbutton my dress.  Then I slip it off my shoulders, let it fall to the floor, and step out of it. I’m stark naked.

Caleb’s eyes are open wide enough for his eyeballs to pop out of his head. He’s breathing hard. His jaw hangs open.

“Stay where you are,” I warn. He does as he’s told. I don’t think he could move now, even if he wanted to.  I take that back. He clearly wants to. He just can’t.

I turn around slowly. I’ve promised him a view from the back as well as the front.

“Seen enough?”

He can’t speak.

I pull my dress back on, and button up. But Caleb still hasn’t moved.

“I love you, Rebekah,” he finally croaks out in a breaking voice that doesn’t know yet whether it belongs to a boy or a man. He looks as if he might cry.

“No, you don’t, Caleb,” I say as kindly as I can.

“Listen, little man. Someday I hope you will have a woman of your own. If you do, try to love her. Because if you love her, and she loves you back, what can happen between you will be much more pleasurable than anything you can ever imagine. Far, far better than regular old sex.  No matter what the other boys and men tell you.”

I’m not sure if he hears me, or if he has any understanding of what I’m saying.

But Willa does.

Later, when we’re alone, she cries in my arms.

“I’m afraid, Rebekah, really afraid.  What if Jacob never loves me? What if he beats me?  What if it hurts more than I can stand when he does his duty?  We’ve never even said a word to each other. He doesn’t know me. I don’t know him.”

What can I say to her?

“Willa,” I sigh. “You’re a beautiful girl inside and out.  You’re a girl who’s very easy to love. Jacob would be a fool if he doesn’t grow to love you. And in the meantime, you need to do everything you can to love yourself.”

She looks at me as if I’ve said something in a language she doesn’t understand.  So I go into more detail.

“By loving yourself, I mean you should be good to yourself and take care of yourself, because no one else here will. I also mean that even after you’re married you should feel free to pleasure yourself, if you feel the need. You do that now sometimes, don’t you, when you’re all alone?”

She blushes, but nods.

“Mama says it’s evil for a girl to touch herself except to wash.”

“But you do it anyway, privately. You touch yourself or rub yourself in a way that feels very good. Maybe the whole general area, or maybe mostly the little nub at the top between your folds?”

“We shouldn’t talk about that.” She blushes even deeper now.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed about, Willa. And it’s not evil, no matter what your mother or anyone else says.  Why would it be evil? Your body belongs to you. All of it.  And if you can get your most intimate parts to respond pleasurably all by yourself, it’s more likely those parts will eventually respond to your husband, if he’s not a total clod. Men aren’t the only ones who are supposed to have a good time during sex. We women are made the way we are so we can enjoy it, too.”

I’ve told her before that sex can be a joyful thing, and she didn’t believe me.  I’m not sure she believes me now. But at least the idea has been planted in her head.

Then I show her the sponges, explain what they’re for, and tell her how to use them.

“Jacob won’t know you’ve got one inside of you, unless he decides to stick his finger in there. Which is highly unlikely. He won’t be able to feel the sponge with his penis, not in any kind of way that would make him suspicious. So whenever you think he’s going to want sex, put in a sponge ahead of time.”

I make her try one out.  We soak it in some vinegar first, so it’s soft and pliable. I tell her about the herbal concoction, but vinegar is easier to get and probably works just as well.

She has trouble at first getting the sponge where it’s meant to be.  She’s very tight inside. But eventually she gets the hang of it.

I tell her that if she can, she should try to make herself slick before hand. It’ll help the sponge go in easier, and Jacob, too.

“Please, Willa, use the sponges and don’t have any babies until you’re older and your body is ready.”

“But won’t everyone think it’s strange when I don’t conceive. Won’t Jacob get mad at me for not getting pregnant right away?”

“Tell him that you’re too young inside. He won’t mind if he’s having a good time with you in bed—if you’re trying to have a good time, too.”

She promises me she’ll try to do what I say.

I won’t be sorry to leave this place tomorrow.  But I will be sorry to say goodbye to Willa.

I don’t usually pray.  But before I fall asleep, I have a little talk with The Designer—who I’m sure must be female and just as upset as I am about the way things have turned out here on Earth.

“If you can,” I say, “please look after Willa. And please help David and me get out of this place safely. I’ll try to return the favor.”

I dream that night of sponges and a little boy who grows up to worship women.

Chapter 31

David

Escape

She’s wearing that awful yellow dress, but she blends in with the other women—a sea of blue and black, with Willa in white at the center. The women will all walk into the meeting house soon, in a kind of procession before the ceremony. We men file in first. I sit as near to the door as I can.  No one will be paying any attention to me this morning.

Jacob is so happy and excited he can hardly contain himself. This is his big day.

“Someday, this could be you,” he tells me, “marrying a sweet little thing, young enough to last you the rest of your life. Willa’s just 14, bless her.  That means, if I’m lucky, she’ll stay fertile and pretty until I’m too old to care. That’s what The Designer intends.  He’s smiled down upon me, David, smiled down on me. I’m a blessed man.”

If Jacob only knew how much I hate him.

But he’s grown very fond of me, the dung-face hypocrite. He says he considers himself a brother to me.

The men here all like to call each other brother. A lot of them probably are brothers.  In a place like this, you can’t help but have some inbreeding.

They treat the women like shit, though.  And unless you happen to be one of the twelve chosen—one of the Righteous Ones—this is really not a great place to be a man, either. I’m told that every now and then, men who have no hope of ever attaining master status get fed up and move to Winnipeg.

But Jacob is sure that won’t ever be me.  I’m special.

I got the backpacks ready and moved them out of his house early. He thinks I brought them to the men’s house next to the dairy barn, which is where I’m supposed to be living from now on.

Instead, before anyone else was awake, I hiked over to where good old Caleb hid the sun-cycle, and made sure it was ready.

Rebekah is supposed to sneak away after the ceremony, and head to the mill, where I’ll meet her.  She’ll tell Sally she feels sick, and needs to go back to the house for a little while and lie down. If anyone can fake sickness, Rebekah can. She’s had lots of experience pretending to be something she’s not.

No one will be at the mill. Everyone will be at the wedding.

But I’m still a little nervous. A lot nervous, if I’m honest. I try not to let it show.

What if someone discovers one of us is gone, then looks for the other?  What if Rebekah is caught leaving the compound walking toward the mill? What would they do to her?  They would probably beat her.  Or worse. Men here think nothing of beating women to keep them in line. When you think about it, women are at the mercy of men not only here, but everywhere.  Men are bigger and stronger than women. There are a lot more of us.

It’s amazing that women in the Coalition, and Winnipeg, too, have figured out how to keep us under control.

But it’s a whole different story here. Men rule.

If anyone hurt Rebekah what would I do?  I’d want to kill him.  I’d try to kill him. But really, what could I do?  I love her so much. I’ve loved her my whole life. I’d give my life for her. But I’m just one man.  I’d be powerless to save her. I don’t care what they’d do to me.

It doesn’t do any good to think about any of that now.  We’ve just got to get out of here.

Caleb looks over and smiles at me, the little idiot. The truth is, I kind of think of him as a younger brother now.  He’s about Simon’s age. I never thought I would, but sometimes I miss Simon. I hope he’s doing okay back in Seneca Falls.  Ethan, too.

I don’t think Caleb will get in trouble. At least I hope he won’t. As long as keeps his mouth shut and acts dumb—which isn’t too hard for a boy his age—there’s no reason for anyone to suspect him.  Jacob and the others will just conclude I wasn’t trustworthy after all, and figured out a way to abscond with Rebekah.

Rebekah. Being away from her, worrying about her all the time, is making me crazy.  It’s strange to see her wearing a dress, looking like she’s one of the cowed, meek women who don’t have any option but to stay here. My Rebekah should be dressed as a boy. The kind of boy no one messes with.  Or dressed any way she wants to be. Or undressed in my arms.

I bet the Righteous Ones would be shocked to know that it was a lowly woman—an inferior creature—who cooked up and orchestrated most of our plan all by herself.

I slip away from the meeting house during the ceremony without any trouble. No one notices.

The sun-cycle starts like a dream.  Thank The Designer sun-cycles don’t make any noise.

And then I ride to the mill and wait.  Wait for what seems like forever.

I think that if we can just get on the sun-cycle and ride away, we’ll be safe. I doubt they would come after us. It would be too much bother.  And for what?  A troublesome girl?  Rebekah would always give them hell, always cause trouble.  They could never subdue her.

As for me, Jacob told me from the beginning I could leave. They’ve been glad to have me these past few weeks. I know how machines work, I know how to fix things. But they must realize I’d be no use to them at all if they forced me to stay here.

No, they won’t go to a lot of bother chasing us on sun-cycles. But they will make us pay if they find us now.

Where’s Rebekah?  She should be here by now. Maybe Sally told her she had to tough it out if she was sick.  Or maybe someone went to the house to check on her, and discovered she was gone.

Then, finally, I see her in the distance, walking toward the mill. No one’s following her.

She runs into my arms, and we hug each other so tight it’s as if we’re trying to become one person instead of two.

“David,” she says. She keeps repeating my name between kisses. “I was so worried about you.”

“Me too. I thought something must have happened to you.”  We’re both breathing hard, touching each other all over, reassuring ourselves that the other is really here. It’s been such a long time since we’ve been together.

But we can’t keep this up.  We have to get going. We mount the sun-cycle. Rebekah has to hike up her dress around her waist so it won’t get caught in the wheels.  Her bare legs are so beautiful. But I have to pay attention to what I’m doing.  I have to get us out of here.  It won’t do us any good to get lost forever in the wilderness.

  I look for landmarks. We have to backtrack some. It’s taking us a lot longer to get back to Winnipeg than it took to get to Eden Falls. But The Designer must be with us.

We don’t stop until we can tell for sure where we are—on the outskirts of the city, but still shielded by forest.

There’s no use hurrying into Winnipeg now.  We’re not even sure where we should go. Probably back to the Birch and Bay.  The captain won’t be there, of course. But the owner is supposed to have a wealth of information on monogamist settlements.  I doubt it.  But who knows?  Maybe she could have warned us away from Eden Falls.

The important thing now is that Rebekah and I have escaped, and we’re together. That’s all that matters.

We smile at each other, giddy with relief.  We laugh and kiss and roll around on the leafy ground.

“Is there still an old set of my boy clothes in my backpack?” she asks.

When I tell her yes, she strips off her dress, tears it apart and spreads it out so we can lie on it.

I feel like devouring her. I breathe her in. I thank The Designer in my head.

Not surprisingly, I come too fast. But she comes too, along with me.

The dappled late afternoon sun makes streaks of fire in her hair.  I nuzzle her all over, and we both fall asleep while I’m still inside her.

Soon enough, we’ll figure out what to do.