Former Rain-Forsaken Box Set

by Vanessa Miller

  As she put the cordless back in the cradle, she thought about this bizarre conversation with Isaac. She went to her room and fell on her knees. She needed to pray for T-bone – Isaac was in need of some prayer also. And she most certainly couldn’t forget Donavan. Her prayer for her son would be that he would be able to break the generational curse passed on from his father.

  38

  Isaac couldn’t sleep.

  Or, it was probably more correct to say, Isaac wouldn’t sleep. His eyes were blood shot red. He drooped in and out of consciousness, but he was determined not to take another trip to hell. Sleep deprivation was the only way to guarantee he did not experience a repeat of the other night.

  Okay, he was a believer. Hell is not a fictional place – it is as real as earth. Isaac rubbed his chin. If hell is real, wouldn’t the opposite also be true? Heaven would have to exist also, wouldn’t it? Maybe that was the place Truth was talking about when he told him that his mother lived in peace.

  Isaac’s thoughts turned to T-bone. He still couldn’t believe what had happened. Or was it just that he didn’t want to believe it? Isaac kept picturing that scene with T-bone.

  “Hey, T-bone, let me holler at you.”

  T-bone strutted over to Isaac like he owned half the world and had the other half on layaway. “What’s up?”

  “You want to go round with me, right?”

  T-bone nodded.

  “The only way I’m granting you a fight is if I can be sure you won’t end up in hell when I kill you.”

  T-bone glared at Isaac. “What? Boy, you ain’t ‘bout to kill me, and you don’t dictate fights around here. I could slit your throat right now.”

  Isaac smirked. “But you won’t. I know you, T-bone. You don’t want to simply slit my throat. You want to show everybody that you beat me down and then slit my throat.”

  T-bone hunched his shoulders.

  “Well, I’m willing to give you the opportunity, but on my terms.”

  “What terms?”

  “Sit down.” Isaac pulled out a chair for T-bone. “I need to go over a few scriptures with you.”

  “Scriptures?” T-bone asked as he sat down.

  “Yeah. This is information you need to know, so you can think about accepting Jesus into your heart so you don’t go to hell.”

  “Why are you so concerned about me going to hell?”

  Isaac’s eyes glazed over; his shoulders dropped. “Man, I’ve been there. Trust me, you don’t want to go.” He turned the Bible to the third chapter of Romans and searched for verse twenty-three. “Here,” Isaac handed T-bone the Bible. “Read this.”

  For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

  T-bone looked up. “And?”

  “Okay, well read this one.” Isaac pointed to verse number ten in the same chapter.

  As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one.

  “Don’t you get it?” Isaac asked as he grabbed the Bible and flipped a few pages. “The Bible is trying to tell you that just because the sin you did has landed you in jail, that don’t make it no worse than the sins them fat cats in corporate America commit everyday.”

  “Yeah, they just don’t have prisons for the mess them cats do,” T-bone added.

  Isaac shook his head. “Something has been created for all kinds of sins. And if they go, they will wish for the prison we know rather than the torment they will receive.”

  “What kind of torment? What are you talking about?”

  Isaac’s eyes misted, as he once again pictured Valerie in that pit. “Those demons, man, they pick at your body – and there is a consuming fire that jumps out of pits. It burns off your flesh.” Isaac’s head rolled back and he shut his eyes. “Ah, man, that place is indescribable. It’s your worse nightmare, magnified – it’s constant and unending. Trust me, you don’t want to go.”

  “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Dead serious.”

  T-bone turned his attention to the Bible. “Okay, what else you got?”

  Isaac pointed at the twenty-third verse of the sixth chapter of Romans.

  T-bone read, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  Isaac then turned to the fifth chapter of Romans and pointed at the eighth verse.

  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

  T-bone raised his head. “What you think that means?”

  Isaac rubbed his chin. “Well I – well I actually think this scripture means that even if you were the only person on earth – even if you had done all the stuff you’ve done, Jesus would have still come to earth and died for you.”

  T-bone’s eyes widened. “You really think so?”

  Naw, Jesus wouldn’t waste His time on slime like T-bone. “Yeah, I really think so.”

  “Okay, so what’s next?”

  “Well,” Isaac stalled as he turned the Bible to the tenth chapter of Romans. “Now you need to accept Jesus into your heart. The ninth through the eleventh verse of this chapter will explain that to you.”

  “Are you ready to accept Jesus?” What was he saying? Good God, was he, a sinner, actually getting ready to lead someone in the sinner’s prayer?

  T-bone gave Isaac a thoughtful look. “I’m not sure,” he said. “Do you mind if I borrow your Bible for a little while?”

  Isaac moved his Bible out of T-bone’s reach. “How long?”

  “Not long, man, an hour or two.”

  Isaac handed the Bible over to T-bone.

  A couple hours later, during the dinner rush, T-bone came into the mess hall and gave Isaac back his Bible. “Thanks, man. If I can ever do anything for you, let me know.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Means I’m in debt to you. Jesus saved my life.” He clasped Isaac on the shoulder. “I won’t forget what you did for me.”

  Isaac’s mouth hung open as he witnessed a tear forming in T-bone’s eyes before he hurriedly turned and left the mess hall.

  ***

  Isaac was now back in his cell, still trying to figure out what happened to T-bone. Not only was he saved from hell, he didn’t want to fight anymore – even apologized. What was that all about? Someone laughed. Pete was in the hole, so Isaac knew it wasn’t him. He looked up, and one of the big grizzly demons he saw in hell sat across from him. Isaac scooted as far back on his bunk as he could, and literally started clawing the walls trying to get further away. “No, no,” he screamed. “I can’t be in hell again.”

  Two security guards walked by Isaac’s cell and looked in. “Somebody done gave that boy some bad drugs,” one said while the other shook his head. They kept walking down the block.

  “Hush up, fool. You ain’t in hell,” the demon told him.

  “Wh – who are you?” Isaac asked, trying to calm himself down.

  The demon shrugged his shoulders. “I’m you.”

  Isaac got off the wall and sat down on his bunk. “How can you be me? I’m me.”

  “I’m the one that makes you do the things you do so well,” he laughed. “Who do you think instructed you to kill your good friend, Leonard? When you beat on poor Nina, I was there – matter-of-fact, I was helping you kick her. We almost got rid of that baby.” He shook his head and snapped his scaly fingers. Grayish debris flaked off and drifted to the ground. “Missed that one. Hey, what about how I told you who to kill when you were claiming your territory? We made a good team, didn’t we?”

  Isaac snarled. “Nobody tells me what to do. I’m my own man.”

  “Yeah, right. You wouldn’t know how to come in from the rain unless I gave you instructions.” Isaac’s demon stood up and strutted up and down his eight-foot cell. He turned back to Isaac with a thoughtful look on his face. “Now, of course, I didn’t have anything to do with you getting T-bone saved. What was that all about?”

  Isaac yelled, “He’s free from hell!”


  The demon grabbed the iron bars and looked through the corridor. “Yeah, well, now his demon is walking up and down this place trying to find another house to reside in.” He angrily turned back to Isaac. “Do you know how hard it is to find an empty house in a prison?” Slime dripped from his mouth as his nostrils flared. “Forget it. It’s useless talking to you,” the demon told him.

  Isaac watched in horror as this monster climbed back inside him. His body jerked as he felt the evil that once again resided within him. Isaac threw up – right there in the middle of his cell.

  That did it. Isaac had reconciled himself to the fact that not only were hell and heaven real, but demons were also real. And if demons exist, then angels must also exist. And if all that is true, then there must be a God.

  Isaac closed his eyes. There couldn’t be a God – look how the world is. But then there has to be a God, how else did this other world exist? “Why don’t you ever look out for nobody?” Isaac screamed at God.

  He stood up and punched his fist in the wall. “Why didn’t you look out for me?”

  Isaac, I have loved you with an everlasting love.

  Isaac swiftly turned around to see if he had another unwelcomed guest in his cell. It was empty. He knew someone had spoken to him, and instinctively he knew it had been the voice of God. He turned his face toward heaven and asked, “Is this what You call love?” He waved his arms around the cell. “You were never there for me. I remember Mama making me recite that stupid prayer, Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy name. It’s hollow all right,” Isaac told God. “You’re worse than a dead-beat dad. The courts ought to lock You up for failing to support Your children.”

  No answer.

  He stalked around his small cell trying to come to grips with his newfound knowledge. He thought about the pastor at his Mama’s church, and how nice he had been. He even visited him a few times in Juvee. Every time Pastor Young came to visit, he would tell Isaac that God had not forgotten him, and whenever he needed help, all he had to do was look up and begin to pray. Isaac used to feel sorry for that man. He wasted so much time on him. There had to be others who would have gladly received such news. Isaac found no joy in it. He had already given up on God. But, maybe that was God’s way of showing His love…

  Isaac shook his head trying to blot out all thoughts of God’s love. Then he remembered all the times he had narrowly escaped death. He thought he was one of the luckiest men on the face of the earth, but maybe that was God again. Isaac sat down on his bunk and guilt filled his soul. He had brought harm to many. He had cared less about a human life than an animal ripping its prey to shreds. He lifted his head to heaven once again. “How can You love me? Don’t You know what kind of man I am – the things I’ve done?”

  Isaac felt strong, loving arms wrap around him and rock him back and forth; Kind of like his Mama used to do when he hurt himself and came running to her for comfort. Isaac then heard a still small voice say to him, My grace is sufficient for you.

  Isaac jumped out of Love’s embrace. Grace. “No! no! no!” God was offering him forgiveness. He wanted to pour grace over all his transgressions. But how could he accept such a thing knowing that Valerie, Leonard and Donavan were in hell. He closed his eyes and put his hands over his ears. “I am the one who deserves to be in hell. Not them, ME!”

  39

  Getting their luggage and getting out of JFK Airport was a job in itself. That airport was entirely too crowded. By the time they got out of the place, Elizabeth was so tired, all she wanted to do was go to Chinatown, grab some of that scrumptious shrimp fried rice and crash in their hotel room.

  Kenneth had other plans. He hailed a cab and they drove to Chinatown and picked up the shrimp fried rice Elizabeth was craving. He then escorted her to their suite, dropped the bags and then left the room, returning with a single red rose.

  “I love you, Mrs. Underwood.” He bent down and devoured her lips.

  “Ah, baby you’re so sweet to me.”

  He looked at her greedily. “Have you had enough to eat?”

  “Yeah, why? You want the rest?” She tried to hand him the carton.

  “No.” He lifted her out of her seat. “I want my wife.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Okay, let me shower and change out of these clothes first.”

  He kissed her ear lobe. “Don’t make me wait too long.”

  Elizabeth fanned herself as she walked to the bathroom. “Whew!”

  No sooner had she opened the bathroom door and reentered the bedroom, Kenneth was on her. Kissing her, moving her closer to the bed.

  “What’s gotten into you?”

  They fell on the bed and he met her question with a hungry, sensual kiss. “You’re mine,” he told her. “Forever, and always.”

  Elizabeth’s pulse began to race. His kiss burned into her soul, and she hungered and thirsted for more of him. As their love ruptured over the horizon of the passion they possessed for one another, Elizabeth heard Kenneth say, “And I’m yours.”

  This is it, she thought. Now I have everything.

  ***

  All day long, Nina had been bothered by this nagging feeling that something was about to happen, and that her prayers were needed. Donavan was extra needy and clingy.

  She put him down to bed, went to her room and got on her knees. She didn’t know what to pray for, so she prayed in tongues. Her unknown language was known to God. Nina stayed in that position most of the night. This was no time to get weary. In her spirit, she knew that this was one of those weeping and wailing nights. So that’s what she did, long into the midnight hour.

  ***

  Kenneth yawned and then reached out for Elizabeth. He pulled her closer to him and kissed the back of her neck. “Good morning, beautiful.”

  She stretched. “Mmm, good morning yourself, handsome.” She looked at the clock on the dresser. It was 7:40 a.m. “What time do you have to be at the World Trade Center?”

  Kenneth growled, “8:30.”

  “You better get up. You’re going to be late.”

  Kenneth snuggled up a little closer to his wife. “Maybe I’ll see if I can meet with Bob a little later this afternoon.”

  Elizabeth sat up in bed and put her hands on her hips. “Kenneth Underwood, if you don’t get your lazy butt out of this bed, I’m going to hurt you. The sooner you get this accounting business taken care of – the sooner I can drag you from store to store and spend your money.”

  Kenneth laughed. “Alright, alright.” He drug himself out of the warm, cozy bed and got into the shower. By ten minutes after eight, Kenneth was dressed and on his way out the door.

  “Hey, aren’t you forgetting something?”

  He moved away from the door with an insatiable grin on his face.

  “That’s right, baby. Bring it to Mama.”

  He kissed his wife with the passion possessed by a newlywed. But hey, ten years, ten days, what’s the difference when you’re in love? “I should be done with this meeting at about 9:30.”

  “Hurry back.”

  “Baby, I’m going to run back to you.” He kissed her one last time and was out the door.

  Elizabeth lay in bed a little while longer. She turned to look at the clock. It was 8:30. She stretched and moaned one last time, then pulled the cover back and got out of bed. She put her hair in a ponytail and jumped in the shower.

  Kenneth’s fragrance was still in the bathroom. She inhaled and smiled. This was going to be a good day. Elizabeth already knew which stores she intended to drag Kenneth through. She made a reservation at Sylvia’s for dinner, and then the night belonged to him. Whatever he wanted to do, Elizabeth didn’t care, as long as she was with him. She’d even sit through a boring opera. Although she couldn’t figure out for the life of her what a black man saw in a bunch of funny singing, overacting White people. She turned off the water and got out of the shower.

  It was 8:50. She would have to get a move on if she was going to be ready when Kenneth got back.
She turned the TV to the news channel. A little drama always put some pep in her step. She grabbed her Juniper Breeze lotion from Bath & Body Works and sat down on the bed to apply it.

  She was rubbing lotion on her shoulder, when she saw a picture of the World Trade Center. An airplane was protruding from the side of it. “I thought this was the news channel.” She was not interested in seeing some science fiction movie this morning. She got up to change the channel when she heard the anchor say, “This just in. A 757 just crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.”

  She sat back down. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Her hand stretched out as if she were trying to pull something or someone back to her. She opened her mouth and a guttural, “Kenneth,” escaped her lips.

  She was still breathing irregularly as she stood up, pulled on a pair of jeans and turtleneck. She threw on a pair of tennis shoes and ran out the door. The hotel was five blocks from the World Trade Center, but Elizabeth didn’t care. She just kept running and running until someone stopped her. “You can’t go in there,” the officer said.

  She was at the corner of West Broadway and Barklay, one block north of the Trade Center. She pointed at the building. “My husband.”

  “I’m sorry, lady, but you’ll have to wait here. It’s for your own safety.”

  And then it happened again. An airplane flew into the south tower of the World Trade Center and exploded. Both buildings were burning now. People were falling out of the windows and plummeting to their death, as the sky gave way to fire and smoke.

  Elizabeth heard screams coming from every direction. “We’re under attack! We’re under attack!” they screamed. Try as she might, Elizabeth couldn’t feel what was happening to the rest of civilization. She only knew that her husband was in one of those buildings, and if he didn’t come out alive, she didn’t know how she was going to make it. Lord, please let him come out of that building safe and sound. She screamed, “Pleeeease!”

  Several minutes later, when the south tower collapsed right before her eyes, she went from horror to hell on earth. The tower fell in perfect symmetry, one floor after another, and then another. And then it went up in a cloud of smoke like a giant mushroom.