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"He did try to break up a fight, Father," reminded Mrs.
Anderson.
"True enough," he sighed, "I want to be fair to the man, but we must
judge him by his fruit. Did you really follow that boy... what was his name again?
Mikey? did you really follow Mikey under a dark underpass?" Mr. Anderson asked,
hoping that maybe he had misunderstood his daughter. Hannah nodded, wondering herself,
how she could do something so dangerous. Mr. Anderson ran his fingers through his
hair, and sat back down on the sofa. "Mother, we taught our kids to act upon
the leading of the Holy Spirit. While I would not encourage everyone to follow strangers
under dark underpasses, if you are led of God to do it, then so be it!"
"You've always been a good girl, Hannah," smiled her mother. "When
you were a child, you always brought home the oddest hurt animals." Mr. Anderson
laughed heartily.
"I think we should thank God for protecting our daughter, Father," suggested
Mrs. Anderson. Together, they bowed their heads and thanked Jehovah for His protection
and peace. Afterward, Mrs. Anderson helped Hannah prepare the downstairs guest room.
The downstairs guest room had two windows, one facing North, and the other facing
East. When the house was originally built, a door was added under the stairway that
opened to the guest room. When Hannah was a little girl, this room had always been
a favorite place to play during rainy days.
"Hannah," asked her mother, as they left the guest room, "do you know
if Daniel is a Christian?"
"I don't think so, Mom."
"Then you are not in love with him, I hope?" Hannah was surprised by her
mother's frankness.
"No, I am not. Did something I say or do, make you think otherwise?" asked
Hannah, curiously.
"You don't act like you are in love, no. But, there is something that you haven't
told us yet. Am I correct, Hannah?" Hannah smiled in amazement at her mother's
perception.
"There is something, yes. But, it has nothing to do with Daniel." Mother
and daughter sat down together on one of the bottom steps of the staircase. Hannah
then told her mother about Mr. Hanley.
"I'm glad you turned him down, Honey," smiled Mrs. Anderson. "So,
you are home to stay?" she asked, hopefully.
"For now, Mom."
"Well, that answer will do... for now," replied Mrs. Anderson.
"I don't see Daniel in the back of your car, Beth," announced Mr. Anderson
from the front door.
"Don't worry," replied Hannah, getting up from her seat on the staircase,
"he couldn't have gone far." She stepped onto the porch beside her father
and scanned the countryside.
"Why do you think he walked off, Beth?" asked Mr. Anderson.
"I never know why he does anything. I'll go look for him," she said, stepping
down from the porch, "he shouldn't be walking around."
"Do you want any help, Beth?" Mr. Anderson called out after her. But Hannah
did not hear her father's question. She was too busy scolding herself for leaving
Daniel alone. The pasture surrounding the small hill, revealed for miles, that it
was empty. However, there was a pond a few feet away from the base of the hill. Thick
foliage crowded around it, drinking up the abundant water supply. It was the only
place Daniel could be. Hannah followed the little path that led to the water's edge.
There, she found Daniel, silently standing beside the still water. His eyes were
fixed upon the fish that would occasionally disturb the glassy surface, creating
soft ripples. Hannah let out a sigh of relief, and stepped forward to look into the
pond also. Daniel saw Hannah's reflection on the water, and turned to leave. But,
as he did so, he winced with pain. Hannah looked at his shirt. Blood soaked the area
around his wound. |
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