looked annoyed. “He doesn’t like healthy debate?”
“Freedom of speech ends at the front gate,” Ethan said. “A newcomer disagreed with Jeremiah about three months ago during one of the meals. The next day when we went to eat breakfast we found the new guy hanging upside-down from one of the trees with his throat cut.”
“That’s terrible!” Brodie said.
“As we ate our meal we had to listen to Jeremiah lecturing to us about the importance of truth and justice while this poor person’s body waved in the wind.” He shook his head. “It was sickening.”
Ethan looked at his watch. “I need to get back otherwise I’ll be missed.”
“What do we do now?” Brodie asked.
“You need to find your friend and get yourselves out of here,” Ethan said. “Once you’re out of here contact the authorities and get this place closed down.”
Ethan suggested he return to the compound first and the girls start back a few minutes later. It would appear suspicious for them to arrive together. After Ethan left, Ebony turned to Brodie.
“We need to find where they’re keeping Ferdy,” she said.
“He has to be our number one priority,” Brodie agreed.
They walked back to the compound, entered the building and made their way back down to the main hall. There were people in small groups singing songs. The songs seemed to be about how the New World Order would be defeated by The Chosen Few. Others were sitting around in groups and reading from some of the survival literature.
Jason sighted them from the other side of the room. He gave Brodie a friendly wave and crossed over.
“May I speak to you?” he asked Brodie. “In private?”
Brodie looked at Ebony. The other girl nodded.
“I’ll check on Dan,” Ebony said. “I’ll see if he’s feeling better.”
After she left, Jason indicated a small open room to the side of the main chamber. They sat on two wooden chairs. Brodie wondered what this was about. She hoped their meeting with Ethan had not aroused suspicion.
“We need to speak about our future,” Jason said.
“What future is that?” Brodie asked.
“The End Times are coming very soon,” Jason said. “I know you have powers. You are not like normal people.”
“I’m a little faster than most people,” Brodie said noncommittally. “If that’s what you mean.”
“I’m trying to say that doesn’t make any difference to me. My father has said I must take a wife who is a daughter of Isis.”
“Really?” Brodie said.
I have no idea what you’re talking about , she thought.
“I have spoken to my father and he supports my choice,” Jason said. “I will be married and you are to become my wife.”
Chapter Twenty-One
My legs were gone. I wanted to scream. In fact I think a sound actually escaped my lips as I stared in horror at the place where my legs used to be. Looking over at Chad I saw he was similarly horrified.
A laugh came from the shadows. “Everyone gets caught first time around,” the voice said. “It’s an illusion.”
It took a few moments for the words to sink in. I looked into the shadows and saw a man sitting back against the wall shaking his head in amusement.
“Wh-what?” I gasped. “What are you saying?”
“It’s an illusion,” the man repeated. “That’s Becker’s modification. Just shake your head and it’ll clear.”
I looked down at my legs. For the first time I noticed I was wearing shorts. How could I be wearing shorts? Even if Becker had some magical ability to sever my legs, there was no way he could make new clothing appear from nowhere.
My legs began to reappear. Like a ghostly image appearing on a film they came back into view. At the same time I gave a cry of amazement – and relief. My legs were not gone. They were still attached to my body. I grabbed them with joy.
Chad was still fixated by the hallucination. I scrambled over to him.
“Listen to me,” I said. “It’s just an illusion. It’s all in your
“Freedom of speech ends at the front gate,” Ethan said. “A newcomer disagreed with Jeremiah about three months ago during one of the meals. The next day when we went to eat breakfast we found the new guy hanging upside-down from one of the trees with his throat cut.”
“That’s terrible!” Brodie said.
“As we ate our meal we had to listen to Jeremiah lecturing to us about the importance of truth and justice while this poor person’s body waved in the wind.” He shook his head. “It was sickening.”
Ethan looked at his watch. “I need to get back otherwise I’ll be missed.”
“What do we do now?” Brodie asked.
“You need to find your friend and get yourselves out of here,” Ethan said. “Once you’re out of here contact the authorities and get this place closed down.”
Ethan suggested he return to the compound first and the girls start back a few minutes later. It would appear suspicious for them to arrive together. After Ethan left, Ebony turned to Brodie.
“We need to find where they’re keeping Ferdy,” she said.
“He has to be our number one priority,” Brodie agreed.
They walked back to the compound, entered the building and made their way back down to the main hall. There were people in small groups singing songs. The songs seemed to be about how the New World Order would be defeated by The Chosen Few. Others were sitting around in groups and reading from some of the survival literature.
Jason sighted them from the other side of the room. He gave Brodie a friendly wave and crossed over.
“May I speak to you?” he asked Brodie. “In private?”
Brodie looked at Ebony. The other girl nodded.
“I’ll check on Dan,” Ebony said. “I’ll see if he’s feeling better.”
After she left, Jason indicated a small open room to the side of the main chamber. They sat on two wooden chairs. Brodie wondered what this was about. She hoped their meeting with Ethan had not aroused suspicion.
“We need to speak about our future,” Jason said.
“What future is that?” Brodie asked.
“The End Times are coming very soon,” Jason said. “I know you have powers. You are not like normal people.”
“I’m a little faster than most people,” Brodie said noncommittally. “If that’s what you mean.”
“I’m trying to say that doesn’t make any difference to me. My father has said I must take a wife who is a daughter of Isis.”
“Really?” Brodie said.
I have no idea what you’re talking about , she thought.
“I have spoken to my father and he supports my choice,” Jason said. “I will be married and you are to become my wife.”
Chapter Twenty-One
My legs were gone. I wanted to scream. In fact I think a sound actually escaped my lips as I stared in horror at the place where my legs used to be. Looking over at Chad I saw he was similarly horrified.
A laugh came from the shadows. “Everyone gets caught first time around,” the voice said. “It’s an illusion.”
It took a few moments for the words to sink in. I looked into the shadows and saw a man sitting back against the wall shaking his head in amusement.
“Wh-what?” I gasped. “What are you saying?”
“It’s an illusion,” the man repeated. “That’s Becker’s modification. Just shake your head and it’ll clear.”
I looked down at my legs. For the first time I noticed I was wearing shorts. How could I be wearing shorts? Even if Becker had some magical ability to sever my legs, there was no way he could make new clothing appear from nowhere.
My legs began to reappear. Like a ghostly image appearing on a film they came back into view. At the same time I gave a cry of amazement – and relief. My legs were not gone. They were still attached to my body. I grabbed them with joy.
Chad was still fixated by the hallucination. I scrambled over to him.
“Listen to me,” I said. “It’s just an illusion. It’s all in your
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