Almighty. But Rebekah was gone, and she would not want him to mourn her forever. Abram had to move forward, not by leaving her behind, but by allowing her place in his heart to be warmed by God's light. God is love, Abram reminded himself. Yes, he would take care with his heart, but that didn't mean he should hide it. He could not make room for God unless he allowed himself to love again.
Chapter 7
"This way," Samuel whispered in Sofia's ear, and then louder said, "Excuse us," followed by something in German.
Sofia could barely think beyond the beating of her heart telling her to run, run, run. The policeman's voice, the cadence of his speech, was exactly the same as the cruel man in her dream. He would take her back to that place where her nightmares lived, that place that had swallowed up the memories of her true self.
They stood, and scooted sideways between the sofa and close packed stools towards the room's second entrance, opposite the first on the far wall. From there, Samuel led her down a dark hallway and three closed doors. The Miller house was huge and sprawling. Gas lanterns hung along the walls in intervals of five paces, but none were lit. Sofia could only make their outlines from the bright triangle of light coming from behind her, where the singing circle had gathered.
Walking in the too-long skirt was awkward in the dark, and Sofia stumbled twice, but soon Samuel was turning the knob to another door and outside onto a gravel path banked by garden plants on each side. The sun was setting, painting the sky in orange and red. It was still warm, a bit hot in the dress Abram had lent her, but fear had put a cold layer of sweat on her skin. She wiped her forehead with the sleeve of the dress. Her kapp hung awkwardly a bit to the left over her loose hair, the edges touching the top of her ear. Samuel put his finger to his lips and held his hand up, motioning her to stop.
Then Samuel left her, ranging out ahead. Alone, protected only by the partial obstruction of the tomato plants winding up a latticework along the fence, Sofia squatted beside the wall of the Miller house and did her best to stay absolutely silent. Breeze rustled through the garden. A bird cried above. Terrified, Sofia hugged her arms around her chest. Did she believe in God with such an absolute certainty as the Amish people who had come to her aid? She wished she could be certain her prayers would have such power, that her faith could hold strong in the face of loss, betrayal and fear.
Dear God , Sofia said in her mind. I may or may not be one of your believers, but please, if you're listening, don't let him catch me.
Sofia sat for a time after that, flinching at the movement of leaves, until Samuel returned. He waved her over, and she followed. They skirted the Miller land, going around a green cornfield and a barn before tracking along a narrow dirt road that seemed to run the edge of the property. Samuel set a brisk pace, painful in Sofia's too large shoes, but fear propelled her onwards without complaint. They had been walking for close to fifteen minutes when they reached a second, smaller shed, bound by a chain and combination lock. Samuel spun the combination with ease and then throwing the chain over his shoulder, swung the door open.
"Stay put," Samuel said. He as Inside was a fold out table littered with tools in front of a classic car in mid-repair, with steel bumpers and headlights jutting forward from the front hood like eyes. The paint was a dull green, with the passenger's side door exposed metal, but the tires were new and the hubcaps gleamed.
Samuel walked to the car and placing a hand on the hood, said, "I'm not finished with her yet, though I've replaced out the engine and done most of the body work excepting the paint job," He gave Sofia a shy smile. "I got work at a local garage, so I can get the parts at wholesale. Still was a real pain to find a door for a 1940's Oldsmobile."
"You can drive?" Sofia had
Chapter 7
"This way," Samuel whispered in Sofia's ear, and then louder said, "Excuse us," followed by something in German.
Sofia could barely think beyond the beating of her heart telling her to run, run, run. The policeman's voice, the cadence of his speech, was exactly the same as the cruel man in her dream. He would take her back to that place where her nightmares lived, that place that had swallowed up the memories of her true self.
They stood, and scooted sideways between the sofa and close packed stools towards the room's second entrance, opposite the first on the far wall. From there, Samuel led her down a dark hallway and three closed doors. The Miller house was huge and sprawling. Gas lanterns hung along the walls in intervals of five paces, but none were lit. Sofia could only make their outlines from the bright triangle of light coming from behind her, where the singing circle had gathered.
Walking in the too-long skirt was awkward in the dark, and Sofia stumbled twice, but soon Samuel was turning the knob to another door and outside onto a gravel path banked by garden plants on each side. The sun was setting, painting the sky in orange and red. It was still warm, a bit hot in the dress Abram had lent her, but fear had put a cold layer of sweat on her skin. She wiped her forehead with the sleeve of the dress. Her kapp hung awkwardly a bit to the left over her loose hair, the edges touching the top of her ear. Samuel put his finger to his lips and held his hand up, motioning her to stop.
Then Samuel left her, ranging out ahead. Alone, protected only by the partial obstruction of the tomato plants winding up a latticework along the fence, Sofia squatted beside the wall of the Miller house and did her best to stay absolutely silent. Breeze rustled through the garden. A bird cried above. Terrified, Sofia hugged her arms around her chest. Did she believe in God with such an absolute certainty as the Amish people who had come to her aid? She wished she could be certain her prayers would have such power, that her faith could hold strong in the face of loss, betrayal and fear.
Dear God , Sofia said in her mind. I may or may not be one of your believers, but please, if you're listening, don't let him catch me.
Sofia sat for a time after that, flinching at the movement of leaves, until Samuel returned. He waved her over, and she followed. They skirted the Miller land, going around a green cornfield and a barn before tracking along a narrow dirt road that seemed to run the edge of the property. Samuel set a brisk pace, painful in Sofia's too large shoes, but fear propelled her onwards without complaint. They had been walking for close to fifteen minutes when they reached a second, smaller shed, bound by a chain and combination lock. Samuel spun the combination with ease and then throwing the chain over his shoulder, swung the door open.
"Stay put," Samuel said. He as Inside was a fold out table littered with tools in front of a classic car in mid-repair, with steel bumpers and headlights jutting forward from the front hood like eyes. The paint was a dull green, with the passenger's side door exposed metal, but the tires were new and the hubcaps gleamed.
Samuel walked to the car and placing a hand on the hood, said, "I'm not finished with her yet, though I've replaced out the engine and done most of the body work excepting the paint job," He gave Sofia a shy smile. "I got work at a local garage, so I can get the parts at wholesale. Still was a real pain to find a door for a 1940's Oldsmobile."
"You can drive?" Sofia had
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