1
Marriage Co.® Alison, a twenty-something girl with straight brown hair and cool gray eyes, stood outside a large courthouse. The building loomed in front of her. She swayed a bit and wrung her hands. Her palms were cold and slick and her fingers were nearly numb. She swallowed, attempting to moisten the dry patch in the back of her throat. The air was nippy and her cheeks glowed red from the bite of the wind. The sky was a bright, cold blue. With each breath it looked as if she exhaled puffs of smoke. “Up we go,” a gruff voice startled her as a man took her by the elbow and led her gently up the steps to the courthouse. “Don't be nervous, Ally,” he said with a smile and a friendly sideways glance. “Your sister got married just last year and you see how that turned out. You'll be fine.” Alison stumbled along up the steps and into the building. “Not every girl's as lucky as Christine,” she muttered. “Macy married that guy, Phillip, now look where she's at. Four kids in four years and he doesn't let her do anything.” “Eh,” the man shrugged. “I'm sure that doesn't happen often. Besides, I've met your fiance. Seems like a nice fellow.” Alison raised a brow. “But papa...isn't that against the --” “Shh,” he raised his fingers to his lips and winked. They approached a large oak desk that blocked off a hallway. Several clerks sat behind the long desk, filling out paperwork and leading men and women down the hallway. They stood in line for just a short amount of time before they were motioned over. “How can I help you?” The woman behind the desk looked up at Alison and her father.
2 “Just engagement procedure,” he said. “Age?” “23.” A smirk flitted onto the woman's face. “Fresh in, are ya?” Alison nodded with a grimace and her face flushed with heat. “Just sign these and get in line over there,” the clerk said, pointing to a relatively short line in front of a door beside the desk. Alison signed the paperwork, one consenting to her marriage, the other consenting to the laws about children. Her fiance's ineligible signature was already on the paperwork. She couldn't even read his name. Alison frowned. Hopefully his sloppy handwriting did not have any link with poor grammar. She sighed and slumped off towards the line at the right end of the desk. “This is where I leave you, sweetheart,” her father said. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and an endearing smile. Alison could only give a horrified stare. “You can't leave, papa! Please don't leave me. I don't even know this guy!” She grabbed his hand and he shook his head. “Alison,” he tucked some stray hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek in his hand. “Chin up. Give him a chance. I don't like this system any more than you do but...I don't really have a choice. Neither do you. It's just the way of the world.” He patted her cheek. “You'll be alright, honey. Just give him a chance.” Her eyes stung and she threw her arms around him, holding him tightly. He returned her embrace and, in only a few seconds, he pulled away from her and he was gone. The sound of heels clacking against the cold tile floor filled the hall. Alison walked
3 tentatively behind Claudia, a full figured woman with rich brown skin and tall, black stilettos. She chattered away about marriage and her own husband and how many girls she'd matched earlier that day. Alison only responded with vague “uh-huh”s and absent minded nods. The hallway seemed to go on forever. Suddenly Alison collided with a large, hard body and she yelped, stumbling back. She jerked her eyes up to a handsome face and sparkling blue eyes. High forehead, chiseled jaw, defined biceps, even under the fitted long sleeved polo. “Sorry! Excuse me,” he said, brushing her shoulder with his hand. He flashed a quick, nervous smile and then spun around. Should have known better, she thought. Of course he's matched with someone else. “Alison,” Claudia's voice echoed from down the hall. “What are you doin', girl, your room's down here.” She stood, hip cocked, hand poised on her waist with a disapproving frown. Alison jogged to her door. The harsh movement caused her hair to wriggle out of her bun and wisps of it fell into her eyes. She brushed it out of the way and slipped into the room, backing into it with a sheepish embarrassed smile. Claudia shut the door in her face and Alison could hear those heels clacking back down the hall to retrieve the next girl probably not ready for marriage She turned around, eyes closed, and sighed. Giddiness rose in her chest. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Marriage. Maybe her father was right. She could do this. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. The walls were a soft yellow. The room was smaller than she would have thought. A small bed sat in the middle of the room. There were no windows and the place was lit up with a flickering overhead light. On the pillow was an envelope with the name
4 “Alison” written on it. Goosebumps prickled her skin and she furrowed her brow. She picked up the envelope and fingered the lining. In one swift motion. She ripped the seal and withdrew the letter. She unfolded it and her eyes flitted over the type: Alison Glenn, We regret to inform you that your fiance, Riley Moss, passed away of unknown causes yesterday evening. Unfortunately, we can only match you once and we are required to take the appropriate measures in preventing any deviation from the traditions and ideals we uphold. Due to this circumstance, we are afraid the only resolution is to eliminate single persons 23 years of age and older, as per the terms and conditions presented to you. We apologize for this fatal inconvenience. Please do not panic or cause any disturbances, as you are surrounded by others who are already nervous about meeting their matches. Your family will be notified of this unfortunate circumstance promptly. By the time you finish reading this, you very well may already be dead. In such a case, we wish you the best of luck on your afterlife endeavors. Sincerely, Marriage Co.® “Oh man, so you got the letter too?” Alison jerked her head towards the voice and the man she'd bumped into earlier was leaning against the bed. “How did you...” She mumbled, aghast. He looked pointedly down at her feet and she followed his gaze. She found herself sprawled out on the ground, mouth agape and eyes rolled back.
5 On the Brink Benjamin Bailey threw himself into his routine. Shower. Shave. Get dressed. Walk to work. He hunched his shoulders and shoved his hands in the pockets of his cargo shorts. He pulled the hood of his camo jacket over his head expecting it to block himself off from the world. The sky was an ominous gray. Ben trudged along the sidewalk in silence. People passed him quickly, only offering wary sideways glances as any recognition that the tall, lanky man with the downcast eyes and slightly large nose even existed. The sky began to spit and gloomy shadows enveloped the small town. Ben’s own shadow extended far ahead of him, contorting into a stick-thin figure casted on the ground. “Ellie! El!” A weight collided with his shoulder, spinning him around. “Watch it, lady!” Ben’s hood fell back to reveal a pointy face, often associated with the face of a criminal. His eyes were a stony steel blue and his mouth curved downwards. His forehead wrinkled and his brow furrowed, concern absent in his face. “Please, my daughter Ellie. Have ya seen her? She’s about this high...” The woman held her hand up to the height of her navel. She looked like a lost doe who had been shot at. Her big brown eyes looked for any sign of recognition but Ben’s eyes remained cold. She rubbed her hands over her face, smearing her mascara. She shook her head and continued in the opposite direction, calling for her daughter. He huffed and jerked his hood back over his head. He snatched his phone out of his
6 pocket and checked the time. With hushed grumbles he put his thumbs to work. Gonna be late. Crazy lady bu-Brakes squealed. Lights flashed. Impact.
A phone lit up on the sidewalk. ♫The harvest left no food for you to eat you cannibal, you meat-eater, you see but I have seen the same I know the shame in your defeat But I will hold on hope and I won’t let you choke on the noose around your neck♫
Machines beeped. People yelled. Ben tried to lift his head but he couldn’t move. He tried to speak but all he heard from himself was a grunt and a groan. He tried to speak again to no avail. “He’s awake!” Ben blinked his eyes open. Bright light blinded him and he squinted. He tried to clear his throat and he immediately choked. “Relax, son.” A man with a gruff voice tried to comfort him, but Ben began to panic. A sudden wave of
7 pain hit him just as they hastily removed the contraption helping him breathe. He sucked in a gulp of the cool, sterile air and screamed. He tried to lift his head or move his arms or his legs and searing hot pain shot through his body. He yelled again and a pair of large hands pinned him to the table. The rush of his own blood sounded like the roar of a waterfall. He could barely see them or hear them. “Benjamin Bailey? Son? Can ya tell me what happened?” “Car.” Ben’s voice was a scratchy whisper. “Hit me.” He whined and wheezed. “You’re pretty banged up, son. But we’ll patch ya up. Anyone you can call?” “I’m late,” Ben mumbled. “Doctor,” a female voice broke the air, “I’ve got his mother on the phone.” The doctor gestured the nurse away and moved towards Ben’s feet. Ben felt pressure on his right ankle. He felt hands on his foot. “Okay Benjamin, I need ya to take a deep breath and hold still for me. You dislocated your hip and we have to pop it back in place.” Ben forced his eyes open and saw the blurry figure of a large man holding his heel. The doctor pushed his leg up somewhat and bent it at the knee then forced it down and back with all of his weight.. Ben shrieked, arching his back and throwing back his head. Black.
8
Ben’s eyes flew open and he immediately grappled for his leg. He blinked and furrowed his brow. The blood was gone. The lights were gone. Hell, he was covered in a sheet, but it wasn’t the sterile white of the hospital sheets and it didn’t smell like rubbing alcohol. He was on a bed. He glanced around and found himself in his room. His phone was on the nightstand. The alarm read 9:30 a.m. He jumped up and pulled on some clothes and rushed into the kitchen. A calendar on the wall caught his attention. Almost every day of the month was crossed out with a big, black ╳. According to the calendar, it was Wednesday. “Huh.” Ben rubbed his face. “Nightmares,” he grumbled, rubbing his right leg again. His day went on like normal. He ate breakfast and washed the dishes in the sink. His foot brushed cold ceramic. He looked down and saw a bright cherry-red dog bowl with Sascha written on the side. He paused for a moment. The name seemed incredibly familiar and when a large Borzoi trotted around the corner he realized why. Of course! Sascha. The dog stared up at him with inquisitive amber eyes. They locked gazes for just a moment before she continued past him and pushed through the door. Ben wandered over to the door and pushed it open. The sky was overcast but it didn’t look like it was going to rain. The sun broke through the cloud, casting moving abstract shadows across houses and the ground. The streets were empty. There were no cars in the driveways.
9 Sascha was nowhere to be found. He stepped out onto the porch and looked across the lawn, searching for some sign of life. A small blue CRV crept down the road. The tires against the gravel made Ben uneasy. He squinted his eyes, straining to see. The vehicle turned into a driveway. An elderly couple and a little girl emerged from the car. The couple headed for the entrance to the house and paid little to no attention as she grabbed her bike and headed for the road. Ben went back inside and slouched down on the couch. Everything was obviously familiar, but there was a pit in his stomach telling him something just wasn’t right. This was his living room. This was his couch. That was his flat screen. The clock on the wall. The dog. The house...it was all his. Wasn’t it? Ben jumped when a door swung open and slammed shut. He heard the rhythmic clack of paws on a tile floor accompanied by the shuffling of other feet that he could not place. “Don’t worry, girl.” A child’s feminine voice echoed throughout the house. Ben jumped up and charged into the kitchen, ready to confront whomever had the gall to walk in uninvited. He stopped short beneath the doorframe when he was met with the sight of a little girl -in fact, the same girl he saw down the street earlier -- teetering on her tippy-toes trying to reach a small bag of dog food in the cabinet. She snatched the bag a little clumsily off of the shelf and hopped down, staring at her prize with a grin. The dog nosed the bag which was easily level with her head while in the hands
10 of the girl. “Wait a minute, Sascha.” “Hey!” Ben spoke up. The small girl screamed and started. “Who are you! You don’t live here!” Ben stepped forwards and the girl stepped back. “Yeah I do. This is my house.” “Nobody’s ever lived here, mister,” she informed him with wide eyes and a troubled frown. “I mean, not since I got here anyway.” “Listen kid. This is my kitchen. My house. My dog. So why don’t you do me a favor and scat.” He took another step towards her, fully intending to guide her out of the door and leave him in peace alone with his thoughts. “That ain’t your dog,” she stated, locking eyes with him. The girl with the long black hair and almond-shaped, inquisitive brown eyes looked incredibly familiar. Eerily so. “Yeah he is, kid.” “She’s a she! You probably don’t even know her name!” Ben paused with a blank expression and he stared at the dog. He felt a little queasy deep in the pit of his stomach. The girl smiled triumphantly and squealed in excitement. Her apprehension melted into curiosity and she ventured closer to Benjamin. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, his mother bursted through the door
11 and rushed past him. She stifled sobs while she walked and Ben stumbled after her, briefly forgetting about what was going on in the kitchen. “Mom! Mom, what’s wro-” He swung around the corner, following where she had gone, but she was nowhere in sight. He didn’t hear her shuffling or her footsteps or even her crying. He strained to hear any sound at all, but he came up empty. “That happens sometimes... She can’t hear you.” Ben did a 180 to face the girl, studying her face with increasing panic and confusion. “What do you mean? What is this place? Who are you?” The little girl gave him a cheeky, but sympathetic, grin and thrusted out her tiny hand. “I’m Ellie.”
Ben sat on the couch with his face in his hands. Was it really possible? He shook his head and groaned. Ellie sat cross-legged on the floor and Sascha lay beside her with her head in the girl’s lap. “So...are we dead?” Ben asked? Confusion etched itself into every crevice in his face. “I don’t think so...” Ellie played with Sascha’s silky fur, running her fingers through it with a thoughtful expression. She pursed her lips. “Well, I know I’m not,” she said. She hopped up off the floor and Sascha followed suit, grumbling lowly. “I mean,” she continued, “People have showed up and disappeared. If we were dead,
12 we’d disappear too, right?” Ben’s hands fell to rest on his thighs. He studied Ellie. The name sounded incredibly familiar, but he just couldn’t place it. “I saw the man who took me. Like you saw your mom, ya know? Sometimes I see my mom too. She is always crying.” Ellie’s face turned downward and any light that there once was in her youthful face fled at the mention of her mother. “Someone took you?” Ben asked, leaning forward. “Yeah. One of my granny’s friends. Mister Tommy.” She shrugged. “He took me out into the woods and then...then I woke up here.” The hair on the back of Ben’s neck stood on end as a memory skipped through his mind. A woman, eyes puffy and red from crying, calling out for her little girl. For Ellie. Asking for help which Ben selfishly denied. Kids would be kids, after all. They would eventually wander home, right? Except for Ellie. Ellie was here, wherever the hell they were. And so was he.
Ben wasn’t entirely sure what they were doing out here on the edge of town. He stood staring at the edge of the forest. Ellie stood close beside him and Sascha stood beside Ellie. A single road separated them from the mass of trees. There was no traffic. There was never any traffic in this godforsaken place. “I’m in there,” Ellie said, pointing towards the trees. “But there’s nothing we can do, Ellie.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “You said this place only meshes with the real world sometimes.”
13 “But I saw him before. I saw him here,” she whined. “He knows where I am! He took me!” Ben looked down on her sadly. “Please Ben. I’ll never ask you for anything ever again.” She craned her head to look up at him. Her big, sad, dark eyes bore into his soul. Ben gave an exasperated sigh and looked back towards the trees. “Fine.” Ellie threw her arms around his waist with a smile. Without warning Ellie ran across the road. Sascha followed her as always. Ben stepped off the sidewalk. The sun was suddenly covered by clouds and light rain hit the pavement. The sudden change in weather confused him and Ben saw Ellie look up at the sky with squinted eyes. A horn blared and headlights flashed. Ben whipped his head around to see a car barreling towards him. Ellie screamed. Ben shielded his face with his arms and braced himself for impact. … … Nothing. When he opened his eyes, the clouds were gone. The sun was warm on his face and the sky was a bright blue. He saw Ellie, white as a sheet, staring at him like she had seen a ghost. He spun around, looking for any sign of the car that seemed intent on running him over. It was gone. There weren’t even skid tracks on the road. “How...?” Ben mumbled, hastily moving towards Ellie. “I dunno,” she murmured. “Is that how you got...here?”
14 “Maybe...I’m not sure.” He shook his head and ran a hand over his face. “It doesn’t matter,” he continued. “It’s not important.”
“We’ve been walking for hours, Ellie.” “Time doesn’t matter here,” she muttered distractedly. She wandered through the trees, constantly looking. Constantly searching. But so far there was nothing. “How do you know you are out here?” “I just do!” she yelled, suddenly spinning around. Her eyes watered and even though it was dark beneath the shade of the trees Ben could see that she was on the verge of tears. “If we don’t find me, I’ll die, Ben. And then I’ll disappear.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. Ben stood there feeling useless. He didn’t know what he could do to help her. How would they find out where she was? The forest was too big. There were too many places she could be. The odds were stacked against them. “Okay,” Ben said softly, pushing back her hair. “I’m sorry. Just...just keep your eyes peeled.” Ellie nodded and led the way further into the trees. They walked for hours and, like Ellie predicted, the sun never set. Time never changed. It was more than a little disconcerting. After a while everything began to blend together. “We are going in circles, Ellie.”
15 “No we’re not!” She snapped, trudging on. “This is useless. We are out in the middle of nowhere!” Ben stopped and threw out his hands, gesturing to the forest. “There is nothing out here!” “Yes there is!” Ellie’s shrieked angrily. “Yes there is, yes there is, yes there is, yes there is, yes. There. Is!” Ellie stomped her feet and threw her fists in the air. Tears streamed freely down her chubby cheeks. The sight punched Ben in the gut. He felt nauseous. His heart was tight with sorrow and frustration. He didn’t know what to say or if he should apologize. Before he could do anything Ellie stomped away angrily towards a clearing. “Just go away!” She yelled. “I don’t need your help. I can do it myself!” Ben huffed indignantly and followed about ten feet behind. He didn’t feel like fighting with her. She was a child with insurmountable logic and she wasn’t going to give up.
Ben yawned and leaned against a tree. The sky still did not darken. Ellie stubbornly continued on just a few feet ahead. Ben knew better now than to voice his opinion. No wonder he decided he didn’t want kids. They were so bullheaded. He followed her maybe another 100 feet as she tirelessly searched before he gave up and sat down against a tree. Ellie had all but forgotten Ben was even there anyway. She was entirely consumed in her search for anything that would connect her with her memories. Ben felt it was futile. What would they do if they found her anyway? They were stuck here. Ben shut his eyes and leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree. The bark
16 scratched at his scalp. It was actually kind of soothing. He was so tempted to just go to sleep there. Even if they started back now, the journey back to his bed would simply cause more exhaustion. The sound of a child’s fear-riddled scream kept him from nodding off. He was on his feet and running before he could even comprehend what he’d heard. “Ellie!” Panic seeped through his voice. Another scream. Ben ran faster. He broke through the trees into a clearing. The brightness of the sun smacked him in the face. He staggered, shielding his eyes as they adjusted. When he was able to actually see, he looked across the field. The grass was tall and soft and a bright green. It shimmered in the sun as the breeze pushed it to and fro. The view would have been incredibly serene if not for the fact that a small child whom he had come to grow quite fond of wasn’t in distress. Ben saw a sign to his right that read “Hickory County Wildlife Sanctuary - 004.” Straight ahead of him a tall man with steel gray hair wrestled a struggling Ellie into a small wooden cabin. He blacked out.
Cold. Bright. The sudden change in environment startled his senses. The air reeked of rubbing alcohol and cotton bedsheets. His muscles felt stiff and his bones felt heavy. Ben groaned and blinked his eyes open. “Benny! Benjamin! He’s awake!” Worry bled into his mother’s voice, but there was also a hint of relief.
17 When his eyes focused he was met with the sight of his mother smiling down at him. “Hey mom,” he mumbled, his voice hoarse and scratchy. “Where am I?” Ben’s heart skipped a beat and dread sank into his bones. “Where’s Ellie?” The question was met with a confused stare and she brushed back his thick brown hair. “Benny, you’ve been in an accident,” she cooed. “You’re in the hospital. Nothing is broken, thank goodness, but they did have to stitch some things up in here.” She laid a wafer-light hand on his abdomen. Ben winced. “Now I’m gonna go get the doctor. Don’t you move a muscle.” Ben’s brain struggled to adjust. It had all seemed so real. It had to be a dream though. Sascha. Ellie. That world. It all had to have been a dream. “One Ellie Mary-Anne Davidson has been reported missing for 52 hours,” a man’s voice, muffled by the television speakers, echoed throughout the silent hospital room. Ben’s eyes wandered towards the screen. “She was last seen on 5th Avenue in Hickory County. She is 7, caucasian, brown eyes, black hair. If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, please contact--” Ben zoned out in his head for a moment. He could see Ellie clear as day behind his eyelids. He could see the cabin in the clearing. He could see the sign. The sign!
Ben knew exactly where he was going. He lifted the keys out of his mother’s purse and left the hospital. It was easier said than done. A nurse had tried to coax him back into bed.
18 “You’re on bedrest,” she said. “You shouldn’t be moving.” He sped down the highway in his mother’s teal blue Toyota. He tried desperately to bury the stabbing pains in his abdomen deep in the back of his mind. The sky was a light shade of purple and the sun crept over the horizon, threatening the crescent moon with its presence. Forest lined the road on either side of him, becoming a green blur. He passed a large sign that read “Hickory County Wildlife Sanctuary - 002”. He came to a fork in the road. The one to the left read “003” while the one to the right read “004”. Ben floored the gas and the tires squealed. He drove off to the right. Everything around him was a blur. His vision was hazy. The pain in his gut was getting difficult to ignore. His focus was skewed. His head hurt just as much, like someone was stabbing an ice pick into the base of his skull. Ben slammed on the brakes. There was no-one around. He stumbled out of the car and hurled onto the pavement. He heard the faint sound of sirens, but he couldn’t recall when he last saw a cop or an ambulance. Ben staggered to his right, heaving and trying to get some air. He felt like a ton of bricks were sitting on his chest. He willed his legs to move and keep moving. He could see the clearing through the trees. He could see the grass and the sign. He tried to move faster, but with his strength and energy draining, he became clumsy. A root sent him flying onto the forest floor. He groaned and felt like a searing hot knife had ripped through his insides. The pain was so intense that he was blinded for a moment. His vision cleared as the pain subsided, leaving a sharp throbbing in its place.
19 He forced himself onto his feet and trudged on. The cabin lay just ahead. Every step felt like a mile. His brain screamed at him to give up but his heart begged him to keep going. Just think of Ellie. Still alive. Inside. She needed him. Ben forced himself up the steps and onto the porch. His knees buckled and he fell forward, pushing the door open in the process. Light flooded the small room as the door creaked back. Ben craned his head and fell over. Despair chilled his bones. His stomach protested violently and he vomited. The smell was overwhelming; like that of ten rotting carcasses.. He pushed himself up onto his knees and looked around. The body of an elderly man sat in a chair at the back of the cabin and a small girl covered only by a towel was sprawled out on the floor. Ben’s heart jumped and he scrambled across the floor to get to her. “Ellie,” he murmured, touching her face. She was warm and he glanced at her chest, which rose and fell rhythmically. She didn’t rouse, though. “El, come on,” his voice rose a few octaves. No response. Ben used the chair the rotting carcass sat in to pull himself up. His vision floated for a moment and he gagged to the side. His head throbbed sharply and his vision went in and out of focus. He steadied himself and, with any strength he could muster, he lifted Ellie up into his arms and staggered out of the cabin. Ben felt his strength leaving him with each step. His legs wanted to give out on him. He could feel the exhaustion deep in his bones. Ellie only seemed to get heavier and heavier, but he pushed himself to keep going. Through the grass and through the trees to the road. He saw the car and an ambulance and lights. He felt himself falling through the air. He was gone before his body hit the ground.