Enemy of Gideon

by Melissa McGovern Taylor

  “I can’t,” he says. “I’ll be okay. Meet me tomorrow morning.”

  I kiss him again and hold on to him, refusing to let go. The tide of crowd pulls us apart. I hold on to his hand as long as I can, watching him disappear into the sea of faces. I can still feel the warmth of his lips on mine.

  “Proceed to your dwellings!” a CE officer yells. “Drop the enemy propaganda!”

  I float away from Arkin, stepping on flyers and bumping into strangers. A few citizens slip the flyers into their coats as more and more CE officers converge on the crowds.

  Please, Lord. They have to read it. Let them read it. Open their eyes to the truth.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Sunlight pierces my eyelids, causing me to rise from sleep as if floating to the surface of a bottomless diving pool. The sun startles me awake with light too bright to be from dawn. I jump to my feet. Red flashes across the wristband screen with white words that read: Lock-down until further notice.

  I settle back on the bed and sweep the news alert from my wristband screen. The time is ten o’clock in the morning. I was supposed to leave for Corinth at dawn. I rushed back to the apartment and crashed on my bed after the helicopter arrived, exhausted but elated by the night’s events. Arkin has feelings for me. The memory of his kiss sends me falling back down on my pillow. Was it some amazing dream? No. That was real.

  Yesterday’s conversation with Hunter was real too, though. I have a day and a half to move out of Gideon and leave my life as a citizen behind. What will I tell Mom? Can I say anything at all?

  I find the Bible under my bed where Hunter stowed it and flip through it for some verse of inspiration to give me the answers to my questions. My eyes trace the words in 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 2: “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

  The verses renew my courage but remind me of Dad. We studied this book of the Bible together. A cloak of dread drops over me at the thought of returning to Corinth to see Dad in worse condition. Despite my fears, I will have to leave when the lock-down ends.

  After throwing on my coveralls, I head into the living room, where Mom sits fully dressed to leave for work.

  “Did you see the news alert?” she asks.

  I nod and sit on the sofa. “What’s going on?”

  “Hunter and all Code Enforcement are cleaning EP off the streets. I wanted to ask you about it last night, but you were asleep when I got back. Did you see the flying machine?”

  I nod, glancing away.

  “I can’t believe the enemies did that,” she says. “Where did they get such a contraption?”

  “In the outskirts. Where else?” I say, trying to maintain an even tone.

  “Who knows what they’re up to out there? It scares me half to death.”

  A fire flares up inside of me. “Why would you be scared of them?”

  “Because they’re dangerous,” she says.

  I get up and walk to the living room window. Then I shut the curtains and turn to her.

  “I know the truth,” I whisper. “I remember what really happened.”

  Her mouth drops open. “How?”

  “God gave me my memory back.”

  She shakes her head. “You’ve been with the enemies again. Dr. Harget promised me you wouldn’t remember anything.”

  “What else did she promise you?” I ask, the bitterness saturating my words. “That I was going to be a loyal, ignorant citizen for the rest of my life?”

  “Don’t do this,” she whispers. “Things were good. We were starting over.”

  “I am starting over, Mom. I’m leaving Gideon.”

  “No!” She springs from her seat. “You are not allowed to leave me!”

  “I have no choice. Hunter knows. He’s reporting me in less than forty-eight hours.”

  She freezes and covers her open mouth. My heart sinks lower and lower from the pain on her face.

  “Why are you doing this?” she asks, her voice cracking.

  Tears burn my eyes. “Why am I doing this? Why did you lie to me about Dad when he was in the outskirts the whole time?”

  Her face grows pale. “You’ve seen him?”

  “For months now,” I say, “but I lost years with him because of you!”

  “Because of me? He’s the one who left us for that ridiculous enemy garbage! He’s the one who gave up everything, even his own family, for a bunch of nonsense!”

  “It’s not nonsense! It’s the truth!” I yell, my fists shaking.

  Mom drops down on the sofa, releases a heavy groan, and weeps into her hands. I wipe my eyes and take a breath.

  “Why didn’t you go to him?” I ask. “Why didn’t you take me and Petra to him?”

  She dries her eyes on her sleeves. “Because I was angry. I worked my whole life as a loyal citizen. I slaved away providing for my family, and your father threw it all out the window.”

  “He had a good reason. Did you read the flyer they dropped last night?”

  “I know all about what they believe in. Your father tried to convince me,” she says. “I begged him to stay away from that book Grandma Dina gave him, but they arrested him. Back then, there was no rehab. If you were accused, you were executed. I thought he was dead.

  “Then I found out he had escaped. When I thought about all of the anguish and pain he had put me through, I never wanted any part of it anymore. That’s why I never took you to the outskirts.”

  I squeeze my eyes shut. “I’m sorry, Mom, but I’m a believer. I’m an enemy of Gideon, and nothing’s going to change that.”

  Two simultaneous beeps ring out, one from each of our wristbands. My band reads: All clear. Lock-down lifted.

  Mom stands and heads for the door. “I need to get to work.”

  “Dad is really sick. He may be dead right now,” I say.

  She stops and turns. “What?”

  “I’m going to the outskirts to see him, and I want you to come with me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he wants to see you,” I say. “He’s been waiting for you and praying for you all this time.”

  She looks away. “I can’t go to the outskirts. I would be arrested.”

  “I’ve been going there for months, and you had no idea. I think you could make one little trip.”

  She stares at me with eyes like those of a frightened child. “Fine. Take me to him.”

  ►▼◄

  Mom slides down from Fire’s back and then I follow. I can’t believe I brought her to Corinth. Is this a mistake? I never expected her to agree to the trip, but God has His reasons for everything. I pray Dad is still alive.

  “This is Corinth,” I say, leading her through the village.

  A few believers, bundled in multi-colored coats and scarves, wave to us. Arkin doesn’t appear in view, and I have to resist the urge to knock on his door. I don’t want anyone to think he has anything to do with an unapproved Gideonite entering the village.

  At Dad’s cabin, I knock once and then force the creaky door ajar. Sarai leans over Dad who still lay in the bed. We enter, and she turns to us.

  “Praise God,” Sarai says. “You made—”

  “This is my mom, Sarai,” I say, gesturing to my mother. “I wanted her to see him before …”

  “You are Audrey?” Sarai asks, approaching her.

  Mom gives her a hesitant nod.

  “It is an honor to meet the wife of such a godly man,” Sarai says, opening her arms and wrapping them around Mom.

  Mom gives me a shocked look, so I give her a reassuring smile. She pats Sarai on the back.

  “Forgive me,” Sarai says, pulling away. “I’m Sarai. I’ve been your husband’s caretaker. He’s been sick for a long time now, but his suffering will end soon.”

  Mom steps past Sarai and walks to Dad’s bed. I follow.

  He still breathes thro
ugh a mask on his face. He is paler than I remember, but his eyes are open. He lifts his hand toward Mom, but she recoils. He must look so different to her now. Mom covers her mouth and a burst of emotion erupts from her.

  “Corbin,” she murmurs.

  I put my arm around her and guide her into the chair beside the bed. Then I kneel down next to the chair and keep my arm around her while she cries.

  Dad places his hand on her arm. She lifts her head to look at him and then takes his hand.

  “You still wear it,” she says, touching the loose silver wedding band. “After all this time?”

  With his free hand, he removes the oxygen mask from his mouth and nose.

  “I knew the Lord would bring you back to me,” he whispers through gasps.

  “I’m sorry,” Mom says. “I’m sorry for being so angry at you all these years.”

  “I’m sorry I left you behind,” he whispers. “I never meant to hurt you.”

  He coughs, his body struggling for breath. I grab the mask and place it back on his face. My parents say nothing more to each other. No one in the cabin speaks. Mom and Dad stare at each other for a long time. The silence doesn’t end until Dad takes his last breath.

  ►▼◄

  The next day, Arkin, Josiah, and two other men place Dad’s body, wrapped in cloth, along two benches at the front of the sanctuary for a memorial service. Believers decorate the sanctuary with holly branches and poinsettias. The whole village has been in mourning, not only for Elder Timothy, but for Norris and the two helicopter passengers who’d dropped the flyers on Gideon. The helicopter never returned to Corinth, and word came from Galatia of an explosion and charred wreckage was found.

  I sit on the first bench in the sanctuary. How will I press on without Dad’s wisdom and guidance? I stroke the Santos Family Bible on my lap.

  “This is where you go when you don’t have anywhere to turn,” Dad said during one of our mentor sessions. He placed a firm hand on my Bible. “Memorize God’s Word, meditate on it, and pray with it. Allow it to guard your heart.”

  I sigh, unable to shake the aching emotions and weariness from my bones. My eyes ache and my head pounds from the weeping I did all night.

  I returned Mom to Gideon and said good-bye to her, mystified at how she could return. How can you not be changed by a visit to this place? But I know the answer. The change comes from inside, not outside.

  “It has to be a choice.” Dad’s words still echo in my mind.

  Footsteps approach behind me, but I don’t turn around.

  “Hey,” Arkin says, sitting down and putting his arm around me.

  “So now what?” I ask, taking his gloved hand into my own.

  “I don’t know, but it wasn’t all in vain,” he says. “Messages are coming in from all over. Citizens are rallying in secret. Some have held protests against the wall in the market square.”

  My heart lightens. “Really?”

  “Someone even took a bulldozer to the wall,” he says, “and it’s all because of the flyer drop.”

  “It’s all because of God,” I say.

  Behind us, more believers enter the sanctuary for the memorial service. Members of the council enter together and approach the body, speaking in whispers to one another.

  Hoof beats pound in the distance, overwhelming the low voices in the sanctuary. I stand and turn. A white horse stops at the sanctuary’s entrance.

  “They’re coming!” the rider shouts. “Code Enforcement is coming!”

  It’s Ogden. He jumps down from the horse and repeats his warning. The believers scatter, grabbing their children and running back to their cabins for their belongings. I stare at him, bewildered and amazed all at once.

  “Og!” I yell.

  I wave my arms at him, and he rushes to us.

  “Your mom,” he says. “She came to my apartment. I heard her making a deal with my dad.”

  His words stung like a slap. “What?”

  “They’re coming. They might be twenty minutes behind me, maybe less,” he says, gripping me by the shoulders. “She wants you out of Corinth. She told my dad she’d lead him here if he’d let you live.”

  “No!” I yell, my head throbbing.

  “We’ve got to get our stuff,” Arkin says, the panic unraveling in his voice. “I have to find Saphie.”

  “Raissa, I know my dad,” Og says. “He’s not going to keep his end of the bargain, not after that helicopter stunt. He’s out for blood.”

  The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Fear not, for I am with you, a gentle voice says in my mind.

  “Stay calm,” I say. “We made it out of Philippi. We can do it again.”

  I grab my Bible from the bench and start out of the sanctuary with Og and Arkin following behind. I want to be mad at Mom, but how can I? She wanted me back in Gideon. But I don’t care about being an enemy. I only care about following Jesus. This must’ve been what Dad went through, giving up everything.

  As the crowd moves forward into the woods, a strange noise like a horn blares. Arkin and I stop walking and so does most of the crowd in front of us.

  “Did you hear that?” Arkin asks, looking up at the sky.

  Og shrugs, pressing forward. “What?”

  “It sounded like a trumpet,” I say.

  The noise fades, but then a flicker of light enters my view as if a tiny flashlight is being shined in my eye. Without warning, the light becomes brighter. Everything—the cold air, the body heat of the crowd, my hand holding Arkin’s—disappears. I float like a feather, weightless. The white, the brightest white I have ever seen, floods my vision.

  Warmth consumes me, not a stuffy heat but a gentle, comforting warmth like what a newborn must feel in its mother’s arms. The loud trumpet-like sound blasts again, and its vibrations dance through me. A figure appears before me, unfolding from the white light, brighter and brighter. It draws closer, filling my soul with all the good things I ever knew and more. I know without a doubt who stands before me with open arms and scarred palms.

  EPILOGUE

  Audrey Santos clings to Hunter, the horse thundering beneath their legs.

  What if I made a mistake? How can I protect Raissa if Penski doesn’t?

  She closes her eyes. Her only remaining daughter might also be executed. But I have to get Raissa back. Things can be like they were before.

  When she opens her eyes, a cluster of cabins come into view, smoke streaming from their chimneys. A dozen CE officers ride horses behind them into the village. The horses trot down the hill and slow to a stop. She searches for the people in strange clothing but instead finds their clothes scattered on the ground in random piles as if each person stripped off all garments and walked away. A few cabin doors stand open.

  “Dismount and tear the cabins apart!” Penski yells from his horse. “Where are they, Audrey?”

  “I don’t know,” she says, her eyes searching every direction.

  “We’ll search back there,” Hunter says, leading his horse deeper into the village.

  They pass windows, and she glances inside, but the cabins stand empty.

  “Someone warned them,” Hunter says.

  “I don’t see how. Raissa!” she calls.

  “Raissa! Come out!” Hunter shouts.

  A flash of bright red through the woods catches her eye.

  “Go that way,” she says, pointing.

  Hunter guides the horse into the woods which soon open up into a clearing decorated with red poinsettias in wooden pots. The horse steps on shirts, pants, and dresses. Crude benches fill the clearing, reminding her of a citizenship center meeting hall. To her amazement, one person in citizen coveralls sits on a bench with his back to them. She thinks she recognizes the figure, but she shakes her head, doubting the match.

  “Hey!” Hunter yells. “Stand to your feet!”

  The person stands, holding a piece of paper. When he turns around, she gasps.

  “Ogden.” She dismounts the horse and appro
aches him. “What are you doing here?”

  “Protecting them from you,” he says, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “They’re gone.”

  “Where did they go?” Hunter asks, hopping down from the horse.

  Ogden hands her a wrinkled paper in his hand. “They said they heard a trumpet. Then I blinked, and they were gone, nothing but their clothes and shoes left.”

  “Raissa?” she asks, recognizing the flyer from New Year’s Eve.

  “She disappeared with everybody else, except for me and few others,” he says. “They took off into the woods.”

  She blinks. It has to be some kind of trick. All of it has to be a ridiculous hoax to throw Code Enforcement off the enemy’s trail.

  Hunter gets in Ogden’s face. “Tell me where they went!”

  Ogden stares at him. “Read the flyer.”

  Hunter grunts and walks back to the horse. “I’m going to get Penski.”

  Audrey searches the clearing, unable to grasp their disappearance. Then her eyes land on an odd sight. On two wooden benches pushed side-by-side, strips of cloth lay out in the shape of a person.

  “What is that?” she asks.

  He shrugs. “I think they were having a funeral.”

  Her neck muscles tighten. She walks toward the strips of cloth, remembering the moment her husband slipped away. He was so young. How could he be dead? She stands before the cloth with tears stringing her eyes. Where the left hand should’ve been, she moves aside the cloth and finds what she knew she would find: Corbin’s silver wedding band.

  She takes the ring into her hand and releases a sorrowful moan. Bringing the wrinkled paper to her face, she scans the words all the way down the page. The last sentence makes her legs lose all strength beneath her.

  “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).