War-Faring - Friday Fiction
>> Friday, October 2, 2009
Friday Fiction is hosted today by Karlene at Homespun Expressions. War-Faring got a 2nd place EC. I didn't think it would because it's a heavy topic. The topic was up/down. For more fiction, go to Karlene's blog. Happy Friday!
War-Faring
War-Faring
A lanky youth sat on the rocky bank of a stream as his line hung lazily from a pole. Brady watched the still water and then became mesmerized by the soft ripples his toes made when he poked them gently in the water.
“How’s your mom doing, Brady,” Grandpa Joe asked.
Brady put his head down to hide tears. “Not real good but we deal with it.”
Brady reeled in his line then cast again. It made a perfect arc, up above the water, then a tiny splash back down. “Gramps, I wish life was calm like the bobber just sitting there. Think things will ever change?”
Joe cast his line as he gathered his thoughts. “We can pray, Son. We can pray.”
***
The intruder didn’t bother to enter quietly. It clanged and banged as if it owned the place. It knew no fear because it was Fear. The creature cracked its gnarled knuckles in preparation for the attack.
The victim laid in bed, curled up in a fetal position. She heard it. She knew the intruder was coming. Terror filled her soul. Every noise it made was louder than the last.
It came so close to her that she could smell its rancid breath. The monster bent down beside her. Hailey could see its face, etched with deep wrinkles and eyes that bulged. It hissed in her ear, “Where is your god now? Let’s see him stop me from doing – this!”
Claws came at her face and then grabbed her shoulders. She couldn’t fight it off. The creature let go and then reared back its hairy body and jumped.
Hailey tried to shield herself but it was too late. With each wave of pain, she grabbed her head and moaned. The being worked from the inside – it pushed and prodded – it never let go.
She whispered, “Lord, where are you? What have I done wrong?” Tears fell across her cheek onto her pillow. Hailey began to spiral down into a quick free fall.
Hailey wasn’t surprised when she plopped down into a murky lake. She had no fight left in her. No extra breath to cry out to her Lord. She sank to the bottom and there she stayed.
The creature held up his fist in victory. Doubt had been planted once again. This day was indeed a victory.
***
Brady’s eyes grew big. “Grandpa.” Brady pointed to a spot where the water splashed. He cast his line to the exact place.
Joe watched his grandson’s face turn white. “What is it, Brady?”
Brady whispered, “I’m not sure. Something’s wrong. I feel like we’re supposed to fish and pray.”
Joe didn’t understand but he trusted this young man. Together the two prayed and fished like they never had before.
***
Hailey was familiar with this place. She knew she needed to call out to God for help but she convinced herself that God truly did abandon her this time. Just when she was ready to give up hope something caught her eye. She reached up and grabbed hold of a line.
***
“I’ve got something, Gramps. It’s a big one, too. But Gramps, we gotta keep praying.”
“Brady, it’s your mom we’re praying for, right?” Joe asked as the realization hit him.
Brady never let his eyes pull away from the line. “Yes, Mom’s in trouble.”
“Son, we’re doing some spiritual war-faring, so the devil better beware.” The young and old together stormed heaven’s gates.
***
The closer to the surface Hailey got, the more her faith grew.
***
“Help me Gramps.” Brady jerked the line and a large fish soared up out of the water and hung down from the line. The boy’s knees buckled. “We did it, Gramps!”
***
Hailey burst out of the water. It refreshed her to feel the warm sun on her upturned face as she floated on her back. But then – just as suddenly as she fell, she found herself back in her darkened room.
***
Brady rushed to his mom’s side, his prized fish hanging from a stringer.
Hailey hugged her son. “It was you and Grandpa that prayed for me today, wasn’t it? I saw a line and all I had to do was reach out and grab it.”
“Grandpa said we did some spiritual warfare.” Brady smiled.
Satan’s fist of victory turned into one of defeat. He spat on the two and muttered murderous threats as he left the way he entered. “Next time…”
Authors Note:
Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
“How’s your mom doing, Brady,” Grandpa Joe asked.
Brady put his head down to hide tears. “Not real good but we deal with it.”
Brady reeled in his line then cast again. It made a perfect arc, up above the water, then a tiny splash back down. “Gramps, I wish life was calm like the bobber just sitting there. Think things will ever change?”
Joe cast his line as he gathered his thoughts. “We can pray, Son. We can pray.”
***
The intruder didn’t bother to enter quietly. It clanged and banged as if it owned the place. It knew no fear because it was Fear. The creature cracked its gnarled knuckles in preparation for the attack.
The victim laid in bed, curled up in a fetal position. She heard it. She knew the intruder was coming. Terror filled her soul. Every noise it made was louder than the last.
It came so close to her that she could smell its rancid breath. The monster bent down beside her. Hailey could see its face, etched with deep wrinkles and eyes that bulged. It hissed in her ear, “Where is your god now? Let’s see him stop me from doing – this!”
Claws came at her face and then grabbed her shoulders. She couldn’t fight it off. The creature let go and then reared back its hairy body and jumped.
Hailey tried to shield herself but it was too late. With each wave of pain, she grabbed her head and moaned. The being worked from the inside – it pushed and prodded – it never let go.
She whispered, “Lord, where are you? What have I done wrong?” Tears fell across her cheek onto her pillow. Hailey began to spiral down into a quick free fall.
Hailey wasn’t surprised when she plopped down into a murky lake. She had no fight left in her. No extra breath to cry out to her Lord. She sank to the bottom and there she stayed.
The creature held up his fist in victory. Doubt had been planted once again. This day was indeed a victory.
***
Brady’s eyes grew big. “Grandpa.” Brady pointed to a spot where the water splashed. He cast his line to the exact place.
Joe watched his grandson’s face turn white. “What is it, Brady?”
Brady whispered, “I’m not sure. Something’s wrong. I feel like we’re supposed to fish and pray.”
Joe didn’t understand but he trusted this young man. Together the two prayed and fished like they never had before.
***
Hailey was familiar with this place. She knew she needed to call out to God for help but she convinced herself that God truly did abandon her this time. Just when she was ready to give up hope something caught her eye. She reached up and grabbed hold of a line.
***
“I’ve got something, Gramps. It’s a big one, too. But Gramps, we gotta keep praying.”
“Brady, it’s your mom we’re praying for, right?” Joe asked as the realization hit him.
Brady never let his eyes pull away from the line. “Yes, Mom’s in trouble.”
“Son, we’re doing some spiritual war-faring, so the devil better beware.” The young and old together stormed heaven’s gates.
***
The closer to the surface Hailey got, the more her faith grew.
***
“Help me Gramps.” Brady jerked the line and a large fish soared up out of the water and hung down from the line. The boy’s knees buckled. “We did it, Gramps!”
***
Hailey burst out of the water. It refreshed her to feel the warm sun on her upturned face as she floated on her back. But then – just as suddenly as she fell, she found herself back in her darkened room.
***
Brady rushed to his mom’s side, his prized fish hanging from a stringer.
Hailey hugged her son. “It was you and Grandpa that prayed for me today, wasn’t it? I saw a line and all I had to do was reach out and grab it.”
“Grandpa said we did some spiritual warfare.” Brady smiled.
Satan’s fist of victory turned into one of defeat. He spat on the two and muttered murderous threats as he left the way he entered. “Next time…”
Authors Note:
Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Laury Hubrich, April 9, 2009
