I stayed close to her as we met the other members, all of whom acted like they’d drank the happy juice. Something about them was just off, and it wasn’t just my natural suspicion. By their actions alone, however, I couldn’t find a thing to criticize, unless sitting Indian-style on the ground and chanting happy-isms counted.
All throughout the evening, I watched Daisy. And I also watched the people watch her. Several times, Abe’s cronies, the male “servants of the Machi,” came over to chat her up, asking her strange questions, listening carefully to her answers, all the while inspecting her with their eyes like she was prized livestock. As soon as they’d see me appear at her side, however, they’d scram.
It was after dinner, when, headed toward the community showers—some third-world set up consisting of exposed plumbing and a concrete square on the ground—that I took control. Petal had sung praises about the commune’s modesty being stripped—no pun intended—from the flock’s new way of living as one. So when Paula and the girls grabbed some towels from the laundry house, handing one to Daisy, I was ahead of the game. No way in hell would I let anyone see Daisy’s wet, naked body, not unless it was girls only, which it wasn’t.
Going on nightfall by this time, tall torches lit up the area every few yards, creating a border of light around the various paths and sections of the commune. The bathing area was in the back, and, I observed with a shake of my head, conveniently set up behind Abe’s little house, which did have windows. I nice big one, in fact, right at the back. A perfect view in which to watch his so-called followers.
Sick bastard.
Almost a dozen showers were set up, and already I saw naked asses and small dicks, the men and women washing up, some even assisting each other. Next to me, I watched Daisy’s expression. She looked like she’d tasted something sour.
“Hey,” I whispered, not wanting four-eyed Paula hearing me. “Why don’t we take a shower in the morning? Me and you can go for a walk and talk instead.”
She bit her lip and eyed me. “Well. That does sound nice.”
I smiled. “Come on, let’s go.”
Daisy bobbed her head and whispered to Paula, who looked confused but nodded. Then Daisy took my proffered hand and we walked back to the guest house.
“Not that easy, is it, being so open?” I asked, squeezing her hand.
A laugh escaped her lips before she cleared her throat. “That obvious, huh?”
“Just a little. Only to someone who cares to notice.”
She shrugged, loosening up. “It’s just… I don’t know. Really, I love the sense of community here, the focus, the idealism of it all. But…”
I smiled, proud to see her coming to her own conclusions, not those formed by others. Perhaps she was only voicing her true feelings about all this because she felt more safe with me—which was definitely a good thing—unlike with her peers, who I’m sure Daisy would have a hard time questioning anything with.
“What?” she asked, smiling back at me. “What is it?”
“Nothing. Just content, I guess.”
“You always seem…comfortable in your own skin, like you know exactly who you are.” She shook her head. “And you were in Vietnam, my God. I can’t even imagine—" She stopped walking, letting out a gasp. My senses instantly went on alert.
I looked ahead of us, looking for the reason why, and saw one of the buildings near the eastern side of the commune lit up in flames. What in the hell?
Before I could speak, Daisy backed up into me.
“Oh, my God. Sonny. Look.” She dropped the towel and pointed toward the gates, where a group of six or seven women in white gowns was running. The women looked half-mad, looking over their shoulders, their hair long and scraggly, looking like ghosts from some Victorian gothic novel come to life. They wore no shoes, and I knew that hard ground had to be a son of a bitch on their poor feet.
I turned back to the fire, hearing yells, and spotted Abe. He was pointing toward the gates now, his face a hideous mask of anger.
“Stop them!” Abe grabbed the man next to him and started calling people around him, giving them instructions.
I looked back at the women by the gate and put two and two together. That’s when I grabbed Daisy’s hand and pulled her along with me to the guest house, which was only a few yards away.
“We’re leaving. Now.” Running, I dragged her inside the building and grabbed my bag, not letting Daisy go. Then I looked for the bunk with her stuff on it. A brown leather suitcase with flowers and peace sign stickers on it.
She was frozen with fear. “What?”
“You heard me.” I shoved the few things left on her bed into the suitcase and pulled off the thin blanket that rested at the foot of the bed. “Wrap this around you. It will be cold in the car.
“Sonny?” she whispered.
“We’re leaving.”
“What?”
I picked up her suitcase and looked at her. But I said nothing.
Her blue eyes widened with understanding. “It’s not a good place, is it?”
I shook my head. “No, Daisy girl. It’s not.”
She nodded and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders like a shawl. “Okay.” She let out a shaky breath. “Right. Okay.”
Together, bags packed, my keys in my hand, we hurriedly made it to my car in less than three minutes. I unlocked the passenger side door first, threw the luggage onto the backseat, and watched as Daisy scooted into the car. I shut her safely inside.
Once I got in myself, I started up the Mustang and prayed there’d be no bullshit waiting for us at the gates.
Whatever these people were about, they sure weren’t very smart or organized. The gates were flung open, and
