Page 17 of Bronco

Sara shrugs. “I don’t know, he didn’t say. I would assume it’s about the weekend and where he wants all of us.”

I try not to let the panic show in me, too, but I’m a little easier to read.

“Is that all?” I huff. “We’re busy, I’m sure this can wait.”

“Can I help?” She looks over at our empty baskets, a small frown on her face.

“No,” I say at the same time Erica says, “Of course.”

Sara looks between us both. It’s no secret that Erica and I are close, and I don’t like sharing my time with her with anyone else. She’s the only one in this godforsaken place that’s worth talking to, the fact that she hasn’t ratted me out when I first came to her to tell her my plans, just goes to show you what kind of person she is. We’ve both been brainwashed, but somehow we can see the wood through the trees. I’ve known for a long time she isn’t happy, and she’s been worried about the implications for Olive.

I give Erica a sharp look. “I’m sure Sara can run along and let my brother know you’re with me. It’ll put his mind at ease while we fill our baskets.”

We both know Sara came to spy. I guess we should be grateful it’s not Jude. She’d be all over us like a rash.

“That’s probably best.” Erica smiles and Sara smiles back. My eyes almost roll into the back of my head at how superficial thisall is. How all of us walk on eggshells around one another, afraid to speak freely. But that’s how it is around here. Trust nobody, only each other.

I shoo her with my hand. “Bye now, thanks for stopping by.”

She frowns slightly, then waves and takes off. I look over the wall to make sure she’s really gone.

Erica turns to me. “Did you have to do that?”

“What?” I act as if I’ve no clue what she’s talking about.

“Giving her pause to cause a fuss will only arouse suspicion.”

“Suspicion for what, exactly?” I scoff. “They don’t know what we’re up to. Nobody does.”

“You know how Steven is. If he gets wind of any of this…”

“I think all of this devious behavior is making you more paranoid than normal,” I tell her. “It’ll be fine.”

“So we just hitch a ride with the delivery guy? I don’t think you’ve thought this through.”

“He won’t know. We’ll climb in the back, and if you have any other suggestions, other than scaling the wall, let me know.”

“Oh, my heavens, please do not tell me that’s your next plan?”

“What?” I shrug. “Have you got a better one? The gatekeepers won’t be concerned with him, they don’t even check his truck anymore. Plus, everyone will be so busy with the festival that they won’t notice a thing. Trust me.”

The gatekeepers are just that; two men that sit at the gates situated at the entrance to the village. Their only job is to oversee who comes and goes, maintain order and make sure nobody escapes. They don’t put any of that in the welcome booklet, though.

The men can come and go as they please, of course. Women, however? We can only leave if in the company of our husbands. I’ve only been outside these gates twice in ten years and that waswith Vince by my side when we had to go to the doctors to get tests. That was when we learned I’m basically infertile.

“I just… I know you’re right. I’m just afraid.”

I cup her cheeks, forcing her to look at me. “Erica, we have to do this. You know my brother won’t give Olive an exception and she’ll be married off young, too. They’re both talking about taking on more wives, expanding the compound. Since I can’t give Vince an heir, he wants to take another wife.”

“What?” she whisper-shouts. “A fifth wife?”

“He’s demented,” I say. “The pigs in the mud are of higher status than he is.”

“But how will we survive out there? What will we do for money?”

We’ve already discussed this, but I know she needs reminding from time to time. “I have a little saved from what I’ve managed to stash away when Vince is drunk,” I say. “It’ll be enough to buy a bus ticket to somewhere.Anywhere. We’ll get help, they have refuges and things. I just know we will be okay. We have to have faith. Anything is better than this. Don’t back out on me now, we need to stick together.”

“I’m not,” she whispers. “But you have to promise me, if anything happens and we get split up?—”

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