Forlot - Books 19-21

Chapter Forty-Six

My worst fear had come to life. Everybody who loved me from the moment that they knew me was now against me. The same purple and black eyes. The same grins that only clowns wear. I shivered and hugged myself. I hate clowns. Good thing that they are banned in Forlot.

Out of all of them, I wanted to look at Cindy the most, but knew that my heart would not take it. You readers understand what I was feeling at that moment, right? Your loved ones are stripped away, and you did not get the chance to say goodbye to them and how much you love them.

Taking away my friends - my family - was bad enough. Separating Cindy from me was a punch in my face. She was the first person who showed me kindness and got me off the streets. She did not see me for my skin color or as a Christian. She saw me as this poor soul who was only trying to survive and needed assistance.

Cindy has also reminded me how I saved her. If the Lord did not make us meet, we certainly would have gone down different and scarier paths. Cindy would have grown up to be like her parents. A racist and ignorant girl. As for me, I would have probably died from starvation. And if I was gone...who in the world could stop Anti-Caleb?

I shed a tear as I remembered the grand times that my girlfriend and I spent together. They were among the highlights of my life. I sometimes do wonder what I did to have the most beautiful girl in the world. I did not have the muscles. I was not brave enough. I was a weak noodle who was not what the world wanted me to be.

I am not what the world wants me to be. That is it! I should not be what the rest of the world demands me to be. I should be myself. Be who God created me to be. My writer also loves me regardless of my past and my flaws.
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"I love you very much," Ash told me. "I love your gender. Your skin color. Your glasses. The clothes that you wear. The color of your hair. Everything. That is the way that I created you."

I choked on my tears. "I-I am so blessed to have a writer who cares deeply for me." I smiled up at her. "And I love you too."

"Do not forget the Lord, Caleb. He loves you too. And if it were not for Him, you would not exist."
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Oh, I get it now. The chapter where Ash and I were talking is a metaphor for God and his creations chatting with each other.

"What is the matter, Caleb?" Anti-Caleb said. "Is the weak boy going to cry to his mother?"

I gazed up at him with a brave face on and wiped away the tear. "I decided to not cry," I said. "And if I had the need to, what is wrong with crying? The world tells you that crying a sign of weakness. Men are not supposed to cry. Otherwise, they will not be real men anymore. I call that bull."

Anti-Caleb leaned on the balcony. "Is this another one of your propaganda speeches?"

"It is not propaganda if it is the truth. Many people are lost in the world because they are confused as to what to do and do not want to be shamed."

"I thought that you hated gays and transgenders and non-binaries."

I stomped my foot. "For the last time, I do not hate them. I love them because Jesus loved them first. I disagree with their opinions because the opinions go against the Lord. If I get called a homophobe for standing up for what I believe in that is also the truth, so be it. It will not bother me."

"That is exactly why I need to get rid of them, Caleb. I would have said us, but you are too weak and scared to stand your ground. Speaking of your God, where is he? You do not see him trying to stop me. Want to know why?"

I could not help but smile a little. "I do not have to see what God is doing. I already know that He is winning."

"Of course, He is winning. I am helping by ridding the world of the trash that are the real worlders!"

"They are not trash. I hardly know them. Yet I love them. They are not real children of the Lord because they are still lost souls. They are searching for peace. True peace." I pointed to one of the crosses on my skin. "What they have been searching for all along is Jesus. If they wish to turn away from Him, that is their choice. No skin off my nose. But they will surely miss out."

"Why is this chapter just Caleb and Anti-Caleb debating back and forth?" Anti-Lorraine piped up. "There was supposed to be an epic shutdown."

"Epic? More like, pathetic," Anti-Caleb joked. He laughed, and the other antis laughed along with him. "Caleb is not strong enough to fight me."

I narrowed my eyebrows and raised my fists. "You are wrong, Anti-Caleb," I said as loud as I could. "I am not like the men with the impressive muscles and charming looks that would attract any girl. 'Cause I do not need those things. The most important thing that any person needs is a heart that centers on Jesus. And if you are not a true Christian, then at least have a good heart."

Suddenly, I heard my son.

"Daddy!"

I gasped. "Cal!"

Cal came running onto the balcony and would have jumped off if my anti had not caught him.

"Daddy!" he repeated. "I love you! Whoever does not love you is sick in the head!"