A Bald Women's Road Trip, Chapter 4

A Bald Women's Road Trip, Chapter 4

"Have you thought about stopping somewhere yet?" Su asked.

"We haven't seen anywhere since lunch, I hope we find somewhere soon." Sharon replied. There was still a road, but there was desert as far as she could see. It felt like it would start to become dark at any moment.

The sky had changed color a bit when Sharon saw a small road she could pull off to the right. 

"Want to see what's down here?" she asked.

"What else is there?" Jan replied. Sharon obliged and went down.

They soon came to a large house, and a smaller building which looked to have apartments. There was a cardboard sign that said "Rooms Available". 

"Oh, thank goodness." Patricia said. Sharon had a bad feeling for some reason, but again saw no other options.

A young man saw them and brought them into a lobby which only had a desk, which he went behind.

"I run the place while my father's away. I'll get you a room." he said.

"Everything alright?' asked Sharon.

"Oh, yes. We haven't had guests in a while." She thought he seemed uneasy for some reason. She paid him, trying to ignore the idea. "Alright. Your rooms are down the hall."

"Thank you."

"I'm glad we found this, aren't you?" Patricia asked, getting into her single bed.

"Yes, I suppose. You don't feel anything strange?" Sharon continued.

"No." Sharon supposed it just might be her.

A few hours later, she was awoken by Patricia.

"Sharon... it looks like you were right."

"Why? What happened?" They were in what seemed to be in a basement. The room was dark and mostly empty. She saw Su and Jan also awake. She noticed several more young women in robes, who were looking at and touching their bald heads. 

"Excuse me," she said going up to one of the women, "Can you tell me what's going on here?"

"Certainly. We are the wives of the Master." she said.

"Who is the Master?"

"He's a cult leader... well he thinks he is, at least. I mean, I think some of us have developed Stockholm, but we're looking for a way to escape."

"How..." Sharon started to ask, but she heard a door open. A man with a mustache and a darker robe walked in.

"That's him!" she whispered in Sharon's ear.

"Hello, hello to you all. I see I have new wives tonight, four." Patricia started to say something. "It's a good thing. The One is growing restless. He demands sacrifice. As soon as he says which of you it will be, I shall follow his wishes right away. And I'm sure I will have the answer upon further meditation. I shall see you in a bit." He walked back out the door.

"He sacrifices women?" Su asked in surprise.

"He's been saying that, but I've never seen it. I haven't been here very long, though." one wife said.

"Well, in that case, we should leave and leave quickly." Sharon said.

"Where would we go? It's only desert for miles." the woman replied.

"That's not true. There's a road just a little bit up to the left that there's a town. Tommy told me about it." said another, younger wife.

"And then what, Elle?" the other woman asked. "His father would surely come looking for us."

"We've talked about it, quite a bit. In the morning, or the next day, he'll drive us to the nearest airport. The rest of you can continue on."

Jan spoke up. "This Master guy said he was in meditation or something like that. In theory, we could walk right out the front door."

"Yes, but I want to get Tommy first." Elle replied.

"I really don't know what you see in him, but alright." someone else said.

Elle went out first- they were impressed how softly she disappeared, and returned with the young man from earlier.

"Come on- I know the way to get out without running into the dogs." Tommy said.

"He has dogs?" Su asked.

'Oh yeah, big and mean- they don't even like me." he said. "Follow my lead, then." The Master's house seemed to be normal- you won't guess it was the lair of a wannabe cult leader. However, when they got down to the first floor, they noticed a huge portrait of the Master with his robes on

"Let's go out the side door." said Tommy, turning on a flashlight. The group went out into the night.

"Our car's still here, I think we can take one or two extra." Sharon said. Quickly looking over everyone, she called out- "Where's Patricia?"

Patricia in fact had lost the group and was trying to fond a way out.

"Hey!" the Master said. His door was open and he was looking straight at Patricia. "You really shouldn't be wandering around."

"Oh, sorry, sorry!" she said, becoming afraid.

"Don't worry. It'll likely be that awful girl Elle that's sacrificed next. What brings you along this way, anyway?"

"Oh, um, I'm in a band." Patricia said.

"Really now?" the Master replied.

"Yeah- the Baldettes." 

"Yes, I was wondering about that. Must be a hard life on the road. Aren't you glad you found us?"

"Of course. Enlightenment is the best." Patricia said, trying to go along with it. "May I ask, what's the endgame here?"

"Endgame? Well, that's up to the One. I'm sure it'll be great. Ever since my wife left and I was called to start our group, I've learned so much." he went on. "Do you think you'd like to meditate with me?"

"You'd let me do that?" Patricia asked.

"I don't often, but I like you." said the Master.

Sharon suddenly peeked into the room "Patricia! Why don't we get back to the room?"

"Oh, we were just going to start mediating together." Patricia said.

"Okay." Sharon replied, getting at what she was saying. Both bald women snuck out of the room when the Master would no longer notice. They left the house and followed Tommy's car out.

"Hey, Sharon." Patricia said.

"Yes?"

"Did you ever think of starting a band?"

"No, why?" Sharon said, slightly amused.

"Just wondering."