The War Within

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Why do we have to get up so early? I mentally grunted to Nekama as I glanced out Adam’s window to see the sun had yet to meet the horizon.

“Because, we need to work while everyone sleeps. I work my best in the dark.” He responded in a rush. He acted as if he was running out of time to do something…

What’s going on, Nekama, really? What do we need to do? I scratched my head as I forced myself to get up. I then pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt from my backpack near the window.

“Just do as I say, trust me. Grab a piece of paper and a pen from your backpack, get in your car, and drive to your house.”  He ordered levelly.

What if I said no? I questioned feeling somewhat rebellious.

“You won’t. Now go.” He spoke as if he was the puppeteer and I the puppet.

I went.

I parked in front of my house uncertainly and glanced around to make sure nobody was in the area. Something told me I had to make sure no one saw me. What are we doing here anyways? I thought Nekama wanted me to avoid this place like the plague…

“I do, Jacob, but we have work to do first. Or have you forgotten that you need to get someone’s attention? You want your adoptive father to notice you, right? You want him to know all the pain and everything you’ve been going through, correct? Well, here’s your chance. Now write exactly what I tell you to on that piece of paper.” He instructed me as if he had been planning this for quite some time.

I pulled out the piece of paper and the pen he had told me to bring and laid them out on the dashboard for a hard surface. Underneath the illumination of my car’s dash lights I wrote exactly what I was directed to.

“Revenge is coming.”

Now what? I asked Nekama, not sure where this was going.

“Now take that piece of paper and walk outside to your backyard.” He replied like he was in control of everything.

I did as he said and then looked for a good sized brick amongst the ones piled in neat stacks by our back shed upon his command. Due to the construction that my dad was currently ensuing in our backyard, the bricks were in a rather convenient and easily accessible spot. I grabbed one and then wrapped the piece of paper around the brick with a rubber band that I had also brought with me before leaving Adam’s house at Nekama’s nudging.

“Now I want you to throw that at Jonathan’s window so that the message will be delivered. No hesitating,” he urged when he noticed my resolve falter, “just throw it and leave quickly and quietly.”

“Nekama, I don’t think I can do this…” I whispered disbelievingly.

“You’re right, you can’t. I can.” He responded and then before I knew what was happening the brick was flying out of my hand and through Jonathan’s window. Everything rapidly altered into slow motion the second the brick left my hand. I heard the shatter of glass as if it was in the distance but suddenly everything seemed too surreal to be actually occurring.

Without my prompting, suddenly my body was flying across the grass, out to the front yard, and into my car. The next thing I knew I was laying back on my makeshift bed at Adam’s house as if I had never left.  Had any of that really happened or had it all been a dream? It was all just a haze now.

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O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!