The Tens, Vanessa Jones [i like reading books .TXT] 📗

feelings. I can see you expect great, monumental things. A candy land where you are in constant orgasm. You must circumnavigate these preconceptions at once. For everything about The New Way will feel nothing short of natural. With the correct preparation, of course. Preparation, as led by those you see around you now, is the key to mitigating culture shock and will ensure you step fully into your fullness of bliss, without any raw adjustment. Venus is.'

Again, hands shot up before he finished. Another hand was picked from the sticks. 'Please, can you tell us about prophecy?'

Clive hesitated and Sophie watched with spite at the thought that something had choked him and his charade would have to stop. A little fire of rage and objection burnt inside her. This man knew nothing of personal situations and his advice seemed a little more than harmful. But she'd gorged herself on the slow-roasted pork and potatoes and had become weary again, her limbs heavy.

Things were getting a little peculiar so she promised herself tomorrow, she would arrange a lift back to the city. Even if she had to beg every person in the camp. Besides, she had another appointment with Carla scheduled. Sophie wondered if she would confess to watching and following her.

As Clive’s words danced on, Sophie watched as everyone seemed to warm right up. Even the thin girl, Abigail, was smiling with her lips pressed into her knuckles.

'Please. More questions?'

Sophie scoffed and heads snapped around to her. 'Where's my husband then?' Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jesse shake his head at her.

'Great question my dear. Although we often don't use The Talk for such nugatory matters, I can tell this is causing you great anguish. And we're not friends with anguish. So, first, let me ask you a question. When was the last time you saw your husband?'

Sophie really had to think. 'Err... six weeks ago.' Sophie hoped she was right. The exhaustion and befuddlement of the ordeal had left her for wanting to keep track of days and such mundanity like using a calendar.

'I see. And we hate to be cryptic here but we want to say to you that sometimes things that do not want to be found will remain lost. Until they are ready to be found again.' Clive raised an eyebrow at her.

Sophie swore he was trying to make a point. 'So, you don't know?'

Clive's face set hard and went to launch into an attack when he turned a corner with his performance. 'Wait, wait... stop now. Something's happening,' Clive extended a palm and shook it out in front of him. Looking at the ground, he paused for an uncomfortably long time. Long enough for people to grab one another's shoulders in anticipation. Sophie noticed that Everley even had time to lay a few cylinders of wood on the big fire outside the shed. As she did the fire popped so loudly that it made everyone, especially Sophie, jump. With the fright, a few people shouted in glee. Taking advantage of the timing, Clive let it rip. 'Yehhawww!' Clive sounded like a deranged cowboy. 'Here it is. It's coming. Venus wants us to get a taste.'

Things were building and getting feverish. People were no longer happy to stay seated, some pouncing on their haunches, bouncing their backside up and down with excitement. Jesse tipped a cup of water over his face and shook it off. One woman had her eyes closed and was dancing to an imaginary beat. Sophie watched the warm light across one side of Abigail's face and even she was glistening with excitement, her eyes thick with water about to spill over her eyelashes.

'Feel it! All y'all feel it!' Clive repeatedly scooped his hands up towards the sky, like he was throwing marbles. 'I urge thee to feel it and rejoice in the bliss that is our destiny. Can you feel it?' The circle before him whooped in response and Sophie had no doubt that their feelings of elation were genuine, just manufactured rather than some divine ecstasy. Clive admired his handiwork of the frenzy before him and it was then that Sophie realised it was all fake, just as she suspected. She saw it in his face, he was so thrilled with himself that it made her nauseous. He caught her watching him and even the thrill of the party, which danced like fairies about him, couldn’t stop the crushing disappointment of being caught. He flicked his eyes away from Sophie, pretending that he hadn't seen her and threw himself into a forced grin, grabbing Jesse and twirling him around in a waltz. Sophie waited for him to shut the evening down. But the end of his tirade did not seem close. Perhaps he was putting on an extra show for Sophie but he jumped off the front of the stage and landed on bent knees like a cat. Grabbing the front collar of his shirt with both hands, he yanked down hard and his shirt stretched open, revealing his surprisingly smooth chest.

'Hear the rumble of the Venus alchemy forming, like a cloud rolling together in time to spit thunder,' Clive shouted at them. 'Listen to the Seniors who prove themselves for you time and time again, the means to The New Way through the cultivation of alchemy. They do not guide you wrong. Have they yet? No, you will see that they have not. There is no room for questioning their leadership or their expectations, when they know the way.'

Sophie wondered if the routine was as transparent to others as it was to her. Cricking her neck, she looked around to the entrance, which was now gone. The shed door had been shut tight against the night. All of a sudden, Sophie felt claustrophobic and the campers’ antics were no longer just amusing.

'He's a shaman you know. A powerful one at that.' A wispy woman