Here’s part 2 of Messengers-The Beginning.

CHAPTER 2

Mommy laid on the couch, coughing and breathing hard. She was sick now. Daddy was gone. The men had come and picked up his body. Mary had cried and cried but Mommy kept reminding her that Daddy was in heaven now.

The Ugly Bugly. Mary hated it. She waited until Mommy stopped coughing then handed her a glass of water. “Here, Mommy. Drink some water.”

Mommy propped herself on her elbows and reached for the glass.  Her hand was shaking so much that Mary put her little hand over her Mommy’s and guided the glass to Mommy’s mouth. After she took a sip, Mommy said, “Thank you, sweetheart. How do you feel? Are you sick?”

“I’m not sick at all, Mommy. I feel fine.”

“That’s good.

“I’m sorry you have to take care of me.”

“I don’t care, Mommy. I just want you to get better.”

“I’m so proud of you. You’re being such a big girl and doing a wonderful job. Now, I need you to do something else for me.”

“Sure Mommy.”

“I want you to go to your room and pack your suitcase. Put some clothes and underwear and…and this is important…Put your Bible in the secret compartment I made for you.”

“Why do I need to hide it?”

“It’s hard to explain, Mary. But the government doesn’t want you to know about God. They want you to trust them, not God.”

“But God is so good. We should always trust him, right Mommy?”

“Right even when life is hard. Like now. That’s what faith is all about. Trusting God, even when we can’t see the goodness. And that’s why you’re going to hide your Bible in the suitcase. I want you to be able to read your Bible, so you never forget God or how much he loves you. Mary…go now…. pack the suitcase.”

“But why do I need the suitcase? I’m not going anywhere.”

“We’ll talk about it later.” Cough. “Go pack and don’t forget your Bible.”

Mommy kept coughing as Mary ran up the steps. She pulled the suitcase out of the closet. Then opened the secret compartment Mommy made. It was on the bottom of the suitcase. She picked up her Bible and put it in then put clothes on top of it.

Why did she need clothes? Mommy was too sick to go anywhere. And she was too little to go by herself. She didn’t understand but Mommy told her to do it, so she did.

When Mary finished packing, she lugged it downstairs. “I’m all done, Mommy.”

“Good…job…” More coughing. “Did you put the Bible in the secret place?”

“I did. What do you want me to do now?”

“I want you to call your Aunt Mary. She’s the one we named you after. Call her and tell her about Daddy and that I’m sick. She’ll come and take you to her home. She can take care of you until we’re better.”

“No. I’m not going.”

“You have to, Mary.”

“I don’t want to go with her. I want to stay with you so I can take care of you. If I go, who will take care of you?”

“We’ll be all right. Don’t worry about me. I’ll come and get you when I’m better.”

“No. I’m staying here. To take care of you.” She stomped her foot, so Mommy would know how serious she was. “I won’t go.”

Mommy smiled and motioned for her to come to her. She hugged her close. “I know you want to take care of me. And that’s because you’re such a good girl. But I need you to go stay with Aunt Mary until I’m better.”

“But who will take care of you?”

Before Mommy could answer, someone rang the doorbell. Still hugging her, Mommy whispered, “Don’t answer it, Mary. Be very quiet.”

“Why?”

***

Why indeed? Susan Frances didn’t have to see who was on the other side of the door to know it wasn’t good. Her husband had died almost a week ago. People with the virus were not treated kindly, especially Christians. And everyone who knew them knew they were Christians.

 She’d hoped they wouldn’t investigate any further when they’d picked up the body of her husband. She’d forced herself not to cough while they were in the house, assuring them again and again that she wasn’t sick.

But now someone was knocking on their door.

The government called it an automatic health check, but in reality, it was something much more sinister—even evil.

If the authorities decided you had the virus, they could force you to leave your house and go to a field hospital against your wishes. A field hospital? What a joke. It was more like a death camp. They took you to a building and waited for you to die. Some people were getting treated for the virus but there would be no treatment for her.

In order to get the treatment, she would have to sign a paper declaring there was no God. And that her only loyalty was to the government.

Sign the paper—get treatment.

Don’t sign the paper—no treatment and death.

Or worse they might decide to take them to a Proof if you refused to sign the paper for treatment. Which of course was way worse than the field hospital. You might leave a hospital if you got better, but you never got out of a Proof—alive.

She and her husband had watched in horror as more and more of their Christian rights were taken away under the name of religious tolerance for all people. First, they stopped prayer in schools in the name of separation of church and state. That was sort of understandable, but then they weren’t allowed to wear symbols of faith at work or even talk about God.

It just kept getting worse and worse.

But then the pandemic happened.

As the pandemic unfolded, it spread around the world unabated. People forced into isolation. Economies crashed. Basic freedoms curtailed. Church meetings banned. All in the name of safety.

But more and more people kept getting sick—and so many deaths. Nothing seemed to make a difference. Christians decided it was time to defy the government orders and risk their own safety so they could pray for healing for America and the world.

The media and the government were outraged at this blatant disobedience of the law. People didn’t understand that Christians wanted to help. Most didn’t believe God could heal the land. The citizens and the government decided the Christians were the problem. That Christians were the reason the virus wasn’t going away.

As a result, Christians became targets of hate. Christian meetings were raided, first by police who would break up the meeting for safety reasons. Too many people in one place together. They only issued tickets along with a warning not to meet again. But then others began to attack the meetings—shooting and attacking Christians.

The authorities stood by and watched.

They did nothing to help the Christians.

The authorities claimed that people had the right to protect themselves from crazy Christians who refused to follow the law. The authorities passed laws prohibiting all meetings of religious organizations.

But the Christians continued to meet and pray. And the hatred grew. More and more Christians were killed for no reason other than being a Christian.

And the pandemic continued.

Millions died from the virus as frantic scientists rushed to find a cure. But then a glimmer of hope—the scientists were successful. A treatment was found. People lined up to get the treatment.

And that’s when it happened.

As people went for the treatment, they were told to sign the paper renouncing God and proclaiming loyalty only to the government.

Sign the paper—get treatment.

Don’t sign the paper—no treatment.

Many of their friends had already chosen to die for their faith rather than deny God. She and her husband had remained healthy for all those months—until a few weeks ago.

 Even though he was sick and getting sicker all the time, he remained firm. He refused to sign a paper saying God wasn’t real—even if it would save his life. His bravery—and his faith inspired her to do the same.

There would be no treatment for her.

And that’s why Mary needed to go stay with her Aunt Mary.

But now someone was at their door—someone who hadn’t been invited. She hugged her sweet daughter. “Go hide, Mary. Don’t come out until they’re gone. If they take us, call Aunt Mary like I—”

Boom!

They crashed through the door. Men in uniforms rushed in and surrounded them. They all wore masks. One of them strode toward her.

Mary clung to her, sobbing.

“What about her? Is she sick?”

“She’s not sick. Please don’t hurt her.”

“We won’t—as long as she’s not sick.”

“She’s not. She’s not. You can leave her here. She’ll call her aunt to come get her.”

“Can’t do that.” He pointed at a soldier then looked back at her. “Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of her. Lots of people would love a pretty little daughter like her.”

The soldier came and pulled Mary from her grasp. “Stop it. I want my mommy.”

“Sorry, little girl. She’s sick. But I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to take good care of you.” He held up a white tongue depressor. “Open up.”

She shook her head.

“Mary, do what they ask. Be a good girl.”

Mary opened up her mouth. The soldier rubbed the tongue depressor in her little girl’s mouth. Another soldier did the same to her. Susan didn’t even bother to look at hers. She knew hers would turn red. But she stared at Mary’s. “Please God, let her be healthy.”

Susan stared at Mary’s tongue depressor.

It stayed white.

The soldier in charge pointed at Susan. “She’s sick, but the little girl’s healthy. Take them out to the bus.”

Mary started pounding on the soldier’s chest. “No. No. I want to stay with my mommy.”

“Mary… be a good girl. That’s what Jesus wants you to do. Please let her take her suitcase with her.”

Mary stopped and laid her head on the soldier’s chest and sobbed.

The head soldier looked at Susan. “So you’re one of those crazy Christians, right? Does that mean you won’t sign the paper to get treatment?”

Susan met his gaze. “That’s what it means.”

“Are you sure? Because if you get the treatment, you’ll be better in a week or so. And you can come home and live happily ever after with your daughter. All you have to do is sign the paper.”

Susan shook her head. “I would love to get the treatment, but I’m not going to renounce God in order to get it. This is America. We’re supposed to have freedom of religion. Do you remember that?”

The man sighed. “One last chance to sign the paper. And save your life.”

Susan met his gaze. “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.”

“Suit yourself. Load her up. She’ll go with the others—to the Proof.”

CHAPTER 33

Mary sat on the floor of the bus. It was a funny bus. It didn’t have seats. Sick people laid on stretchers on the floor. The people that weren’t sick sat by their family members.

She was so scared. Mary wanted to cry. Then the men carried Mommy on the bus and set her down on the floor. Mary crawled over. “Mommy.”

She opened his eyes. “Hi, sweetheart. It’s OK. Don’t be afraid. Can you pray?”

She nodded. Her voice was loud and clear. “God is good. God is great. And he loves us. Very much. Amen.”

“Amen.” Mommy smiled.

“Amen.” Someone else on the bus said.

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear your Christian rantings.” The bus driver yelled from his seat.

“God is good. Amen.” Someone else said, even louder than before. And the others chimed in.

The bus driver looked at Mary. “That’s a nice prayer, little girl, but God’s not real. And you’re going to learn that today. If God were real, he would come and save your mommy. And that’s not going to happen.”

She started to stand up, but Mommy grabbed her hand. “Don’t argue, Mary. Jesus said to turn the other cheek. That means not arguing with people. But never forget that God is real. And that Jesus…” Her mommy coughed and coughed as she squeezed her hand. When she stopped, her mommy said,  “is the way, the truth, and the life.”

The soldier boss walked on. “All of you can still be treated. Raise your hand, and I’ll bring a paper for you to sign. Then you’ll go to the field hospital for treatment. If you don’t sign, you’ll be taken to the Proof that’s happening today.”

A man in the back of the bus waved his hand. “I want treatment. I want treatment. I don’t want to die.”

The soldier walked over and handed him a pen and paper. The man scribbled something on it and gave it back. “OK. Put him in the other bus. Anybody else want to live?”

No one else raised their hand. The soldier walked off the bus.

The bus started moving.

“Mommy, what’s a proof?”

Mommy smiled at her. “It’s when they take us to a place where we get the chance to prove how much we love God. How much we trust him.”

“Oh, that’s good, right?”

Mommy was crying. “Right, sweetheart. It’s very good, but it might be scary for you. So I don’t want you to watch it. I want you to close your eyes. Promise me you won’t watch it.”

“OK, Mommy.”

“And always remember God loves you.” She squeezed Mary’s hand as tears ran down her cheeks. “And I love you very much. If I could stay with you, I would.”

“Why are you crying, Mommy?”

“Because I’m going to miss you.”

“But I want to go with you.”

“Not this time. God has other plans for you.”

“I don’t care. I want to stay with you.”

“I know you do but having faith in God means believing his promises even when life gets hard. And it’s going to be hard for you when we’re…when we’re gone. But remember, we live by faith not by sight. And that means trusting God. Always. Even when things don’t go the way we want them to. Can you sing a song for me?”

“Sure. What do you want me to sing?”

“Amazing Grace.”

Mary knew all the words so she sang. As did the others on the bus. Everyone was crying and singing.

The bus stopped moving.

And a hushed silence fell over the bus.

Mommy hugged her close. “That was beautiful, Mary. It’s almost time for us to go, but please always remember to read your Bible. It will teach you everything you need to know about God. Never forget that God is real. And whatever you do, please, don’t watch.”

“Watch what?”

“Remember we live by faith not by sight.”

A woman walked on the bus and took her hand.

“No.” Mary struggled to pull away from the woman. She wanted to stay with Mommy.

Mommy said, “Be a good girl, Mary. The woman’s only helping you. Jesus wants you to be a good girl. Don’t forget to take your suitcase.”

“OK, Mommy.” Mary stopped struggling and picked up her suitcase. The woman led her off the bus. They walked inside a big building. She put Mary in a room with other children. She leaned down and whispered, “Don’t be afraid. You’ll only be here for a little while and then you’ll get to go to a new home.”

“I don’t want to go to a new home. I want my Mommy.”

The woman shook her head. “Sorry. She don’t love you enough to sign the paper. But you’ll get a new mommy and daddy who will love you very much. They’ll take good care of you.”

Mary knew that wasn’t true. Her Mommy and Daddy loved her a whole bunch. It was hard to not be afraid. It was so scary. Everyone was crying—even the older kids. The room had big windows. All the kids moved to the windows.

One by one, they dragged the adults off the bus. Most of them were so sick they could barely walk, but the soldiers made them. They passed the windows as they took them out to a big field.

She saw her mommy. She waved at her as he passed her. “I love you, sweetheart. Don’t watch. Keep your eyes closed.” Somehow, she managed to tear away from the man holding her. She ran toward me. Mary reached out for her and their fingertips touched through the glass—just for a second before the soldier dragged her away.

An older boy pushed Mary out of the way. “Look. Over there.”

She looked where he pointed.

Soldiers were lined up in a long row.

Mary asked, “Why are there so many soldiers?”

The boy looked down at her. “What do you think they’re for? Don’t you know what happens at these proofs?”

Mary shook her head. “I don’t know. What happens?”

He looked down at Mary, his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He opened his mouth but then shut it. “Never mind. Don’t worry about it. You should go sit down on the chairs. Don’t watch.”

That’s what her Mommy told her. Not to watch but…she couldn’t help it. She wanted to know what was going to happen. She watched as the soldiers took more and more people out to the football field.

Finally, the soldiers stopped bringing people. Then a long line of soldiers marched past the windows. None of them were smiling but they all had guns in their hands—big guns.

A man started talking. Mary couldn’t see him but could hear every word through the speakers in the room. “You still have one last chance. Tell us there is no God, sign the loyalty oath and then we will take you to the hospital so you can get treated. Who wants to do that?”

Mary pressed against the window, waiting to see if anyone would.

No one came forward.

After a few minutes, the man started talking again. “These people refuse to disavow their false God. They refuse to declare loyalty to the government that wants only the best for them. They refuse to submit to the government authorities and their great knowledge that there is no God.”

Why would he say that? Of course, there was a God and he loved Mary. Her mommy and daddy told her that—all the time.

“What should their penalty be?”

The crowd yelled something over and over. It took a minute, but Mary finally figured out they were yelling ‘death.’ She grabbed the boy’s sleeve. “Are they going to kill my mommy?”

The boy nodded.

The man hushed the crowd then said, “The people have spoken. The penalty for treason is death. I don’t want that to happen to you today. I beg you to believe the authorities. There is no God.”

The crowd chanted again.

“There is no God but you say there is so I ask you, where is your proof? If your God is real, let him close the mouths of the lions the way you say he did for Daniel. If your God is real, let him protect you. If your God is real, then let him heal you from the virus. None of that is going to happen because there is no God.”

Mary watched through the window. Mommy was out on the field with the other people. They fell to their knees. She knew they were praying, even though she couldn’t hear them, because they lifted their hands to heaven.  Other people started fell to their knees and lifted their hands up to God.

The crowd chanted.

Mommy prayed.

The soldiers lifted their guns.

The soldiers aimed at all the people.

“No. No. Don’t do that.” She screamed. “

She promised Mommy she wouldn’t look so she didn’t. She closed her eyes as tightly as she could. She didn’t want to see it, but she could still hear the guns and hear the screaming. Everyone in the room was crying.

Then the ground started shaking. Hard. So hard she fell down.

She wanted her Mommy. She pulled herself up, but the shaking didn’t stop. Cracks formed in the ceilings and then the walls. Chunks of cement fell from the ceiling.

All the kids started screaming.

A chunk fell right beside Mary.

God was mad. He didn’t like what they were doing to Mommy and all those other people. That same woman who put her in the room came back. “Come on, kids. We need to leave. Right now. Hurry. Hurry.”

She grabbed Mary’s hand, but Mary tried to pull away but the woman held on. Mary told her, “I need my suitcase.”

The woman let go of her hand. Mary grabbed up her suitcase while the woman hurried the others out of the room. And then Mary was alone. She walked out of the room. People were running out of the shaking building—even the soldiers

Mary looked toward the field.  Making up her mind, she cried, “I want my Mommy.” Mary ran toward the field.

“You can’t go out there.” The woman picked her up. “I’m going to keep you safe.”

She kicked at the woman but then remembered what Mommy said about Jesus. She stopped struggling. The woman carried her out of the building to a van. She tossed Mary in the back then ran to the driver’s side along with her suitcase.

As they drove away, Mary looked back at the stadium. One minute it was there and then next it was gone. It collapsed like the sandcastle she’d built one time when they went to the beach.

She looked at where the stadium had been and knew her Mommy was in heaven now with Daddy. And because she wanted to go to heaven, she whispered, “Jesus is the way, the life, and the truth.”

I hope you’re enjoying this free novelette–MESSENGERS–THE BEGIINNING. This is the story of Mary and the origins of NewAm where life is perfect…unless you believe in God. You can learn more about the series if you click on the link below. Thanks.

AMAZON LINK TO MESSENGERS SERIES