Breaking the Chains. William T Blake
for her. Was it really only a few days ago when she had fleetingly felt normal while celebrating her fifteenth birthday?
Amidst all these conflicting emotions, Maggie heard the resonance of lively music playing in the near distance. She followed the sounds until she came across a large assembly of people, singing and dancing in the street and seemingly having fun. A crowd was gathering around them and Maggie was soon drawn in. She stood watching for a while and gradually became comfortable enough to join in with clapping to the rhythm and humming to the words. One of the young men from the group walked over to her introducing himself as Murray and asked her name. Giving just her first name while raising her voice above the music she enquired, "Are you part of this group and what do you do?"
“We’re part of a group who live together in a commune of peace and harmony. We come into town several times a month to encourage others to join us and experience the love and joy that is available to all mankind.” Sensing an opportunity, Murray took Maggie by the hand escorting her to a quieter side of the street. There they could hear each other talk without having to compete with the loud music. Continuing he said “You look so lost and all alone, do you have somewhere to go, a place to sleep?”
Maggie immediately realized that this may just be the answer to her current predicament. The streets were a hard place to live, she’d already experienced those few days in a derelict building with little food and no comfort to speak of. She had been lucky so far, could it last this time? Maybe she wasn't street smart enough to continue until she found a job that would enable her to rent a decent room somewhere. Surviving would be very difficult with little money and no job and no idea as to how she was to go about getting either. Keeping up the lies would be yet another challenge.
“No, I've nowhere to go.” she replied seizing the opportunity and hastily asked, “Can I join you?”
This was to be the beginnings of a journey that would last for several years. Maggie would learn more in the area of failed promises and human shame to add to her already dismal record. Determined to get tougher and smarter with the intention that little, if anything would ever get to her again. She would become her own person with her own rules. Maggie at fifteen years of age was already paving a path that would lead to her eventual destruction.
The singing and dancing continued on and as time grew late the crowds dispersed and the group packed up and headed to a brightly lit car park where they boarded an old run-down bus.
Once on board they headed out of the city into suburbia and beyond the metropolitan area. Maggie had a window seat and could see the landscape changing to open fields and bush with little established housing. "The commune must be some way out in an isolated location" she thought to herself.
The joviality and good humor of the group continued until the bus approached a vast property stuck in the middle of nowhere. The remoteness pleased Maggie as she figured it would be beyond the normal parameters of any police search for missing people. A secure place to develop a new identity without the necessity of always looking behind her, and living with the uncertainty of being recognized as a missing person.
The bus traveled up a narrow, winding driveway finally stopping in front of a large barn-style structure. Exiting the bus they entered straight into the building where refreshments awaited them. Taking a cup of hot tea and several biscuits Maggie sat alone. People milled around her but no one showed any interested in her, she felt she was being ignored. It was odd and contrary to the previous mood of the group. Hadn't they asked her to join them? Perhaps she had made a mistake coming here?
Looking around the hall she counted fifty people and noted the majority were most likely in their teen years. She wondered if any were as young as her. There seemed to be an even split of male and females and while the men were dressed in normal clothing such as jeans and t-shirts, the girls all wore the same type of simple loose fitting dress. Murray, who came and sat beside her, explained that after each outing they all gathered to share the evening’s events and to discuss how they could better “reach out” to others. Their conversation was interrupted as a woman followed by a number of men of varying ages entered the room taking up seats at the front of the auditorium. An immediate stillness descended on the assembly and they stood as if to attention. Once the new arrivals were seated the group then relaxed and began to chatter amongst themselves. “They are our spiritual leaders,” explained Murray. “The man in the middle is our Bishop, he is the rock of our commune and we call him Brother Peter. The others are deacons and we have one deaconess. In due course I’ll be introducing you to Brother Peter and if he accepts you as part of our earthly mission you will then be initiated as one of us.”
People stood, taking turns with the microphone as it was passed around, sharing the significant high-lights of the evening. When Murray spoke she noticed he made little mention of her. As the evening progressed, Maggie watched Peter, taking particular note as his eyes wandered around the room, looking at each person, staring, appearing to be in deep thought. She observed Peter’s eyes settling on her a number of times causing her to shudder knowingly, she had seen that look many times before. Maggie knew she was trapped since it was imperative she stay in the commune, no matter what. She steeled herself to accept what lay ahead until it suited her to make changes.
Murray stayed close beside her throughout the evening. At the conclusion of the night's program, he carefully explained that he was her sponsor and until she was accepted by Brother Peter, he would be the only person she could interact with. This was to keep pure the harmony of the group. Maggie resolved to go along with it and play out the role. However, she was already formulating a plan in her mind.
Chapter 12
- Did her mother miss her; had she called the police yet? Did she even realize Maggie had left? -
Maggie settled into the small secluded unit she had been allocated. It was sparsely furnished but had all the necessities she needed and above all was clean. She immediately sat on the bed, bouncing up and down, testing how comfortable it would be and indeed it was. She would get a good night's sleep with no fear of disturbance from any unwanted company. Before leaving, Murray, giving her a broad smile saying, “I’ll call by in the morning and have breakfast and fellowship with you. Something we will do each day until you are accepted by Brother Peter. After which you will be a full-fledged member and allowed to travel outside with the group as part of our mission.” At least Murray seemed thrilled.
Having unpacked her meager belongings, Maggie changed into her pajamas and clambered into bed. Exhausted but with many thoughts swirling around in her head, she considered the few items she had taken from home and in particular identity papers such as her birth and baptism certificates. She needed to find a safe hiding place, somewhere easily accessible in the event she wanted to leave but secretive enough not to be found. It was imperative that no one discover who she was. Searching around the room, she found an empty pickle jar; she stuffed the papers into it and screwed the lid on tight. Waiting until all was still she buried it in a flower bed located close to the front door. Maggie placed small rocks on top to mark the spot, spacing them randomly so as not to draw attention.
Pleased with the foresight to have hidden the papers she went back to bed. She lay still waiting for sleep, her thoughts drifting to her mother and the questions that brought with it. Did her mother miss her; had she called the police yet? Did she even realize Maggie had left? Sleep finally took her away into a cheerful place where there were no threats and no pretense.
Chapter 13
- "Only those such as I who are blessed with insight. I can see you are no stranger to a man's desire." -
It came as no surprise to Maggie when she was summoned to meet Peter. Murray, as he’d promised arrived early the following morning to have breakfast with her. Bringing with him a plate piled high with pancakes, dripping with maple syrup and accompanied by a flask of delicious piping hot chocolate. As they ate and drank, he announced that Peter wanted to meet her that morning.
Murray seemingly very excited, went on to explain that this was exceptional and that, as a rule no one ever got summoned to meet the Bishop before they had been at the commune for at least a week, sometimes two. This was generally enforced to allow