No Hostages Beyond This Point

By M. Lewis Ryan

In Daniel's life, there are doors. Some of these doors are physical, and others are mental. These doors are all open and welcoming. He passes through the corridors of life because he wants inside of that new existence, that new life where the grass must be greener on the other side, that shiny door. His success story might be there. His freedom is there. His escape from his tormenting past was through that door. He can see others there, and they look happy. So he walked through the open door, never turning around to notice the sign on the back of the door, the sign that read, "No hostages beyond this point."

Daniel struggles after he is released from prison. He isn't sure he can change his life after everything he has been through. He joined the MS-13 gang to survive in prison. Will they allow Daniel out of the gang after they find out the truth?

Daniel meets the girl of his dreams. Emri was the light in Daniel's darkness, a darkness that resonated through his eyes from within his soul. Daniel fought constantly to free himself from Satan's bondage. His memories held him hostage behind prison doors that he could not seem to open and leave behind. Daniel was released from prison, but not from his sentence and not from his new names: prisoner, murderer, and felon.

Daniel possessed a need to be found innocent of his crime. He wanted to be accepted by the very people he had hurt the most. He had made them kings and queens, rulers of his life and happiness. He did not do it on purpose. He had not realized what he had done until the queen he placed on the highest throne decided to sentence him to death.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886852912

Book preview

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No Hostages Beyond This Point

M. Lewis Ryan

ISBN 979-8-88685-290-5 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88751-803-9 (hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88685-291-2 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by M. Lewis Ryan

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

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

Silent Thoughts

Guard Gate

Slavery

Toy Dolls

Great Escape

So It Begins

Decisions and Doors

Angels

Demons

Long Path Back

Facing the Door

Mirrors

Darkest Dawn

Rainy Days

Bootstraps

Open Doors

Other Side

Hostages of Truth

Daniel

Salvation Freedom

Judgment Day Robes

About the Author

Other Works by M. Lewis Ryan

Contemned

Contemned Awakenings

Daniel: Inside the Lion's Den

Spoken Words of EboniSkye

To Tammy Cassandra Lloyd and the students within the Goree and Wynne State Farms, who have allotted me the privilege of sharing faith and respect while on a challenging and rewarding quest.

Daniel's Halfway Home-Group Home

Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.

—Mark 9:23

Introduction

I wish this story began with once upon a time, but that beginning only happens in fairytales. Real life begins with pain, blood, and tears. Ask any mother. I believe that when a baby is born and taken to the nursery, the nurse should read to that newborn from history books and the Bible. Start with the deception of Eve by Satan in the Garden of Eden, Cain killing Able, David killing Goliath, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Moses's plight to free the slaves, the trials of Job, and the faith of Noah.

The next night should be the United States' history of stealing and destroying land that belonged to Native Americans; betraying Mexico; and the abducting, raping, killing, and selling of African Americans into slavery. On the third night, world history should be read, the truth of the Holocaust, and the enslavement and attempted annihilation of the Jewish people. Instead of reading fairytales, we should prepare them for their next step in life.

All through the night, they can dream about how to make it through the wars, sins, and real-life nightmares. How to take cover against those with guns, batons, and tasers. Make them strong enough to handle being a prisoner of war, a hostage in the land of the free.

In this world, life, there are doors. Some of these doors are physical, and others are mental. These doors are all open and welcoming. We pass through the corridors of life because we want inside of that new existence, that new life where the grass must be greener, that shiny door. Our success story might be there. Our freedom is there. Our escape from whatever is tormenting us is through that door. We can see others there, and they look happy. So we walk through the open door, never turning around to notice the sign on the back of the door, the sign that reads, No hostages beyond this point.

Each door closes behind us as doors do in every scary movie, and we laugh as we step deeper into our new existence. We never think about turning around, observing the warning signs, and retreating through the door we just came through.

Think about it, Who would want to go backward in life? Not the impressionable, passionate, ambitious, hungry, wealth-driven, heartbroken, and young-minded us. Not a hostage!

Chapter 1

Silent Thoughts

Have you ever been in so much pain till you felt numb all over? It happens to the best of us. That fear inside that says, I'm not good enough. I can't handle this. I want to cry and just disappear. I want my mother. The word ouch cannot adequately sum up the amount of fear, love, and pain your soul is enduring at that point in time in your life.

Have you ever tried to hold yourself together while every molecule in your body trembled? Listening to your inner voice say, You're okay. It's okay. Everything is okay. While you stand there motionless, trying to decipher what just happened that turned your world upside down and inside out? Your body doesn't know whether to weep, scream, run, or faint. So you just stand there, looking lost, dazed, and confused. The sound of your heart beating is as if it is being ripped apart within your body, and your dry swallows are the only noise coming through. No one can hear your torment; you just do what you are told to do.

Did you know that no matter the age, most people long for their mother when they are hurt and/or dying?

In one lifetime, we are called upon at least once to stand in the spotlight, alone, feeling sick to the stomach and going through a silent hell on the outside of our body and an extremely loud hell on the inside. It is the time that you find out if you are a coward or a hero, a follower or a leader.

I remember the first time it happened to me and every time since that moment. The first time was when I was six years old. I ran home to avoid a fight at school and was met by my mother. She told me that I had better get back to that school before the bell rang and stand my ground. She had no idea there were four who wanted to fight me. I made it back before the bell rang. My books were placed neatly on the ground as I stood there with my fists balled up and ready for whatever was to come my way.

Another time was the start of the evening when my mother and I were alone at the motel pool, and she wanted to see me dive off the diving board while she sat on the steps in the shallow end drinking a wine cooler. She did not know how to swim, and for some reason, she thought I could. While I was underwater for what seemed like an eternity, I figured out how