Forlot: The Thanksgiving Horror - Book Fourteen

Chapter Seven

I am usually not interested in anything that involves thankfulness or anything related to it, like initiative or integrity. It is not that I am against helping people like me. It is just that the people who know criticize on my behavior! It is super annoying!

I should have started my story with the sad fact that I was not a true Christian. I do not know exactly why I did not want to have a close relationship with God. Maybe I thought that it was too good to be true. Did you believe in God when you heard the good news? I did not think so.

Maybe I did not want to lose control of my life. Who wants an invisible being - who is not really invisible - to tell what to do and what to do? Sounded just like slavery when I first heard this rule, and last time that I checked, slavery was abolished in America.

What the most disappointing thing that came out of Christianity is...church. Oh. My. Gosh. Although that I am a Christian now, I still despise church and how it is set up. Churches make my blood boil whenever I see them.

You readers are probably asking, "Steven, what is the matter with churches? Most of them help individuals and their communities spread God's Word and with any problems that they might be having."

I agree that churches can be a good thing if the focus is on God. Not on money. Not on power. Only God. I will not pretend that the scam churches do not exist in our world. Those kinds of churches should be shut down. Regardless whether the church is true or false, they all have one thing in common. All of them have the same setup. You get what I am saying? Churches have the same flippin' setup.

How the majority of churches go about spreading the Word is sickening. If the church helps you get closer to God, then that is fantastic! But you have to realize that church is not for all Christians. People will come to the Father in different ways, and that is nothing to be ashamed of. As long as you reach the goal, that is all that matters.

I know that I should stop ranting, but I would like to add one more thing. Have you been told that you are not a Christian if you do not attend church? That is a bunch of bull. You do not have to go to church every Sunday to be a real Christian. Somebody who goes to church and does good deeds for others is not always a Christian. If Jesus is not in your heart, how else do you think that you can go to Heaven?

I raised an eyebrow and said, "What the heck are you talking about, Emily? What do you mean that I could end up like them?"

"I did not say that you could end up like them. I said that you will end up like them if you continue on this path," Emily corrected.

"What path?"

"The path that you are on as we speak. I am warning you, Steven. If you do not start being a little grateful for the people and things in your life...well, let us say that I did not warn you."

I let out a snicker. "Oh. Now I understand where you are going with this."

"Y-you do?"

"Yep." I gave her a playful slap on the arm. "How can I be so stupid? You are playing a prank on me."

"What? No."

I nodded. "Nice try, Emily, but I cannot be tricked so easily."

I watched as her eyebrows slowly narrowed. "Steven, I am not playing any prank on you. You should know that by now. You and I have been the best of friends for a long time. We know each other like the backs of our hands."

"Okay...where are you exactly going with this?"

Emily facepalmed. "I am not the kind of person who pranks others, especially you, Steven, because we are best friends. I would never want to prank somebody who has no respect for me anyway."

"I do not know why you would in the first place. Who would want to waste a good prank on somebody who does not respect you?"

"My gosh, Steven. I am referring to you!"

I placed a finger over my lips and shushed her. "You need to keep your voice down. My mother needs her rest."

Emily tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and glanced at the clock. "I had better get going, Steven. I need to get home before dark."

"You sure that you cannot stay for a while?"

"I am absolutely sure. But before I go, I want to give you this." She reached into her backpack and pulled out a hardcover book. "I bought this book last week, but...I think that you need it more." She gave me the book. "Promise me that you will read it."

I held out the book by my thumb and finger. "Why in the world would you give me a book? You know how much I hate reading."

"You have not even tried reading."

"Yes, I have. Remember that Forlot book that we had to read for class?"

"You only read one sentence on the first page. And it was not even the first sentence!"

"Is it my fault that I despise reading?"

She balled her hands into tight fists and brought her face close to mine. "If you do not read this book from the first page to the last...you will not survive before Thanksgiving."

"Emily?"

Without saying another word, she stormed out of the room. I let out a sigh.

"Something tells me that she is ticked," I said.

I looked at the book's cover. I read the title out loud.

"'What Happens When You Are Not Thankful.'"

Should I be worried?