Chapter Seven
“I just cannot get over the fact that you’re here,” Jeremiah said while we sat at the table.
“And vice versa,” I said, eating the addictive marshmallows. “How did you end up becoming a teacher in Group B?”
“When I was old enough, the school board came looking for anyone who would like to qualify as a teacher. I took the exam and got a score that got me a slot in Group B. Mark and Matthew is teaching in Group A.”
“That is a relief to know. What about Luke and Michael?” I asked; I was happy, so happy to be with my brother again.
“Actually, it’s been around five years since I last saw them,” Jeremiah replied apologetically. “They were not old enough to take the exam.”
“Oh.”
I looked at the squashed marshmallow that I had been playing with, and popped it in my mouth.
“Who was that boy you were with?” he went on; taking a drink of the coffee Grace had brought him.
“That was Joshua,” I replied, “he’s new to Group D, not mention he was going to be a participant in the Assembly.”
“I guess that mean I will be your mentor in the events. That is why I am here.”
I smiled, “I am going to need all the help I can get,” I said.
At that moment, Mr. Clarkson entered the dining room with Mr. Crowley.
“Faith,” said Mr. Clarkson, holding out a small box. “This is for you, and I would like for you to wear it at the Assembly. Wear it with dignity.”
I took the box and opened the lid. Inside was a necklace on a simple gold chain, with one charm on it. The charm had an engraving on it, which said: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
“It is yours to keep,” Mr. Clarkson went on, taking the necklace and putting it around my neck. “I know how Miss Bertrum does not allow the students to have trinkets such as these. Believe these words, Faith; Miss Bertrum will be handled accordingly. Now Jeremiah, if you will come with me, I shall brief you on the current situation.”
Jeremiah kissed the top of my head and followed them out of the room. Grace was the only one left, besides me.
“Where is Joshua?” I asked as she cleared the mugs.
“Mr. Clarkson asked him to leave while you were reunited with your brother,” she replied. “He may be in the den; you can join him, if you wish.”
“OK, thank you.”
I stood and went out of the dining room.
When I entered the den, I found it vacant. I decided to go see if Joshua was in the library, but he was not there either. I could not think of where else he could be, so I went scouting all the rooms. I searched the whole downstairs when I came to a door. Inside was a staircase that went down another level. There was a light on and I went to investigate.
“Faith, look at this!” Joshua said; he was seated at a computer desk with a guitar.
“What?” I asked, grabbing the chair next to him.
“Check this out! This guitar is connected to the program in the computer. I can play any chord sequence, and the program can find every song ever created, that have the same chord sequence and strumming pattern.”
He played a few chords on the guitar, and immediately the screen was full of results. However, these were old song titles and artists, I had never heard of them before.
“Who the heck is One Direction?” I asked, examining the five men in one of the pictures; they were quite handsome, however.
“Never heard of them before now,” Joshua replied, scrolling down the page. “Hey look! What Faith Can Do.”
“Speaking of which, I now have to sing that alone.”
“No, I still perform with you. Mr. Clarkson said the point was to make you the center of the performance. He spoke to me while you were catching up with your brother. Speaking of that, how did it go?”
I smiled, “He’s been well off,” I said with a sigh. “The twins are teaching at Group A, but the other two he has not seen for a while. I’m sure they are fine.”
He nodded and the cleared the page of results.
“Mr. Crowley is going to take me to the graveyard tomorrow,” Joshua said, opening an internet browser. “From there he is going to take to where he has been bringing the other students. We won’t be seeing each other until the Assembly.”
“Now that is totally not cool,” I said quietly. “I will be an emotional wreck! You won’t be around if I wake from a nightmare.”
“Faith, you are such a worry-wart. You are going to be fine. You know what, pick up that guitar.”
I picked up the guitar and pulled the shoulder strap over my head.
Within a matter of minutes, Joshua had taught me how to play ‘What Faith Can Do’.
“Play that whenever you feel like you are at the end of your rope,” he said. “Pray, give it all up to Jesus, and play that song. Learn it on piano with Joy, too.”
I smiled “Okay,” I said.
“OK, now let’s find some other song we can play.”
Joshua and I played for hours with the computer program, and we were able to find out what our voice range was. That way we were able to sing together. I was glad to have Joshua as a friend, although no one would ever replace Lukan.
~ * ~
I was walking around the school graveyard, looking at the tombstones of the students that had passed away. I could not find Lukan’s anywhere. Someone was trimming the almost dead leaves on the bushes that were planted around the graves. He had short, dirty-blond hair, and he was almost as tall as Jeremiah. He wore a gardener’s uniform.
“Are you lost?” he asked, in a friendly voice.
“Yes and no,” I replied, walking slowly towards him. “One of my friends is supposedly buried here, but I cannot find his name.”
“Ah, I see. . . It could be that this friend you seek is not here at all. This friend of yours, he feared God?”
I nodded, “Though he was young, he was a firm believer.”
“What was his name?”
Though I did not know this young man, there was a light in his eyes. The Light of Christ.
“His name was Lukan,” I said, smiling at the stranger.
He smiled back, suddenly he was grinning. It was such a goofy grin, it made me laugh.
“You don’t recognize me, do you?” he asked, putting down the garden shears.
“Not really,” I replied, “but I will say that you seem to know who I am.”
“I do; in fact, I never forget a face Faith.”
Suddenly it hit me like a wave; I did know him. I knew his face.
“Luke!” I shouted and ran to him.
My brother laughed and gave me a squeeze, spinning us around.
“You’ve grown so much!” he said before setting me back on the ground.
“Me? You’ve grown so much!” I said, giving him a light shove. “Oh! Have you seen Michael? Is he alright?”
Luke smiled and nodded over my head. I turned around to see a boy, not much older than myself, walking towards us. He had curly brown hair; slightly taller than Luke, the boy wore a similar uniform.
“Faith!” he shouted as I jumped into his arms. “You are all grown up!”
“So are you!” I laughed as both my brothers squeezed me in a big bear hug.
I spent hours catching up with my brothers; it was late in the evening. There came a point that I was exhausted and I was falling asleep. Though I was completely out of it, I could still hear the exchange of conversation.
“She came looking for Lukan,” Luke was saying. “I changed the subject.”
“It is good that you did,” Michael said; he was rubbing my arm. “Isn’t that right, pal?”
“Yes,” replied a new, unknown voice. “Mr. Crowley said that she takes it the hardest whenever he would take another student. Let her sleep, she will know soon enough.”
“Yeah,” Luke said, “but I wish we could tell her.”
“So do I,” I felt Michael tighten his arm around me. “We’ve missed her terribly, specifically you.”
“I know,” the newcomer said. “If either of you had seen her face that day. . .” the voice broke. “She was heartbroken. The look on her face, the tears in her eyes. . .the anguish in her voice. It tore me apart to have been taken in such a manner.”
Whoever was speaking was now crying. I felt a shaky hand holding my cheek, but I was falling into a deeper sleep and couldn’t comfort whoever it was. I began to will myself awake.
~ * ~
“Don’t cry!” I shouted as I sat up.
I was in my room, at Mr. Clarkson’s house. Had it all only been a dream? I jumped out of bed and ran out of my room, knocking on Joshua’s door. When he didn’t answer, I went in. The room was empty.
“Joshua?” I said, walking up to the empty bed.
Had he and Mr. Crowley already left? I took a deep breath. Trying to hold back the tears, I walked over to the window. The sun was just peeking out over the hills. A new start, a brand new day.