Chapter Thirteen
Fear's Enemy
CA L E B paced around the room. “Where could they possibly be?” He asked aloud.
Erin and Marion sat quietly.
Avery joined them. “We need to pray. God will surely hear us if we pray together.”
Caleb knew he was right.
The four kneeled down on the floor and placed each arm on each shoulder.
“God Almighty, we pray that you protect our loved ones, cherished friends, and close brothers. Wherever they may be, we pray that they are in safety…” Avery continued the prayer and then ended.
He noticed the distressed expression on Caleb’s face.
“We will not fear for that is what the devil wants from us. Fear and doubt. We will have faith and we will trust Him. That is fear’s enemy. Faith and Trust.”
Caleb nodded. “I know. It’s just that I can’t help but worry. What if they got separated? What if they crashed and they’re calling out for help? What if they got lost? What if—” Caleb silenced himself.
Marion left the room in tears.
Caleb sighed.
“You shouldn’t worry her so.” Avery commented.
Caleb spoke once more before he left the room. “I know.”
Meanwhile, deep in the jungle…
“I need to leave. I have family waiting for me.” A skinny frail man pleaded.
Matthew scoffed. “Then go. And rid us of your presence.”
The man scuttled away.
Theodore reached out his hand and felt the ground. He made his way to Andrew who sat in a corner.
“Andrew, what is Matthew doing?”
Andrew turned his back toward Theodore.
Theodore sighed. “I’m sorry Andrew. I really am. I thought that maybe something really bad was happening. That’s why I called your name. I just…I just got scared.”
Andrew looked at him. “You know Theo, sometimes sorry doesn’t help. Who knows how long it will be for Caleb and the others to find us? Hm? Really long.”
“I’m sorry. And I know I shouldn’t have come. But—I don’t always want to sit on the sidelines and let you all do the work. I thought that if I helped you…”
“What? Marion will like you?”
“N—no. I just want to be a part in something. My father shielded me from the world for years, Andrew. You couldn’t possibly know how that feels. My father was so cruel…” Theodore looked down.
“You know, Theodore, you’re not the only one who lost a father. My father was always cruel and drunk, and he abused me and my mother until she ran off. I haven’t seen her for twelve years. Twelve whole years! And then one day—I found my father dead in the garage holding a gun. And I’ve been on my own ever since. How do you think that feels? And then to have my one enemy shout it out to everyone in this room, my deepest darkest secret?”
Theodore was silent. “I just want to help. That’s all.”
“Well, you can’t always help. Just face it. Until you somehow miraculously regain your sight, then just stay out of the way!”
Theodore didn’t say anything. He went to the opposite side of the cage and kept his tears to himself.
Caleb looked at his watch.
Avery gave a final sigh. “We have to start a search. They’ve been gone since last morning.”
Caleb reached for his satchel. “Who’s coming with me?”
“I will.” The two girls stood up.
Caleb looked at Avery.
Avery looked at the girls. “Marion. I think you should stay here with me. It’s for the best. You and I are both very slim. And if something dangerous happens where Caleb has to phone for help, someone must be here.”
Marion understood.
Caleb was shocked. But also content with the situation. “Come on Erin, let’s go.”
Marion giggled.
Avery shrugged.
Erin got up and prepared a bag.
Avery prayed over them. “Go in peace.” He whispered.
Caleb and Erin started the jeep and zoomed down the roads.
Caleb stopped suddenly.
“What is it?” Erin took out her flashlight.
Caleb gasped. “It’s a jeep.”
“Theirs?”
“Only one way to find out.” Caleb jumped out, Erin right behind him. It was dark and they heard noises in the jungle.
Caleb found Theodore’s satchel. “It’s definitely theirs.”
Erin sighed and leaned against his shoulder. “Oh Lord, no. No.”
Caleb straightened up. “They might be okay… somewhere.”
“Somewhere? Caleb, we’re in the Amazon! There’s giant snakes, there’s jaguars, poisonous amphibians—”
“Erin! You don’t have to tell me. I know. But we’re not giving up. Now let’s try to find their footprints. The jeep is buried in the ditch, there’s no way to see in. If they’re dead, then we’ll die trying. But we will never, ever give up. We will never stop looking, even if it means killing ourselves in the process. Ok?”
Erin looked down and nodded. “I know, I—I just got scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared.”
“I know that.” Erin walked a few steps ahead and shivered. “It was a night quite like this one, when we found my dad and sister dead in their car. Someone had smashed into them on the road. That was three years ago.”
Caleb understood how she felt. He stood by her. “I lost my dad three years ago too. And only recently I lost my uncle and my mom. Theodore’s having a hard time right now. And I’ll never forget the day I told him the news.” Caleb realized he had been in Peru for almost a year.
“Oh, Caleb I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Caleb gave her a faint smile and they moved on.
It grew quiet. They had been walking, calling their names, for hours now. Then suddenly they stopped.
“Do you hear that?” Caleb put a hand behind his ear. “It’s them! I can hear them!” They began to run and then-
“Ahh!”
“Ouch!”
“Get your foot off my face!”
Caleb looked through the small spaces through the ropes. He sighed frustratedly. “How could I be so blind? It’s a trap, of course it’s a trap!”
Erin pushed his boot off her shoulder. “It’s okay, Caleb. We’ll get out of this. You got a knife?”
“Yeah.” Caleb reached for his dagger but someone ripped it from his grasp.
“I’ll take that.”
Erin gasped. “Matthew! Help us, cut the rope.”
Matthew shrugged. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Caleb looked away. He was humiliated. He should have known.
Matthew chuckled. It was amusing to see them stuck in a roped net hanging from a tree. It was his trap. And they walked right into it.
“Where’s Theodore? Where’s Andrew?” Erin sounded stern.
“Right here.” Matthew grinned and pulled out a walkie talkie. “They dropped this when they were first coming out here. I thought someone like you Caleb, would be a little brighter than to just start running as soon as you hear a voice. But anyways, the past is definitely in the past.”
“What is your point in keeping us here?” Caleb demanded.
“You’ll know soon enough.” Matthew left into the darkness and ordered someone to lock them up with the others.
“Hey, back off!” Erin said as a man pushed them into a cell.
She shuddered. She saw a figure in the dark. “Andrew? Is that you?”
He came forward. “It’s about time.” He laughed and they hugged and sighed contently. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Caleb shrugged. “We came to rescue you, we failed. Typical me.”
“Stop it.” Andrew frowned. “We’ll get out of this. We always do.”
“It’s not everyday you get locked in a cell in the middle of the Amazon.”
“He has a point.” Erin had to agree.
Caleb took a seat. “Where’s Theodore?”
“He’s asleep. He…he’s had an extremely rough time. Us both.” He crawled forward and whispered, “Matthew knows everything. All of our deepest secrets. He says—he says you told him I didn’t have a father.”
Caleb gasped. “What? That’s absurd, I’d never tell him such a thing.”
“That’s what I said. But we’ll see what other truths he unfolds.”
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