Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Threefold Cord (04/12/12)
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TITLE: One...two...three...four... | Previous Challenge Entry
By Laury Hubrich
04/19/12 -
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The boy stood, rooted to the floor, and then he whispered, “Grams?”
The old woman’s eyes fluttered. "Trevor.” She held out her arms and he ran into them.
He cried into her bosom. “Please don’t leave me.” Tears soaked her gown.
She ran her arthritic fingers through his loose curls. “Remember, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Trevor repeated the words with her. Alea’s hand stilled then felt heavy on his head and the monitors beeped. The room filled with nurses.
Pastor Henry pulled Trevor away, but before he could say anything, Trevor took off down the hall, wiping tears as he ran. Pastor tried to sprint after him, but his thick waist from too many church potlucks stopped his efforts.
Trevor ran until he couldn’t anymore. Breathless, he climbed on top of the monkey bars at a grade school. He felt safe for a bit, as if he was ten again, but he couldn’t quell the thoughts that swirled in his brain.
“How could you take Grams, God? She was all I had.” Trevor fiddled with the rope his grandma gave him when he was five. ‘Went from 3 to just me.’ He balled up his fists into his eyes to stop the unwanted, childish tears.
“What’re you doin’ up there, Trev?” Two guys stared.
“Nothin. Why?”
“Wondered if you’re ready ta be part of our gang, that’s all. Need a place to live, right?”
“Grams wouldn’t like it.”
“Don’t see her here, do ya, Allen?”
“Nope, Nate, don’t see her around nowhere’s.”
Trevor gulped. “Whatya want me ta do?”
Nate motioned him down. “ Ya just take the box to this address. Easy peasy.”
“Why?” Trevor asked.
“Because we like ya.” They smiled at each other.
Trevor handed his rope to Nathan. “See this?”
Nathan and Allen looked it over, as if ready for a magic show. “Yeah, so?”
“If I do this for ya, can we be a cord of three? Ya know, “though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.”
“Ummm…sure…whatever. Just tell us when it’s delivered.”
Trevor walked away, uneasy with what may have been in the box, but feeling better about having someone to be a part of the rope with him.
He found the address fast. It wasn’t a part of town he was supposed to be in but he had no one to answer to. He was a loner.
He counted the steps. “One…two…three…four… “ Knock-knock-knock. A woman opened the door.
“I have a package to deliver,” Trevor managed to say.
A man pushed the woman out of the way. Something didn’t feel right in Trevor’s gut. He quick decided to follow that Holy Spirit feeling as his grams taught him. He jerked around and jumped down all four of the steps and ran until his lungs were ready to burst.
He stopped and looked around. No one was following but he knew it was just a matter of time because the package was still in his arms.
Where do I go? Trevor was way beyond tears. Alone. Completely alone ‘If only Grams were still alive. She’d know what to do . Then he thought of Pastor Henry.
He ran to his pastor's house and pounded on the door. The police were called, and Trevor repeated all that happened.
When things calmed down and the two were alone again, they hugged and Trevor finally let the tears flow. “I don’t have anyone left,” he said between sobs. “I was looking for someone to complete my cord.”
Pastor was perplexed.
“What Grams taught me, “Three strands is not easily broken.”
Pastor smiled. “Your grandma taught you that when your parents died. You have head knowledge for that verse, but the heart knowledge you’re lacking. Son, Alea didn’t die.”
“But the monitors and the nurses…”
“Trust me. She’s as feisty as ever but if anything does happen to her, you’ll come live here. It’s all arranged in her will.”
Trevor smiled and handed an end of his rope to Pastor. “Family…you, and God.”
Pastor Henry pulled hard. “You’re God-strong as long as you remember God in the mix. Always follow that Holy Spirit leading. You did good tonight. Let’s go see your grandma.”
Trevor put his rope in his pocket and smiled. “Yeah! Let’s go see Grams!
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Nice twist to bring a good ending. That'll teach me to jump to conclusions.
The hardest thing my hubby and I have done is prepare our wills, choosing a couple to be our kids' guardians should the very worst ever happen. We have such a responsibility to our kids, and the youth and kids in our church/communities, to give them a way out from hopeless situations and tell them they will never be alone, no matter what. A truly wonderful story which, I agree, would be a great extended read. Well done.
The only red ink I saw was you needed an end quote after the first paragraph.
The ending was so good. I didn't see it coming at all. There are many hidden messages in here. Trust in God. Do what your grandma says, you're never alone just to name a few. I could read this on a different day and God would give me a different message. That takes true talent and the Holy Spirit.