The Death Doll (3 page)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Paula woke with a start and faced the door, where she found Didi smirking at everyone with her hands on her sword handle.  She slowed her breathing, but the fear of this eerily chipper woman’s intentions squeezed her heart repeatedly. 

The driver, that guy Cody that brought her to this place, walked in looking like he at least shaved yesterday.  An elderly woman appeared behind him with a bright yet sympathetic grin. 

“Good morning, all,” Didi said.  “I hope you slept well.  Big day today.”

Sean hugged Paula, but he trembled as much as she did.  “What’s going on?”

“Once our medical staff here clears you, we’ll take you to meet the community.”

“Are you doctors?” Pepe asked with odd exuberance.

The driver pointed between himself and his older companion.  “I was a medic.  Gilda here was a nurse.  We’re as close to doctors as we have here.”

Paula noticed a pretty Hispanic girl standing in the doorway with a sharpened baseball bat, her light brown eyes steeled and cautious.  She had to be fourteen or fifteen.  “Who is that?”

Didi smiled proudly at the girl.  “That’s Rachelle.  She’ll be helping me, in case Cody and Gilda can’t help you.  Who’s first?”

After trading awkward glances, Pepe stepped forward.  What Paula feared would be brutal and invasive turned out to be a quick and painless look over what modesty allowed.  It didn’t settle her nerves any, but she gave herself over nonetheless. Gilda was very accommodating.  Isaac hesitated, but he saw Didi fondling her sword and put himself through the exam.  Sean went last, nervously chattering until it was over. 

The medic and nurse nodded to their mistress, who grinned cheerfully and clapped her hands together.  “Alright, then.  Chow time.” Then she walked out without a response.

Cody and Gilda cringed as they followed her out.  “Come with us, please,” he said.

Sean wrapped his arms around Paula and slowly guided her into the lobby.  From there, they exited through the alley and entered the old pharmacy, which now looked like a waiting room with rows of couches and a small podium up front.  They crossed the back and entered a hallway with several open doorways. 

A thick, buttery fragrance taunted Paula as she followed Didi past the old café and its kitchen.  “I thought we were going to breakfast?”

“Didn’t your parents teach you to wash up before meals?” Didi teased, making her teenage minion chuckle.

Right or wrong, that rubbed Paula the wrong way.  “Didn’t your parents teach you to answer people when they ask you questions, like when I asked about your name the other day?”

“Honey, please, let’s not antagonize the nice lady with a sword,” Sean said with a meek grin.

Didi stopped where the old pizza place used to be, which now bore three closed doors opposite each other labeled MEN, WOMEN, and LAUNDRY.  “Let’s just say it’s a long and funny story you won’t get to hear today.  In the meantime, it’s crucial to stay clean here.”

The teenager nudged Paula’s shoulder and beckoned her to follow.  Paula looked back at her husband, who followed Cody into the Men’s Room.  She took a deep breath and entered the Women’s Room. 

The sizable shower bay surprised the hell out of her.  It had everything: toilets with lots of tissue, sinks with lots of soap, shelves with plenty of shampoos and body washes, wooden shelves with towels, a dirty laundry bin, and a vast assortment of clean clothes on wooden wall-mounted racks nearby. These people were serious about cleanliness.  She didn’t like Rachelle watching her undress and head for one of the many showerheads, but she stopped caring the moment the hot water hit her body.  She took full advantage of the abundance of soaps and lathered up like nobody’s business.  Having gone a year without hot water, she was content to let her fears of the immediate future go for a while.  She hated to leave the stream, especially on an October day in Iowa, so she rushed the towels and dried off quickly. 

The teenager watched passively. 

As the awkwardness returned, Paula tried to strike up a conversation.  The girl’s Victorian baby doll necklace seemed a good place to start.  “That’s a nice cameo.  Was it your mother’s?”

The girl’s face soured.  “I stole it from some rich bitch up in North Bend.”

“Wisconsin?” she asked to keep from snapping at the girl’s tone.  Rachelle nodded.  “That’s quite a way from here.  Did any of your family make it with you?”

The girl’s jaw clenched and her eye twitched, but she said nothing.

With no other ideas, she resorted to something she didn’t want to share.  “I lost my son, Adam.  He was ten.”

The girl finally looked Paula’s way and softened a little.  “I haven’t seen my mom alive since she disowned me in juvie.”

Paula didn’t expect that last part.  “Juvenile detention?  For what?”

Rachelle pointed to her cameo with a sarcastic grin.  “B&E.  Larceny.  Didi busted me out before I starved to death.”

Paula fought the urge to reach out to the youth, worried about getting stabbed for moving too quickly.  “Didi saves a lot of people, huh?”

The girl scoffed.  “Everyone here, not that they act like it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Can we hurry, please?  I’m as hungry as a rotter right now.”

The girl’s brusqueness stunned Paula, but the idea of that delicious breakfast taunted her again.  She nodded and donned her new floral dress. 

She went back out into the hall and found her husband waiting in a denim outfit.  Isaac sported all-black sweats.  Pepe wore an orange hoodie over black slacks.  Rachelle moved past them all and turned left into the first door, leaving the four of them alone.

Sean waved at the first door on the right.  “Didi said just go on in.”

The smell wafting through the halls gave Paula no reason to argue, so she followed her husband into the brightly lit café and marveled at its vast improvements.  A bright red carpet had replaced its boring old tiles.  Thick white curtains with gold trim hung closed in pristine condition over the boarded windows, which looked better than the cheap old curtains the café used to have.  At least fifty people stood around three long rows of assembled tables, including a number of elementary-school-aged children.  The sight of all those kids made her heart jump up into her throat and melt all at once.  They looked healthy and vibrant.  She wanted to cry.

Sean drew her attention to Didi and Cody standing in the doorway.  “Welcome to the Dining Hall,” the self-proclaimed hostess said.  “Before we begin, we’d like to get to know you a little bit.  So, please, introduce yourselves.”

Everyone stared right at Paula as if they wanted to shoot her.  It had been a long time since she had addressed such masses.

Fortunately, Sean bit the bullet first.  “I’m, uh, Sean Herrin, born and raised in Ocheyedan.  My family farmed this area for generations, and farming is really all I know.  The good Lord blessed me with my wife, Paula,” he added, which flattered away some of her tension, “and life’s been pretty good since.  Well, until—” He grinned sheepishly at Didi.  “What else do I say?”

Didi waved him off with a grin and a crinkle of her nose and looked beyond him.  “Let’s welcome Sean, who will be working the Sunny Skies.”

People half-heartedly clapped until Isaac whipped around and glared at Didi.  “What’choo mean
workin’
?  You tryin’ to make us slaves or somethin’?”

Didi grinned amusedly, but no one else shared her mirth. 

Cody answered calmly, “There are no slaves here, but to stay here you have to pull your weight like everyone else.”

Isaac didn’t look convinced, and something in the crowd’s eyes betrayed Cody’s decree.

Paula drummed up enough courage to step forward.  “I’m Paula Herrin. I grew up in Sioux Falls and studied to be an English professor.  I did my student teaching in Ocheyedan, but stayed after I married Sean.”

Didi grinned wider, which somehow looked unnatural.  “That is just perfect.  Let’s welcome our new teacher.”

The crowd applauded with the same lack of enthusiasm. Paula grinned and returned to Sean’s side.  He held her hand, and she squeezed back tightly.

Pepe stepped forward.  “I’m Pepe Sanchez, originally from East Los Angeles, California.  I graduated early with a full scholarship to Northwestern.  Pre-med.  I was getting ready for finals when we got overrun.  I barely got out of Chicago alive and tried to get home, but I got ditched in the area and had to fend for myself for a while.  Then, Sean and Paula took me in.  They’ve been really nice to me.”

Didi’s smile softened at Paula and Sean.  Paula didn’t know what to make of it, but she hoped it was a good thing.

“You were going to be a doctor?” Cody asked, to which Pepe nodded.  Cody had a quiet discussion with Didi, then smiled at Pepe.  “You’ll work with me in the Clinic.”

The crowd clapped with a little more gusto.  Pepe smiled at them and stepped back. 

Isaac faced Cody defiantly. “You gonna tell me what to do now?”

Didi grinned smugly.  “You can always leave, but if you come back, you’ll have to go through Isolation all over again.”

Isaac scoffed.  “I’m Isaac Yancey, I’m from Chicago, and I know cars and guns.  Whatchoo gonna do with me?”

Didi’s eyes narrowed, but her grin didn’t waver a bit.  “The Power.”

This time, no applause followed.  In fact, half the crowd looked horrified.  Isaac just looked confused.

Didi looked past Isaac.  “Well, I know you’re hungry, so we’ll get out of your way.  If you have any issues, you can bring them to the Panel.  Enjoy your meals.”  With that, Didi and Cody walked out. 

In their place stepped an elderly black gentleman in a clean chef’s outfit, his wide grin emphasizing crow’s feet beside his gentle eyes.  “I’m Hashim Roberson, Head Chef.  Please, take your seats while breakfast is served.”

Paula took one of the vacant seats at the end of one table with her husband and companions.  She watched Rachelle and nine other teenagers enter in a line, their varied oven mitts carrying stylish serving dishes.  The teens served each person what looked like a quiche, raspberries on Melba toast, and platters with sliced meats and cheeses.  Where did they get all of these things?

Hashim thanked the teens as they set their empty serving dishes on a table against the wall and sat with the rest of the camp.  He offered a moment of silence, and everyone observed in his or her way.  When everyone’s eyes were open, Hashim sat down and the feast commenced. 

The first bite of Paula’s fancy omelet blessed her palette with a blend of savory spices she had never before sampled.  “Amazing,” she moaned after swallowing her blissful bite.

“How did you guys come across this place?” Pepe asked Hashim.

“A few of us started out traveling west a couple of years ago.  Things happened, and we ended up staying here.  We built up the place with what Didi and Cody found on their rounds.”

“Rounds?” Isaac asked through a mouthful.

“Supply runs,” Gilda said.  “They make sure we have everything we need to survive.”

“They also keep us from splurging,” the older-looking Native American added, then offered Sean a handshake.  “I’m Bob, by the way.  I’ll be your sponsor.”

“Bob,” Sean parroted as he shook the man’s hand.  “What’d your mama call you?”

“Son,” Bob replied with a hint of humor.  “If you want my tribal name, it’s Winter Bear.”

“Winter Bear?” Paula asked with a frown.  “Don’t bears hibernate in winter?”

“All but the cub who happened to come around when I was born,” Bob replied with a proud grin.  “I guess he didn’t get the memo.”

Isaac scoffed. “So, who runs this place?  This Panel, or Didi and Cody?”

“The latter,” Hashim said.  “The Panel mostly support them.  That’s me, Gilda, Bob, Craig, and Jerri.  If you need anything, just talk to one of us.”

“But they’re the ones who say who gets what, right?”

An older, skinnier man a few seats down harrumphed. “If you don’t want your head cut off.”

Paula’s blood froze in her body.

A man with curly blond hair and a genial smile waved off the elder.  “Don’t mind Roy.  He’s just perpetually grumpy.”

Roy waved them off.  A teenage boy next to him shook his head.

The blond aimed a handshake at Isaac.  “Craig Dykstra.  You’ll be working with me in The Power.”

Isaac glanced dismissively at the man’s hand.  Craig’s smile wavered, but his hand remained.  Pepe accepted the handshake and greeted him, which seemed to satisfy the moment.

Another hand appeared before Paula, this one from the braided blonde woman she saw in the theater lobby on her first day.  “I’m Jerri.  We’ll be working together.”

Paula shook Jerri’s hand with a simple, “Nice to meet you.”

“Jerri Schacht, right?” Sean asked.  “Didn’t your family run the race track in Rock Rapids?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” Jerri replied with a mild laugh that lit up her face, “but it’s Xi now.  I got married last year.  This is my husband, Xing,” she added with a hand on the shoulder of the lean Chinese man next to her.