I rush to her side, grateful to have something to do and also for a way to help prove my worth. I’m sure they are wondering who I am and why I’m here.
“I’m Ember,” I begin as I hand a rock to her. “Richard is my… father.”
“We know who you are,” Wife Number One says from behind me. “Scarecrow told us all about you and what you did… to Hallelujah Junction.”
I freeze, scared to look over my shoulder at the woman in fear of the judgement I’d see in her eyes. I wonder what they must think, having an arsonist under their roof.
“My name is Holly,” Wife Number One says. “And this is Violet.”
“We’re sisters,” Violet adds. “My father promised our hand in marriage to Scarecrow not long ago, which is how we came here.”
What kind of father would do such a vile and cruel thing? One look at Scarecrow says it all—he’s not husband material. He’s just… disgusting.
Although… isn’t that exactly what my own father is doing? Marrying me off to a sick creature?
“I’m Wife Number One,” Holly says. “I’m the oldest, and my sister is Wife Number Two.”
She makes the statement like it’s completely ordinary and I wouldn’t find this information shocking in the least.
“It looks like you’re going to be Wife Number Three,” Violet says. She stops applying the clay to the rock and looks up at Holly. “What do you think her purpose will be?”
“Purpose?” I ask.
Violet looks at me and smiles, but then her face grows grim just as quickly. “Holly’s purpose is to provide Scarecrow with pleasure. She’s the one in charge of doing her wifely duty in the… bedroom.” Violet returns to her clay and reaches for the rock that’s in my hand. “My duty is to pay for my sister’s as well as my indiscretions. I am the extra, the standby.”
My thoughts go back to the whipping she took for not having supper ready.
She shrugs. “I think Holly has it far worse.”
I then picture Holly being intimate—no doubt against her will—with Scarecrow. The bile rising in the back of my throat has me 100 percent agreeing with Violet. Holly has it far worse. I’d take a beating every day with a belt over having to have sex with Scarecrow.
“I don’t know what her purpose will be,” Holly says. “But we welcome you as a fellow sisterwife.”
“Thank you,” I say, even though I don’t feel very thankful. I don’t want to marry Scarecrow. I don’t want to have a purpose.
“Is Richard your only family?” Violet asks.
I pause as I don’t know what to say. Christopher… he was my family, but I suppose I need to accept that it all changed when I hopped on the plane and left New York.
“Yes,” I answer, which makes me feel like I’m somehow betraying Christopher.
“We only had our pa too,” Violet says. “Our ma died when we were real young. It was just the three of us living off the grid. Pa didn’t believe in society.”
“I understand.” Which I do, considering Papa Rich is the exact same way.
“He met Scarecrow years ago,” Violet adds. “They used to trade.”
“Until our pa traded us,” Holly cuts in, the venom in her voice clear. “And now you get the pleasure of being Scarecrow’s wife as well. Congratulations.”
Before I can get myself worked up with the thought, Scarecrow and Papa Rich enter the chapel.
“All right, women. We have come to a decision,” Scarecrow announces as the loud pounding of his crutches on the wooden floor seems to amplify his voice. “I’m going to marry Ember right here and right now. We don’t have any time to lose, since we’re leaving at first light tomorrow to find us a new homestead.” He glares at me. “Ember here has made our current situation more precarious, and therefore, we don’t feel like staying here is wise. Plus, I believe God has spoken to me and told me that our journey to Wyoming is a good one.”
Holly and Violet both nod obediently. They don’t question, they don’t argue, and they don’t show any emotion other than their complete submission.
I consider speaking up, but my mouth remains closed.
“Come on now,” Scarecrow says as he walks toward a wooden cross on the wall. “This is as good a spot as any.”
I steal a final glance at Papa Rich, silently begging him to put a stop to this. But instead, he follows Scarecrow to the cross, which tells me all I need to know.
My wedding day is today. Right now. No escape.
7
Ember
“Good Lord, bless us on this day,” Papa Rich begins. He’s reading from a paper that Scarecrow has written for him. He’s reciting the same words that Scarecrow gave when marrying Christopher and me. “Brother Scarecrow and Sister Ember stand before the Almighty to be crowned under the union of matrimony.”
He looks at Scarecrow, who is leaning against his crutch, balancing on his one leg as dirty straw falls from his other pant leg.
“I give away this woman—my daughter—to Brother Scarecrow on this day with the blessing of God,” Papa Rich says. “I also ask forgiveness from God in my misdeeds and promising her hand to another. I was tempted by the devil and hope to make amends by correcting the wrong now.”
Papa Rich raises his arms up toward the ceiling of the chapel, which has now converted into my new home, and I see the sweat stains under his pits, reminding me of the man I’m about to marry. I don’t need to look at Scarecrow to know he’s in front of me. I can hear his heavy breathing. I can smell his horrific odor of body sweat and onion.
I glance to my left and see Holly and Violet are watching on with deep sadness in their eyes. I wonder what they’re thinking. Are they sad for me? Are they sad for themsleves? Why are they so sad… other than the fact that we are all going to be wives of the most disgusting and putrid man possible? Will these women become my friends or enemies? Will they like or hate me? Maybe they don’t want to share their husband with me, even though I don’t want to be wed to begin with. Maybe they will try to push me out the door just as Louisa had in New York.
Maybe I will never be welcomed by anyone.
Maybe the fate of the ghost of Hallelujah Junction is to be alone forever.
And yet… alone would be better than what is happening now.
I’m marrying Scarecrow.
I have no choice. Not now. Not ever.
This is my life.
Papa Rich looks down at the paper again and reads, “Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years. May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth. May you both walk under God as dutiful servants. We honor fire and ask that our union be warm and glowing with love in our hearts. We honor wind and ask that we sail through life safe and calm as in our Father's arms. We honor water to clean and soothe our relationship—that it may never thirst for love. With all the forces of the universe you created, we pray for harmony as we grow forever young together. Amen.”