Maria's countenance brightened. "I like this dog Jo," she said as he lay down and put his paw on her arm as if to say, "I like you too."
Nicole laughed and shut the door. She was sure that Jo understood most of what people said, and a lot of what they didn't say. Eddie climbed in the front seat and then they were off.
A few miles later, Nicole looked in the rearview mirror and didn't see Jo's ever watchful eyes on her, so she turned her head for a moment toward the back seat. He was sound asleep with his head resting on Maria's lap.
"Wow, he must really like you, Maria. I have never seen him sleep when we're in the truck. He loves to go because he wants to be with me, but he's rarely relaxed enough to lie down, let alone sleep!"
Maria smiled, and in her broken English she said, "This dog, he loves Jesus."
Nicole was unprepared for Eddie's response. He turned and sternly said, "Maria! That's enough!" And then sensing her displeasure, he looked at Nicole and added, "Maria is full of fancies, and I'm trying to teach her to live in reality."
She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw that Maria had hung her head, but the expression on her face was not fear or shame; just sadness mixed with acceptance.
"Well, I think she's right," Nicole said. "Jesus certainly loves Jo and I'm sure that he knows this and loves Jesus in return!" Nicole could tell that her response displeased him all the more, but he remained quiet.
Nicole tried several times to engage in conversation, but Eddie was not really interested in talking. Maria had fallen asleep. They had left the main road several miles into the trip and were traveling on a well kept dirt road, but she hadn't seen another house in some time. She looked at the clock in the truck and realized that she was going to be late getting back. "How much further is it Eddie?"
"Not far. I'm sorry it's taking longer than I thought. I always forget that the dirt road slows us down."
Nicole pulled her phone out of her purse and tried to call home to let Jake know she'd be a bit late, and not surprisingly, there was no reception.
As they reached the top of the next rise, Eddie pointed at a house on the left and said, "That's it." He reached into the back seat and shook Maria's leg. "Wake up Maria. We're here."
They pulled up in front of the house and as Eddie climbed out of the truck he said, "Thank you for your help. I'm sorry that it took longer than I remembered, and I know you want to call your husband. Why don't you come in and use the land line?"
Maria was saying goodbye to Jo, and as she climbed down from the truck, she looked at Nicole and smiled. "Thank you, good senora. God be with you."
"She's coming in to use the phone Maria," Eddie said.
Nicole decided that she should call Jake so that he wouldn't worry. It was cooler up here and she put her jacket on. "Stay here," she told Jo. "I'll be right back." She left her purse in the truck, and out of habit she locked it, put the keys in her jacket pocket, and began walking with them toward the house.
As Nicole got closer to the house, a feeling of caution touched her spirit. "Lord, should I go back to the truck?" she silently asked. But she heard nothing, and decided that she was just uneasy because it was later than she had expected and she would feel better when Jake knew she was on her way home.
Eddie opened the door for them, and held it open as they moved past him into the house. Maria took her arm and led her into the living room.
"You sit here, Miss Nicki. Maria get the phone for you," she said as she disappeared from the room. She came back a moment later with the phone and a sandwich. "You eat Miss Nicki," she said.
Nicole hadn't realized how hungry she was and took a bite of the sandwich. "Oh this is delicious, Maria. Thank you."
As Nicole expressed her pleasure, she said, "Miss Nicki, you eat more. You need strength."
Nicole laughed. "Well thank you Maria, and I'm sure I need strength, but I also need to save room for dinner with my husband tonight. We have plans." She laughed again at the stern look on Maria's face and took several more bites. She handed the plate back to Maria. "Thank you so much, but I really need to call Jake and head home. Maria smiled and went to return the plate to the kitchen.
Nicole had just picked up the phone to call home when Eddie came into the room, and as she put the phone to her ear, her stomach lurched when she realized that there was no dial tone. It was time for her to leave.
She stood up and took a few steps toward the door as Eddie silently watched her. "It seems like your phone is out, so thanks anyways. Jake is going to be worried about me, so I'll just call him as soon as I get back into reception."
Eddie's eyes had changed. They were bigger and bulgier than before and she knew that she wasn't just dealing with a man anymore, but with a demon. As he stepped in front of her and reached for the phone, he suddenly grabbed her and held her tightly.
"Let me go, Eddie," she said calmly which surprised her because she could feel her heart pounding inside her chest like it might come crashing through her skin at any moment. "You don't want to do this."
"Oh, you don't know how much I want to do this," he replied. Vile, perverted words began spilling out of his mouth as he turned her around in his arms so that her back was against his chest. Holding her arms behind her back in a painful, vice-like grip, he began groping her with his other hand. Fear was beginning to overtake her. She knew he intended to hurt her and she began to fight against him. She tried to yell for help, but her voice didn't have any power behind it. In her mind she called, "Jesus!"
Nicole thought she saw a flash of light and time seemed to slow for an instant. She saw Maria come into the room and back herself up against the wall in fear and horror. It may have been that Maria's entrance distracted Eddie momentarily, or it may have been angelic help that somehow allowed Nicole to loosen herself from his grip.
As she sprinted across the room away from Eddie and closer to Maria and the door, time returned to its normal speed and another man came into the room blocking her and her escape route.
"Well, what have we here?" he asked with a wickedly amused smile on his face.
Nicole found her voice and said "I am just leaving, so if you'll excuse me…."
"No problem lady," he said, but his expression and body language said otherwise. The two men looked at each other with expressions of camaraderie, and Nicole knew she was in trouble. In that brief reprieve of time, she looked over at Maria whose eyes appeared full of shame and sorrow, and she realized that she wanted to protect Maria as well as herself.
Eddie said, "Yeah, we'll help you leave here after we've had a little fun with you. I don't think he'd mind her showing up with a few bruises in places that won't show, do you Victor?"
She saw no way of escape, and Nicole's emotions suddenly changed from fear to anger. "God, I thought you were with me! I thought you would protect me. Where are you? Where are your angels?" her spirit cried out. The words of Isaiah 63:15 rang through her mind as she questioned God. "Where are Your zeal and Your strength, The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained?"
Nicole began to sense what seemed like a circle of protection surrounding Maria and herself, and then heard a familiar Voice answer as power and authority began to pulse and resonate throughout her spirit, soul, and body.
"Remember, you are My battle-ax and a warrior. You have the Sword; use it."
She knew exactly what to do next. As the men turned their attention back to Nicole, she drew the Sword from its sheath at her waist and said, "I have a Sword in my hand and will use it unless you let me go."
They laughed of course because they couldn't see it. Victor said something about the crazy lady, and Nicole took that as a no. As Eddie took a step towards her, she thrust out her arm as she said, "No weapon formed against me will prosper!" and then struck him with the Sword. He immediately fell to the floor unconscious and Nicole turned her Sword toward Victor.
He looked startled as he gazed at Eddie lying motionless, and Nicole saw a flicker of fear
cross his face and then His eyes grew and bulged as Eddie's had. There was no fear visible now, only lust, perversion and hatred. His mouth curved into a snarling smile and he took one step in her direction.
With her Sword raised high above her head she commanded, "Stop in the name of Jesus!"
Victor did hesitate, and then he took another step toward her. Without waiting a moment longer she brought the Sword down on his head while proclaiming "Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil!" He stopped, looked up, and terror came upon his face as he too fell to the floor unconscious.
It was if Nicole suddenly realized what had just happened, and a feeling of dread came upon her as she looked at the two men lying so still on the floor in front of her. "Maria, do you think they're dead?"
Maria came closer to Nicole and touched her arm. "No Miss Nicki. See? They breathe."
With relief Nicole saw this was true and knew that she had to get out of there. "Maria," she said. "I'm leaving now. Do you want to stay or come with me?"
She reached out her hand and took hold of Nicole's. "I go with Miss Nicki now! Maria work here no more!"
Nicole looked at the endearing face of the one the Holy Spirit had shown her during prayer and realized that He had been preparing her to rescue this precious one. That must have been why she had felt such a connection with her.
She sheathed her Sword that lay invisibly at her waist within the belt of truth, and they hurried out the door to the front of the house where she had left the truck. It was not there. They quickly looked around, and with a sick realization in the pit of her stomach, Nicole knew that it was gone. Jo was gone, her wallet and phone were gone. She reached into her pocket and found that the keys were missing. In that moment she knew that this had been planned. Was Maria in on this plot? She dismissed that thought as quickly as it had entered her mind. Maybe she was too trusting, but her spirit told her that she was a victim here too.
Maria grabbed Nicole's arm. "We go now. We run!"
"I have to find Jo first," she said as she started to head back towards the house. She had seen a barn out back. Maybe the truck and Jo were there.
"Miss Nicki, you must trust me. You not find Jo. We go now. Not much time. We run!" She pulled on Nicole's arm, and for some reason, Nicole did trust her. Maria began leading her into the trees on the opposite side of the road, and in the opposite direction from which they had come.
Maria explained, "Those men wake up, they look for us on the road back that way. We go this way and be safe."
Nicole was struggling. Was she having a nightmare? "Lord Jesus, what is happening? Why is this happening?" she prayed.
"Nicole trust Me," came a calm assurance. "Run!"
It suddenly made sense that it would be dangerous to follow the road that led home, and she somehow knew that Maria had spoken truth about Jo. She didn't have answers, but she had confidence that they were on the right path even though she had never been this way before. And so they ran. When they couldn't run any more, they walked.
Nicole knew that Jake would be worried about her. When her breathing slowed down, she asked, "Maria, have you ever been this way before? Do you know where the next town is? I have to call Jake! I can't stand to think of him at home worrying about me!"
"Si Miss Nicki. I know there is a town this way. We walk and we be there by morning. You do good to eat and have strength. Jesus, He help us, yes? Look how His Sword made those strong men fall! He will help us again, yes?"
For the first time since they started this crazy journey, Nicole felt a small measure of hope. She smiled, "Yes, Jesus will help us."
It was a very dark night and they had been walking along the side of the road as a guide, but had been careful not to walk in it and leave their footprints in the fine dirt. When they heard a truck coming, they ducked into the trees and waited.
As it passed them, Nicole asked, "Maria, did you recognize the truck?"
"No, Miss Nicki. But I think it be ok because it goes too fast to be seeking us."
Nicole was beginning to appreciate Maria's sound mind and wisdom. There was no hint of the sadness that she had felt coming from her before, only strength. It made her begin to wonder about this woman who was by her side. They stepped out from the cover of the trees and continued walking.
"Maria, is there someone you want to call when we get to town? I know that you and Eddie are not married. Do you have any other family you need to contact?" Nicole asked. She didn't want to pry too much.
"No senora. I have no one." She paused and then grabbed hold of Nicole's hand. "Until now. I have Miss Nicki now. I stay by you. You be my family. You rescue Maria, and Maria will help Miss Nicki."
Nicole was too overwhelmed with the gratefulness of Maria's company to argue that she didn't owe her anything.
The ladies fell into silence as they walked at a good pace up and down the mountain road in anticipation of finding the town Maria believed was ahead. Nicole's heart began hurting as she thought about Jo. Wherever he was, she knew that he was probably as worried about her as Jake was. But in remembering Eddie's evil, vile nature or the spirit in him, she was worried about Jo. She couldn't bear to think of him in pain or torment.
"Jesus, please help Jo! I know that You care about animals," she prayed. "Please protect him." But there was no reply.
Then she wondered if Jake was sleeping or if he was pacing the floor or had gone out looking for her. That thought made her heart lurch in fear!
"Jesus please help Jake to be safe. Don't let him go out alone to search for me. I can't bear to think that he would arrive at Eddie's brother's house alone…if that was his brother's house at all… and that something would happen to him. Give him wisdom and comfort, please Jesus, and set your angels around him."
Nicole realized that thinking about Jake and Jo was creating despair within her spirit and that there was nothing she could do for them right now. She was safe at the moment and made a conscious decision to pour her energy into staying that way and in getting home as soon as possible rather than pouring energy into worry. She remembered someone saying that worry was like a rocking chair….You do a lot of moving without going anywhere. She didn't have time or energy to waste, and she definitely needed to get somewhere.
So Nicole released her husband and dog to Jesus. She knew that He was totally capable of protecting and comforting them.
She turned her thoughts back toward her situation. Eddie had said something peculiar. He had given the impression that he was going to take her someplace and he had said something like, he wouldn't mind her showing up with a few bruises… Who was the he that Eddie had been talking about?
Nicole broke into the silence of the night around them. "Maria, if you don't mind my asking, why were you with Eddie?"
Maria was quiet so long that Nicole thought that maybe she hadn't heard her. But then Maria sighed. It was a sad but resigned kind of sigh, and then she began to explain in her broken English.
"Maria see into Eddie, el espiritu, his spirit. I see bad and I see good. Maria tries to help the good." She was quiet for a moment, and then in a tormented tone she continued. "I could not help him. The evil, it win in him and he is very bad man. Now Miss Nicki is in danger."
A sob erupted from her throat and she took hold of Nicole's hand again and stopped walking. Nicole stopped beside her and saw tears in her eyes. "Maria is very sorry. Maria, she hear Eddie talk to people and I do not understand their words. Please forgive me. You go home to your husband. Maria will help you."
Nicole pulled Maria into a hug. "Of course I forgive you Maria. But I don't see that there is anything you could have changed. I know you were not out to hurt me. I appreciate your help, but you must know that you are free and that you don't owe me anything. Do you understand?"
"Si. Yes. I understand Miss Nicki save Maria. Now Maria will help Miss Nicki."
Nicole smiled. "Ok Maria. Yes we help each other." They turned back to the road and started walking again. Nicole asked, "Maria, was Eddie m
ean to you?"
"No, and yes. Eddie has mean spirit, but he do not hurt Maria's body. He hurt Maria in here." She covered her heart with her hand.
"Why did you stay with him?"
"No place to go," she replied honestly. Then with a smile she joyfully proclaimed, "Now Maria has place to go."
"I'm glad that I could help you get away from Eddie and that you know where we're going because I'm getting really tired. Are you sure there's a town ahead? What time do you think it is anyhow?" Nicole asked.
Maria didn't answer, but pointed toward the east. A faint pink tint was beginning to creep into the dark sky, and as they crested the next rise in the road, they were greeted by the lights of a small town nestled in the foothills below.
CHAPTER 13
HELP
"What do you mean you lost her?" IS fumed with rage. "She is just one small woman and you can't keep track of her?"
Death groveled on his knees with his head bowed low. "I've got an army tracking her, my lord. I'm sure that we'll find them."
"What do you mean, them?"
"A woman named Maria left with Nicole, my lord."
IS seized Death's neck and picked him up holding him above his own head. "Where did this 'Maria' come from?"
"Mex…i…co...," he choked out.
IS dropped the death spirit to the ground in front of him. "You fool. They could be anywhere by now. I want every available seeker, scanner and eavesdropping spirit on this case NOW! And keep me informed."
Death backed out of his master's presence. "Yes my lord. It is done." Murder had been hiding in the shadows as his master took the blame for his negligence. He cowered and then began to choke as Death silently yet deliberately walked past him and into the darkness.
Nicole and Maria came to the edge of what appeared to be a fairly small community. The dirt road they had been following led them to a residential area which they passed through unnoticed. After a few blocks, they found themselves on the edge of the business side of a town that was just waking up.
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