Neriah always thought she was in the darkness alone. Battling for her life in a world that doesn't care. Little did she know she was never alone.
Her guardian angel, Anthony, was always with her. With Anthony's help, she goes from broken to fully a...
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Gramma Lucy took care of me after mama left. She struggled at first but what grandmother wouldn't with a new baby. Life was hectic but Grandma Lucy always had a song in her heart and she always praised the Lord. She remained positive through every hardship thrown at her. I never knew she was dealing with pain because she always wore a smile on her face. Growing up with this influence I learned many things.
At church they told me that I was a special child. I could see things that most people didn't see and I began to walk in the prophetic (speaking life into people). I enjoyed "being used" by the Holy Spirit as the elders called it. I would walk up to people in the middle of the street and let them know how much God loves them, that he is going to use them for something great, and that they could make it through their current battles. I didn't know what it all meant as a child but I knew that I had to speak life into the lifeless and obey my Father's command.
I knew that I was making a difference in these people's life's although I couldn't really see it. And along the way I had a special someone with me, guiding me along the way. With him next to me, I wasn't afraid to go up to these people and give them a word of encouragement or tell them what their life could be like in the near future.
I guess you could call him my imaginary friend. That's what Gramma Lucy called him whenever I would try to explain what he was to her. He helped structure my life in more ways than one.
He was always there through the bad times.
At nine years of age, I started to enter my phase of becoming a woman early. Gramma Lucy said that was normal for our family. I was so excited to be growing up. Unfortunately, so was my Uncle Mark. My Uncle Mark was a cold-hearted man. He constantly drank alcohol and would make comments that I knew no grown man should be making towards a child. In the middle of the night, while Gramma Lucy slept, he would come into my room. I would hear the creaking of the door and the cold breeze from the fan in the other room would hit my face. I could smell the whiskey on his breath and the musk from his body overwhelmed my senses. I could feel his twisted eyes on me. Watching me, as he thought I slept. I was fearful of what he would do to me. Each night he stayed he would come into my room and stare at me. This night, however felt different. The air was tense and my chest was tight. Fear over took me. But when I glanced into the corner of my room where my best friend stood I felt a little safer, a little more secure. He watched over me and kept me from a lot of hurt. I called him Anthony.
Anthony was very tall and muscular. He was like the brother that I never had. I imagined him one night, or so I thought, when I was five years old and he's been with me since. He's been my knight in shining armor. Literally, we played "Princess kidnapped by the Evil Dragon" and he would always rescue me. He had deep brown eyes that could captivate any one. He was my hero.
As I peaked at Anthony standing in the corner, I could feel his anger stirring inside him. I couldn't stop what was going to happen. My Uncle Mark reached down to my sheets preparing to pull them off of me, I could feel the heat coming radiating off of his hands. I clenched my mouth shut in fear of screaming.
My heart raced and just as I thought he was about to harm me out of the corner of my room I saw a light begin to appear out of the darkness. The fear left my body and I felt calmness sweep through the room. Anthony appeared before my Uncle, in a bright light, cutting through the darkness.
I sat up in my bed and looked at my Uncle who was trembling with fear at the sight of him. His face was flush, all alcohol had left his body and he was face to face with my Anthony. I turned my attention to Anthony who had bright white wings lined with Gold outstretched from his shoulder blades. He had a sword in his hand but not like any other sword I've seen from the movies that I would watch with Gramma.
He placed the sword to my Uncle's neck and with a booming voice he said, "You will not touch her. Your liquid courage will get you nowhere. Turn from your wicked ways and profess your love of God. He will forgive you if you do and if you do not, you WILL be SEVERLY punished."
My Uncle cowered in fear with tears falling down his face.
"I know not what I do. I'm sorry." He looked at me and repeatedly yelled, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry Neriah."
He yelled so loudly I was afraid my grandmother would surely come in. But she didn't and as soon as the apology came out of my Uncle's mouth, Anthony lowered his sword and his wings.
"Leave this girl and never look at her in the way of perversion again. Clean up your temple and repent to the Lord. You will be spared." Anthony said sternly.
Anthony spoke and my Uncle seemed to listen. He stood up and walked quietly out of my room.
"That was soooo cool Anthony!!" I squealed. I jumped out of my bed and scrambled to him. I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a big squeeze.
"Okay Neriah, you'll have to get back into the bed before we wake your grandmother." He said as he hugged me back. He kneeled down to me, "back to bed now. Neriah know that I will ALWAYS be around to protect you. Even when you don't believe in me anymore."
I laughed at Anthony, "There will never be a day where I don't believe in my best friend." I gave Anthony a kiss and climbed into bed.
I fell asleep so quickly knowing that my knight was standing by not noticing the slight look of disappointment that was on his face.
Little did I know, Anthony was right. I would soon forget him.
