* * *
“The coast is clear,” Sawyer hissed. He and Nora were in the security enclave, hiding out of sight and scoping out Owen’s tent. Sawyer began to creep forward, a long rope coiled around one arm. Nora followed.
Owen’s tent flap wasn’t tied closed. Sawyer pushed it out of the way, and the two eased themselves inside the tent.
It was dark inside, and it took a moment for their eyes to adjust, but then Nora could see the sleeping form of Owen on his hammock. His chest rose and fell evenly with his breath. Nora tiptoed to him, gently pulling back his blankets and nudging his hands together.
Sawyer didn’t waste a second. He whipped the rope out and tied Owen’s hands together.
Owen stirred in his sleep, mumbling something.
They both jumped.
But he hadn’t woken. Quickly, Sawyer used the rest of the rope to bind Owen’s feet. They both tested the knots, making sure that they were secure.
It had worked. Nora couldn’t believe it had been that easy. She and Sawyer sat down, waiting for Owen to wake up. They’d decided that once he did, they’d tell him that they’d keep him tied up forever unless he took himself to the mundane world and stayed there.
They didn’t have to wait long. Within fifteen minutes or so, Owen tried to roll over in his hammock and found himself unable to move easily. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked at his bound hands and feet.
Sawyer and Nora leapt to their feet, standing over him.
“Good morning, Owen,” said Sawyer. “Maybe you shouldn’t leave your tent flap untied. Anyone can get inside and do whatever they want to you.”
Owen struggled against his bonds. He looked at Nora. “You tied me up?”
“It’s for your own good,” said Nora. “And for the good of everyone else in Helicon. We had to stop you, Owen. You’re out of control.”
Owen struggled a little again. Then he relaxed into his hammock. He started to laugh. “Stop me? What makes you think you’ve stopped me?”
“You’re tied up, aren’t you?” said Sawyer. “How are you going to look into people’s eyes and brainwash them if you can’t leave this tent?”
Owen laughed harder. “You two are really something. It worried me when I couldn’t seem to get through to Sawyer in the same way that I got through to the others, but now I realize that I shouldn’t have worried at all.”
“You can say whatever you want,” said Nora. “We’ve got you, whether you admit it or not.”
“Now, Nora running off like that,” said Owen. “That, I wasn’t expecting. That was a pretty good idea. I didn’t think you had any creativity left.”
“It came back,” said Nora. “All I need was a jolt coming back to Helicon.”
Owen snorted. “It can’t have come back.”
Nora furrowed her brow. The red cylinders in her tent. “You did it, didn’t you? You stole my creativity. You put the red circles in my tent.”
“Finally figured that out, huh?” Owen said. “It’s for your own good. Creating stuff was only distracting you from our relationship.”
“I can’t believe you’d do that to me,” said Nora. “I thought you loved me.”
“It’s not important anymore anyway,” said Owen. “Now you’re in my tent, and I’ve got an even better idea to get you back.” He smiled. “Really, you’re making this too easy for me.” He looked towards the opening of his tent. “Oh, and we’ve got company.”
Maddie pushed her way in. She was out of breath and a little sweaty.
“Good,” said Owen. He grinned at Nora. “I made her run the whole way here.”
“You made her?” said Nora.
Owen jerked his head at Sawyer. “He’s the one who used the word brainwash, wasn’t he?” He chuckled. “The thing is, what I’m doing now, it’s really better than brainwashing. I’m deep inside Maddie’s mind, you see. I can make her do anything I want her to do. Isn’t that right, Maddie?”
“Oh, yes,” said Maddie. Her voice sounded hollow and strange, and she stared through Nora and Sawyer rather than at them.
“So, you see,” said Owen, “it really doesn’t matter if I’m tied up or not.” He grinned widely. “What should Maddie do to entertain us? Let’s see... Did you bring what I told you to bring, Maddie?”
“Yes,” said Maddie. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a carving knife from the kitchens.
Nora dove for it, trying to wrest it from her hand, but Maddie pushed her off, sending Nora stumbling backwards. Before Nora could lunge again, or Sawyer could help her, Maddie had the knife to her own throat.
“It’s always terribly sad when a muse commits suicide,” said Owen. “Poor Maddie. She wanted to be a thin, pretty dancer, but she was fat and stupid.”
“Stop it,” said Nora.
“You asshole,” growled Sawyer.
“Maybe if her friend Nora hadn’t run off like that, she wouldn’t have done it. All she wanted was for Nora to come home.”
Nora turned to him. “Why are you doing this?”
“You don’t like it?” asked Owen. “Well, then, make it stop. Come back to me, Nora. Be my girlfriend again, and your little friend will live.”
“Fine,” said Nora. “Just have her put down the knife.”
“No,” said Sawyer, “don’t let him push you around like that, Nora.”
“I’ll do it, Owen. I’ll come back to you. Don’t hurt Maddie,” said Nora.
Owen crowed triumphantly. “I knew you’d come around. Now, you understand that you can’t do this half-way. I don’t want a mopey girlfriend who refuses to be affectionate and sulks all the time. You’ll make me believe you’re happy to be with me, right?”
Nora gulped. “Right. Of course. Have her put down the knife.”
“And if at any point, you’re not living up to my expectations, you know I can make your little friend eviscerate herself.”
“I know, Owen, please, stop it!”
“Untie me, and I will.”
“Nora,” said Sawyer.
But she was already fumbling with the ropes. And as soon as Owen was free, Maddie put the knife down on the ground.
She looked at it with a confused expression on her face. “What am I doing here?”
“You came to see Nora,” said Owen, sitting up on the hammock. “She’s back. Aren’t you glad?”
“Nora!” said Maddie, running to embrace her.
Sawyer caught Nora’s eyes from behind her. He looked terrified. She held his gaze, unsure of what to say or do.