Breathe

Chapter Twelve - I Want To Come Back

Opal sat on her bed, her knees to her chest, tears streaming down her face. She was beyond scared. She was scared for Jalin, but also for James. He had told her horror stories about the Southside, and she didn't know what was going to happen. She had no way of getting to them, being that she lived thirty minutes from the Southside by car. No telling how far she would get even by running. She felt helpless.

She wiped her face before her eyes for some reason went to the wastebasket in her room. She went over to it and saw her old bible. It had sat there, collecting dust. She never used it and just kept her bible there, never throwing it out. With a shaking hand, she slowly reached in and picked the bible up.

"What are you doing?"  A voice in her head said. "What good is that going to do? Just put it back into the trash where it belongs."

She ignored the voice as she carried the bible to the bed with her. She took a deep breath. The voice further made her feel dumb for even picking up the bible, but she ignored it the best that she could. When she was little, she would open the bible and it would land somewhere to a verse she needed at that time. She closed her eyes as she opened the bible. When it opened, her eyes landed on Psalms 46:1. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."

She felt herself smile, though the voice in her head said "Yeah, right."

She closed it again and opened it again. Here eyes now landed on 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." She started to feel a warmness inside her and her eyes began to well up. The voice began to get quieter and quieter.

She closed the bible and opened it again, and now her eyes found 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

She took one more go at it, closed her bible, and then reopened it. It landed on what used to be her favorite scripture, one that her and her mother used to say all the time together. John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Opal felt the tears spill out of her eyes as she looked down at her bible. She could almost hear her mother saying that verse over and over and over again in her head. She looked at the bible through her tears and softly said, "God...I....I know you're real." Her voice barely above a whisper. "I know you love me...and I know you are love. I just don't want to hurt any more. I don't want to be angry all the time, I don't want to be the way I am." She picked up the bible and held it to her chest. If you just protect Jalin and James...keep them safe from all hurt, harm, and danger...I'll come back. I want to come back, I don't want to be this way anymore. I hate being this way. I want to be happy again..." She prayed and prayed until she fell asleep. For the first time in a long time, she felt at peace, even in her sleep.

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It was short, but wasn't it good? I loved writing every word of that! I don't even have much to say, that was just amazing even to write. I'm sure you guys hate me for that cliffhanger in the previous chapter. Well, don't worry, the next chapter is coming right up now. I can't just let this thing go tonight. So, stay blessed, I love y'all, and I will see you all in the next chapter.

-RoyalThaGoddess