Page 27 of Muerte
“Don’t be afraid. It’s merely a custom of our faith.”
The realization hit me like a sudden jolt as pieces of a puzzle clicked into place. I didn’t know how I’d missed all the obvious clues. The enigma that was Mr. Hawthorne and those around him were part of some sort of group. That trade show revealed hints of this too.
A weight of uncertainty clung to me and gnawed at my thoughts. What would any of that have to do with me? I stared at the SUV and the driver, their silent invitation hanging in the air. The vehicle's presence now seemed almost like a harbinger.
“Nothing bad will happen to you,” Esther assured again.
A bitter chuckle escaped me before I could stop it. "Something bad has already happened. I’ve been kidnapped."
Esther turned and looked at me, her brown eyes taking on a note of confusion.
“You think you were kidnapped? It’s not like that at all, Lolita.”
I didn’t bother responding to her delusion. Just like Mr. Hawthorne, Esther was part of this enigmatic world. Nicolette shook her head and stepped closer, her eyes reflecting a deeper understanding.
"I know you're scared and none of this is making much sense. You have no reason to trust us. If I were in your position, I would feel the same, but you will get through this night."
Her genuine empathy offered a glimmer of solace. With a reluctant sigh, I closed the distance between me and the SUV, seating myself between the two of them. The driver shut the door and returned to his position behind the wheel, not speaking to any of us. I wondered if Mr. Hawthorne was confident that I wouldn’t run, or rather he wasn’t concerned about finding me if I did. My guess was on the former.
The SUV's engine hummed, the only sound as it journeyed away from where I was being kept.
With each passing mile, more of a world that was both unfamiliar and strangely captivating was revealed. I had no idea where I had been taken to. Once the seclusion of Mr. Hawthorne’s home fell away, we passed through a village of some sort. The cobblestone streets were lined with buildings that had been well maintained and seemed to whisper tales of secrecy.
Everything was bathed in the soft glow of lantern lights and ornate streetlamps. There were people too—as normal as they came. They wandered in and out of shops that seemed to hold different trinkets and restaurants that exuded enticing aromas. None of them paid more than a fleeting glance at the SUV driving through the streets. But why would they?
The village was alive with a deceptive tranquility. There was no way for these people to know I was here and not of my own free will. The people and the nightlife gradually fell away, and a few more minutes rolled by before the SUV took a turn onto a long road.
An imposing fence lined with some kind of barbed wire cut through the center of it. Unmasked guards patrolled the perimeter with vigilant canines at their sides. I counted two that were a breed of mastiff and one Doberman.
As the SUV proceeded through a tall set of gates, I sat back, pressing myself into the leather seat. Each passing second deepened my sense of unease. When the truck completed its half turn around a bend that had been blocked from view by a thick cluster of trees, my stomach sank.
More masked figures awaited me.
They stood on either side of the long road in cloaks of black, all wearing some type of mask. A few held iron torches that flickered in the dark.
“What the hell is this?” I murmured to myself. My gaze shifted from the windows and landed on a box-like structure that resembled a carriage without wheels. “And what is that?”
It was covered in intricate carvings, sitting in the middle of the road. I couldn't quite grasp its purpose or the meaning of what was happening. No one was speaking. The silence was broken only by my questions and our breathing.
“What’s going on?”
Esther reached over and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“The palanquin will take you the rest of the way. We’ll be right behind you.”
A sense of panic rose up as I realized I would be getting inside the box.
“Remember what I told you,” Nicolette said so quietly it was barely a whisper.
I looked at her—really looked at her—and saw that there was more to this sense of understanding that she was trying to convey. There was something else there too—sadness. Had this happened to her as well? I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse. It was a relief to know she’d survived whatever came next and appeared healthy, in the physical sense. It was also terrifying, because that meant she’d never escaped.
I couldn’t have that same fate. Still, her words helped calm me just enough that when it came time to exit the SUV, I went willingly. I couldn’t see the faces of the people watching me, but I could feel their watchful gazes. I placed one foot in front of the other and kept my sights trained on the box.
It was larger up close, with a domed roof supported by dark gilded wood and obsidian glass that made seeing inside of it impossible. Esther pulled open the door and together with Nicolette, they helped me get in. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it wasn’t an intimate cocoon fit for royalty.
Intricate carvings continued on all of the walls but two. The two panels of glass in front of me were like a one-way mirror and free of any markings. I sat on a seat made of rich, dark velvet and looked up. The domed ceiling was lined with tiny lights, so at least I wouldn’t be shut in total darkness.
“Keep calm,” Esther whispered as she closed the door.