Chapter 38, Splinters

As always, thank you for following along on this long journey!

Jill was lying on her side on her bed half-asleep when she heard the clicking of the locks. As she rose up the same two guards who had escorted to her room walked in.

The one asked, "Are you ready Ms.Wilkins?"

She looked around and having seeing nothing different for the hundredth time, answered "I guess so." She walked over to them and put her arms in front of her ever so slightly. She was expecting to be handcuffed again.

The other guard said to her, "The Father told us not to do that. That it wasn't necessary in his house."

"Oh," she replied in surprise.

One guard led the way and the other walked behind her. A black cat was sitting nearby and as they walked by, it hissed at her. Jill saw that it had the same green eyes as the cat that she saw from the safe house and she wondered if it was the same one. But soon thereafter she forgot about it as they walked down more warmly lit hallways. As they continued to walk, she lost her sense of direction and space and had no idea of how big the Father's "house" really was. They soon stopped in a large wooden archway. There were no doors and the long, heavy, royal blue curtains had been tied back with gold cord.

Large windows outlined with stained glass were set along the near wall. The twin suns had set but the moon had not yet fully risen. If there were designs in the windows, Jill was unable to make them out. A large marble fireplace was set along the far wall. The other wall was covered with a taxidermist's dream collection of animals both recognizable and unrecognizable. A large formal dining table was set in the middle of the room. It was covered with a crisp white tablecloth but only the table settings decorated it.

Three figures stood at the far end of the dining table. Jill recognized the one called Lundgren on one side and the one called Zero on the other. She guessed that the one in middle, and at the head of the table, was the Father. It was he who motioned the three of them forward.

The guards led her to the head of the table and then they left. It was not until they had draped the curtains over the archway that the Father spoke.

"Ms. Wilkins, welcome."

Jill said nothing and only stared at him. He gazed at her for a moment and then asked, "Are your clothes suitable?"

She looked down at what she was wearing. She had been given a few options to choose from in her room. She finally settled on a pair of jeans, a white turtleneck and a plain black knit sweater. She looked back up and curtly answered him, "They'll do."

He gazed at her a moment more. Then he started to say, "I am…"

She cut him off, "the Father. I figured that much out already. Why did you bring me here?"

He smiled. "Direct and to the point… As I expected you to be." He motioned with his hand towards the seat to his left. "Please, Ms. Wilkins, sit down. After the evening meal, I will begin to answer your questions."

Zero moved down one chair and Jill reluctantly sat down.

As the waiters brought them their first course and filled their wine glasses, Jill noticed three symbols in wrought iron above the fire place. The Father caught her looking at them and said, "In due time, Ms. Wilkins."

No one spoke until the waiters had gone. Jill noticed that while Lundgren, Zero, and she had been given full plates of salad, the Father's dish was different. It was still salad, but each piece had been cut up in to squares and neatly lined in to rows.

"Ms. Wilkins, as I was ready to state before, in formal circles, my proper name is Father Diekmann. However, as you are well aware of, I generally just go by the Father."

Without waiting for any type of response from her, he looked over to Lundgren and said, "I see that Ms. Wilkins is limping ever so slightly. What happened?"

Lundgren had just eaten a bite of salad and it was evident that he had slowed down his chewing. He stared at Zero and slowly put down his knife and fork. Jill raised her eyebrow. She remembered that while they were in the safe house, it was Lundgren who had reminded Zero that the Father wanted her perfect. She decided that if Lundgren tried to cover it up, she was going to interject. She did not owe either one anything.

He cautiously answered, "Ms. Wilkins attempted to escape. She slipped on some ice before she was recaptured. She was immediately treated by the doctor upon our arrival in the safe house."

The Father carefully picked up his fork and gently stabbed a piece of lettuce. He chewed it carefully before swallowing and then put down his fork.

Without a word he raised his hand and before any of them knew it, Zero and Lundgren were thrown backwards in to their respective walls. BOOM! The chairs splintered and large pieces of wood went flying like shrapnel. Both Zero and Lundgren hit the wall and then collapsed to the ground. Jill jumped out of her chair and as she did so screamed out in surprise and shock.

The Father quite calmly told her, "They'll live." Then he stated in a louder voice, "My explicit instruction to you both was that she was to be brought here in perfect condition. Limping is not a perfect condition."

Both Zero and Lundgren struggled to their feet.

The Father continued as he picked up his fork once more, "The next time that I need to remind you of an explicit instruction it may involve more than a broken chair."

Jill was still standing in shock. Holy shit! She looked back over at the Father. All he did was raise his freaking hand! How?!

The Father looked over at her, "Please sit back down Ms. Wilkins and finish eating your salad. Like children, from time to time, their behavior must be corrected." He gently stabbed at some unidentifiable vegetable and carefully put it in to his mouth.

Jill did as she was told but she did not eat. She instead watched Zero and Lundgren walk wobbly back to the dining table. Each fumbled to get a new chair in to position and then sat back down. Zero ran his hand through his hair to remove any splinters and to smooth it back in place. Lundgren rubbed his neck. Each was still slightly stunned though and neither touched their salad.

"Eat Ms. Wilkins. They will be fine soon enough," the Father said before he ate his next bite.

She glanced up, and to her surprise saw Lundgren nod his head in agreement.

She quickly looked back down at her plate and ate the rest of her salad in silence.