Free Will: A Young Man's Spiritual Journey

By Mike Beckett and Priscilla, Fias

Twelve year old Will Freeman moves with his family from urban New Jersey to tiny rural Churchtown, Pennsylvania where his father will work on environmental ground water clean-up. Will feels caught in a cultural and religious time warp, but his real journey begins when his father disappears under suspicious circumstances and is presumed dead. His sister goes missing and if that isn’t enough, Will is bullied as “the outsider.” Throughout the book, Free Will, Will experiences spiritual turmoil and growth as his inner strength and faith is continually tested.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781626754324

Book preview

9781626754324

Chapter 1

Will! Will! a cry came from the back seat of the Ford Expedition that had just recently exited the PA Turnpike at Morgantown. The Freeman family was travelling along a two lane road toward Churchtown and as they traversed the northern tip of Lancaster County, the sights became more and more foreign to them. Will Freeman glared at his younger sister, nine year old Jenna, who looked like a miniature, long-haired, Snow White with the impishness of Tinkerbell. She had just reached over from the third seat and pulled his earphones out and was pointing out the car window at a horse and buggy and exclaiming, That Amish girl waved at me! As was the custom, several tow-headed Amish children were squeezed into the back of the family buggy where they sometimes waved to English passersby’s. As Will’s father navigated the Expedition carefully around the horse and buggy, he noticed that the sleek horse foamed sweat as it strained to pull its load up the frequent inclines. Passing on these two lane roads was a harrowing experience for the Lancaster County novice and Will’s mom, reverting back to her childhood training, said a quick Hail Mary.

Throwing a disdainful glance out the window and pretending not to be interested, twelve year old Will shoved his earphones back in and pulled up his hood over his dark brown collar-length hair. He had no intention of showing any excitement about this move from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, especially to a place called Churchtown. So far he managed to sneak a peek at mile after mile of open land filled with cornstalks and an occasional house and barn. In New Jersey where they lived, the streets were a block long, they knew all their neighbors. In this foreign territory, the street signs became road signs with houses miles apart. Road signs appeared only sporadically with names such as, Swamp Road, Red School Road, and the topper, his new address was on North Poole Forge Road. What was his Dad thinking when he decided to start a ground water clean-up company in this wasteland? Will had heard bits and pieces of conversation about old forges in the area and ground-water pollution with a high rate of cancer for the size of the population. What population? Will had only seen a handful of people since they passed some local place called Morgantown and he thought most of those were Amish. Maybe the pollution had something to do with the manure smell that had permeated the car – yuck! Will would never get used to that! He dreaded going to a school called Garden Spot. He bet the school was named that because the kids IQ’s were not much higher than plants. He knew he was being mean in his head but he didn’t care. He was mad about having to leave his friends in NJ, especially the older guys he had started to hang out with who gave him the cool factor.

As he glanced out the window he was reminded of a movie he watched recently with the guys called Children of the Corn. He could just see the zombies springing up from the cornstalks in this God-forsaken place. He cranked up the Linkin Park to drown out the quiet that he knew was going to deafen him once they got to their new home. His Mom gave him that look that she did so often lately that said, ‘Who are you?’ Although kind of small for his age, Will was muscular and wiry with more than the average share of feistiness so he glared right back to let her know how displeased he was with his parents’ excitement about starting over in Podunkville. Worse yet, his Mom began to read some stuff about the history of Churchtown. He pretended not to listen but his curiosity got the better of him and surreptitiously he turned down his music.

"According to an article in the Lancaster newspaper printed in 1991, Churchtown got its name because the town grew up around Bangor Church which was built in 1722. Can you imagine? That was before the Declaration of Independence. The church owned the lands and gradually sold off plots. Only the church buildings and the cemetery remain today as part of Bangor. When I called the church to get information, they said they were looking for someone to be caretaker for the cemetery. With my history background and love of gardening, I am hoping they will consider me."

Jenna who has been twirling her long brown hair, her older version of thumb-sucking, piped up, Mom, only old guys in overalls do that kind of job. Your heels would sink right in the dirt!

Marie Freeman has always been interested in fashion, making yearly trips with her mother to NYC for Fashion Week until the kids were born, so the idea of her wearing ‘farm chore’ casual was yet another departure from the norm. Will was not thrilled with the idea of his glamorous mother wearing hideous overalls.

Very funny, Missy. Remember this move is about new beginnings for everyone. I think I want to do something different – a new adventure, says Mom wistfully.

Will doesn’t like what he hears either but he doesn’t want to let on that he is listening. He especially doesn’t want his Mom to know that when he heard that word adventure, he got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wasn’t quite sure why, but he knew that before things, ‘went south’, sometimes he would get these kind of premonitions. His Mom started narrating again so he is temporarily distracted.

Listen to this story: locals tell about a woman in a white dress who floated through Churchtown in the wee hours of the morning, raiding the springhouses and the orchards or resting on porch rockers. The supposed ‘ghost’ was finally found sleeping at the church altar, having climbed in a rear window. The article says, ‘The apparition was actually a half-starved local girl who came home from New York penniless and could not face her family.’ Stories like this one gave Churchtown the reputation, according to another article in 1939, as the ‘Ghost Capital of the US.’ See how interesting your new home is turning out to be, kids? If I get that caretaker’s job, I can probably write about the history of the cemetery.

Will is thinking that moving has killed any chance he had for a normal life so of course his Mom would end up working in a cemetery and writing about ghosts. In the past, Will only thought about spirits at Halloween. And, it’s a good thing his Dad can’t see the ‘If looks could kill’ stare Will gives him behind his back. John Freeman has other things on his mind, Hey, the movers beat us here, he announces as they wind around the bend in North Poole Forge Road. The clapboard two-story white farmhouse rises in the foreground of nothing but fields for miles. The house seems pasty and plain with a small front porch where only single chairs would fit. The only ornamentation, two red brick chimneys that stand ready to let off steam. Sitting adjacent to the house is a bank barn that has been modernized by the look of it. Will and his sister can’t help but be curious so, tensions will be on hold as the whole family is distracted for the next week by the transformation of the old farm house into their new home.

Chapter 2

Another hot and muggy summer day in Lancaster County finds John Freeman after a week still setting up their new house. John Freeman, who has always worked outside as a geologist and is fairly fit, is still struggling with the bulky air conditioner in the family room, since the family desperately needs a cool place to relax from the heat of the day. Lucky for Will, his father hooked up the AC in his room first, however, to sit in his room on a nice summer afternoon is not normal for the twelve year old. Back in NJ he would be skateboarding down at the corner deli sipping soda with the guys and sneaking a smoke when no adults he knew were around. He hates the fact that his parents made this life-altering decision to move out in the middle of a cow patty without even consulting him first. He was perfectly fine where he was. But, ‘NO,’ he thinks to himself, his parents just up and moved them here, taking him away from what was starting to be a pretty cool life.

Will... Will, he hears as his father is summoning him to come down and give him a hand with putting the air conditioner in the family room window. Will... I need your help son, can you come quickly, he says with desperation in his voice. As Will opens his door slowly, he is hit with a dose of Lancaster County humidity and he wrinkles his nose as he slowly comes down the stairs, his arm casually looped over the banister of the staircase. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees that his Dad is trying to hold on to the large air conditioner. Nursing his bad attitude forgotten, Will hurries the rest of the way down the stairs and runs over to help his Dad.

Thanks, son, says Mr. Freeman. I thought I was going to drop this out the window. Glad that didn’t happen. With the days getting this hot and the smell of manure getting stronger, we need to have a cool place to relax.

No crap, Dad, Will says, with a smirk on his face. The two of them burst out laughing at Will’s intended pun, as they once would have done back in New Jersey prior to the move.

I wanted to try and get this in and running before your mother and Jenna get back, says his Dad.

Where did they go? Will asks while picking up two screws for his Dad, a bit surprised that his mother would be out around lunchtime.

They went shopping for some crafts and school clothes, responds his father without expecting the reaction that he got.

What! says Will angrily, There we go again, forgetting to include me in things. Aren’t I going to this lame school too? I need to get some clothes and school stuff, he says dejectedly. I didn’t bring any of my Amish purple, blue or green shirts from New Jersey. And, I really need a new pair of **it-stompers! says Will sarcastically.

Will, let’s tone down the descriptors. You need to relax and be patient. Your mother didn’t forget you. She just wanted to spend some mother –daughter time with Jenna since Jenna is a little nervous about starting a new school. They were going to get something to eat and then check some of the stores for crafts to take Jenna’s mind off meeting new friends. She is really in to making jewelry lately. If they find some good clothing deals at that Good’s Store that everyone recommends then they will get something, explains his father. Why are you so on edge?

I’m twelve and just moved here too. When do I get extra attention? Like Jenna will need jewelry in Churchtown. Maybe she can make prayer beads! Will shouts back at his father in his newly honed argumentative tone. Why is everyone leaving me out of the decision-making in this family? Why can’t things be like they used to be? Will has worked himself up to a sufficient fury to throw the screws across the living room floor then storm up the stairs and slam his bedroom door and collapse on his bed in frustration and tears.

‘Well, that went well,’ says Freeman to himself, as he tries to keep his temper in check and locate the screws so he can finish installing the air conditioner.

I hate my life... I hate it, says Will as he screams into his pillow. I just wish things were like they used to be, he keeps saying over and over as he begins to get a little light-headed and drifts into sleep.

Suddenly Will finds himself in the field behind the new house. It is cold and the field is filled with this nasty-smelling fog that begins to make Will feel sick to his stomach. As he looks into the midst of the foggy field, he sees this dark shadow approaching him. Overcome by the fumes, he seems to pass out. As he comes to he sees these red glowing eyes just staring at him.

Will... I know your troubles and your heartache. Why not give them to me and spare your family the trouble I am going to send to them. You know you shouldn’t have moved. You should not have come along with them, says this voice.

What... uh...who are you? asks Will as he fades in and out of consciousness.

My name is Rahab. Will has seen this name somewhere but he can’t remember where. He instinctively senses evil. Before time I was, before this world, I was, I am the only way you are going to survive. Give me your oath and I will make your life much better than it is now, he says as he reaches out his hand to grab Will’s hand.

Ouch! shouts Will. What did you do? he says as he stares at the blood running down his thumb.

Now we have an oath... Now you belong to me...Will... Will...hahaha, snarls Rahab, as the fog lifts and he disappears as quickly as he came.

Will hears a voice calling him, Will... Will!

Coming out of his stupor, Will finds that he has fallen asleep for three hours. He sees that he has a bunch of texts on his phone and he starts to view them groggily. His old friends are describing all the fun they are having back in New Jersey and mocking him for not being there. He knows his mother is calling him from downstairs to come for supper, but he keeps reading the texts that reignite his anger. He slams his hand on his dresser and buries his face in his pillow.

Will, hurry up please and come down here so we can eat as a family, his Mom shouts up the stairs in the direction of his bedroom.

Will tries to hurry out of bed but he feels groggy as he glances down at his pillow. He notices that there is blood. He quickly looks at his hand and notices a prick on his finger and for a moment he is overwhelmed with fear but he figures in his sleep he must have accidentally scraped his finger along the metal bed frame. He needs to explain his unsettling dream but he tries to just chalk it up to being so upset when he fell asleep. He gets up, washes his face and heads downstairs where he plunks down heavily in his usual chair at the table. As Will reaches for his fork, his sister begins to pray for the meal.

Lord, thank you for a wonderful afternoon with Mom and for this meal. Bless this food and each of us as we enjoy the rest of this day. Amen. Jenna beams as she finishes. She has had a great day.

Amen, says Mrs. Freeman.

Let’s eat, says Mr. Freeman, clapping his hands together with gusto.

Whatever, says Will as he reaches for the meatloaf with his fork.

Manners son... manners, his father tells him sternly. Who have we always allowed to get their food first? The ladies, of course, he makes a courtly gesture toward his daughter and she smiles and bows her head slightly like a princess.

Well, since we haven’t been doing the normal family things, like asking me how I feel, or if I want to go shopping, I didn’t think we were still following supper rules, says Will as if he is ready to pick a fight with his Father.

Will, what has come over you? his Mother says, as Jenna sits frozen, not knowing whether to get some food or not.

Nothing, just nothing! Just leave me alone! Will shouts as he shoves himself away from the table and runs back up to his room and slams the door to his bedroom. He immediately goes back to texting and grabs a cereal bar he has stashed in his nightstand drawer to stave off his hunger.

I don’t know how much slamming that door can take, his Father says trying not to allow Will to fan his own anger. His door slamming has caused two pictures to fall off the wall... and that was just this afternoon’s rants.

Mom, why is Will so angry lately? asks Jenna. He won’t even play games with me anymore, he just keeps saying ‘go away,’ ‘whatever,’ and ‘leave me alone’.

Mom shakes her head and shrugs as they continue