The Forsaken (The Chosen Series Book 2), Patricia Bell [e textbook reader .txt] 📗

Does Father know about this? The dungeon and the money, the secret passage?

A lump settled in his throat at the thought of it. The stack of bills he’d picked up were not old. They were new. His father was aware. He was sure of it.

He passed the vent that looked directly into his father’s office and stopped when he heard the gruff sound of his father’s voice.

“And this is Abigail’s covering?”

Daniel stooped down and looked through the vent. Elder Aaron stood before his father.

“Not exactly, sir. The initials in the covering are that of her sister's, High Prophet. RP, Rachel Pence”

The girl who died?

“Rachel Pence? Has she come back to shame us one final time?”

“High Prophet, we believe Abigail was wearing her sisters covering at the time. It is the only thing that makes sense.”

“And you have her in custody?”

“We do. We are only waiting on God to give the final judgment.”

“God has spoken,” the man boomed. “Flesh her out.”

God has already spoken? Daniel stared perplexed. Didn’t his father have to go and pray or something? The thought of God giving him direction to kill another member of their community made Daniel cringe.

“But, High Prophet,” Elder Aaron said cautiously. “It would not be wise to put her out in the desert. After all, Rachel lived and―”

“Rachel will be taken care of soon enough. They all will.”

“Do you not see the implications? It would not be wise to have another one of our people wandering the streets. What if someone finds her as with Rachel? The police have already been prying around, questioning our people. Rachel’s parents―”

“Bring her to me.” The High Prophet interrupted again. “I will deal with her myself.”

“High Prophet?”

“Bring her to me tomorrow. Do not speak a word of this to anyone. Send her home tonight and tell her we will await God’s final decision. I have some preparations to make.”

“Yes, High Prophet.” Elder Aaron said and turned and left the room.

Daniel felt a strong urge to do something. What, he did not know. He needed to tell someone. Anyone. Daniel remembered the conversation he’d witnessed between his father and a man named Malachi.

His father told him that he would be wed to Abigail. And the man looked none too happy about it. Confused about the recent turn of events, Daniel knew what he had to do.

He needed to get word to Malachi. If he was to marry Abigail, he would know what to do. Daniel had no idea how he would get out to find him. There was no way to get past the wall. Then he remembered the dungeon-looking room. That was how he would sneak out. But how would he know where to find the man?

He’d never seen the community with every window in the house being blocked by the small mountain that separated his home from them. He’d fantasized about it many times, dreaming about what it would be like to live among them. To make a friend, to congregate with the community. But he’d never gone further than his own yard without being shrouded, and that was only to attend The Celebration of The Dead. Even then, fully confined, he had only gone a few times and the resting yard was well away from the community.

Daniel sat back. Even knowing which direction to head, there was no way he’d make it all the way there without someone noticing him. He’d seen how they dressed. Every man and boy wore jeans, with a button-down shirt and a straw hat.

A thought occurred to him. He jumped up, ran to the hidden door, opened it, and quietly snuck back into the corridor. Closing the door behind him, he made his way into his father’s office.

“High Prophet?” he spoke.

“Daniel. Come in, my boy. How are you, son?”

“I am fine.” He nodded.

“Good. Good. How are your studies?”

“Well. That is why I came to see you. Rosalia is teaching me the ways of The Chosen, and she said to come to you for a map of the community. She said you would have one that I can take to study.”

“You are only eleven, Daniel. You have much time to learn about the community.”

“I thought so, too, but Rosalia said—”

“Never mind, my boy, Rosalia is a good teacher. She taught me when I was a young boy. If she says you need it, then I will get it for you.”

Daniel smiled as his father stood, went to his cabinet, and dug through his files. Finally, he pulled out a photocopy of the map of the community and handed it to Daniel.

It never ceased to amaze Daniel that his father seemed to have two separate faces. The one he shared with his mother and him, and the one he put on for the rest of the community. Which was the real one, he had yet to find out.

“Thank you, High Prophet,” Daniel said, taking the page. “Rosalia will be most pleased.”

“You are welcome, son.” His father ruffled his hair.

Daniel left the office with the pot of gold in his hand. He beamed with excitement as he headed to his room to study it. If what his father said was true, he knew where his search for Malachi would begin.

AT DUSK, DANIEL SNUCK out of his room toward the hallway that held the secret door. The house was quiet. His father, who seemed to never sleep, was still in his office and his mother had already come in with her daily good night routine. He rushed to the corridor, leaned on just the right spot in the wall, and like clockwork, the door opened.

He snuck inside, closed it behind him, and headed straight for the stairs. He rushed down, not even bothering to turn on the light. In his mind, he held an image of the entire room. His mother had told him that his ability to remember in great detail everything that entered his mind had been a precious gift from God.

He walked through the money room and