CHAPTER ONE
Wyatt has insisted we try something new each day. So today it was candy bars. He had us try six different kinds! He says there are more kinds, but why? Six is more than enough. Also, I love the one called Twix. Mary liked one called Baby Ruth. Which one do you like?
~Text from Christy to Max~
Christy
Around a year and a half ago
(A few days before Asher and Logan’s wedding)
Father just came home to tell me that Joseph decided that next week will be my wedding to Leslie.
He picked him for me just last week. I think he’s one of the worst guys up here, but to be honest, I don’t want to marry any of the men up here.
I don’t want to be here anymore. I’ve tried to run away four times in the last ten years, and every time I get just a little bit further away.
There’s no way I’m going to be at that ceremony and marry Leslie.
I’m not going to do it. I know there has to be a better life out there.
The struggle to live with almost nothing, just to be here for whatever he would need, and to listen to Joseph blindly, is just not a life worth living.
I think the only reason Joseph decided I am to marry Leslie is that he’s running out of girls to be potential wives.
That’s what happens when you treat women like baby-making pieces of property, when you marry young women off to men who are old enough to be their fathers.
Those same men? Each and every one of them had previous wives who died or just disappeared one day.
They either escaped or something happened to them, like what happened to Mama.
I’ve learned that at least half the women who have disappeared took their own lives by pills or another avenue.
I’m not going to do that. I’m gonna get off this mountain and find the lady who escaped long before I was born.
She escaped and made a good life for herself.
I remember Mama talking about her, especially right before she died.
She told me she knew her when Mama’s family first came up the mountain.
Said her sister, Matilda, ran off to find her after Joseph made her his fourth wife when she was seventeen.
Mama said she missed her sister, but knew why she never came back to visit.
No girl who left ever came back to visit.
It’s not safe because they’ll get you and suck you back into the madness.
I’ve got a backpack packed and hidden in my closet.
I’m determined to get out of here this time.
Fifth time's a charm, right? Last time I would have made it, too, had freaking Eve not seen me and told Father. Eve is his third wife, and she’s pregnant.
She’s also two years younger than me. She tried to mother me, and I shut that down.
She thinks I’m damaged goods because Joseph hasn’t mentioned anyone for me to marry until now.
I’m the only girl older than eighteen who’s not married.
No, that’s a falsehood. My friend, Mary, isn’t married either.
I think she’s skated by. Not because Joseph can’t stand her like me, but because she’s so quiet that he forgets about her all the time.
I know she wants to get off this mountain, too, and I’ve made the promise that I will do whatever I can to get her to freedom.
No woman should have to be up here against their own free will.
I’m going to wait till I know everyone is asleep, and till about an hour before sunrise to take off.
I’m a klutz. It’s more than well-established that I trip over my own shadow.
Knowing this, I figure that if I can get a head start without being in complete darkness, I have the best chance of making it out of here to somewhere I can find help.
***********
Well, that didn’t work out like I planned. I guess they consider me a flight risk now and have someone watching the house. I made it almost to the gate at the bottom of the property before I was caught by Father, Leslie, and some of Joseph’s idiot followers, who he uses as muscle.
Father dragged me by my hair back to the truck.
He was angrier than I think I’ve ever seen him.
“You’re days away from finally getting married thanks to Joseph’s goodwill, and you have to shame the family this way?
” He hit me a couple of times with his belt, but I got this shiner on my face because I talked back to him while he kept talking.
He looked at me, leaning against the tailgate of the pickup truck they drove in.
“Your mother is very disappointed in your behavior. She expects you to represent our family with manners.” My mouth never knows when to keep shut.
“That can’t be, because my mama has been dead for more than a decade.
Your wife ain’t my mom.” I swear, Father had steam coming out of his ears.
He’s never punched, let alone left any marks on my face, so I wasn’t prepared for it. I wouldn’t take it back, though.
They threw me in this shack and told me I’d be staying here till it was time for the ceremony. The hell I’m gonna sit here and wait like a good disciple—that’s what Joseph calls his followers, of which I am not. He’s a lunatic obsessed with power and severely lacking in intelligence.
I’ve been in here for only a couple of hours, gauging by the sun coming through the cracks between logs, when the door opens and two girls I’ve never seen get pushed inside.
The goon named Caleb glares at the two girls, then at me.
“Don’t think about escaping. Christy, don’t put any nonsense in their heads.
Joseph won’t like it.” Yeah, ‘cause that’s ever stopped me.
I nod just to get him out of here. The door closes, and the lock clicks.
I look at the two girls, who both look scared as can be.
“I don’t know about you two, but I’m all for figuring out a way off this hellish mountain as soon as possible.
” Both girls nod their heads, one of them finding her voice.
“Did they do that to you? How do they know your name?” I fill them in on my background and why I’ve got a nice shiner that’s only getting worse by the minute.
I don’t think my story made them any less afraid, and they should be.
The men up here are monsters. I may not know a good man really, but I remember Mama telling me about her family, especially her parents, who never came up the mountain.
I’m sure they’ve long since passed, but between those stories and the few times I got to go to town with Father’s second wife to the store, I know there are good men out there who don’t look at women as property.
I’m not sure I will ever meet someone who can deal with me.
Honestly, if I can get off this mountain, find a job, and a little place for myself that I can fill with books, that would be plenty for me.
My head aches, but I know I won’t get anything for it even if they stop by with food and water. Medications like Aspirin are like anything else around here—for Joseph and a few select men only. Time to ignore it and get back to these girls and get us out of here.
I stand up and walk over to the table, only tripping once on my way.
“Come have a seat. We need to figure some things out.” Both girls stand up and come over to the table.
“First off, you know my name, but I don’t know yours.
” The one who hasn’t spoken yet is the first to respond.
“I’m Kelli, and that’s Erica. They took us as we were heading to a volleyball game at UDUB.
We were there for a tournament. We go to Gonzaga.
I’m a sophomore, and Erica’s a freshman.
We’re also cousins. They took us at least a few days ago.
They had us in the basement room of a house for a few days till just a bit ago.
They took us to stand in front of this ugly, crotchety old man. ”
Erica pipes in, “He gives off total creeper vibes, more than anyone I’ve ever met.”
I hold up my hand. “You don’t have to go farther. That’s Joseph. He’s their leader, their Messiah. I haven’t believed that ever. My mama didn’t either. It’s one of the main reasons I want off this mountain. I keep trying, and they keep catching me. That's why I’m in here.”
I stop to think for a moment. “Do you think anyone is looking for you?” Both of them instantly nod.
“Yeah, our team and coaches. I’m sure they called our families, who I bet drove out from Spokane and are out looking right now.
But they won’t know to look for us here.
No one will!” Kelli’s not wrong, but that can’t stop us.
With there being three of us, we have to have a chance. Time to try and figure out our getaway.
We’ve been in this cabin for several hours when I hear voices outside.
There’s the noise of a key turning in the lock, and I brace for who it could be on the other side.
When it opens, I see it’s Caleb, but he’s not alone.
He opens the door wider and lets Mary come in.
She’s carrying a tray and a bag in her hands.
Caleb looks at us and at Mary. “You’ve got three minutes to get everything out and be ready to go.
Joseph doesn’t trust Christy to talk to you any longer than that. ” Jerk.