deadened her thoughts. Like a creature spooling into a dormant state, she lay, fetal position, on the ground. With her eyes closed, she heard chanting. Those same lulling sounds she’d heard after Samuel’s accident were causing her eyes to close . . .
The sky cracked open, releasing pea-sized ice pellets. When they landed on her, they changed into a warm liquid and spread. Soon long, pointed icicles hung from her arms, dripping liquid that froze as it touched the ground, weighing her down like iron shackles. When her eyelashes froze to her upper lids so that she could not close her eyes, an angel appeared. His wool-spun hair was white and his skin bronze. He hovered so that his feet did not touch the ground .
He placed a road under her feet. Although her feet remained stationary, the road moved her through time—two cycles of seasons passed before her eyes. Without warning, the road split three separate ways, and a voice told her to choose. Both the rocky road to the left and the paved one to the right were wider than the center, which was a mere footpath. Unable to see beyond the turns, she felt her heart thump against her icy armor .
The angel spread his hand before her eyes, and everything in sight turned to shades of gray. The center path, however, glowed. Trees, top-heavy with golden-colored leaves, glittered against the blue sky as they convulsed. Persuaded to follow the voice calling her name, she tried moving closer to the center path. Her feet, however, frozen to the three-pronged junction, forced her to stay planted, and her heart cried out to God . . .
Chapter Seven
J udith woke with her cheek against the damp ground. She blinked several times as she tried to bring her surroundings into focus. Seeing the daylight fading, she realized she’d been out for a while. Her mind fogged over as she tried to recall the details of the dream. Three roads to choose . . . what did it mean?
A prickling sensation slithered down her spine.
Dozens of ravens perched in a nearby tree suddenly took flight. Their wings flapped and their raucous caws echoed in the stillness. Judith scrambled to her feet. Why ravens? Why didn’t she wake to the cooing of doves or the sound of sparrows? Ravens with their loud, alarming calls were unnerving. As she moved through the brush, unable to keep close watch on her footing, her heart hammered and her breaths turned jagged.
It wasn’t long before she reached the wood-lined path that led to home. She pushed herself to run faster, refusing to let the shifting shadows of the woods hinder her progress. Focused on the trail, she didn’t notice the figure ahead until his strong arms caught her midstride. He brought her to an abrupt halt as he pulled her off the trail. Gulping for air and unable to scream, she thrust her fists against his back. Her legs crumpled, and the figure caught her before she hit the ground.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Andrew said, releasing his hold.
Judith struggled to regain her breath. He should have spoken sooner so she knew it was him.
“Are you okay?”
“You practically tackled me. Why did you have to knock the wind out of me?”
“You almost plowed me over. I didn’t think you were going to stop.” He leaned around a tree to look in the direction she’d come from. “What were you running from?”
Andrew’s father was the bishop. How could she tell him that she’d spoken with an angel? She’d be shunned—if the community hadn’t already decided to dismiss her. If she shared what she’d witnessed, meidung was more than a possibility.
The crack of branches above them caused her to flinch. Startled by the noise, she bolted into what felt like a wall— Andrew’s thick chest.
His sturdy arms surrounded her. “You’re trembling,” he whispered, tucking her head against him.
She listened to his heartbeat, steady and firm. His affection caught her off guard. He was usually so reserved.
Levi had mocked Andrew, saying
The sky cracked open, releasing pea-sized ice pellets. When they landed on her, they changed into a warm liquid and spread. Soon long, pointed icicles hung from her arms, dripping liquid that froze as it touched the ground, weighing her down like iron shackles. When her eyelashes froze to her upper lids so that she could not close her eyes, an angel appeared. His wool-spun hair was white and his skin bronze. He hovered so that his feet did not touch the ground .
He placed a road under her feet. Although her feet remained stationary, the road moved her through time—two cycles of seasons passed before her eyes. Without warning, the road split three separate ways, and a voice told her to choose. Both the rocky road to the left and the paved one to the right were wider than the center, which was a mere footpath. Unable to see beyond the turns, she felt her heart thump against her icy armor .
The angel spread his hand before her eyes, and everything in sight turned to shades of gray. The center path, however, glowed. Trees, top-heavy with golden-colored leaves, glittered against the blue sky as they convulsed. Persuaded to follow the voice calling her name, she tried moving closer to the center path. Her feet, however, frozen to the three-pronged junction, forced her to stay planted, and her heart cried out to God . . .
Chapter Seven
J udith woke with her cheek against the damp ground. She blinked several times as she tried to bring her surroundings into focus. Seeing the daylight fading, she realized she’d been out for a while. Her mind fogged over as she tried to recall the details of the dream. Three roads to choose . . . what did it mean?
A prickling sensation slithered down her spine.
Dozens of ravens perched in a nearby tree suddenly took flight. Their wings flapped and their raucous caws echoed in the stillness. Judith scrambled to her feet. Why ravens? Why didn’t she wake to the cooing of doves or the sound of sparrows? Ravens with their loud, alarming calls were unnerving. As she moved through the brush, unable to keep close watch on her footing, her heart hammered and her breaths turned jagged.
It wasn’t long before she reached the wood-lined path that led to home. She pushed herself to run faster, refusing to let the shifting shadows of the woods hinder her progress. Focused on the trail, she didn’t notice the figure ahead until his strong arms caught her midstride. He brought her to an abrupt halt as he pulled her off the trail. Gulping for air and unable to scream, she thrust her fists against his back. Her legs crumpled, and the figure caught her before she hit the ground.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Andrew said, releasing his hold.
Judith struggled to regain her breath. He should have spoken sooner so she knew it was him.
“Are you okay?”
“You practically tackled me. Why did you have to knock the wind out of me?”
“You almost plowed me over. I didn’t think you were going to stop.” He leaned around a tree to look in the direction she’d come from. “What were you running from?”
Andrew’s father was the bishop. How could she tell him that she’d spoken with an angel? She’d be shunned—if the community hadn’t already decided to dismiss her. If she shared what she’d witnessed, meidung was more than a possibility.
The crack of branches above them caused her to flinch. Startled by the noise, she bolted into what felt like a wall— Andrew’s thick chest.
His sturdy arms surrounded her. “You’re trembling,” he whispered, tucking her head against him.
She listened to his heartbeat, steady and firm. His affection caught her off guard. He was usually so reserved.
Levi had mocked Andrew, saying
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