"Yes, Ms. Lawton," I muttered, moving into place.
Deenah and Helah offered me one last smile, then headed up the hall. They'd be there, likely eating their evening meal, when I said my vows. Everyone would be. Today's group of weddings were the first of many, but the elders had made enough of this day that no one would dare miss it.
Then Ms. Lawton clapped her hands twice. "Ladies! You will follow me to the entrance of the dining hall. There, we will pause until your name is called. When you are allowed to enter the dining hall, make your way straight to your intended. You will stand on his right, facing him, and wait for the rest to get into place." She waited for us to all nod, showing we understood.
Then she continued, "When the vows are offered, you will repeat the words - or not. Saying nothing will not prevent your marriage, though. It might get you punished. Next, your intended will repeat his words. When the vows are done, you will be pronounced married, and your new husband will kiss you."
"I'm not ready..." the girl beside me whimpered.
I reached over for her hand. "We'll be okay. If not, we'll go to the women's facilities tomorrow to seek help."
"We will?" Ms. Lawton asked, hearing me.
Standing a little taller, I lifted my voice. "The wives who helped me dress said someone will be in there all day. They're doing their best to make sure anyone who needs help - for any reason - will have it."
"Thank you, Callah," Ms. Lawton said. "Now, I need all of you to take a very deep breath." She did the same, showing us how it was done. "And now push it out. Let your fear go with it. We are women. We are strong enough to handle this. We are faithful and obedient, but also resilient. Today is merely ourfirstchance to prove it."
"Amen," a girl whispered, making the rest of us repeat the word hopefully.
"Now, follow me," Ms. Lawton ordered.
She turned, marching forward with her spine straight and her chin up. I did my best to mimic her pose, and I wasn't the only one. The sound of our dresses rustling was loud. Never before had any of us been allowed in clothes this lavish. The excess material would be passed to the next girl who needed it, but for today, we looked like angels.
Then, one by one, our names were called and we each headed into the dining hall to join our intended. From our place by the door, I could see the men arranged in a loose block. There, on the far left, Tobias stood a head taller than the rest, but his dark and crisp clothing was a new thing.
It fit him well, which I hadn't expected. It also made him look even bigger than normal. His broad chest was made visible by the white shirt and the charcoal coat he wore over it. His pants matched the coat, setting him apart from the other suitors in the group.
"And now you, Callah," Ms. Lawton said, leaving me for last. "Be safe, child."
"Ms. Lawton..." I paused before her. "Thank you. For everything."
"Oh, you're not getting rid of me so easily," she promised. "Now go, before the whispers start. And let them all see you, Mrs. Warren."
The sound of my new name made me rock in place. In minutes, I would give up the name Atwood and take his. I would soon be Callah Warren, and yet, I liked it. The sound of it worked, and Tobias wouldn't treat me as his possession, would he?
Not that I could do anything about it if he tried.
So I stepped forward, keeping my head high. A few of those pink flowers were clutched in my hand, the last of the bouquet my intended had brought back last week. I held them before me, allowing everyone to see how spoiled I already was.
But when a man moved toward him, my feet faltered. For a moment, he spoke to Tobias, but that wasn't what caused my hesitation. It was the length of wood he passed to my intended. The thing had to be at least three feet long, and it was thick. Yes, Tobias's fingers fit all the way around it, but would mine?
A rod. I knew what it was, and I'd seen plenty, but none made my stomach twist the way this one did. If I made a mistake, that was meant to punish me. It would leave bruises and could break bones. For a man, it was a sign he was now a full member of Righteous society. For me, it was a threat, but I couldn't show my fear. I refused! So without slowing, I moved to Tobias's right.
"Callah..." he said, tucking the long rod into his belt with a strange twist to his lips. "You look lovely in yellow."
"And you are handsome in your suit." My eyes shifted to the weapon he was now wearing.
He quickly glanced away. Oddly, that helped. I couldn't be sure if it was my concern or my compliment, but the hint of shyness was enough to remind me that while this man was largeand strong, he was alsogentle.He didn't want to be a killer. He had no interest in harming me. I simply had to keep him happy, and I might even be safe with him.
But behind him, a girl was whispering to her own intended. I thought it sounded like the same one who'd been beside me in line. Her voice was creeping higher, not in volume but rather pitch, as if she was starting to panic.
My own heart was starting to race. I was sure my palms were clammy, but the flowers helped with that. Thankfully, Mr. Cassidy stepped forward then, wrapping the cloth around his neck to show he was acting as the minister for this.
"Today," he called out, "we celebrate the song of the seven trumpets with this offering to God. Ten young couples are joining together in holy matrimony. Ten new families will begin today, just as our own community was called together so long ago by those trumpets."
I knew this story, as did every other person who'd heard Mr. Cassidy's sermons in school. The seven trumpets had been the sign for us to retreat into the compound, escaping the fall of the world above. Every year, we offered our thanks to God for protecting us. To wed on this day was a sign of change and hope. I bowed my head and let my eyes close, thinking my own prayer while Mr. Cassidy droned on.
I will be okay. I will survive marriage, use this time with my friend to plan our escape, and together we will defeat the evils of this place. If God is real, He should help me. If God is good, He should guide me, because if He doesn't, then God must be none of those things, and destroying this will be the righteous thing to do anyway.
