“I don’t want to hurt you. I promise.”
She released her breath and swallowed. “I know. But what about Damian?” Would the brother make an appearance?
“Now why’d you have to go and ruin it?” The vicious voice trailed down the stairs.
And then...
Julian stood in front of her.
Strength swept over her. She knew what to do. “God, I needYour strength. Please save my friend from the darkness.” Had those calm words really come from her mouth?
“Stop it!”
Damian. He was almost shrieking.
“Or I’ll shut you up. Permanently! Maybeyoubelong in the garden. Along with Mary and our stupid father.”
Anna had never seen such hatred. Such ... evil. “You speak out of fear, Damian.”
“Shut up!” He grabbed her hand and squeezed so hard that she let out a wail—but then he released her and yelled at the ceiling. “Go away! I want to hear what Anna has to say!”
Julian stilled and an eerie silence took over.
She watched him but didn’t dare move. Would she face Julian or Damian when he came out of whatever daze he was in?Speak through me, Lord. Useme as You will.
When the man turned his gaze back to her, his face was once again soft. The Julian she knew. How long would it last?
“It’s just us. My brother left. Now”—he sat on the basement floor in front of her—“we can talk about how you can fix me. You’re the only one who can.”
Rather than fear, she felt compassion toward him. That could only come by supernatural means. “I can’t fix you, Julian. I can’t fix myself. Only God can do that.”
“But you don’t need to be fixed.”
“Oh, yes, I do. I have so many flaws. I’ve sinned so many times. You know, I started out being nice to you because Mary reminded me that we were commanded to love one another. I wanted to be your friend so I could do her memory proud. But now I understand things a bit differently.”
“What do you mean?” At least he was listening. For now.
“You don’t need kindness—although that’s nice, isn’t it? You don’t even need a friend. But you do need to see God’s love. He’s the only one who can restore you.”
He blinked several times.
Her time with the brother she no longer feared was limited, that much was certain. So, with a deep breath, she shared her simple understanding of the gospel. “We can’t do anything to save or fix ourselves, Julian. Only God can do that.” She closed her eyes and bowed her head. “Heavenly Father, I ask for You to touch Julian’s heart. Draw him close to You so that he understands Your unconditional love and forgiveness. Help him to see clearly—”
“Stop!” Julian put his hands over his ears.
But she wouldn’t. “God, please. Save him!”
An animal-like scream erupted from the man’s mouth and he raced up the stairs, locking the door behind him.
She wilted against the wall, trembling. Like she had climbed a mountain and exhausted every bit of strength and energy within her.
But she was at peace.
All the worries about the dig, the sketches, the scientific papers. None of it mattered. She would probably die down here. They would bury her in the garden. But she’d shared the Truth with Julian.
And she could love him now, because Christ loved her first.
thirty-one
