3.91
I follow Isis
around curves and floral pieces without word. Finally, we reach a small
clearing in the middle of the garden maze. A small gazebo covers a table and
two chairs. An ancient looking tea kettle sits alongside two glasses in front
of Isis when I catch up to her. I take a seat and she fills both glasses with
tea, offering me sugar cubes without saying anything. She notices I’m hesitant
to drink and drinks her tea first. I’ve never been a fan of tea so I grab four
sugar cubes and stir them in before taking a sip. It’s not terrible, but the
only hot drinks that should be served hot are spiced apple cider and hot
chocolate. For now we sip silently staring at the shadows of flowers bouncing
along the garden walls in the wind.
“Nice to
meet you,” I break the silence.
“Is it,”
she responds knowingly.
“I get the
feeling you know something I don’t.”
“I’ve seen
you reading the small journal. I’ve caught glimpses. I know it belongs to
Destiny.”
“Does that
concern you?”
“No. You
wouldn’t be here if it did.”
“I’m
sorry?”
“This spot,
only Granny comes here and has tea with me.”
“Well,
thank you for bringing me.”
“It wasn’t
for a social call,” he demeanor shifts, back to the emotionless state she
always has.
“Then what
was the purpose.”
“Why are
you here?”
“I’m not
sure what you mean.”
“There is
no reason for you to be here. You’re already Adze. We have nothing for you.”
“I didn’t
ask for anything.”
“But there
is something you want. You participate in trials for no reason. You continue to
drink with us. You follow Granny’s rules to a T. You don’t socialize with the
women as you were told and you don’t question the elders like your friend
Isaac. You are treating this as a game you can win. Why?”
I don’t
know what she’s talking about, but I have a feeling I can’t leave until I give
her an answer. I don’t trust Granny and I’m trying to stay on her good side. I
can’t tell her that, I’ve read Destiny’s diary. She mentions Isis buying into
Granny’s stories and persona more than anyone else. If I say I don’t trust
Granny, then I’m screwed.
“Destiny
was my wife, and we were going to come here together,” I start.
“Stop,” she
brings an end to my story. “I’ve heard this before, we all have. Why are you
here.”
“I wanted
to know her family.”
“You know
us, why are you still here?”
“I don’t know
what you’re asking me.”
“Are you
trying to take control of our family? I won’t allow that to happen.”
“Where are
you even getting that idea,” I’m annoyed by her questions now.
“Since
you’ve come Isaac has stuck to you like a dog, Sampson is more rebellious,
Michael seems to believe you’re good company and even Old Ben sees promise in
you. The men seem to be taken by you, could be pledging allegiance to you in
the shadows.”
“You forgot
James, he threatens to kill me once a day.”
“Making
jokes to divert from the actual conversation is a tactic that will work on
those of lesser intelligence. It won’t work on me. Are you planning a coup?”
“I have no
plans of a coup.”
I should
plan a coup, this is really a cult. I’m being interrogated right now. I think
I’m going to stick around until the trials are done, then I’m going to go home.
There’s nothing here for me and nobody has come looking for me. This archaic
idea of keeping the men and women separate for some reason is odd. I don’t even
know if Adze can have kids so why are they separate. Does Granny think love
will make people leave? Is this because of Destiny and Sampson.
“I will not
let you break this family apart,” Isis crushes he tea glass in her hand.
She doesn’t
wince in pain as she opens her hand and begins to pull bloody shards of glass
free from her hand. This is the moment where a film makes some symbolic point,
but I can’t find any in the shards she drops on the tray. I just finish my tea
as she squeezes the last shard from her hand and licks the blood away from her
hand.
“Are you
okay,” I ask her.
“It’s
nothing. I’m just clumsy, nothing that hasn’t happened before and nothing that
won’t heal.”
“What
happened to you,” I can’t help but ask.
“Nothing.”
“No, I’ve
read what Destiny wrote about you. Something happened to you. You’re not the
sister that she wrote about.”
“Your mind
games mean nothing to me.”
“I’m just
asking, I thought we were asking questions.”
“Have a
good evening,” she stands and runs off at full speed.
She left me
stranded in the middle of this garden maze as the sun is setting. I guess I
can’t plan a coup if I’m lost in the maze. Then again, I think she’s just
flustered. She knows I’m a vampire, I could probably jump my way out of here,
I’m fast enough that I could just run and find a way out in ten minutes at the
most. I could just smell her scent to find my way out; no, the flowers over
power her scent. She’s smart, but she’s brainwashed and I’ve made her panic.
She’ll tell granny what happened here tonight. Things may not be as easy for me
from here on out.
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