Obadiah

One

Springfield,
Pennsylvania
1852

The bed creaked as he stumbled into it, shaking, in tears, afraid.

It was dark.

He was alone.

Vulnerable.

Horrified.

Hopeless.

It'd been going on for what seemed like his entire life.

There wasn't a day he could look back and not see the pain he'd been subjected to.

Would it help to cry out to God?

Would He finally hear and send deliverance?

No.

The boy was only eleven years old, but he knew that God wouldn't just come down and save him.

He would've done so when it first began.

Still, he lay horrified.

It would happen again in the morrow.

He couldn't focus on his studies.

Teacher Hannah was gracious and patient with him, but not even she, with her kindness, could settle his mind long enough for him to grasp her teachings.

When he was away for schooling, his mind pondered when it would happen, when he was home, he awaited the cruel evil to fall upon him.

There was not a moment when fear didn't cripple him.

He couldn't read more than a few words, and he could write less than that.

There was indeed no hope for him.

His body shook as the door slammed shut, noting that it would end, for now.

And still, when morning's vicious light appeared, torture would return.

He never knew when it would happen.

He only dreaded it with his entirety.

As his heart and body cried out for mercy, he tugged at his hair, grateful for a distracting feeling.

For just a moment.

This couldn't go on.

He was a child, but he knew it couldn't go on.

If the Lord wouldn't save him, he would have to save himself.

Though his body ached and his mind screamed within him, the boy shakily raised himself from the creaking bed, and slowly stuffed his school bag with clothes.

A sharp pain in his thigh caused him to cry out.

Tears filled his eyes, but he didn't stop.

He couldn't.

The nightmares would never end if he stayed.

He swiped away his tears and looked at the Bible Teacher Hannah gave him.

Was it worth taking?

Would God deliver him as He'd done to the many other Teacher Hannah taught him about?

Though his life was hopeless, he couldn't push aside the feeling that maybe the Lord could save him.

But for now, he was saving himself.

He snatched the Bible and shoved it into his bag.

Someday.

Somewhere.