Page 50 of Swamp Kings 2

Voices erupted with the woman from earlier ahead of the rest. “You know she speaks soundly,” she called, looking around while her husband sat next to her with his head hanging like he’d lost control of the ship and was ashamed. Which was ridiculous of itself!

“She can go with the Shunned,” somebody yelled. “We don’t need outsiders.”

“We can’t shun these girls during this dangerous crisis,” another woman yelled.

“They can stay in the Cleansing Hall. Those are the rules, crisis or no crisis,” one of the men at the long table assured.

“Why are you putting them out?” Mabel yelled above the racket. “What is their sin, their crime?”

“Their crime is shaving their legs!” a woman’s shrill voice rose, followed by a sob that made Mabel gasp.

She marched to the table of men and pointed at them. “You protectors of the flock are okay with pulling perfectly good teeth from your daughter’s mouths for the sake of money no less, but then call it a crime to remove hair from their legs? This is hypocrisy!”

Mabel caught the hard look of one of the men who gave a single nod to somebody behind her. She spun around right as men grabbed hold of her arms. “You’re going to dragme out now? Because I’ve spoken the truth? You going to burn me at the stake?” She fought not to trip as they hurried her through the parted crowd. “Well, I don’t bloody care, you can burn me at the stake, I’ll not be quiet about it.” She fought to turn. “And neither should you! All you mothers and fathers! Brothers! Where is your common sense, your humanity, your faith! You’re hurting me,” she barked to those dragging her. “I thought it was against your religion to engage in the harming of another! And yet you beat your own children!? Don’t they count as people? Or do you see them as animals? Do you see them as cattle? Things to own?” she screamed around sobs of rage. “What are you going to do with those girls?” she demanded of the tormented looking one on her left. She regarded the one on her right. “What will happen to them? They’re just children!”

“You knew our laws,” the angry one growled as they marched her down the path to the outer gates. “You should have kept your mute mouth shut.”

“They’ll go to the Cleansing Hall,” the boy-man on her left said. “But in regardto you, Jakob is instructed us to let the lost find their own way.”

“You can go be with The Shunned that curse the woods.”

Fear pinged along every nerve in her numb body. She’d heard them say that name around the community. “Who will protect the girls?” she demanded, turning her mind to what she could do something about. “Please, let me stay with them to help them. I’ll watch over them.”

“God will watch over them,” the mean one muttered, like he hoped they got struck down and taught a lesson.

“When will they put the girls out?” she whispered.

“Midnight,” the mean one said as the massive iron door erupted with a deep groan upon opening.

She peered at the darkness just beyond it. She wanted to ask about her things but remembered she owned nothing. She would not beg. Or cower. She yanked free of the one on her left and marched through the gate. Once through, she turned,finding the nicer one watching her.

“Make your way to the road. Stay as far from the woods as you can.”

Her heart hammered in her chest at the low warning. She spun around to the forest behind her, fighting not to panic. She made out a lone path covered in snow that might be the road, she couldn’t remember. Nothing looked the same in winter.

But dear God, it ran directly next to the forest she was supposed to stay away from.

****

Beth’s eyes popped open, then she shot up in bed at hearing yelling. She scrambled toward the door, her heart beating too hard as she fought to get her clothes back on.

“We’re just passing through, we don’t want trouble,” she heard a deep voice say. Was that a loudspeaker?

She fought her way into her sweater then yanked on the winter cargo pants. Who was passing through?

She raced out the door and literally ran into Maggie. “Back in the room, hurry!”

“What’s wrong,” Beth gasped, fighting to get back through the door.

“There’s a small army of people blocking the road. With guns. I can’t reach Spook.”

“Where’s Bishop!”

“He’s trying to negotiate passage.” Maggie sat, her tears falling, the sight of it bringing Beth’s as she hurried to her.

“He’s probably hiding if there’s trouble,” she whispered, hugging her.

“We are not coming out of our vehicle,” Beth heard Bishop say. “Now, move or we will move you.”

---