It Must Be Your Faith

Psalm 34:17-18

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit. - Psalm 34:17-18

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Tears blurred Zach's vision. His mother was his sister? He was the product of a rape? Millions of questions ran through Zach's mind. The strength suddenly left his body and he curled up on his mother's bed. Sobs wracked his body. He cried for Mia, the girl who was taken too soon. For Luke, whose only crime was falling in love with Catherine. He cried for his mother, whose life was ruined by her father. He cried for himself, for the boy who has not only lost so much, but has gained much as well.

    Zach must have dozed off for the next thing he remembers is waking up to someone shaking his shoulders. "Zach?" a voice asked softly. His eyes fluttered open and the first thing he saw was Cammie's worried green eyes. "Are you okay? I was so worried. You never came back." Zach rubbed his eyes and sat up on the bed. "What time is it?" "It's six thirty. You've been gone since noon." "Zach, what happened?" Cammie asked him, her eyes searching his face. She reached up and brushed her fingers down his cheek.

    Wordlessly Zach gave her the letter. She looked at him for a long moment before slowly unfolding it. They sat in silence as she read it. Cammie's breath caught in her throat. "Oh Zach." She breathed out in realization. Zach lowered his gaze to the ground, too ashamed to look at her. Cammie's fingers lifted Zach's face towards her. Zach's tears blurred out Cammie's features. She softly smiled at him and brushed her thumb against his cheek. "Hey, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Your mother, she needed help Zach. She handled this the best way she knew how. She had no one to turn too. Although nothing excuses the way she treated you, but it doesn't mean we can't look at things through her perspective. At least now you know the truth and like she said, maybe now you can live peacefully knowing why. This in no way changes what I feel for you. You're still my Zach. The guy I'm deeply, madly in love with."

    Zach searched Cammie's earnest face. He was terrified that she would be disgusted with him once she knew the truth, but as always Cammie never ceased to amaze him. "I love you." He told her, his voice cracking. She kissed him lightly. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked softly. Zach sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. He was suddenly so tired, All Zach wants is to live a normal life with Cammie by his side. But, as always it seems, he has something he needs to do first.

    "No. Right now it's time to end this, once and for all. I refuse to allow my past to keep haunting me." Zach replies his gaze on the closet. Cammie follows his eyesight. She reaches for his hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "If this is what you need to do, then okay. I'm with you." Zach squeezes her hand back and stands. He crosses the room and hesitates. He reaches for the doorknob, taking a deep breath he turns it and opens it. Zach spots the box almost immediately. It's the same plain brown box that Zach used to find his mother cry over at times.

    The one time Zach tried to peek inside his mother had yanked on his arm. "Don't touch that!" She had screeched. Zach immediately got out of her hold and stared at her with wide eyes. It was the first and last time Zach ever saw his mom truly scared. He had swallowed and meekly nodded before promising never to try to sneak a peek again. As time passed Zach had forgotten all about the strange box. At least now he has a good idea of what that box contains.

    With careful movements, Zach reached up and grabbed it. He pulled it down and turned to face Cammie, who was watching him with a carefully guarded expression. He slowly walked over to her and gently sat down beside her. "Are you sure you want to do this now, Zach? Maybe we should wait until tomorrow, after we get a good night's rest." Cammie asked rubbing her hand up and down his arm in a soothing gesture.

    Zach shook his head. "No, I don't want to sleep on it. I'll lose strength to open it in the morning. I have to do this. Mia deserved better. Just like Luke, hell even my mom deserved better. What if doing this finally gives me the peace I so desperately need?" "Okay. If that is what you wish." Cammie simply replied. Zach carefully opened the lid. He started to reach inside the box when Cammie stopped him. "Wait! Maybe you should wear gloves? That way you don't disrupt the evidence." Zach nodded. "Give me second while I go get some." Zach placed the box carefully on the bed and headed towards the kitchen to retrieve a pair of gloves.

          Zach headed for the medicine cabinet, full of everything from Advil to stitches. He returned to the room and handed Cammie a pair as she gave him an encouraging smile. He slowly reached for the box. Taking a deep breath, he slowly lifted the lid. Nothing prepared them for the sight. Zach paled and immediately stumbled back. The box tumbling to the floor. Cammie gasped before turning away to gag.

          Photographs littered the floor. Zach knelt down and stared down at them in horror. "H-how can someone be so cruel?" Cammie slowly knelt down next to him and clutched his hand in hers. "This isn't humane. This monster doesn't have a soul. How can someone do this to another human being? Let alone their own daughter?" Zach questioned. "Your poor mother." Cammie whispers. "I can't fathom the kind of pain and agony she went through in just one night compared to all the years he molested her. She was just a kid, Zach. She was young, vulnerable, and deeply afraid. No one, no matter what they have done, should go through the kind of hell your mother did." Cammie carefully reaches for the rest of the stuff inside the box. She pulls out a bloodied, torn nightgown in a plastic bag, an old notebook, and DNA results.

These photos, her nightgown, and her diary were than enough evidence to convict him. "Catherine kept a record of every encounter she had with him. This must have been her escape." Cammie said as she flipped through the notebook, her face turning pale as she flipped through it. "I gotta go." Zach said as he ran out the room, heading straight to to the bathroom. Cammie quickly put the notebook down and raced after him. Zach was hunched down beside the toilet. A wretched smell reached Cammie as she crouched down beside him to pat his back and whisper soothing words to him as his stomach emptied itself. Exhausted, Zach leaned back against her. Cammie gently wiped his mouth with a washcloth she saw on the counter and ran under the water. They sat in silence as Cammie held Zach to her as he shook with silent sobs.

Cammie blinked hard as her eyes started to water. Zach needed her now more than ever. After what seemed like an eternity, Zach took a ragged breath and leaned up back. Cammie's heart broke as she took note of the bags under his eyes, his haggard appearance, and the exhaustion that seeped his shoulder. It was his eyes that startled Cammie. They were burning with angry. His blue eyes which usually resembled the calm skies were furious. Gone were the light blue and in its place was eyes as dangerous the stormy seas themselves. Storm clouds danced across the surface and in that moment Cammie knew that Zach would move heaven and hell if it meant getting justice for his family. The path they were about to take would be dark and dangerous. They don't know what awaits them, but what Cammie does know is that she won't let him do it alone. They're a team. It's them against the world. Without any hesitation or doubts Cammie met his eyes. "Tell me what you need me to do."