Lost

By Laura Hendrix Smith

Maycie Edmonds finds herself in the hands of human traffickers--lost to all who love her. Held captive in a world of darkness, Maycie clings to her faith. She finds that she has not been abandoned by the man who laid down His life for her. Maycie becomes a light herself.

Lost is a story of faith, hope, and freedom. For when all hope seems lost, you find that your faith in God alone will bring you the ultimate freedom. Lost is a story of how a life in pieces can find crazy peace through complete surrender to the light of the world.

My hope and my prayer is that the lost be found and the found to find freedom and forgiveness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639616107

Book preview

Chapter 1

For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ; but their own appetites, and by smooth talk, and flattery, they deceive the heart of the naïve.

—Romans 16:18 NIV

Maycie woke with a start and grabbed her cell phone to check the time. What day is this ? she thought. Oh no, it’s Thursday. Gonna be late again. Why didn’t Mom or Emma wake me? That’s right. Emma had to be at school early today. Did they tell me bye? Did I fall back asleep? Maycie bailed out of bed, nearly knocking over her bedside lamp, and flew into the shower. As the hot water traveled over her face, the realization really began to hit. This was the fourth or fifth time in the last three weeks that she had been late for school. She had long ago run out of excuses for her tardiness. What could she say this time? It didn’t matter , she thought. These midnight texts and chats had been well worth it .

Against her better judgment, Maycie stood there a moment longer than necessary, allowing the much-needed conditioner to work its magic—just another of the things that she had let fall by the wayside. With this new quest that she was on, a lot had been let go. Never was she a makeup or fashion fanatic, but in all honesty lately, she just didn’t have time for such frivolous things. No one would have guessed by her appearance exactly what had started in her life, which was just as well with Maycie. For now, at least, she was content on keeping these things private. Knowing that she had wasted more than enough time, Maycie turned the water off, grabbed her towel, and began to dry off.

Thinking about all of the texts from Anna and Ava that she had ignored last night, she sighed. Maycie dreaded all of the questions that she was bound to get from them and again wondered what excuses that she could give. I’ve been busy? I’ve had a lot of homework? Who was she kidding? Anna and Ava were her best friends. They had been since the fourth grade. They knew her better than anyone. The little county high school that they all attended was not known for a lot of homework, and Maycie lived a simple, carefree life. So what could she say? Maycie knew that she had been more than a little distant from them lately. She knew that the time was coming that she would have to give explanations for her absence from them.

So what if I haven’t gone to the mall or to the movies with them lately? I don’t have to always hang out with them, right? Even as she had said it, the usual guilt had returned. They were always together, always had been up until now. So isn’t it time that we grow up and take on other things? she reasoned. Can’t we have lives outside one another? Again, the guilt. Maycie shrugged off her thoughts and threw on her favorite jeans and senior shirt, pulled her hair up into a messy bun, grabbed her cell phone, and began to hastily text. I so enjoyed being able to talk to you last night. I can’t wait to talk to you tonight. She edited the text to make sure that everything was right and pushed Send; snatched her backpack off the floor by her dresser, where she had tossed it the day before; and flew out of her bedroom door. Ready or not, here I come, she thought with dread.

One of the perks of living in a small town is there’s not a lot of traffic. Good, she thought, one less thing to contend with since I’m already so late. One downside of living in a small town is everyone knowing your business, which hadn’t been a problem for Maycie. Up until now, she had been an open book. For now, at least things had to be kept on the down-low—at least that’s what Justin had called it. This had only added to the intrigue and mystery for Maycie. It excited her more than she was willing to admit. But it scared her a little too. Coming out of a bad relationship means you have to take things slow, he had said. She was glad at least that he had even sent her a friend request on her Facebook and then added her on Snapchat. That had been how this wonderful chapter in her life had started.

Maycie’s excuses were ineffective and led to a couple of days of in-school suspension (ISS) and a trip to the school guidance counselor’s office.

Are you okay? she had asked. Is something bothering you?

No, I am fine, Maycie had stated adamantly.

Are you sure? This is so unlike you, Maycie, she had said with such concern in her voice and that Southern drawl that she was so known for. This agitated Maycie even more.

Why couldn’t everyone just mind their own business and leave me alone? she thought.

If there is anything at all that you’d like to talk about, Maycie—

No, I am fine, Maycie said a little more loudly than she had intended. The outburst had done nothing to alleviate the counselor’s concerns.

Well. She sighed. if there’s anything at all that I can do—

There is nothing, Maycie said a little more gently this time and added her best fake smile.

Well then, I guess you might as well get to ISS, but I will be checking in on you.

Great, I’m looking forward to it, Maycie thought to herself. Maycie sighed and tried once more. I am fine, Mrs. Hinson, really.

This declaration still did nothing to appease the counselor. She knew in her heart that something just wasn’t right with Maycie. Okay then, try to work on your time management. You have been way too good a student here, Maycie. You are dismissed.

Yes, ma’am, Maycie responded and wasted no time exiting the counselor’s office.

Being in ISS would have its advantages, of course, unless you counted chemistry. Maycie made a mental note to go by Mr. Stone’s class to see if there was any chance of him giving her something for extra credit. One of the main advantages was that she could steer clear of Ava and Anna. That would buy her a little time until she could come up with an excuse for them that might actually work. The one she had just used with the school secretary landed her right in front of the school principal, Mr. Howell, who wasted no time placing her on Mrs. Hinson’s radar—which, in most cases, was not a bad place to be. Mrs. Hinson had to be the most caring school guidance counselor that there was, in Maycie’s opinion. It was way more than just an eight to three for her. Mrs. Hinson could do far better than the little county high school that she worked for currently, but whatever.

This day has got to get better, she thought. Her thoughts began to drift back to Justin, and she knew that it would. As her thoughts continued on Justin and all that they had talked about the night before, she was sure that she had floated into ISS. She had to be the only one ever with a cheesy grin this big while walking into detention.

Mr. Dandridge was standing at the door and wasted no time addressing Maycie as soon as she’d entered the door. Maycie, are you lost? There is absolutely no way that you are in detention.

Oh, there’s a way, Mr. Dandridge. Apparently, there’s a way. Maycie began to frown.

Mr. Dandridge would have to wonder about most students, but he had no doubt that this was totally out of character for Maycie. Want to talk about it, Maycie?

Nope. Her response was quick, way too quick.

Okay then, take a seat. You pretty much have full reign here today. No one seems to be getting in trouble these days.

Oh, someone is, Maycie responded, still with the frown in place.

Yeah, he replied, I guess so, and gave a small chuckle. He felt bad for her, knew that she had never been in this position before. He had to offer once more just to be sure. Sure you don’t want to talk about it?

I’m sure, Mr. Dandridge, Maycie replied.

Okay, well, no talking and no cell phones. You are welcome to do any studying for any class, any homework that you haven’t gotten done, or anything like that. Got it?

Yeah, I got it, Maycie replied.

She chose her seat, sat, and pulled out her chemistry book. It was the book that pretty much stayed with her these days. Maycie was a gifted student, prides herself in being pretty high up there in the GPA chain. Most of her classes she was able to breeze right through; but chemistry was no joke, and neither was Mr. Stone. He also took a good dose of pride in himself and in his class and made sure that each student worked hard and with blood, sweat, and tears to earn their grade. Mr. Stone has little tolerance for anyone missing his class at all, and especially not because they are in ISS. She was pretty sure that if there were any exams given while she was in detention, she would not be given a chance to make them up. Asking him though was not a matter of choice for Maycie. She would beg if she had to.

Maycie turned to where they had left off yesterday and began to study. As soon as she did though, her mind once again began to drift back to Justin. Why had everything in her life suddenly became so messed up with school and with her friends? She would just have to figure out how to juggle everything. Time management—isn’t that what Mrs. Hinson had called it? It had to be that. Maycie would just have to try a little harder. She just wasn’t used to having someone in her life, most certainly not someone that was so private. Justin was so sweet and tender though. He had told her that he hadn’t been in the area long and was looking to make a friend. He said that he really enjoyed talking to her and getting to know her. He had even said that once they had gotten to know each other better, he had hoped that they could go on a date. For the first time in her life, someone had taken notice of her. For the first time in her life, someone actually wanted to get to know her, not just as a friend. She wasn’t just one of the guys with Justin. There’s no way that this could be a bad thing, right? I mean, the mystery and privacy are a little different to me. I have always been so open and honest about everything. She remembered then a time her grandmother once told her to never commit any crimes because she could never keep it to herself. She would just tell everything that she had done, no secrets. She smiled at this memory. She was really happy at having met Justin. There’s no way that God would be against this, right? Just his name, all of a sudden, sounded foreign to her. How long had it been since her thoughts had gone to God and anything that He might want for her life? She had just been busy; surely God understood. He knows me better than anyone. He’d want me to be happy, right? she reasoned. I will get back into my Bible study and prayer time. I will figure out a way to put this all into perspective. She felt like she was almost bargaining with God, that if He would just let this work out, she would do what she was supposed to. Maycie had been in church enough to know that you don’t bargain with God, way more than enough to know that God has an infinite plan for our lives and anything outside that plan cannot stand and will not work. Not wanting to think about the fact that Justin might not be a part of God’s plan for her life, Maycie shrugged off any remainder of these thoughts and backed away from the danger zone of where they were headed. She then glanced up at the clock again and rolled her eyes.

Is this day ever going to end? she asked softly.

Mr. Dandridge chuckled. You might as well get comfortable, Maycie. It’s only 10:00 a.m.

Maycie groaned out loud dramatically and tried once again to turn back to her chemistry. As she began to look over the lesson, she could hear Mr. Dandridge chuckling in response.

*****

Hannah laid there in her chains, unable to move, unable to do anything really, a far cry from what once was. Captain of the cheerleading squad, volleyball team, basketball team, track, and drama were among the many activities that she was involved in at the private Christian school that she had attended. Even still, it has been so easy for her to become caught up, to totally ignore everything that her mom had ever taught her, to totally ignore all the warnings her mother had ever given. You can’t trust everyone that you meet, she had said. You can’t let yourself be caught up all alone with any man that you don’t know or even some men that you do know. It is never a good idea to be alone with some men. If she had heard it once, she had heard it a million times. Hannah remembered now sadly, how she had rolled her eyes at her mother’s pleas to be careful, gritted her teeth to not lash out at her mother, who was only trying to protect her. Hannah had dismissed all that her mother had said because she had reasoned it out to the fact that her mother was either just old-fashioned or prejudiced against some people. What she wouldn’t give to hear her mother’s voice right now. It seems like everything that her mother said could happen to her did happen to her. She had gone behind her mother’s back and had begun talking to Justin online. He had been so sweet. There’s no way that she couldn’t trust him, she had thought. She looked back now and shivered.

He had started out by telling her that he had a very hard childhood growing up. He had very little to his name. He was alone, his parents had abandoned him, and he was pretty much on his own. He had no friends, no one he could count on. Despite all that had gone wrong in his life, he was working hard to make sure that something went right. He had told her that he worked at a small family-owned electric company. His plans were to work as an assistant until he could take the test and become an electrician. Somehow, despite all that he had said about not having anything, he had convinced her that he could take care of her. What kind of logic was that? How could she have believed that he was able to take care of himself, let alone someone else? She was so naive, so stupid. Apparently, she had believed they could live on love. They were going to do it together. She was so intent on proving her mother wrong that she had totally ignored the warning signs screaming within her own heart that something didn’t seem right with Justin.

One night when she had a fight with her mother, she had relayed all her frustrations to Justin, who didn’t play the victim. Instead, he had almost taken up for her mother, explaining that she was just trying to look out for her. Reverse psychology of sorts. It made Hannah believe in him even more. So when the night came that he had offered to meet and pick up her and that they could run away together, she didn’t hesitate. She threw only the bare necessities into a bag and climbed out the window one night after her mother had gone to bed. With a head and heart full of dreams, she ran all the way down to the end of the road where he had waited. He had let her believe in this hoax all the way back to the place he called home. She remembered how in one blink, he had gone from the sweet guy that she had talked to for a few weeks to an absolute monster. Now here she lay, no white picket fence, no manicured lawns with beautiful flowers—nothing but her chains.

She began to hear metal clanking together and knew with certainty that they were installing the bed that would hold the next victim. She heard them as they began to bolt the pole like contraption that held the chains to the wall. She listened as Justin began to describe the next victim to Miller. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that this girl was being deceived just as she had been. What she wouldn’t give to be able to stop this from happening to someone else. It was only a matter of time though before this girl was taken. There was absolutely nothing that she could do to help this girl that Justin called Maycie.

*****

Maycie was almost out of her seat before the bell sounded to end her final day of ISS. The second day was as equally unproductive as the first, with an open chemistry book and lots and lots of daydreaming about Justin. Two very long days had led to a lot of makeup work in so many areas, and honestly, Maycie felt like she was drowning. As promised, Mrs. Hinson had been by a couple of times to check on Maycie with that same look of utter concern on her face and that same sweet voice.

I hope you are doing okay, she had said.

I promise, everything is fine, Maycie had assured her.

Well, okay. So glad to hear that.

Maycie was almost certain that as Mrs. Hinson had turned to leave the room, she had prayed for her silently. And even though this concern was unnecessary, Maycie still had to smile. Maycie’s thoughts once again returned to Justin. She hoped that they could talk before show choir practice this afternoon.

As she hurried toward the door, Mr. Dandridge chimed in, Hot date? It was sarcasm, and Maycie knew it well.

I sure hope so, Mr. Dandridge, Maycie responded and ducked out of the room before he could reply.

Maycie made a beeline for Mr. Stone’s classroom. With any luck at all, he would still be there going over lesson plans for tomorrow’s class. Or maybe he was grading papers. She hoped that something, anything at all had kept him there so that she could talk to him about makeup work. She skidded to a stop and tapped on the classroom door and opened the door. Mr. Stone looked up from the laptop that sat on his desk and looked over the rim of his glasses that seemed to have fallen to the very end of his very big nose. There were days that she wouldn’t have been able to help herself; she would have chuckled openly right in front of his face at this sight. Today would not be one of those days. Today, she had way too much on her mind; way too much was at stake.

Well, hello there, Maycie. You’ve been missing my class. Word has it that you were in detention. Please tell me that was not so.

Wish I could, Mr. Stone. Right now, all this just feels like a really bad dream that I can’t seem to wake up from.

How can I help you, Maycie?

Well, I, um… Maycie was struggling to find the right words. "I can’t let my grade fall. I was wondering