Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: START (02/25/16)
-
TITLE: FloraMay | Previous Challenge Entry
By Cindy White
03/03/16 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
“This car smells.” Lucy, the eldest, wrinkled her nose. She was right, it did smell. Gas fumes, and some other oder Carmen never could quite identify nor eliminate, combined to create a unique stench.
“Help your sister with her buckle, Lucy. We’re going to be late to school.”
Due to repeated car trouble, the girls had already been late too many times. The letter from the school threatened harsh actions against Carmen if the tardies continued. Now they left for school 20 minutes earlier just to be safe. Or at least they tried.
Carmen would drop Lucy and Angie off at the elementary school, deliver baby Tammy to day-care, and rush off to work at the warehouse downtown. She knew if she left too late they would get stuck waiting at the tracks for the freight train to go by. Every minute counted in the mornings.
Carmen wished she could afford a newer car, but it just wasn’t financially possible. Carmen’s husband, Martin, had kept company with some shady “friends” from high school. He got caught at the wrong place at the wrong time, and now found himself in jail for the next three to five years. Carmen was on her own with three young girls.
Even with subsidized housing and food stamps, Carmen’s salary barely covered the most basic of the bills and day-care. She was grateful to God for providing FloraMay through a donation program at her church.
She didn’t want to complain. Gratitude and griping couldn’t coexist in Carmen’s world.
This morning Angie refused to get dressed, causing them to run later than usual. Kids and cars can both be stubborn.
As Carmen approached the railroad tracks, she gave FloraMay a little extra gas to get up the small hill. FloraMay didn’t appreciate the extra encouragement and there was a sputter, a growl, and finally, silence.
“Not now, FloraMay,” Carmen pleaded. She turned the key.
Nana-na-Aanana
Nothing.
She tried six more times. Same thing. Carmen, frustrated, checked her watch. If she didn’t get across the tracks before the train came, they would be late.
They were ON the tracks. If she didn’t get across the tracks before the train came, they would be dead! The train was due any moment. Carmen had to act quickly. Could she get all three girls unbuckled from their carseats and out of harms way in time? Could she push the car off the tracks? Would anyone see she was in trouble and help her?
She heard the whistle in the distance. The train would be here soon. Carmen had only one hope.
“JESUS, HELP ME,” was all she had time to pray. She turned the key and FloraMay started with a roar. The gates began to drop and Carmen could see the train baring down on them. The whistle blow sent chills down her spine. She threw it into drive and stepped firmly on the gas. FloraMay lunged forward and barely escaped the gate’s swat on her rear.
Carmen pulled the car to the side of the road and began to cry as the train screamed past them. The faces in the rear view mirror reflected the terror she had felt.
“Are you girls okay?”
“Uh huh,” Lucy nodded, with eyes like saucers.
“I’m okay, Mommy,” Angie said in her bravest voice. “So is the baby.”
Carmen leaned into the back seat and stroked her babies' faces with her shaking hand.
The young girls and their mother spent the next several minutes giving thanks to Jesus for His protection, and for FloraMay.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
Blessings~