Vanishing Point by Alan Moore Page B

says, to be a soul mate unto me. An’ I’ve decided ya’d make me a good wife.’
    â€˜You can’t. I mean this is —’
    â€˜Don’ worry. I’ll take good care of ya an’ the bubs. We’re goin’ home, our home.’
    Katherine looked at him in shocked silence. ‘I have a home. Please, listen to me —’
    â€˜Ya got a new home. Ya gunna be me wife, just like them Benjamites, an’ I’m a Benjamin. God put ya there for me ta find. Why else was ya there, in the middle of nowhere jist like in me vision? There ya was! Ya ain’t no virgin but I’ll take the bubs as well, like it’s me own kid, so it’s okay.’
    Through this Katherine had listened, mouth open and eyes wide, staring out the horror she felt. She screamed her interruption. ‘OKAY! OKAY! What do you mean, it’s okay? Are you absolutely mad?’ She shouted her objections. ‘I’m already married. I mean, you can’t do this, just pick up someone and say they’re going to be a wife for you! As if some vision from God makes it okay!’
    Benjamin said nothing and just stared at the road.
    Katherine forced herself to act more calmly even as the knot in her stomach tightened. ‘Listen, Alec’ll be in Ceduna organising help for our Kombi. When he sees I’m not there he’ll get a police search and they find us.’
    Benjamin ignored her and kept driving.
    â€˜Turn around right now and take me to Ceduna. Or back to the Kombi. Or … or just leave me here on the road and I’ll hitch with a truckie. We’ll forget about this nonsense —’ Katherine made a grab at the steering wheel.
    â€˜Leave off an’ shut up, woman,’ Benjamin shouted as he steadily pulled the wheel back to stop the vehicle from going into a skid. Once steady he wrenched her hand off. ‘Don’ try that agin, woman, or it’ll be the worse for ya, even if we don’ crash.’
    Katherine started to cry. ‘Please, please, I beg of you. Take us back.’
    â€˜We can’t go back. I’ve decided. No. No, not me. God decided. Like what it says in the Bible. ‘If ya see a beautiful woman an’ desire to her, an’ would take her for ya wife, then ya can bring her home to ya house, an’ she will shave her head an’ cut her nails.’ The tone of his voice changed again while he quoted. His preaching voice.
    Katherine was too surprised and confused at what he said to interrupt.
    He continued. ‘She will take off the clothes of her captivity, remain in ya house a full month. Then ya can go to her an’ be her husband an’ if she pleases ya, she can be ya wife. An’ I reckon I’se gunna be real pleased with ya!’ He turned and smiled benevolently at her as if expecting she would be pleased.
    â€˜But that’s ancient times! You can’t do that today. I am not some captive. I am already married with a husband and have a child. You can’t do this. It’s crazy. It’s criminal. It’s kidnapping. I’m not just property. Turn around right now.’
    â€˜The Bible is the word of God. Its word is true today just as in ancient times. God’s word don’t change. Everyone knows that. God sent you for me because I’m a righteous man. An’ I’m Benjamin. The word don’t change with time. I need a wife an’ I asked God send me one. An’ he did jist like I asked.’
    Katherine argued, begged and screamed. She tried everything but Benjamin kept driving. She cried, she pleaded for herself, for the sake of the baby, for Alec. Carolyn was clearly distressed at the behaviour of her mother and set up a sympathetic wail. She cried long and loudly, so long that eventually her sobbing ceased and her breath came in disjointed little gulps. Katherine initially ignored her in her own distress and fear as she screamed at