by Ted Hill
“You may not believe like I do, and that’s okay. You woke up this morning and came to church looking for answers. It starts with questions. I’m still searching for answers just like you.
“I put my faith in God. Everything we are going through will be so much easier if we all put our faith in Him.
“Why?
“Because I believe it will. I believe in God.
“Belief isn’t easy. It’s so much easier to not believe, to give up and let the Big Bad roll right over you. But I believe in God, and that means I put my faith in front of my fear. My faith shields me from all the fears that would swallow me whole without my belief in Him.
“Every chance we’ve ever taken is because we believe that the outcome will be something good. When our parents died from the plague, why did we leave our homes and follow the road that eventually led us here? It was belief that something better waited for us if we had the courage to go out and find it.
“That’s what faith is. Faith is courage.
“God is waiting for us to ask for His help. He has seen to our needs every time, even when we didn’t know what those needs were. So now we have a big need. A long winter lies before us without our normal food supply. We will ask for God’s help and, with His blessing, we will survive like we have since the plague took our parents.
“Will bad things continue to happen?
“Yes.
“Why?
“Because that is the nature of the world, the nature of being human. That is the price we must pay to earn our place by God’s side in Heaven.
“You might say that’s not fair. Why us? Why can’t He just give us what we need? Why does it all have to be so hard?
“Life has to be, because he gave us something special when he gave us life. We were given the freedom to choose between what’s right and what’s wrong. Everyone has that choice and it makes us stronger. It will make us worthy when the time comes to stand in God’s presence and say I did the best I could.
“That’s what I believe. I don’t pretend to know all the answers. I believe in God and I’m asking you to have faith with me. Have faith in God.
“I believe that God also has a plan for each of us. I know he has one for me. I don’t know what it is, but I know He’s working in me so I can become something better than I am. He does that with all of us. It’s our choice to follow the path He’s laying out for us. I know the path is hard, but with God’s help, with His blessing and His guidance, we can survive anything. He will help us through the dark times when we feel all alone.
“God’s first action was to bring light into the world. God is the light. He is the shining candle in the pitch black that holds every one of our futures.
“There was a time I doubted God’s plan. It wasn’t that long ago either. I doubted His existence because we were living in a dark place. Our parents were dead and everyone else was dying. I asked myself how God could allow this to happen, and when no one responded, the doubt crept in and the world became darker. I couldn’t see His light for a very long time.
“And then I met a little girl. She brought light back into the darkness, shining bright with God’s light, bringing his healing power to my friend, Hunter. Not once, but twice she healed him. And in those moments I realized that God’s light had been shining the whole time. I was just too blind to see. I was too busy following my own plan, wanting things back the way they were before, instead of realizing that God had been there protecting me, giving me strength through my sister, guiding us through dark times across the Big Bad, to deliver us safely into Independents.
“So what does God have planned for you? I don’t know. I think life is about finding the path that God has laid out for you from the moment you were born to the moment you die. Sometimes we go off course, and sometimes things happen or don’t go the way we plan. That’s when we need to stop, look and listen for God’s plan to come to us.
“That’s what I believe.
“I don’t know what you believe. I’m just glad you’re here. I hope my words will shine a light for you to find God’s path. I hope you’re looking. God has a plan for you.”
* * *
Everyone filed past Scout into the sunshine. Some shook his hand, and some even met his eyes as they did. Not everyone had heard his message, and that was okay. They had come for one reason or another, but at least they had come.
Too bad Raven had left before hearing the sermon. Scout thought she would have liked it, but she was off following her own plan. Whether that was God’s intention, Scout didn’t know. He missed her and he wasn’t going to question her leaving, at least not with God. Time, a lot of it, was needed to shed the hurt of her absence.
The Brittanys served lunch outside, setting up the tables on the brick cobbles in the middle of Main Street after passing them through the empty window frames. They covered the tables with an array of colorful tablecloths. Vibrant bolts of fabric were rolled out and hung from the buildings. These crossed the street and provided cool shade under the August sun.
They served the food hot, buffet style, and Scout was amazed at the fare. Dylan had brought Chef Brittany hams from the smokehouse that Famine had not destroyed. Jimmy and Samuel had spent the morning before church digging in the fields for potatoes and carrots and beets that lay beneath the ground, protected from the grasshopper onslaught. Everyone loaded up a full plate and found a chair.
They asked Scout to give thanks and bless the food. Scout knew the kids of Independents had already been blessed, making the thankful part important.
Scout ate with Hunter, planning a trip into the Big Bad to start bringing back items desperately needed by the town. They talked about where they had seen the things they needed. They would search for livestock, mainly chickens and hogs, to replace the ones that were lost. They would look everywhere for things to eat, and then they would look everywhere again.
Jimmy walked up with little James asleep in his arms. Fatherhood suited Jimmy, but the whole town saw their leader as Dad anyways. Hunter smiled and pulled the tiny blanket back for a better peek at his sleeping nephew.
“You guys are heading out tomorrow.” It wasn’t a question. Jimmy knew the best thing for the town was to get Hunter and Scout out into the Big Bad as soon as possible, looking for stuff to bring home. “If you’re done eating, I want you guys to go meet Mark at that farmhouse where you found the baby furniture and sewing supplies last year.”
“Why?” Scout asked.
“He’s going to give you guns and you’re going to learn how to shoot and how to care for them. I don’t want you in the Big Bad unprotected anymore. When you get back from your trip, I want you to help Mark teach the rest of us what you’ve learned. We have to prepare.”
Hunter and Scout nodded.
Jimmy looked down at his sleeping baby boy. “War is coming.”
Epilogue
Margaret
Margaret was awoken in the predawn light by a rough shake to her shoulder. She rolled over, focusing on the golden haired intruder. “What?”
“We have to go. It’s time.”
Margaret threw off the covers and grabbed her pants from the chair as the little girl stood by the bedroom door, tapping her foot. She drew her belt tight, finding the need to poke another notch, or find a smaller belt later. Using the mirror, she brushed her hair quickly and saw Catherine throw up her hands before leaving the bedroom.
Margaret’s stomach rumbled complaints about the meager dinner from the night before at Brittany’s. It happened frequently, and her stomach was not the only one complaining around Independents these days. She slipped on her snow boots, coat, gloves and stocking hat without any real eagerness to travel out into the cold. She found Catherine already by the front door, turning the knob as soon as Margaret entered the living room.
“Good. Let’s roll out.”
They left the house, hurrying over the compacted snow that had refused to thaw over the past month. Margaret followed along, noticing Catherine’s
snow boots and wondering if the grass stains on her feet would survive the winter. A cold wind tore its way through her as they rounded onto Main Street, forcing her to pull the coat tightly around her body.
Candles were already lit inside Brittany’s and she saw Jimmy sitting in his usual spot. She scanned the interior for signs of Samuel, and then chastised herself after the letdown of not seeing him. It was bad enough that Molly filled her every thought with desires for Hunter. Samuel complicated matters, and Margaret wasn’t prepared to handle the emotions that arose with issues of the heart.
“Quit stalling. We’re on a tight schedule,” Catherine called from the stairs that led up to the apartment where Molly used to live with Hunter.
Margaret stopped dead in the middle of Main Street. Going into that place held the same appeal as walking through the fires of hell. “Wait, what are we doing?”
Catherine’s eyebrows pinched together in annoyance. “We’re going to make contact with Raven. We need Michael’s help, just like the last time in France.” She placed her hands on her hips. “I thought we discussed all this before we went to bed. She’s getting close to my tree.”
Catherine turned and vanished up the stairs. Apparently the discussion was over.
Margaret followed, but she wasn’t very enthusiastic about the climb. Each step brought her closer to the one person she’d been avoiding for the past three months since he returned from Cozad and she had been changed from the girl who loved him into Margaret. She walked through the door and froze.
Hunter stood in the middle of their apartment, his brown wings folded against his back, his white t-shirt stretched tight across his chest. He wore blue jeans and bare feet, but this person was not her ex-boyfriend. Michael gave her his heavenly smile and Margaret felt the ache deep inside where Molly stirred.
“Hello, Sister Margaret,” he said. “He thinks of you all the time.”
Margaret frowned at him. “You mean Molly.”
“Is there a difference?”
Margaret’s frown deepened. “Is there a difference between you and Hunter?” Even his name on her lips brought raw emotions laced with memories. She took a deep breath. “We’re not here to talk about this.”
“No we’re not,” said Catherine, holding their hands. “She’s almost there. It’s time, Michael.”
“Yes, Catherine.” Michael offered Margaret his other hand to complete the circle.
She stared at the familiar palm like it was a live hand grenade. After closing her eyes, she held hands with the angel, telling herself over and over, it’s not Hunter.
She opened her eyes to golden flames signifying God’s presence. Michael led them from the holy fire engulfing Catherine’s tree that burned without causing physical harm. The red motorbike rolled to a stop at the same moment, with the fiery sunrise breaking the horizon behind the familiar rider.
Raven’s eyes widened with surprise. Margaret considered the angel and his wings, unable to fathom what Raven must be thinking. It wasn’t everyday three of your friends popped out of a burning tree to say hello.
“Hi, Joan,” Catherine said, skipping over and giving the stunned girl a crushing hug.
Raven slipped an arm through the embrace and gasped for air. “Did you just call me...?”
Catherine took her hand. “Joan, we need you to join us now.”
Golden light filled their grip as Catherine called upon God’s grace, spreading slowly outwards until both were encompassed in the Lord’s holiness. Raven’s knees shook and then Michael was there, lending support so she wouldn’t fall.
Margaret really didn’t know why she had been invited. They needed Michael to bring them here, and Catherine called forth Raven’s reincarnation, or rather Joan’s, like she had for Molly.
Margaret shook her head in agitation. She meant Margaret. There is no more Molly, she tried convincing herself. She looked at Michael holding Raven, sorting through memories of times spent in those arms.
The process of bringing forth Raven’s reincarnated persona finished with nothing more spectacular than a slow dousing of the light. Raven lost complete consciousness and Michael lifted her slack body gently into his arms.
Catherine caressed the sleeping girl’s cheek. “She’s ready now, Michael. Do you have a place picked out?”
“I do, Sister Catherine. Hunter knows of a sound location that will suit our purpose. I shall return swiftly to give you passage back to Independents.”
“What about her stuff?” Margaret asked.
“She will not need those items. God shall provide for her.”
“Yes, but what if Scout comes out here and finds her stuff lying around all over the place and no Raven? It might not help the transition.”
“Who’s transition,” Catherine asked. “Raven’s?”
“No, Scout’s. I take it Joan will be returning to Independents to help fight War?”
“That’s right. We talked about all this right before bed last night.”
“Yes, I know, Catherine, but as usual you left a lot of blanks in the processing of your plan. When Michael returns, he can take Raven’s motorbike and gear to her. We can wait.”
Catherine folded her arms, giving Margaret all the grumpy she could squeeze together.
Margaret held her ground. Now she understood why she was needed. If they were going to tear these kids apart for the sake of this War, then Margaret would make sure that all those affected received the proper attention. Molly would have wanted that.
Michael sat on the red motorbike with Raven cradled in his lap, her gear strapped to the back of her seat. He gripped the handlebars. “I shall hurry.” And the angel climbed into the air with a beat of his mighty wings, Raven and her bike safely in his charge.
Margaret watched him fly away in the western sky until he was a dot in a field of blue.
The holy fire in the tree died with his absence. Catherine stepped over to her friend, resting her cheek on the bark. She sighed like the whole world was crushing down on her. “Hello, tree. I missed you.”
About the Author
Ted Hill grew up in the front pew of the Methodist church in Denton, Texas where he honed his scribbling skills on the church bulletin. He peaked as a senior in high school when he became Class President, Homecoming King, All-District Offensive Tackle, and Class Clown. He also failed Spanish II and Geometry, but graduated because of football credits.
Ted then took his talents to Bethany College in the middle of Kansas where he fell in love with the heartland.
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Hunter
Chapter Two: Hunter
Chapter Three: Molly
Chapter Four: Molly
Chapter Five: Scout
Chapter Six: Scout
Chapter Seven: Hunter
Chapter Eight: Hunter
Chapter Nine: Hunter
Chapter Ten: Molly
Chapter Eleven: Molly
Chapter Twelve: Margaret
Chapter Thirteen: Scout
Chapter Fourteen: Scout
Chapter Fifteen: Jimmy
Chapter Sixteen: Hunter
Chapter Seventeen: Hunter
Chapter Eighteen: Hunter
Chapter Nineteen: Scout
Chapter Twenty: Scout
Chapter Twenty-One: Margaret
Chapter Twenty-Two: Jimmy
Chapter Twenty-Three: Hunter
Chapter Twenty-Four: Hunter
Chapter Twenty-Five: Scout
Chapter Twenty-Six: Margaret
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Jimmy
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hunter
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Hunter
Chapter Thirty: Scout
Chapter Thirty-One: Jimmy
Chapter Thirty-Two: Hunter
Chapter Thirty-Three: Margaret
Chapter Thirty-Four: Scout
Chapter Thirty-Five: Jimmy
Chapter Thirty-Six: Hunter
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Margaret
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nbsp; Chapter Thirty-Eight: Scout
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Jimmy
Chapter Forty: Hunter
Chapter Forty-One: Scout
Chapter Forty-Two: Jimmy
Chapter Forty-Three: Margaret
Chapter Forty-Four: Hunter
Chapter Forty-Five: Scout
Epilogue: Margaret
About the Author
