by Grace, age 13
Clop, clop, clop. Andi hurried to the barn door to see who
was coming up the road. Who she saw sent prickles up her spine. Andi tried calm
her pounding heart, as her mind flew back through the years to when she had
first seen this man.
Fresno,
1878
“No!” Andi screamed as strong hands ripped her away from her
brother, Justin. She kicked and screamed but it was no use; her captors were
too strong for her.
“Honey, don’t fight back, just be good and they won’t hurt
you!”
“That’s right, you do what we say, and no one will get hurt,”
chuckled a tall man with bushy eyebrows and a mustache, standing off to the
side, giving Andi a nasty grin.
“What do we do with him, boss?” A man asked, nodding toward
Justin.
“Tie him up.”
“Right, boss! The girl too?”
“No, I know the way to Justin Carter’s heart,” he drawled.
Justin glared at him coldly from across the room.
“Carter, you know who I am?”
“I feel like I’ve seen you, but…”
“I am Hezekiah Black.”
The color drained from Justin’s face.
“I’m sure you remember our last meeting sixteen years ago.”
A faraway look crossed Justin’s face, he could remember
it like yesterday. “What do you want with us this time?” Justin asked
between clenched teeth.
Andi thought, who is Hezekiah Black? Why does Justin seem
to be afraid of him? That was what scared her. Justin always knew what to
do and could always fix her problems. “J… Justin?” She whimpered.
“Be quiet you!” Hezekiah lunged at her and gave her a sound
slap, leaving a streak across her face. Andi screamed, and Justin winced.
“What do…”
“You see I got myself into a fix…”
“A fix…”
“Yes, that’s what I said!” He snapped. “I am in need of some
money. Quick. You’ll go to the bank in town and take out everything your family
has in it!”
“Are you crazy…”
Hezekiah grabbed Andi crashing her to him, unholstering his
gun. “Think carefully, Carter, we wouldn’t want another accident to happen,
now, would we?”
Justin hesitated,
then an image of Kate lying on the ground, still and white, all those years
ago, flashed though his mind. He looked at Andi’s terrified, but sweet, and
trusting face. Whatever happened he couldn’t let his little sister get hurt!
Not this time! “Alright, I’ll do it!”
Hezekiah nodded.
“Good, you better be careful.” He glanced at Andi. “Or you’ll be sorry!”
“Pray, honey.” Justin whispered, giving her an encouraging
smile. Then he disappeared into the bank, followed by Hezekiah’s men. Hezekiah
gave Andi a shove into an alley, where he could see the bank and be out of
danger.
“Sit.”
Andi sat, and started to whisper a prayer. “Dear Jesus,
please help big brother, please make everything all right…”
“Who are you talking to?” Hezekiah’s brown eyes snapped with
annoyance.
Andi looked up with innocent blue eyes. “I’m talking to
Jesus.”
“Who’s He?” Hezekiah
growled.
“He’s God’s Son; He came to earth to die for everyone’s
sins.”
“Ha, you’re praying to a dead man!”
“NO! He’s not dead! He came alive three days after He died!
And that’s how you get to heaven, by believing in Him!”
He stared at her for a moment, then grunted.
“Justin? Big brother,
what are you doing here, at the bank?”
Justin turned around quickly and gulped, “Chad! I am just
drawing out some money.”
“Why?”
“Well, you see a man
I knew a while back who needs…”
“Justin, where is your gun?”
“My gun?”
“You’re wearing your holster but no pistol.”
Justin paled, “I must have forgotten…” Out of the corner of
his eyes he saw a man about to fire a pistol.
Bang, bang! Chad’s pistol went off. One of Hezekiah’s men dropped his
gun and fell to the floor, holding his arm.
“Chad, what…”
“I think you have some explaining to do!”
Justin sighed, and
told Chad everything.
Quickly Hezekiah
mounted his horse, pulling Andi up behind him.
“C’mon! Git up!” He yelled, then cried out in pain as a bullet grazed
his shoulder. The horse reared, and he and Andi tumbled to the ground. She
started crying, too scared to move.
Strong arms lifted her gently, “It’s alright, honey, I’m
here,” said Justin’s soothing voice.
“Where’s…” Andi whimpered.
“Shh, it’s alright, the sheriff got him.”
Circle C. 1880
Taffy snorted, bringing Andi back to the present.
“Andi?!”
“Over here.”
Mitch walked into the barn, “Hey, sis, Mother and Justin
asked me to get you.”
“Oh, no.” She moaned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Ahh, nothing.”
“Well, you better go, I’ll take care of Taffy for you.”
Andi peeked in through the open parlor door.
“Andrea? Is that you?”
Feet dragging, she
went into the room. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Come over here, dear, I want you to hear what this
gentleman has to say.”
Andi screamed silently, no, I don’t want to! Justin
promised that I would never have to see him again! Thankfully she kept those rude words
inside. Instead, she sighed, and sat down next to Justin.
“Miss Carter, I am sure you remember me.”
Andi nodded without looking up from the folded hands in her
lap.
“Well, I came to ask your forgiveness for those things I did
to you and your family. You see, I’m a believing man now. All because of you,
miss, that day a few years ago. You told me about the way to be saved. I
thought it was foolishness then, but now I don’t. I’m sorry, please forgive me,
Miss Carter!”
Andi didn’t say anything for a minute. Forgive this man?
Never! God says to forgive… but…! God, please help me to do the right thing!
“Andrea?” Mother’s quiet voice broke into her thoughts.
She glanced at Hezekiah, surprised to see tears glistening
in his eyes. Suddenly, Andi didn’t feel angry anymore, just sorry. She took a
deep breath, “Yes, Mr. Hezekiah, I forgive you!”
Great job!
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