The Girl Behind the Glass by RJ Law

The Girl Behind the Glass by RJ Law

Author:RJ Law [Law, RJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-11T23:00:00+00:00


CHAPTER 11

Daren sat before his crowd of followers, his legs folded beneath him, hands placed neatly in his lap. His face looked serene, as if he’d just snapped back to reality after an hour of deep mediation. He gazed upon his people and bathed them in his most benevolent smile.

“Imagine that you are at the wheel of a runaway semi-truck,” he said. “The brakes aren’t working, and the vehicle is roaring down a hill toward a forked road.”

He raised his eyebrows and turned his left hand over.

“On the left, you see 30 workers. If you turn the truck in that direction, they will all die.”

He turned his right hand over.

“On the right, there is only one worker. If you wheel the truck in that direction, he alone will die.”

He put his hands together and looked over the room.

“What should you do?”

The room remained silent, every eye fixed on Daren.

“Most any rational person would agree that the death of one is trivial compared to the death of 30.”

He raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.

“Now,” he said. “Imagine, instead, that the path on the right leads to a cliff.”

He scanned their faces, his blue eyes vivid, a serious look on his face.

“As you meditate on this, Ms. Dobbs will lead us in song.”

Daren stood up and walked off the stage, as Ms. Dobbs approached and stood before the microphone.

“This land is your land,” she began, her voice thin and grating, “this land is my land. From California to the New York island...”

Mila looked around, as people began to stand and sing.

“Is this normal?” she whispered to Kevin, but he was already standing, his voice bellowing out the lyrics along with the crowd.

Soon, there was no one left sitting, so Mila climbed to her feet and watched as the room drowned away Ms. Dobb’s raspy voice.

“When the sun came shining, and I was strolling. And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling. As the fog was lifting, a voice was chanting: This land was made for you and me.”

Mila looked around to make sure no one was watching her. Still, she mumbled her lips to play along, for no other reason but to avoid a potential meeting about her reluctance to join in.

“Nobody living can ever stop me. As I go walking that freedom highway. Nobody living can ever make me turn back. This land was made for you and me.”

As the singing died away, the room erupted in applause. And then it fell silent as Ms. Dobbs raised her fist.

“Back to your rooms,” she said over the microphone.

As they all funneled out into the halls, Kevin stopped and turned toward Mila.

“You hungry?” he asked.

Mila shook her head.

“Not right now.”

He looked disappointed.

“How about we meet up for lunch in a couple of hours?” he said.

Mila rubbed the back of her neck.

“Yeah, maybe,” she said. “I just want to lie down right now.”

They parted ways, and she navigated the hallways back to her room. When she arrived, Heather was already there sitting on Mila’s bed.



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