Proving Webster Wrong

Chapter Fourteen -- Drew

Challenge #2

Vacation Bible School

(Trust and Confidence)

Chapter Fourteen

Drew

That Wednesday night we didn't have our normal youth group and mid-week service. Everyone was going crazy over Vacation Bible School and trying to get their rooms ready for that. Every room in the back of the church was being decorated. The hallway was filled with people running back and forth with different materials trailing from their arms.

"Here, let me help you with that," I said stopping one of the women with her arms piled so high with things she must not have been able to see a thing.

She transferred most of the materials into my arms, smiled, and replied her thanks as she tried to catch her breath. "There was a group of boys helping out but now I can't find them," she said leading the the way to her classroom.

It was the same old story. The youth group was suppose to come and help with all the decorating but after make their presence known before disappearing to hang out somewhere. When things were winding down they would come out of hiding to make it look like they had been working that whole time. Everyone saw through it but no one ever said anything, probably because they knew it wouldn't change things. Only a few of the teenagers would stick around: those that had class of their own to prepare for and those that never knew where the hiding place was.

"You can just put that down there," she said motioning to a place. It was hard to see around the mound in my arms to the table she was referring to.

I unloaded my arms, careful to not drop or bend anything, and then shook at my arms. With my vision no longer blocked I could see that the woman was Terri-Beth's mom. This would be for the fourth grade class then, the class that she had always taught. It didn't seem like eight years since I had her class. "Anything else I can help you with?"

"It's just some minor craft things. I don't think you'll be too interested in that. They probably need you some where else."

She climbed onto a chair and started tacking fake coral into the ceiling. This year's theme had something to do with the ocean. Mrs. Peters was always great with her decorations so I made the mental note to stop by and see her finished room. I would have offered to help with the ceiling part but considering I was shorter than her it wouldn't have been a great idea.

"Mom, I'm back. They didn't have any blue tinted transparent plastic so I just got a light green. I figured it was close enough." Terri-Beth walked into the room dragging a roll of plastic with her."I had to go to three stores just to find this."

She dropped the roll to the floor and looked at me. "Oh, him Drew."

"Hi, Terri-Beth."

Mrs. Peters stepped down from her chair and examined the plastic. I slipped out of the room as they started chattering on about something. I almost ran into a body carrying a box that completely hid their identity.

They made a surprised noise and peeked around the corner of the box. "There you are. The ladies in the sanctuary said they need some guys to help with some lifting. All the others have –" Lauren explained. Even though she was lugging a box bigger than her she didn't sound at all like she was struggling.

"Disappeared, I know," I finished off for her. "I'll head that way." I started to walk away and turned back around. "Do you need any help with that box?"

"Nah, I got it." She hurried off before I could ask again.

In the sanctuary they had ladders set up and were hanging giant blow-ups of different sea creatures from the ceiling. Some one had covered the walls in blue plastic like Terri-Beth had just brought in. With the amount on the walls it wasn't surprising she'd had such a hard time finding what she needed. Fake pieces of sea-weed were scattered over the stage. By the looks of it they had everything covered. Sunday we would be having service under the sea, it seemed.