The Seventh Messenger

by Carol Costa

  There were six girls in the God-Head and Prince Michael was looking for the seventh maiden to complete it. One rainy morning, Hettie was sleeping in a wicker basket in the meeting room, while Mary took her turn cleaning in there. Despite the bad weather, most of the men and some of the women and children were out distributing the new pamphlets that contained the sacred message Prince Michael had written after being in a trance for an entire day.

  Prince Michael was meeting with a new family who had just asked to join the colony. Since the partition between Michael"s office and the meeting room was only a curtain, Mary could hear everything that was being said by the Prince and the Brown family.

  William and Elizabeth Brown and their thirteen-year-old daughter, Joanna, were being instructed on the ways of the Flying Rollers. Then, the Prince announced that Joanna would become the seventh piece in his God-Head.

  “We are honored by your favor, Prince Michael,” William Brown said heartily.

  “Nay, Brother. It is not my favor, but the favor of the Lord

  that has chosen Joanna to become a member of the God-Head.” “Joanna is bright child,” her mother said proudly. “She will

  serve you well.”

  “Yes, I"m sure she will. Now you may go to your new quarters. Joanna will stay here with the other girls. She will be wellcared for.”

  Mary heard the chairs scraping across the wooden floor in

  the office as the Brown"s stood up.

  The next thing she heard was the tear-filled voice of a

  young girl. “No. Please don"t leave me here. I don"t want to

  stay here,” Joanna cried.

  “Hush, child,” Elizabeth said quickly. “You have been chosen above all others to complete the God-Head of our faith. You must not think of your own desires, but strive to serve the

  prince.”

  “The other girls are waiting to welcome you,” Prince Michael told Joanna.

  “No. I don"t want to stay here. I want to go with my parents.”

  Joanna"s father spoke sternly. “You will obey the prince

  just as you have always obeyed me. Is that understood?” Mary hurried to the back of the meeting room and slipped

  out the door with Hettie before the Brown"s and Prince Michael

  exited the office and found her eavesdropping on them. As Mary was going towards the stairway in the hallway,

  Prince Michael called after her. “Sister Mary, please escort this

  girl upstairs to Marian"s room. She is waiting to greet her.” Mary nodded and motioned for Joanna to follow her. The

  girl"s face was streaked with tears, but she didn"t say another

  word as Mary led her upstairs and showed her to Marian"s

  room.

  That evening there was a special service to introduce Joanna to the colonists. Mary was seated in the back of the room in

  case Hettie started fussing and she had to carry her out. Prince Michael always had Benjamin and Jacob on the altar

  with him. Often Benjamin preached instead of Prince Michael

  and was to do so tonight.

  The girls dressed in the flowing white robes entered the service room and walked slowly down the aisle to the stage. Joanna"s parents were seated near the front, beaming with

  pride as Benjamin came forward and offered his hand to Joanna

  to help her onto the platform.

  “Today we welcome the final piece in your Prince"s GodHead, Miss Joanna Brown,” the prince said loudly.

  Benjamin led Joanna to the Prince who stood in front of the

  altar waiting to greet her. Joanna looked terrified, but Michael

  didn"t seem to notice as he placed his hands on the girl"s shoulders.

  Benjamin stepped forward and addressed the gathering.

  “And the Lord declared that His Prince should be surrounded

  by a sacred God-Head chosen from his own people. There shall

  be seven shining stars to surround the Prince. And the wise

  shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament. And those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars

  forever.”

  Prince Michael kissed Joanna first on one cheek and then

  on the other. Then, he turned her around to face the congregation, who cheered her.

  Hettie started whimpering before the service ended, so

  Mary hurried back to their room to nurse the baby. Benjamin

  came into the room as Mary was placing their daughter into her

  make-shift bed. He came over and kissed Hettie gently on the

  forehead.

  “Is the service over?” Mary asked quietly.

  “Oh yes,” Ben replied with a sneer. “Our prince is a wise

  man, a wise man indeed. Nothing but the best for our prince.” “Ben, whatever are you talking about?”

  “I"m talking about the Prince"s God-Head, those seven luscious young cherubs. They will be his downfall.”

  “Benjamin, you must not speak ill of the prince. He has

  been very kind to us.”

  “He is not kind. He simply knows that my silver tongue can

  bring in more converts than the theatrics he stages.”

  “I think we should be grateful for all that we have here,”

  Mary said stubbornly.

  “We have only the rags and crumbs our prince sees fit to

  give us, while he lives in luxury. We must walk the streets seeking converts to bring more money into the prince"s treasury. But

  that is all right for now. For he who exalts himself, shall be

  humbled, and he who is humble shall be exalted.”

  Ben laughed softly. Mary didn"t really understand what

  Benjamin was talking about, but she knew that her husband was

  secretly plotting against their leader and that frightened her. A few nights later, Mary was awakened by what sounded

  like screams coming from one of the rooms down the hallway.

  She crept to the door and opened it enough to peer into the hallway.

  She saw Stella enter the room where Joanna was supposed

  to be sleeping and then a few seconds later, Prince Michael

  came out of the room. He was barefooted and dressed in a

  nightshirt.

  The prince didn"t look in Mary"s direction, but rushed to

  the staircase and disappeared into the darkness.

  The next morning, Benjamin and Mary were passing out

  pamphlets and talking to passersby on the street corner. It was a

  chilly fall morning and Hettie was back at the house being tended by one of the other women. Mary was anxious to get back as

  it was time for the baby to nurse.

  “Ben, I have to go back to the house and nurse Hettie,” she

  told her husband.

  “Fine. Give me your pamphlets. Come back when you"re

  done.”

  Mary turned and almost collided with Joanna. The girl"s

  eyes were wild, her hair was uncombed and flying around her

  face that was drained of all color.

  “Joanna,” Mary cried, disturbed by her appearance.

  “What"s wrong?”

  Joanna pushed on past her and began running. Mary stared

  after her. “Ben, that"s Joanna Brown. What is she doing out in

  the streets alone?” The girls in the God-Head were not allowed

  to venture outside without a chaperone.

  Ben was looking after the girl with a smile on his lips. “I don"t know,” he said softly.

  Mary grabbed his arm. “You should go after her.” “Go back to the house and tend to Hettie,” Ben told her.

  “Don"t tell anyone that you saw Joanna.”

  “Why? I think she"s in trouble.”

  “The harm has already been done. Tend to Hettie and don"t

  say a word to anyone. Give me your promise.” Ben"s tone was

  threate
ning and Mary knew better than to argue or go against

  his wishes.

  “I promise,” she said solemnly.

  “Good. I"ll be along shortly.”

  Mary rushed back to the house to find Hettie crying from

  hunger. She took the baby upstairs and nursed her. When she

  had finished and the baby was sleeping, Mary walked out into

  the hallway to look out the window.

  Prince Michael"s meditation garden was visible from the

  window. Mary often stood at the glass and gazed down at the

  garden. The sharp fall wind was pulling the turning leaves from

  the tree today. Other than a few hardy mums, most of the flowers had lost their blossoms and their stems looked forlorn and

  bare.

  Noises from downstairs drifted up to Mary, but she

  stayed at the window. She feared that the commotion downstairs had something to do with Joanna and Benjamin had

  warned her not to say anything about seeing the girl on the

  street. Mary continued to stare out the window at the garden. Prince Michael suddenly appeared and ran across the small

  yard to the stone wall. To her amazement the prince jumped on

  the wall and began to climb it. The uneven stones provided

  footholds and handholds for the Prince, but his cumbersome

  overweight body was a hindrance and he fell back onto the

  grass.

  The prince struggled to his feet and began to climb the wall

  again. Loud voices echoed through the house and as Mary stood

  at the window watching, two uniformed policemen ran into the

  yard towards Prince Michael.

  One of the officers grabbed the prince"s feet and pulled him

  down from the wall. He fell back onto the grass again. The fall

  seemed to knock the breath from Michael. Mary"s hand sprang

  to her mouth to stifle her cry as she looked down at the prince

  sprawled on the ground. He looked hurt, but the policemen didn"t seem concerned that the prince might be injured. They

  roughly yanked him to his feet and holding onto to his arms

  began dragging him away.

  Mary stood frozen at the window for a few seconds. Then

  she heard the front door slam and she ran to the head of the

  stairs and peered over the landing into the foyer.

  Stella and was standing at the door trying to quiet Wilma

  and Sylvia, two of the younger women in the colony. Both of

  them were sobbing. Mary ran down the stairs to join them. “What"s happened?” Mary asked Stella who looked as wild

  and pale as Joanna Brown had out on the street.

  “God help us,” Stella said sadly. “Our prince has been arrested.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  W

  ithin an hour, the colony was in chaos. Two of the other girls in the God-Head had been taken away with Mi

  chael. The other four girls were out doing missionary work with their parents. Stella had sent people to find them and warn them not to return to the house.

  Joanna"s parents had also been out doing their missionary work, but the police had immediately tracked them down and they were at the police station with their daughter.

  Mary now understood the cries she had heard the night before and the scene that had taken place in the hallway.

  Michael had forced himself upon Joanna and she had reported the attack to the police.

  News of Prince Michael"s arrest had spread quickly and many of the colonists had hurriedly packed their meager belongs and fled the city.

  “We should leave this place too,” Mary told Benjamin as soon as he returned to the house. “The scandal will destroy us all.”

  “We"re staying,” Benjamin replied.

  Mary looked at her husband and read the amusement in his face. “With Michael in jail, you think you will be able to take over the colony,” she said softly.

  Benjamin grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her close to him. Anger had stripped the amusement from his face. “Be quiet, woman,” he whispered. “My place is here now and I won"t be forced to give it up because Michael was weak and stupid.”

  “All right, Ben.” Mary whispered back. “I understand.”

  The sound of people yelling and the crash of glass brought an abrupt end to Mary and Ben"s conversation.

  “Stay up here with Hettie,” Ben ordered.

  Mary ran into their room and closed the door. Hettie was sleeping so Mary made her way to the small window that faced the street in front of the house. She lifted the corner of the heavy curtain and looked outside. A group of men were standing in the street shouting and throwing rocks at the house. The door to their room opened and Wilma and Sylvia and an assortment of children crowded into the room.

  “Benjamin said to stay with you until danger has passed,” Sylvia told Mary.

  “We"ll be killed,” Wilma screamed. “They have set one of the buildings on fire.”

  Her cries woke Hettie who started to whimper. Mary left the window and snatched up her child. Sylvia hushed Wilma and took Mary"s place at the window. In the distance the blaring horn of the fire wagon could be heard. Wilma was crying now and clinging to her children.

  “The men are running away,” Sylvia said. “The police are coming with the fire squad.”

  “We"re leaving this place today,” Wilma vowed.

  That evening the remaining members of the Flying Rollers gathered in the meeting room. Mary stood in the back of the room with Hettie in her arms. Mary estimated that more than half of the colonists had left, leaving about thirty adults and a handful of children in the room.

  The fire had badly damaged one of the newly constructed wooden structures. Benjamin suggested that the outlying buildings be abandoned and all the colonists could stay in the big house. Since so many had left that afternoon, the house had several empty rooms to accommodate them.

  “We must band together for strength,” Jacob said. “Our Prince is an innocent man and he will return to us.”

  This reminder that Michael was in jail and the colony had been attacked that day caused ripples of fear and anger to spread through the gathering. Jacob and Stella tried to quiet them, but were shouted down. Then, Benjamin strode to the altar and his deep, vibrant voice called for quiet. Everyone fell silent and looked at him and Mary once again marveled at the power her husband had to sway people.

  “Brothers and sisters, listen to me,” Benjamin said kindly. “Our leader has been fallen upon by his enemies. We must pray for guidance.”

  Jacob fell to his knees and several others did the same while some simply bowed their heads.

  40 CAROL COSTA Ben continued. “Oh, God, you have cast us off. You have broken us down by the loss of Prince Michael. You have been displeased. You have made our earth tremble. We are your people and you have shown us hard things. You have made us drink from the wine of confusion. Oh, God, give us help from our trouble. Through you alone we will find courage. For it is You, oh God, who shall tread down our enemies.”

  Benjamin"s prayer seemed to calm the distraught followers and everyone sat down and listened to Ben"s plans for surviving the next several days.

  “Everyone will stay in this house and no one shall venture out alone. In the morning, Jacob and I will go to the shops and buy enough food and supplies to last us for several weeks. Arrangements must be made for a lawyer to work with Michael and prove his innocence.”

  “This will put a strain on our funds,” Jacob added. “So, we must all be careful and frugal.”

  “At first light, we will board up the downstairs windows on this house and on the other small buildings,” Ben said.

  Mary took a deep breath and held Hettie closer. It seemed that Benjamin expected more trouble from the townspeople.

  The meeting ended and everyone except Benjamin, Jacob, and Stella remained at the front of the meetin
g room. Mary stayed in the back waiting for Benjamin to go upstairs with her.

  “This is a dark time for our people,” Stella said.

  “Someone must assume leadership in this time of trouble,” Jacob told her. “I think Benjamin is the likely choice.”

  “I am Michael"s strongest ally,” Stella protested. “I should be the one to take his place.”

  “No, Stella. You have served Michael well, perhaps too well.” Benjamin said with contempt. “Our people have looked to me for guidance and I will give it to them.”

  Mary had not told Benjamin that she had seen Stella the night before, going into Joanna"s room as Prince Michael left it. However, he seemed to know Stella"s part in Michael"s activities.

  “You are needed to keep watch over the women and children in our house,” Jacob said quickly, trying to smooth over Benjamin"s harshness to her. “Michael depended on you to run this household and so it should be now.”

  Stella turned and left the room. Her cheeks were red with anger and she glared at Mary as she walked past her. She entered the room she occupied across the hall from the meeting room and slammed the door.

  “Benjamin,” Mary called out. “Can we go upstairs now?”

  Ben walked back to her and kissed Hettie gently. Hettie smiled at him. “I will be a while longer. Jacob and I must go into Michael"s office and call for legal advice and assistance for our prince.” He smiled with the smugness of a man who had just won an important victory.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Prince Michael"s jail cell seemed to reach out and encompass what was left of the Flying Rollers" colony. Most of the members were afraid to leave the house for fear of being attacked on the street. The street corner preaching stopped and so did most contact with the outside world, but those who resided in the house were calm and accepting. Under Benjamin"s guidance they worked and prayed together in peace and harmony.

  Each night everyone gathered in the meeting room and Ben

  led them in prayer, always including a special plea to God to return Prince Michael to their midst. Although they prayed for his return, it was obvious that the only member of the colony who really wanted the Prince back was Stella. Mary was amazed at how quickly everyone else seemed to forget Michael and pledge their allegiance to Benjamin.