Calling

“I didn’t see that one coming,” Mark said as he looked at each expression on the others' faces. Then he turned back to Lucas. He found it hard to believe that a small fellow just took out four men double his size by himself. “You amaze me,” is all he could say.

           Lucas looked at Mark with an exhausted look after just having a physical altercation. He looked at the others, who all had a stunned look on their faces. He figured all of them were thinking about how a skinny, young man who was a foot shorter than most men could take out ruffians of that size.

           “Looks like it was a good thing you hung back from the rest of us,” said Nevin as he walked up to Lucas and patted him on the shoulder. “It would have been bad news for us if you weren’t there.”

           There were seven of them in the group. Mark was the one considered the leader. Then there was Nevin, Brock, Lisan, Stacie, Nicholas, and Lucas.

           Seven souls who had just survived the sinking of the ship they were on, heading to a pleasant location. They survived by getting on a lifeboat and making it to shore. None of them saw any other lifeboat in the water, and considering how quickly the ship went under there was a good chance they were the only survivors. Now, they were travelling to dangerous lands, trying to make it to a small outpost to safety. An outpost Mike knew about due to studying areas along the route to their destination.

           “How did you learn to fight?” asked Nevin.

           “I never learned the practice,” replied Lucas in a soft voice.

           “Then how did you take out these men?”

           “They appeared. I prayed for strength and guidance, and moments later they are on the ground.”

           “Oh boy,” said Brock in disgust. “You are one of those religious nuts.”

           Mark looked at Brock with anger. He was not much into religion, but he at least respected ones who believed.

           “This religious nut just saved our lives,” said Lisan, looking at Lucas with sympathy.

           “Whatever,” replied Brock, turning away.

           “Let’s move on before other ruffians show up,” said Mark.

           The group moved on, with Mark leading the group and Lucas in the back. At first, Mark thought of telling Lucas to move to the middle of the group but maybe it was best if he stayed back a ways if he had God beside him. Guardian angels to save all of them.

           “Why were we stuck on this piece of treacherous land?” asked Brock at one moment. “Maybe we should have Lucas ask his God.”

           “Shut up,” replied Lisan.

           “We all need to remain quiet,” said Mark, looking back at each of them.

           The sun soon set as they traveled through the woods. Thankfully, there was somewhat of a path, and their leader, Mark, knew for the most part what direction to go.

           “We won’t make it there tonight,” Mark told them as the darkness started to settle in. “We will need to find a suitable spot and settle down. Luckily, it is the middle of summer since we do not have much to cover ourselves.”

           Eventually, they found a spot, and each one of them found a spot to lie down. Some of them grabbed a stick or two they could use against any enemies that might show up. Nicholas had a small kit from the lifeboat containing first aid and some food to eat. He handed out the little bit of food from the kit to each one.

           “Only eat half now,” said Mark. “The other half tomorrow. We should reach safety later in the day.”

           “Maybe our friend Lucas can have his God rain down some food,” said Brock in a teasing voice.

           “You have a beef with God,” said Nevin.

           “All of us should have a beef,” replied Brock in anger. “The ship we were on sunk. My brother lost, probably dead.”

           “And you think God did all of this?” asked Lisan.

           “Maybe not the cause, but he sure didn’t help save everyone,” spouted out Brock, looking at the shadow of Lucas in the darkness “Why not? Answer me that, little man, if you are such good friends with God?”

           “Free will causes heartache that we are experiencing,” Lucas timidly responded. “Humanity likes to do things their way.”

           “So your God is taking a backseat as chaos ensues due to humanity's corruptness?” asked Brock.

           “He is always there to help if you decide to ask him.”

           “I have heard plenty cry out to him with no results. So I have trouble believing God will always come to the rescue.”

           “None of us know the full picture,” said Lucas. “lives are lost because of living in a fallen world. And who knows how many times God has stepped in to save us, but we will never know until we go to paradise.”

           “A world created by a loving God,” said Brock in a huff. Sure.”

           “Time to go to sleep, Brock,” said Mark. “So quiet it down.”

           All of them tried to fall asleep knowing there was danger all around them and trying to get comfortable on an unyielding ground. Exhaustion eventually took each one of them.

           The darkness dissipated and light made its appearance, waking up each one of them.

           “Let’s get to safety,” said Mark as each one finished off their food and took care of business.

           They moved on as quickly as they could, trying not to trip over limbs and bushes. They did not get far when Lucas suddenly appeared from behind a bush in front of them. The group stopped abruptly with a gasp or a scream. Nicholas swung his stick but was able to stop inches away from Lucas’s head.

           “I thought you were behind us,” said Mark, walking up to Lucas.

           “I took care of another ruffian that was close by,” replied Lucas.

           They all looked at him in disbelief.

           “We need to hurry,” said Lucas. “A large group is behind us.”

           “Let’s move out then,” said Mark. “And pray we make it.”

           They started at a fast pace. Unfortunately, it meant more stumbling. Nevin fell smacking his knee on a fallen tree limb, crying out in pain. Nicholas and Brock helped him up and carried him along as best as they could.

           “We are almost there!” Mark shouted back.

           They hurried on until they came out into a clearing. A concrete wall was fifty feet away.

           “Hurry!” he called out and started running.

           The others followed. Then Nevin fell, taking the other two men. They quickly got up, but then suddenly Lucas rushed over and pushed Brock back to the ground just as a shot rang out. Lucas fell beside Brock with a grunt. Moments later, shots rang out from the top of the wall, taking out the enemy. Brock saw that Lucas was hit so he picked him up and carried him until they made it inside the outpost. Once inside, Brock laid Lucas on the ground and checked to see if he was still alive. He was, but by looking at the wound he would not last long.

           “You saved my life,” Brock said.

           “It was my calling to save your life,” whispered Lucas. “You have a gift that will save many.”

           After those words, Lucas died as Brock looked upon him trying to digest what he just said.

           Eventually, the group was saved and taken to safety. Brock’s life changed that day, and he became a speaker to the lost. The days of anger and doubt that haunted his younger days changed into love and hope.