This Is Reality

Chapter 17

I quietly left the house and ran straight towards the same woods I ran in to four years ago. My life was messing up all over again and all I could do was sit back and watch it happen. There was literally nothing left for me in my life. I would never get a good job, I mean, I dropped out of school for three years. I would never get a nice boyfriend or husband, because I wasn't good enough. I would never get my driver's license. I would never have parents. I would never be at peace with myself. As long as I was fighting with my own flesh and blood, I would never win. Stand against the wiles of the devil, and he will flee from you. I read that Bible verse just the other day. I knew God was sending this to my mind for a reason. I knew He let me read that the other day to help me when I'm fighting today's battles. I'm not wrestling with flesh and blood, I'm in a warfare with the devil, and I'm letting him win, again.

"Not today, satan," I whispered. I decided to turn this runaway into a lead my parents to Christ thing instead. I ran towards my old house. I knocked on the door. Why was I back here again? I guess I was just feeling brave today, that's all.

Bobby's POV

I did it. I got Arlene off my tail, but in doing so, I practically told her to go die. This isn't what I wanted, at all. I went to apologize, but Arlene's door was wide open and she wasn't there. I kept thinking she ran off and killed herself. This was torture. I walked back to my room and sat on the bed. I stared at the wall, thinking. What could I do to get her back? I was way too new to this relationship thing.

You can't bring her back. She killed herself.

"She didn't kill herself, she'd be too scared to pull the trigger."

She hit herself in the head with a sharp rock. She thought it was just going to knock her out and make her lose her memory, but it did way more than that.

"She would never," I was on the verge of crying. I WAS A GUY. I was tougher than this! But this thing fighting me in my head, telling me this stuff, why was it so convincing? Why was I falling for this thing's schemes?

She's gone. She committed suicide. She's dead.

I felt a hot tear drip down my face. Stand against the wiles of the devil, and he will flee from you. That Bible verse suddenly flew back to my mind. This was satan, telling me lies and trying to hurt me. I was going to resist the devil.

"Not today, satan," I whispered. I got down on my knees and cried out to the Living God.

"Jesus," the Name flew out of my mouth. I lifted my hands toward Heaven and started praising God. I knew that my battles were being fought. I knew that Jesus was going to rescue me from satan's schemes.

Commit suicide and you'll see her again in Heaven.

"Get under my feet in the Name of Jesus! I have all power and authority over you, satan, in the Name of the Lord!" I said. I opened my Bible and started reading about putting on the whole Armour of God and about how satan has to flee from us when we put it on.

After about two hours of reading my Bible and praying (don't judge!), I heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" I yelled. It was midnight already; who would be knocking on our door this late? I just hollered in the middle of the night...I wonder if I woke anyone up. Oops.

I opened the door to find Arlene, covered in bruises and water.

"What happened to you?" I asked. I grabbed a towel from the bathroom and took her to my room. I let her sit on my bed and I sat on a low stool. I could tell she was holding back tears. She wiped her face with the towel.

"I'm sorry for ruining your life, and I'm sorry for being annoying. I can't do this anymore. Everyone's been so hard on me lately and I just can't take this. I feel like dying." a tear dripped down her face.

"I didn't mean anything I said, Arlene. I was just mad and satan was defeating me." I replied. Arlene continued to silently cry.

"Stop crying. I can't stand seeing you hurt." I hugged her. She sobbed into my shoulder. "I'm going to go tell my parents everything. You know, about me being an idiot and making you run off. Go to your room and rest. You're probably tired."

"Okay," she replied softly and walked to her room. When she left the room, I walked into Mom and Dad's room.

"I made Arlene run away," I mumbled.

"You did what now, young man?" Mom said, clearly worried.

"She's back now, but she's hurt. I don't know why, but I just told her to rest. I can ask later. I said awful things to her because I was mad. We went to her old house because she wanted to see her parents and I hit her Dad because he was being an idiot and saying awful things to her. He hit me back and I got hurt. She tried to help me but I got angry and told her off for no reason. So she ran away. Then I had a long talk with God, because you know, I felt bad and I knew what I did was wrong. I still feel awful and I can't stand myself but I just wanted to tell you so you would know." I then walked away before I would get yelled at. I went to Arlene's room and stood in the doorway. She was laying on her bed. Somehow, she knew I was there without opening her eyes.

"I need help," she whispered.

"No you don't." I replied.

"Bobby," she paused and walked up to me, "there's something I've been keeping from you."