Marked Souls

by Adrienna Turner

“Okay.”

  “Isaiah, he keeps us on alert about the men he works with under this mission, but doesn’t let his own men know about outside contacts. NTK, you know,” Joshua said as they shook hands.

  “What does that mean?” Derrick questioned.

  “He keeps us out of the loop.” He reaches over Roya to shake Derrick’s hand. “Nice to meet you too. We can talk about it later after this preaching tournament,” Joshua shook his hand again.

  Once the twins were introduced, Roya couldn’t take her eyes off her sons. She was so busy looking at their faces, she didn’t notice that they wore bulletproof vests. She wiggled nervously. Oh, Lord! I can hardly wait! I just want to run on the stage to kiss and hug them, in spite of the crowd. My future prophets! Now the world will hear them live on all media platforms, and I’m so blessed to live to see their God-given gifts come alive at sixteen years of age—so much You’ve done in four years! Thank you, God!

  Joshua stared at Roya as she gazed at her boys. Her face was aglow. He smiled. Mothers are beautiful.

  Javon & Tavon Whitmore

  The opening act was Jaizon. He sang his heart out. The younger crowd stood and rocked to the music.

  Tavon and Javon watched him from backstage.

  “Hey, that’s Jaizon.”

  “I know Jay.”

  “Didn’t he used to work with dad?”

  “Yep.” Tavon answered. He snapped his finger to the beat.

  “You like that song, don’t you?”

  “That song is hot, Jay.” He nodded his head, and swayed to the music.

  “Did Dad produce that one?”

  “I’m not sure,” Tavon shrugged and tapped his foot.

  “If mom came, she’d be surprised to see him. It’s been quite some time, since, you know.”

  “Yep. I know, Bro. Let’s listen to it.”

  Tavon felt the Holy Spirit. He had a spiritual glow enveloping him. Javon looked at him, amazed, but Tavon only thought it was because he was older. He nodded to his brother as he stepped up to the podium. God is doing a great thing for us.

  The producer cued them it was their turn to hit the stage. Jaizon passed them as they headed toward the podium.

  “Wait. Don’t I know you two?” Jaizon said, staring at them.

  They nodded. Javon said quickly, “Nice music, Jaizon! Later…”

  “You’re on in five.” The producer put his hands up, counting down.

  The boys heard their names on the loud speaker and marched to the podium.

  Tavon welcomed their listeners, and looked into the camera as he read from Jude 1:12. He started their segment, saying, “These men are “twice as dead” which means they are useless, not producing fruit. They aren’t believers. But come as ministers of God, but instead are ministers of Satan.”[7]

  Javon jumped in, “You’re right Bro. This is a strong warning to be on guard against deceivers.”

  Tavon said, “True. These godless people have, and will, put on a great show, but they lack any godly substance. They boast of liberty but place the people of God in bondage in sin.[8] After they do their evil deeds and make their profits, they are like wandering stars, moving on to other places to exploit God’s people again.”

  “Good you said that, Tav,” Javon raised his arms. “These deceivers will perform their evil deeds, and their true character and deeds might fail to be discovered by Christians, but their punishment is certain.”

  Tavon interjected, “They’re ungodly, yet they’re with God’s people, claiming to represent God. Just as Judas Iscariot appeared to be a follower of Christ right up to the end. [9] [10]

  Javon’s voice deepened authoritatively, “In Jude 1:16, these evil people misuse their tongues with an intent to meet their personal desire. Boasts substitute for praise. Whining and complaining substitute for encouragement. Selfishness and fame blind them to mercy. The fortunes that await them blind them to the suffering of their neighbor. Only for them. Not for the will of God.”

  Tavon stated with boldness, “These false teachers will take believers by surprise. Evil deceivers are among us now. Mockers. Worldly persons—exposed on reality TV. Now is the time where you’ll see the children of the King Jesus and know who the children of Satan are, not only by their traits and deeds, but to where men will be worse than those who resided in Sodom and Gomorrah. Because, as Jesus said, had the message He brought been heard in Sodom and Gomorrah, that town would still exist today. He also said that in the days of his return, things would be as bad as the days of Noah. ”

  Javon stood, stunned. None of this was rehearsed. Not even suggested by their coaches or debate team on campus. Lord, tune me in! Then Javon responded, “However, Jesus’ return is explained in the Gospels.[11] During the last days, after the tribulation, even Christians will fall for the deceit.”[12]

  “Javon, we should warn them to turn away and not to follow the beast. Jesus tells us to remain faithful. Watch and Pray.” He placed his hands together. “To penetrate the disguises of false teachers we can ask: One, Do their predictions or promises come true? Did they revise them to fit what has already happened? Second, did they use any of the Bible in their teachings? Third, does the teaching contradict what the Bible says? Fourth, do their practices glorify the person teaching, or Christ? Fifth, do the teachings promote hostility toward other Christians?[13]”

  Javon felt a gush of wind. The Holy Spirit rose within his spirit and he screamed thru the microphone, “Just as my father sought after the truth of the Holy Word, preached and taught others, and later became a spectacle for the entire world to see as a game show, he would have said to all, ‘This is not a game!’ God is real, and He’s on fire, for you!”

  Tavon stepped around the podium, saying, “Jesus is waiting for you. We’re in a battle against principalities—demonic forces, remember that Jesus already won the war!”

  Javon’s eyes glistened with the joy of the Lord. “Stand up for what we believe in, like Stephen, who later was stoned to death. Stephen’s words were, ‘I have a glimpse of heaven with my Father.’ He gulped. “We’re fighting a spiritual battle, yet the Lion of Judah will roar for his people to unite and fight for a glorious cause…” Javon paused. His eyes shot at Yosef and Agent Snoop. They both were frantically cuing the twins to cut their sermon and get off the stage. He tapped his brother, “Thanks. This concludes our sermon for tonight.”

  They walked closer to the right side of the stage, and their eyes caught the eyes of other agents to their left. Yosef and Agent Snoop quickly exited their seats, and raced through the aisle to the stage. Roya stood up, Joshua tugged on her shirt to follow, and Joy hopped up.

  “What’s going on?” Joy asked.

  “We need to go! Now!” Joshua demanded.

  Roya and Joy followed behind Joshua. They circled around the right of the platform as agents rushed past them. The speaker spoke to calm the crowd. The judges faces showed a mixture of shock, anger and fear. One agent raced through the open aisle, pressing a security button on his hip. Deacons dressed in tuxes raced to protect the front row, where several dignitaries were seated along with the judging table.

  Fans stood up for the cause, and began yelling, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!”

  The keynote speaker picked up the microphone off the stage floor, and repeated, “Jesus is the reason.”

  The boys raced down the backstage stairs, out to the audience, and ran into Yosef and Agent Snoop.

  “Glad you guys saw our cues,” Yosef said.

  “We got it from here.” Agent Snoop said.

  “Did mom and sis make it here?” Tavon asked.

  “Yes.” Yosef looked over his shoulder and pointed to their seating. “Wait. I don’t see them.”

  “No. Where are they?” Javon cried. He shook his hands frantically.

  “They’ll be okay, Bro. We’re covered by the blood.” Tavon held Javon’s hands still.

  Roya, Joy, and Joshua stood by the stage stairs, cheering and clapping for the boys, and cam
eras found them, showing their position to the audience. Tavon and Javon stared at the big screens, and raced to meet them. They reached for hugs with Joy and their mom, then turned to high-five Joshua. He accepted their gesture, then bear-hugged them both at the same time.

  “Missed you boys,” Roya said.

  “We did.” Joy added, nodding.

  “I got them here safely for you. I missed you guys too.” Joshua said, and let them loose.

  Agent Snoop drew close and whispered, “We have to move, quick.” He signaled them with his finger slashing across his neck.

  “Where?” Roya shot.

  “Follow me.”

  Gunshots rang through the auditorium, and the boys ducked. Bullets ricocheted. People screamed. Many raced, tumbled, and pushed through the crowd, stumbling over cans, purses, and fallen people. Agent Snoop pushed the boys back as a bullet hit his chest. As he lost his balance, he grabbed his gun and returned fire.

  Agent Snoop told the boys, “Get down. Now! Crawl to safety. Like we rehearsed.” He held his finger up. Yosef lowered to the carpet, and followed them.

  Police, security guards, and rescue teams barreled through the crowd in the auditorium to safely escort the judges and honored guests from the building first.

  Tavon continued to follow the route they’d discussed with Yosef and Agent Snoop the night before. As he stood with Yosef outside of the building, the breeze touched their faces, and sweat dripped down their foreheads. Both sighed stridently.

  “Where’s Javon?”

  “How’d we lose him?”

  “No! I pray they didn’t get him! He was right behind me!” Tavon slapped his hip.

  Yosef surveyed the area, “Oh Lord, this cannot be happening. Jesus! Please tell me it’s not so.”

  “He knows…” Tavon cried.

  Yosef yanked on his shirt. “Look, Tavon, go hide in the secret place and I’ll go back to get him. Trust me.”

  “No, what if you go back inside, and they find me out here running to the hiding place. You cannot leave me alone! I’ll go with you! Two is better than one,” Tavon pleaded, as people stormed out of the exit.

  “I have to make sure you’re safe,” Yosef begged.

  “Please. Let me go with you.”

  “But it’d be senseless for you to come back with me.”

  “That’s my brother we’re talking about.”

  “If they captured Javon, at least, I can run back to you and save one of you,” Yosef said boldly.

  “What? I’m not leaving Javon behind.” Tavon flushed with anger. “I’m coming with you, that’s final!” Tavon ran to the door, it was locked from the inside. “What now? We’re unable to get in. The door locked behind us!”

  “Let’s run to the hiding place and I’ll call Snoop to see if he can tell us where they are. He’s responsible for Javon.”

  “If they’re out here, you don’t even have a weapon,” Tavon wavered, he glided side to side, impatient and unsure if he should run or not.

  “I have a silent but deadly weapon. Your eyes cannot see it.”

  “What? What are you talking about? Silent but deadly weapon, what is it?”

  “The name of Jesus. Whoever calls on that precious name and claims the power of the blood will be saved,” Yosef waved his hands in the air, smiling gleefully.

  Tavon knew that the power of God resided in him. He only had to release the power with his tongue. The words sprung from his mouth. He then reminisced about Roya’s words spoken to his soul, ‘words birth new life, power, and sets you free from all of the evil in the world. There are two destinies waiting.’ He knew that God told her that she’d have twin sons. When she prayed over us when we were younger, she’d say, ‘To each unborn destiny to breathe the Holy Spirit into them, and will give one portion of thyself. Through my two sons, they’ll have the nature of God that breathes within them.’

  She confided in us, too. She said, “While both of you were in my womb, I was told that the water will surround the unborn children and Jesus will encircle over you. His divine breath, you’ll have the power—power to subdue armies, cast out the enemies of God, and accomplish His work on earth. The power of God comes to both of you as a gift, immersed in the Holy Spirit who dwells within you. Your true character will be known and will be revealed through God’s power. Many will want a portion of your anointed gift, touch your inner spirits, and your outer power will always unveil the Spirit to those who will see what they lack when you speak God’s Word. Second, your inheritance is from the father of nations, Abraham. Your inheritance is planted deep inside—you’re the seed of Abraham. In time, you’ll glow with the anointing; oil will pour into the souls that don’t know God, and you’ll pierce the human heart to see His truth. You’ll be brought up in the Word, and for you, it’ll be mixed with pain, sorrow, and crushing to be broken like His Son Jesus was broken to heal many. It’ll be recorded that they’ll be kings in the kingdom of heaven.’[14]

  Tavon knew she spoke life over them as young boys and quoted passages from the Bible. Here we are, not even old, and we’ve not departed from His word.

  Roya Whitmore

  Roya’s heart fluttered as her fear grew. She felt her chest tighten and a sharp pain shot through her chest. Her blood rushed to her head, and she felt lightheaded. Javon hugged his mother.

  “Mom, we got lost in the shuffle.”

  “Yes, it’s hard to get past this crowd.”

  Joshua who had moved ahead, turned and zigzagged through the terrified crowd, waving his hands in the air for them to duck down, or move out of his way, and grabbed Roya’s hand. “You guys alright?”

  Roya and Javon gave a slight nod. They both sucked in short breaths.

  “Where’s your brother and sister?” Joshua turned his head to his right and then his left.

  Joy, who had crawled under a seat when the commotion started, lifted up her head and located Roya. She crawled up the row, stood up and raced to Javon. The four leaned together against a concrete wall. Joshua, listening, moved to a corner to look around the wall. Joy, thinking the quiet meant they were safe, crawled through an aisle and hopped down the stairs. Once she reached the last stair and began to run, a male’s calloused hands grabbed her from the side. He wrapped his hand around her petite waist and lifted her up in the air under his arm.

  “Mommy! Mommy!” Joy cried loudly.

  Roya looked up, seeing Joy captured in the hands of a man dressed in a black tuxedo.

  Joy kicked her feet and balled up her hands into a fist, punching and swinging her hands up and down. She kicked at him furiously. Roya caught her composure, stood up angrily and ran around Joshua to attempt to rescue Joy.

  He raised a gun in his other hand, yelling, “Roya, come out with your sons, now! I have orders to take all of you in. Come out now!”

  “Mom!” Joy roared.

  “Now Roya, or else, she gets it in the head.”

  “No! You’re not going to kill me.” Joy yelled.

  “We have orders to get your twin sons! You’re a bonus since they didn’t catch you in Los Angeles!” He yelled louder.

  Roya held her hands up in the air and walked slowly towards her daughter’s captor.

  “I’m here, jerk! Let my Joy go!” Roya yelled as she drew closer. She didn’t want to see anything happen to her baby, Joy. Yet, she didn’t have a plan, not even to escape, or run.

  Javon ran after his mother, crying. Roya pushed him back. “Go back. Go to your brother, Tavon. Now!”

  “Ha. That’s one of the twins. Bring him!” The agent hollered. He held Joy in his grip, and aimed the gun in his other hand towards Roya.

  “Hide boy. Go now. I have to protect you all.” Roya told Javon. “where’s that Snoop?”

  After saying the agent’s name, she saw him nod to her from the chairs nearby. Roya saw his weapon in his hand, about ten feet away. Javon obeyed his mother and turned and ran to Joshua.

  “What can we do? I cannot watch them kill my mom,” Javon blu
rted.

  “I agree. Pray,” Joshua said. He touched his throat.

  Javon felt his heart racing. He gulped, and winced as his parched throat emitted a sharp pain. Joshua’s eyes connected with Javon’s. Javon’s body swayed. Joshua dug in his back pocket and pulled out the paper bag he’d kept after Joy finished the candy that he’d bought her earlier. Joshua placed the bag over Javon’s nose, whispering, “Take deep breaths. Breathe in and breathe out.”

  After a few breaths, Javon pushed the bag away, and stared into Joshua’s eyes, “Please tell me that my mom will be safe. God has His mighty hand over our lives. He wouldn’t allow those creeps to get their hands on my family again.”

  Javon saw a glowing light and felt a whish of wind pass him. “Josh.” Javon said, pulling on the bottom of Joshua’s shirt, “What is that? Did you feel that? Wind?”

  “Yes. God is in this place,” he winked. “I thought that was you breathing hard after I took the bag off your face.”

  “Pshaw, Josh. No time to joke about it.”

  They both looked in front of them to see Yosef and Tavon rush past them.

  Tavon felt chills and felt goosebumps on the back of his neck. His mouth opened, and he roared Roya’s name. His words were like swords piercing the evil hearts and motives of the men holding Joy captive. Yosef and Tavon were exercising the promise of the Lord, that if two or more were gathered in His name, there He was, in the midst. Yosef touched Tavon’s hand. Tavon held his hand in the air, shouting as his voice echoed in the auditorium, “In the name of Jesus, you’ll remove your hands from my sister, Joy. Jesus will place a shield around Joy, my mother, Roya, my brother, Javon, and his other followers in this room. Lord, send your angels to our rescue to protect and shield us from our enemies. You’re our Rock. Shield us from the weapons of the enemy!”

  Yosef yelled, “The blood of Jesus. Blood of Jesus, send your army of angels to fight our battle. We both agree that you will give us the power to fight our enemies!”

  The man in the black tuxedo holding whimpered. His hands began to shake, and his gun dropped to the ground. Joy ducked away. The gun went off, and the bullet sped toward Roya. Without any of them seeing the invisible realm, an angel appeared in front of her and the bullet bounced away, speeding in the direction from which it came, piercing the man’s forehead. Roya, eyes wide, quickly checked her body, feeling her stomach, legs, and chest. There was no blood, no bullet wound, and no scratch. She praised God, “The blood of Jesus. I learned to depend upon God’s Word, thank you Jesus! Oh, how I love the name of Jesus! God is good! Hallelujah.” Tears streamed down her cheeks in relief.