Society of the L.A.M.B.

by DuCharme, Judy;

  Waiting twenty minutes to be sure nothing more happened, Nathan moved stealthily along the side of one of the drumlins. He found an outcropping of rocks that occurred with great frequency in this wooded area. He noticed a narrow opening creating a small area where two or three deer could sleep. On two sides the rocks rose about five feet. The space opened back onto the narrow trail about nine feet from where Nathan entered. Rather than going through the cave-like space, open at the top, he went around the outer cropping of rocks. They were probably attached at one time and shifted away due to an earthquake.

  Satisfied no one was around, he investigated the hidden area. The aroma of dense moss assaulted his nostrils. It was common on these rocky croppings, but at some times of the year it held a moldy odor to it—almost a swampy smell. That realization made Nathan pause and grab his stomach. The pond where those people died was probably a swamp. Nathan pulled himself back together. They are not there. They’re in heaven.

  Nathan at first saw nothing but then discovered another crevice in the interior rocks. In that crevice, he saw the door. It was more like a wooden lid with a heavy metal handle attached to one side. Nathan waited. What should I do?

  “Leave it alone for now, Nathan. You’ll enter this way tomorrow.”

  Nathan sighed. He looked in the direction he assumed the guards had taken the prisoners. O Great Jajireh, help me to never let that happen again. With a heavy heart, he headed toward the colony.

  As he praised King Glory and shouted within himself, he was filled with a resolve to obey King Glory in everything so all people could have life.

  * * *

  Nathan, Drew, and Jacob determined not to reveal to Grandfather, Josiah, or Teleos their plan to rescue the Fischers, Lily and Timmy’s parents. They did not want Lily or Timmy to know, in case they failed. They did discuss the need for the others to pray for them, but in the end decided that if King Glory had instructed them to do it, led Nathan to the tunnel, and even told them when to go, they needed to do it. Besides, if any of the others were captured, they would have no knowledge of the prison break if it was unsuccessful. Also, Grandfather, Teleos, and Josiah could hear the Voice themselves and were probably already praying for them.

  The night was cool, and the young men went from shivering from the air, or their own nerves, to sweating profusely, knowing the consequences if they failed.

  As they neared the prison grounds, they stopped. Standing in a small circle, each young man placed hands on the others’ shoulders.

  “Great Jajireh,” Nathan prayed, “be with us. You have directed us here. We proclaim that we will be victorious, for Your Logos tells us that You cause us always to triumph. Guide us with Your Voice, with Your wisdom. Don’t let us blow it.”

  Drew and Jacob both said, “Yes, we agree. Yes. Yes.”

  They looked at each other and nodded. It was time. Nathan expertly led them to the tunnel door. It was impressive that he could do that in the dark. They waited several minutes, listening.

  “Now,” Nathan heard inside. He pointed and grabbed the handle. Drew and Jacob took hold with him. Nathan mouthed, “One, two, three.” The door gave way with a groan as they pulled together. Wide-eyed, they held it still, praying it had not been heard anywhere inside or outside.

  If the mossy, moldy odor had bothered Nathan the day before, the musty smell inside the tunnel and the distinct odor of garbage were greater challenges. Nathan and the young men quickly put their hands over their mouths to stop the strong impulse to gag. Then they each held a hand over their noses to filter the onslaught of awful smells.

  The tunnel had plenty of room and absolutely no light. They brought flashlights with them but determined to use them only in a great emergency. Besides the flashlights, they added sweaters, a blanket, and some crackers in their backpacks. Nathan took the lead, one hand over his nose and one along the wall, feeling his way with his feet and the one hand. Drew followed with one hand on Nathan’s shoulder, and Jacob held on to Drew’s shoulder. Every few steps, they paused, listening, praying, and shouting within.

  Soon they found themselves at the door into the prison. It was locked. Panic rose in Nathan as he frantically searched the door for a key or a secret way of opening it. He quietly jiggled the handle, but nothing seemed to work. Drew searched the wall near the door and the floor of the tunnel. Jacob moved forward, pulled a small file from his pocket, and jimmied the lock. After less than a minute, he heard a click. They were in.

  Nathan held up a hand. They waited while he once again got his breathing under control. The door creaked as they opened it, but thankfully, no one was around. They quickly pulled out their official badges that Nathan had made a habit of collecting as often as he could as a chief watcher. Even when he did not quite know what the official passes were for, he quietly noticed and conveniently “borrowed” them from anyone and anywhere he encountered higher-ups.

  Slipping down the hallway from the tunnel into a storage area, they stepped outdoors and climbed the ladder to the tower that watched over the encampment. This was where the spotlight was located. The rocky bluff near the prison was partially obscured from the nearby water by huge maple, oak, and birch trees. Roads were sparse and rugged in the area, and anyone venturing down the rutty and narrow roads would be hard pressed to see or hear any indication of a place of incarceration.

  “Hey, you guys trying to take my job?” The night watch guard, coming up for his shift, met them.

  Nathan gulped while Drew came to the rescue with a calm tone.

  “Enjoying the view,” responded Drew.

  Nathan took a deep breath as quietly as he could, remembering he was now fully on assignment for King Glory.

  “View of the prisoners or the land and water?” asked the guard. He was older with a scruffy mop of hair and a thick mustache set in a round face. His nose looked like it had been broken a few times, and he was missing one of his front teeth. Short and stout, like Nathan, his arms looked muscled even under his uniform. His tone was welcoming, as if he appreciated company.

  “Good one, good one.” Drew laughed.

  The man’s eyes showed no suspicion. Must be a lot of turnover here, Nathan thought. “Actually, we’re just beginning our inspection,” he told the man.

  “Hey, man.” The guard jumped to attention. He looked at their passes. “Sorry. Didn’t know you were officials.”

  “At ease,” instructed Nathan. “No problem. This is a great view, the way you can see the water through the trees. Must be the best part of the job.” He pointed to distant small lights on the water. Obviously boats.

  While Nathan and the guard chatted, Drew silently sabotaged the new spotlight.

  “Well, we need to keep going. Thank you for your cooperation.” Nathan shook the guard’s hand. They went down the ladder, Jacob taking two of the guard’s keys with him.

  As they walked into the prison building, unlocking doors before them, Jacob said, “He won’t notice until his shift ends and he needs to get back in.”

  “How’d you get those off the ring so quickly and quietly?” Drew asked. They paused between two doors, Drew making sure there were no surveillance cameras in this spot.

  “Oh, I’m a man of many talents. I used to get the car keys off my dad’s rings like that. Had to be quick and quiet or he’d beat my brains out.”

  “Come on, he never noticed they were gone? Not even when he needed his car?”

  “By then, they were back. So was I, and so was the car. I was pretty slick in those days. Besides, he was drunk most of the time.”

  “Okay, I elect you, Jacob, to unlock the cell door of Mr. and Mrs. Fischer.” Nathan slapped his back. “Drew, you’re sure you can blind the surveillance cameras?”

  “A few minor technical errors and then I will come to the rescue to fix them good as new. A method they never figured out at school. And,” he laughed as he said, “they were always so grateful to me for fixing it.”

  “And I,” said Nathan, “will continue
my inspection, thereby distracting most of the staff.”

  “What have we forgotten?” asked Drew.

  “To pray one more time,” answered Jacob. “We must trust Jajireh to make seeing eyes blind and remembering minds to forget.”

  The three prayed. “O Great Jajireh, tonight we have the joy of knowing You. We shout that joy deep within. We ask Your assistance. Let Your Voice be loud within us, speaking to us every detail, giving us correct timing, and allowing no missteps. Send Your angels to assist us, so we not only escape here but return to Grandfather’s safely. We thank You, Jajireh, that we can do all things through King Glory, who gives us strength.”

  “It’s time,” whispered Nathan. “We’ll all meet by the big rock just past the tunnel. Don’t forget to return the keys.” Each placed shades over their eyes.

  Drew left first to temporarily dismantle the surveillance system. Each made sure their official badge of Watcher Investigator was prominently and neatly displayed. These badges held high honor, and all watchers feared “down the drain” themselves if they interfered.

  Nathan and Jacob waited a few minutes and then proceeded into the main part of the building. Nathan headed for the offices, corralling the night staff into paperwork. He swiftly found the number of the Fischers’ cell and relayed it to Jacob.

  Jacob headed toward the prison proper at the other end of the building.

  * * *

  “Wow, a late investigation,” said a voice near Jacob as he entered the hall of prisoners.

  “The best kind,” he said, hoping his voice did not betray his startled response. He was expecting all staff to be with Nathan. “Any other staff here with you?’

  “No, sir. Lamers are pretty docile. No need for extra recruits to quell any uprising.” The staffer sneered. “The beatings help.”

  “I’m sure they do. Retrain or…”

  “Down the drain,” replied the staffer with a chuckle.

  “I’d like to see some of the cells.” Man, I can smell them. This is much worse than the tunnel. He covered his nose.

  “Yes, sir. They do smell, like a drain. We don’t try to keep them clean.”

  “That’s policy. I’ll keep my nose covered.”

  The man led Jacob through another door. The cement floor was covered in green slimy puddles. The substance flowed slowly toward drains that speckled the floor every few feet. Food? Vomit? I don’t want to know.

  Jacob stepped around the puddles and noticed the darkness and dankness had a closeness he did not like. It threatened to close in on him and cut off his ability to breathe, to think. How can these prisoners survive? This is worse than I thought.

  He spotted the number that belonged to the Fischers’ cell. “This one will do.”

  “I have no keys on the night shift. Money’s tight. So the uppity ups decided if anything happened, well, too bad for them. No in, no out.” The guard shrugged. He didn’t seem bothered by the smell or the conditions. Must be used to it. How disgusting. Jacob glanced at the man’s face. No life. He’s as dead as this prison.

  “Good strategy,” replied Jacob. “No problem. I have my own keys. Please step aside. In fact, remain at your post so no other staff interferes.”

  “Certainly, sir. You holler if you need anything. I’m glad not to smell these low-down Lamers.”

  Jacob turned the key and slowly opened the door. Lily and Timmy had a strong resemblance to their parents, so it was not difficult to know he had the right people. They looked at him curiously but not in a frightened manner. He wondered if the Voice within had shown them what was about to happen. Perhaps an angel had already visited.

  They both were extremely thin. The filth of their clothes and the cell made everything look gray-brown. He assumed Mrs. Fischer was blonde like Lily, but her long hair was stringy, tangled, and the same gray-brown as everything else.

  Quickly with his shoe, Jacob drew three concentric circles in the mud on the floor. Their eyes got big, and Mr. Fischer bent to draw a smiley face. Jacob immediately scuffed it out. Then he said loudly, “Both of you, come with me.” Their eyes grew larger with confusion, but they obeyed and dutifully followed him.

  The staffer held his nose as Jacob walked out with the two prisoners. He locked the door behind them.

  “These have been selected for more severe retraining,” he said with a knowing expression to the staffer. The Fischers looked down. “Come with me,” commanded Jacob.

  Inside himself, Jacob began to shout, “O Great Jajireh, keep the cameras blind if Drew missed any of them. Lead us quickly. Triumph! Triumph!”

  Upon reaching the place where they had entered, Jacob guided the Fischers into the storage area and directed them to the underground passage. Realizing the staff used this to hide any evidence when LAMBers were put “down the drain,” the Fischers hesitated, looking back at Jacob.

  “This is your escape, friends,” Jacob whispered. “Lily and Timmy are waiting for you.” Quickly, he gave them instructions to the rock and dark sweaters to camouflage and warm them.

  Even more quickly, he shimmied back up the ladder to the guard tower. The guard was carefully watching the enclosed encampment.

  “Inspection done?” the guard inquired.

  Jacob noticed his key ring now attached to his belt rather than the hook on the wall. “Yes, it is. Hey, can you tell me what that is down there?” He placed his hand on the guard’s back and leaned out to point down near the base of the tower. As the guard squirmed to peer into the dark below, Jacob did his amazing quick work of returning the keys to the ring.

  “Why, that’s only a pulley basket—in case we need to send up something and don’t feel like climbing the ladder.”

  “Looks like a clever contraption. Well, you have a fine place here. It was a good inspection, and now we’ll be off.”

  Jacob climbed down and found the others already through the tunnel and by the rock. “I’m going into the parking area to hot-wire one of the cars and drive off a distance, in case that guard gets suspicious not hearing us drive away.”

  “Just make sure it’s not his car.”

  “I saw his car keys on the belt. I’ll avoid that make of car. Besides, I hear the Voice leading me. You go on. I’ll get to Grandfather’s on my own.”

  “Thank you so much! May King Glory keep you safe,” said Mrs. Fischer.

  “I know He will, and He will keep you safe as well. He will be the light to your path so your foot will not stumble.” Jacob hurried off into the dark.

  * * *

  Nathan, Drew, and the Fischers soon heard a car rumble to life and drive off down the road.

  It was uncanny. A faint glow appeared on the path in front of the four of them. “Thank You, Jajireh,” whispered Nathan. He took the lead while Drew came behind the Fischers.

  After about a half mile, Nathan stopped. He turned. “I must apologize and ask your forgiveness, Mr. and Mrs. Fischer. It was I who first arrested you, using the song ‘Jajireh Loves Me’ to trap you and your children. Your children and that song penetrated my inner man, and I have been restored to King Glory. I know He has forgiven me, but I must also ask your forgiveness.”

  “We thought it was you but weren’t sure,” said Mr. Fischer. “We forgave you long ago, young man, and have been praying that Jajireh would restore you.”

  Mr. Fischer was tall. Even though he was ghastly thin, Nathan assumed he had always been lean. His face was angular, again possibly due to lack of food, but Nathan had noticed that both Timmy and Lily had strong jaws. He had wanted to break Lily’s jaw many times when she set herself to be strong in King Glory. Despite their imprisonment, Nathan saw that Mr. and Mrs. Fischer’s eyes danced with life.

  “How fitting,” commented Mrs. Fischer, “that He uses you now to set us free and restore us to our children.”

  Drew handed each a few crackers. “There will be more food for you, but please only take small bites, as your system is probably not able to handle a large amount.”

  “You
are so kind.” They embraced the two young men and then followed the glow all the way to Grandfather’s house. Mrs. Fischer needed to pause often, as she was so weak from her imprisonment, but not one word of complaint came from her. She had a slight build like her daughter, but she exuded an aura of strength in spite of her current frailty.

  Upon arriving at Grandfather’s, Nathan and Drew prayed that King Glory had prepared Grandfather and his household for this surprise visit. While waiting a few minutes and praying they wouldn’t cause fear with their arrival, they heard footsteps. Nathan tensed then recognized Jacob.

  “It was amazing. I left the car a couple miles down the road. I was about to travel back to the prison alongside the road and follow the deer path trail from the tunnel when this faint light appeared. It was more like a glow. I just sensed I should follow it, and it took me a whole different route, nowhere near the prison. Why are you all just standing here?”

  “We’re deciding how to let them know we’re here without startling them too much. And we had the same glow to follow. It was great. Jajireh is such a provider.”

  “You guys talk too loud,” said a voice behind them.

  Drew, Jacob, and Nathan jumped.

  Teleos smiled. “I thought I heard something and saw you out here.”

  Mrs. Fischer laughed. “Nathan, we saw him come out, but he put his finger to his mouth and winked. So we kept silent. We’ve learned that command well.”

  “Let’s go in. Everyone will enjoy the surprise.”

  * * *

  The reunion was sweet. Everyone looked up as Teleos and the whole group came through the door. Grandfather seemed to realize immediately who had arrived and quickly went to the kitchen to put out extra food. Lily and Timmy saw that those who had just come in the door were looking at them. Both looked confused, and then the others stepped aside to reveal their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Fischer gasped as they saw their children. Timmy yelped and ran. Lily stood, stunned, as tears trekked down her face.