Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
She frowned.
“Uh, what am I supposed to do with this?”
“Put it on,” the woman hissed impatiently. “It will allow you to handle the branch of absolution.”
Andi had no idea what she was talking about, but she took the heavy glove and put it on her right hand. To her right, she noticed that another one of the New Order “sisters” was giving Flow-da a glove to wear as well.
The sisters went on, passing out gloves from the baskets they were carrying to the other people in the congregation. Then they came back with other baskets—these seemed to be full of greenery. Or, since this was Zo’rath Three—purplery, Andi thought. The sister closest to her handed Andi a small bundle of long, whip-like branches with many tiny purple leaves on them.
“Be careful,” she said, as she handed Andi the bundle, which was a little longer than her arm. “And do not use it until Mother Strict-ezz tells you to.”
“Use it how?” Andi asked, but the sister had already passed on, giving out bundles of purple branches to the others sitting on benches behind her.
Andi leaned over to Flow-da.
“What is this about?” she asked, waving her bundle of branches. They had a very strong medicinal smell—a little like eucalyptus. It almost drowned out the ubiquitous fresh strawberry aroma that was everywhere on Zo’rath Three.
The other girl shook her head.
“I’m not sure. My friend who was in the New Order never said anything about this part of it. She—”
But Mother Strict-ezz was speaking again so Flow-da abruptly went silent and sat back on the bench.
“Listen to me—all of you!” she shouted in that strident voice of hers. “Any of you who have done the things I have shown here today are guilty—GUILTY I SAY!”
Andi winced. She was going to go deaf if she had to sit here much longer!
“If you have even thought of such things, you are also GUILTY!” Mother Strict-ezz went on loudly. “And those who are guilty need ABSOLUTION!”
“Absolution,” the crowd murmured. “Absolution…”
“But there can be no absolution of guilt without punishment!” Mother Strict-ezz went on. “So as one, I want you to raise the branches of absolution which have been given to you high above your heads.”
Everyone in the room did as they were told—Andi included, since she felt awkward not doing what everyone else was. What was going on here, anyway? Were they going to slap themselves with the branches in some kind of atonement ritual? If so, she certainly didn’t intend to slap very hard. It was lucky they had been given soft branches instead of something hard like a club to hit themselves with, she thought.
“And now,” Mother Strict-ezz declared. “I want you to all bring the branches of absolution down upon your left shoulder and back! On my count—one…two…THREE!”
There was a sound like everyone making a single handclap at once as everyone brought their branches down. This was quickly followed by Andi’s yelp of pain. Because even though she’d barely touched herself with the long, whippy purple branches, it felt as though someone had jabbed her in the back with about a hundred razor sharp thorns!
“Oh—these are Pain Leaves!” she heard Flow-da gasp. “I’ve never seen any this big!”
Cade looked upset and worried. He put his face towards the bundle of branches which Andi still held in her gloved hand and sniffed carefully before drawing back, a growl rumbling in his throat. Clearly he thought the Pain Leaves, as Flow-da had called them, were a threat. Andi couldn’t say she disagreed with him. It felt like her back was on fire and she had barely brushed it with the leaves!
“Be quiet, the two of you!” Mother Strict-ezz,” snapped. “And silence your beast!”
“Shhh, Cade,” Andi begged him. She wanted to get up and walk out—this was crazy! But she knew if she did, she would probably upset Goodie Tight-azz, and if her landlady kicked her out, she had no place else to stay.
I’ll just pretend to hit myself if they do it again, she told herself, gritting her teeth against the pain. Then as soon as this is over, I’ll go see if I can find a mirror and have a look at my back. I’m sure it’s not as bad as it feels!
She hoped, anyway.
“And now that we have quiet again,” Mother Strict-ezz resumed, giving Andi a glare. “We can resume our ATONEMENT and our quest for ABSOLUTION. Raise your branches high again and this time bring them down on your right shoulder and back.”
Andi started to raise her bundle of branches again, but something was stopping her. Looking down, she saw that Cade had caught the long, trailing sleeve of her atonement garment in his teeth. His grip was so strong that Andi couldn’t raise her arm.
“Cade, let go!” she whispered, but he only growled loudly.