The Warrior

By Danielle Milano

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world." An ill-fated decision nearly ends badly for her. Little did she know it was only the beginning. Meet Ciara, a small-town Louisiana teen who has begun to realize that things at home are not as perfect as they seem. She does not have much time to dwell on it as life-changing events draw her attention to a wider reality. In the blink of an eye, Ciara and her family are drawn into a battle for their lives with eternity hanging in the balance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644924846

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Walk Home

Man, it’s hot! She wiped her forehead with her arm. Her shirt, wet with her sweat, clung to her back. She looked up at the clear baby-blue sky as she walked along the side of the road. It was a beautiful midspring day. She had thought of stopping at a convenience store to see if she could call her mother to come and get her, but it was so beautiful, and home was only a few miles away. Walking seemed like a good idea at the time, but now, she was sweaty and thirsty. She fingered the barbed wire fence surrounding the fields. There were rows of corn on both sides of the highway. It had not rained in a few days, but the rows of corn were green and nearly ripe. She saw on the horizon the road she would have to turn on to get to her home. She turned around as she heard a car pulling up behind her half expecting to see her mother.

Hey, kid, need a ride? She looked up to see a man sitting behind a brown sedan. It’s a little hot out here to be walking. You can ride if you want to.

Everything she was told about strangers came back to her, but her feet were so tired. She had already walked two miles and had another to go. Surely nothing could happen to her this close to home. She began to get in the car but then stopped. Something was wrong. She looked around and saw nothing, but she didn’t feel right. She then backed away from the car. Thank you, sir, but no, thanks, I’m not that far from my home.

The guy shrugged his shoulders and got back into the car. Have it your way. He began to drive off. He drove past her and then parked on the shoulder. He was about ten yards in front of her and blocking her way to the road home. He then got out of the car and began walking toward her. I don’t mean to alarm you, but I think it would be dangerous for you to continue walking alone out here. I mean you no harm. Please, just accept the ride.

He began walking toward her. She stepped backward, now alarmed. She looked around her again and saw nothing and no one. Danger! went off again and again in her head like a neon sign. She began walking backward. Sir, really, all I have to do is turn and walk down that road, and I’ll be home. I’ll be fine. Thanks, but I’m okay.

Get in the car, now. The man who seemed so nice a minute ago was not nice anymore. He was walking fast toward her. She continued to walk backward, but it felt to her like she was walking through mud. She saw herself turning and running away, but she was paralyzed. It was the stuff of nightmares. She thought of all the pictures of missing children that she saw on the news and on milk cartons. Is this how it happened for all of them? Was this also her fate? She thought of her family and how devastated they would be, but it was no use. She couldn’t move. Her feet were no longer in mud. She was now stuck in dried cement.

She said she’d be fine. She turned to see a man standing behind her. Where’d he come from?

This is none of your business. I’m just trying to help her.

Her legs wouldn’t move, but her lips could. I don’t need his help! He’s trying to kidnap me!

The man behind her put a hand on her shoulder and said, Peace, child. She fell silent and felt strangely calm. The man then stepped in front of her. You will not harm her as you intend. Be gone!

The driver stared at the other man then hissed at him. The girl let out a little scream and felt weak in the knees. She felt like fainting and wondered if her bladder had let go. There was just something so wrong about the way the man hissed, as if he were a snake in man’s body. The man who had stepped in front of her turned and said, Fear not. Her legs felt stronger, and bewilderment replaced her fear. She was sure that she would be okay, but what was going on? He then turned back to the driver and said, Foul creature, I said be gone! They stared at each other for what felt like hours. At first, the driver took a step toward the man. The man did not move. The driver went to take another step, but the man softly said, The Lord rebukes you. You can only go backward. The driver tried to take another step forward, but he could not. The girl watched as the leg that was trying to move forward appeared to have run into a wall. He tried to move to the side, but no matter where he went, he could not move forward. He stepped back and ran toward them. Again it appeared that he ran into an invisible wall. He fell to the ground. He grimaced, and if things were not already ridiculous, he began to climb the invisible barrier. He appeared to be scaling a wall though his hands were not gripping anything. She watched as he climbed higher and higher, impossibly high. He then slid back to the ground. He looked at the man with wild hatred in his eyes.

I curse you and all your kind! She was mine! They’re all mine! You’re always interfering! The driver then got back into his car and drove off.

The man turned toward her. You are safe now. Would you like to ride with me?

She was immediately on her guard again. How do I know you’re not like him? How do I know that this is not just some huge act and you are not in cahoots with him?

The man just looked at her. Don’t you think if I were in cahoots with him that I would have just helped him get you into his car? Anyway, I am only offering to help. It is up to you to decide if you want to accept it.

Now that the danger was over, she took a good look at the man who had defended her. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and slim. He wore a white shirt that looked like the muscle shirts men who frequent gyms wear. He had white pants on as well. He looked like a man who was heavily involved in martial arts. His sunglasses were dark enough that she could not see the color of his eyes. He had no hat on his bald head, and she noticed that he was not sweating at all, and in the hot humid weather of the south, that was highly unusual. He must have the AC cranked all the way up to not be hot yet, she thought. The man began walking toward a huge black SUV, which she had not noticed or heard pull up behind her. She could not hear the engine running and wondered that she did not hear him when he parked behind her. She thought again about everything she heard about strangers and getting into the car with them. She thought about the events that had just taken place. She then thought about how this man came from seemingly out of nowhere (she remembered looking around and seeing no one) and helped her out of a potentially dangerous situation. She thought about the peace he brought and how he drove her fear away. Okay, sir, I’ll ride with you.

The man turned and looked at her. Will you now? Well then, all aboard!

She got in and buckled her seatbelt. So what’s your name?

Chen.

Chen? That’s it? No last name?

No. I am just Chen.

Oookay, well, my name is Ciara.

I know.

She cocked her head. How do you know?

I know your grandmother.

Really? Which one?

Marian.

How do you know my Grandma Marian?

That’s a long story. Chen turned down the road to Ciara’s house.

Did she tell you where I live too?

No.

Then how do you know?

Chen sighed. Your name is Ciara Washington. You are thirteen years old. You live with your mother, father, and little brother. You like to dance and sing. You have a birthmark on the small of your back. Your favorite flavor of Kool-Aid is cherry, and you love to eat ribs.

Ciara was on alert again. How do you know all these things about me? She cocked her head to the side. You been stalking me?

I know because I am your prince.

My prince? She thought about all the fairy tales that she had heard and wondered what he meant by that.

Yes, your prince, or your guardian. I have watched over you since the day you were born.

Ciara was puzzled. But I thought guardians were what you have when you don’t have parents. I have a mother and a father. And how can you watch over me when I have never seen you?

Chen looked at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled. Ask your Grandma Marian.

Ciara was quiet for a minute. Okay. What does she have to do with this?

Chen sighed. We’re here, and I don’t have time to explain all that now. Ask your Grandmother. Marian, not the other one. He then turned into the driveway in front of her house. Now you will have questions of your own to answer. Be safe, Cee, and next time, call your mother for a ride home.

Wait! How did you know my nickname?

Chen merely shook his head in mock exasperation. Goodbye, Ciara.

Will I see you again?

Chen smiled. Hopefully under other circumstances. Goodbye now. We both have to go.

Ciara watched as Chen backed out of her driveway.

Ciara! Where have you been? When she turned back toward the house, her mother was standing just outside the door of their home.

Oh, Hi, Mom. I guess Sarah’s mom forgot about giving me a ride, so I walked. That nice man gave me a ride home as I was walking.

What nice man? You are thirteen years old. I would think that, by now, you know better than to get in the car of a stranger!

Mom, didn’t you see that huge black SUV that was in the driveway a few minutes ago?

"No, I did not see a huge black SUV. All I saw was you walking toward the house. Has the sun fried your brain? Get in here! I just called Sarah’s mom, and she told me she sent her sister to pick Sarah up. Apparently, they forgot to get you. I just got off the phone with someone from the school. They said you weren’t there and thought you were already gone! I was starting to get worried! Get in here and explain yourself!"

Ciara wasn’t sure if she could explain herself. She had not yet figured everything out. Well, I was in the bathroom changing out of my practice clothes. When I came out, everyone was gone. I decided to walk home since it’s only a few miles away. I accidentally left my cell phone at home, so I was not able to call you—

Her mother interrupted her at this point. "Don’t give me that! You’re telling me the coach left you in the building alone?! Even if that happened, why didn’t you just stop at the convenience store across from the high school? Why would you walk along that dangerous highway with the way people drive around here!? And why in the world would you get in the car with someone you don’t know?" She said that last question with her hands on Ciara’s shoulders. Her grip was becoming increasingly stronger.

Mom, you’re hurting me. I just wanted to get home. It’s a beautiful day, and I felt that I could handle it on my own. Anyway, aren’t you usually standing in front of the window when I get home? I’d like to know how you missed that SUV.

Her mother released her and frowned. She looked at Ciara for a long time before answering. "That is odd. I was standing at the window with the phone in my hand. I looked at the clock on the mantle. When I looked back, you were walking toward the house. I saw nothing else. At the least, I should have seen him backing up. I should have gone out and thanked him. Goodness knows what could have happened to you out on that highway."

She has no idea, Ciara thought. A chill ran down her spine. Mom, can I stay with Grandma Marian this weekend?

I guess so, but why?

I haven’t seen her in a while. I kinda miss her.

Her mother laughed. You were the one who said you didn’t like going over there. You said it was boring, and now you miss her? Her mother looked sideways at her then shook her head. I’m not buying that. Something’s going on here.

Ciara thought quickly and said, Okay, you got me. I have a social studies project. We are supposed to interview our grandparents to see how life was when they were our age.

Her mother laughed. So you have to learn about the good old days, when people walked barefoot through the snow for ten miles to go to school, killed their breakfast and dinner, used outhouses, and took baths in tin tubs, is that it?

Ciara laughed with her, mostly with relief. Something like that, yeah.

Okay, sweetie, I’ll give her a call.

Thanks, Mom. Wait!

Her mother turned back to her, eyebrows raised. Yes?

Did it ever snow here in Louisiana?

Her mother sighed. It used to snow when I was little. I remember building a snowman with your grandfather and your uncle. We ended up in a snowball fight. Your uncle won. She smiled at the memory. Now we are fortunate if it stays cold long enough to kill the mosquitoes, which it doesn’t. Gotta love this Louisiana weather! Okay, young lady, I’m sure you have homework. I’m going to get dinner started.

Ciara let out a sigh of relief. She hated lying to her mother and usually wasn’t very good at it. She felt that it was not the right time to tell her mother about the man who tried to force her into his car or about Chen. So many questions went through Ciara’s mind that it was hard for her to concentrate on her homework. Why did Chen call that man foul creature? How did her grandmother fit into all this? What sort of guardian was Chen? Why had she never met him before? What would be happening to her now if Chen had not come? That last thought made her feel sick to her stomach. Ciara shook her head. Okay, enough. Nothing happened, I’m okay, and it’s time to get back to work. It’s time to get back to things that make sense.

Later that day, Ciara was sitting at the dinner table with her mother, father, and eighteen-month-old brother Makarius. Her mother was feeding her brother.

So how was your day? she asked her father.

He sighed, Hectic as usual. We patrolled the west side of town, and there is never a dull moment over there. We arrested two guys who were trying to sell meth to a 15-year-old. Ciara tuned him out. Her father always had some story about having to arrest someone. With all the arrests he made, it was a wonder nothing was ever seen on the news. His stories were starting to sound the same to Ciara, so she began thinking about her own day.

Ciara?

Ciara was startled out of her thoughts. Huh?

Her dad laughed. Come back to earth! I said I hear you had a little adventure of your own today.

Oh, uh, nothing like yours, Dad. I just walked most of the way home.

Yeah, it’s the last part of the way home that I’m most interested in. Who took you home?

I, uh, didn’t get his full name. He just said it was Chen.

Chen? Now where have I heard that name before?

Ciara looked at him closely. Grandma Marian was her father’s mother. Is it possible that Chen knew her father too? Do you know him?

No, probably not. I don’t remember. Probably someone I collared in the past or something. Anyway, everything turned out okay this time, but promise me you won’t get into the car with strangers in the future.

Okay, I promise.

And Ciara?

Yes, Dad?

Don’t walk home again either. As a policeman’s daughter, you can be more of a target by someone I have arrested or testified against in court. These guys are let out of prison every day on some technicality or something. Some of them may have a vendetta against me. It is important that you make better decisions in the future for your own safety. This town is small enough that most people know you’re my daughter.

Okay.

That’s my girl.

Her mother smiled at her father. Guess what, hon?

What is it?

Ciara wants to see Marian.

Really! Her father looked at Ciara. Why?

Before Ciara could answer, her mother said, For a social studies project. She wants to learn about the ‘good old days.’

Her father snorted with laughter. Well, you picked the right one. My mother can definitely tell you about her ‘good old days’ and anything else you want to know. Just don’t ask her about church or God or Jesus. She’ll be trying to get you saved, he said this in a spooky voice while waving his hands in the air.

Makarius laughed at his dad, which made everyone laugh.

Dad?

Yes, baby.

We never talk about God or Jesus or church. What’s so bad about it?

Her father grew serious again. "Nothing, except that it’s a rigid way of life. Can’t do this, can’t do that, everything fun is a sin. You can’t be rich or enjoy anything in