Empire

Chapter five

  It's starting to get dark but I still have some time left. I decided to go hunting by myself.
The ground is covered in pine needles and I barely make a sound. So far I haven't found anything but that wasn't the real reason I left. I just needed to be alone for awhile.
The last bit of sunlight is turning the pines golden. I feel like singing, and it takes awhile before I realize I am singing.
"For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies."
I hear a step behind me and abruptly stop and turn around. Amandi is standing there glaring at me. He reminds of a bear and my first instinct is to run.
"Hello, I didn't know you were close by," I say.
"Don't sing." he growls and stalks away.
I stand there for awhile trying to figure it out. Why was he so angry? Come to think of it every time I've seen him he's been angry. He looks like he's maybe seventeen but his eyes look older.
On the way back to camp I meet Tretan.
"Hi," I say
"Hello, Are you okay? You look like you saw a lynx or something," he says.
"No, it was just Amandi" I answer "Do you know why he's always angry?"
"No, I asked Tayo the other day but he didn't know either. That reminds me I forgot to tell you, I found out for sure that Tayo is a Christian." he tells me.
"Really that's wonderful! It's nice to know we're not alone here." I say.
"How are you doing with Flair?" He asks.
"I don't know, she's hungry for the truth and I think she believes what I tell her... but I don't know, I think she might be avoiding me."
We talk a little longer but soon we're back at camp and quiet down.
The rest of the evening is uneventful, we eat supper talk awhile and then go to bed. Last night was a bit chilly but it's warm tonight.
In the morning I'm up first. I take my bible out of my pack and walk down to the lake. I sit down by the rock we jumped off yesterday and read. After a few chapters I put it down and just stare at the water. Today is day two of our week here. I wonder what we'll have to do next, and when we can go home.
I hear Flair behind me a few minutes before she appears. She's not very quiet.
"Hi Susan," she says when she reaches me "Can we talk?"
"Sure, what about?" I say.
"Well I had a few questions about Jesus..." she says then continues almost nervously "How do you know it's all true, I mean, like, it happened thousands of years ago, what proof do you have?"
"There is no tangible evidence that I know of. But that's where faith comes in, I just trust that what the bible says is true." I tell her.
"Also if God controls everything and God is good then how come he lets bad things happen?" She asks.
"God doesn't necessarily let them happen. God gave us all a free will and the bad things that happen are the consequences of our actions." says Tretan coming up behind us. I didn't know he was here but I'm glad he is.
"Why would God let them do that to his son?" She says. I can tell she's been thinking about this for awhile.
"Because God loves us and wanted to redeem us." I say.
"I think... I think I believe you but it all sounds too good to be true."
"No it's too good to not be true!" I smile.
I can see in her eyes that everything I've told her over the past week has been sinking in. And that she believes me.
"Well what happens if I believe you, I mean what do I have to do?" She asks.
"Absolutely nothing. Jesus already did everything. All you have to do is trust." says Tretan gently.
I open my bible and turn to Acts chapter eight verse twenty six and read the story of Philip to her. How he goes to the Ethiopian eunuch who is reading a passage in Isaiah prophesying about Jesus. The eunuch gets saved and Philip baptizes him and then is carried away by God.
"Can I be saved too?" She asks when I finish.
"Most definitely!" I say.
"Well then I want to be baptized too." She says getting up and walking to the beach.
I jump up too and Tretan and I follow her.
I stand on the beach and Tretan and Flair walk into the water.
"Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God?" Tretan asks her.
"I do."
"Then I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." he says and dunks her under the water.
She comes up dripping wet and radiant. She practically runs out and gives me a hug. I hug her back and we just stand there for awhile.
After that we stand there talking until someone comes looking for us. For a moment I had forgotten where we were and why we are here. Now I have to get back to it. But I can hardly stop smiling all day. Flair has the same "problem".