tried to go home with a strange man. It was the sound of maternal panic.
I sighed. I'd been expecting this. I could always count on my mom to freak out over nothing.
"Calm down, mommy," I said in my smoothest voice, walking slowly away from Alice. I wasn't sure if I could lie with her timeless eyes on me. "Everything is fine, you know? Just give me a minute, and I'll tell you about it."
I paused, surprised that she hadn't interrupted me yet. Was she dead? Already? I worried.
"Mommy?"
"Be berry careful not to say anything until I tell you to say something." The voice I heard now was as unfamiliar as it was unexpected. And by that, I mean it definitely wasn't my mom. It was a man! His voice was a solid tenor with firm musical overtones; a very pleasant, generic voice—the kind that you heard in the background of luxury car commercials. He spoke very quickly, like he was trying to sell me something luxurious.
"Now, I don't need to hurt your mother. So please do exactly what I say, and she'll be fine." The emphasis on 'fine' made me feel sick to my stomach again. He paused for a minute while I listened in mute horror. "That's berry good," he congratulated. "Now, repeat after me. And do try to sound natural. Do say, 'No, Mom, stay where you are.'"
I was silent.
The voice boomed in my ear: "Say it now, Belna."
"Ohhhhh," I said aloud. I had thought I was still waiting for further instruction.
I stuttered. "N-no, Mom, stay where you are." My voice was bearly more than a whisper.
"I can see this is going to be... difficult." The voice was annoyed but amused. "Why don't you walk into another room now so that your face doesn't ruin EBERYTHING? There's no reason for your mother to suffer. As you're walking away, please say, 'Mom, please listen to me.'" He paused, and then added: "I would like you to say it now, as in right after I'm finished giving you this instruction."

428

Chapter 21

←

→

main contents contact