Though Brent was sure that the closing of the vortex meant that the creature was now gone, he still found himself frozen in place—completely still. He took stock of himself. He was shaking. He had not been prepared for anything like this.
Joshua’s warning that he would have encounters with demons didn’t even come close to providing foresight into a being like this one. And what had he done? He had stood by silently and watched as the thing tried to attack Elizabeth, the very one he was supposed to be protecting.
He had allowed the thing to reach out at her without forming a single word in her defense.
Brent looked at Garian who was now sheathing his sword. When the angel finally met his gaze, Brent managed a feeble sentence.
“I did nothing.”
“But I did,” said the guardian. “That is why I am here.”
“But I’m supposed to be…to be like God to her.”
Garian’s eyes grew a little bit cold at the release of Brent’s words. “You are never to be like God to her. No matter how many powers are bestowed upon you, young master, you will never approach anything like being God to her.”
Brent stood, unable to speak again. He had been duly put in his place. His pride had once again gotten the better of him. His pride had also, once again, been crushed.
Thoroughly humbled, Brent’s eyes went to the floor. He couldn’t look back up at Garian. Instead, he turned away from the warrior and walked toward, then through, the wall and into the vacant hallway.
Brent moved to the opposite side of the passage and leaned back against the row of lockers, lowering his head. In the span of sixty seconds he had discovered just how small he really was. What would have happened had Kyle Russell not prayed for Elizabeth? And with that question came another. What was the demon’s purpose for Elizabeth? The thing made it sound as though it had come specifically for the child, to kill it.
“A spirit of death,” said Garian. He, too, now stood in the hall.
Brent looked up at him. “I failed her.”
“You are a mortal, with a mortal’s mind. Few are they who have ever seen a demon, and fewer still that show anything resembling bravery during a one-on-one encounter with pure evil. You, son of Adam, did no worse than could have been expected.”
Brent needed to know… “Can I do better? Am I able to do anything in a situation like that?”
“Yes, you can do better. What you will do in the midst of another encounter is completely out of my hands. Remember, you are the decision maker here. Not I…not the Master…you.”
It took a little while for Brent to regroup after his encounter with the demon and his well-deserved rebuke by Garian. He had felt so off-balance that he had even blocked the tags on those of whom he’d been keeping track.
A bad move and he knew it. His personal problems didn’t come close to the weightiness of Elizabeth’s own.
As with a power switch, he turned the tags back on. He heard the beginnings of a conversation among Elizabeth, Tina, and Colleen. They were outside in the school’s courtyard where the three had decided to enjoy their lunches.
The area was framed by connected school buildings. The short ends of the courtyard were bordered by raised hallways that bridged the distance between the North and South Buildings. The space below the walkways allowed students easy access from the courtyard to their reserved parking lots.
Brent showed up in the large grassy area in which the girls were sitting, all three of them in jeans and short-sleeved shirts. He chose to stand a good ten yards away from them so that he could listen to their conversation and also keep an eye on their environment.
Garian was nowhere to be seen. Hopefully that was a good sign.
Opening the lunches that they brought with them, the girls continued in general conversation about classes and about ‘who was seen with whom’ that day. Elizabeth appeared tense but remained as social as her pressing concerns would allow.
“So, anything new since yesterday?” Tina glanced furtively at Elizabeth who immediately broke eye contact.
Elizabeth recoiled internally. “Does she know something? She knows something! Does she?”
Colleen, missing Tina’s cue to Elizabeth, responded. “I decided that I’m done with black hair.”
“Thank you, Colleen!” thought Elizabeth right away. She decided to keep this non-dangerous conversation going. Putting on her best smile, she said, “I think another color might look great on you. What color are you thinking?”
Now Tina’s thoughts came to the fore. “Gee, thanks, Colleen. Something’s eating at Elizabeth, and you’re going to talk hair color. Nuh-uh.”
“I’m thinking a light brown. I know that I look a bit like a freak right now, but that’s exactly what I wanted a couple of years ago. I wanted the social-outcast look, ya know? Well, I guess I was a social outcast…”
“Yes!” Tina’s mind screamed. “Go where I think you’re going!”
“…until Tina finally got me to look at Jesus the right way. I mean…”
Elizabeth’s heart sank. “Why? Why, why, why did you have to go there?”
“…you didn’t know me then, Elizabeth, but I was a mess.”
Again Elizabeth tried to dodge the bullet. “Yes. You’ve said so before. I think light brown would create a lot of talk around school. I can’t wait to see what you look like and how people will react,” she said, with as bright a smile as she could muster.
“Same here! It’s about time I start turning a few heads. I wouldn’t mind a boy or two actually noticing me for once.”
Tina wasn’t going to have her opportunity to address what was going on with Elizabeth stolen from her. Especially if the opportunity could be slid into smoothly. “That’s great, Colleen! I can’t wait to see either! Hey, come to think of it, I don’t think Elizabeth knows what caused you to actually investigate who Jesus is. Want to tell her?”
With that, Tina began to silently pray that Elizabeth’s heart and mind would be open to receiving. This was exactly what she had prayed for at the start of her day. She just hadn’t expected that her opportunity to share God would be with Elizabeth again. But who better? “Father, I come to you on behalf of Elizabeth…”
Elizabeth knew, now, that she wasn’t going to be able to avoid hearing about their oh-so-joyous relationship with Jesus. So, to at least avoid eye contact, she reached down to pull a sandwich out of a ziplock bag and took a bite.
“Well, I certainly didn’t go into the day thinking that I’d want anything to do with Tina’s God,” Colleen said with a giggle. “She had been pretty persistent, and even though she denies it, I think I was her pet project for God.”
Tina, still praying, displayed a slight smile with a shake of her head.
“Anyway, one day I got caught with a pack of cigarettes in school. I wasn’t smoking anything, but still, I ended up in the school office waiting to talk with Mr. Herriman. He was our school principal last year. He retired after the school year. So, anyway, I’m sitting there, not happy that someone else found something to slam me with. I was pretty ticked off. Tina was in the office as a ‘runner,’ and I could tell that she was wanting to talk with me…again. Probably wanting to let me know how awful a ‘sinner’ I was or something.”
This caught Tina’s attention to the point that she stopped praying. “Wait. Did I really make you feel that way before that day?”
“No. Not really. I think it’s the way that I felt around you—not good enough. I didn’t want your pity. I wanted you to see me as…well, not as your equal, because I certainly didn’t feel like one, but with some sort of respect. But I had blown it again, and there you were—right there to see it happening to me. I just expected you to say something like, ‘See, if you had only accepted Jesus,’ but you didn’t.” Colleen looked at Elizabeth, who was still examining her sandwich, as if deciding where to take the next bite. “Elizabeth, do you know what she did?”
Elizabeth so wanted to release an exasperated sigh, but contained it a
nd lifted her gaze. “Tell me,” she said with little enthusiasm.
“She came over and sat in the seat next to me, grabbed my hand and held it.”
Elizabeth tilted her head, waiting to hear what Tina had said afterward. When Colleen didn’t say anything, she asked, “And…?”
“And, nothing. That was it. She just sat there with me in the office as I anxiously waited for Mr. Harriman to show up. Not a word. Just held my hand.”
For some reason, that deeply impacted Elizabeth. “That is one of the kindest things I’ve ever heard anyone do.” She was on the verge of tears but quickly blinked them away. She tried to play it off with a little bit of humor. “Aww…Tina, I knew you were nice, but a hand-holder?”
That’s when Brent heard Tina say something amazing to Elizabeth.
“I’d do it for you, too.” Tina’s eyes were so full of compassion that Elizabeth’s resolve melted. Tears rapidly surfaced and fell down both of her cheeks. She was unable to contain the single sob that broke through as her eyes trailed down to the blades of grass before her.
Tina scooted over to Elizabeth’s left side, close enough that their arms touched slightly. “What is it, Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth just shook her head, still trying to prevent actual weeping. “No, you can’t…I can’t go there. I can’t tell her…them.”
Colleen didn’t initially know how to react to what was taking place before her, but Brent moved to her side, knelt down, and softly spoke into her ear, “I should pray for Elizabeth…pray for Tina as she talks with her.”
Colleen dropped her head for a moment to begin praying. But within seconds, she lifted her eyes again to watch the interaction between Elizabeth and Tina as she continued to intercede.
“I love you, Elizabeth. I grew to like you from the first day we met last summer. Remember?”
Elizabeth silently nodded.
A shout and some laughter from a crowd of boys and girls standing near the doors of the North Building distracted Tina for a moment, but Elizabeth appeared unaffected. Tina continued. “I know that you have a tough time with some of the things that I like to talk about, but I want you to know that, regardless of what you do about Jesus, I still love you. Okay?”
Another nod.
“Something’s eating at you. Something’s scaring you. Am I right?”
Elizabeth didn’t move. Brent, though, saw her jaw clench and could sense her emotions about to cascade over a quickly erected barrier.
“Can I pray for you right now?”
An ever-so-slight shake of her head indicated that permission wasn’t granted.
“I’m just going to pretend I didn’t see that,” thought Tina. “Father, I come to you because my dear friend, Elizabeth, is hurting. She’s scared. She doesn’t know what to do or who to trust with what she’s going through. Help her to see that you love her, that there is nothing that she has done that she needs to be afraid of, because you care for her. Help her, dear Jesus, to know that Colleen and I love her and care for her and that she can trust us. In Jesus’ name I ask, amen.”
Elizabeth began to sob. Her body trembled as she shook her head, determined to deny the emotional display. It didn’t work. She lifted her hands and covered her face. Leaning forward, her hair fell to either side and further shielded her tears from view.
Tina put her arm around Elizabeth and looked up at Colleen who mouthed the words, “I’m praying.”
Tina smiled and nodded. Leaning toward Elizabeth, and tilting her head to make contact with Elizabeth’s own, she allowed her friend to just cry.
Elizabeth didn’t know how to make it through this. “She’s going to know. She’s going to find out. They both are! I can’t…I can’t…”
Colleen began to rock slowly back and forth as she prayed, eyes now closed and head bowed. “Lord, I don’t know what it is, but let her know that she can trust us. She can trust Tina like I did.” She was mentally silent for a couple of moments, then went on. “She’s not going to tell us, is she, God? Is it something we should know?”
Brent took it upon himself to manipulate the situation a little bit. These girls did need to know. He needed these girls to know. So Brent leaned in, cupped his hand around Colleen’s left ear, and spoke. “Elizabeth is pregnant.”
Colleen stopped rocking, and Brent could somehow sense that her heart began to hammer within her chest. “Did I just hear you? Did you say she’s…she’s pregnant?”
Brent hoped that he wasn’t intruding into Joshua’s territory as he said, “Yes, Colleen. Your friend, Elizabeth, is pregnant.”
Colleen’s lips parted slightly, and she just stared as Tina continued to hold Elizabeth. She didn’t know how to bring it up. Should she just blurt it out? Should she wait?
Brent decided to use his recently-discovered ability to help Colleen in her decision making. He got up and moved directly behind her. Kneeling down again, he put his hands around each side of her head and created two blinders that caused her attention to refocus on Elizabeth’s right shoulder.
Colleen knew right away what she must do. She got up and took the three steps to Elizabeth’s side and sat down. She leaned forward, mimicking her two friends, but she didn’t touch Elizabeth. She did let her know that she was close, though. “Elizabeth? I’m here for you, too.”
Brent saw Elizabeth give a slight nod that Colleen didn’t see.
“I’m pretty sure…” Colleen continued. “I think I know what’s wrong.”
This was it. Brent’s own heart was pounding now. Was this going to be the beginning of Elizabeth’s victory over the demons that wanted her baby dead? Would this be Brent’s victor—
Just as quickly as the word ‘victory’ crossed his mind, he nixed the furtherance of the thought. No, this is not my victory. This is Elizabeth’s victory. This is her story, not mine.
Elizabeth froze. Her crying came to an abrupt end as fear enveloped her. “Oh God, no. You two can’t know. I don’t want you to know!”
Tina leaned a little further forward hoping to catch Colleen’s attention, but all that she saw was the crown of her head and the sound of her voice, as she said, “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
And there it was. The potential for freedom. The ‘out’ that could save a baby’s life. Brent held his breath in anticipation of the response.
Elizabeth sat up and brushed her hair back behind both ears. She looked at Colleen with bloodshot, tear-laced eyes that penetrated deep into Colleen’s own. Left, then right, then back.
“It’s okay,” said Colleen. “It’s okay. We love you and we’re here.”
“This is not happening. No. No, these two are not going to…” Abruptly, Elizabeth stood up and began walking toward an empty area of the courtyard at the east end.
Colleen and Tina looked quickly at each other, then they both got up and followed her over to a vacant bench where she stopped, keeping her back to them.
Again, the girls stood to her left and right. Again, Tina put her arm around Elizabeth. And again, Colleen did not touch her, not yet comfortable with the idea. Instead, she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans.
“Is it true, Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth crossed her arms tightly, subconsciously wrapping herself in a protective barrier.
“Elizabeth?” Tina coaxed tenderly.
“What do I do? Deny it? They know. I don’t want them to know. I just want out! Do others know?” A new fear penetrated her heart. How many in the school suspect? Have rumors already begun to spread?
It was then that Brent sensed another presence. At first, he wondered if it was Garian or something else. But after a moment, he realized it was a human. A student. He turned around to see Kyle Russell, the young man who had prayed for Elizabeth earlier, walking through the courtyard.
Brent tagged him.
“I had a feeling she was the Elizabeth I’ve been praying for. Beautiful…and hurting. Father God, is there anything that I can do? Should I go over?”
Br
ent knew immediately that any intrusion would be a bad idea. Elizabeth was already wondering about rumors. She didn’t need to believe her fears were coming true. Quickly he went over to Kyle and spoke loud enough to make sure he was heard, “No, Kyle. Continue to pray for her, but do not approach her. Pray. Don’t stop praying!”
Kyle stood a moment longer and prayed. But not wanting to get caught staring or draw anybody else’s attention to Elizabeth, he walked across the remainder of the courtyard and into the school.
Brent returned in time to watch and hear Elizabeth say, “Yes. I…I am. I’m pregnant.” The shaky words now out of her mouth, she began to cry again.
Tina asked the question that both she and Colleen already had at the forefront of their minds. “Is it Jason’s?”
Elizabeth jerked her head up and quickly looked around to see if anyone could have been close enough to hear. She looked dead into Tina’s eyes and said, “No one can know. No one! Okay? No one!”
Tina tried to reassure her that she had nothing to worry about. “It’s okay! I promise, Colleen and I won’t say anything. Right?”
Colleen saw a pleading look reach Tina’s eyes. She responded in kind, “I promise, too, Elizabeth. I won’t say a word to anyone. No one.”
Again, Elizabeth began to cry. “I’ve got to do something,” she said softly. “I’ve got to find a way out of this.”
Brent heard the sorrow behind Elizabeth’s statement, but it was Tina’s deeply emotional thought that nearly brought him to tears.
“Dear Elizabeth… Please, don’t kill your baby.”
The school day was over. Elizabeth walked to her locker, suspicious of any and every glance that she received from her fellow students. She was glad to be getting out from among them. She needed air.
After her breakdown in the courtyard, Brent had stayed with her as she worked to keep herself composed for the remainder of the school day. What he’d seen during her remaining classes was a teenage girl who had not yet matured enough to handle the heavy emotional load she was having to shoulder.
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