KEEPING THE FAITH

ＳＥＶＥＮ

JULIUS

The alarm on my windowsill starts beeping like crazy, which makes me wake up with a start.
It read 7:30 A.M. , so I sit up and reach out to turn it off.
I stand up and get dressed, fix my room up a bit, and close the door behind me.
As I make myself some breakfast, I decide I would watch the footage from last night to this morning.
Sometimes she would have nightmares, which makes me worry about her. I want to make sure she slept okay last night.
I couldn't really see anything, so I turn night-vision mode on and sit down to eat my breakfast.
I wait for a while, and nothing happens. I finish breakfast, and when I'm about to put my plate and utensils in the sink, a scream I know too well makes me drop the plate at my bare feet.
It breaks when it hits my foot, and blood starts to trickle down to the laminated floor. Shards of glass are surrounding my feet.
I rush over to the screen, despite the pain shooting through my foot, and see that her quilt and pillow are on the floor.
She's sitting up, panting very heavily and clenching the bed with her fists.
Then someone swings the door open.
It was Tee.
"Kedah! What's wrong? Are you okay?"
He kneels down in front of her. He looks very alerted and worried.
"Y-yeah...yeah sorry. It was just....it was just a nightmare. But it was really bad this time. I'm so sorry for waking-"
He reaches over and hugs her.
He hugs her.
And Kedah hugs him back.
Shocked at the sudden gesture, I scoot closer to the screen.
He pulls away slightly and asked, "You wanna talk about it?"
His tone seemed to go a lot lower that it was a few minutes ago.
He's too close to Kedah.
I didn't like it a bit.
"Uh-uhh...it...it was stupid, really. Don't worry about-"
Then he kisses her.
Something I never felt before is rising up in my chest.
He pulls away and says,
"I...I'm so sorry. I should've known that you...I mean I'm pretty sure that-"
She pulls him by the shirt towards her and kisses him back.
She kisses him back.
I turn it off.
The feeling from earlier spreads from my chest to my hands to the bottom of my feet like wildfire.
My head is spinning. My body is weak, and yet I have a burning, hot energy throughout my entire being.
For a moment, I stand there, my hand on the table, holding myself up.
I couldn't believe it.
Did Kedah not love me anymore?
Maybe she thinks I have moved on to someone else. Maybe she just feels lonely. I mean, I would if I was cooped up in some creepy lab for 10 years.
But then....
No....
She doesn't love me anymore. Of course. She's in love with Tee now.
I should just...not go today. I won't go at all. What's the point? She's with Tee now. I'm sure he can take care of her.
Right then.
I'll tell Malachi now. She's happy with him now, why should I go find her and separate her from Tee?
I want her to be happy.
I quickly and thoughtlessly clean up the mess and my foot, and as I am about to walk out the door, I stop.
There, on a small table next to the threshold, is Kedah's turmeric yellow scarf.
I still remember the day I got it for her.
She was so happy. We almost...
I pick it up.
It's still so soft.
Then I remember something.
She wants to be free.
I know it. She doesn't want to be in there any longer. It doesn't matter if they kissed. I have to get her out of there, no matter what happens.
"No," I say, "I have to go. Whatever happens, happens."
I hear a three-note beep from the disk on the table.
I turn, and then I see Kelligan's face, completely blank of any emotion.
"Congratulations, Julius Jones. You have overcome your first temptation."
Then, the screen is gone.
I stand there in shock.
Was that really one of them?
I walk over to the table and grab the disk, then walk out to meet Malachi and the others at the church before I leave.
~•~

As I open the glass door of the church, I see everyone there.
Malachi, Gad, Pastor Steele, Meraina, Irena, Mauricio, Bryce, Chad, Joel, my mother and siblings, even Gracie were all standing there, and they clap as I enter.
Pastor Steele walks up to me and put his arm over my shoulders.
"Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here today to say goodbye once more to Julius Jones as he goes on a quest to retrieve the other Light, Kedah Bernstad, a dear and close friend to all of us."
Their faces drop slightly at the mention of her name.
"We will all miss him and keep him in our prayers. For safety and strength only God can provide. Irena, why don't you sing us a little something before he leaves?"
She wipes her face and starts to compose herself.
God is my refuge,
God is my strength.
I will not worry, though my world trembles and shakes.
I will be still,
I will be weak,
Knowing that Jesus is here with me.
We sing it a few times, then stop. The first people that come up to me is my family.
My mother hugs me tight, then gently grabs my face and wipes away tears I didn't know fell.
"Please be careful, my son."
"I will, Mom. Thank you."
She steps aside, and all of my siblings embrace me in a group hug. We exchanged sweet words and promises.
Then my friends came up to me and embraced me, Meraina, of course, acting as tough as ever, and Irena sobbing and saying incoherent words.
Mauricio and the boys pat my back holding back tears, and Gracie smiles. It's wasn't genuine. It was the smile she makes when she's being polite, which is completely different from her genuine smile.
The last one to come up to me was Gad.
He's standing as straight as a soldier, his facial exrpression prideful and hard. But his green eyes deceive him. They're glassy and full of tears.
I walk up to him slowly.
I crouch down a bit and look at him in the eyes.
That's when he broke.
He jumps into my arms, embracing me with his whole body. He sobs into my shoulder as I hughim tight.
After a while, he lets go and I set him down, my hands on his shoulders.
"Gad, listen to me, okay? I know you don't want to say goodbye again. Is it because of what happened the last time?"
He nods slowly.
"I will come back. You will see Kedah again. I know God will be with me to give me strength. All I ask of you is to keep me in your prayers, and to never, ever lose hope or faith in Jesus. Promise?"
He wipes his eyes and replies, "Yes, Julius. I promise."
"Good."
I straightened, then see Malachi approach me.
"Your first destination is the train station. Take the train that goes to B.C. , Canada, and wait for me there. I will be there briefly to tell you what to do next. That's what I will do with every place you have to go."
Surprised, I ask, "What about Gad? It will take you a long time to get there, and Gad will be alone for a long time."
He chuckled.
"Julius, have you forgotten what I am?"
Oh.
Oh.
Oops.
Embarrassed, I said, "Sorry, Malachi."
"It's alright, Julius. Be careful, okay?"
"I will."
As I walk out the doors, I hear the goodbyes of everyone.
"Godspeed!" I hear Gad yell.
Yes, Godspeed, I think.