Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“Oh—Sister Mia, right?” The girl with pale blue skin who was obviously Chakioun smiled in a friendly way.
“That’s right.” Mia had a moment to be grateful that Sister Ersla had introduced her. “Er…can I help?” she asked.
“Of course you can! I’m Sister Teebra and this is Sister Kissie. Come right over here and help us knead,” the girl with blue skin directed.
“Wash your hands first, though,” Sister Kissie said. “Sink’s behind you.”
Mia found the sink and washed and dried her hands. She came back to the table and took a spot beside Sister Teebra, who seemed the more friendly of the two, and began to kneed the dough—which was a pale, pinkish color. It was a pleasant task, with the scent of warm yeast rising around them and a fresh breeze blowing through the pavilion. The day outside was sunny, as she imagined most days were since the weather inside the Dome was artificially controlled.
“So how long have the two you been here?” she asked, hoping to open a conversation.
“Oh, just forever, really—my husband, Dannok and I came right as the Dome opened,” Sister Teebra said brightly. “We felt so lucky to be called to be here with the Prophet. Kissie?” she said and nudged the seaweed-skin woman, clearly trying to get her to be friendly.
“My husband Cumbig and I have been here about a year.” Sister Kissie spoke grudgingly.
Mia raised her eyebrows.
“I’m sorry—did you say your husband was named Cumbig?”
“Yeah—so?” Sister Kissed frowned at her. “What’s your husband’s name?”
“Uh, Severith,” Mia said. “But I just call him ‘Sev.’”
“Well that’s a weird name,” Sister Kissie remarked. “But whatever, I guess.”
“What made you and your husband decide to move to the Dome in the first place?” Mia probed, still hoping to make friends. It was always good to get people talking about themselves.
“We came because Cumbig heard about this new religion where wives have to worship their husbands. Ha!” Sister Kissie gave a sarcastic laugh. “He knew there was damn sure no other way I was getting down on my knees to suck his cock five times a day!”
“Kissie, please!” Sister Teebra looked scandalized. “Your language! If any of the Elders hear you, you’ll get called up for a Judgment Review!”
“Oh please—there’s no men around here.” Kissie waved one floured hand dismissively. “They’re all too busy having meetings and telling each other how important they are while we women do all the actual work.”
Teebra looked shocked but Mia was beginning to like the woman with the unusual seaweed patterned skin. Kissie didn’t seem nearly as caught up in the cult as Teebra was—she had a practical view of what was going on in the PPP Dome.
“So…you don’t believe that men are higher than women and husbands should have the right to punish their wives?” she asked, still kneading the pale pink dough.
“Of course I don’t think that! I’m not a brainwashed ninny like the rest of them around here,” Kissie said. “Present company excluded—Teebra is a sweetheart,” she added, nodding at her friend, who still looked scandalized.
“Why are you here if you don’t believe in the Prophet or his teachings?” Mia asked in a low voice. “I mean, why are you really here?”
Kissie laughed.
“Are you kidding? Where else can you live in a Smart House that does practically all your chores for you except for cooking and have somebody else raise all your children?”
“So…the PPP really does separate the mothers from their babies?” Mia asked. She knew what Brother Jonash had said, but she wanted to hear it from women, who might have a different perspective.
“That’s right—they take ‘em away as soon as you have ‘em,” Kissie said carelessly. “You’re allowed to go visit once a month on visitation day, but it’s the Aunties who raise them.”
“Those are the older women who have lost their husbands and can’t have babies anymore,” Teebra put in. “If you lose your husband when you’re younger and can still conceive, you become a Concubine of the Prophet. But if you’re older, you become an Auntie and get to care for the babies and children.”
“Like Sister Zellah, over there. She’s one of the Concubines.” Kissie nodded at a young Chakioun woman with a slender, willowy figure, large breasts, and long silver hair that reached past her hips. She was standing at another table all alone and appeared to be deep in thought.
“She looks sad,” Mia remarked after studying the other woman for a moment.
“She just had her latest baby taken away, poor thing.” Teebra sighed. “And the next visiting day isn’t for almost a month.”
“But…don’t you miss your children?” Mia asked uncertainly. Once a month didn’t seem very often to visit your kids, she thought.
“I miss mine terribly.” Sister Teebra swiped a tear from her eye with the back of a floury hand. “I’ve had two and they’re getting so big now! But you know, we must do as the Prophet says,” she added piously.