In The Last Days

Surrender

Silence.

Drip... Drip... 

Silence. 

Drip. 

Her shoulders shook and her teeth clattered.

Rose's eyes were closed, her hands balled in fists. She opened her eyes and she saw a mix of red and green. The grass beneath her was stained scarlet. Slowly she looked up to see people laughing, pointing fingers. Some even had their phones up. 

"N-no...." Rose whispered. She couldn't stand the sight of blood. 

Not again. 

Dad... 

Her breathing hitched and she shook her head violently trying to force the horrible images back. 

Not being able to take it any longer she took off. Tears slid past her lids as she ran. She caught sight of Brenda and something broke inside her. 

She couldn't breathe. 

Among the laughing crowd, she saw Joe. He wasn't laughing but he had on a look of satisfaction and his dark eyes held even much more sinister promises. 

She ran out the lawn down the street. She kept on running, she didn't stop, not even when she got to her house. 

She ran as fast as she could as far as she could. She didn't stop not for several minutes. 

The few people who saw her on the street kept their distance. 

Her white gown was completely stained red. Most people thought she was crazy. 

And they were right. She was slowly losing it. 

She stopped, crashing down on the floor. And she sobbed. All the pain washed down her face in silent tears. 

She looked up and saw that she was in the park. Still sobbing, she crawl-walked to a familiar tree. 

And she leaned against it. She pulled up her knees to her chin and wrapped her arms around herself. She began sobbing.

"Hey baby, can you go bring that little red thingy for daddy?"

Four-year-old Rose giggled shaking her head up and down. 

"Yes, daddy." She turned around from the tree where her father stood and ran to her mum. They were having a family picnic and she'd never been happier. 

"Mum, Mum, daddy told me to bring that." She pointed to a covered pocket knife on the picnic mat and her mum chuckled, looking over her to see her husband grinning from ear to ear. 

"Okay Rose dear, but be careful. " She gave her the small pocket knife which she'd use earlier for bread and jam. 

And Rose ran back to her dad, glad she'd accomplished the mission. 

She gave him the knife and together they carved their names in the tree. 

Rose still shaken, turned to look at the old carving on the tree that was now starting to fade with time and she only sobbed harder. 

"If only you were here." She said wistfully. She traced the damaged bark with shaky fingers. 

'Daddy and his little angel, Rose.'

Those were the happier times when she had a semblance of normalcy in her life. 

A time when she still had a real family, a time when Brenda was still her best friend, a time when school was at least bearable. 

Not now, not anymore. 

The sky was cloudy and before long it started to rain. 

She didn't have the strength to look for shelter but she was highly susceptible to pneumonia. 

She got up on shaky legs and began looking for a place to keep dry. 

Her clothes were quickly getting soaked and but at least some of the blood had washed off. 

She wondered what poor animals they harmed to get that much blood. She paled at the thought. 

She saw a shimmering light in the distance and quickly ran to it. 

She climbed up some steps and sat and waited out the rain. She didn't know how many minutes passed, but she couldn't even bring herself to care. She wasn't going home but she didn't have anywhere else to go either.

People passed by, some shook their heads in pity, while some ignored her. 

It shouldn't hurt, she shouldn't care but why was it the exact thing she was doing? Why was she hurt by the fact that no one wanted to help her? 

Why did she feel so alone? 

"You're not alone." Rose jumped startled by the voice. Her eyes widened. It was the same ice-blue eyes.

"Michael?" She gasped. His clothes were slightly wet. What was he doing out in the rain this late?

Michael smiled and somehow, it made her feel warmer against the cold. How did he get here? 

"How did you find me?" She asked. His bright blue eyes lifted slightly when he saw that she wasn't physically hurt. 

"I followed you here." He said, his face serious. Her eyes widened in surprise. She saw his eyes lower in concern to her tear-stained cheeks and she looked away. 

She couldn't believe he'd seen her like this. He sat down beside her. He saw the blood but he was silent for a while.

"Had just gotten back from taking a shower when I saw you run past our front lawn. You were clearly upset and...." He paused, trying to pick his words. 

"I couldn't just stand by and do nothing." He finished. Her eyes widened in surprise. She was deeply touched by his concern. 

"You're very sweet. Thank you." She whispered. She hiccuped again and he looked at her in concern. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly. 

She looked at him and she nodded her head, closing her eyes. She felt like she would burst if she didn't let it out.

"Yes." She breathes. He held her hand. 

"I'm here. He's here." She looked at him and at that time she thanked God for sending someone, for sending him.

She told him everything. It was like a dead weight crushing her. He was partly still a stranger to her, someone she'd just met in school. But what he'd done for her was more than anyone had cared to do in a long time. 

"They did that?" He asked bewildered. She nodded her head in affirmation. 

He frowned slightly. She could tell that he was angry at the prank that happened earlier and even promised to make them apologize. 

"Please you don't have to do that-" Rose started.

"No, Rose you did nothing wrong." Michael protested. Rose shook her head. 

"Michael, please." She begged. He looked at her and sighed in understanding. 

"I get it, you don't want me to get in trouble. But it's unlikely I will." He reassured her.

Rose turned to him. 

"What makes you so sure?" She asked surprised by his words. He shrugged, smiling. 

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." She chuckled, hitting him lightly on his shoulder. He laughed too, glad she felt better. 

"Seriously though, if not for you I would make them all pay for what they did." He nudged her shoulder lightly with his. 

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

She turned away to look at the night sky. It was probably way past midnight. Her face fell slightly. 

Marcus. 

The name sent unpleasant shivers down her spine. She knew the encounter with him next will be far from pleasant. 

Michael noticed. 

"You don't have to fear him. Fear only God." He stated. He turned to face her. 

"Your worries are known." He repeated the words in the note.

Her eyes widened slightly. He smiled. 

"You saw that note for a reason. He's telling you that he loves and cares about you. He's concerned with things that troubles you. He wants to help."

Rose closed her eyes. 

"I know, but will He accept me?" Her voice shook slightly. She was used to people rejecting her and she seriously needed assurance that He'd stay. 

"Rose," Michael called her.

When she opened her eyes, they widened. His eyes were so bright.

"No one is deserving of God's love but, He loves us nonetheless. He will accept you just like he did me. His love is for everyone." He said confidently, smiling. She smiled at that looking at the palm of her hands.

"Jesus paid the price already. He'll forgive our sins. We only need to accept Him and repent. He is the bridge." He said the last part in a noticeably different way. She wondered what he meant.

"So just ask Him and tell Him what you want." He said chuckling, looking at her. 

"As a Father, He denies His nothing," Michael said. 

"Okay." Rose nodded, smiling. 

Father... 

She wondered what it'd be like to have one again. 

"It doesn't matter what's happened. Life's so much easier knowing God's got your back." Michael continued looking up to look at the skies.

The rain was waning slowly and soon only soft patters could be heard. 

Michael stood up and held his hand to her. 

"Will you accept Him?" He asked smiling. 

She looked at his hand for a while and his smile wavered when she said nothing for a while. 

"You promise He'll never leave?" She asked unsurely. His smile softened. 

"He never left. He's been around looking after you even when you weren't looking. It might not seem like it but he's always been there. Things may not be rosy right now but it'll get better." He explained.

"When you look, I mean really look back at what He's done and protected you from then you'll know He deserves more credit than we can ever give Him." He continued.

Astounded, she just sat, looking at him and thinking about what he'd said. 

"Why do you love Him so much?" She asked amazed. She wanted to know. It had been the same with Mimi. What was so special about God?

"Because He loved me first."

Her jaw dropped to the ground. 

Wow.

Rose looked up to the sky and saw a flash of the lightning slit through it and she closed her eyes. She wanted to have what he had. She wanted to feel what he felt. 

She opened her eyes and locked eyes with him. He still had on that smile. 

What joy could make someone so radiant? 

Joy. 

She wanted that. She looked at his still outstretched hand and smiled as a drop of tear left her eye. 

"I, surrender. " And she held his hand.