Broken is the Grave

by Candle Sutton

  She ran toward the emergency exit.

  The water made the tile treacherous and she fought to keep her feet under her and moving forward.

  Injury from falling was a far better fate than whatever that man had in mind if he caught her again.

  But if she fell, it would make her easier to catch.

  She crashed against the bar on the emergency exit and stumbled into the black night air.

  Hands closed around her biceps.

  “Get your hands off me!” Her cry bounced off the building and the blacktop beneath her feet. The alarms still rang in her head, even in the oh-so-quiet night.

  She swung the extinguisher.

  “Bethany?” The hands disappeared. “Geez, calm down, will you?”

  Adam. The security guard.

  A sob burst from her throat. The extinguisher clanked against the blacktop as she released her grip. She sank to her knees on the hard ground, her whole body shaking.

  “Hey.” Adam knelt beside her. “You all right?”

  Sirens wailed, drawing closer by the second.

  Yes. She was okay.

  For now, anyway.

  “A man… attacked…” The words came out fractured, broken by breaths she couldn’t capture.

  “Someone attacked you?” Anger tinged Adam’s question. “In there?”

  She nodded.

  “I’ll find him.”

  She grabbed Adam’s arm. “No! Stay.”

  Adam was young and built like an Ohio scarecrow, and only carried a Taser. That was better than a fire extinguisher, but still not much match for the linebacker inside.

  Besides, there was a small measure of safety in numbers.

  Although that guy had attacked her and Zeke together, so numbers obviously didn’t dissuade him.

  A breeze wrapped her in ice, the cold slicing through her drenched clothing. Her teeth chattered and her body shook violently, whether from the cold or fear, she wasn’t completely sure.

  Adam ripped off the lightweight jacket bearing the school’s emblem and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Let’s wait inside Van Gogh.”

  Good idea. As the closest building, it was both logical and safer than staying out here in the open.

  Warmer, too.

  The trembling made her legs unsteady, slowing her to a pace that would frustrate even her ninety-seven year-old grandmother.

  And she used a walker.

  They reached the security of the building and she collapsed on a bench just inside the doors.

  Pulsing lights strobed around the courtyard outside.

  Emergency personnel had finally arrived.

  Adam pushed on the door. “I’m gonna go fill ‘em in.”

  He was gone before she could even say “wait.”

  The heavy door closed with an echoing thud.

  She looked down the dimly lit hallway. No sign of movement.

  Then again, she hadn’t seen him coming before. Either time.

  No, she was safe.

  With all the people around now, he wouldn’t be sticking around to… do whatever he’d intended to do to her.

  What had he wanted anyway? He’d already gotten what little information James had left her. There was nothing else.

  Maybe he didn’t know that.

  Which meant he’d likely try again.

  He’d found her home. He’d found her work. He’d even found her when she’d been on some random street corner where she’d never been before.

  Would she be safe anywhere?

  ₪ ₪ ₪

  Water squished in his shoes with every step. His jeans felt weighted with lead.

  He cursed as he hurried toward his Jeep.

  That stupid little… the fire alarm! Why had he not seen that move coming?

  He should have. Then again, he hadn’t expected her to fight back like she had.

  Reaching his Jeep, he climbed into the driver’s seat, cursing again as he thought about what his drenched clothes might do to the leather. He’d spent too much on this vehicle to ruin it.

  And for what? Some stupid woman who wouldn’t go quietly?

  He reached his right arm across his chest to close the door. Numbness still tingled his left arm, which hurt too much to move. His chest felt tight and each breath came at a price.

  In spite of her size, she swung a mean extinguisher.

  He’d have to come up with a good story to explain his injuries. No way was he gonna admit some pathetic chick had done this to him.

  Well, she’d just sealed her own fate.

  When they met again, he’d extinguish her. With extreme prejudice.

  ₪ ₪ ₪

  “Hey, El. Got a second?” Zeke’s question sounded loud in the silent cabin.

  Bethany’s kids were asleep, Josiah was preparing for tomorrow’s Bible study at the prison, and Zander had headed home for the night. It was a good time to talk to Elly about some of the things that had been weighing on him since his fall.

  Elly looked up from her Bible. “Of course.”

  Her slate blue eyes were brighter these days, but still held a fraction of the light they had before the fall, when they’d been purple.

  Even though it was after ten, she didn’t look tired. Certainly not as tired as he felt.

  His gaze rested on the Bible in front of her. She never used to have to read it to hear from God, but that was her new normal.

  His, too.

  A single moment had changed so much for both of them.

  “How’re you doing?” Compassion laced her words, a knowing that only the two of them could fully grasp.

  He dropped into the chair across from her. “Better.”

  “It’s hard.” Emotion laced the words and moisture lurked in her eyes.

  Hard. The understatement of the millennium.

  She set her Bible aside. “You’ve come to peace with it.”

  Not a question. How she knew, just from looking at him, was a mystery, but she must see something there. He swallowed past a cottoned tongue. “As much as I can. I don’t know how to live like this.”

  Closing her Bible, Elly set it on the sofa beside her. “You remember when we left Hephzibah and entered the world? We all had to acclimate to the languages.” She shook her head slightly. “Well, Josiah and I did.”

  A small smile tickled the corners of his mouth. Yeah, having the gift of tongues had made that challenge simpler for him.

  “We all had to learn the customs and adapt to the societies in which we lived.” Elly sighed. “We’re still adapting.”

  He nodded, waiting for her to continue.

  “Falling is kind of like that. We have to learn to live all over again. Everything is different. The way we hear God, the way we act and react to the things around us, everything. It takes time.”

  “I don’t want it to take time.” The admission resonated in his soul even more deeply than it did in the space between them.

  She shrugged. “Remember how easy it used to be to wait on God’s timing? It’s a lot harder now.”

  A truth he’d already figured out for himself. “Can God still use me?”

  The question exposed the monstrous hole consuming his heart. In his head, he knew the answer. He’d known it all along. He’d seen it in Elly’s life.

  But in his heart, he felt worthless. Completely and utterly useless.

  “Oh, Zeke.” A tremor shook Elly’s words. “Of course He can. And He will. But like everything else, it’s going to look different than it used to.”

  She’d reverted to Zionite, their native tongue, a language so flowing and melodic that it was almost like singing.

  Somehow, hearing it in the language from his childhood sliced even deeper into his heart.

  “How will I know? When God wants to use me?” He hadn’t realized how much he missed his language until the words rolled from his tongue.

  “You’ll know.” Elly placed her palm over her heart. “Here. You’ve made peace with Jesus, so His Spirit lives in
you. He’ll guide you and work through you.”

  She was right. It wouldn’t be as easy to decipher as it had once been, but he’d come to know God’s voice all over again. “Thank you.”

  Movement in his peripheral drew his attention to the door.

  Bethany.

  She stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the night, lips slightly parted as she stared at him and Elly.

  “Wha–what was that?”

  A full smile broke through. Yeah, most people had that reaction when hearing Zionite for the first time. “It’s our first language.”

  Bethany stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

  She turned, the light illuminating some angry looking red marks covering her throat.

  In fact, now that he looked more closely, he could see that her curls were wilder than usual and weariness lined her features.

  Not to mention that she was home earlier than she should be.

  Something had happened. He didn’t need the voice of God to know that.

  He rose, but didn’t move closer. “Are you okay?”

  Walking to the closest chair, she sank down into it, her handbag dropping to the floor beside her feet. One of her hands went self-consciously to her neck. “There was… that man showed up at work.”

  And obviously went after her again.

  That explained the prayer burden from earlier.

  Lord, why didn’t you stop him?

  Unexpected peace surged through him. God may not have prevented the attack, but He’d obviously protected Bethany in the midst of it.

  “What happened?”

  A shaky smile settled on her pale face. “I got in a few good hits with a fire extinguisher.”

  He and Elly listened silently as she recounted the attack. “The police didn’t get him?”

  “No.” Her pinched eyes and trembling lips cut his heart. “If he can find me at work, am I safe anywhere? What if he goes after my kids?”

  He stretched across the void and squeezed her hand. “You’re safe here.”

  Not that he’d done a great job of protecting her when they’d been attacked on the street, but it wasn’t about his protection.

  “You can’t know that for sure.” Bethany’s eyes begged for something solid to hold onto.

  “God protects this boat.” Confidence gave weight to his words. “But it might be good for you to stay away from work for a while.”

  Bethany raked her fingers through her tangled curls. “I thought the same thing, but I can’t afford it. I’m barely making ends meet as it is. I need my job.”

  “Is there no one who can help you? Family?” Elly asked softly.

  “My family disowned me years ago. They were angry with me for leaving home to pursue art.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “They didn’t approve of James. When I married him, they cut off contact. They’ve never even met my kids.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  She should call them. The thought whispered through his mind in a voice that was fainter than he used to hear, but one he’d know anywhere. Time heals old wounds.

  “Have you thought about contacting them? You might be surprised.”

  Bethany’s gaze dropped to her lap. “I haven’t wanted them to know what a failure I am.”

  “You’re doing a great job raising three kids on your own. That’s hardly failure.”

  “But I was always the good girl. When my brother and sister went wild in school, I was the one who did the right thing.” She sighed, lifting her eyes to meet his. “I think that’s why they took my decision to leave so hard. They were used to me doing what they wanted me to do.”

  “Sounds to me like they love you very much. Maybe they just didn’t show it well.” He hoped. How could they not love her? “Time heals.”

  “Maybe.” She cleared her throat and pushed her curls behind her ears. “So what language was that?”

  “Zionite.”

  She leaned forward, angling her head to the left. “I’ve never heard of that.”

  “It’s not widely spoken.”

  Elly excused herself and headed for the stairs, giving him a second to think. He knew what was coming next. Questions about where he was from, which would lead to more questions about why she’d never heard of it before and what it was like.

  All of which led to a decision.

  Did he tell her about Hephzibah? Or change the subject?

  “Where are you guys from?”

  “A place called Hephzibah.” He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned in. “In Isaiah 62:4, it means ‘my delight is in her’. Appropriate, right? It’s the Lord’s land. We’re His people and He delights in us.”

  “Hephzibah.” She tried the word as if tasting it.

  It sounded good coming from her lips.

  Then again, he found that most things did.

  He hadn’t met anyone like her. Sweet and soft in appearance, yet possessing an internal strength that many lacked.

  “I’ve never heard of it. Where is it?” The expected question pulled him out of his reflections.

  “Up north.”

  “That’s vague.” A smile, the first genuine one she’d offered since walking in, graced her face. “Can you be more specific?”

  He grinned in return. “Not really.”

  “A man of mystery.” She arched her eyebrows. “Or maybe with something to hide.”

  The teasing tone told him she wasn’t worried about it, but it was truer than she knew. He studied her. Moment of truth. If he spoke now, there’d be no turning back.

  Lord?

  Tell her.

  Thank you, Lord.

  It was what he’d wanted. Why, he wasn’t sure. But there was something special about Bethany and he wanted to let her in on who he was and where he came from.

  “Both.” He shifted closer. “What I’m about to tell you can’t be repeated. Can I trust you with the truth?”

  Her smile dissolved, replaced by a wariness that reminded him of some of the people he worked with every day. “Depends on what it is. I’ve been burned by secrets before.”

  That she had. “I’d never burden you with something like that. The reason you’ve never heard of Hephzibah is because it’s not on any map and it never will be.”

  The pause held a heavier weight than the stare with which she assessed him.

  “Hephzibah is a place protected by the Lord. Only native Hephzibites can go there.”

  And even then, not all of them could return.

  A bitter lump lodged in his throat. Those who had fallen, like him and Elly, would never see the land of light and water again.

  Curiosity won over Bethany’s caution. “What stops people from going there?”

  “First of all, you have to swim through several miles of arctic water to get there. Underwater.”

  She stared.

  “Hephzibites are born with a special breathing mechanism that allows our bodies to extract oxygen from the water. We can swim underwater for hours without needing to surface.”

  Lips pulling down in a frown, she shoved up from her chair. “If you don’t want to tell me, just say so, but don’t make up ridiculous stories like I’m a child.”

  This was not going well.

  He caught her arm and gently tugged her back down. “I’m not making anything up. Please. Sit. I’ll explain it all.”

  She slowly lowered herself back into the chair, but the scowl didn’t lessen.

  “Hephzibah is set apart from this world. It’s a garden of Eden.” The deep breath he pulled in failed to fill him with enough oxygen to finish, but he pushed ahead anyway. “Literally. A second Eden.”

  Her eyebrows pulled together. “Like Genesis?”

  “Exactly. God created two gardens. Two sets of humans. You came from Adam and Eve. I came from Elam and Ashen. The difference in the stories, and the reason no one knows about Hephzibah, is because Elam and Ashen refused the serpent.”

  “Refused?” As the confusion melted away, her mouth dro
pped slack. “Y-you mean…”

  “Hephzibah is without sin. Just like God always intended His creation to be.”

  Nine

  Bethany stared at Zeke.

  He was serious. Completely, resolutely serious.

  Which meant he was crazy, right? To believe such nonsense, he must be. Worse than that, he thought she was naïve enough to go along with him on this fairy tale ride.

  An ache settled in her core.

  Why? Someone finally noticed her, cared about her struggle, treated her kids like human beings, then turned out to be a few brushstrokes short of a canvas.

  “Bethany.” His deep voice pulled her attention back to him, where his warm brown eyes slipped across her face. “I know how it sounds to you, but it’s true. Every word of it. Pray about it. Ask God if I’m as loony as I sound.”

  Pray. Yeah, she could do that.

  Although she didn’t have the straight channel to God that Zeke seemed to…

  Wait. If he came from a perfect world, that would make him perfect, too. Which would enable him to hear God more clearly than people like her, people who sinned. Wouldn’t it?

  When they’d first met, Zeke had told her that God had shown him the way to her, had spoken like someone who heard God so clearly. Didn’t that add credibility to his claim?

  The pounding in her head intensified.

  This was all too much to take in.

  “You’re tired.”

  Exhausted was more like it. She simply nodded.

  Yet would she even be able to sleep? Knowing that man was out there, that he could come for her at any time?

  God protects this boat.

  Zeke’s words from earlier rang through her mind, offering a surprising reassurance.

  Well, she wasn’t in any more danger here than she would be somewhere else. In fact, with the security gate barring unauthorized access to the slips, she should be safer here than most places.

  Besides, both Zeke and Josiah were here. Even if he turned out to be completely crazy, she suspected Zeke would defend her, and her kids, with his life.

  “It’s been a long day.” How was her voice so normal? “I think I’ll try to get some sleep.”

  “Of course.” Was that disappointment in his voice? His face showed nothing but concern, but his tone offered a different story.