thirty
“There have been months and years of suspense and waiting and hoping and disappointment. There have been times when the heavens looked dark.”
~Earl Douglass
Anna couldn’t stop shaking.
Huddled in a corner of Julian’s basement, she hadn’t moved since he’d carried her down here, told her to be quiet, and then bolted the door. The click of the lock had echoed around her like thunder.
God, I don’t know what to do. Please ... pleasedon’t let him kill anyone else. Moans overtook her. Where had he gone? Nothing but silence kept her company in the house. What if he went after Joshua or her father?
She wasn’t sure what would be worse, the silence or hearing the floorboards creak overhead making his presence known.
The shivers worsened until she couldn’t keep her teeth from chattering. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, buried her face, and cried.
Long, soul-searching sobs erupted from the deepest well within her. This was all her fault. Every last bit of it.
She hadn’t listened to Josh and Dad. Hadn’t helped Julian.
Now what would happen to her? Fear clawed its way up her back.
Her mind froze. Words wouldn’t come. It was like she was paralyzed and couldn’t move.
Father ... help me.
All of a sudden, she relaxed. The shaking stopped.
Her mind cleared.
Julian had endured more than she could imagine at his father’s hands. His life had been in a prison with no escape. Could he have been so desperate and lonely ... so terrified that his mind created a brother? A brother the whole town believed was real, although now that she thought about it, no one had ever seen him. Oh, some people said they’d seen him. Just to tell stories, no doubt. Rumors had swirled around about Damian Walker. How awful he was. Even more awful than their dad.
They’d all believed them. And felt sorry for Julian.
But no one had cared enough about the man to find out what was really going on. No one...
Except Mary.
Anna closed her eyes. Had Mary faced this ... other Julian? Was that what happened to her?
Mary had risked everything to help Julian. Even—though she probably didn’t know it—her life.
Sitting up a little straighter, Anna peered into the darkness around her.
If he returned, her life would be on the line too.
Was she willing to lay down her life?
Oh, God. Help me.I’m so scared.
She closed her eyes as tight as she could, willing the tears to go away. Why couldn’t she be as brave and bold and loving as Mary?
My child ... you belong to Me. Just likeMary.
The words in her heart brought warmth to her limbs. That’s where her best friend’s strength had come from. The love. The boldness to reach out. And ultimately lay down her life...
God was in control. She belonged to Him. She might not be able to help Julian or anyone else, but God could.
The hard question was no longer if she would live another day.
