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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Oops (01/14/10)
Bruce's military boots vibrated the floor with every step he took. Twelve pounding steps one way and twelve pounding steps back; it didn't take much to cover the length of the living room/bedroom in his family's studio apartment. On his Navy pay, this was the best they could afford. Taking a puff of his cigarette, Bruce's eyes narrowed as he stared at his wife. Slowly, he blew the smoke from his nostrils. Stopping in front of the sagging couch where his wife was huddled, he leaned over her, shaking her shoulders.

"Pregnant? How can you be two months pregnant? How in the world did you let this happen?" Bruce demanded.

"You're an adult. You figure it out!" Ruth shot back.

"We can't have a baby, not now. Dee is six months old. We're barely making ends meet the way it is. Living in Washington, D.C. takes every penny we have. We can't afford for you to quit your job to have this baby."

Ruth stood to get away from her husband's harsh hands. Standing in the doorway of the kitchenette, she turned to face his fury.

"Bruce, the fact is I am pregnant. You can get mad all you want, you can yell and cuss and knock me around all you want. But the fact is we are going to have a baby."

Bruce walked over to where his wife was standing, his finger pointing directly in her face. "No, we're not having this baby. I have the name of a guy who will take care of this thing, no questions asked."

Ruth's face reflected the terror she was feeling. "You will not have our baby killed. Not only is it illegal, it's just plain wrong. I won't let you do this."

Grabbing her arms, Bruce threw his wife against the wall. Knowing the neighbors probably heard the commotion, Bruce left the apartment, shaking the entire room with the force of the slamming door.

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After Bruce left the apartment, Ruth took action since she had no doubt he would make good on his threats. She threw things into a travel bag and fled to her best friend's house. Through hysterical sobs, Ruth told Susan and her husband Rick what had happened.

"Do you believe in miracles?" Rick asked her, a smile as big as Texas on his face. "I have a plan that just might work." That's when Ruth noticed the duffel bag beside the door.

"So guys, here's the deal," Rick told his comrades on the bus, "Ruthie needs to get away from here. Her life is in danger." Once Rick told them the whole story, the sailors took a vote and it was unanimous. They pledged to get Ruth and her daughter safely to Chicago, just a three hour drive from her hometown.

Ruth held her breath as the guard walked on board the bus full of sailors. Crouching down in the last seat with Dee sleeping in her arms, she didn't dare look around the corner. She tried to make herself as small as possible. Ruth could hear commotion at the front of the bus while paper work was being handed over to the guard. Satisfied everything was in order, the guard let the bus drive off the military base on its way to Chicago.

A cheer went up in the bus. Ruth was on her way home to Illinois and she had a bus full of bodyguards to keep her and Dee safe.

"God sure is looking out for you, Ruthie. The guard usually walks the full length of the bus counting heads. He didn't this time but we would have stopped him somehow," Rick chuckled. "Here, let me hold Dee while you get more comfortable back there. Try and get a little rest if you can. It's gonna be a long trip."


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My conception wasn't a mistake, it wasn't an "oops" in God's book. He miraculously saved my life that day so many years ago. "For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16
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This article has been read 1120 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Eileen Knowles
01/21/10
This brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for the reminder of how precious each life is to our Creator :)
Joy Bach 
01/22/10
Very thought provoking. I have known men like that. I was with Ruthie all the way.
Sara Harricharan
01/22/10
Life is never a mistake. At least, that's my take on it. What a tale of suspense and sadness, I'm so glad that Ruthie got away. I was rooting for her. Good ending too!
Janice Fitzpatrick
01/23/10
Susepenseful piece filled with hope. I really enjoyed this and was along beside Ruth hoping she would be able to escape. Great piece!
The Masked Truelovers
01/23/10
Not only was the husband physically and verbally abusive, he had no respect for life, even his own child. She was wise to leave when she did, before things got uglier.

Thanks for sharing. We've all had to make hard decisions that could be looked badly by others for our own peace of mind (and in this case the life of your child).
Allen Stark
01/24/10
So many in the military deal with emotional issues and there needs to be more done to help them. I have been collecting veteran stories for a project dealing with how they and there families are being overlooked by both the government and communities they live in.
Rachel Phelps
01/25/10
I am conceived "by accident" and my mom gave me up for adoption, so the title immediately caught my eye. Great pacing and dialogue in this - beautiful story.
Shirley McClay
01/26/10
Sounds like a great plot line for a novel! So cool that its true.
Carol Penhorwood 
01/26/10
Beautiful story, well written! I hope this is widely distributed; it is badly needed in this world. No life is a mistake; all are valuable and have purpose! Thank you for sharing this! Great job!
Glynis Becker
01/26/10
Beautiful story...and even more amazing because of its truth. Wow! God is good!
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
01/26/10
Wonderful story. It is even more suspenseful considering the time period. Things were quite different than, it was harder to leave an abusive spouse. People tended to look the other way when it came to domestic disputes. Dee was an incredible, brave lady. Thank you God for saving this baby. I'm glad she told her story. She was NOT a mistake, but a beautiful blessing.
Shann
Patricia Herchenroether
01/27/10
You are so right! God doesn't make mistakes. This was a beautiful story. Patty
c clemons
01/27/10
Nicely written.