Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Bold (emotionally) (08/30/07)
-
TITLE: A Small Clap | Previous Challenge Entry
By Rachel Barclay
09/06/07 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
My hands trembled as I guided the children to sit in the corner. I turned and stood between them and the men, wishing I could cover each one with my body. "Dear Lord, please keep them safe."
I held my baby, Lily on my hip. Her warm body brought comfort, even though I feared for her life.
The music from our song time played on, “Jesus loves the little children…”
CRACK! The CD player exploded from a gunshot of the youngest man. I jumped as the children screamed. Immense silence rained as guns were aimed at their heads. Small whimpers escaped from Shana’s trembling mouth.
The men’s dusty jeans gathered at the tops of their brown leather work boots. It was the local look from this citrus plantation area, but they were not familiar.
“No noise! Not from anyone.” The leader had a moustache. He kept glancing out the front window of the hall towards the church. I could just hear the chorus of the old hymn I loved so much. “All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give…”
“What do you want from us?” I could feel Jimmy, my four year old clinging to my legs under my skirt.
Jade was keeping the children quiet with a comforting whisper, “Hush now.”
“We are here to enforce the children’s rights. We want to set them free.” The moustache jumped up and down as he spoke.
“You’re the only ones keeping them captive.” He shifted his gun towards me.
“No. You are. You’re brainwashing them with this God stuff. They should have freedom of choice in what they want to believe. But they don’t have a chance when you start on ‘em so young.” His gun wavered as he peered out the window again.
“Isn’t it better for them to believe in a loving God, than to have your kind of existence where guns are needed to control each other’s hate?” The gun shook violently in his hand. I was scared I’d gone too far.
“Shut up!” He put the gun on my head and my body was shaking. “A truck is coming, and all the kids are getting on. If anyone makes a noise, they die.”
“You free children from being brain washed by killing them?” My anger took over from common sense.
“Yes! We’ll set them free, and then they’ll really know this God rubbish is just a delusion.” He walked to the door as a truck reversed towards the hall. There was no way I was letting the children be taken away. As the men went to open the doors, I signaled to Jade to hide some of the children in the storage room where the door was slightly ajar. Silently four of them squeezed through. I tried distraction.
“And what’s in it for you? Don’t patronize me by saying all this is for freedom’s sake.” He turned with hate in his step, his eyes. Slap! His ring cut into my face. Tears burned my eyes as a sob escaped my throat.
“Wisen up and keep your trap shut!”
“Please. Take me, not the kids.” I began to beg.
“You’re not the one who’ll fetch a nice price. And they’ll still be indoctrinated if we leave them. I will put a stop to what happened to me. It’s lies, the lot of it!” He moved toward the van to pull the ramp down. I turned and signaled to Jade to escape through the kitchen door. She silently hurried the kids out as I pushed Jimmy from under me to go with them. Kissing Lily I placed her in Jade’s arms.
“Lock the door from the other side,” I whispered and shoved her through. I heard the bolt rustle and heavy footsteps running. I spun to see three guns at my face.
“It’s too late, they’re gone. The police station’s just behind us, or didn’t you realise?” I looked in his tanned face, into his weather wrinkled eyes.
“Get a move on, fellas. I’ll finish up here.” The other men ran for the truck.
“He really does love you. No matter what happened in the past or happens now.” Tears coursed through the blood on my cheek.
“You better hope he exists to love you, because you’re about to find out.” He hardened his eyes and cocked the gun. Stepping backwards, he aimed at my heart. It seemed such a small clap that sounded before I sunk to the floor.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.