Karly: Leave Him There!
A kiss in an apple orchard, and you think you understand Ruth? She is a Danite! She is on mission! You get between Karly and her mission and she will cut your throat from ear to ear . . . because she loves you!
Karly Anne Avard smoothed her dress as she rose to follow the woman into the study of her bishop’s home. She had been to all the seminaries, read the Quad, said all the prayers, and never drank a single cup of coffee! Now she was to enter the holy of holies, to receive her commission to minister to the gentiles from her bishop!
Karly was an unassuming waif of a girl. A girl with glasses who never tried out for cheerleader, and she loved her church. Two men were waiting in the study with the bishop. Young men dressed in white shirts and black ties. As she entered and knelt in respect, one of the men went and locked the door behind her.
She was an only child, her mother having suffered from cervical cancer right after she was born, and all hope of a large family was gone. That left only Karly to be big sister to brothers who would never come down from heaven to assume their earthly bodies. The Avard family had dwindled down to Karly as the last strand of her family line that had stood at Immigration Pass with the prophet Brigham Young, as he gazed upon the Salt Lake Valley and declared that it was “the place,” where all could live in peace.” And little Karly, the last of that pioneer family, was to receive her bishop’s blessing and embark on her mission to bring Joseph Smith’s message to a troubled world. She knelt dutifully, kissed her bishop’s Masonic ring, and announced that she was ready!
Karly’s father had been a well-respected citizen of the community. Operating a convenience store in Caldern Hale, he was Temple Worthy, and although his daughter was not old enough yet, would accompany him “religiously”! Someday she would be married after she returned from her mission bringing Zion to the Gentiles and saving the world one soul at a time she would cook, clean, and make little Mormons. And Karly was ok with that.
As she stood in the study, smoothing her dress, her only wish being that her father could have been there with her. Unfortunately, he had been killed in an armed robbery at his store when she was ten. His killer had never been found. Still, Karly soldiered on. She had been taught teachings from her father, and from his group after his death. All the teachings. From The Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, Doctrines and Covenants and the oral teachings that were never written were implanted in her impressionable mind of the ways of the Dark Angels. Defenders of the Church. Teachings that Gentile nonbelievers would never know. Teachings that even all but a small contingent of Mormons of the temple would know and the general congregation would never believe. Preserved only in the minds of a very few devout believers and spoken only in hushed tones among the dark angels.
The Danites! Anjo Vingador. The Avenging Angels. In an age when nothing was absolute, nothing affirmed, the dark angels would place a single bullet on Porter Rockwell’s grave confirming their acceptance of the most secret organization in America. And even though Karly never expected to use her dagger, secured in her boot, she too, had left that bullet, and soul on “Old Port’s” stone when she was eleven years old and tonight would assume her place in the ranks of God’s army as a “Daughter of Zion!” Defender of the faith and executioner of God’s will! She was sixteen years old. Like those before her she swore blood atonement to any who would harm those of her church. Five years before this night, at Porter Rockwell’s grave she dragged her thumb symbolically across her throat as she recited, “Pay Lay Ale,” in a promise that should she reveal any Temple secrets, or things of that night her breast would be split asunder, and her blood spilled upon the ground for her sins. And Karly was ok with that!
After her meeting with her bishop, Karly had planned to do a sleep over at her best friend, Tesla’s house. One more night of pillow fights and popcorn before venturing into the world of the gentiles. Tesla had mentioned they slip over to City Park to meet with her grandfather and some of his friends for one more night out, but Karly had declined wanting to stay at Tesla’s house for goodbyes. But for now, she kissed her bishop’s ring, averting her eyes in respect and curtseyed like the good little Mormon she was.
“I want you to go with these men,” her bishop told her. “Leave your friend here. They will bring you back.”
Karly nodded and touched the left side of her neck. “Yes,” her bishop told her.” Tonight, you receive the mark. Do you know what that means?”
“I will save the life of the prophet of the lamb at all costs,” she replied.
“Good!” His eyes grew grave. The men have instructions for you. There is an abomination about. Do as they tell you,” At that they rose and left the room.
As she left, her best friend, Tesla was waiting in the corridor to take her to the park to celebrate her leaving but first, the two missionaries had one last bit of Temple business. They would place the mark of the Archangel Michael, a small flaming sword on the left side of her neck. At that point she would cease being a Daughter of Zion and become a true Danite for life and beyond as she promised her father. Sworn to defend the Church and the life of the prophet of the Lamb. Chosen to follow in the line of Saint Peter through the restoration heralded by Joseph Smith and given to all who believed and were found worthy of eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom.
“Stay here until I get back,” she told Tesla. “I won’t be long. Have some milk and cookies.”
“Why can’t I go?” Tesla asked in a whisper.
“It’s Temple business. You know that.”
“You going with me to the park tonight, or are you too holy now?”
Karly pulled her to the side. The two young men took no notice, knowing that Tesla was not a member of the church and understanding that Karly was probably just reconciling her to that fact before attending this last bit of business.
“I’ll think about it. I’d rather just be with you tonight.” Tesla reached for her hand, but Karly pushed her hand away. “Behave,” she whispered. “Not here.”
“Ok, I’ll wait,” Tesla said. Just don’t be too long. You sure you don’t wanna go to the park?”
“We’ll talk about it.” At that she walked out with the two young men.
Later, as other members of the secret society stood in reverence, a small tattoo of a flaming sword would be placed, sealing her to the service of the prophet even unto death, which she would give unto anyone who harmed that church in any way. The corporal at arms put his lips to her right ear and whispered, “Thou wast Karly. Thou art now Ruth. Receive thy commission.” With a gentle slap on both cheeks she rose from her knees, dragging her thumb across her throat and reciting, “Pay Lay Ale!”
As she was being driven back to the bishop’s house the missionaries talked to her.
“We understand you will be at a going away party tonight,” the driver said.
Karly had not been aware that the two young men knew of that. “It’s just a short get together my friend wanted to take me to. I’m not going to City Park after dark. I told her that I just wanted to spend the night at her house.”
“The girl in the hallway?”
“Yes.”
The two young men glanced at each other, nodding, and the driver continued. “We want you to go. Your friend’s grandfather will be there. We are aware of him. Have you heard about the two missing girls from City Park?”
“Yes. Have they been found?”
“No. And they aren’t the only ones. Seems there is a little club that likes little girls. We know the grandfather is connected to that at a high level.”
The passenger in the front seat picked up the conversation. “Tomorrow you will leave for your mission. We want you to go to this party. Be careful but bum a ride home from him. Make him think you like him. Let him know you want him to take you alone. Have this conversation with him alone. Everyone will be drinking. Be careful! Try to avoid anyone seeing you go to his truck. Sit next to him. He will not take you home. He will take you to somewhere that he can be alone. With you.”
The other young man chimed in. “That’s what happened to the two girls.”
“And they were never found?”
“We found them. Up on the Wasatch. We arranged services for the family. Only one member of the police knew. He did what was needed to keep it out of the public eye. Now we need you to make the atonement.”
Karly was beginning to understand. “What do you want me to do?”
“We want you to leave him there.”
“Oh, you mean just get out and leave like he tried something with me?”
“No. We want you to Leave him there!”
“Leave him there! For what he did to the Watchers!“ The driver drove home the point.
“Do your duty, Ruth. For the two little girls.”
Karly nodded her head in acceptance of her charge as she felt the fresh tattoo on her neck. And the knife that she always carried in her boot. As she did so the passenger gave her a confirming nod. “You know what to do?”
“His will be done!”
While this was happening, not worthy to enter the bishop’s sanctuary, Karly’s best friend, Tesla sat in the bishop’s den and waited, eating her cookies, considering this to be just more “religious stuff” that Karly needed to complete the preparation for her mission. Tesla, nor anyone else in her family were Temple, having fallen from grace a long time ago. That was why she was sitting alone in the den and could not follow Karly into the bishop’s study. She saw Mormonism as superstitious nonsense. If Karly would agree to a trip to City Park, she was sure she could spark her best friend’s interests in more than an eighteen-month preaching tour. Karly had apprehensions concerning her upcoming mission and had shared them with Tesla. She had shared other things. Secrets in the night. Secrets that Karly took far more seriously than Tesla did. And Tesla had arranged a kind of “going away party” that she hoped would open a wider world to Karly. But as Karly dutifully got into a car with the men and was whisked away into the night Tesla had misgivings that Karly could ever shake the mind freak her father had left her with. When she returned there was a small bandage on the left side of her neck concealing a tattoo of a flaming sword. The sword of the Angel Michael. The sword that locked her into a society so secret that some bishops even said that they were an old church myth. The two missionaries offered the two best friends a ride to Tesla’s house for Karly’s last night of freedom.
Not having been told the reason for the trip, Tesla’s interest was piqued and when she noticed the bandage on Karly’s neck, her curiosity aroused. While being driven back to Tesla’s house she inquired.
“What is that?” She asked.
Rubbing the bandage gently Karly said, “Promised daddy. Before my mission.”
“When my brothers come home with one of those bandages it’s a tattoo. You get a tattoo K?”
“Just a little one. Like I said, promised daddy.”
“Something weird huh? Mormon shit! That is why they think we’re a cult up here. You gonna end up being a sister wife if you do not watch out.”
“You know the church doesn’t sanction that! Why would you say that?”
“Don’t sanction that?” Tesla chuckled. “The whole western end of the lake is filled with trailers full of people that don’t sanction it.” At that she tried to peel the corner up a little to see the tattoo. “Let me see.”
Karly grabbed her wrist. “Stop! It’s personal. Between me and my dad. Promised him. You’re not allowed to see it!” Her nervous agitation surprised Tesla. Normally Karly would have just laughed and slapped her hand, but the request that had been given her was paramount.
Two pre-teens had recently disappeared from the park. Their bodies had been found in a nearby mountain pass. Before the case could expand the bodies disappeared, the families were instructed, and two graves appeared with no fanfare. There was only one small bit of business to be handled, and Miss Avard would do that tonight with the knife in her boot. And Karly was ok with that.
Tesla drew back. Just one more of the unexplainable things about her best friend. “Hey. Besties?” She hooked little fingers with Karly. “I’m not a Saint. You know I didn’t mean anything by it.” Maybe this mission is bearing on her mind Tesla thought, and she let it go.
“You’re not still a saint? Then what’s that figurine on your necklace?” Karly was referring to a figurine of the Angel Moroni that Tesla had on a necklace. The Angel that had led Joseph Smith to the golden plates that supposedly had led into what was now The Book of Mormon. One little bit of faith that Tesla held onto.
“It’s special to me, “Tesla said, “because it is special to you.”
She leaned to kiss Karly, but Karly raised her hand, glancing at the two missionaries in the front seat. If they didn’t like Tesla’s grandfather how much less would they like Karly and Tesla being more than best friends?
Karly responded with the customary finger squeeze. “Sorry. Lot on my mind. Do you think I’m ready for mission?”
“If there’s anyone on the planet more ready, I’d be surprised.” She sheepishly bowed her head. “Gonna miss you K.”
Karly said, “Hey. That thing you wanted to do over at City Park tonight. I’ve been thinking. Yeah, let’s go over and hang out a bit.”
Tesla’s face lit up. “Fantastic! You’re gonna love it.”
Karly hugged her. “I’ll be back. It’ll be just like before.”
But as they drove past the temple, unheard by Karly, Tesla looked at the gates of City Park as they passed them heading for her house and whispered to herself, “No it won’t.”
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