man named Kelvin pushed Billy backwards. The other man grabbed him from behind and shoved his hands into Billy’s pockets. The man pulled the money out and several coins fell to the snow-covered ground. Billy dove towards the money but the man kicked him in the ribs and added a punch to his head. Billy tried to fight back but pain shot through his already worn body. He watched the men scoop up the money and hurry away.
He lay on his back and could see countless stars twinkling overhead. Light flurries of snow fell and drifted onto his face. He felt a strange peace and was unsure how long he was in this position. Suddenly, he saw a shadow loom over him. Billy squinted to see if this was a real person or a figment of his imagination. He noticed that the figure wore a thick chain with a cross of gold that dangled from it. The faceless shadow seemed to silently study him.
“Who are you?” Billy stammered.
“You know me,” the being replied.
“I don’t think I do.”
“You do but you have forgotten.”
“Can you help me?” Billy pleaded.
“Yes but you need to walk with me,” the figure extended a hand towards him.
Blackness surrounded Billy. When he awoke, the shadow was gone and replaced by a policeman shining a flashlight into his face.
“Hey buddy, are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes,” Billy replied getting to his feet.
“Why don’t you come with me? I will take you to a warm place.”
“I’m not going to any shelter,” Billy retorted.
“It is for your own good. It is going to be freezing tonight. The snow will be falling all night.”
“No thanks,” Billy said as he walked away into the snowy night.
Christmas morning was marked by bright sunshine as Emily pulled on her sweater and jacket. She joined her parents as they attended service. The small church was crowded and the parishioners were in jovial spirits.
During the service, Emily’s mother whispered to her. “The Broderick’s are here.”
“Where?” Emily questioned.
“Over there,” her mother nodded in their direction. “I don’t see Billy with them.”
After a pause Emily whispered, “I was thinking of him the other day when I was looking at some old pictures. I wonder where he is?”
Her mother shook her head sadly.
After the service, they ran into Billy’s parents outside the church. The encounter was awkward as Billy was on their minds yet his name was unspoken. For the next few days, the thought of Billy seemed to haunt Emily.
“Mom, what was the last you heard about him?”
“Who?”
“Billy.”
“Well, his aunt had told me that he had left home. I think he may have been thrown out due to his drinking. She said he was a drifter.”
“Oh.”
“It is sad what happened to him. I still remember him as the cute little boy who always had a mischievous smile on his face. If only the accident hadn’t happened. I don’t think he ever forgave himself.”
“Do you think his parents ever forgave him?”
“I have no idea Emily. That is between them and the Lord.”
“I just keep thinking that he needs someone. It is as if someone wants me to find him.”
“Emily, he has been lost for a long time. It would take a strong hand to guide him down a righteous path.”
“I know Mom. But we can’t all give up on him.”
“Well perhaps his parents could give you some leads on his whereabouts.”
Emily felt nervous as she knocked on the Broderick’s door. Billy’s mother answered and wore a surprised look upon seeing Emily.
“Emily, it is nice to see you. Come on in.”
They sat on a couch that encompassed a good part of the living room. “What made you stop by?”
“Well, I am sure this will be difficult to talk about…”
“Is it about Billy?”
Emily nodded. “Something has driven me to find out about
He lay on his back and could see countless stars twinkling overhead. Light flurries of snow fell and drifted onto his face. He felt a strange peace and was unsure how long he was in this position. Suddenly, he saw a shadow loom over him. Billy squinted to see if this was a real person or a figment of his imagination. He noticed that the figure wore a thick chain with a cross of gold that dangled from it. The faceless shadow seemed to silently study him.
“Who are you?” Billy stammered.
“You know me,” the being replied.
“I don’t think I do.”
“You do but you have forgotten.”
“Can you help me?” Billy pleaded.
“Yes but you need to walk with me,” the figure extended a hand towards him.
Blackness surrounded Billy. When he awoke, the shadow was gone and replaced by a policeman shining a flashlight into his face.
“Hey buddy, are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes,” Billy replied getting to his feet.
“Why don’t you come with me? I will take you to a warm place.”
“I’m not going to any shelter,” Billy retorted.
“It is for your own good. It is going to be freezing tonight. The snow will be falling all night.”
“No thanks,” Billy said as he walked away into the snowy night.
Christmas morning was marked by bright sunshine as Emily pulled on her sweater and jacket. She joined her parents as they attended service. The small church was crowded and the parishioners were in jovial spirits.
During the service, Emily’s mother whispered to her. “The Broderick’s are here.”
“Where?” Emily questioned.
“Over there,” her mother nodded in their direction. “I don’t see Billy with them.”
After a pause Emily whispered, “I was thinking of him the other day when I was looking at some old pictures. I wonder where he is?”
Her mother shook her head sadly.
After the service, they ran into Billy’s parents outside the church. The encounter was awkward as Billy was on their minds yet his name was unspoken. For the next few days, the thought of Billy seemed to haunt Emily.
“Mom, what was the last you heard about him?”
“Who?”
“Billy.”
“Well, his aunt had told me that he had left home. I think he may have been thrown out due to his drinking. She said he was a drifter.”
“Oh.”
“It is sad what happened to him. I still remember him as the cute little boy who always had a mischievous smile on his face. If only the accident hadn’t happened. I don’t think he ever forgave himself.”
“Do you think his parents ever forgave him?”
“I have no idea Emily. That is between them and the Lord.”
“I just keep thinking that he needs someone. It is as if someone wants me to find him.”
“Emily, he has been lost for a long time. It would take a strong hand to guide him down a righteous path.”
“I know Mom. But we can’t all give up on him.”
“Well perhaps his parents could give you some leads on his whereabouts.”
Emily felt nervous as she knocked on the Broderick’s door. Billy’s mother answered and wore a surprised look upon seeing Emily.
“Emily, it is nice to see you. Come on in.”
They sat on a couch that encompassed a good part of the living room. “What made you stop by?”
“Well, I am sure this will be difficult to talk about…”
“Is it about Billy?”
Emily nodded. “Something has driven me to find out about
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