Read Online Into the Wilderness: Blood of the Lamb (Book Two) by Mandy Hager - Free Book Online

Thus with violence shall that great city be thrown down, and shall be found no more…for who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. ”
    This, from the Holy Book, shook Maryam right down to her bones. If it was true that this village had been destroyed by the Tribulation, then everything else they had been told about that terrible time in history could well be true. When Mother Deborah told Maryam of the ship's log and the solar flares, she'd made it sound as if she believed the destruction was only temporary—that she was sure most life had been restored and Onewēre was not alone in its revival, despite the Apostles’ claim that the Lord had chosen only them and their disciples to remain on Earth. Was it possible for the underlying story of the Tribulation to hold true, even while the Apostles lied about so much else? And if it was possible, what did that mean for the four of them now?
    â€œI'm sorry but we have to keep going, Ruth. We really have no other choice.” Maryam forced herself to rise, and offered her hand to hoist Ruth back up to her feet.
    Ruth caused no further argument, but followed after Maryam as though she sleepwalked towards death. And, indeed, it felt as if they were fighting through the outskirts of Hell, crumbling stonework tripping them, webs of roots and creepers snaring their arms, legs and hair as they pushed through the undergrowth in the growing gloom.
    For fifteen minutes more they persisted, struggling and panting as the ground began to slope uphill. And still there was no end to the destruction, nor any sign of the great towering structure they had seen from out at sea. The jungle was slipping into darkness now, the birds settling down to roost and the clamour of the insects dying with the retreat of the sun.
    â€œThat's enough!” Joseph finally called, turning to the other three as sweat poured freely down his face. “We'll search again tomorrow, but for now let's go back to the boat and settle for the night, or else we'll end up lost in here.”
    No one argued, so they turned and stumbled back along the way they'd come, the darkness setting snares for them as tiredness and disappointment took its toll. Maryam struggled to match the pace set by the boys and, in her haste, missed her step as she clambered over a fallen log. She fell heavily, catching her back on some crumbling stonework, and hit the ground hard. For a moment she just lay there, stunned. Her elbows had been torn open by sharp shards of stone and her tailbone pulsed with pain.
    â€œMaryam!” Ruth scrabbled after her, frantically digging through the pile of mossy dislodged stone to free her of its leadenweight. Then she let out a blood-curdling scream, and Maryam saw her wildly fling something into the undergrowth. “Oh Lord! Oh Lord!” Ruth leapt away, shuddering uncontrollably.
    â€œWhat is it?” Lazarus was beside her now, grasping her shoulders firmly and trying to calm her while Joseph rushed to Maryam's aid.
    Ruth shrank from his grasp, but pointed at the pile of rubble. “A human skull. I saw it—it was just there. It was—” Again she shuddered, before she was beset by tears.
    Joseph was supporting Maryam as she gingerly rose to her feet. “Where does it hurt?”
    â€œEverywhere.” She tried to smile. Her tailbone ached so much she thought she would vomit, and her elbows stung. But worst was the humiliation. Why was she the clumsy one who always seemed so foolish and ridiculously weak? She shook Joseph's hand away and set off again towards the beach, biting on her bottom lip to hold in the pain. Right now she cared for nothing more than escaping her embarrassment—the supposed skull and Ruth's distress would have to wait.
    â€œMaryam, hold on!” Joseph crashed after her, leaving Ruth and Lazarus to take up the rear.
    â€œI reckon you imagined it,” Lazarus taunted Ruth.
    â€œI swear