6.
The boys did not come backthat night, though I don’t know that any of us were expecting them to.It was not until the sun peeked through the trees, and I awoke from a deep slumber, dreaming of slaughtered goats, that we heard word of them.
“They went off with my nephew to see what they could do about the tire,” John Jacques said in the dining room.Even now, at eight in the morning, he was in full-blown Mime makeup.It was extremely unnerving.
There was one other family in there with us.They stared at Brother Al, whose skin was liberally coated with suntan lotion, and Nagi, who looked like he was in a wedding veil.
“Wish they would have come into the room and talked to us before they left,” I said.
Nagi and I looked at one another, an air of discomfort between us.
“Probably figured it would be better to get everything done and over with early,” John Jacques said.“I’m sure they’ll be back soon.When I hear word from my nephew, I’ll let you know.In the meantime.Can I offer you some breakfast?”
“I am on a diet,” I said, the words spilling out of my mouth quickly.
“I want some of that,” Brother Al said, pointing, his nose twitching.
“Ah, our tartare aller-retour,” John Jacques said.“You know, I learned the recipe for this from Sorbonne.Of course, it’s got my own unique flavorings and spices.And we source our own meat.All hand-picked, home grown, farm to table.”
“Now now, Brother Aleister.Consider your constitution,” Nagi said.
“I have considered it,” Brother Al said.“This is the first time in months I’ve smelled anything remotely appetizing, and I want some of it.Stacey.My hands aren’t working well this morning.You’ll need to spoon feed me.”
I bent down to him, whispering with a manic grin on my face.
“You throw this up on me and I’m rolling you outside and leaving you there in the noonday sun.”
“Acceptable terms,” Brother Al said.“Now feed me.I’m hungry.”
I watched, revolted, as he took trembling, sloppy, toothless bite after toothless bite of ground meat, savoring it and oohing and aahing the entire time.This was not what I’d had in mind for how this trip was going to go.After a bit, I had to swap out with Nagi and run to the bathroom, vomiting into the basin.I stood again, running water and flushing my waste down the drain, and stared at my pale face in the mirror.
“Stacey,” I said to myself.“What have you gotten yourself into?What would your parents think?Are you thinking right now?This could go so wrong…”
It took me a few minutes to compose myself, but Brother Al seemed perky enough when I left the bathroom.
“I feel like an entirely new person,” Brother Al said when he was done.“I might even have the energy to take in the sights.Is there a tour of the grounds we can take?”
“Such a good mood,” Nagi said.“That’s… unexpected.”
“Perhaps some adequate nutrition is what I needed,” Brother Al said.“Excuse me.Mr.Mime.Can you show us the grounds?”
“You want to see the land around here?”John Jacques asked.“Mmmm.We’ve got a lot of it all barricaded.Had some property damage—local kids, you understand.Up to no good.Might not be able to go wherever we want.”
“Regardless,” Brother Al said.“It would be a journey.Isn’t that why we go on trips?To explore?To see what we may?”
“Such a good mood,” Nagi said, face twisted.
“Well, I don’t suppose a little behind the scenes would hurt too bad,” John Jacques said.“I guess we’ll go hit the kitchen first.”
“Stacey, you’ll accompany me,” Brother Al said.
“One second,” I said, pulling Nagi to the far corner.
“I’m going to try and find the other two,” Nagi said to me.“While you explore what can be seen here.”
“I don’t think we should split up,” I said.
“Remember what I said about daytime and nighttime?”Nagi asked.“Predators know how predators operate.You’re safest in the daylight.Besides.If anything happens, perhaps Brother Al will rise to the occasion.”
