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Authors: Shaunti Feldhahn
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preposterous that sounded.
She noticed a tour group across the Yard standing in a loose semicircle around an admissions office tour guide. The guide was pointing out some feature on the wrought-iron Johnston Gate, the giant entrance to the Yard through the twelve-foot walls surrounding the college property.
The tour group broke ranks and trooped across the Yard toward the statue of John Harvard. Claire noticed many young faces in the group. They looked around hungrily, weighing the chances of beating the odds for admittance. She smiled at several, and they looked at her enviously as she passed by.
A dark presence hovered above her head and whispered beguiling words to her. He rubbed his hands together with eager relish. Floating a few feet away, a warrior angel stared at him fiercely, keeping pace with him and the girl. The angel far outmatched the demon for size and strength, but the demon pretended to be unconcerned by his presence. The dark being made no moves of aggression, gave no excuse for the angel to cut short his time with the girl. He just kept speaking those subtle words to her. They were being accepted, and so was he. As long as he was accepted, he had the right to be there.
Claire stepped through Johnston Gate and into the bustle of Harvard Square, heading for the Coop, the giant co-op store that sold everything from textbooks and school paraphernalia to toiletries and furniture. She watched two tourists in the distance taking photographs in front of the famous Out of Town News kiosk. She smiled with inward amusement, pleased to belong to this place.
A steady stream of cars traveled past her, and after a moment she stopped and looked for a place to cross the street. She saw several people in the cars staring out their windows at the picture-postcard entrance to Harvard Yard; she watched their eyes flicker in her direction and take in the backpack she had slung over one shoulder. They know I’m a student at Harvard .
The demon above her smiled maliciously and kept whispering.
SIX
B ARBARA R IVERS TOOK A DEEP BREATH as she watched the red and gold leaves flutter on the branches in front of her. The trees in their friends backyard were beginning their yearly blaze of color. God’s paintbrush at it’s best.
“Here you go.” Tom handed her a tall glass, ice clinking. “Margaret’s raspberry iced tea. Perfect for christening David and Margaret’s long-awaited deck.”
David was busy at the grill, a grin playing on his lips. “Does that officially make us adults, now that we not only have a house, but a house with a back deck? I have no more excuses!”
Tom slapped him on the back. “Friend, I hate to tell you this, but I think you officially became an adult last year when Jeremy went to college!”
“Well, at least that makes two of us.”
“I’ve heard the colors in Boston are amazing in October.” Barbara’s voice was distant. “I wonder if Claire will have a chance to get out and see them.”
Margaret set down a tray of hamburger buns on the picnic table and came over to join Barbara. “You know, Jeremy was pretty busy getting acclimated his first semester. It took him a few months to get hooked up with a group of friends and do things like sightseeing. Claire doesn’t even start classes until Monday, right?”
When Barbara didn’t respond, Margaret rubbed her friend’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard to have your baby so far away. But she’ll be okay; she’s a good kid.” A grin flashed across her features. “A little headstrong, perhaps, but good.”
“Her stubborn streak used to drive me crazy. But I’m kind of glad for it now: It’ll serve her well at Harvard. As long as she is stubborn in the right direction. You wouldn’t believe some of the things she saw in her first few days there. And I know she wasn’t telling me the half of it. There are going to be so many temptations.…”
Barbara fell silent, and after a moment Margaret took her hand and guided her to the
She noticed a tour group across the Yard standing in a loose semicircle around an admissions office tour guide. The guide was pointing out some feature on the wrought-iron Johnston Gate, the giant entrance to the Yard through the twelve-foot walls surrounding the college property.
The tour group broke ranks and trooped across the Yard toward the statue of John Harvard. Claire noticed many young faces in the group. They looked around hungrily, weighing the chances of beating the odds for admittance. She smiled at several, and they looked at her enviously as she passed by.
A dark presence hovered above her head and whispered beguiling words to her. He rubbed his hands together with eager relish. Floating a few feet away, a warrior angel stared at him fiercely, keeping pace with him and the girl. The angel far outmatched the demon for size and strength, but the demon pretended to be unconcerned by his presence. The dark being made no moves of aggression, gave no excuse for the angel to cut short his time with the girl. He just kept speaking those subtle words to her. They were being accepted, and so was he. As long as he was accepted, he had the right to be there.
Claire stepped through Johnston Gate and into the bustle of Harvard Square, heading for the Coop, the giant co-op store that sold everything from textbooks and school paraphernalia to toiletries and furniture. She watched two tourists in the distance taking photographs in front of the famous Out of Town News kiosk. She smiled with inward amusement, pleased to belong to this place.
A steady stream of cars traveled past her, and after a moment she stopped and looked for a place to cross the street. She saw several people in the cars staring out their windows at the picture-postcard entrance to Harvard Yard; she watched their eyes flicker in her direction and take in the backpack she had slung over one shoulder. They know I’m a student at Harvard .
The demon above her smiled maliciously and kept whispering.
SIX
B ARBARA R IVERS TOOK A DEEP BREATH as she watched the red and gold leaves flutter on the branches in front of her. The trees in their friends backyard were beginning their yearly blaze of color. God’s paintbrush at it’s best.
“Here you go.” Tom handed her a tall glass, ice clinking. “Margaret’s raspberry iced tea. Perfect for christening David and Margaret’s long-awaited deck.”
David was busy at the grill, a grin playing on his lips. “Does that officially make us adults, now that we not only have a house, but a house with a back deck? I have no more excuses!”
Tom slapped him on the back. “Friend, I hate to tell you this, but I think you officially became an adult last year when Jeremy went to college!”
“Well, at least that makes two of us.”
“I’ve heard the colors in Boston are amazing in October.” Barbara’s voice was distant. “I wonder if Claire will have a chance to get out and see them.”
Margaret set down a tray of hamburger buns on the picnic table and came over to join Barbara. “You know, Jeremy was pretty busy getting acclimated his first semester. It took him a few months to get hooked up with a group of friends and do things like sightseeing. Claire doesn’t even start classes until Monday, right?”
When Barbara didn’t respond, Margaret rubbed her friend’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard to have your baby so far away. But she’ll be okay; she’s a good kid.” A grin flashed across her features. “A little headstrong, perhaps, but good.”
“Her stubborn streak used to drive me crazy. But I’m kind of glad for it now: It’ll serve her well at Harvard. As long as she is stubborn in the right direction. You wouldn’t believe some of the things she saw in her first few days there. And I know she wasn’t telling me the half of it. There are going to be so many temptations.…”
Barbara fell silent, and after a moment Margaret took her hand and guided her to the
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