Page 3 of Through the Water

Grandmother liked to tease me because I was small, but it just meant the hole was the perfect size for me. As I squeezed through, the sleeve of my dress got caught, tearing a small hole in the fabric I’d be forced to explain later.

I stared down at it, my stomach already churning in anticipation. I belched softly, fighting to keep my lunch from coming up onto the sidewalk. “I-I-it was just a l-l-little accident.”

My hands began to tremble as Brother Bradley called for me again. I tucked them across my chest and took in my surroundings.

There were several cars parked along the sides of the street, but otherwise, it was deserted. Brother Caleb sat in the guard booth, reading a magazine. His head was down and his feet propped up against the glass, completely unaware I was nearby.

“I-I-it’s not as if you’re r-run—running away,” I muttered. “Y-you’re j-just looking, so c-c-c—calm down.”

I managed to get the shaking under control after several deep breaths, enough for me to venture away from the wall. Doing my best not to trample across the flower beds, I slipped around the corner.

There was laughter coming from behind a nearby copse of trees. After checking for people, I jogged across a grassy field and crouched beside a chaste tree.

This was a test, plain and simple.

Papa believed it wasn’t safe for us to be out in the world. It was the entire reason he’d developed our little gated community.

The walls are in place to keep us safe.

Either he was lying, or Mama and the books were, and I was not going back in until I knew the truth.

I made it to the tree line, confident in my decision, only to freeze in my tracks at the sharp snap of a twig.

Coming out here had been a mistake.

A heat-induced madness.

Papa had warned us the world was full of evil people— people who wouldn’t think twice about hurting us to get to him.

And I’d stupidly left behind the safety of the wall to run right into their waiting arms.

I jerked my head wildly to the left and right, hoping to spot the danger before it managed to find me. I could explain away a torn dress, but not a kidnapping. My eyes came to rest on the broken twig beneath my shoe, and I exhaled a shaky breath.

“S-s-see—see? It was you the whole t-t-time. Now, don’t you f-feel s-s-silly?”

“N-no… n-not really,” I responded with a snort before clapping a hand over my mouth.

Well, if my loud stomping hadn’t frightened the evildoers away, the fact I was carrying on a conversation with myself should do the trick.

Another giggle broke free, and I mashed the heel of my hand against my lips, thoroughly amused at the thought of anyone being scared of me.

This time, before taking my next step, I carefully checked for stray twigs and branches. And perhaps I kept a firm grip on the silver cross around my neck until it left indentions on the palm of my hand.

Just in case…

Sweat trailed down my spine, leaving me irritated I couldn’t wear loose-fitting clothing like the boys did during the summer months. Each damp trickle set my teeth on edge. Still, I’d come too far to turn back, so I pushed through the low-hanging branches until a large body of water came into view.

Karankawas Lake.

It wasn’t as if I hadn’t known it was there. The library in the main house overlooked the water, and I’d spent many an afternoon idly watching the colorful blur of boats as they zipped past. Seeing the rippling waves left in their wake wasn’t the same as hearing the whir from the motors or breathing in the faint smell of fuel.

Sunlight reflected off the surface of the lake at just the right angle, making it appear as if the water was glowing. Along the shore, young children ran back and forth, shrieking as they splashed lake water at one another. I smiled and resisted the urge to join them before settling back against a large tree trunk with my book. It was the perfect spot.

I could see everything, but no one could see me.

The sun moved across the sky as the hours passed, but I was lost in a world of cotton plantations and southern belles, completely oblivious. Perhaps if I’d been paying more attention, I would have remained ignorant to the ugliness lurking just out of sight.

I initially mistook the sounds of raised voices as my own imagination. Most of the boats were now nothing more than tiny dots of color on the horizon, and the beach—almost deserted.

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