For the fourth time, hello, readers! I trust you have learned more than quite a bit from this tragic but hopeful story of faith, trust and obedience!
A few things I need to point out: One, this entire story is fiction, and it is based on the Kirby universe. This series is known as Christian fiction, meaning that one or more characters in the story are Christians and use the Bible to solve their problem(s). And I am aware that not everyone who reads this series is a Christian. That’s okay; I don’t expect everyone to be. But something I do expect, dear readers, is that you learn something valuable from each story.
But while the story is fiction, the Bible is loaded with evidence that’s real and overwhelming. The Bible is the only Book that is truly authentic and valid and lines up with history and answers all questions about hefty topics, such as Noah’s Flood.
However, many people are puzzled by the Bible. They ask questions like: Does the Bible contradict itself? Who was Cain’s wife? How could Jesus die on the cross for me? If God loves us, why are we all suffering? Are angels real? What is my purpose in life?
These questions and more are answered by the Bible. False teachers and books (other than the Bible) can’t always be trusted. But the Bible can be. Why? Because it was a gift to us from God—yes, Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Jesus is alive, and living, and real. If He had not been born, if He had not died. . .basically, if He were not a real person and didn’t exist, we wouldn’t even be here. We wouldn’t exist. We would merely be dust.
God gave every single one of us a mind and a conscience. He keeps human depravity in check. He won’t let destruction run rampant. Yes, there are many evils in the world, we see. There are drunkards, murderers, child abusers, and thieves. There are slave traders, those who abuse power, and even those who exploit their own people for their own selfish gain. But thanks to God keeping our depravity in check, we’re not all lying in our caskets right now.
By God’s grace, we are alive. By the Lord’s mercy, we aren’t struck dead by His hand, though we have every right to be condemned and die a miserable death in hell. We all have a choice to accept Him as our Savior. And if a true Christian truly accepts God in his heart, he will never regret his decision.
The Romans Road of Salvation gives us three things we can do to be saved.
A—Acknowledge: Acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of salvation and that you need Christ. You are not independent from God; you need God and learn from God. Without Him, you are spiritually dead and broken.
B—Believe: Believe that Jesus died on the cross to save you and that He was buried and rose again the third day out of that grave for YOU! Jesus conquered death and forever reigns on His throne in heaven.
C—Confess: Confess your sins to Him and ask for forgiveness. Beg Him to enter into your heart and be your Lord and Savior. He will govern your life the moment You ask Him to. You don’t need to pray in a fancy manner; just ask for forgiveness, confess your sins, and believe on Christ.
Dear readers, I hope you will respond to the truth of the gospel if you have not already. God loves all and wants to save all.
Next book is coming up, and see you then! God bless you all, my friends!
“Why are we going to Cloudy’s house again?” Liloy asked her father as they trekked through a tumult of grass and reeds. She clutched Comery closer to her as the ground became more treacherous. Meta Knight could see the three-story house up ahead, its shiny paint glistening in the blinding sunshine.
“Cloudy told me she and her family had a surprise for us,” he explained. “But I do not know what it is.”
“Heh, maybe she’s going to give us a scare,” Liloy giggled. Then a yelp of alarm broke from her as she nearly tripped over a large stone sitting on the ground. Meta Knight reacted quickly and caught her arm. “Are you okay?” he asked, frightened.
“I’m fine. Just a little shaken.” Liloy smiled gratefully at him. “I’ll watch my step next time.”
“I know you will.” The two shared a good laugh and then moved on, picking their way over stones and roots.
* * * * *
“Oh, oh, oh,” Sniper said in a hushed whisper as he peered through the garden lattice, his ears pricked. “Alert, alert. Everyone to your battle stations! The enemy is approaching the house.”
“Oh, Sniper,” nine-year-old Zach sighed. “Do you mean Meta Knight and Liloy?”
Sniper nodded.
“Is Comery with them?” Eloise inquired. Nika, her twin, was beside her, trying to fix a twisted streamer.
“Erm. . .” Sniper squinted against the sunlight, peering at father and daughter for a moment. Then he nodded again. “Yeah, Comery’s there. Man alive, is he ever so tiny!”
“Of course he is. He’s only a few days old,” Springtime whispered from her hiding place under the picnic table.
Sniper flashed her a knowing grin. “Mommy, when we jump out to surprise them, don’t bump your head on the underside of the table, okay?”
Arrow and Lily, two of Cloudy’s canine schoolmates, giggled.
“Now, Sniper, have a little more faith in your mother!” Springtime begged. “I know I’ve done that before, but do you have to rub it in?”
“It seems to be a bad habit,” Sniper observed. “Like, you can’t stop doing it!”
“Or maybe she likes having bruises on her noggin,” Pancake giggled.
“Oh, by the way, when is Miss Scazzarda going to get here?” Sharkell broke in, directing the question to Springtime.
“I don’t know. She said she’d be here in a few minutes,” Springtime answered. “She also mentioned she’d be bringing an old friend, but I don’t know whom she meant.”
“Shush!” Showerstorm warned, jerking his head in the direction of the pasture. “Meta Knight and Liloy are coming toward the garden! Hide, everyone, and be quiet!”
Everybody scrambled to obey orders. Cloudy crouched down inside the tire swing, her eyes wide and glistening with excitement. We’re going to scare Liloy and her father good, she thought. I can’t wait.
“Hello?” Cloudy heard Liloy call. “Where are you guys? We have arrived!”
Cloudy stifled a giggle and yelled out, “We’re in the garden! Come in!”
There a rustle of leaves and hesitant footsteps as Liloy and her father entered and looked about warily. A cake sat on a piece of cardboard on an overturned washtub, and a few balloons and streamers were strung in the branches of the old oak tree. The atmosphere was festive, cheerful. . .and suspicious.
“Um, guys?” Liloy said, fear evident in her voice. “Where are you?”
Sniper giggled to himself as he silently got up from a tall patch of weeds and, putting one foot in front of the other like an Indian, approached Liloy from behind. When he was right behind her, he opened his mouth and shouted as loudly as he could, “BOO!”
“Eeek!” Liloy shrieked, clutching her baby tightly, her muscles tensed. Even Meta Knight jumped, momentarily startled. Little Comery’s eyes flew open, his face scrunched up, and he began screaming loudly, irritated and upset at having his sleep disturbed.
“Uh-oh,” Sniper mumbled sheepishly. “I just woke the baby, didn’t I?”
“Sniper!” Springtime scolded, standing to her feet to have a serious talk with her son. Unfortunately, once again, she bumped her head on the underside of the picnic table. “Ouch!” she cried, rubbing her head. “Oh, you stupid table!” she scolded.
“Don’t worry, Mommy, you always do that,” Pancake assured her, trying to sound serious but not quite being able to restrain a smirk. Springtime’s glare shot like an arrow toward him, fire in her eyes, and Pancake relented at poking fun toward her. The other children burst into laughter at the silly scene.
“There, there, sweet boy, it’s okay,” Liloy soothingly assured the crying baby, placing him over her shoulder and patting him on the back. “Mama’s got you.”
“Wow! For a first-time mom, you seem to have a lot of confidence,” Nika said, her blue eyes shining.
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to Father and Grandmother for teaching me about how to care for a child.” Then as if noticing something was amiss, she glanced around. “Um, speaking of Grandmother, where is she anyway? Didn’t she says she would be here?”
“She went to go pick up an old friend,” Showerstorm explained, poking his head out of the garden shed door. “She’ll be here soon. Just be patient.”
As if on cue, the rumble of an engine resounded in the distance and then came the sound of brakes. “That’ll be Miss Scazzarda!” Cloudy sang out. “She’s finally arrived.”
A minute later, Scazzarda was at the garden gate, rapping on the paneled fence wood. “I’m here!” she said. “May I come in? Sorry I took so long. I had to pick up a friend.”
“Yeah, your ‘old friend,’ right?” Springtime grinned as she marched to the gate and unlatched it. When she swung back the gate, her eyes widened at the familiar girl standing beside Scazzarda. Scazzarda winked and placed a finger to her lips, making signs to be quiet. “I want to surprise the kids,” she whispered.
Springtime nodded. “Got it,” she whispered back.
The girl went through the gate and there was silence for a long moment. All the children, standing in a group, stared at the girl for a long moment, uncertain as to who she was. But Cloudy recognized her right away, though it had been a few months since she had last seen her. “Wylanda!” she cried, jumping up and down in pure joy. “It’s Wylanda Coven!”
“Cloudy!” Wylanda exclaimed, rushing forward and embracing the puppy. “It’s been a while!”
“Yes, it has!” Star agreed, licking Wylanda’s hand in fondness. “Welcome back, Wylanda!”
“Yay, it’s Wylanda!” Nika cheered, throwing her arms around the older girl’s neck. “We didn’t expect to see you!”
“I was in town checking out the rubble that’s going to be the new church,” Wylanda said. “Can you believe it? A church right here in Spring Breeze!”
“And when it’s finished, we can attend services!” Lily said, her sharp-pointed ears pricked with excitement.
Springtime waltzed in at the moment with Scazzarda. “Miss Scazzarda!” the children chorused together, delight spreading throughout the garden. They swarmed to her like ants at a picnic, hugging her and chattering and laughing all at the same time. Scazzarda fondly returned their affections.
“So what’s been cooking?” Wylanda asked when the group hugs were finished. “That is, besides Tilry’s funeral and Joseph Unswall and Miriam’s moving away and whatnot.”
Cloudy cringed. She didn’t want to be reminded of all the bad things that had occurred in the last couple of months. “Lots of things,” she said dully, then added with a huge grin, “but cake is the main one!”
“Cake?” Wylanda’s brow knit. “What do you mean? Is it someone’s birthday?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. . .technically,” Cloudy said. “Liloy’s baby, Comery, was born five days ago, and so we’re celebrating his miraculous birth.”
“Oh, that’s so cute!” Wylanda said, looking across the garden at the swaddled bundle in Liloy’s arms. “But what do you mean by ‘miraculous birth?'”
Cloudy scratched her ear and gazed intently at Liloy, who had been listening to their conversation. At Cloudy’s questioning look, she nodded permissibly. “Liloy was thinking of ending her pregnancy, on March 22” she explained, “but a miracle happened and Comery was born on my birthday.”
“Our birthday,” Sniper reminded her, and his brothers and Star nodded.
“I stand corrected,” Cloudy said, giggling. Then she became somber. “But in all seriousness, yes, Comery was a brand plucked from the burning.”
“I seem to be hearing that phrase a lot,” Meta Knight called to her.
“And it’s true!” Wylanda insisted, spreading her hands as if in worship. “God saved Liloy and her baby from harm and regret! We should praise Him!”
“That’s a perfect idea!” Cloudy cried. “Why don’t we sing?”
“But what can we sing?” Zach asked, scratching his head. The other children looked at each other a moment and then shrugged. They couldn’t think of a single song that fit the happy, uplifting mood of Comery’s birthday celebration.
After much puzzling, a sparkle came into Wylanda’s eyes. Cloudy knew that look; it meant Wylanda had an idea. “What do you have up your sleeve, Wylanda?” she asked.
Wylanda leaned forward, her face lighting up with excitement. ‘A few weeks ago,” she whispered, “my aunt found out she had cancer and so she underwent a series of tests. The doctors said she would surely die. But at church the following week, hundreds of people prayed for her, and when she went back to the doctor three days later, they could find no trace of the cancer. And next Sunday, they played a special hymn called ‘Lord of the Dance’ and it was amazing! People were jumping up and down and singing and it was so amazing!”
“So we should sing ‘Lord of the Dance?'” Cloudy asked.
“Yeah! Or I can sing and you guys dance!” Wylanda clasped her hands together. “So, what do you say?”
Cloudy nodded at her friends and family, and they nodded in return. “I say let’s do it!” Zach said, and the children released a cheer that reached to the heavens.
Wylanda stood beside Scazzarda and began to sing as Springtime watched from the back corner of the garden fence. Eloise and Nika and the pups began to dance and swing about as Wylanda sang:
“I danced in the morning when the world was begun, And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun, And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth: At Bethlehem I had my birth.
Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the dance, said he, And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.”
“Whoo-hoo!” Cloudy cried. “Wylanda, you rock, girl!”
“Thanks! You dance really good!” Wylanda complimented the children, and continued singing in her bright soprano.
“I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee, But they would not dance and they wouldn’t follow me; I danced for the fishermen, for James and John; They came with me and the dance went on:
Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the dance, said he, And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.”
“Another verse! We can’t stop now!” Star panted, beginning to get a little breathless. Wylanda laughed and carried on.
“I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame: The holy people said it was a shame. They whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high, And they left me there on a cross to die:
Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the dance, said he, And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.”
“More! More!” Lily begged, furiously wagging her tail in rhythm to the song.
“I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black; It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back. They buried my body and they thought I’d gone; But I am the dance, and I still go on:
They cut me down and I leapt up high; I am the life that’ll never, never die. I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me: I am the Lord of the dance, said he.
Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the dance, said he, And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
Yea, I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.”
The song ended and the puppies, twins, and Zach dropped to the ground, gasping for breath. Wylanda giggled at their fatigued forms. “Man alive, were you all having a good time! I didn’t think you would last throughout the whole song! Good job!”
“Thanks,” Cloudy said, still winded. She smiled at Meta Knight, whose eyes glowed a light green as she held his daughter’s hand. Liloy glanced down at Comery, who had been watching the dance. One finger was in his mouth as he smiled widely at the puppies, who smiled back at him. Liloy laughed. “I think Comery liked your dance,” she said.
“Thanks, Comery,” Star said. Comery cooed and grinned shyly, hiding his face in his mother’s cape. Meta Knight chuckled softly.
* * * * *
After all the cake had been consumed and the games had been played, everyone was content to lounge on the porch and watch the sun set. Cloudy, lying at the foot of the steps, smiled as she watched the fiery, molten ball slowly descend behind the treetops of the Whispy Woods. Soon, the sky was pinkish-golf, speckled with a few twinkling stars and planets. The frogs croaked and the light breezes stirred the leaves on the rosebushes. A nightingale from far away called “goodnight” to the citizens of Spring Breeze.
As if the nightingale has reminded her of something, Scazzarda said she would be right back and slipped into the house. Cloudy raised an eyebrow. “What’s she up to?” she muttered, laying her head back on her front paws.
A moment later, Scazzarda was back outside with the baby bird’s temporary home. To Cloudy’s utter astonishment, the birds were fine and plump and had beautiful plumages. The girls were a glossy brown; the males were a bright red. While they were still juvenile, they were beginning to look like adult cardinals. “Oh, my!” she breathed, unable to believe what she was seeing.
“Pretty little things, aren’t they?” Scazzarda said to no one in particular. “I almost can’t believe it myself. They’re all grown-up now, ad ready to take off on their own.”
“In other words,” Cloudy said, a faint smile beginning on her face, “they’re ready to leave the nest?”
“Yes,” Scazzarda said. One by one, she took each bird out and set them on the porch railing. They teetered for a moment and looked wonderingly at each other, as if to say, “What do we do now?”
“Fly away, little cardinals!” Star said. “It’s time you set out on your own! Go raise families and never forget how much your mother loved you!” With a little nudge of her nose to one of the males, all four birds jumped off the railing and flapped away beyond the treetops, their wings glinting in the last rays of the sun. Everyone watched them until they were out of sight.
Star sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Do you think we’ll ever see them again?” she quietly asked.
“I don’t know,” Scazzarda honestly answered. “There’s really no way to tell that. But I’m definitely sure we will see their descendants.”
“You know,” Liloy said thoughtfully, rocking Comery gently, “it’s funny how the Lord brings about His will through odd, everyday circumstances. We were expecting Tilry to live, but he died. And we were expecting the birds to die, but then they lived. And I was expecting to opt on a different path come the day after Cloudy’s birthday, but I was stopped.” She looked up to the dusty peaks of Mount Moonstem, bathed in the last glow of the sun. “Just a few more signs that God was and is watching over us all the time.”
“That He is,” Lily nodded, a smile growing on her lips.
And as the world was drenched in moonlight and the stars shone down on the citizens of Spring Breeze, Cloudy heard a strange, peaceful voice whisper in her heart:
“Wherever you go Wherever you roam I’m always here I’m always home.
When the rainclouds seize And the sun disappears Know I am the Lord I am always here.”
______
“Lord of the Dance” is a hymn written by Sydney Carter back in 1973.
Meta Knight took the news of Liloy’s appointment without a word. Cloudy’s siblings were speechless and solemn as they watched Meta Knight trudge out of the room and shut the door, Scazzarda looking after him. Springtime lowered her head, tears stinging her eyes. They had done all they could to make Liloy listen to reason, and nothing had worked. Now it was too late. The day after Cloudy’s birthday was the dire day no one in Spring Breeze was looking forward to.
Long after everyone had gone to bed, Cloudy stood watching the birds for a long time. Their shivering, limp bodies seemed to indicate something far more profound than illness or grief; it indicated death and finality. Her thoughts then drifted to Liloy. Where was she tonight? What was she doing? How did she feel? Every unanswered question felt like another burden added to her back, as if she didn’t have enough emotional baggage to carry already.
As she stood staring sadly at the birds, she heard a voice to her right:
“Faith is evidence we believe in what we don’t see.”
Cloudy jumped and looked in the direction of the voice. To her surprise, no one was there. A chill crept down her spine as she gazed carefully into the corners of the inky blackness, making certain someone wasn’t playing a trick on her. But no one was lurking. It was only Cloudy, the birds, and her troubled soul.
“Who’s there?” Cloudy spoke into the darkness. There was no audible reply, but voices from the past began crowding into her mind, causing her to think hard about her situation and her status as a warrior:
“Showerstorm! Do you see? Do you see? This is the one! The Star Warrior we’ve been waiting for!”
“Are you joking? That girl hates you! She wouldn’t listen to you for anything!”
“I believe He’s calling me to talk to her.”
“I don’t want to keep living in misery. I want happiness.”
“The only way to obtain true happiness is salvation through Christ.”
“There’s something special about this child. And I do not mean because she is the Prophesied One.” “If you really want to know about my history, ask your daughter. She knows a lot from my past.” “You have a Friend whom you can run to if ever you need Him. That’s a promise.” “If we are children of the Lord, we can praise and rejoice even amidst the tragedies. But if we are not saved, we have no hope. We are bound by despair.” “Why does this hurt so much?!”
“We’re gonna keep praying because there’s a thousand reason to believe He hears us and will answer!Am I right?!” “If there is one I will never forgive, it is Nightmare himself. May he suffer all the tortures he put me through!” “Just because he did who-knows-what to you as a child doesn’t mean you should wish the same things to happen to him!” “It’s all right to be scared. What’s not all right is when you allow fear to govern your life.” “Don’t be afraid. We’re still alive for a reason, and God willing, nothing will happen to us. We will all make it out alive.” “I love her with all of my heart. And I love you too. So much. But I hate it when you feel as if you have to keep something from me because you’re afraid I’m going to get angry at you or react badly.” “God has decided to end this chapter, but that doesn’t mean the book is concluded. In fact, your story’s just beginning!”
“I cannot keep pretending to believe Tilry will be all right. I know he will not, but still I continue to behave as if he will.” “What are we going to do if he just—dies without ever waking up?” “Take care. . .of our baby. Promise. . .you will.” “Very few have such a passion to persevere and follow God even in their trials as Tilry did.” “If you’re not willing to change your problems, Sir Meta Knight―then your problems will eventually begin to change you.”
“Tilry was the only reason I hung on for as long as I did, but since he died, my rope has been down to a thread.”
“It shouldn’t have happened, and yet. . .I knew it would.”
““You promised. . .You promised Tilry you would take care. . .of your baby. . .”
Cloudy slowly raised her head as visions, miracles, memories, and dreams came back to her, all swirling her mind in one endless spiral. A Bible verse came to her mind; it was 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we live by faith, not by sight.”
Cloudy’s breath caught in her throat as the truth struck her for the first time. “Faith!” she repeated out loud. “Faith is evidence we believe in what we don’t see! Of course!” So what if it appeared to everyone that evil was reigning in the world? God was working behind the scenes to create a world even bigger and better! And what if Nightmare was trying to control the universe and would do anything he could to get his hands on power? Cloudy had been appointed to fight him and defeat him for good, and she would, with God;s help! And so what if Liloy had said she would opt on a different path than the one her Father had commanded her to walk? God could rescue her from grief and the baby from death if He willed it! And all Cloudy had to do as believe it with all heart, knowing He could do anything!
My faith has slacked since Tilry’s death, Cloudy admitted to herself. She looked up to the ceiling, and a quiet voice spoke into her heart. She knew it was the nudging of the Holy Spirit, inviting her to come to Him. So she bowed her head and prayed, “Lord, help me never again to have a lack of faith. I know You can, if you will it, save Liloy and her child. Please help us. Help us all.” She added in a low whisper, “I know You can.”
And that night in the room, the atmosphere began to change, glowing with a soft light, and Cloudy found she no longer felt afraid or sad. A smile came over her face as peace filled her heart.
* * * * *
The day of Cloudy’s birthday finally arrived. In the early morning dawn, joggers trotted past the three-story house, gazing curiously at the garden hidden from view by tall rosebushes, but they could hear the strains of a cheerful song reverberating throughout the cool spring air:
“Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear puppies, Happy Birthday to you!”
“Now it’s time to eat cake!” Showerstorm cheerfully announced, bringing out a chocolate/carrot cake with seven glittery candles positioned on the top. Cloudy snickered at her mother’s grimace. “Happy Birthday to you children!”
“Thanks, Daddy!” Pancake said happily, righting his blue party hat.
“Totally. This is great!” Star chimed.
Cloudy smiled cryptically, but didn’t speak. She merely started on her first piece of birthday cake while her parents looked on, smiling but seemingly puzzled at her sudden happiness. The other children chattered happily as they stuffed themselves with cake, Sniper being a little too gluttonous.
Then, without warning, Springtime lifted her head and a strange look came over her face. “Excuse me,” she said to her husband, hurrying away in the direction of the front of the house. Cloudy stopped eating, her eyes locked on her father, who looked confused as he stood, waiting, staring at the trellis.
Within a few minutes, Springtime was back, leading a worried-looking Meta Knight with her to the table where the children were seated. “Cloudburst,” she firmly addressed her youngest child.
Cloudy sat up straight, her stature proud. “Yes, Mommy?”
Springtime suddenly burst into giggles, startling the children. It had been a long time since they had heard her laugh! “Well, I’m going to say, it looks as though a brand has just been plucked from the burning, thank God!” she laughed.
Cloudy tilted her head. “Huh?”
Springtime wiped tears of laughter from her eyes, “Sorry, dear. I’m guess I’m just relieved.” She cleared her throat and attempted to sound dignified. “Liloy just went into labor and is at the hospital.”
Cloudy stood stock-still, gazing at her mother, waiting for the catch. “Did you hear me?” Springtime asked. “I said, Liloy just went into labor and is at the hospital!”
“So?” Cloudy thought she was beginning to understand, but wanted her mother to reveal the answer first.
“So she’s saved! Her baby is saved!” Springtime shouted.
Cloudy was stunned, but only for a brief moment. “Ya-hoooo!” she cried with delight, leaping onto the picnic bench and then off, landing squarely on all fours on the grass. “Hooray! The Lord be praised! Great are His works, and mighty indeed! He’s the Lord of all! Hooray! He’s saved us all! Heed the call! Whoopee!”
“Yes, indeed!” Springtime chuckled. “But the reason Meta Knight is here is because he wants you to go with him to the hospital. Would you like to?”
“Yes!” Cloudy replied without hesitation.
Springtime outfitted her in a pink scarf and sent her on her way. As Cloudy skipped happily ahead of him to the hospital, Meta Knight watched her, a mixture of fear and happiness in his eyes. He could tell she was excited, and he was too. But one question still raged in his mind: Would Liloy want to keep her baby?
* * * * *
“Here we are!” Cloudy sang in a cheerful voice. “Oromo Thuli Hospital! I can’t wait to see Liloy’s baby.”
“I cannot either,” Meta Knight confessed. He opened the sterile glass door. “Ladies first.”
“Veterans second,” Cloudy joked, grinning. Meta Knight shook his head, pretending to be annoyed, but he was smiling as he walked in behind her and shut the door. The nurse behind the check-in desk looked up and peered at them from behind her bifocals, smiling kindly. “Hello!” she greeted them. “Who are you here to visit?”
“Liloy Stellarum!” Cloudy piped up.
The nurse chuckled. “Oh!” She looked more closely at Meta Knight and then slowly nodded. “Of course you are! You are her father, aren’t you?” she inquired of the soldier.
“I am.”
The nurse pulled out some papers from underneath her desk and scanned them. “She’s in the delivery room right now. But I don’t know if the baby is born yet, so why don’t you wait here until the doctor calls you.”
Cloudy and Meta Knight decided to follow her advice and sat on two plastic chairs in the waiting room. Cloudy fussed with her bow and smoothed down her fur, a sign that she was nervous since she was never self-conscious. Meta Knight laughed at her fidgeting. “Be patient, Cloudy. The time will come soon enough.”
“I hope so,” Cloudy said, moving about restlessly and reluctantly sitting back down in her seat.
Minutes passed and Cloudy tried to be patient, but it wasn’t easy. At last, though, her efforts were rewarded. The doctor, Herb Serbue, a licensed physician, opened the waiting room door and called, “Meta Knight and Cloudy, you may come with me now. Liloy wants to see you.”
Cloudy felt a thrill of wonder as they followed Dr. Serbue to Floor 5. He led them to Room 509, checked his watch, rapped on the door a few times, and waited. And who should open the door but the same nurse who had paid for Tilry’s funeral arrangements! Cloudy gasped upon seeing her.
“Well, Sir Meta Knight and young Cloudy. Long time no see,” the nurse said, a soft smile growing on her visage. “I am pleased to see you again, and in such high spirits too! Come in.” She gestured for them to step inside, and they gladly accepted.
The first thing Cloudy heard as she stepped into the room were the ear-shattering screams of a newborn baby being attended to by two nurses. The second sound she heard was Liloy’s cry of joy as she spotted her father and his friend. Cloudy trotted over to the bed and placed her front paws on the mattress, her fluffy tail wagging at high speed. Meta Knight came up behind her and his hand descended gently upon the child’s head, softly caressing her fur. Cloudy looked up at him, eyes bright, and then back at Liloy.
“How do you feel?” were Meta Knight’s first words to his daughter.
Liloy blinked a few times, as if trying to gain her bearings. “Sort of weak,” she admitted. “I remember I was in a lot of pain, and then someone put a cloth over my face and I blacked out. . .must have been chloroform or some other type of drug so I wouldn’t feel any pain. Then I woke up and I heard. . .a baby crying. . .and the nurses told me it was my baby.”
“Yup,” Cloudy said nonchalantly. “He was a brand plucked from the burning.”
“What?” Liloy looked startled. “What does that mean?”
“It’s a phrase in the Bible. It just means your baby was saved from a terrible disaster,” Cloudy explained. At Liloy’s blank look, she frowned. “Don’t you remember? You planned to ‘opt on a different path,’ as you put in. In other words, end your pregnancy. You scheduled an appointment that was due for tomorrow.”
“I. . I did?” Liloy murmured. She thought a moment, then gasped softly, as if remembering. “What have I. . .Oh, no. Oh, what have I done?” She hid her face in her hands. “Why didn’t I listen. . .How stupid could I have been?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore, Liloy,” Meta Knight gently comforted her, taking her hand. “It’s all in the past. Your baby is born; he is safe. That’s all that matters.”
“Actually, no, that’s not all that matters,” Cloudy objected. She lightly jumped up onto the bed, checking to make sure her feet weren’t dirty before she sat down on the sheets. “You had the baby, but now you have to make a choice.” She paused for effect, then went on in a slow monotone, “Will you keep the baby and raise him as a good, godly mother would do? Or are you going to give him up?”
Liloy fiddled with her fingers for a long time, looking down at the light-blue blankets. “Well,” she said at last, her voice strained, “I know that what I tried to do was wrong. . .and honestly, I don’t know why I even scheduled that stupid appointment. But I can’t follow through with it. I know I can’t. . .and I won’t.”
Cloudy smiled. “So does that mean you’re going to keep him?”
“Yes,” Liloy confirmed. “I will keep him.”
Just then, one of the nurses walked over to Liloy, carrying the precious bundle in her hands. “Here’s your baby!” she said. She laid the baby boy in his mother’s arms and stepped back, smiling a little at the beautiful scene.
Liloy shifted the child in her arms and drew in her breath at sight of his face. He had dark-blue skin like Meta Knight, but his facial features matched his once-living father’s. “Oh!” she gasped. “He. . .He looks like-like Tilry!”
“And a little like you too, Sir Meta Knight.” Cloudy smiled at the soldier.
Liloy gazed at the baby for a time, her eyes shining with wonder. Then she burst into tears. ‘Oh. how could I have even thought about opting on a different road with this child?” she cried. “I’ve always believed life was sacred! Truly, every life is beautiful! But for a time I lost my true outlook on life. I refused to open my ears to your advice and wisdom! but I promise that from this time forth and forevermore, never again will I ever attempt to do something that God says is wrong.” She wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself, then laughed a little. “I had no idea my child would be born a month earlier than expected.” She grinned at Cloudy. “A brand plucked from the burning.”
Cloudy bobbed her head, her bow jiggling slightly.
Liloy rocked her baby gently for a minute or two, humming under her breath. She seemed to be in deep thinking mode. After a moment, she stopped humming and looked up. “Guess what I’m going to name my baby?” she said.
“What?” Cloudy asked.
Liloy chuckled as she proudly looked down upon her sleeping son. “Comery. His name is Comery.”
“That’s a cute name,” Cloudy complimented the new mother.
“Thanks.” Liloy smiled up at Meta Knight and held out the baby to him. “Father, would you like to hold him?”
Cloudy restrained a giggle as Meta Knight’s eyes flashed orange. She wondered how he felt about holding a newborn baby for the first time. Then the moment of hesitation passed and the knight confidently but gently took the child in his arms, holding him gingerly, as if he were afraid he would drop him. The baby didn’t move, but he uttered a tiny laugh. Meta Knight held out his hand to the child, and the baby’s tiny hand curled round his finger. The knight’s eyes glowed blue, a sure sign he was happy. Cloudy grinned, her pearly fangs flashing in the overheard lights.
Meta Knight quickly handed back the baby to Liloy. “He’s very beautiful,” he said softly. “Your perfect gift.”
“You mean Tilry’s and my perfect gift,” Liloy corrected. “We made this child.” She smiled and kissed Comery, who was sleeping peacefully. Meta Knight clasped his daughter’s hand in his, and she smiled at him, holding her baby closer.
Cloudy looked out the window and saw something amazing that caused her to gasp. Liloy stared at her in surprise. “What is it, my dear?” she asked.
“A rainbow!” cried Cloudy, gesturing to the shimmering loop hidden halfway behind the trees lining the edges of the hospital. “And it’s not even raining!”
“A sign from God!” Liloy said, reverence clear in her voice. “He has rescued me and Comery, and this is His sign that He always works things out for good. . .He always keeps his promises.”
“Yes, He does!” Cloudy agreed wholeheartedly. She stared with awe and wonder at the rainbow, and a faith-filled peace sneaked into her heart and enveloped every fiber of her being. The rainbow seemed to smile upon them, each individual color’s haziness blending into the next.
Cloudy slowly rose from the hard, cold linoleum floor, her head throbbing from the blow of Liloy’s fist. Meta Knight, rooted to the spot, stood staring dumbfoundedly at the front door, his eyes glowing a fiery orange. Cloudy struggled to her feet, wobbling a little, and only then did the soldier seem to shake himself free from his trance. “Cloudburst! Are you all right?” he inquired.
“I’m fine, but Liloy. . .” The child stared up at him with wide, frightened eyes. “Is she really going to follow through with what she said?”
Meta Knight couldn’t answer her; he didn’t know himself. “She always told me,” he said, “that she believed every life was sacred and beautiful beyond what words can describe. So I don’t understand her reasoning. . . .” He sighed and placed a hand to his head. “Why would she listen to her friend’s evil words? Why?
Cloudy spoke in a slow monotone. “Sometimes grief and unresolved trauma can drown out good advice and morals, Meta Knight. Perhaps that’s Liloy’s issue.”
Meta Knight sighed. “I do not know how to get her to listen to reason,” he admitted.
Cloudy’s eyes sparkled with a strange glint. Meta Knight recognized that look. “I believe God will rescue her just in time,” she declared.
His eyes grew wide as he searched her determined face, but he did not speak.
* * * * *
That evening, Cloudy picked at her food and vaguely listened in a fog of distraction to the conversation her parents were having about what to do for their children’s upcoming birthday. Cloudy wasn’t at the dinner table; she was miles away at a cabin in Whispy Woods, her brain fixated on Liloy and her problems. She tried desperately to think of ideas of what to do for Liloy and how to get her to snap out of her depressing thoughts, out of the ominous darkness that threatened to swallow her whole.
“Cloudy, what do you think?” Springtime asked.
Cloudy snapped out of her reverie and stared at her mother. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you. What did you say?”
“I asked, what do you think would be better for the party? To have a chocolate cake or a strawberry one?”
“Even a carrot cake would work,” Showerstorm added.
Springtime puckered her lips and made a face. “Eew, I hate carrot cake. That’s for the rabbits!”
“What do you mean?” Showerstorm playfully demanded. “Carrot cake is the best kind of cake there is!”
“According to your standards,” Springtime joked.
Cloudy wasn’t in the mood for kidding around. “I don’t know. Anything will work; I don’t care what kind you make. I’m not picky,” she responded, her patience with her parents thinning rapidly.
Springtime and Showerstorm traded glances. “Honey, is something aggravating you?” she inquired. “You’re sort of snappy tonight.”
Cloudy knew talking about Liloy’s daunting plan wouldn’t collaborate well with the merry mood at the dinner table. “I’ll tell you about it after supper,” she whispered quietly in their general direction.
Springtime nodded in understanding.
* * * * *
“Liloy’s going to do what?” Springtime cried.
Cloudy and her parents were sitting on the sofa after supper, discussing what Cloudy had been so distracted by. Cloudy had tried to explain Liloy’s plan in the most discreet way possible, but judging from her mother’s horrified look and her father’s stern one, she began to wonder if her explanation had been as discreet as she had tried to make it.
“Liloy’s going to try to end her pregnancy,” Cloudy repeated.
“Why on earth?” Springtime gasped.
“I don’t know,” Cloudy said, her head sinking. “Maybe she’s too deep in her emotional stress and overwhelmed by her trauma to care much about anyone else’s opinions. Heck, she won’t even listen to her own father’s advice.”
“That’s not good,” Showerstorm said grimly. “Have you tried talking to her?”
“Yes, I did, and her response was to knock me over the head!” Cloudy gingerly reached her paw up and touched the bump on her head, wincing a little as she did so.
“Oh, dear. I’m afraid she’s too beyond hope,” Springtime said regretfully.
Cloudy was shocked. How could her mother talk that way! Didn’t she know no one was too far out of reach for God to save? “No, she isn’t!” she angrily objected. “I believe God will save her and her baby just in time! I believe that!”
Springtime took a deep breath and slowly released the air in her lungs.. “I know, dear. And. . .I’m sorry. I guess. . .I wasn’t thinking clearly. You’re right. No one is too far gone for God to reach out His hand to.”
“But what can we do to change her mind?” Showerstorm puzzled. “I mean, I suppose we could talk to her, but what difference would that make? If she won’t listen to Meta Knight, or even to our daughter, then why would she listen to us?”
“We are older than she is and have more life experience,” Springtime reminded her husband. “Perhaps she’d take our wisdom and apply it to her situation.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Showerstorm agreed, silently praising his wife for her integrity. “We’ll talk to her later tonight and let you know what she says, Cloudy.”
Cloudy nodded wordlessly, but deep down, she wondered if her parent’s effort would make any difference. Then her mind went to the baby birds―still so small and weak. They were barely growing or breathing, and even their food dish was full half the time. Cloudy darkly thought, Maybe this is a forewarning―Liloy’s baby will die, and the birds will perish. Not one of them will live to even see the sun.
* * * * *
Later that evening, Springtime and Showerstorm were tromping through Whispy Woods, searching for Liloy’s cabin. Eventually, they found it and plodded up the walkway. Then they climbed the steps of Liloy’s now-sold home and Springtime knocked on the door. There was no answer for a long time. The two spouses waited reluctantly on the doorstep, wondering if Liloy was even home or if she had gone away.
After a time, the door opened, and there stood Liloy. Her eyes were red and her face was drawn, but she worked up a tentative smile and said cheerfully, “Well, if it isn’t Springtime and Showerstorm! Won’t you come inside?”
Husband and wife took advantage of the invitation and waltzed inside. Springtime stared round at the bare bedrooms and desolate kitchen, wondering where Liloy slept at night and what she ate. Showerstorm, not wishing to be rude, seated himself on the wooden floorboards of the dining room and said in a mature tone, “Liloy, we have come to discuss something with you―something I know needs to be addressed.”
Liloy held up her hand. “If this is about me and my baby, forget it,” she said abruptly. Springtime was astounded that Liloy would be so rude! “I’ve already decided on my course of action, and nothing you two or anyone else says will change my mind. End of story.” She gestured toward the front door. “Now if that is all, I must ask you to leave. I have to finish packing so I can get to my new home tomorrow.”
Showerstorm was so startled by Liloy’s brusque declaration that he sat frozen to the spot. But then suddenly, he could move again. “Liloy, I’m not going to let you do such a terrible thing to your child!” he said roughly. “God tells us that murder is wrong! Don’t you know that? Or do you just not care?”
“I have already discussed this with Father,” Liloy said coldly. “I do not want to hear anything you have to say. I will do only what is best for my child.”
“But. . .But. . .” Springtime sputtered, seeing red, “you’re not doing what’s best for your child!”
“I said I do not want to hear this!” Liloy shouted, her face twisting with furious rage. Her eyes were flaming, her fists seemed ready to fly. Showerstorm and Springtime, their hearts pounding, edged toward the door, Liloy flailing them with her tongue. “Get out now! Get out of my house and do not ever come back!” As soon as they were on the doorstep, she slammed the door shut with a deafening bang. Springtime heard the lock click as the bolt slid into place.
Husband and wife remained on the porch for the longest time, staring at the door, wondering what in the world had gone wrong.
* * * * *
“So how did it go?” Cloudy asked as soon as her parents stepped into the house.
“It hardly went at all,” Springtime said miserably. “Liloy became furious when we tried to talk to her about her baby, and she yelled at us, ordering us out of the house. Then she slammed the door on us.” She shook her head bewilderingly. “I don’t understand. She’s never acted so rash and angry before—Lilith must have really influenced her!”
“Ohh, is there nothing we can do?” Cloudy exclaimed, stamping her foot. Springtime thought those words sounded a little familiar. “We can’t just stand around here and do nothing! A life is on the line!”
“Cloudy, I tried and tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen!” Showerstorm finally burst out. “There’s nothing we can do! It’s all up to the Lord now! You must understand that!”
Cloudy shrank back, the room going completely silent at her father’s frustrated outburst. The frogs croaked outside, a peaceful contrast to the tension inside the home. Cloudy stared at each of her parents in turn, thinking, Is there no way out of this horrible nightmare?
* * * * *
Scazzarda frowned at the text Springtime had sent her during the night. It said plainly, “Liloy’s about to follow through with a disastrous decision involving her baby and she needs to be stopped. She wouldn’t listen to her father, Cloudy, or us, so you’re our only option now, Scazzarda. We need your help.”
Of course I’ll help, Scazzarda thought, a rush of energy flowing through her as she jumped out of bed and began to get dressed. I’ll do whatever it takes to save my precious great-grandchild.
* * * * *
Scazzarda knocked on Liloy’s door and stepped back, expecting the door to open just as it would have on any other normal day. But it never did. And that was when Scazzarda noticed the boxes that had been gathered on the porch a couple of days ago had vanished. The truth hit her—Liloy must have already left for Mount Moonstem. It was too far away for walking; she’d have to get there by car.
Scazzarda’s face was decidedly steely as she marched through the woods, back to her house, to get her car.
* * * * *
“Cabin 204,” Scazzarda muttered to herself as she climbed out of her car and walked up the steep incline. “That’s her new address, Magnus said.” She paraded between rows and rows of cabins, mouthing their numbers, “Cabin 201, 202, 203. . .” And out loud: “Ah! Here we are! Cabin 204!” She knocked on the door and waited.
A few seconds later, Liloy was fondly, calmly greeting her grandmother, a stark contrast to the shrieking, furious girl from the night before. Scazzarda couldn’t understand her granddaughter’s shifting attitude as the young woman invited her into the cabin and bade her please be seated on a small velvet sofa, which had belonged to Tilry’s father.
“So what are you here for, Grandmother?” Liloy politely asked. “What’s going on back home?”
Scazzarda knew she had to speak out. Now was the time. “Everyone is just fine, dear, but they’re worried about you,” she calmly said. “See, Springtime alerted me last night about what happened between you and she and her husband, and well, I just came out here to. . .” She broke off as she noticed Liloy staring at the wall, a faraway expression in her sad eyes.
“So they sent you to try to talk me into changing my mind, huh?” Liloy said.
Scazzarda sighed, knowing she couldn’t hide the truth. “Yes,” she confessed.
“I see,” Liloy calmly responded.
Scazzarda rushed to her next words. “Listen, Liloy. I know you’re going through a lot, but you cannot just give up on yourself and your baby. Life is a very precious gift, Liloy, and we only have it a short time. We should live it to honor God and show His glory to all. To murder someone is to mount an attack on the One Who created and breathed life into that special person.
“There are lots of Bible verses that tell us murder is wrong. Psalm 139:13 tells us, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” That tells us that every life is created for a purpose. Everyone has intrinsic value and dignity that God created them with. Another verse is Jeremiah 1:5, which says, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart.” This verse underscores the true fact that God has valued life from its very inception, and He has affirmed its sanctity.”
Liloy didn’t answer. Her eyes were now riveted on the floor.
“What I am saying is that you cannot do this to your child,” Scazzarda spoke gently, placing her firm hand over Liloy’s gentle one. “God gave you this baby for a reason, Liloy. He chose you to be the mother of this special life.”
Liloy stood up, drawing her hand away from Scazzarda’s. “Grandmother. . .I have to tell you about something I did,” she said quietly. “Last night, after Springtime and Showerstrom had left. . .I scheduled an appointment.” She didn’t need to say anything else; the horrified look coming into Scazzarda’s eyes told her that Scazzarda knew what she was talking about.
“Why, Liloy?” Scazzarda simply asked. She didn’t yell or get mad, but simply spoke in a soft tone. “Why?”
“I lost myself last night,” Liloy admitted. She covered her eyes with one hand. “Grandmother, I know you and many others are trying to help, but I have to do what’s best for my child. I have to do this.” She hesitated, then went on, “I know God’s laws are moral and upright, but I have to make an exception. I truly believe I have to go against my beliefs this time.”
Liloy, you don’t know what you’re saying. “When do you go?” Scazzarda braced herself for the answer.
The reply was horrific. “March 22.”
Liloy sank onto the couch and began to cry silently as Scazzarda stood up and left the cabin, tears streaming down her face as she glanced back at the snow-draped mountains. Then she got into her car, started the ignition, and drove away, never once looking back.
I just recently found out about a song by Lecrae ft. For King and Country, and it’s called “Messengers.” This song won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song at the 2015 Grammy Awards. The song is from his album “Anomaly.”
This song is amazing in that it calls us all to get to our feet and preach for Christ, and to look at our lives from a different lens and viewpoint. Time is short, but work is much. We must do what do calls us to do.
If I could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Okay, so I’m going to put a little twist on this, everyone. Does this prompt mean the “real world” we all live in, or the fictitious world you’ve conjured up in your mind? I’m going to answer the questions to both parts.
The real world – It would have to be down in Cape Town, South Africa. The prettiest beaches are there, and it’s so clean! My mom says she’d love to go there someday.
My world – Lol, this has got to be Cappy Town. I think it would be full of an awful lot of adventure, responsibility, and integrity!
So there you have it. . .my ideal place(s) to live.
God bless.
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