Chapter 19 (Aronade: age 16/ Mark: age 18 — Katie)
Katie, Mark, and I all wind up in a small hovel in Mison. Katie is too busy sobbing to speak — that or she’s purposefully avoiding answering Mark’s questions. Then, out of nowhere, Kurt walks into the house. My eyes widen in disbelief. I then catch sight of the look on Mark’s face. He looks ashen suddenly.
“Hey! That coat!” I suddenly hear Katie exclaim. She heads straight toward Kurt as though she hadn’t been crying hysterically just moments before.
“It looks just like the one my brother used to have!”
Katie takes Kurt’s arm and lifts it up.
“It even has a rip on the same sleeve.” she notes.
My eyebrows furrow as many thoughts coast into my mind. My eyes return to Mark. His eyes widen into an alarming stare of pure anger. He has already made the connection that I am beginning to make. Mark’s coat. When I met Mark at the complex, he didn’t have a coat. That really didn’t make sense to me at the time because it would have meant that Mark had been running around in the winter air without a coat before he had arrived at the complex. I had rationalized that the person who tried to murder Mark had stolen his coat … I guess I had been right after all. Now it seems that Mark knows what I know — at least part of it anyway. Kurt is the one who tried to kill him. Kurt has also involved himself with Mark’s sister. And Kurt also knows that Mark is back in my life. Mark looks at me accusingly. This is a mess.
I don’t know what Mark will do. I doubt it’s the fact that his life was almost taken from him that has Mark so enraged. It would almost have to be Kurt’s involvement will Katie that has left him furious.
It doesn’t appear that Katie has any idea about Kurt’s murderous connection to her brother. But at the same time, I suspect it wouldn’t matter much to her if she did find out. She would either choose not to believe it in its entirety or make excuses for Kurt’s unseemly behavior. I base this assessment on the fact that she seems to see who Kurt is and approves of him. I could be wrong, and I doubt she would ever admit to it, but she seems more like a devoted fan of his than a starry-eyed child who is being deceived.
But what does Mark think of Katie’s attitude? I have no idea if he sees her the same way I do. He has become somewhat disillusioned with her it seems, but still …
And then there’s me. What must Mark think of me at this point? He must wonder why I didn’t tell him about Kurt sooner … about Kurt trying to murder him that is. I didn’t know about Katie and Kurt until just now. And I only found out about the murder attempt after Mark had already left the complex with Katie. Still, in the short time since I reunited with Mark, I could have mentioned what Kurt had done to Mark … but I hadn’t.
But I have more pressing concerns right now. I figure I have to get Mark out of here before something happens. Kurt is clearly trying to provoke him, and I can’t allow that to happen. I can cast my mind toward things like how Kurt and Katie came to be a couple later when I have the time.
“Mark!” I call out to him. I then position myself, so that I’m blocking him from approaching Kurt. I grab Mark’s arm and attempt to pull him with me, though I realize I don’t have the strength to drag him away by force. I can only hope he’ll let me lead him away.
“Where are you taking my brother?” I hear Katie’s voice lash out in sudden defiance.
I turn a doubtful and frustrated look onto her.
“Where is this sudden concern for Mark coming from?” I wonder to myself.
And yet, is it concern? Katie’s face appears flushed with anger not worry. How quickly her demeanor has changed again! And yet, Kurt is consistent; he appears unabashedly amused.
“Why don’t you answer your sister’s question, Mark?” Kurt shouts out derisively. “What’s with you? You going to abandon her again?”
Mark just glares at Kurt.
“What? Can’t speak? Answer me, fool.”
“I’m not going to answer that question.” Mark informs him.
“Interesting that you don’t want to answer that question.” Kurt retorts.
“Not really. It’s invasive and insulting.”
“I need some air.” I quickly relate to Mark. “Can you hear me?” I ask him.
Mark has a serious look on his face. He nods assent to my question, and yet I can tell by the look in his eyes that he has questions of his own — for me. I think that is what is driving Mark when he follows me out the door. He does cast a look of disapproval at his sister before he goes, however. Her face doesn’t alter from its angry scowl.
I walk quickly once I get past the threshold of the door. I want to get as far away from the house as I can before Mark stops me. I don’t want Kurt, or Katie for that matter, listening in. I don’t make it all that far before Mark’s voice arrests me.
“Oh well, I guess I’ll have to whisper,” I think.
“Where are you going?” he asks me.
“Nowhere.” I say, turning back to him.
Mark shifts on his feet and eyes me suspiciously.
“I wanted to get a little distance away, so we could talk without anyone listening in.”
Mark just looks at me silently. He seems to be waiting for me to say something more — possibly for me to offer up an explanation. The problem is I don’t really know where to begin. Mark turns and stares off into the distance.
“I can see why you’d be angry.” I admit. “The question is why are you angry with me?”
“I’m not.” he states without looking at me. “So, what do you know about him?” Mark asks me.
“I met him after you left. He was the one — the one behind the music box. I figure you realize now about the coffin.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t think you had any reason to know him. I had no idea he was involved with your sister. I had just as soon have kept the two of you separated. I may have eventually said something … but I didn’t want you to confront Kurt. And I knew Kurt, once aware of you, might start fixating on you again. He might also get back into my business. But apparently, Kurt has never lost interest in messing with your life.”
Mark grimaces.
“I’m sorry.” I say. “I wish now I had told you about him.”
“You didn’t know … about Katie. And I was too ashamed to tell you.”
Mark places his hand on my arm. I look down at his hand.
“I wonder how much she knows.” Mark adds.
I’m assuming he’s referring to his sister. I think of suggesting we ask her, but then it occurs to me she might not tell him the truth. That would be awkward. What if Mark believed her, and I didn’t? This thought makes me realize how little I want to be involved in this family drama. And yet, since Kurt has already inserted himself into their lives, I, because of my association with Kurt, am already involved.
“How did Kurt get involved with your sister?” I hear myself asking.
I had grown accustomed to talking freely with Mark back at the complex. I hadn’t really felt that anything had been off-limits then. Though I was reticent to get into my living situation since it was so odd, I still trusted him more than I did anyone else. So, it hadn’t occurred to me to censor myself now.
“How is that any of your business?!” I hear a voice angrily exclaim.
I hadn’t seen Katie lurking in the shadows earlier. She must have come around from the front, I figure, since I didn’t notice the back door open. I look for Kurt briefly, but I don’t see him with her.
Mark looks on his sister with dismay as she approaches us. I can see the grief in his eyes despite the fact that there is little light outside.
“Why are you disclosing stuff about our life to her?!” Katie accuses Mark bitterly.
I have to wonder if part of her outrage isn’t just for show. Instead of having to defend her relationship with Kurt, whatever that is, she is going on the offensive instead. It also occurs to me that she may have stepped forward when she did in order to interrupt the conversation I was having with Mark. It is possible she doesn’t want me to know the answer to that question. It could be there’s something to the story — something she wants to hide about Kurt. It could also be that I did, in fact, intrude upon her and Mark’s personal life and should have stayed out of it. I redden under Katie’s fierce gaze. I really wish I weren’t already on her bad side. I don’t want her anger to come between Mark and me.
But it appears to be too late for me to make a good impression on Katie. Maybe it always was. After all, I have no idea how long Katie has known Kurt. Was it before or after I met Kurt myself?
“Back off.” Mark advises Katie once she gets within a few feet of me.
“But Mark!” Katie whines.
“What is your problem?” Mark snaps.
“She shouldn’t be in our business.” Katie grits her teeth.
“We’ll talk about this later.” Mark warns her. “We have a lot to discuss.”
“Why not now?!” Katie protests when Mark starts to turn away from her. “Come on, Mark! Stop!” Katie protests. “You’re just so negative these days! People aren’t as mean as you seem to think. They are just doing their best to solve real problems!”
“Real problems?” Mark repeats with skepticism in his voice.
“Yes. I happen to believe that they are real. And so do a lot of people. Aronade’s brother being one!”
I am surprised by this mention of my brother.
“And Kurt being another …” Mark responds.
Katie makes a face.
“So?” she begins.
“That’s where you met Aronade’s brother, isn’t it?”
Katie huffs.
“What? Have you given up on the world, Mark?”
“The world gave me up a long time ago.”
“Well, I haven’t given up on this world even if you have!” Katie explodes.
“He’s filling your head with pipedreams. There’s no future in that world for you!”
“That’s what you think! There’s a way out of here. You’re just mad because you can’t do it … but Kurt can.”
“He’s lying to you!”
“And why would he do that?!”
“He’s using you … to get at me … to get at Aronade.”
Katie rolls her eyes.
“Yeah, right. The two of you are so important! It’s all about you!!”
I can see the disapproval of Katie in Mark’s eyes. He doesn’t even bother to hide it. Katie begins to spit as she talks, flying into some sort of rage. Mark just stands there motionless … staring at her. Eventually, Katie’s anger seems to exhaust her.
She groans.
“Why don’t you just go back home, Mark?!” Katie demands. “You aren’t needed here.”
“I have to look out for you for our parents’ sake. You know Dad is ill …” Mark eventually responds.
“I’m so — so sick of hearing that! And what am I supposed to do?! Wait around there for him to die?!”
“Katie, that’s macabre.”
“No, what’s macabre is waiting for someone to die or constantly bringing up someone’s impending death to get other people to do what you want! I have no life there, and I can’t have a life there! At least here I can get something for myself before all my opportunities vanish … before someone else takes them …”
“I didn’t save you for this …”
“Oh, here we go again. You didn’t save me at all! I didn’t need to be saved! Kurt is the only one who has truly helped me — he saved me!”
Unexpectedly, Katie suddenly spins and glares at me. She seems to be directing her anger at me again.
“You enjoying yourself?” she confronts me.
I think to deny it — until I see the look on Mark’s face. He is upset that Katie is yelling at me again. And then I realize that that is probably the point. Katie is done talking to Mark and wants an excuse to break off talking with him. I look between the two of them.
“Go ahead and leave if you’re set to.” I tell her in a low tone.
She looks surprised and her face flushes.
“Don’t tell me what to do.” she mutters in an equally low tone. “You wouldn’t understand. You’re not one of us. You don’t have to live like this!” Katie blasts me.
I find her statement ironic on many grounds. Clearly, I’m not one of the elites. Not only am I not genetically one, but I don’t really fit in with them either. They don’t know to what extent I’m not one of them … but I’m clearly not. And quite frankly, I don’t want to be … But now I’m being told that because I’m being forced to live with the elites that I can’t belong with the rest of humanity either. So be it, if that’s true. These arbitrary groups and labels really don’t appeal to me. Katie is a good example. She may be deemed one of the masses by the elite, but I suspect she relates more to the elite and to Kurt in particular.
“And it’s your fault! I was abducted because of you!”
I look at her stunned. She is shaking.
“Did you hear me?!” she stammers.
I shift my weight awkwardly. It’s true. But does she know the reason why? Has Kurt told her my secret? And what harm could this spiteful girl do if she indeed has that information?
“Go inside, Katie.” Mark directs her. “I’m going to take Aronade home, but I’ll be back soon … Oh, and I want Kurt gone by the time I get back.”
“You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not my father!!”
“No, but you are staying with Tante Grace. I can have a conversation with her, if you’d like.”
Katie bites her lip and grows silent. Then, she storms off. It isn’t until she leaves that it occurs to me that maybe I overstepped when I proposed that she go.
“I’m sorry.” I tell Mark. “I shouldn’t have inserted myself into the situation.”
Mark kind of shrugs. He appears tired. I feel compassion for him. I wish there were something I could do.
“We should get you back.” Mark tells me.
Mark turns from the house then quickly guides me away. I could tell by the look on Katie’s face that she thinks this isn’t over. And with Kurt involved, I’m inclined to believe it.
“I worry for you.” I tell Mark as we walk.
He looks over at me questioningly.
“Doesn’t he attend the same school as you?” he asks me. “And spend the rest of his time at the Instructor’s house?”
“Well … yes. “
“Then, it seems you’re the one who’s in danger.”
“But he’s at your house … visiting.” I remind him.
“I can handle that.” Mark assures me. “It’s time my tante and I set some boundaries for Katie. And if I have to get my parents involved, I will.”
I look off to the side, unsure if what Mark is planning to do will work.
I have to admit I’m still smarting from Katie’s rebuke. I also didn’t enjoy being accused of meddling. I want to distance myself from that accusation. And yet, I find myself caught in an awkward position. I am clearly invested in what happens to Mark. And now with Kurt involved …
I am tempted to confront Kurt when I next see him. But I know that’s the last thing that Katie would want. Actually, now that I think about it, perhaps that was the real reason she yelled at me. Maybe she was hoping to scare me away from Kurt, so I wouldn’t interfere in their relationship. It is a possibility worth considering.
And then there is Kurt … would confronting him do any good or just make a messy situation worse? There is more than a slight possibility that Kurt is wanting to create drama, and that the more I engage him the deeper I’ll be sucked in. The only real question is whether or not he will leave me alone no matter what I do. Whether it is the reason behind all of Kurt’s actions with Katie or not, Kurt has inserted himself into my relationship with Mark. I almost wish his feelings for Katie were genuine, and that her relationship would be enough for him — that he had no interest in Mark or me. But I seriously doubt that’s the case. No, I am almost certain he has an agenda again — one he’s unlikely to just walk away from.
And with the Instructor gone, there doesn’t appear to be anyone who can intimidate Kurt enough to get him to back off either. Though it doesn’t appear the Instructor was aware of Kurt’s actions the last time he took to scheming, just the fear of the Instructor finding out had caused Kurt to withdraw. Now, who knows what would.
I look over at Mark. He appears to be deep in thought as well. It is nice just being next to him, I think. I look back in front of me. We had taken the tram, and I hardly noticed the other people on it like I usually did. I credit Mark for that. He makes me feel better, I conclude. It’s nice to have someone on my side again. I hope Kurt doesn’t take that away from me. I frown.
We aren’t far away from the Instructor’s house now. I wonder if Kurt will be inside. There is nothing I can do about that either way. As we approach the gate, I stop. Mark stops moments later.
“Thank you for taking me home.” I tell him.
“I want you to find someone in that house other than Kurt before I leave.” Mark suddenly informs me.
I acquiesce. I head into the house. I manage to find Fraulein Blankenship making herself some tea in the kitchen. I then head back outside to tell Mark.
“I’m assuming she’ll do something if there’s trouble …”
“I don’t see why she wouldn’t … I could also stay at the gardener’s shed …”
He nods.
“That probably would be best.”
I reach out my hand to him. He takes my hand in his and applies a reassuring pressure to my fingers. I smile.
“Good night.” I tell him. “I hope I see you again soon …”
“I’ll come back to check on you tomorrow morning before you go back to school.” he offers.
I am relieved. Mark nods once more then turns and leaves. I watch him until he disappears. Then, I head toward the shed.
The next morning Mark is waiting for me as he said he would. Apparently, things didn’t go any better with Katie after he returned the night before.
Mark tells me, “After we had argued for quite awhile, I said, ‘I’m done.’
‘What? What did you say?’
‘You heard me — I’m done.’
‘Done with what? You don’t mean me?!’
I averted my eyes. Katie stood there dumbstruck for a moment. Then, her lip began to quiver.
‘You don’t mean that!’
By the tone of Katie’s voice, it almost sounded as though she didn’t want it to be true. And yet, that seemed to be what she had been pushing for all the time that I’d been in Mison.
‘Yes, I do. I have to let you go. I can’t hang on to you any longer.’
‘Just because I had sex …’
I glared at her.
‘Mom and Dad won’t like what you’re saying to me. They won’t like it if you abandon me again.’
‘Abandon you? I found you.’
‘No, Kurt did. He saved me. You were too busy with *her* to keep looking for me. When Kurt told me to hide in that building, I was skeptical that you would even show up for me there. But then, he explained that you’d come there because of her … because you wanted to help her with her past. And sure enough, he was right.’
Tears, probably caused by self-pity, began to stream from her eyes. I was tempted to dispute her accusation that I didn’t care about her — that I hadn’t put her first. Instead, I shook my head in disbelief.
‘It’s true. You could have found me faster if you had tried harder … if you hadn’t been distracted by Aronade.’
‘I’m sorry for what happened to you, and even more so about the person you’ve become, but I’m not going to let you play off of me anymore. I’m not going to be used by you, so you can keep Kurt’s interest.’
‘What — what are you talking about …? If you really thought that was true, then why didn’t you bring it up before?’ Katie charged.
‘As if you would have believed me if I had said anything.’
‘Kurt loves me.’ Katie insisted.
‘Then, you don’t need my protection or my interference. You certainly don’t have any use for me as your brother. So, I figure it must be Kurt that’s motivating you to interact with me. He enjoys playing games with me, so that gives you an advantage with him over other girls. But I’m not going to be used that way anymore. I won’t bother to tell you again what I think of him. Do you really believe he’ll share his longevity with you? That the elite will ever accept you? I don’t share your self-delusion.’
‘Well, he slept with me, so that means he doesn’t think he’s better than I am.’ Katie rasped.
I rolled my eyes despite myself.
‘So, it’s clear you won’t believe me.” I told her. “And, suffice it to say, I’m sick of this rage that I’m feeling all the time — towards Kurt, towards you, towards this whole sick world you’ve chosen. If you want this life so badly, you can have it. But I want out. I can’t save you from it, but I can save myself — with God’s help anyway.’
Katie started to rant and to spit again. Then, I walked out.”
“So, what happens now with your sister?”
“I can’t control her.” he resigns himself. “I’m liable to be arrested if I try. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I should go back home. I’d hate to have to tell my parents … but I seem to be making the situation worse by staying around here. Maybe my tante can handle her if I leave. Maybe Kurt will lose interest …”
“So you’re leaving?!” I ask him.
I try to hide it, but I feel crestfallen.
“You could come with me.” he offers.
I look down, fighting back the tears.
“We have the same problem we had before. The Instructor won’t let me go.”
My lip begins to quiver as I am talking, so I bite down on it.
“Well … I won’t make a decision right away.” Mark finally concedes. “In the very least, I have to talk to my tante first. I’ll let you know what I decide. Come back here at the end of the week. I’ll camp out here until you can make it back.” He pauses. “I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll stay. There may be some good I can do here after all.”
I nod but am still feeling dismal. And yet, I have to admit I am relieved that there’s still hope Mark could stay.
Even when he parts from me, I feel like I’ll see him again. I think he was being honest with me when he told me he didn’t intend to leave without saying good-bye to me first.
I don’t want to go back to the school. Thinking, once again, about leaving town with Mark has left me even more impatient with that place. And then there’s the fact I don’t know what will happen when I return there. I may even be placed under house arrest.
Copyright © Jennifer Alice Chandler 2020
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