Page 4 of Axton
I sniffled. “How long will it take to get us to Utah?”
Koty glanced at me then back to the road. “We’re not stepping foot in Utah. I’m also not sending for Maggie. I will send for our mothers when we are ready, but you will soon learn that I am not responsible for that little girl. I’ve never touched her and she’s not legally my wife.”
I wiped away my tears with my sleeves. “What? Of course you are married to Maggie.”
Koty glanced at me again. “You better get ready, because your mind is about to be blown.”
“What does that mean?” I was scared as I saw familiar landmarks fly by us, Koty was driving fast, like he couldn’t get us away fast enough.
“Our father is not a prophet, the marriages are not real, and Jeremy is using our community for unlawful things. You are not meant to marry God’s soldier, and there’s this thing called DNA. You’re unusual for our family, but some things skip generations. Papas grandmother had your hair and your height. You are not an angel sent from God, you just inherited the genes of a forgotten ancestor. You can have faith and be a good person, while not believing the lies you’ve been fed. I have been working on our escape for two years now. I know it’s hard to understand, to throw all the beliefs aside, but I need you to trust me. The men in our family and in our faith are not good men. I was forced to marry Maggie because two years ago I still feared the consequences of not complying. If they go to jail for child molestation then let it happen. I couldn’t do it, the thought made me sick. She’s practically a baby, Belle. You have to understand why I couldn’t touch her. I cannot be a husband to a child.”
My heart raced. “You lied to papa. You’re leading me to sin.” I always thought I would be happy to leave, but now that it was happening, I was scared. What if papa was right and I burned in hell for an eternity?
“I’m taking you to a normal life, Belle. I believe in God, but I do not believe in false prophets. Our papa truly believed he was a prophet because it’s what was taught to him by his elders, but there are a lot of things wrong. Little girls being married off to old men, to men who already have several wives. You don’t know the real world, Belle. You might have an education, but a community college campus has not prepared you. I know you’ve seen it, you’ve had conversations with people. It’s not normal for a man of ninety five years to have children as young as us. To have wives as young as our mothers. It happens, but it’s rare.”
I was scared and couldn’t control my tears. “Why did you take me? You’ve stolen me from papa and my mama.”
“Because you’re the only one I can save, Belle! You’re my little sister, the rest are committed to the faith and soon Jeremy. He does not have good intentions.”
“Where are you taking me?” I again wiped my tears with my sleeves.
“I’m taking you somewhere safe, that’s all you need to know.”
My brother, my best friend. He betrayed papa, and he was taking me into a life of what could have been sin. He was right, I knew nothing of the outside world. I felt like prey that was being fed to a world of sharks. Not only was I afraid of the outside world, a shunning was bad enough, but Jeremy was a dangerous man. I could sense it when he was near.
“I’m taking you somewhere safe, I promise. Jeremy is not a good man. He shares his bed with women that are not of our faith.Sometimes it’s more than one at a time. He doesn’t marry them first. I’ve followed him and I’ve seen it for myself. If he gets his hands on you, he will force you to marry him. If you refuse, he will not make life easy on you. Something you don’t know, Belle. Papa is very wealthy. It may not show by the lifestyle he lives, but he has left it all to your husband. He truly believes you are meant to marry the early image of God’s greatest soldier.”
I shook my head. “No, papa keeps no wealth. He lives modestly just as he has preached. He uses every dime to convert sinners and save their souls.”
“Papa has invested wisely, not just with his own wealth but our ancestors. Whoever you marry will become a very wealthy man, this is why Jeremy wants you as a legal wife. If anything happens and we become separated, please promise me you will not marry him. Not in the eyes of God and especially not by law. Promise me, Belle.”
Why would I have made that promise to someone who stole me from mama and Papa? I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. He was possibly leading me to a life of sin. Despite the fact I always wanted to be free, I wasn’t prepared. I feared my own mind and the things I always wanted, because they were sinful. What if I couldn’t control my desires like I did for so long back home? “We’re supposed to be going to Utah. Take me to Utah and I’ll make that promise.” I needed more time.
“I need you to trust me, Belle! Have I ever steered you wrong? Please Belle, just do it for me. Don’t ever marry Jeremy.”
“You’re driving too fast. You’re scaring me, Koty. You’re telling me lies and not taking me to Utah like papa said.” I was shaking, it was the fear of what he just told me. I didn’t know about the world he spoke of, I couldn’t survive without my family and thepeople I trusted. I wanted freedom but I also wanted to keep my mama near.
He glanced at me, and I notice there was a blinding light from the rear-view mirror. “Dammit, Belle! Do you promise?” He was becoming nervous as he squinted from the blinding light.
I gasped, the use of foul language threw me off balance. The fear of what was behind me and what was ahead of me was overpowering.
“I love you, Belle. You’re my sister and everything I am doing is for you.” He cried.
“What about your wife?” I screamed at him as he pressed on the gas and peered into the rear view mirror again.
“I can’t take her with us, Belle. It’s not that easy, she’s a minor. I am not legally married to her, and I can’t save her! I don’t know how to make you understand! If Jeremy gets caught doing the things he does, the feds are going to raid that compound! She’s a faithful girl and wouldn’t understand. The last thing we need is the law coming for us!”
“Compound?” I was so confused.
“It’s a cult, Belle! Papa is the leader of a cult and it’s not just illegal for men to touch girls that young, it’s disgusting! It’s sex with children and forcing them to give birth to children when they’re still children themselves!”
“Our papa and brothers don’t know better, Koty!”
“Promise me, Belle. Promise me that you will never marry him!” Koty turned the wheel and slid off to a country road.
“Koty, please slow down!” The other trucks were trying to drive up beside us.
“Promise me, Belle!” Koty screamed.
