In the Blink of an Eye

By Celistine Moors

"I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer" (Psalm 17:6).

Everyone in the house must call on our Lord and Savior. The fear of the voices that screamed through the long vacant hallways sent chills and terror through all who occupy the house. Someone's voice, not recognizable, whispered in the background, "Have you not forgotten about why we are here?" Everyone in the room abruptly stood up. "That was a child's voice!" someone shouted. The group rose to their feet and started looking in every corner for the child who had spoken, to no avail.

Everyone was starting to understand that they must continue to work together to continue to fight the evil. It was time again to kneel down and pray.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098076696

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In the Blink of an Eye

Celistine Moors

Copyright © 2021 by Celistine Moors

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

To my husband, Andrew, for all the love and support you have given me over the years. I love you so much, my dearest husband!

In the blink of an eye or the turn of a head,

life can be changed forever…

There is a vast difference between good and evil, which basically comes from the heart. The miraculous organ, which God designed and placed in each and every one of us, is a masterpiece of his workmanship! It’s our choice whether we embrace the good and forever turn away from evil things. For with the good comes an eternity with our Lord and Savior with everlasting joy forever!

Chapter 1

The day looked to be promising as Sissy tested her eyelids to adjust to the morning light peeping through her bedroom window. Wake up, sleepyhead, she whispered to herself. It was Saturday, and she knew she had a full agenda ahead of her. Slowly, her arms and legs extended in jerky, unwinding movements, stretching and bending in all different directions.

Oh! Sissy moaned. That feels wonderful.

As Sissy removed the ruffled bedcovers and gracefully descended from the bed, the shadows from the morning sunlight revealed a most beautiful African American woman of part-Irish decent. Pretty didn’t even begin to describe how extraordinary her beauty was.

Olive skin, red hair cascading around her face in shoulder-length ringlets, blue eyes like the Caribbean Sea, and small petite features. What made her so perfect was the precise placement of each one of her features. When you looked at her, you saw a masterpiece created by God! As extraordinary as her looks were, her inner beauty was just the same. The number of people who loved her and respected her was constantly growing.

Now awake, she gently glided her tall slender frame across her white plush carpet. She stopped short as she caught a glimpse of a figure standing in her doorway.

Mommy, a small sweet voice spoke, I love you today. It was Sissy’s five-year-old daughter Dory. She took a few small hops toward her mother’s arms, and Sissy scooped her up and proceeded to smother her with warm hugs and kisses. Dory giggled as only she could and lifted her small little chin and looked her mother eye to eye.

Today is a special day, right, Mommy?

Yes, Dory, special day. Sissy smiled.

The difference between Sissy and Dory was size and age, and Dory was a carbon copy of her mother. When the two of them were together, you knew you were looking at a blessing. They gave peace and comfort to everyone that they came in contact with.

The two of them lived together in a quaint two-bedroom cottage, outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the suburbs of Eastern Montgomery County. Sissy liked it that way because she wanted Dory in the school system in that area. It was a preference of hers; because it was just the two of them, Sissy was very protective of herself and child. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust folks; it was that some folks were just not trustworthy.

Her parents were deceased, and she had no siblings. Well, her mother was deceased, but her father was MIA so to speak. So it was very important to Sissy to be a good mom and a responsible adult. She was only thirty-two and far wiser than her years. She was so used to being on her own, and with Dory now, the added responsibility made her a more honorable person. Sissy had accomplished much at her age, a masters in music studying piano and voice, and she had a music career that was well on its way. Her mother was a Christian and always told her, "You can be anything you want to be, and have anything you want to have and know that Jesus is Lord, and alive in your life." Sissy has never forgotten those words.

Sissy never forgot her mom and how she was raised and raising Dory was a lesson in progress! Her mother must be so proud looking down at her.

The day was going to be very busy, so much to do! But Saturdays, as Dory noted earlier, were always Sissy and Dory’s special day. No matter what, they always spent time together on Saturday doing wonderful things. This Saturday, they were going to the local Willow Grove Mall. This was one of Dory’s favorite places to go; she was in love with the food court. There was so much food to choose from and so many people to look at. Sissy often called Dory a people watcher, and she did her best watching when she was revolving on the massive merry-go-round at the mall.

The Mall

After they ate, Sissy needed to go to the Christian bookstore and get some CDs. There were three things in her life that meant everything to her: God, Dory, and her music. Her passion ran deeply for all three. Sissy was always singing for churches, weddings, parties, teas, and whatever she was called to do for her music ministry. She was anticipating going into the recording Studio soon, so each experience afforded to her she accepted. Her master’s degree in music also enabled her to teach music in a local church. She was completely dedicated to her craft and was driven by a higher power to do so. She knew that God had truly blessed her. Sissy and Dory walked hand in hand out of the store; Dory clutching her new toy dog from her McDonald’s Happy Meal. Sissy had purchased the CDs she wanted, and all was right with the world. Dory began to tug on Sissy’s sleeve and moaned, Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom please.

Okay, sweetie. Oh boy, Dory, we are going to have to wait a little bit, whispered Sissy.

The line was almost out the door, but they didn’t have any other choice.

It’s okay, Mommy, it’s okay, said Dory, smiling and gripping her hand even tighter. Sissy’s arms were filled with purchases. She was changing arms with her handbag and repositioning her packages. She released Dory’s hand for a moment. Only a couple of seconds or so had passed, Sissy was moving, inching in the line.

Dory, give Mommy your hand. Not looking down, Sissy said again, with a stern tone, Dory, give Mommy your hand! Sissy groped around for a moment. Dory! she shouted as her packages fell to the floor.

Dory, Dory! She spun around to survey the room as patrons watched her falling to her knees crawling frantically and looking under each stall.

Lady! yelled the woman next to her. Get up. You’re crazy! Sissy felt an arm jerking at her and pulling her up.

You don’t understand, Sissy screamed at the woman who had her by the arm. My baby, my Dory, she was just here beside me and now she is gone!

Another voice called from the room, Yes, I saw her with a little girl who looked just like her, a redheaded little girl.

At this point, panic broke out in the room. Mothers were holding their children tight to them, and the children had begun crying and screaming from the sheer instability of the parents.

Sissy had slumped to the floor

Oh god… My god, my baby… My baby she’s gone… My baby… Another arm had reached out to assist her, only to have been met with resistance. Sissy broke loose and rammed the bathroom door leading to the mall area, weeping and screaming Dory’s name, Dory, Dory, Dory! The shrill of her voice was unbelievable; it was a mixture of pain and determination.

Oh god. Answer Mommy, Dory. Please answer Mommy! Sissy was running and spinning trying to get an overall view of the complete mall. She ran down to the merry-go-round hoping that she might see her there. She saw her nowhere! She continued running, screaming, slipping, and stumbling over her own feet, clawing and scratching at the tiles on the floor in an effort to gain momentum. There were now people coming from everywhere, gasping for breath and barely able to utter a sound. Sissy collapsed near the fountain in the center of the mall. Her energy was gone and her senses were depleted. The crowd of people continued to increase with sympathizers and hecklers alike, creating a cloud of explosive energy. The security guards continued to push their way amid the growing crowd inching their way closer and closer to Sissy. Now they had almost made their way close to her.

Miss! one of them shouted. It’s okay. We are here now and will take care of you. Take it easy, and let us help you. They barely had been able to keep up with her as she had been sprinting like a world-class athlete, only Sissy’s exhaustion had allowed them to catch up to her.

Sissy couldn’t breathe. Her heart was beating like a drum. She now saw herself moving in slow motion; everything around her seemed to be coming to a standstill.

"Dory, Mommy’s here. Dory, Mommy loves you. Someone please help me! Please help me find my baby, PLEASE!"

Chapter 2

It was hard for Sissy to tell if she was awake or asleep. She could see her precious Dory dancing around in the distance, laughing and spinning like a top. Oh how cute she looks. Dory, my little one, come to Mommy. She was trying to speak, but no voice was evident, just the thought of sound and nothing more. As she tried to reach out to her child, Dory vanished. This was a strange place she was in. There was a vastness that surrounded her and voices, sometimes familiar in the far distance. At times, she could hear people speaking about her condition, whatever that meant, and she could smell rubbing alcohol like in a hospital.

Is that where I am? she murmured to herself.

Wherever I am, she thought, I am not alone. Tired and confused, she slowly drifted into a warm and comforting sleep. She wasn’t afraid.

***

Miss O’Hara, Miss O’Hara… Faintly, Sissy heard her name.

Miss O’Hara… There it was again. Sissy’s head was pounding. She could neither lift her head nor could she see clearly. She strained her eyes but could only see a grayish color—oh wait! Now it started turning into faint colors. Slowly, things were starting to become clearer. Now she could see tubes in her arm and IV bottles dangling over her head.

Gee, my mouth is very dry, she thought, and her head was hurting very badly. Well, Sissy thought, I must be in the hospital.

Miss O’Hara, how do you feel?

I’m not sure, Sissy answered very softly. Why am I here?

She heard a man’s voice telling her she had had a very nasty fall at the mall. She just kind of stared at him, the man in the white coat, and thought to herself, How did I fall? There was silence. Sissy did not know for how long, but then all of a sudden it was like an awesome flood had entered her brain and memories started grabbing all corners of her mind.

Oh Lord! Where is my baby girl? Where is Dory? Sissy choked. She was again overwhelmed with her pain, and she remembered the pain and despair she had felt in the mall.

Now, Miss O’Hara, or may I call you Sissy? You are going to have to calm down. It was that