The Family (9 page)

He pulled a small phone out of his pocket and held it to his ear. Telephones had never been a part of Twig’s life. Like cameras, she knew they were out there, but she had never used one. Twig wondered what else Adam had up his sleeve. Doc looked at Adam with concern but stayed quiet. Adam pressed a button and then waited a few seconds.

“Did you make the transfer?” he barked into the phone. “Good. I will call you tomorrow, and we can discuss the rest.”

Adam pressed a button and ended the call. He stuffed the phone back into his jeans.

Twig thought Adam seemed tired despite his fury. His face was drawn. It was the first time she’d ever seen anything even resembling vulnerability in him. She was surprised he had let her see him talking on the phone. Was it because they were engaged?

Engaged.

Suddenly, the word felt like a prison. All she wanted to do in that moment was run after Leo and see his big smile, hear the warmth in his laughter again. But this was her Family. How could she feel that way? She sighed out loud without meaning to.

“Let’s get her back to the room. She needs to sleep.” Doc misinterpreted Twig’s sigh for pain or fatigue. She felt all that, of course, but she was being kept afloat by some new feeling she had never experienced.

“Hold on.” Adam held up his hand to Doc. “Doc, Avery, give us a minute.” Doc and Avery nodded and walked a few steps away. They both looked exhausted.

“Listen, honey,” Adam began. “You must think I’m being a jerk.”

Adam kneeled down and took Twig’s hand in his. He looked into her eyes and removed a piece of hair from her forehead. Twig noticed his touch felt comfortable, kind, but it didn’t move her the way Leo’s had.

“Twig, you’ve had a big couple of days: the engagement, the fall, leaving our home for the first time. I want you to know that I understand. I get it. It’s exciting. It’s scary. It’s novel for you.”

Twig just nodded. She wasn’t sure what to say. What was
okay
to say. She was on the verge of confessing her conversation with Dr. Young. Adam was back to his usual, powerful self, and it made her want to open up and say everything she was thinking. She was about to, when he spoke first.

“But there’s something you need to know.” Adam began to stroke Twig’s hair, a bit too hard. The comfort went out of his touch. He slid his hand into the neck of her hospital gown and pressed it against her collarbone. “You are mine now. Talking to that boy was a sin, and it was dangerous. It is my job to protect you, to teach you. If you hadn’t just had an accident, you would be punished.” Twig felt him press the edge of his hand harder into her collarbone.

It hurt, and she was scared.

Adam removed his hand and began to stroke her cheek. A tear escaped Twig’s eye. “You poor thing. You’re exhausted. I’m sorry, darling, but I am responsible for you. I love you more than you could ever know. If I seem harsh, it is because you are so special. It is my job to guide you.” He looked at her with his powerful eyes, and he smiled. “Do you understand? Can you accept that?”

“Yes,” Twig said dutifully.

“You may be questioning things right now, my darling. That’s normal for your age. But soon you and I will become one. After our marriage. I will show you things you’ve never dreamed of. Your questions will be answered. Your faith will become unshakeable.” Adam brought his lips close to Twig’s mouth. “I will be a gentle teacher.”

And suddenly, Twig knew he wouldn’t be. She could feel the brutality of his nature just below the surface. She could feel the harshness that she had seen on his face when he’d spoken to Leo, when he’d grabbed her the morning of Avery’s punishment. She wanted to gag as he put his mouth on hers, more punctuation than kiss.

He pulled his head away and looked at her. She forced herself to smile.

“I’ll get you to your room now. I want you to know you are safe. Talking to that boy could have been fatal, but because I just cleansed you the other night, you will be fine. You are protected from exposure.”

Twig searched his face. How could she tell if he was lying or if he just didn’t know any better? He seemed completely sure of what he was saying. Why would he make something like this up? Why terrify everyone?

To be the cure. He made up a disease so he could be the cure, our savior. So we would be completely dependent on him, and never leave him
.

Even as the thought occurred to her, Twig couldn’t make sense of it. Why would Adam want a community of people completely dependent on him?

“Enough of all that now. I love you, my beautiful, young bride. I love you with everything that I am. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you.” He stared deeply into her eyes. She felt hypnotized, unable to look away.

“Let’s go get you some rest now.”

Twig nodded. Internally, she felt pulled in so many directions that she could not speak.

“All right,” Adam soothed. He stood behind her wheelchair and began to push her along the hallway and back to her room.

17

Twig woke with a start. She heard shouting. People were shouting. She was in the wheelchair again. Had she fallen asleep in the chair?

She was moving. Twig looked up and saw that Avery was pushing the chair. Fast.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Twig was groggy. They had given her pills for her pain before she went to sleep. “Mom, slow down.” She was scared she was going to fall out of the chair onto the floor.

“I’m so sorry, honey. I can’t. It’s going to be okay.”

“Please, senora! Please, stop!” Someone was running after them, but Twig couldn’t turn around to see who it was. Was she dreaming?

“Mom, what are you doing?”

“We’re leaving.”

“What? Why? Mom, I think I am going to be sick.” Who was leaving? She and Avery?

“I am so sorry, Twig. Just hang in there.”

The hallways were empty except for her and Avery and whoever was chasing them.

“
Señora
, please. Please.” A man in a white uniform overtook Avery and Twig. He stood panting before them, a clipboard pressed to his chest. “
Señora
. You can leave. That is your choice. But please, if you don’t sign these papers, we can lose our jobs.”

Avery stopped. Her eyes were darting everywhere. “Please, I can’t,” she said quietly. “Please just let us by. I’m sorry, but you have to get out of our way.” Avery tried to steer past the man, but he didn’t budge.

“It is for our liability. Please.”

Avery looked down the hallway again. Were they running away from Adam? Could they be running away from him? Twig’s heart soared. She wouldn’t have to marry him? Avery snatched the clipboard from the man. He handed her a pen. She scratched something onto the paper.

“
Señora
,
gracias
. I thank you.”

“We have to go. Please, move!” Avery threw the clipboard back at the man.

The man moved aside, and Avery continued her sprint down the hallway. They finally reached a pair of swinging white doors and burst into the night.

And then Twig saw them: Doc and Adam, in the Family’s white van. Waiting for them. Her heart dropped.

“What took you so long?” Adam hissed as he slid the back door of the van open.

They hadn’t been running away from Adam. They’d been running to him. They were running away from the hospital. Twig wanted to cry. How could she have thought otherwise? Where had the power of those thoughts come from? She felt sick. What if anyone had known what she was thinking?

* * *

Avery was icily distant on the way home, obviously deep in thought. She and Twig sat shoulder to shoulder in the back of the van, but Twig could feel Avery slipping away. Their stay at the hospital was the most time Twig had ever had with Avery. She would cherish the memory of her care. Now they were going back home, and Avery was disappearing back inside her sadness.

“How long is the drive home?” Twig asked quietly. She had seen the van coming and going from the compound, but she’d never actually been in it. She assumed they had used it to bring her to the hospital, but she had no memory of the ride.

No one answered her. She drifted in and out of sleep.

“Something’s wrong, I think we’ve been followed.”

Twig woke to Adam’s voice. She stayed quiet, listening.

“What do you mean?” asked Doc.

“Those two cars behind us, they’ve been following us for at least twenty miles.”

“Are you sure?” Doc whispered. Adam just looked at him in response. “Okay, okay. What do you want to do?”

“We can’t lose them now; there’s nowhere to go. The guards can keep them out of the front entrance. That’s not a problem. But that doesn’t mean they won’t try to infiltrate from the forest. Everyone needs to be awakened and brought to the dining hall. We may be under some sort of attack.”

Twig felt Avery groan quietly beside her. Twig looked at her, but Avery just tilted her head back with her eyes closed. Who would have followed them?

Doc accelerated, and Adam opened the van’s windows and began to shout at the guards to open the gates. “We’re under attack!” he screamed. “Close the gates behind us!”

Twig felt her body tighten. This had happened before. People had come and surrounded the compound, but they had never been able to get in. Or they had just wanted to scare the Family. Adam said a lot of people hated them for what they stood for.

Twig grabbed Avery’s hand as Doc slid the van’s back door open and extended his hand to help Avery get Twig out. Adam was screaming orders to the guards. Twig looked for cars trying to enter the gates but didn’t see any. They must have gotten a good lead on them.

When Twig was safely out of the van, leaning on Doc for support, she heard Avery say very quietly to Doc, “Tonight, of all nights, huh, Doc? What luck.”

“Just get Twig to the dining hall,” Doc said in response. “Try to make her comfortable.”

“I can’t just get her to bed? We can bring a guard and wait this out in our cottage. She needs to rest, Doc.”

Doc took a closer look at Twig. Chaos was starting to erupt around them. The whole place was coming alive with lanterns and people running back and forth, screaming instructions to one another. Adam had disappeared into the crowd. “Do you feel faint at all, Twig?” Doc asked Twig.

“Kind of,” Twig answered. Doc took a deep breath.

“Just get her there. We’ll make her comfortable, Avery.”

“Will she be able to sleep, Doc?”

“You know that’s forbidden during a raid. Just go. Do what you can to keep her comfortable.”

Avery nodded her head angrily but silently. She didn’t seem scared, just angry. “Can you walk, honey? I can get someone to carry you.”

“I’m okay. I just need to lean on you.”

* * *

Soon the dining hall was packed with the entire Family. People rubbed their eyes, looking confused and scared. Tables and chairs had been pushed aside to allow them to sit in a giant circle on the floor. Adam stood in its center. When he was sure everyone was there, he began to speak.

“Family. We are under attack. I know some of us have been through this before, and we’ve made it out. But I think tonight might be different. I have the guards surrounding our perimeter, but our attackers might have more manpower and more weapons than we do.

“If this is the end, there are a few things I want to say: First of all, I want every single one of you to know how loved you are. I want you to know that you all have shown me that you are worthy of my love. I have dedicated my entire life, my existence, every part of my being to you. Would I do that if you weren’t worthy?

“If we do go tonight, we’ll go together. We’ll go having lived a true life. A life full of integrity and meaning. We will be soldiers, dying upon the sword of virtue.”

Twig tried to focus on Adam, but she was starting to fall asleep.

“Twig,” he said sternly. “Do not nod off. We must all stay vigilant tonight. If anyone nods off, they will pay for it. Only the children may sleep in their parents’ arms.” Adam took a seat in the circle, near Twig and Avery but not next to them.

“Now, does anyone know how this attack might have happened? Any clue? If you have any information about one of your brothers or sisters, even any suspicions, speak up now.”

Suddenly, the sound of gunshots filled the air. Twig and the others jumped. Adam lurched up and dashed outside. Everyone looked terrified. People held hands; parents soothed their little ones. No one said a word.

A few moments later, Adam came back in. “It’s okay. The gunfire came from our men. They saw something, and they fired warning shots. Everything is okay for now. Whatever or whoever it was has been deterred for the moment.” Twig could hear small sounds of relief.

After that, it was quiet for a while. Adam paced. He kept going back outside, returning and giving reports. An hour, maybe two hours passed. It must have been three or four in the morning. Several people were struck or spit on for nodding off. Twig saw people trying to keep their loved ones awake. Subtle nudges or coughs. She herself leaned against Avery’s back, and Avery had to pinch Twig hard several times to keep her awake. Avery was watching Twig with vigilance. Twig’s head hurt, and she was groggy, but she was managing somehow. Her fear mixed with her pain medication was keeping her strangely wired and very nauseated. She had been through these nights many times before, and the guards were always able to keep the attackers out. She was more scared of being punished for falling asleep.

A young woman walked to the middle of the circle. She opened her mouth to speak, and Twig realized who she was. Anna. Her hands were shaking. She wrung them together as if trying to twist out her fear. “Father,” she said softly. “I have something to say.”

Twig held her breath. Newcomers were dangerous when they first arrived. They were strongly encouraged to report any wrongdoing in order to gain Adam’s trust. If they didn’t have anything to share, then they would be punished themselves. Many newcomers would make something up before offering themselves for punishment. The whole room knew this. Everyone waited with baited breath to see what she was going to say.