Healer of Pain Chapter Two

Hi Everyone!! I know I said it would be coming out every week, but I really excited and couldn't wait!

C  H  A  P  T  E  R

I I

Child  of  God 

Caleb walked down the flooding hallways full of children. He kept his head down, praying he wouldn’t be noticed by Matthew or anyone else. Suddenly he paused. He heard distant shouting.

Oh no.

Caleb raced down the hallway, forgetting the no running rule. He dashed through a door, around the corner, and he sighed at the scene.

Andrew sat in a corner, with one black eye, a bloody nose, and bruised arms and legs. But as he struggled to his weak knees, he was just punched once more. 

Caleb grabbed Matthew’s shirt and tried to push him aside, but he was too strong.

“Aww, you’re coming to save the day? It looks here your little sidekick can’t defend himself.”

“Leave him be, Matthew.”

“Why should I?”

“Because it’s not what God wants. It says right here—” Caleb pulled out a mini Bible. “Matthew 12, verse 31, look here.” Caleb went to read but Matthew grasped the book quickly from his hand. “You read this? And you believe it? No, no, no. God doesn’t need us to love our neighbor, he simply needs us to…what was it? Oh, yes, turn the other cheek. But it never says to not know how to defend yourselves. So you telling me to live him be, is disobeying the Bible.”

“What? No, that’s not what it means.”

“Oh, really Einstein?”

Caleb sighed hopelessly. If he couldn’t get through to one person here at school—how could he get through to many people on his coming mission trip? He would fail. He knew he would.

Andrew stood up wearily and tried to take a step but everything he winced at the pain.

“Look what you’re doing. You think this is okay? This is a horrible sin.”

Matthew chuckled. “Everybody sins. It says right there in your little book. And you know what it also says? God loves the whole world, and He forgives them.”

“That’s—that’s not what it means.” Caleb just couldn’t conjure the courage he needed to explain to Matthew. He turned to Andrew and helped him up. He whispered in his ear, “Andrew Kaminski, have you lost your mind?”

Andrew didn’t bother to answer.

Marion caught up. “What happened?”

Matthew grinned as he strode past her. “I happened, that’s what.”

Marion took Andrew to the nurse’s center. He was cleaned up now and ready to go home.

Caleb went outside and was reaching for his bike, when his hand stopped in mid-air. “What?” He looked everywhere. His bike was missing. Caleb really felt like getting in a fight right about now. 

“Where’s my bike?” Andrew questioned aggressively. “That Matthew stole our bikes too?”

Marion’s was also stolen. 

“How will we get home?” Andrew complained.

“We’ll have to walk.” Caleb silently began walking down the concrete sidewalk.

As the three walked together three other boys rode alongside past them, laughing and snickering. Matthew rode Andrew’s bike, and his friends rode Caleb’s and Marion’s.  

The sun was going down when Caleb arrived home. He was so tired and worn, he didn’t even notice the extra car out front. 

“Hey Mom, I’m home!” He groggily, sleepily walked upstairs. He heard his mom say something about rooms, but he honestly didn’t care. He just wanted to sleep. He swung open his bedroom door and tossed his bag on the bed, and just as he went to plop down on the bed, he noticed a person was laying on his bed reading a book!

“Ahh!” Went Caleb.

“Ahhh!” Went the person.

Caleb fell backwards and the bookshelf nearly toppled to the ground, but he pushed it back just in time. But all his books slid out.

“Who—who are you?” Caleb then remembered. He

He’s my cousin, idiot! How could I forget? 

Caleb smiled awkwardly and then dashed out the door, down the steps, and right into his uncle.

“Whoah, there.”

His deep voice startled him.

Caleb gulped. First he threw his book bag at his cousin, then he screamed, then he almost knocked the bookshelf over, and now he just ran into his uncle? This can’t be good…he was thinking.

“Caleb?” The tall strong man looked down at skinny helpless Caleb.

“H—Hiya.” Caleb felt like smacking himself. “Hiya” was not the correct way to greet a guest.

The man laughed. “I see you haven’t changed much since the last time I saw you.”

Caleb nodded but then realized what exactly he was nodding to.

“Shall we sit together and properly introduce each other?” Asked his uncle.

“S—sure.”

The two went into the livingroom and the man cleared his throat. “My name is Edwin Lawrence Peters. But you can just call me Uncle Lawrence. When Theodore was eight, we moved from England to Florida. There I decided to start up my own company. I own a professional ranch business in Florida. I sell the most prize horses. Racing horses, too.”

Caleb looked in awe. “Racing horses?”

“Yes. I believe you haven’t met my son yet, am I correct?”

Caleb didn’t know what to say. “Well, not exactly…”

“Shall I call him down?”

“No, I really don’t think you—”

“Theodore!”

Caleb kept quiet. His bag had been full of books. What if this Theodore had bruises all over his face?

The skinny, frail little boy named Theodore quietly walked down the steps and held onto the railing. He reached where his father was at.

“I’m here Father.”

He looked in the direction of Caleb.

Caleb waved nervously. 

Theodore’s eyes didn’t move an inch.

“Theodore…this is Caleb.”

“Yes…” Theodore glared. “We’ve met.”

Uncle Lawrence left the two to get aquatinted better. 

Caleb shuffled his feet shyly. “I…I’m sorry I threw my book bag at you.”

“At my face as well.”

“Yeah…it wasn’t on purpose though.”

“It wasn’t?”

Caleb sighed. “I am sorry. Let’s start over. I’m Caleb.”

“I’m Theodore. Shall we talk?”

Caleb wondered at their perfectly proper English. But then he remembered Uncle Lawrence had said Theodore lived in England until he was eight. 

The night dragged on peacefully and enjoyably. Uncle Lawrence was a lot like Dad, only a bit more charming and fun to be around. But still something was odd about him.

Surprisingly, Caleb and Theodore talked the night away and became quite good friends all in that one night, and they completely forgot how they met.

But something was different about Theodore. And Caleb wanted to find out what. He decided that it was about time that he and his cousin take a nice stroll around the neighborhood.

“Goodbye, Father.” Theodore told Uncle Lawrence as they departed. Theodore quickly took ahold of Caleb’s arm. When Caleb slightly tried to release the grasp of his arm, Theodore held tighter. “I don’t know the neighborhood,” he said. “I’m not as fast as you are, I won’t be able to keep up.”

Caleb smiled. “Let’s go.” He knew that Theodore was very skinny and small but he definitely wasn’t what he described himself to be. Something was wrong.

They walked alongside each other in the park. They talked about their fathers and how they wondered why they didn’t know each other before. 

“It doesn’t matter, anyhow. We know each other now.” Theodore told him. Theodore sighed. “Father never really let me leave the house, much…he thinks I’m useless.”

“Useless?” Caleb stopped in his tracks. “You’re far from useless. Why would anyone think that?”

“It…it’s hard to explain.”

“Theodore…everyone has a purpose, a reason for their being on earth. You know that…”

“Who said that?”

Caleb remembered that his uncle wasn’t a christian. “The Bible says that.”

Theodore shuddered. “No. Not that, not ever again.”

Caleb paused and looked at the distraught boy’s face. “Why? Have you…have you ever read it?”

“Well, I mean, I’ve tried…”

Caleb put his hands on Theodore’s small shoulders. “Theodore, this is good. What happened when you read it?”

Theodore hesitated. “My father beat me.”

“What?”

“Look. I just want to please him. Make him proud of me. Just once.”

Caleb looked away and caught a glimpse of a mother deer and her fawn. They were grazing, only ten feet away. 

Caleb whispered to Theodore, “Look. You see that? Look at it, it’s beautiful.”

“What?”

“Look, over there.”

“Where is it?”

Caleb pointed.

Theodore hesitated, and then said, “Aha, there it is.”

“Look at the fawn. So small, it can hardly stand on those wobbly skinny legs. It must have just been born.”

Caleb heard a faint rustling. He heard voices and a siren. He suddenly felt alone and scared. “We best be heading back.”

“Already?”

“Shh. Do you hear that?” Caleb crouched down behind a bush. He gasped. “Escaped convicts.”

“You sure?”

“It’s clear as day.” Caleb leaned forward to get a better glance when he leaned too far forward and made a loud noise on the bushes.

“You hear that?” One of the men in the distance said. They eyed the two boys watching them. They held up a gun.

“Okay, we have to go.” Caleb crawled on hands and knees. “Theo, come on!”

Boom!

“Theodore, that almost hit your head!!” Caleb crawled farther and Theodore went to follow but stopped. He began to panic. More bullets shot through the air. One was nearly away from his head, when Caleb pushed him out of the way. He took his arm and ran as fast as he could, out of the forest and park. He pushed Theodore to a wall and put his hands on his shoulders and shook them aggressively. “You almost got shot! Why didn’t you move?”

“I—I don’t know!” Theodore was crying. He was really crying.

Caleb let go. “Theodore, what is it? What’s going on?”

Theodore couldn’t stop bawling and sobbing. “I—I just couldn’t go without you.”

“I was right there!”

“I know, but I was scared. I…”

“Theo.” Caleb looked into the poor boy’s frightened eyes. “Are you…are you blind?”

Theodore turned his back on Caleb. “Why do you think that?”

“You wouldn’t go when the bullets were shooting. And you couldn’t see the fawn at first and it was very close. But anyway, that was just a silly question.” Caleb suddenly remembered when they were leaving the house and Theodore kept making excuses for reasons to ahold onto Caleb’s arm. He always seemed scared. Insecure. Unsure of himself.

“You’re a child of God, you know that?” Caleb blurted out. He didn’t mean to but he did.

“Me? Oh, no, not me. I’m just…I’m not like you. God’s probably angry at me.”

“God’s angry at all of us. It says so in the Bible. If you’ll repent and accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior, He’ll forgive you.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Just ask Him.”

Theodore hugged himself, trying to keep out the cold. “Not now. Father would hate that.”

Caleb took Theodore’s hand and said nothing. It seemed that Theodore’s father was major problem. He needed to turn him. Help him change his heart. Maybe this was the reason they were visiting in the first place. God had sent him to Caleb. Maybe this was a test.

If it is, I’m failing. 

Caleb smiled at Theodore and in his mind, wondered what the next steps should be in trying to help Theodore. 

What will I do about his father?

Healer of Pain Chapter One

Hello everyone! I think I am going to stop doing Across the Sea, since it had many errors and in my opinion it wasn't very interesting anyway. I have recently started a novel called Healer of Pain. I am very far into it and I thought since this is a very long story, it would be good to post a chapter every week.

That's all! Enjoy your day! Without farther ado, I present...

Healer of Pain—

   B I R D   O F   H O P E

T h e   S t o r y   o f   Ca l e b   P e t e r s

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I 

am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

—The Bible

C  H  A  P  T  E  R

I

Recruited 

 Caleb stood up and made his way out of the rows of benches. He went down the hall to the bathroom when he stopped and heard a familiar voice.

“It sounds amazing. When is it? That soon…I wonder what it will be like…” The voice trailed off and Caleb recognized who it was instantly. It was his friend Marion. They had known each other practically all their life, since they went to the same church.

The other man in the room, suddenly noticed Caleb through the crack of the door.

Caleb went to leave, but the man inside waved his arms and motioned for him to come in and sit down.

“Is there something wrong?” Caleb asked nervously. He was very shy and quiet and wondered why someone would call him in.

“No, not at all.” The man was the Pastor of the Church of Truth. Mr. Riley Davis. Mr. Riley cleared his throat and began: “I’ve been thinking about Marion’s brother, Arther. He left those long ten years ago, when he went to Peru to teach, and I was so unbearably upset when I heard of his death. But nevertheless, I think his going was very special and important.”

Caleb nodded, “Of course.”

The middle-aged man emerged from his chair and stretched. “I was wondering…how would you like to go on a mission?”

The words stunned Caleb.

Marion giggled. “I think it will be good for you.”

Caleb stammered, “I—I don’t think I could…go all the way across the world?”

Mr. Riley laughed. “Oh no, Caleb. Not that far, not yet. We were thinking somewhere between North Carolina and South Carolina. I’ve asked many people but most have declined. What say you, Caleb?”

Caleb was still very surprised. This is what he’d always wanted to do. Ever since Arther stood up on stage that morning and told the church he was going to the South Coast, and Caleb just watched with admiring eyes. Caleb was only ten years at that time. And he had never been sadder than when they heard of Arther’s death. 

Caleb was lost in thought and Marion elbowed him. “Oh, sorry.” Caleb adjusted his sleeve buttons and asked, “Does my mom know?”

Mr. Riley nodded his head. “I had a talk with her yesterday evening. She was very fine of your going. But you are not forced.”

“Do it, Caleb. Me and Andrew are going.”

Caleb turned to Marion who spoke. “What if I decline…” His voice trailed off and he glanced out the window.

“I’ll persuade you.” Marion smiled.

Caleb looked at Marion and then at Mr. Riley. “I’ll go.” He decided.

Mr. Riley shook his hands and smiled happily. “I am glad you chose this, Caleb. It will do you some good.” 

That day, Caleb walked home from church alone. He thought about his decision. Was it right to do this? Caleb was scared of his own shadow up until he was six. And he never went to big social things. He liked quiet and peace. That was how it always was.

Someone ran up to him. They patted him on the back and laughed. “Hey, just who I wanted to see! This is going to be great!” The friendly, childish voice was Andrew, Caleb’s lifelong friend.

“You think so?” Caleb asked honestly.

“I know so. Me, you, Marion—It’ll be a blast. And maybe one day we’ll actually get to go to a foreign country like real missionaries.”

Caleb sighed. “But what if I don’t know what to say? Or how to say it?”

Andrew rested his arm on Caleb’s shoulders. “Relax. I’m sure the words will just come to you.” 

The weeks slipped by slowly. Caleb sorted his disordered thoughts. Going to a different state to bring revival sounded terrifying. At least he had his friends to keep his sanity. Marion had a good way with words and she was rather poetic, and Andrew seemed to never have a fear or care in the world. He just took life as it is and did everything laid back and easy-going.

Caleb arrived at his home and fell asleep on his bed, journal in hand. When he was in his bed, eyes closed, everything seemed to be just right. But just as he shut his eyes, it felt like only a second before they shot back open, hours later. He heard his mother’s voice. She was on the phone. But with who? 

Caleb groggily slumped out of bed and into the livingroom. 

His mother noticed him and put a finger to her lips. Finally she was finished.

“Who was that?” Caleb waited patiently for an answer. Though he had many faults, something he did not lack was patience. That was something he grew to achieve by his quiet nature.

“That was…that was your uncle.” Mother looked surprised.

“Dad’s brother?” Caleb came closer.

“Y—yes. After all these years, he’s really visiting. And he’s bringing his son.”

“His what?” Caleb blurted out. “When?”

“Tomorrow evening. He would to stay a few days if it is okay. Of course you’ll have to give up your bed and such, but…” Mother put down the phone that was attached to the black wire hanging down the side of the coffee table.

“Mom…I’m leaving in a week.”

“I know that, but he hasn’t seen us in years. And you’ve never even met your cousin. And I’m sure they’ll be gone before the end of the week.”

Caleb nodded and inhaled a deep breath. 

The house was quiet.

Caleb decided to go back to his room.

He plopped on his bed. “Why me? Why now?” He wondered and then wrote his thoughts in his journal and laid in bed once more. But he couldn’t get the butterflies out of his stomach. Uncle Lawrence  had never been there for his family. He never called or visited or sent money when his family needed it most. As years went on, they soon just forgot about him altogether. And another thing: Uncle Lawrence was a cold, stubborn, atheist. He shunned Dad for two whole years when Dad first got baptized. And Caleb was next to be as well. And his son? Caleb didn’t even know he had a son. Who was this mysterious cousin?

Caleb reached for his pillow. He buried his face and tried to forget all of his troubles. 

Beep, beep, beep, beep…

Caleb felt like smashing the alarm clock with a hammer. He forgot today was Monday. He was completely unprepared. Today was the last Monday of Collage before graduation.

Caleb dressed and brushed his teeth, and went to dash out the door when Mom stopped him and gave him some lunch. “Make sure you are all the ready when school’s finished. I don’t know how early your uncle could arrive.”

Caleb nodded and hopping on his bicycle, peddled fast as a jet through the quiet streets. His two friends caught up with him on their rides. 

“What’s new?” Andrew called from behind him.

“Come up here and I’ll tell you.” Caleb slowed down while Andrew peddled faster to ride along side him. 

“You look different. What’s upsetting you?” Marion asked.

“My uncle’s visiting. He, uh…” Caleb hesitated.

“He’s what?” Andrew moved closer. “C’mon, you can tell us.”

“Well, you see…he’s not exactly a Christian or anything…”

“I thought none of your relatives were Christians,” Marion said. 

“Yeah, none of ours are either. You know what my dad’s like.” Andrew glanced away.

Caleb continued, “Well, I know that. But Uncle Lawrence, he’s—he’s different. I mean, he’s been in and out of jail, and he…there’s constantly rumors about him. He’s an atheist. And he never cared a bit for our family. I thought the few remaining days would be easy for me. But it looks like going to Carolina will be easier.” Caleb looked at his watch. “We’d better hurry. School’s hard as it is.”

“Yeah,” Marion agreed. “I wonder what it would be like to attend one of those private Christian Collages.”

“It seems nice,” Caleb thought about how enjoyable it would be there, at Ivy Springs, instead of what poor school they attended now: Jabeth Collage. One of the worst places on earth. Caleb had no choice, if he wanted an education. He lived in a poor neighborhood with not a lot of money. They all did, except for Marion. She was fairly rich, but chose to stay with her friends rather than attend the private school by herself. They needed one another. The three friends formed a chain that couldn’t be broken. Each link grabbed ahold of the other. It had always been that way. And they were sure that is how it would stay. 

The chattering stopped when they reached their dreaded destination. They parked their bikes and shivered in the fall wind. They looked at the clock. Exactly ten minutes before class began. 

“We’re early!” Andrew sighed a dramatic sigh of relief. “Let us treasure these few precious moments before the winds of agony carry us into the classroom.” His dramatic talk made Marion giggle.

They sat in the hallway on fold up chairs and watched as the students entered and ran to meet their friend and started up a conversation. They seemed like bees buzzing around so noisily. 

Just then a hand fell on Caleb’s shoulder.

“Caleb! Long time no see.” 

Caleb groaned. “Not really, Matthew.” He gently shoved the hand off his shoulder.

“We would’ve seen you earlier if you hadn’t been sent home so early on Friday. Or if you would come to church, once in awhile.” Andrew commented.

Matthew sighed and sat next to him. “I like spending my weekends wisely, not sitting in a stuffy building singing and listening to long, long, yacking.”

“Preaching.” Andrew corrected.

Matthew grinned and chuckled. “You are so funny. You and Marion both. Always defending Caleb as his little sidekick. You know he can’t process most things in his itsy bitsy brain.”

Andrew stood up, angry now. “Leave.”

Caleb gave him a warning glance. He hated being the cause of arguments. “Andrew, sit down.” He mumbled, trying not to let Matthew hear. But he did.

“See, even your master tells you to be quiet, and you always want to obey your master, don’t you? Isn’t that what the Bible says?” He said in a mocking tone.

“What on earth are you talking about? Master? Really? Just leave.” The red was growing in Andrew’s steaming face. Everyone knew Andrew had an anger problem. And you didn’t want to be in the way when he lost his temper.

Finally, afraid it would get worse, Caleb stepped in. As he went to talk, the school bell rung. It was time for class. The long tortuous day had begun.

“Looks like you’re too late, friend.” Matthew spoke quietly as he shoved past them.

Andrew glared at Matthew’s despised back until he went through the door and disappeared into the classroom.

“We got to go. You shouldn’t have said anything.” Caleb objected.

“I resent that.”

“Andrew!” Marion scolded. “You know what it says in the Bible. Now let’s go.” 

The three walked into class and kept their thoughts to themselves...

Across the Sea Chapters 3-4

3

C A P T I V E S

Colin awoke. It was night. The sound of frightened voices filled the air. 

Colin turned to Fiona, chained up next to him. Her eye was purple and bleeding.

Colin felt her hand but couldn’t see her. “Fiona, what’s wrong?”

“Quiet.” She whispered. She kept wincing when she closed her eyes.

Colin felt her face and blood stained his hand. “What happened?” 

Fiona pushed him away. “Colin, pretend you’re asleep.”

“Asleep? Why?”

“Just do it!”

“What are you two talking about?” Came a scraggly old voice. An ill smelling old man tipped Fiona’s chin up with his boney fingers.

Colin saw Fiona hold back tears when the old man scratched her with his long fingernails. It wasn’t by accident.

“Don’t you touch her!” He went to strike him and in an instant, a pointy sword was at his neck.

“Maybe where you come from it’s different, but around here, the slaves aren’t the ones giving orders.” His breath smelled like dead fish.

Colin was still until he moved his sword. “Where are we?”

“You don’t know?”

“Where did you take us?!”

“On a ship. The Captain’s ship. The finest ship in the world.”

It was strange for Colin to yell, so he must have really meant it.

Colin hurt all over. “What did you do?”

“You must have broken your leg.”

Colin tried to free himself from the chains. He wanted to cry.

“Your sister here has felt pain, it’s time you feel your share.”

A younger man walked up. “When I went to grab her, she punched me in the eye.” He chuckled.

Colin didn’t understand. “What did you do?” He asked.

“Well, I had my men punch her right back.” He laughed as if he enjoyed tormenting him. But he did enjoy it.

Colin tried not to cry.

Fiona laid her hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be alright, Colin. These heathens are just full of blarney and haven’t got an ounce of sense.”

The older man walked away, and the younger one came closer.

“My name is Ronan Blackwell and I am the leader of this ship.” He smiled proudly. He went to shake Colin’s hand teasingly and Colin spit on it.

Ronan laughed. “I try to be fairly decent with you slave, but you push me away?”

Colin glared into the man’s despised eyes. “Why would I want to do anything more but push you away? You—you heathen! You menace!” 

Ronan kicked him.

Colin groaned with pain.

Fiona stayed silent.

Ronan left and whispered to one of his men, “Keep an eye on those two, will ya?”

As the sun began to rise, Fiona noticed something. Ronan was tan but I looked different than the others. He also had dusty brown hair to his shoulders. All his crewmen were brown and dark tan with black hair, nearly passing their ears. Most of the men wore hats to cover their head. But not Ronan. His voice was different also. Similar to both Irish and a bit of Muslim. He looked very skinny. Skinnier than Colin.

Fiona whispered to Colin, “Don’t worry. We’ll escape. And I’ll get ya seein’ in no time.”

Colin hoped she was true. How could they escape? Colin could hardly walk, and the ship was heavily guarded.  This all seemed like one big nightmare. And Colin wished desperately to awaken from it. 

4

A C R O S S   T H E   S E A 

Colin woke up to the old man grabbing his shirt. “Get up, you filth! Swab the deck and make yourself useful.” 

Colin ignored him.

“I said, get up!” He dragged Colin by his shirt collar and tossed him onto the dirty floor.

“When Bartley tells you to do a job…you obey it.” Came Ronan’s annoyingly prideful voice. “He is one of my best crewmen.”

Bartley’s dirty face turned red and he smiled, showing his four, yellow, crooked teeth. “Ya don’t mean that, do ya?”

Ronan patted him on the back. “Well of course, I do. Now get back to work. Set the course for south. Arabia, home sweet home awaits us, friends.” He shouted to his crewmen. Not the slaves.

“What did you say?” Came Fiona’s quick voice. 

Ronan turned to her. “You heard me.”

“I heard you?”

Ronan rolled his eyes. “There’s nothing more annoying than an Irish lass. We’re going to Arabia.” 

Fiona’s eyes filled with fear. “We’re going to Arabia?”

Ronan looked at her teasingly. “Why do you keep repeating everything I say?”

Fiona became quiet. She wanted to kick that stupid lad.

She suddenly remembered when Mama used to read them The Sacred Book. The Holy Bible. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Fiona could almost hear Mama’s voice and feel her warm touch. Fiona missed Mama more than anything.

Colin swabbed the deck and scrubbed the floors. He was treated far worse than any of the other slaves. And when Bartley would notice Colin’s heavy breathing and exhausted, shaking legs, he would even sometimes relieve the other captives of their work. But of course, they were never actually relieved. The Irish stood together. If one felt the pain, they all did. Without thinking, one Irish lad stood up, grabbed a mop and actually began cleaning the deck with Colin. His brave act inspired others to help. Fiona went to stand up, but Ronan pushed her down with his hand. “You, my darling, can stay here.” His long fingernails rested on her shoulder. 

Fiona tried not to be too angry at him, for she knew God had forgiven her, so she must forgive him. But sadly, Colin’s heart was so full of fury and rage, that he hated Ronan with every ounce of strength and hatred he had. 

It had been two days since the raid on Ireland. 

Ronan often talked to Fiona and offered her water and food when he thought she might be hungry. 

Colin despised him for it.

One night, Ronan helped Fiona with her eye. He wiped the hardened blood off with a rag. Then he bandaged it up. “There. That man shouldn’t have hurt you so.”

Fiona furied inside. “You told them to.” Though Fiona didn’t particularly like Ronan and wanted nothing to do with him, she still felt curious why he was kinder to her than the rest. “Where did you learn to heal black eyes?” She asked him. 

The eighteen year old boy, who tried to pretend to be much older, answered, “My mother taught me. She died…not that long after we left for sea. We went back and…” He sighed.

Fiona smiled gently. “My mama’s died too. My papa also.” The thought brung tears to her eyes.

Ronan wiped them away with his handkerchief. “Don’t cry. Slaves are supposed to be tough for the work, aren’t they?”

Fiona went to slap him but he caught her hand in the air.

“I thought you were being kind!” She yelled. 

“I was. But in the end, the master has to remind the slave of her place.”

Fiona almost cried. She pushed his hand away and went to leave from the little ship’s cabin.

Ronan spoke as she was leaving. “I have medicine to heal your brother’s legs.”

Fiona turned around. “Are you for real…or is it just more blarney?”

Ronan grinned. “It’s real. And it’s hidden. But if you promise not to jump overboard or try anything to escape…I’ll heal your brother. I might even grant him freedom.”

Fiona didn’t want to believe him. She didn’t want to be disappointed and find out that he had been lying. Only a moment ago, she had actually felt kindness toward him. But that was very brief.

“If you promise to me, that you’ll keep your word…then…” She glanced out the small window. “I’ll be yours for as long as you wish.” 

Ronan grinned. “I accept.”

“You have to promise.”

“Alright.” Ronan’s so-calm-at-all-times voice disturbed her. There was something about this Ronan Blackwell. Something mysterious. She felt as if he were trying to keep something hidden. And just in case he was hiding something, she tried to act as if she had no suspicion, whatsoever.

Across the Sea Chp. 2

2

O C E A N  W A V E S

&   P I R A T E   S H I P S

Colin threw a rock a the ocean. He threw another and another. Finally, he tried to lift a bigger rock sitting nearby. But he couldn’t lift it. He yelled in frustration and anger, not even saying real words. When he was tired out he sat on the sand watching the waves roll and bounce.

The Celtic Sea. Colin’s favorite place in the world was always there. But now, he seemed angry at even the ocean. He wanted to scream at anyone who touched him. He suddenly stood up and threw another stone as far as he could. But it floated back and he realized it was only a shell and not a stone. Colin felt furious. “It isn’t fair.” He told himself. “Nothing’s fair. Nothing ever is fair.” He tried to see past the line where the ocean and sky meet, but there was no use. It probably went on forever.

“You took Papa. You took Mama! You took everything!” He looked up at the sky, that was now greying more and more. Dark clouds hid the sun and little raindrops began falling.

Colin was now soaked to the skin, but he really didn’t care one bit. Out here was where he could be alone. Where he felt just a glimpse of what freedom feels like.

“Colin.” Fiona laid her hand on his shoulder.

Colin turned away. “Leave me alone.”

“Colin. We only have each other.”

Colin looked back to the sea. “I miss Mama and Papa. Without them…” He looked at Fiona. “We’re orphans.”

“We’ll soon run out of money to survive. They won’t let me get a job and you—well you’re as skinny as a pitchfork.”

Colin sighed. “I missed my father’s funeral. I won’t miss Mama’s.”

People from the village gathered around a certain spot in the forest. A man carried Mama’s wrapped up lifeless body and placed her into a wooden pine box. She was laid into the ground, never to be seen again, along next to Papa. 

When everyone left, Colin and Fiona stayed. Fiona put a handful of wildflowers on Mama’s grave. She only had a small rock that marked the place where she was buried. And on that rock was engraved, 

HERE LIES MAGGY O’BRIEN BRAYGAN. A WIFE. A SISTER. AND THE KINDEST MAMA GOD COULD GIVE.

Colin cried. It was the first time since her death. Earlier that day, it had just been screams of anger, but now—it was just a long, hard sob. 

Fiona wrapped her hands around his shoulder in a motherly way. She cried also, but of the two, she was a bit more mature, despite her being a bit too blunt.

Time passed. Two weeks had gone by and those two weeks were not particularly pleasant. The money was running out and Colin couldn’t find a job. Also, a rat snuck into the sheep’s pen and many other pens and poisoned the food. Animals were dying. 

Colin didn’t know what to do. Everything was going wrong.

He often saw Fiona in the small bedroom by her bed, kneeling and talking. She was praying.

Colin didn’t feel like praying. He didn’t feel like talking to the God who took not one, but both of his parents. Or the God who let all the animals die. 

Fiona noticed him sometimes watching her, but she didn’t care.

“You’ve got to have faith, sometime lad.” She said.

“Only God knows the answers and futures of us all. If you call his name…if you knock on the door…” She smiled, and a few tears swelled up in her eyes. “He’ll be sure to answer.”

That night, Colin awoke to a start. Someone was ringing the giant bell in the tower and people were blowing their horns, shouting, “Pirates! The Barbary Pirates are attacking!”

Colin jumped to his feet and awakened Fiona.

“Wake up! We’re being attacked by pirates!”

“It’s nearly dawn, yet.” Fiona mumbled in her sleep.

“Fiona, get up!”
Fiona sat up. “What?”

“Pirates!”

People scurried all around, running to the mountains and forests.

 The boats were getting closer and closer.

Colin ran through the town, holding Fiona’s hand, trying to get to their secret hidden place in the forest. There was a hole in the ground that led to a little room in the deep part of the forest. Papa had built that in case of emergency.

“Run, Fiona, run!”

The boats pulled in and hundreds of men came running from the boats with swords and cutlasses. 

Colin and Fiona ran through the woods and soon slowed down. Just then, they heard a noise. A rustling sound. They heard screaming also. Colin covered Fiona’s ears.

The moment he stopped and turned his head—whack!

Everything went black and Colin couldn’t remember anything other then the touch of Fiona’s hand being dragged away from reach.