Chapter 6-Journey Complete

The elegant wagon smoothly cruised through mud and over sticks. It had been three long days. Abigail was bursting with happiness and excitement.

“I can’t believe it! We’re almost in Canada!”

“Yes, we’ll arrive soon, I believe”, Marcus confirmed. Abigail settled down, closed her eyes, and imagined an amazing future with a wealthy husband, a mansion, luxurious wagons, beautiful clothes, and other things she could only dream about. The wagon then halted to a sudden stop.

“Well, here we are!” Marcus announced.

He jumped out of the wagon and offered a hand to Abigail. She gladly accepted it and gingerly stepped down from the wagon. She then took a deep breath and confidently walked toward the mission compound’s large entrance doors. She then came to a sudden stop.

“I forgot to thank Marcus!” She quickly whirled around and ran toward the end of the road only to find vacant the spot where Marcus had just been. “He was just here!” Abigail exclaimed, extremely confused. Suddenly, she recalled a story her mother had told her…

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Ma snuffed out the lantern, their only source of light in the small cabin. “Ma?” “Yes, sweetie?”

“Can you tell me a story tonight?” Abigail plopped down on the rough burlap sack.

“Of course! One day, in Africa, when I was a little girl, I was in the forest, picking some wild berries and other plants to eat.” Ma chuckled as she recalled the memory. “I saw a gorgeous butterfly and decided to chase it!”

“That’s like me!” Abigail giggled.

“Yes, when I was your age, I was very curious. But, as I was following the butterfly, I tripped over a log and right beneath a beehive.”

Abigail’s eyes grew wide. “Oh no! Did you get stung a lot?”

“I didn’t. I prayed. Then, a muscular-looking man came and told me solemnly to get up and run away as fast as I could. I asked, ‘Why?’ But he ignored my question. So I ran.” Ma’s voice started to break. “I heard screams of children and women and gunshots and saw dead men, their blood spilling on the ground. My tribe was being attacked by a powerful enemy tribe. I hid behind the bushes and watched the terrible scene in horror. I…I saw m-my father killed.” Suddenly, Ma broke down in tears. “If it wasn’t for that stranger…”

Abigail hugged her mother and silently comforted her. “What happened to him?” Abigail quietly asked.

“He disappeared. I think he was an angel. But,” Ma sighed and stared at the window, although it was a moonless night. “I’ll never be sure of that until I can ask Jesus in heaven.” In that moment, in Abigail’s six-year-old heart, anger and bitterness swirled around. How could a loving God let Ma see her father and the rest of her tribe die? Abigail then vowed that she would never believe in the God of her parents.

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The familiar bitterness hit her like a car. So maybe it was an angel. But I still won’t believe in this cruel God. Never. She dismissed her previous prayer as foolish desperation. But still, there was a nagging thought in her mind. Abigail shoved that thought to the back of her mind, then marched to the entrance doors of the mission compound.

When she got inside, she was warmly greeted by the staff. The lobby was a cheery orange and cream. Her anger disappeared as she approached a tall lady writing something at her desk. “Hello! I’m Abigail.”

The lady looked up and smiled. “Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there. My name is Rosa. We’ve been waiting for you!” She handed Abigail a blue piece of paper with a number on it. Abigail assumed that her room number was on her paper.

“Thank you!” she politely replied. Feeling as though she was walking on clouds, she skipped out of the building and immediately spotted a family strolling by. The couple seemed to be talking and laughing and a little girl was beside them, picking flowers and handing them to her grateful mother. She heaved a sigh and opened her locket necklace. Abigail gazed longingly at the picture of her mother and father’s wedding. “I miss you, Mama and Papa.” A tear escaped and slowly trickled down her face.

After a while, she closed her necklace and accidentally walked right into a black man, dropping her necklace. “Oh, um, I-I’m so sorry, uh, sir.” she stuttered. She stooped down to retrieve her necklace at the same time as the stranger and their hands brushed. For a moment their eyes locked then Abigail quickly lowered her gaze. Her stomach was filled with butterflies as the man got up and introduced himself.

With a coy grin, he said, “Oh, it’s alright.” He extended his hand. “I’m David Becker!”

“Um, Abigail Augustine,” she replied shyly.

David then cleared his throat. “I must be going now. I suppose I’ll see you around?” He raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Uh, yeah.” Abigail knew her cheeks were flaming red.

“Alright then!” And with that, he winked at Abigail and left. She stared dreamily at David until he was a speck. Then, she scolded herself, saying, “Don’t get too attached. He was probably just flirting.” But just the thought of David made her blush.