A Short Story: Leora's Gift

Leora Hornbeck was bored. The drip, plop of the rain outside was driving her crazy, yet she was not allowed to stir from her desk until the hourglass was completely empty. Right now, it was only a quarter full. Fifteen more minutes. Leora felt that if she had to wait another fifteen minutes she would scream.

This was punishment for not paying attention during school. She puffed out her cheeks and sighed, laying her hot cheek on the cool wood desk. Why did school have to be so boring and dull? If the teacher wouldn’t use the same, soothing, monotonous tone she might be able to concentrate on the subject at hand more easily.

All of Leora’s sisters had gone home an hour ago. Anna wouldn’t be home, Leora knew. Anna was rarely home. She almost always got to go over to a friend’s house for the night, and she’d come to school the next morning with her friends. But then, Anna was fifteen – almost sixteen.

Mara, Leora’s annoying thirteen-year-old sister would be bossing around all the younger children. Ever since Leora could remember, Mara had been bossy-now she was even more so since Mara had graduated to the much desired class of teens. Leora was glad to miss being bossed into sweeping, polishing, mopping, and washing dishes. This was a chore that Leora detested above all others, and didn’t Mara know it! Mara always kept Leora busy, making sure that Leora did not rest or play until all specks of dust were gone, all food particles washed off the dishes, and the silverware sparkled like crystal. Leora was much exasperated with Mara, especially because it seemed to Leora that Mara did the least work of them all!

Gabrielle would be working at Aunt Caroline’s house for money so that she could buy cloth for new dresses – dance dresses in particular. Gabrielle was a marvelous dancer, and as long as Gabrielle worked hard and earned the money, Mama and Papa were fine with her making her own dresses – even though Gabrielle was only twelve.

Cassidy, who was eleven years old, would be practicing her piano. Cassidy was the most musical of all the girls in the Hornbeck family. Sometimes, though, the piano playing did get annoying, particularly when Cassidy played one song over and over again, like a record player stuck on repeat. The piano was very old and out of tune, because it had been Mama’s grandma’s piano that had been passed down to Mama. Pianos were very expensive now days, and Mama and Papa couldn’t afford to buy a new piano.

Clara was Cassidy’s twin. She would be helping Mama. Clara was very pretty, and Clara knew it. Clara often teased Leora about Leora’s freckles and round face, which contrasted ridiculously with Clara’s heart shaped and freckle-free face. Clara was Mama’s favorite, and Leora felt this sorely. Why should Mama have a favorite? Mama would never acknowledge the fact, but it must be so. Mama always defended Clara against Aunt Ellen, who was extremely critical of the children. Mama never contradicted Aunt Ellen about the rest of them. Clara would always get to skip out of having to polish the furniture or having to do anything that would require Clara to work hard with her hands. After all, didn’t Clara have the most beautiful, delicate hands of anyone who ever lived? Such a fuss over hands! Leora thought scornfully. As if anyone would judge you based on your hands!

Five minutes were left in the glass. Then there was herself at ten years old. She wasn’t particularly good at anything. She could sing, but not as well as Cassidy. She wasn’t as pretty as Clara – not by far. She wasn’t as popular as Anna. She wasn’t good at instructing or leading like Mara. Mara was always chosen for the girl’s team captain. She wasn’t good at dancing or sewing like Gabrielle. She certainly wasn’t good at school. Then there was Lily, the baby of the family. Leora was almost jealous of Lily sometimes, because she got almost all the attention. Leora got very little attention, save when she was scolded by her parents for getting bad grades in school, or for forgetting to do a chore, or for not finishing her food. The list continued on and on. Lily was only eight, but she was very good at school. Mama and Papa hoped to have her become a teacher. Lily was quiet, but she had friends that loved her.

There! The hourglass was finally empty. Leora grabbed her books and dashed out into the rain and back home. Leora burst through the door. “I’m home!”

Mara was instantly examining Leora. “You certainly took a long time, Leora. You’re soaked! Did you walk at a snail’s pace? Mama!” Mara cried. Leora stuck her tongue out at Mara.

“Heavens, Leora, you’re wet all through. You certainly didn’t hurry!” Mama scolded.

Mara smirked.

Leora put down her books. “It wasn’t my fault. The teacher kept me an hour late, and Clara should have told you, but I guess she forgot again, as usual. And I ran all through the rain to get here as fast as I could.”

“You ran in the rain? You’ll get sick! Why didn’t you slow down?” Mara exclaimed.

Leora rolled her eyes. “First you wanted me to hurry, and now you want me to slow down?” 

Mara humphed and flounced away in high dudgeon.

“Don’t be so mean to poor Clara,” Mama scolded Leora. “Clara has a lot of school, and she has to practice her lines for the pageant in a few weeks.”

Leora rolled her eyes again as she turned away from her mother. Defending dear Clara, as usual.

Cassidy was playing a Joplin piece on the piano, and Gabrielle was sitting in a chair sewing. Lily was working on school, and Anna wasn’t anywhere to be found.

Leora crept upstairs to her bed and snuggled under her warm comforter as she listened to the rain outside. Mara wouldn’t find Leora here.

“Dinner!” Mama called what seemed hours later. Leora hastily threw off her comforter and raced downstairs. She slipped into place just as Mama was looking around the table at her daughters. Mara was about to inform Mama of Leora’s sudden reappearance when Papa came and sat down to pray. After grace was said, the family began to eat.

As they ate, Papa began to talk to his daughters – this was a family custom.

“Mara, how were the games today?”

“They were fun, Papa. I was the captain of the girl’s team, and we won Red Rover.”

“Gabrielle, is your dress coming along?”

“Yes, Papa. I’m learning a new routine, too. It’s very tricky.”

“Cassidy, did I hear you learning a new piece?”

“No, Papa! It’s the Joplin piece I’m playing for the concert. Mrs. Hatfield hasn’t given me a new piece yet.”

“Clara, a little bird told me that your name was written up with Charlie Beaumont on the ‘Take Notice’ board. Is that true?”

“Yes, Papa. It isn’t anything, really!”

“Oh – Leora. Well, ah… how was school?”

“School was alright.” Leora tried to eat more in order to avoid elaborating her answer.

“She hasn’t helped around the house at all, Papa.” Mara complained.

“Why not?” Papa raised an eyebrow.

“She got home late because teacher made her stay another hour,” Mara informed Papa smugly.

Leora sighed.

“Leora?” Papa prodded.

“So what if I did?” responded Leora tartly. “If the teacher wasn’t so boring, I could listen better.”

“You need to improve in your studies or else… or else…” Suddenly, Papa realized that, since Leora was not involved in anything, he could not take anything away. He paused, grunted, and finally concluded, “You must improve in your studies.”

“But, why?” Leora finally asked. “I’m not good at anything, so I’ll never be good at anything that people grow up to be – like a singer like Cassidy, or a teacher like Lily. I hate school and I don’t see the use of studying if I’m not good at any subject. I’m not even good at sewing.” 

“Leora!” Mama reprimanded sharply. “Your papa and I pay good money to send all of you to school. You must improve your studies.”

“Or what?” Leora could feel herself growing irritated and frustrated. ”I’ve tried, but I just can’t, Mama. You can’t pull me out of anything because I’m not involved in anything. If you gave me more chores, I wouldn’t be able to complete the schoolwork that I’m assigned.” Leora pushed back her chair and ran up to her room.

Papa sighed. “Lily, what was your favorite part of school?” he asked.

“English. We got to write a composition, and I wrote mine on Ted, the horse. I wish he would let me get close to him.”

“Nobody can get close to Ted. He’s good only as a work horse. I was thinking of selling him,” Papa declared.

Leora heard it all. Sell Ted! He was a pretty horse, and Leora loved him. She would never let Papa sell him! Leora had crept to the edge of the stairs and listened in. Now, she quickly got up and hurried silently back to her room, pulling the covers over her head and burying her face in her pillow.

Papa rose from the table, addressing Mama. “I’ll go hitch up the wagon and go into town for some things. Leora needs a new dress, Nellie.”

Clara pouted slightly. “Why does Leora get a new dress?”

“Because she needs one, Clara.” Mama reproached Clara. “You have many pretty dresses as it is. If you needed a new dress we might make you one. Stop pouting and finish your supper. I’ll need to get ready for the new dress. Henry, make sure the color is a nice shade of blue. You know that’s Leora’s favorite color.”

Papa donned his coat and left to go to town. Mama went upstairs into Cassidy, Clara, Leora, and Lily’s room. She sat down on Leora’s bed.

“Leora, sit up.”

Leora sat up slowly.

Mama began, “It is important that you do well in school in order to get a good education.”

Leora frowned. “I hate school. It’s boring, and dull, and… and I hate it.”

“I’m sorry you hate it, because it’ll help you when you grow up. You are not going to get out of school. We have nothing to motivate you with. We have not put you in piano or dance because –”

“Because I’m not good at anything,” Leora finished dejectedly.

“You don’t have to feel bad.,” Mama comforted Leora. “You simply haven’t found a talent yet.”

“But I do have to feel bad. Clara is pretty, and you love her more than you love me. I know it’s true because you won’t hear anyone speak badly of Clara, and yet everyone speaks bad of me because I don’t do anything well. Mara bosses me dreadfully behind your back, Clara teases me about my looks sometimes, and even Lily and Cassidy don’t want to play with me because they always want to play school, and I hate school.” Leora almost wailed in despair.

“Well, maybe you will feel better when you and Papa go to town. Get your coat and hat, it’s still raining out,” Mama said.

Leora did as told and then got into the wagon with Papa, while her somewhat envious sisters watched from the window as the wagon disappeared. Leora remained silent on the ride down, not wishing to incur the lecture that she knew was coming.

“Leora, what are we going to do?” Papa sighed.

“Pull me out of school and let me stay at home to help,” Leora promptly replied.

Papa laughed. “You sound as if you know what you want.”

“I do. I don’t like school,” Leora repeated. “Besides, you don’t need another school-loving daughter. Lily’s already going to be a teacher.”

“You don’t have to be a teacher just because you go to school.”

“Do we have to talk about this?” Leora slumped slightly in her seat.

“Yes.” Papa’s voice took on a stern tone. “It’s important to your mother and I that you get a good education. You will need to know enough to live. You will use a lot of the things you learn in school out in the world.”

Leora fell silent.

---

A bolt of blue cloth was selected and bought. Soon, Papa and Leora turned the wagon around and headed back home.

The light was steadily fading, and the rain had almost stopped, when Leora pointed to the side of the road. “Look, Papa! What’s that?” A small object lay beside the path. As the wagon approached it, the object moved.

Leora gasped and clutched Papa’s arm. “Papa, stop the wagon! It’s a baby deer!”

She sprang from the cart and knelt next to the quivering baby deer. “Papa, it’s hurt, see? It can’t stand. Can we take it home?” Leora’s eyes pleaded with her father.

Papa shook his head. “No. It would go wild cooped up in our house. Once it got older and grew antlers, what then? It would ruin our home. What if hunters saw the deer? They might try and kill it, and then where would we be? Leave it alone, Leora. Get back in the wagon.”

Leora petted the deer. “Papa, we can’t leave this poor little deer. It can’t move. What if something attacked it? It wouldn’t be able to get away.” Leora slid her arms under the trembling mass and lifted the deer easily. Gently she placed it on the straw in the back of the wagon. She covered it with a thin blanket and petted it.

“Can we at least keep it until its leg gets better?” Leora entreated.

Papa hesitated. “Just until its leg gets better, but then we’ll have to turn it out.”

“Thank you, Papa!” Leora cried. “Don’t you worry, little deer, I’ll take care of you,” Leora whispered to the deer. The fawn stopped trembling and nestled its head in Leora’s lap.

Upon reaching the house, Mama came out and saw Leora in the back of the wagon. With concern in her voice, she asked, “Henry? What’s the matter?” Leora gently carried the fawn inside amongst a clamor.

“Oh, look at the baby deer!”

“What happened to it?”

“Where did you find it?”

“Did Papa say you could keep it?”

“Oh, the poor little thing!”

“Where’s its mama?”

“Can we keep it?”

“Is it a boy or girl?”

Questions peppered Leora from all sides.

“Hush, children. Let Leora through.” Mama quieted the other girls as Leora carried her charge to the fireplace and covered it with a blanket. A small rag dipped in warm milk was placed in the deer’s mouth.

“I’ll call it Brownie,” Leora decided, “because it’s brown.” All the sisters watched in silence as Leora deftly cared for the little deer. Lily sat next to Leora and tried to pet Brownie, but the deer began to quiver. As a matter of fact, Brownie wouldn’t let any of the sisters near, and she would not be fed by anyone but Leora. Mara was jealous, as was every other girl. Clara was attracted by the delicate build. Mara could see that it would be athletic. Cassidy could just picture a piece of music that would describe the elegant deer. Lily thought that a composition on a baby deer would definitely get a good grade.

Leora was proud. She had finally found something that nobody else in her family could do. She could take care of animals and nurse them, too.

Mama smiled as she knelt close to Leora. “I do believe that your sisters are envious of you, Leora.”

Leora laughed. “As if I’ve never been envious of them!”

“She is yours.” Mama replied. “I can see that you will take very good care of her.”

“Thank you Mama!” Leora hugged  her mother.

“My very own pet… my little Brownie,” Leora murmured, cuddling the little deer. Leora smiled triumphantly, burying her face in the soft brown fur, her arms around the slim little body. She could now hold her own amongst her talented sisters.

A Short Story: True Love Never Dies

(A sequel to The Princess of Hearts.)

The stars twinkled above me on that warm June night. I sat outside gazing up into the dark sky. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my back. “David,” I whispered.

David sat down. “Are we still on for tomorrow? Meet me at the stables bright and early.”

I smiled. “Ok.”

David got onto his horse and rode away into the night.

Morning broke, dark and rainy. “Oh well!” I thought sadly, looking out my peasant home window into the rain. Knowing David, we would go anyway. I pulled on my boots and my heavy cloak and climbed down from my loft into the warm kitchen where our house keeper, Betsy, was making breakfast. “Good morning, Cordelia,” she said.

“Where is father?” I asked.

“Oh, out bringing food from our field to the castle. A guest has come to stay with King James, Queen Annalise, and Prince David,” Betsy said as she poured me a cup of water and set it down in front of me with a slice of bread.

“Thank you, but I told David I would meet him at the stable this morning,” I said.

“Fine, but going out into the cold and rain without any breakfast…” her voice trailed off. Betsy had acted like my mother ever since my mother had died. I kissed her on the cheek, thanked her, and rushed out the door.

I ran like the wind to the stable where David stood arms opened wide. I ran into them, and he gently kissed my lips as he smoothed back my wet hair from my face.

“So, tell me where we are going today?” I asked as I looked into his eyes. They had a twinkle in them.

“It’s a surprise,” he said as he jumped onto a horse. He reached down his hand, I grabbed it, and he pulled me up.

We rode into the thick forest right behind the tall wall of the castle. I looked up into the sky. It had finally stopped raining, but it looked like the sky was going to let down another torrent of rain any minute. As we rode farther into the forest, it became darker and colder. I clasped David’s waist tighter. “Please tell me where we are going!!” I yelled over the thunder.

He looked back at me and smiled.

“Just a few more minutes then we will be there,” David yelled back. Sure enough, the forest opened into a small clearing. The sun had come out but, strangely, only in the clearing. David rode up to it and jumped down off the horse. I followed him.

“Why is this spot so sunny and beautiful and…” my voice trailed off. David reached down. He held my hand. He put his finger to his lips.

“Let me tell you. My father asked my mother to marry him here in this same spot,” he said, and his bright blue eyes looked down into my eyes. “The fairies put an enchantment on it to make it the most beautiful spot in the world where true love happens. So, I would like to do it here, right now.” David bent down onto one knee and pulled a small diamond ring out of his cloak. “Will you marry me?”

I stood there, speechless, with tears running down my face. “Yes!” I cried.

He rose to his feet and kissed my lips. I kissed him back.

David whispered, “May the love between us always be strong, true, and eternal.”

We rode home in the rain, but it was not nearly as bad as before on the ride there. We were going to be together forever. We rode back up to the stable. Betsy’s breakfast sounded so good just then. David led the horse into a stable. I jumped down and stood there waiting for David to come out of the stable. I wrapped my hands around my arms.

“Burr,” I thought.

David came out and wrapped his cloak around me. Suddenly I heard the voice of a woman behind me. David and I turned around to see a young girl with dark brown hair. Her perfect curls fell just below her shoulders. It didn’t even look like a speck of rain had touched them, while my overgrown curls were nearly sopping wet, flying in every direction.

“Yes?” asked David.

“Your father, I meant to say King James, told me you would be here,” said the young girl. “Sorry, I am Princess Bella. I am visiting your castle. My father has many hopes that you will marry me.”

David stood there in shock. “I am sorry. I forgot to introduce my fiancé, Cordelia,” David said.

Bella just stood there. Anger entered her eyes. She ran for the nearest horse, slipped her hood over her face, and rode away.

“Come on. We need to get to the castle before she does,” David said with a quiver in his voice.

We rode through the gate of the castle. I had been in the castle many times with David, but never for this reason. We both jumped off and ran up the large stone marble steps. “We have to beat Bella there,” I thought.

David swung the door open, and I ran in behind him. We walked into his bed chambers.

“We can’t go see Queen Annalise and King James like this,” I said.

David nodded. He walked over to his closet and pulled out a beautiful light purple and cream dress. The sleeves opened up at the end. Leaving them long and flowing. I smiled. He left the room to get some clean clothes for himself. I slipped off my wet, muddy boots and dress and put on the silk dress. I combed my fingers through my hair. I put on a smile. Just then, a small knock sounded at the door.

“Come in!” I said.

“Don’t you look lovely?” David said as he peeked in.

I blushed. “Thank you!”

“Are you ready to go see my parents?” asked David.

I sighed and tried to smile. David’s parents had met me before but only saw me as David’s friend.

“Will I ever be ready?” I joked. He took my hand and led me down a long hallway hung with tapestry and fine artwork. David knocked softly at his mother and father’s door.

Queen Annalise answered. “David, come in. And Cordelia, you too.” Queen Annalise had a voice as sweet as her heart.

“Mother and Father, I have asked Cordelia to marry me,” David said taking my hand as we stood.

“I am so proud of you my son!” Annalise and James said together.

 “But there is a problem. Bella wishes to marry you, David,” said James with sorrow in his eyes.

“Well, we can tell Bella’s father that you have found a different girl and that Bella is not who you want,” said Annalise. “Tonight at the banquet – you will tell him then.”

Later, I sat at the long banquet table and sipped my drink, trying to ignore the rude looks that Bella, who was sitting across the table, was giving me. Her eyes became more jealous every time I looked at her. Finally, I saw Bella get up from the table and move to a corner, where she began to talk to an elderly man, who must have been her father. I only heard bits and pieces, but I know she was talking to her father about me. I saw him look over at me with the coldest eyes I had ever seen. My head began to spin. “Time to go,” I thought.

“David, I am going to the balcony in your room to get some fresh air,” I said to David as I rushed out of the dining hall. He nodded and looked over in the direction of Bella and her father, king of some far off land. I ran to David’s room and opened the door to the balcony. Fresh air swept over me. I stared out over the woods, beyond to the deep ocean. “What a day,” I thought as I walked over to David’s bed and shut my eyes. “I’ll just rest for a minute,” I thought.

I was awakened by the noise of a woman giggling and a man flirting. I strained my eyes to see David and Bella kissing on the balcony. Horror entered my whole body. With tears running down my face, I slid my engagement ring off and threw it to the floor. With that, I fled from the room.

I ran down the same steps I had come up earlier that day, when I had thought that David was my true love. Now, my heart broken, I ran from the castle to my horse and rode into the forest.

---

           

At the sound of Cordelia’s ring against the floor, David broke loose and closed his eyes, retracing everything that want had just happened. After Cordelia had left the dining hall, Bella had come over from talking with her father and switched David’s wine glass with a different one. Unaware of the switch, David had emptied the glass, thinking it was the best wine her had ever tasted. Then sly Bella had pulled the prince into his room and, stared a conversation. Then she had kissed him, and David had kissed her back.

“You’re not Cordelia!” he yelled at Bella, opening his eyes. He turned away.

“I just kissed Bella!” he said to himself. Still recovering from the shock, he rubbed his face with his hands.

“Bella what did you do to me?” He asked, confused.

“I, um, I poisoned your wine glass with a poison that would make you forget everything, because I was jealous,” said Bella hoping that, if she told the truth, he would spare her from the worst.

“Well it looks like Cordelia, my fiancé, saw us,” David said with a low growl in his voice. With that he picked up the ring and ran from the room. He rode into the forest after Cordelia.

---

I rode to the spot where just earlier that day, David had told me that our love would be true and eternal. But now, my thoughts wandered. I fell off the horse and looked up into the sky where the sun was beginning to set.

“I guess that this place isn’t enchanted. But please, fairies, if you’re there, take my life,” I whispered. With that, I looked up into the stars and breathed my last breath.

David was too late. He fell onto his knees, put his face into his hands, and cried. Finally, he reached down and kissed my lips. A ray of sunlight up, and I gasped for air.

“David! You found me.”

“I will always find you!” said David as I looked up into his blue eyes.

“Look, Bella poisoned me to tune me out, and she pulled me into my room. I didn’t know what I was doing. I am so sorry!” said David as he slid the ring back on my finger.

“So, you really love me?” I asked as the breathing became easier and the life spread throughout my body. Tears of happiness were spilling from my eyes.

“I could never love anyone else, Cordelia. I am so sorry for causing you to doubt my love!” he cried.

“It’s not your fault!” I said, wiping the tears off his cheeks.

“We will be happy forever!” David wove his fingers through my hair as he kissed me.

– By Jennifer Fuhrman

A Short Story: Real Strength

“Have you heard the rumors?”

Claudia leaned forward in the pew to catch the whispered conversation between the two men in front of her.

“The rumors about the spy?” responded the second man.

The first man cleared his throat and spoke so quietly that Claudia had to scoot to the edge of her seat to hear. “Yes. The pastor has reason to believe that someone has been leaking information about our meetings to the authorities.” The first man glanced quickly at the second man. “You know what that means.”

Sighing softly, the second man nodded. Claudia noticed him shift his gaze to a pretty woman and small child standing nearby. “Don’t know if Mary and I can afford to come anymore,” he murmured. “It’s just gettin’ too risky.”

Claudia leaned back and let her body slide into the back of the pew. Things were getting perilous. Ten years ago, the government outlawed Christianity. Five years ago, the federal police obliterated the last standing church building and executed its elders and pastors. Ever since then, not one believer had dared to start a church in the open. However, despite the danger, some bold believers began a secret, nationwide network of underground churches. Like the Roman Christians who sought refuge in the catacombs beneath the city of Rome, the members of these underground churches literally met underground. Claudia looked around at the cramped, damp, dimly-lit room that served as the place of worship for the Christians of the town. The light from the dying lamps traced eerie lines on the dirt walls, and she could hear the sound of water dripping from far down in the tunnel. Every man, woman, and child standing in quiet groups or sitting on the old, rotten pews looked scared. The number of believers in the country was small. The number of those who dared to join a church was even smaller. Only about twenty people regularly attended this church. The number used to be much higher, but some had been caught and killed, while others had simply stopped coming for fear of the danger involved. Being a Christian was not easy – and it certainly wasn’t safe.

Not safe. Claudia’s heart began pounding crazily. She was scared. She loved God and she truly believed in what Jesus had done for her, but she didn’t know if she would be willing to face the consequences of simply answering “I do” to the dreaded question. Anyone caught professing belief in salvation through Jesus Christ was brought to trial. Unless they chose to renounce their faith in trial, the government executed them within the week.

Christianity had been outlawed when Claudia was only five. She remembered the years before the government passed the law like a vague and beautiful dream – a dream of a life she wished could come back. She remembered sitting on her father’s lap every evening as he read her a true story from the Bible. She remembered her mother praying with her every night before she went to bed. But those days were gone. The change in the laws had distorted her life.

Her father had been one of the elders at the last existing church above ground. During the trial of the elders and pastors, her father had answered “I do” to that horrifying question and had been shot like a deserter. Every one of the pastors was executed as well. All but one of the elders met the same fate. The one elder who recanted watched as his former friends collapsed like felled trees. He then returned to his comfortable home, carrying with him a reward from the government for obeying the law.

Claudia didn’t blame him. She didn’t think she could ever be as brave as her father. Sometimes she wished he hadn’t answered the way he did. Sometimes she wished he had recanted like the one elder. But she always hit herself afterwards for thinking such a thing. God had given her father the rare strength to say those two, deadly words. As her mother told her the day they heard of father’s trial and execution, “It wasn’t your father who answered with those words, but the Holy Spirit in him.”

Claudia leaned her head against her mother’s shoulder as she watched the shadows of the moving people dance across the dirt walls. The worship service and preaching had ended, but everyone was still there. They were waiting for the sentinel to tell them that the exit was clear for them to make their way home. Everyone there knew it wasn’t safe for them to be there in the first place, but they still wanted to be as safe as possible.

At that moment, the sound of running feet came rushing through the passage. Every head turned toward the opening to the tunnel. The same thought flitted through each person’s mind. Soon, the sentinel appeared beneath the arched roof of dirt, covered with mud and panting frantically.

“We’ve been discovered!” He exclaimed. “We’ve gotta make a run for it!”

Run. That’s all they could do. As soon as the sentinel had appeared beneath the arch of the tunnel and panted the frightening news, the two dozen people in the room had begun frantically filing out into the tunnel. They were now making their way as quickly as possible through the dark, damp underground maze to the safest exit – the one that emerged in the middle of the forest. According to the sentinel, police had discovered the main entrance and were preparing to descend into the underground passageway when he had sprinted off to warn the congregation. In only a matter of minutes, the police would arrive at the little, damp room where the congregation had been worshiping only moments before. Their only chance was to take the secret exit into the woods.

As Claudia rushed through the passageway, desperately clinging to her mother’s hand, she could sense the fear and desperation she felt in the people around her. Some of her friends were crying. Others simply looked stunned. Young mothers held tightly to their babies. The men constantly glanced over their shoulders, waiting for a glimpse of the light from the police flashlights. Young children screamed. Their parents tried to quiet them, but Claudia could tell that it was all they could do to keep from screaming themselves. 

Oh Lord, please help us! Claudia prayed silently. Her heart was beating frantically. Her breathing was uneven, and she was constantly gasping for air. Suddenly, she stumbled over an unseen root that stuck out from the dirt floor. She winced at the sharp pain that stabbed her left leg as she collapsed to her hands and knees. Her leg had landed on a jagged rock. She could tell something was broken.

Her mother was bending down beside her, trying to help her up, but the others rushed past them. There was no time to lose. Claudia knew she should stand up, that she should keep running. But her leg was throbbing. She knew it would not be able to bear her weight. She reached down and felt the large gash the rock had made. There was blood – plenty of it.

“Claudia, can you stand up? We have to keep moving! Let me help you up.” Her mother’s voice was steady, but Claudia could hear the panic behind it. Claudia forced herself to her feet as her mother pulled her off the ground. “Wrap your arm around my shoulder, dear.” Claudia clung to her mother’s shoulders and stood firmly on her right leg. Desperate to keep moving, Claudia took a step with her left leg. Instantly, pain shot up her leg and her knee crumpled under her.

“Mom, I – I can’t. I can’t do it,” Claudia gasped. She felt tears streaming down her face. She knew she would never make it out. She knew they would catch her and kill her. The others were still running. The last few people had just passed them by and were disappearing farther into the tunnel. Claudia knew her mother couldn’t stay.

Trying to act strong and determined, Claudia looked straight into her mother’s beautiful, honest eyes. “Mom, you – you have to keep going. You have to leave me.”

Claudia could see the tears slowly creeping down her mother's cheeks, but her mother's voice was strong and firm. “I’m not leaving you.”

Just then, arms scooped Claudia up from behind. It was the sentinel. He had been bringing up the rear. He looked just as frightened as the others had, but Claudia commended him for his strength and willingness to help her. “We just have to make it to the secret exit,” the sentinel panted. “Then we’ll be fine.”

Claudia caught her breath at the thought of that exit. She had never been in that segment of the underground maze before, but she had heard about it. The emergency tunnel diverged from the main passageway about a quarter of a mile away from the church room. The tunnel was concealed by a cleverly designed door that, when covering the entrance to the tunnel, looked like a part of the dirt walls of the main passageway. The door could be opened by pulling a latch hidden on the walls of the main tunnel and closed by pushing a similar latch on the inside of the secret tunnel. It all sounded nice in theory, but Claudia knew that, once they all entered the tunnel, the going would get tough and slow. The tunnel was only big enough to crawl through. Since they were in the back of the line, they would be the last ones to go through the tunnel. Being in the back meant that the police would arrest them first.

Claudia looked at her mother, running beside the sentinel. Her eyes were filled with fright. She knew she and her mother were thinking the same thing…

Will we ever make it?

“We’re almost there,” the sentinel gasped. 

Claudia turned her head, and her eyes probed the darkness of the tunnel ahead of her. Yes. There they were. She could just see the other people of the congregation forming a line against the dirt wall of the tunnel. She could barely make out the figure of the pastor uncovering the secret latch in the wall. They were preparing to crawl, one at a time, into the small, covert passageway that would lead them to safety. 

Almost there. Claudia clenched her teeth and willed herself to hold on just a little longer. Even though the sentinel was carrying her, the pain that gripped her left leg as she bounced up and down in his arms was unbearable. Her mother read the pain in her face. She caught her daughter’s hand in her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze as she ran next to the sentinel and Claudia. Claudia squeezed her hand back and tried to smile.

Soon, they joined the line to enter the tunnel. Claudia was thankful that the sentinel was still willing to hold her. She knew she couldn’t even stand on her own. If she couldn’t even stand on her own, how would she ever make it through the tunnel? They would have to enter the tunnel one person at a time. She would basically be on her own. She looked down at her leg. It was caked with blood and dirt, and it was bent slightly in an abnormal direction. She shut her eyes tight and shuddered. Lord, give me strength.

People were already ducking, one by one, into the dark hole. All the women and children were being ushered to the front of the line, but Claudia refused to move from the back of the line. If she went in front, she would only slow down the people behind her. Claudia looked at the pastor, who was kindly offering to help her into the tunnel next. She shook her head. “Best to leave me in the back.” The pastor hesitated, but only briefly. Then he simply nodded and proceeded to help a young mother and child into the tunnel. 

Within less than a minute, the twenty people in front of Claudia had entered the passageway. Only the pastor, the sentinel, Claudia, and her mother were left. The sentinel nodded to the pastor. “Go,” he urged. “I’ll go last and close it behind me.” Claudia watched as the pastor helped her mother into the tunnel. Hesitating, her mother looked back at her injured daughter in the sentinel’s arms, her eyes filled with tears of fright and sadness. Claudia gave her mother one last smile. Then the pastor and her mother disappeared into the small, dark hole. 

Without a warning, the sounds of barking dogs and gruff voices burst from only a small distance behind them in the main tunnel. The sentinel immediately placed Claudia on her knees in front of the tunnel and helped her crawl into the darkness. Her leg could hardly handle the crawling position, but she tried to ignore the pain and crawled as fast as she could. The sentinel jumped in right after her and pushed the latch in the wall, shutting the entrance and enveloping them in darkness.

Claudia could hardly see her hands under her. She could hardly see her hair that fell around her face and into her mouth. But she could feel the dirt under her fingers and the pain throbbing in her leg. 

The tunnel soon began to slope slightly upward, making the crawling even harder on her arms and legs. She winced with each move she made and almost cried out once. Her movement was slow, and she knew she was forcing the sentinel to match her slow pace behind her. There wasn’t much more she could do, though.

Whispers and soft cries traveled back at Claudia and the sentinel from farther up in the cramped darkness. She crawled on and on, listening to her own labored breathing and the quiet panting of the sentinel behind her. Soon, she heard the sound of rustling leaves coming from only a short distance up the tunnel. Soft clumps of dirt and crusty leaves rained down on her head. The next moment, the tunnel was flooded with light. The people in the front had made it to the surface. Claudia could now see the shoes of the pastor a few feet in front of her. She heard a soft exclamation of excitement from the sentinel behind her. 

“I’m sorry. I can’t go any faster,” she whispered back at him. 

“No worries,” he answered, reassuringly. “We’re gonna make it either way.”

With each second, Claudia was getting closer and closer to the light. She could hear sighs of relief and cheers of excitement coming from the people in front of her as they stepped into the fresh air of the woods. Hope began to fill her heart.

Then she heard a gunshot. Screams pierced the air. Who fired? What is going on up there? Before she knew it, Claudia felt rough hands seizing her wrists. The hands pulled her violently out of the hole and threw her to the ground next to a group of frightened women and children from her congregation. She landed on her leg and screamed from the pain. The throbbing blinded her, and she hardly knew anything but the pain and blood flowing from her left leg. But she could make out a harsh voice yelling something above the cries of the children around her. 

“Lawbreakers! Rebels! Did you really think you could escape the law? How stupid of you! You will all get what you deserve!” Claudia’s head began to clear up. She could see the speaker: a rough-looking policeman, dressed all in black and heavily armed. He was standing next to the exit of the passageway. Claudia looked around. About three dozen other police officers encircled her entire congregation. The men of the congregation were tied up, and some of them were gagged. Surrounding her, the women and children were crowded together in a disorderly heap. 

Mother! Where’s Mother? Claudia thought, as her eyes frantically searched the crowd for her mother’s beautiful face. She still didn’t know what had resulted from the gunshot, and she feared for her mother’s life. But she finally spotted her mother among the crowd of women and children, hugging a sobbing woman. Their eyes met, and Claudia noticed that the fear that had filled her mother’s eyes earlier was now gone. A powerful strength was in its place. Claudia knew that this strength she saw in her mother could only be from the Holy Spirit. 

Tears of terror and pain were streaming from Claudia’s eyes, and her leg hurt more than ever. But the sight of her mother, strong and overflowing with faith, filled her with real strength. She wiped her eyes and nodded at her mother, then turned her head just in time to see the policeman kick a young child sitting next to her.

“Rebels!” the policeman yelled again as he kicked the child. The child cried loudly, but the policeman only kicked him again. Whimpering helplessly, the child crumpled up in a little heap.

“Stop it! Don’t hurt my child!” yelled one of the men from the congregation as he tried to loosen his bonds. Claudia could see it in his eyes – he longed to protect his child, but he was powerless. An officer punched him in the stomach, and the man doubled over, groaning. 

Claudia could feel the strength rising in her. She crawled over to the helpless child, dragging her leg behind her, and pulled him onto her lap. Stroking his hair, she whispered, “It’ll be ok. God is with us.” Suddenly, the policeman’s rock-hard fist smashed against her right cheek, and she fell backward, her ears ringing. Then his hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to her feet, nearly dislocating her shoulder in the process. Claudia cried out, overcome by the pain that covered her entire body. But the strength of the Holy Spirit still filled her whole being. She knew that, no matter what they did to her, they could never truly defeat the Holy Spirit’s strength that protected her. 

“What did you say?” the policeman yelled into one of her ringing ears. He was still tightly gripping her shoulder. Her right cheek was beginning to throb excruciatingly, and the pain in her leg was worse than ever. Claudia blinked twice to clear the remaining tears from her eyes. My Lord God, she prayed silently. Give me the words to say. Then she looked straight into the policeman’s black eyes and said, loudly, “God is with us.”

Enraged, the policeman threw her into the powerful arms of another officer and drew his gun from its case at his belt. Pushing her out of the circle of officers, the officer forced her to stand by a tall, slender tree. He then tied up Claudia’s hands behind the tree, intensifying the pain in her shoulder. The head policeman held up his gun and began to stalk slowly toward Claudia. Cries and shouts of protest erupted from the congregation. But the policeman continued to tread toward Claudia until the cold tip of his gun was pressed against Claudia’s temple. Then he asked the deadly question.

“Do you really believe that Jesus Christ can save you from sin and eternal death?” He snarled and laughed as if to mock the idea. He squinted his black eyes as they probed Claudia’s face.

The entire crowd went silent. The whole world froze. Claudia couldn’t speak. She didn’t know what to say. But then she remembered what her mother had said the day they had learned about her father’s execution: “It wasn’t your father who answered with those words, but the Holy Spirit in him.” Then she knew what to say. The Holy Spirit had given her the words, too. Just as he had given her father the words to say when he was asked the same question. Claudia found her mother’s face in the crowd and their eyes locked. Her mother was crying, but her eyes were still emanating the same strength that Claudia felt. Her mother gave a small nod. Standing up straight and tall against the tree, Claudia took a deep breath. Then, in a loud voice so unlike her own, Claudia declared,

“I do.”

“Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11).

  

– By Ashlyn Aura