The Faith of a Mustard Seed

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sitting staring down at the two journals on his desk Nathan Sea breathes in a deep breath, as he whispers aloud, "Okay, I know which journal to read. I just hope that I'm making the right choice."

Picking up the little black book, Nathan gingerly opens it, and taking in another steadying breath he begins to read.

Dear Anonymous Reader,

If you are reading this there are a few different reasons why. One, could be that I have died and all that remains of my existence is the few words I have managed to write in this leather-bound book. Two, I could have given you this book, in a desperate hope that you, the would-be reader, might have a chance at being successful in fulfilling my dreams of freedom from my current state of captivity. Or three, you could have stolen it from me in the vague and misguided thought that this book is of any value. No matter the reason why you have my secret journal, you do, and perhaps by the time you are through, you will be able to make my dreams of freedom come true. My name is Melodious Lightening and in the following pages you will find my story.

Gasping Nathan's eyes go wide as he drops the book in horror. Looking down at the seemingly ordinary book, his thoughts begin to race. Oh My God. No, this has to be some kind of joke or something. There is no way that Jasmine is the Melodious Lightening. No, it just can't be. Can It?

Getting up from his chair and making his way to his bedroom window Nathan stares out at the moonlit sky and into the curtained window of the house next door. Shaking his head and scraping a hand through his hair, Nathan looks back at the book laying on his desk.

Eyeing the book, he timidly walks back over and picks it up again, turns the page and reads:

Dear Anonymous Reader,

The date for my departure has been set, and all of the final arrangements have been made, including signing all of my accounts over to my parents. Won't they be surprised when they find out what I really did, but no matter. I am nervous, I had hoped that Kami would find the note and somehow stop what's about to happen. I don't want to go into hiding. I don't want to face what's about to happen, but I don't have a choice.

Truth be told for all of my bravo-ness, I'm so scared. The fact that Dad gave them permission to use force, whatever kind of force, is what has me scared. That order alone has me questioning everything my parents have said and done these past few months since I came out as a Christian, and I'm not liking what I'm now seeing. I probably should have waited until I was eighteen, but I just wanted to be free.

I always knew they hated me. And I always thought I knew why. They adored my little sister, Jasmine. She was everything that I wasn't, even as toddler. When she died of the cancer, I know they wish it had been me instead. I still remember Mom's revulsion as she told me to watch where I was throwing up at, when we'd gotten home from the funeral. My stomach hurt so bad and I was so sick, but all she could think to say was that it should have been me and to make sure I didn't get any vomit on the rug or I'd be scrubbing the floors with a blistered behind.

They were always that way with me, but not her. For quite sometime afterwards, I was bitter towards my sister's memory, because of their treatment, but the time for such thoughts and feelings have well and beyond passed. Instead I now envy her escape and wish I had managed to escape too.

I don't know what the future holds for me, and I don't know if or when I'll ever be free again, but I do know this, if they wish to go head to head over my choice to follow Christ, then so be it. Everyone has a right to believe as they wish to. Everyone. Not just a select few. I have chosen to follow Christ. it is my choice. He brings me peace, and hope, and I will not let someone tell me that that is wrong.