THE DEATH BOARD

Sally slowly added another tally mark to the five already there. Four more days before death, she had always used this board for her groceries, now it was her death board. She walked into the living room and sat on the couch, she was so exhausted. These last few days all she wanted to do was sleep. She didn’t have to think about death when she was asleep. Death should come quickly. She had suffered loss before but it was a phone call, your mother had a heart attack, your father had a stroke, your husband was killed in a wreck. Those times were extremely hard but she had made it through becoming a little stronger each time. Waiting for death was different, especially when it was your daughter’s death you were waiting on. "Oh , Ashley I can’t lose you, not this way, not in the electric chair." Her daughter had killed her husband after he had beaten her and then started beating her daughters. The judge didn’t understand or didn’t care. He said because Ashley shot Kevin in the back it wasn’t self defense as she had pleaded, so he sentenced her to die. In four days she would die, so Sally counted down the days on her death board. She lay back and slowly closed her eyes and went to sleep.

                       The clock chiming the hour woke Sally up. She rubbed her eyes and focused on the clock, it was three, time for the bus to bring the girls home. She was surprised she had slept so late. She jumped up off the couch and ran out on the porch and down the steps.

                        The girls were running up the driveway shouting, “we’re home Grandma.”

                        Sally reached for the girls and gave them a big hug, "I am so glad your home. Let's go into the kitchen and I’ll fix you a snack.”

                           They went into the kitchen and the girls sat down at the bar while Sally fixed their snack. The girls were twins but they didn't” share the same birthday. April was born on April thirtieth and May was born on May first ten minutes apart. Ashley had always been happy that they could each have their own special birthday. She always gave each of them a party of their very own. Kevin had always said it was a waste of money. This year she had asked Sally to give them their parties, since Ashley couldn’t do it herself, April the 30th was the day Ashley was to die. Ashley and her lawyer had pleaded with the judge to change the date because of the girl’s birthdays, but he refused, saying it was too late to change the date. Sally believed he just didn’t care. Thankfully the girls who were only five, didn’t understand. She had told them their mother had to go away and that she would take care of them. They had cried but had not questioned her about why their mother left and where she was. Sally thanked God they didn’t, but she knew someday they would.

                                Sally spent the next few days reading her bible and praying for Ashley and the girls . Ashley's lawyer was trying to get a pardon from the governor. So she prayed everyday that the governor would. When she thought she didn’t have the strength to make it through the day, she turned to Philippians 4;13. She had read this verse so many times she could quote it “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This was her verse, she quoted it to herself every time she thought she couldn’t take another day. God and her girls were what she lived for. She had to be strong because April and May needed her. God would see her through. She stayed busy preparing for the parties and everyday she added one more tally mark to the death board, today she would add the last. It was April 30th and at midnight her only child would die. She could only wonder if she had realized what Kevin was doing to Ashley and the girls would things have been different. Ashley and her family had lived three hours away. Sally only went on special occasions, a few times she had seen bruises on Ashley and the girls but Ashley always shrugged it off saying it was an accident She had seemed so happy and Sally had wanted to believe everything was fine. Well, everything wasn’t fine. She knew that now.

Today, she would add the last tally mark but she couldn't bring herself to add it yet, she would wait. 

                                 All the children began to arrive for April’s party. April and May were both so excited. Sally watched them as they played games with their friends. They were having a wonderful time, they didn’t know what was happening. She was glad they were happy. She was trying to enjoy the party herself, but couldn't get her mind off Ashley. When she realized they were running out of juice drinks, she went into the kitchen to get some more. She knew in her heart it was time ro add the last tally mark. It was going to happen whether she put the tally mark on or not, but she felt she had to complete what she had started. She slowly picked up the marker and turned toward the board. She let the marker drop to the floor as she realized the board was white, the tally marks were gone. She didn’t understand who would have erased her tally marks, the girls never bothered the board. She couldn't understand what had happened. "Who erased my tally marks", She questioned aloud. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.

                                   “ I erased the tally marks,” John, Ashley’s lawyer said.

                                    “But why,” she said. 

                                    “Because the governor gave Ashley a full pardon.

                                    She couldn’t believe it, Ashley wasn’t going to die today. She looked back at the death board. It was white as snow, it reminded her of how Christ’s blood had washed away her sins when she was baptized and now she was white as snow just like the death board. She and Ashley and the girls had a chance at a new beginning together. God had seen them through.