The Wilds (Reign and Ruin 1) (11 page)

"I wish you'd
stop blaming me for this," Marty said defensively.

"And I wish the
girl was in my care, safe and sound with her necklace wrapped
around my fist. But due to your negligence the Walk has begun in a
manner out of our control."

Cirrus released
a shaky breath and thought of Maggie in Lucky Creek. He thought of
her in Tyler's house, Tyler's long, nimble fingers and a sharp
needle . . .

The rage was
almost too much to bear and Cirrus nearly snarled into the phone,
"Just get me the reinforcements I need."

Cirrus hung up
the phone before Marty could reply.

***

I stood at the front
hall window and watched the sun start to set over the town. I was
wearing the gingham dress. It scratched and smelled of starch. I
had taken a bit of time to carefully gather up the spilled contents
of the box and pack it back away. I had also taken time to see if I
could find any sharp objects in the room that would cause bodily
harm. No such luck.

Tyler peeked
his head around the corner, a hand held over his eyes.

"How do we
look, now?" I watched as he peeked between his fingers like a ten
year old child. He smiled and nodded. "You look perfect. Like a
picture," he gushed, motioning towards to the open door. "Shall we
head out?"

Tyler and I
walked down the sloping hill from the house and out the iron gates,
guided by the lights at the center of the town. Or, I suspect Tyler
was. I was guided by the firm hand pulling on my elbow.

I couldn't see
much of the stores or streets in the dark. What I did see, however,
looked faintly like a quaint New England town my mother and I had
visited to meet the lawyer of my father's will. Mom told me that
she felt very uncomfortable out amongst those "leaf raking,
secret-keeping druggies." Now that life seemed a world away and I
realized with a start this was the first time I had thought of her.
My mom. Was she looking for me or was I just another runaway? I
doubted I would ever know now.

In the town
center everything was lit up with string lights. Tattered pieces of
fabrics hung from every lamp post and every sign pole. A large
stage was set up at the edge of the clearing in front of the town
hall where a group of people sat and played a slow waltz. A few
couples danced in front of the stage, but most were sitting down in
chairs scattered around, watching the few turn themselves in slow
circles.

Everyone seemed
to be dressed in the same clothes that I had seen momentarily at
the train station, but in the spirit of the festival they had all
tied pieces of fabric to their wrists and arms. Besides the music,
there was not much talking and everyone seemed to be in a generally
neutral mood, neither festive nor rebellious.

It was the most
depressing party ever.

Ever.

Tyler marched
confidently into the clearing, his hand keeping a tight grasp on my
elbow. He pushed his way through the crowd and hauled me onto the
stage. We stood listening to the musicians finishing up their
waltz, Tyler humming along cheerily and every so often glancing
down at me. As the music finally faded, Tyler led the few scattered
claps until they died into silence.

Everyone looked
up, their blank eyes flashing in the light. Tyler smiled out at the
townsfolk.

"Greetings on
this wonderfully clear and blissfully warm night! I just want to
take a moment to thank the Committee for all their planning and
hard work. Would you look at these lights? They're wonderful,
aren't they?" A few people clapped again as Tyler beamed into
audience.

"Congratulations on reaching the next anniversary of this town of
Lucky Creek. And we certainly are lucky, aren't we? When this town
was founded, it was merely a scrap heap, like strips of cloth not
yet sewn together. But as we've learned, wonderful things can be
made from piles of rags." Tyler spread his free arm wide, gesturing
to the large city hall. "Like quilters, we sewed this town together
and the end result is a generous and beautiful place that not only
welcomes every weary traveler that passes its door, but comforts
and adopts them as its own."

Tyler turned
and smiled at me. "What a wonderful town we've become when we take
in young girls such as Maggie and make them part of us." He cocked
his head mischievously and winked.

The air was
beginning to get cold and I felt goose bumps prick along my
forearms as the rags hanging in the square started to flap in the
wind.

"We would like
to give you, Maggie, a token of our thanks for allowing us to
demonstrate our hospitality." Tyler gestured towards the top of the
town hall steps where two men stood by a large table. Tyler stepped
off the platform and took my hand. He pulled me towards the table
as the townsfolk leaned forward in their chairs . . .

***

The phone rang again
in Cirrus's workshop. Before he could say anything into the
receiver, Marty was shouting frantically into Cirrus's ear, "My
contact can't find Maggie!"

"What? What
contact do you have there already?" Cirrus asked.

"She isn't at
Tyler's house," Marty continued, completely sidestepping the
question. "Tyler isn't there either. She's disappeared." Marty was
breathing really hard and Cirrus heard a little moan down the line.
"
Shit
," he cursed under his breath. "Sorry boss. Not feeling
my best."

"What is your
point?" Cirrus asked through gritted teeth.

"The Council
refused to get involved. You can descend but you are on your own.
Once I told them Maggie had fallen into the Wilds –"

Cirrus's mouth
drop open. "You told the Council that she was in Lucky Creek?"

"Honestly
Cirrus, if one hair is harmed on her head . . ."

"Watch it,
Martin!"

"You should
know more than anyone that he's mad! And if he has done something
with Maggie, it is nobody's fault but your own! The Walk will be
forfeit." Marty paused. "She's my best friend's niece, Cirrus. And
I'm withdrawing pretty hard, sorry."

Cirrus stared
angrily into the corner of his workshop. The darkness of the night
had allowed him to finally open the curtains, but the world outside
was busy. It was as if the monsters knew that tonight was full of
death.

"Everyone is
someone's someone," Cirrus said finally.

He hung up the
phone angrily and walked rapidly to the door, grabbing his coat
from the hook. So he was on his own. He could already feel the
cloud moving swiftly down. Cirrus hoped he could make it; how much
time did he have before Tyler made his real intentions known and
the whole situation become beyond saving?

***

The table was bare and
the surface was polished. Tyler turned around to face the
townspeople watching from the bottom of the steps. The town hall
stood dark behind us.

"Each year we
get at least one straggler, one misfit who wanders into our midst
hoping for acceptance. And we gladly bring them into a community
praised for its tight-knit families and friendships." He squeezed
my hand. "Maggie, we would like to make you part of Lucky
Creek."

"What do you
mean?" I asked. My heart was beating so fast.

"We would like
to make you a member of the town of Lucky Creek. A citizen, a
local, a resident . . ." Tyler replied, beaming down at me.

"Like a key to
the town or something?"

Tyler laughed
and shook his head.

"No! It's even
better. We want you to join us here for good!" He smiled as if this
was the most generous offer ever given. "Isn't that wonderful?"

"I'm sorry,
Tyler." I spoke slowly and as steadily as I could. My eyes
flickered to the townspeople surrounding us. "You know I can't
stay. I need to find Cirrus, remember? I need to . . . take my
uncle's place."

"The thing
you're looking for is right here in Lucky Creek!" Tyler surveyed
the square. "My town in nearly perfect, as you can well see. But as
Mayor, it is my duty to continually add to its population. To its
charm, you could say. When you fell upon my doorstep, I saw you as
the perfect addition to our little town." Tyler smiled
reassuringly. "It's a good life here, let them tell you."

I looked out at
the blank faces. None of them moved or spoke. Nothing registered in
the emptiness behind their eyes.

"But I need to
go. I can't live here. I need keep moving." Tyler didn't seem to be
paying attention. He idly brushed my braid behind my neck and ran
his finger down the chain of the dreamcatcher. "This necklace,
Tyler. Cirrus will be looking for it. He's looking for me,
too."

"But you must
understand, Maggie, you are the person
I
have been looking
for!" I started to strain against his grip, but he only held on
tighter. The men beside the table began to move around it towards
us. "I told you that I've always wanted something to take care of,
something to spoil. I need a child, you know that." Tyler took my
chin in his hand and forced it up, a bit too hard. "You're pleasant
and I feel we understand each other. You would be the perfect
companion for someone like me."

I jerked my
chin away and yanked my hand from his grasp. Tyler cocked his head
a bit reprovingly.

"Now, Maggie,
I'm giving you a real honor here. I don't let just anyone into this
town. By the time I'm finished it will be perfect, like one of
those porcelain dolls you see kept up on shelves at the store. The
smooth white skin that you always wanted to touch, the soft curled
hair you always wanted to brush and the neatly stitched dress you
always wished would fit you." He laughed and opened his arms to
embrace my full form. "It fits you perfectly! It was made to fit
just you!"

"I bet it also
fit Clara," I countered, backing away. "And Bettie and Elizabeth
and all those other girls you took." The panic was starting to rise
in my throat. I had to get out of there before something horrible
happened. I could feel it creeping up on me like an oncoming storm.
"You can't have another daughter, Tyler. Not another one. Not
me."

I turned
resolutely to run down the steps only to find my escape blocked by
the two men. They grabbed my shoulders and started to pull me back
to Tyler. None of the townspeople moved as I was dragged slowly
forward.

"Stop it,
Tyler! Let me go!" I yelled. "They're hurting me!"

"Oh no, it
won't hurt!" Tyler said reassuringly. "You'll forget you ever had a
life outside of Lucky Creek. It's a whole other world here; a nicer
place devoid of crime and poverty." He felt a bit of my hair
between his fingers and frowned. "That hair could use a curl and
shine. It's a bit mousey. And some rouge on the cheeks." He
gestured to the men, who lifted me up and forced me onto the smooth
table. I started to scream with all my might and kick frantically
against the hands pinning me to the surface. Tyler grimaced and
covered his ears. Some of the townsfolk looked down at their hands,
but most stared ahead unwaveringly.

"Please don't
fuss. You'll spoil yourself." He handed a circle of rope to the men
and my insides turned to ice as the rough weave wrapped around my
ankles and hands. Tyler leaned down from above. His face was like a
grown-up smiling just before applying the stinging antiseptic to a
scrape.

"All these
emotions you're feeling right now will soon be gone and replaced
with something much softer and simpler." He patted my cheek.
"Cotton."

"Cotton?!" I
shrieked, thrashing against the bonds. Tyler nodded calmly.

"Yes, cotton.
But don't worry, you won't feel a thing. You see these nice people
around you? Cotton is all that fills them and look how happy they
are!"

Suddenly, the
blank faces and worn clothes made sense. The emptiness behind the
blackness of their eyes was only that: emptiness. The people that
surrounded me were nothing but dolls, playthings of a madman who
had stuffed them like hunting trophies and sewn back together to
fill in a demented dream of perfection.

"You can't be
serious!" I cried. Tyler's eyes widened in surprise.

"How could I
not be? I need a companion in my upcoming glory days and I'm not
going to flatter myself into thinking I'm going to find a wife.
Better a child to comfort me in my golden years. You have spirit.
And really, did you ever think you would really
win
?" He
just about howled with laughter. It was cruel, mocking and
indulgent. "Once Cirrus finishes the Reign Walk, you won't have any
family. We could help each other."

Tyler leaned
closer and put his mouth to my ear. I cringed as his hot breath
brushed down my neck. "But really, I'm not selfish. It's more than
that. This is my goal, my mission. The world would be such a more
tolerable place if everywhere was like this. No fights, no thefts,
no hate." Tyler stopped to consider. "True, you miss other things,
too. Like love. But really…" He straightened up and winked down at
me. "When was the world ever saved with love?"

He stared out
into the townsfolk and smiled.

"Lucky Creek
will become the supreme example of what a wonderful, docile place
the world could be. And others will follow in my footsteps." His
smile faded. "You can now understand why I got so angry with you
today. You were not supposed to find that paper. If you had
understood what it meant, you might have run away."

The men heaved
up a bag full of tightly-packed cotton and placed beside it a small
metal plate of surgical instruments. They waited behind Tyler. The
shock of the moment swept over me and I fell still. Cold crept
around the edges of my body.

This isn't
happening, this isn't happening . . .

In the silence
of the town square I could almost hear the ticking of that blasted
clock, counting down so loudly it resounded all the way from
Tyler's mansion house.