Hidden in Shadow Pines Read online

  Jaime sounded excited to have me staying in her home. I’m not sure I’d ever met anyone so perky.

  “I’m allergic to peanuts. So, I hope you don’t mind that you won’t be able to eat nuts or peanut butter during your stay at my house. Are you allergic to any foods?”

  I couldn’t believe the woman I’d just met was talking to me as if we were old friends. “Um, no. Not allergic to anything.”

  “You’re lucky. Okay, let’s get started on the contents of the folder.” Jaime sat tall and read from the sheet of paper in her hand.

  The town of Shadow Pines, formed on the twentieth day of January, Eighteen-Hundred-Fifty-Four, consists of two-thousand-eight-hundred-eighty-eight acres purchased by Isaac Stovall. A stone wall shall signify the boundary of Shadow Pines.

  Shadow Pines is a unique town, created to keep the residents with the same religious beliefs safe.

  The residents shall follow the rules and regulations instituted by the governing body of Shadow Pines, also known as the Town Council. All residents shall live within the boundary of Shadow Pines, and only those specified by the town council may be allowed to pass beyond the stone wall.

  Every resident shall be given a Bible and will follow the teachings as directed by the town council. Daily prayer, in conjunction with bi-weekly town gatherings, will be required of all residents. Any resident not following the requirements shall be met with harsh punishment.

  Upon agreement with the State of Iowa dated the nineteenth day of October, Eighteen-Hundred-Seventy-Three, Shadow Pines is considered a sanctuary and under the sole control of the Shadow Pines Town Council. The outside world will have no impact on how the residents of Shadow Pines raise their families or influence our common decisions.

  Bylaws have been created to ensure personal safety, educate, and guide us in how to comply with the rules of living in Shadow Pines, making Shadow Pines a safe and beautiful town to live in. Every resident shall follow the rules or receive disciplinary action by the town council.

  The five-member town council shall oversee all activities of Shadow Pines. The town council shall have one male member from each of the five founding families: Stovall, Blair, Gillen, Larson, Luster. If a founding family lineage ceases to exist, the residents shall vote in a replacement member; however, the remaining town council members shall have the final decision.

  The church shall be the gathering place for all activities in Shadow Pines as assigned to each resident by the town council. Attendance is mandatory for all activities.

  God has granted us this opportunity to live our lives in peace without the chaos and destruction of the outside world. May God bless Shadow Pines.

  Jaime returned the sheet to the yellow folder then looked at me. “Right now we only have three town council members. Two members have died in the past five months, one from a brain aneurysm and the other from a heart attack. Customarily, we wait six months before voting on a replacement. The three current council members are Hudson Gillen, Zachary Larsen, and Oliver Blair. Hudson Gillen owns the grocery store. He’s been on the council the longest and oversees the town’s finances. Zachary Larsen’s an electrician. He’s the leader of the prayers and church functions. Oliver Blair runs the drug store. He’s pretty much in charge of everything else. All three must come to an agreement before any final decision is made on the town’s behalf.”

  Jaime paused. “Devlin Stovall should be on the town council, but he had an accident when he was seventeen and has some mental and physical issues. Should he ever recover, he’ll automatically be a member of the town council.” Turning to look at me eye to eye, Jaime asked, “Do you have any questions so far?”

  I leaned back, resting against a red pillow, not losing eye contact with her. “So let me get this straight. Everyone follows the same religion and rules, and no one leaves Shadow Pines unless given permission by the town council?”

  Jaime furrowed her brow. “In very simple terms, yes. But you make it sound like it’s a terrible way to live. It’s not. We have peace and harmony among the residents, and we live as one big family. You’ll come to find it’s an incredible blessing to live in Shadow Pines.”

  Dropping my head, I stared at my right leg, which had started to bounce again. I didn’t know what to think. Part of me wished this was all a crazy dream. Putting my hands on my knees to stop my nervous twitch, I sat up straight and said, “Let’s continue with my orientation.”

  “We can take a short break if you need one.” Jaime said, and she put her hand on my shoulder as if she was trying to comfort me.

  I forced a smile. “No, I’m fine. Thank you.” I wasn’t fine. Not at all, but I wanted Jaime to continue with the contents of the yellow folder.

  Taking the next sheet of paper out of the folder, Jaime said, “This is the list of rules. There are ten. Just like the Ten Commandments.”

  I sat and listened as she recited each rule on the list.

  Rule 1. The five members of the town council oversee Shadow Pines and its residents. There will also be an extended council totaling twenty. The extended council shall assist the town council in serious matters of rule violations. The extended council shall consist of members of Shadow Pines elected by the townspeople each second day of May. The extended council members must be age twenty-five or older and may be male or female. The voting right of each townsperson extends to those eighteen years of age or older. The voter must be present to cast his or her vote.

  Rule 2. No violence. Violence is considered the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.

  Rule 3. No stealing. Stealing is considered taking something unlawfully; taking something that belongs to somebody else, illegally or without the owner's permission; taking something furtively; taking or getting something secretly or surreptitiously; or through trickery dishonestly presenting somebody else’s work as yours.

  Rule 4. Each town resident shall have an activity each day as defined by the town council. During the month of April, each resident may submit an application to change up to three activities. The town council shall review all applications and decide accordingly. Each resident will be notified of any changes on the second of May.

  Rule 5. Each resident of Shadow Pines shall be granted shelter. No person shall be subjected to living in the elements. If deemed necessary, Shadow Pines will build a home upon approval of eighty percent of the residents.

  Rule 6. No resident shall go hungry. Any person in need of assistance with a food supply shall contact the town council immediately. Within five hours, the town council shall deliver enough supplies for thirty days of food.

  Rule 7. A clinic shall be open twenty-four hours a day for medical care. If a resident has a serious medical condition that requires advanced care, a member of the town council will transport the resident to the nearest hospital.

  Rule 8. No resident of Shadow Pines shall discuss the town or its residents with anyone not residing in Shadow Pines. Failure to follow this rule shall be met with harsh punishment.

  Rule 9. Anyone caught damaging the stone wall in any way, shape, or form will be quarantined for six months.

  Rule 10. No one is allowed to leave Shadow Pines, whether for an hour or permanently, without written permission from the town council.

  “Do you have any questions about the rules?” Jamie asked. “You haven’t said a word.”

  Stunned as to what I’d just heard, I answered. “I…I don’t know what to say. Everyone in Shadow Pines follows these rules?”

  “They must. Why wouldn’t they?” Jaime said, sounding disappointed.

  Was this a cult? Was she brainwashed? “Not everyone follows the rules,” I said firmly. “That’s why we have violence in the world. But also, why we have creativity. If everyone followed all the rules, life would be…well, boring.”

>   Jaime flashed me a sweet smile. “I guess I like boring. Shadow Pines is wonderful. I don’t know any other way to live.”

  The next sheet of paper was a detailed map of the town, drawn in pencil. The outline of the town reminded me of a capital L. A single winding road led out of Shadow Pines. The streets had been carefully laid out in straight lines. Six streets ran east-west, and six ran north-south. The map marked the church, cemetery, library, fire station, nursing home, school, park, clinic, and a group of stores that resembled a downtown area. Each house was indicated by the residents’ last names. From the map legend, it looked as though the town was hidden in the middle of a huge forest.

  The last sheet in the yellow folder was a list of activities. Jaime said, “I think you’ll enjoy the activities the town council picked for you. I’ve heard the ladies say such great things about the etiquette and speech class.”

  It was in my blood to have a schedule. That much was true. However, my schedule, not a schedule someone else had created for me.

  Sunday: church—9:00-11:30 am

  Monday: quilting and sewing—9:00-10:30 am

  Tuesday: etiquette and speech—2:00-4:00 pm

  Wednesday: church potluck dinner—6:30-8:30 pm

  Thursday: town council meeting—7:00-9:00 pm

  Friday: prayer and Bible study—7:00-8:30 am

  Saturday: faith interaction meeting—7:00-8:00 pm

  Jaime added, “You’ll be expected to attend each activity. If you don’t show, consequences will be meted out. Unless of course you’re sick or helping an elderly neighbor. Things like that. The town council makes the determination whether or not any actions will be taken against you.”

  I asked, “Do you have a list like this?”

  “Of course. Everyone has a list of activities. Mine’s not the same as yours because I work at the bank. I have one early morning and one evening class that are different from your schedule. Several women in town have two activities a day. But that’s their choice and it’s approved by the town council.”

  My mind swirled with questions. “How many people live in Shadow Pines?”

  “As of last week, one hundred fifty-two. Seventy men, fifty women, and thirty-two children.”

  “How did I get here…to your house?”

  “The town council told me that you’d arrive late at night, so not to wait up for you.”

  “Then you didn’t see who brought me here?”

  “No. I was asleep. I assume one of the town council members dropped you off. When I got up this morning, a note on the counter said you’d arrived safely.” Jaime looked at her white leather watch.

  “But…”

  Jaime interrupted my thought by standing. “We’re ten minutes behind schedule. We’ll have to walk faster than I anticipated.”

  I wanted to tell her that I didn’t want to be here. That I was brought here without my consent. Instead, I stood and followed Jaime out the front door. “Where are we going? Don’t you need keys to lock the door?”

  Jaime giggled. “Of course not. Nobody locks their doors.”

  Right. Rule 3—no stealing.

  Jaime added, “You have an introductory meeting at the church with the town council. We can’t be late.”

  As we walked, Jaime told me who lived in each house on her street: Gary and Dona Folsom, Vince and Georgette Kirby, Walter and Alberta Sutter, Charlotte Hannon, Gus Hearn, Kenneth and Amanda Mason. A mix of two-story and ranch-style homes lined the street, each home a different color than the one next to it. Tan, blue, hunter green, chocolate brown, white, gray. This could be a street in Darden.

  I spotted the church steeple from several blocks away. As we approached the small church, the first thing I noticed were the four recessed arched windows. The window above the door was four panes high and two panes wide, but the two windows on each side of the front entrance were smaller, only one pane wide. The fourth arched window was positioned directly under the clock—black with white numbers and hands. The spire had a greenish tint. I couldn’t tell if it was meant to be that color or if the elements had tarnished it. A ramp led to the front door, flanked by two wrought-iron benches. The church reminded me of one I’d visited in Pennsylvania during a high school class trip.

  We took the sidewalk around the side of the church. Three stained-glass windows, each of a different angel, sparkled in the morning sun. Jaime informed me the town had added the attached brick building thirty years before. She led me in through a side door and down a short hallway.

  The grey-speckled floor shined as if it was new. Perhaps the overhead lighting and white walls made everything look so clean. Double doors led to a longer hallway. Closed, white doors, approximately twelve feet apart, lined both sides of the hall, each marked by a black plate engraved with white lettering inserted into a silver metal wall plate holder. We walked by room 15, room 14, daycare 6, and daycare 5.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 11 a.m.

  (day 1 in Shadow Pines—meeting the town council)

  Jaime stopped at the door marked private—town council. She knocked twice. “Jaime Clark. Isabella is here for her meeting.”

  Jaime whispered, “When you hear the chimes you can go in. Close the door and sit in the chair. Let the council speak first. I’ll be waiting on the bench outside for you.”

  I watched her walk down the hall and disappear behind the double doors. Looking around, I wondered if secret cameras in the ceiling were watching me. Hearing the chimes, which sounded like the wind chimes hanging in Tish’s backyard, I took a deep breath then opened the door.

  The room of bare cream walls with oak hardwood flooring was smaller than I’d expected—no bigger than my dining room. Behind an extra-large rectangle oak desk, which must have been custom-made inside this room, considering I couldn’t see how it would ever fit through the tiny door opening, sat three men along with two empty chairs. In the middle of the room was a high-back, slated oak chair.

  I closed the door as quietly as I could, then sat in the chair. The three men said nothing. They just stared at me before writing something in their spiral-bound leather journals. I looked down, thinking I had a spot of dirt on my shirt. Instinctively, I brushed my hand over my shirt several times, erasing the invisible stain.

  The first man spoke. “My name is Oliver Blair. Next to me is Hudson Gillen, and on the end is Zackary Larson. We’re the three members of the town council. Did Jaime provide you a yellow folder and go over its contents?”

  I hadn’t sat this still since my dad had given me a lecture on drinking. I kept reminding myself to breathe, blink, breathe, blink. My voice was shaky. “Yes. Yes, she did.” To calm myself, I twisted the button on my shirtsleeve. I didn’t want to show these men how nervous I felt.

  “Very good,” Oliver said. “We’re so glad you’re joining Shadow Pines.”

  I expected the men on the town council to wear clerical collars or suits, considering the religious-oriented culture of Shadow Pines. Instead, they wore ordinary clothing.

  Oliver Blair appeared to be in his fifties. He was husky—as though he’d never missed a meal. His receding light-brown hair made his forehead too large for his small round glasses. He wore a light-blue dress shirt with a maroon tie. Two pens poked out from his shirt pocket.

  Hudson Gillen’s face reminded me of a golden raisin. The only other person I’d ever met with as many wrinkles was at a ninetieth birthday party. He wore overalls, a dark-blue t-shirt, and a tattered ball cap. A toothpick hung out of the side of his mouth.

  Zachary Larson, with reading glasses perched on his nose, reminded me of a bald Santa on vacation. He had rosy cheeks and a long, well-trimmed white beard. He tried to hide his rotund belly under a red Hawaiian-print shirt. I expected him to look up and say “ho, ho, ho.”

  Zachary spoke next. “I’m sure you have many questions. Jaime will answer them. If she cannot, she’ll provide a list of questions to us, and we’ll contact you for another meeting. However
, I hope that won’t be necessary.”

  “Isabella, you’re very special to Shadow Pines,” Hudson said. “You’ll live with Jaime for the next three months. We want to make sure you feel comfortable before allowing you on your own. Currently, we have three unoccupied homes. Each home is in a different area of Shadow Pines. Based on recommendations from the extended council, we’ll assign you a house. The town pays for services such as electricity, water, gas, and the like. Your homeowner obligations are to keep the house in a good state, maintain the yard, and pay a monthly fee of one-hundred dollars to the town.”

  “We’ll discuss the exact arrangements after your first three months in Shadow Pines. Thank you, Isabella,” Zachary said. “Jaime will show you the town now. You’re dismissed.”

  My hands trembled. In less than five minutes, all three men had intimidated me. These people believed I was here because I wanted to be and expected me to live here the rest of my life. I hated confrontations, and after listening to Jaime read the rules, the one word that popped in my mind was ‘quarantine.’ Standing, I said, “Thank you,” and walked out, gently closing the door behind me.

  Across the hall I saw a door marked women’s restroom and went inside. Perspiration beads had formed on my forehead. I splashed water on my face and patted it dry with paper towels. Looking in the mirror, I asked myself, What’s going on?

  Still trembling, I walked outside and around the corner toward Jaime, who sat on a bench.

  Jaime gasped. “Oh, you don’t look so well. Sit. Did the meeting go okay?” Jaime continued asking me questions. However, I’d stopped listening.

  A warm sensation came over me. Looking at Jaime, I said, “I’m going to pass out.” I got on all fours, crawled over to the grass, and lay on my back. Things got fuzzy, then went black.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 4:30 p.m.

  (day 2 in Shadow Pines—at the clinic)

  “Good afternoon,” said a sweet, angelic voice.