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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: TRIAL (05/10/18)
Glimmer of Hope

The plate handed through the door held some vile slop. Jack forced it down trying to ignore the putrid smell. After overhearing “We'll deal with them tomorrow.” he needed to keep his strength up to escape. Not long afterwards lights went out. He heard a car drive away then complete silence. Blackness until tomorrow. Time to think of a way out.

How did he end up in this mess? He hated to admit Angela had been the trigger. Was it really four years ago when he spotted her from the high school bus? Silky blond hair swinging as her long legs made confident strides on the footpath. She knew how to move to display her shapely body. His parents had warned him she was not a good influence but he didn't listen. He was soon in with Angela's crowd and his newly formed relationship with Jesus became a dim memory. After nearly two years together, things changed. Someone brought drugs to a party. Jack refused but Angela tried and then claimed it helped her modelling.

Jack sighed thumping his fist on the floor. Why hadn't he walk away then? Angela – he couldn’t leave Angela. He begged her to quit the drugs, but refusing, she became more addicted. He couldn’t bear to see her suffering when she needed a hit. He gave her money until he had no more. Promoted to Finance Manager at work he'd bragged to her how much money he handled and the amount in the safe. After all this he'd lose his job for sure.

It was getting cold in his 'cell'. Curling up in a corner, he pulled the thin stinking blanket around him. Vivid memories returned of the aggressive thumping on their front door the night before. Three men in black with gruesome masks barged in demanding he take them to his workplace. They grabbed Angela. “Do as we say or she gets it.” said one of them holding a heavy iron bar threateningly. There was no alternative. He did as they said. They were bundled into a waiting car. Angela sobbed on the back seat “I'm sorry Jack I had to tell them about the money. I didn’t know they were part of the cartel when I took the drugs.”

In his office he purposely gave the wrong combination. With the threat that Angela's face would be disfigured he gave in. Working quickly the men stuffed the money into bags then threw them into the boot. Shoved onto the floor of the car Jack had no idea where they were going. Finally they stopped. It was very dark and appeared isolated. Angela was left in an outbuilding and he was pushed into this small dank cellar under a nearby house.

“There must be some way of escape, I need to get us away before they're back.”
Jack was scared.
“What can I do? Jesus please help me!” He shocked himself. He hadn't planned to say that, but perhaps it was an answer.
“Jesus you are the only one I can call on now.” he said hoping against hope. “I'm sorry I walked away. Please save us and I promise I'll live for you.”
There was only silence. “So much for Jesus” thought Jack.
Suddenly a shaft of light appeared in the low roof . It spread. Jack stood up. Could it be a way out? Tentatively he pushed. Amazingly it lifted. It was a trapdoor with a table over the top. Rising moonlight through the bare window lit the area.
“Thank you Jesus.” Swinging himself up, he grabbed a torch left on the table and ran out to find Angela, unharmed, gagged and bound to one of the supports in the shed. After freeing her, he shone the torch around and spotted a partially hidden motor bike. Amazingly the key was in the ignition. “Thank you Lord, thank you Lord” he kept repeating to himself as they sped away to find the nearest police station.

Angela had memorised the car's license plate which led to the crooks capture and the money being returned. Jack fulfilled his promise to follow the Lord and, although he received a severe
reprimand from his boss, he kept his job. It was a happy day as months later Jack and Angela, now drug free, walked down the aisle together, confident Jesus was with them no matter what.

Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Christian Belyea
05/19/18
Ah, yes...I love happy endings, my friend. And yours surely hit the sweet spot.
Your rendering was riveting, and wrought throughout with "What's gonna happen next?" Had it been in book form, for sure it would have been a page turner! Great work!