Chapter 40 ― Malachi
Malachi had been reassigned to the cotton fields. Usually, only the younger boys were assigned to be out in the sun all day picking, but this was his punishment, he was sure. It was still early September, and the real picking would not be done for another month. Only a few were chosen to pick the scattered burst of opened pods in the hot desert heat.
As the sun beat down on him, his straw hat did nearly nothing to protect him from the scorching heat. He and a small group of boys picked the early cotton blooms. He thought again about Jonathan and Luna. He had planned to see Jonah, but that had been thwarted when he was called before the elders and been given his punishment.
They hadn’t said specifically it was a punishment, but a reassignment. That he was no longer needed at the market. Of course, he wasn’t needed, he’d been replaced.
Dust kicked up as the front gate opened, and the men drove back into the community from the market. It would be almost time for him to quit. He wiped his brow on his already wet sleeve and continued to pick cotton from each open pod and place it into the sack that hung around his shoulder.
Off in the distance, Jonah was coming his way. He stood up straight and felt the tension in his back. He’d been bent over for far too long. Picking cotton was painstaking work. He’d done it from the time he was fourteen to sixteen. Every boy in the community did for those two years of their lives. But he was not a boy anymore.
Malachi walked to the edge of the field and waited for Jonah to reach him. If it was even him that Jonah was coming to see. Either way, he planned to confront him. He looked back at the other workers. They were scattered off in the vast fields. He walked toward Jonah.
“What have you done? Abigail may die because of you,” Malachi accused.
“It was not me, brother. I had nothing to do with it. When I got to the building, Thomas was already there.”
“Then, why?”
“Elder Joseph did not speak of it. Not one word. Perhaps it was the long stay in the bathroom?”
“Perhaps.” Elder Joseph had mentioned his ailing stomach. “But now what? Abigail has been cut off. When I went to see her, the vent has been boarded up. She will not live long with no food or water, let alone the small bit of sunlight. I must act soon. With or without help.”
Jonah reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, but he wasn’t sure exactly what he was looking at.
“It’s a map,” Jonah said.
“Where did you get this, and what good will a map of our own community do?”
“Here.” Jonah pointed to the part of the fence that ran behind the crude drawing of the High Prophet’s home. A yellow crown was drawn over the top of a rough resemblance of a house. “This is where you will meet them. Tonight. At midnight. They will come with shovels to dig right here.” He pointed to an “X” on the map.
“Why right behind the home of the High Prophet? Is it not dangerous to be so close?”
“I asked that. The girl said they would need to be as close as they can to the power box and where Abigail is being held. She said you will meet with them to be certain everything goes as planned and then you will cut the power. They are hoping you have a way to cut the power and get the girl out. If not, she has a . . . how did she say it? An alternate plan.”
“I think I have a way to do both. Thank you, brother. I will not forget you.”
“You are welcome. I would like to join you, but the risk is too great.”
“I understand. And thank you again.”
They shook hands, and Malachi headed back to the work building where he emptied his bag into the huge cotton bin and poured a drink of water. He would have to see Daniel as quickly as he could. But how he would get word to him, he did not know.
Chapter 41 ― Abigail
Without the small amount of light provided by the vent, Abigail had no idea whether it was night or day, and the smell in the room was becoming toxic. She had no idea how much time had passed. Abigail felt lethargic. She could not keep her eyes open even for a moment. She tried to have hope as Daniel had told her, but she would rather just quit pretending she was going to be rescued and go ahead and die. She didn’t blame Daniel and Malachi. They meant well trying to save her, but there was nothing they could do. She closed her eyes.
“Abigail,” came a muffled voice. “Abigail, can you hear me?”
She didn’t want to hear him. She closed her eyes and cried.
“Abigail!” he said. “Please. They are coming tonight. I need to get word to Daniel.”
Abigail sat up. Could it be true? “Malachi?” She moved closer to the door.
“Yes. It is me. I need you to get word to Daniel. The others will be here at midnight. He must have the key by then.”
“He does. He has the key,” Abigail responded. “But what about the chain?”
“We will break it away once they are here. Be ready, Abigail. I must go. I will be back.”
She didn’t want to hope that she would soon be released. Even so, energy built up inside her. They were coming. Luna and Jonathan were coming. If they could free her, she would see her sister. And her nephew.
Abigail stood and went to the bag of food Daniel had brought to her. The one she had decided she would not eat. She opened it and
