They continued walking in silence after that. Frequently, they had to stop to get their bearings back in the darkness or find another way down when debris blocked the halls. It was quiet for a while, but after some time they started to hear sounds like distant moans and cries. Kate wanted desperately to help. But she knew that it would be futile and dangerous to try and find other victims in the darkness of the unstable building. She could just pray.
Suddenly Joseph stopped and moved in front of her, blocking her view of the hall. "What is it?" Kate asked, trying to look around him. Joseph said nothing but let her push him away. Kate gasped.
A small boy lain in the hall, his blood splattered on the floors and walls. From the chest down nothing was visible; a large piece of the ceiling had cut him in half. Even in the dim light Kate could see the boy's beautiful features marred by blood and dust. It was sickening to see that a young one had died such a horrible death.
Joseph watched silently as Kate stepped forward and brushed the hair back from the dead boy's temple. She then closed her eyes as a single tear made its way down her cheek to fall on the boy's face. "Is this the work of your just and loving God? To let a boy die in vain?"
"The boy is in a better place..."
"Tell that to his parents or whoever he left behind."
"God has a plan..."
"Can't you think of a better excuse?"
"It's not an excuse, but a reason."
Kate stepped back to turn her eyes back at Joseph. Gone was the innocent light that he saw whenever she smiled, in place was the eyes of someone that had seen and been through too much for someone her age.
"We, mere humans can't possibly understand what He has in mind. If a super genius does something you find stupid or weird will you question him? Probably not, because he's the genius not you. Same goes here... Who are you to question the Almighty?"
Joseph had no answer to her rhetorical question. She kept her hard gaze on him then slowly a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Soon she let out a chuckle as a full grin bloomed. "Come on, after we get out let's go to a cozy cafe somewhere and continue this debate," she giggled, tugging lightly at his sleeve. It was amazing how she felt comfortable enough around him to do so.
Joseph found himself getting attached to this girl—and to think a few hours ago he would have just left her to die. He didn't know why, but he wanted her to keep smiling her soothing smile at him. Her jade eyes were deep with experience and pain but held a gentle light that made him forget what a bad person he was. Whenever she turned her eyes at him, she would look directly into his, seemingly to see what was inside and accept it all. And her faith; he honestly was amazed how calm she was in spite of their situation, putting her life in her God's hands.
Did she really mean what she said? Would she help him? Does he really want her help? Her God's help?
He turned slightly to glance at her. Kate caught his eyes and smiled again.
Yes. He wanted it. To be able to smile; to have a purpose. Like Kate.
They continued their trek, slowly making their way through the darkness. They found a few more bodies and Kate had stopped each time to send a prayer for those they left behind. Joseph found this amusing.
"People usually pray for the ones that died. That their soul rest in heaven."
"That's for God to decide, right? If the person doesn't believe in Jesus then no matter how many or how much we pray for him, he still won't get in. What we can do is pray for those this person left, that they may see the light."
"So... The rest that doesn't believe in Jesus go to hell? Good people that don't believe in Jesus also go to hell? Where's the fairness in that?"
"It's perfectly fair I think. God doesn't differentiate between small sins and big ones. Even the so called good people MUST have sinned some part in their life. It's hard for people to see what is so fair about that but it is. We all have sins, but through Jesus Christ we can be forgiven of them. If God accepts those that don't have their sins forgiven, where's the fairness in that?"
"Sound pretty unreal to me. So even murderers and rapist can go to heaven if they accept Jesus but good people that don't go to hell?"
"Absolutely."
"What a load of shit. That's definitely not fair."
"Actually it proves just how fair God is. Everyone has a chance, even those that sinned beyond comprehension. I had a chance and took it. You have a chance too, will you take it? God doesn't want anyone to go to hell—well maybe except the devil—and can't help it for those that don't repent. This is so it's fair for those that did and those that suffered from following Christ."
She suddenly let out a tiny laugh as she gave him a mischievous look. "After all this, I'll keep bugging you until you see the light, so you better get used to me preaching you know." Somewhere in the back of his mind, he already had.
They settled into a comfortable silence and Joseph
thought about what she said. He still didn't quite accept the whole Jesus for
salvation thing but it seemed very appealing to him. He could start over;
wasn't that what he wanted? She said that even he had a chance to go to heaven.
Oh man, he was thinking like a religious nut. This whole God, heaven, hell,
salvation thing.... But what if it's real? She seemed to believe, no, know
it's true.
Kate herself gone through a miracle and he personally found
it farfetched. Back from the dead? Well, there were medical stories about those
things happening. But what really caught his attention was how it changed her
life.
He wanted what she had, a second chance at life.
Suddenly Kate broke the silence, "Where is everyone?" They met an occasional corpse and heard some moaning and crying but they haven't met anyone alive.
"They must have evacuated, we were stuck in that elevator for some time..."
Joseph had been awake the whole time after the earthquake and listened as the sound of panicking people died down to nothing. He had felt fear at the thought of never being found and dying from lack of oxygen. He even thought Kate was dead and had moved away from her supposed corpse as far as he could. It wasn't a while later that his control snapped and he started banging and kicking at the compartment's metal walls trying to get out or get someone's attention. Eventually he settled down and accepted it all with a calm detachment.
He wanted to die, right? He had tried several times. But dying a slow death in a small compartment with a rotting corpse was not really what he had in mind. It was then he heard the girl moan lightly and shift. Taking out his lighter, he lit it to see the girl alive and aware.
The girl. Kate.
"...did you mean it?"
Kate turned her head up at him, briefly wondering what he
was asking about before realizing what he meant. His eyes met hers and she
could see the insecurity and hope behind the cool cerulean orbs. Confidently,
she reached out slightly to grasp his left hand with her fingers. Giving it a
light squeeze she answered with all the compassion she could muster,
"Yeah, I did. God and I will be there to help you."
He was a tortured soul. Kate could see it in his eyes for
those eyes mirrored her own three years ago. She knew immediately that she
wanted to help him, to drag him out of his darkness. She prayed to God for the
guidance and patience she would need.
Then suddenly they both snapped their heads up. There. There it was again, in the darkness, somewhere at the end of the hall.
"Did you hear that?" Joseph questioned; more to himself than to Kate.
"Voices!!!" she squealed, rushing by him. Sure
enough, they both could hear people talking and the sounds of sirens in the
distance. Rescuers!!
As Kate put her foot down in mid stride, the floor beneath her suddenly started
to give away. Horrified, she could only watch as a web of cracks expanded to
the walls.
"AHH!!" both Kate and Joseph gasped. The floor caved in beneath her.
Without thinking Joseph shot forward and pushed her away from the crumbling floor only to find himself falling along with it. Kate quickly spun around and reached desperately for his hands, flinging herself, and managed to get hold of his left sleeve. The floor collapsed completely, only leaving two large chunks where Kate and Joseph were. Joseph was hanging on to the smaller chunk that dangled over an abyss precariously held onto the remaining floor by the steel wiring.
He risked a glance over his shoulder. Darkness. Small sounds of debris hitting the bottom. It was a long way down; falling meant death. A ripping sound alerted the pair.
"NO!!!" Kate shouted as the sleeved she held onto ripped away causing Joseph to lose his grip and slide downwards. Grappling blindly he managed to get a desperate hold on a protruding wire at the end of the smaller chunk, effectively stopping his descent.
His weight pulled the chunks down violently and they both felt it shift dangerously before a loud cracking sound was heard. Kate felt the chunk she was on fall sharply before stopping. It didn't completely stop though and continued to crumble downwards.
'It's not strong enough for my weight,' Joseph realized. Even if she was to back off, he still would fall to his death. He also somehow knew she wouldn't leave him no matter what. Glancing up he found her reaching as far as she could go and shouting at him to take her hand.
This situation they were in.... Joseph fought the urge to smirk.
I guess...
"GIVE ME YOUR HAND!!"
God let me live that day was because I have to help you, Kate...
If he wasn't here, she would still be in the elevator, or maybe she would fall to her death. But now, he could do something about it. Funny how he felt at peace; the sense of belonging, of purpose, it was all so clear to him now.
"You have to live... And..." was he smiling? "...Help those like me..."
The words felt like a punch to her gut. She knew what he was going to do. Oh God, he can't give up now. They can make it. They will make it. Please. The tears were leaking by now, "No..."
He's insane, they can make it. Jesus please we can make it don't let him give up please please
don'tlethimgiveupnowwe'resoclosewhyishesayingthatwhywhywhy—
"DON'T SAY THAT!! Give me your hand!! I won't leave you, Joseph!!!"
Oh God, it hurts so much, anger, sadness, why is he giving up?
The floor gave another startling crack as Kate nearly lost her grip. Joseph knew it was now or never.
"The name... is Jesus...."
Kate paused, the name echoing in her mind.
"Right?"
He's smiling. A real smile. Peaceful.
Kate never felt so torn in her life. He's dying for her. Yet he has found his peace. Shutting her tear filled eyes she opened them again to give him a smile. She would like his last seconds to be able to see her smiling at him. She understood. Painfully understood. She would let him go into God's hands. Kate pushed back a sob and forced her voice from cracking.
"Yes... It is..."
The most powerful name in the universe. It is His name that saves us all.
Joseph closed his eyes as a single tear threatened to spill.
"Thank you."
I am a sinner. I call to You, please forgive my sins. You are truly the One that I can turn to. I pray, oh God, I pray.... please forgive me....
"Jesus."
And Joseph let go.
thank You for letting me meet her
All Kate could do was watch as Joseph
fell into the darkness yet be welcomed into the light.
The warm rays of the morning sun caressed her skin as she sat on a bench in the hospital's garden. Her injuries were surprisingly minor but she turned out to have a minor concussion after all and was forced to spend a few days for observation. In retrospect, she had been rambling and was more direct than her usual self—was it caused by the concussion? Tired of being stuck in the white hospital room, Kate wandered out and found herself a quiet spot to watch the clouds. Again, her mind turned to a certain blue eyed young man that had her heart breaking every time his image popped into her head.
'He died instantly I presumed... Nothing really survives after falling three floors unto jagged debris...' Kate felt another pang of sorrow in her chest, 'It's... hard to accept that he died for me... but his last words...'
The name is Jesus right?
'I'm certain we will meet again...'
She could tell he had been saved; they will definitely meet up again with the Lord in His heaven.
In her musings she didn't notice the figure that sat down beside her on the bench. The person beside her didn't say anything at first, just seemingly joining her in her cloud watching. But then he spoke in a baritone voice Kate would never, ever forget.
"You were right. His name IS powerful."
At first she didn't react, thinking it was her imagination. But it all came slamming down to her as she whipped her head to face the speaker. Hoping against hope, her eyes locked onto his. Jade against cerulean blue.
By faith in the name
of Jesus.
This man whom you see and know was made strong.
It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has given complete
healing to him,
as you can all see.
There he was. His head bandaged up heavily and his right arm in a cast, but other than that he never looked better. Alive. The word registered in her mind. Alive. She couldn't breath, couldn't blink, couldn't think. Slowly a radiant smile formed on her lips as tears of happiness and joy gathered in the corners of her eyes. Joseph smiled back, never expecting so much emotion to build up in his chest at seeing her smile again, and in broad daylight no less. She was easily the most beautiful thing he had ever set eyes on, even with the wrappings around her head and a compress on her left cheek.
Kate flung her arms around his neck, ignoring the pain the action flared up her right arm. Joseph returned the warmth, wrapping his left arm as tight as he could around her waist. She cried, he cried; tears of happiness or relief? They couldn't tell. They didn't care.
They were together again.
Brought together by the name that is above all, they would be for the rest of their lives.
Fin.