The sacrifices we make

by troy arndt continues . . .



After a few minutes he started walking again in that slow but determined way, maintaining his course down the same street he had arrived on.

Susan and Charlie were standing in the foyer, staring at the door, when James turned from the window and hurried over to them.

"He’s just crossed Maple Street,” he said. "He might pass by but let’s get ready just in case."

James went back to Katie and led her over to the children, making sure each of them held their sticks straight up, as if presenting arms with tiny, wooden swords. He returned to the window and looked out the slit between the curtains.

By now Cancer Man was only a few houses away. James could feel the sting of sweat running into his eyes, but refused to wipe it away. He wanted to watch and make sure Cancer Man passed.

For a moment, it seemed he actually would continue walking down the street, but just as Cancer Man reached the walkway leading up to the house, he stopped.

Folding his hands in front of him, Cancer Man’s smile widened as he gazed at the house across the street from where James hid.

The house looked vacant, but James knew there were two people inside doing the same thing he was; shaking, hiding, and watching to see what would happen next.

Kneeling on the couch, James balled a corner of the curtain in his fist. "Please let it be the Wilkersons. Oh, please let it be the Wilkersons."

James´ breath caught in his throat when Cancer Man swerved his smiling face toward him, looking straight at the living room window.

James jumped back, almost pulling the curtain with him. He dropped the heavy drape and moved to his family. "He picked us. Oh God, he picked us."

Susan began to cry again. Charlie put his arm around her but Katie pushed it off. "This is just how it is, Charlie. Now stand up straight and show him your stick."

"Why does it have to be like this? Who says? I don’t want him to take my sister." Tears rolled down Charlie’s cheeks. “Don‘t let him take my sister. Please, do something!"

James ran his fingers through his hair. "If not her, then who? You knew it might come to this. We all did. Just get your sticks ready."

Charlie’s shoulders slouched down but he did as he was told, holding out his stick. Susan did the same.

They stood together in silence, looking at the door. A jolt shot through James when the bell rang. He could feel the pulse of his heart beating through his entire body as he went and opened the door.

James had never seen Cancer Man up close so was surprised to find that, at six feet, they were both about the same height. He had always wondered if the white face was the result of make up but at close range he could see it was not. The smiling, red lips were natural as well. The summer sun and thick robe he wore failed to produce even a drop of sweat on him.

When James failed to speak, Cancer Man bowed his head slightly and said, "I have come for the Taking."

Hearing the voice made James forget any pretension he had before. It was like hearing a thousand echoes screaming from a canyon all at once.

He stopped trying to control his shaking and let the sweat run freely down his face. The gut he had been holding in let loose, making his jacket bulge out between the buttons.

James was unsure as to what to say. He had never actually seen a Taking before, and no one had ever gone into detail about this rite, but he knew that one of the Laws was to never turn Cancer Man away. When he came to your door, you invited him in and the one with the short stick left with him. Plain and simple.

He tried to swallow, failed, then in a cracked voice said, "Please, come in."

Cancer Man entered the foyer and studied the family standing before him. They were scared, as they always were. The children would not stop crying, but the parents were holding up as best as could be expected.

"If you please, present your sticks," he said.

The four of them held up their sticks. Cancer Man went to James first, then Katie, and then Charlie; taking their long sticks and looking at them with interest.

Finally, he took Susan’s short stick and smiled. "Ah, Youth. It has been some time since this has happened. He caressed her cheek and placed his tongue on the stick.

The smile on his face faded. Cancer Man squinted his eyes and sampled the stick again.

"What is this?" he asked. "Is this a day for games?"

"She drew the short stick!" Katie said. "You can see it for yourself!"

"There is trickery here," Cancer Man said.

James took a cautious step forward. "No, no. You can plainly see that she has the short stick."

Cancer Man licked the stick again then looked at James. "This is not the essence of youth. This is the taste of a blood-letting female."

Katie fell to her knees and hobbled over to Cancer Man, clutching his robe. It smelled like fresh dirt and burnt wood.

"Please, just take her! She has the short stick. And you said you preferred youth, didn’t you? She is yours. Just please take her and go!"

"Katie! Get up!" James said.

Cancer Man gently removed Katie from his robe and bent down in front of Susan. She held her hands up to her chest, eyes closed, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Little one," he said, "Is this the stick you took from all the choices you had?" He was caressing her cheek again and she thought she might wet herself.

"I don’t know. Mommy said it was. She told me I drew the short stick, but we never really saw."

Cancer Man looked at Katie. She was standing next to her husband again.

"What have you to say, woman? What stories do you have for me?"

"It was his idea," she said, pointing at James. "He said you would never know. That if we just gave the stick to Susan you would take her instead."

"You dumb bitch!" James said. He turned to Cancer Man. "She suggested it! She thought it all up. It was she who drew the short stick. Why would I cause harm to myself by lying?"

Katie drew back and slapped her husband, leaving a red mark across his cheek and water welling up in his eyes.

"Both of you be quiet," Cancer Man said. "I have had enough of this."

It was the voice again. James and Katie stopped bickering and stood motionless next to the children.

Cancer Man waited a moment before continuing. "The Laws are simple and easy to follow. Most do so, but there are those who do not and a penalty must be imposed when they fail to obey."

He stood in front of Susan and Charlie, placing his long, white fingers under each of their chins. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

"In this case, it is written I must take both. Two for the price of one."

"Yes!" Katie said. "Take them both! They are yours."

James nodded his head. "We never meant any harm. Things just got out of hand. Do what you have to do."

Charlie’s anger overcame him. "How can you two be saying this. We’re your children!"

He pulled his sister to him, wrapping her against his chest.

Cancer Man opened his eyes and smiled again. He looked once more at the family huddled in front of him, then took two trembling hands into his and proceeded with the Taking.

The day was hot and bright. Far off, past Maple Street, people were beginning to come back out. Some went to work on their lawns; others washed the sticky film of untended soap off their vehicles. Most just stood and looked down the street watching three people make their way out of the neighborhood.

As Cancer Man led his subjects away, people began yelling from behind their curtained windows.

"He’s got two of them! The Law has been broken!" one said.

"Please, Cancer Man, don’t blame us! We followed the Law!" another voice said.

No one knew how Cancer Man got his name or where he came from. No one knew why he lit the fires in the forest at the edge of town, just across the river, when he left. No one could even imagine what he did to make those he took with him scream for three days afterward.

All they knew was that they had to prepare new sticks and draw for the next Taking.

Katie and James looked back at their children, who stood in the doorway. Charlie glared at his parents as they were led away. Susan was still sobbing and holding her short stick.

"Don’t worry Mommy," she said, "It won’t hurt."

About this author :

Born and raised in a small Kansas town, Troy S. Arndt has spent most of his adult life traveling extensively throughout the United States and various parts of the world.

Along the way, he has written various short stories and novellas that tend to lean toward the darker side of life; all of which he is now polishing up and sending out in the hopes of being published.

Presently residing in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, he is working on his first novel and plans on returning to the United States at the end of 2008.



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