Chapter 6: The Morning After

            Kjerstie finally awoke from a restless night.  More dreams had followed, and by morning she was ready to move out of Isaac's house.  She stayed in her room for a few hours and meditated on everything.  About noon, there was a knock on her door.  It was Isaac, and he wanted her to accompany him to the clearing in the cornfield.  She hesitated at first, but then decided that she wasn't up to yet another fight.  Reluctantly, she followed him to the clearing to hear one of his boring, drawn out sermons.  After about the hundredth time of hearing him say that he was the giver of his word, she noticed that Cora was giving her go-to-hell looks.  She returned the favor with a what-the-hell-is-your-problem look.  Obviously the woman had a problem with her.

            For what seems like hours, and hours, and hours, the meeting finally ended.  The children then sat into their own little groups to talk.  Even with all of her powers, Kjerstie really didn't have any friends.  No one wanted to talk to her any more than they had too.  She did however, talk to Matt and Morgan on occasion.  She sought them out, and found them on the other side of the clearing making out as usual.  They were so in love, Kjerstie just hoped that Isaac didn't fuck it up.  They saw her coming toward them, and turned to wave.  She sat where they were and talked with them.  Morgan happened to notice that Isaac was watching every move Kjerstie made.  "Hey Kjerstie, why does Isaac keep staring at you?"  Kjerstie lowered her head in to her hands.

            "I don't know.  It's so creepy living with him.  I just want to go home."

            "Then why don't you?  He can't keep you there."

            "I know that, but I'm obligated to my promise to Cora that I would take care of him.  Though lately she had been giving me looks that would melt butter."  Matt looked up and said, "She's probably jealous that Is……I mean father doesn't want her living with him, instead of you."

            "Hell let her.  It would save me from living there.  I'm not trying to take Isaac away from her.  She is welcome to him, with my blessings.  Who would want that egotistical, stuck up, creepy, domineering, short like fucker!"  Kjerstie just happened to look up after saying that, and saw that Isaac was standing over her, and everyone else was staring in her direction.  All she could say was, "oops!"  Isaac looked at her with pure hatred, and said, "Get up!  Go home, I will meet you there.  Then we will discuss your punishment for your insolence!"  She rose, and with her head held high, she walked home.

            A half an hour later, Isaac returned home.  Kjerstie was sitting on the couch with a book in her hand.  He approached her with his hands behind his back.  "Why do you continue to disobey me?  I heard everything you said.  I have killed blasphemers for less."

            "Then why don't you?  If I anger you as much as you let on, why haven't you tried to sacrifice me yet?"

            "You know why."

            "Do I?  Really, hmm well why don't you enlighten on why you haven't done anything yet.  Oh, and for that matter, why does Cora look at me like she wants me dead?"

            "Cora has nothing to do with this.  She is just…disappointed that I did not have her live here and care for me.  She has not your power."

            "Come to think of it Isaac, you seem to need my healing less and less.  I only healed you the one time, and you have been getting around famously.  I don't think that you need me living here anymore.  My job is done."

            "You will leave when I say so.  It will be I who determines when your job is done."  Kjerstie closed her eyes and sighed.  She was close to crying.  This was the most stressful thing she had had to endure since living in Gatlin.  She knew she could fight him and win, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.  Maybe it was because she still considered him her patient, and couldn't harm him, or maybe it was something she never wanted to happen.  He noticed that she was shaking, and sat down next to her.  Then he did something she never expected.  He wrapped his arm around her and held her.  She looked up into his eyes, and for the first time, they were soft.  She laid her head on his chest and whispered, "Just let me go."  He sat there for a moment, and said, "I can not let you go, you belong to me now.  The moment you woke me, you were mine, no matter how much you fought."

            "What do you want with me, Isaac?"

            "I can not tell you that right now.  It is getting late, go to bed.  We will talk tomorrow."

            "What about my punishment?"

            "You will have no punishment.  I have a better idea, one you will have to wait for."  She nodded sadly, and went to her room.