Chapter 22
For the next several days, Brent felt numb as the reality of Jonathan’s death sunk in. He felt a growing sense of responsibility to somehow make sure his friend’s sacrifice hadn’t been in vain. While he was able to keep himself busy enough with school to get through the days, the nights were a different story. As he laid on his bed it seemed his mind could only relive that fateful night, and each time he hoped it would end differently, somehow end happier, but the end was always the same, and he woke wishing it had been only a dream. One night, as Brent was tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep, he heard a noise. Actually, he heard repeated noises, like a tap-tap-tap. He sat up in bed and wondered what it could be. He decided to wake up and investigate. As he wiped his eyes, he determined the noise was coming from his window, so he stumbled over to it. Peeking out the window, he was surprised and excited to see a familiar face. It was Amy.
He grabbed his robe and headed outside to the courtyard of his dormitory. The moon was full and Brent noticed how beautiful Amy looked in the moonlight. She wore jeans and a simple white shirt, and with no makeup, she was just the way the Sovereign made her. Brent never understood why girls had to wear makeup at all. Brent, still half-asleep, finally noticed that Amy was crying. He felt stupid for taking so long to notice she was upset.
“Amy, what’s wrong? What happened?” he asked.
“Oh, Brent, I just had to talk to someone tonight. I just got back from the hospital…my mom….died tonight,” she sobbed.
Brent was stunned. “I’m so sorry Amy, I didn’t even know she was in the hospital,” he said awkwardly. “Tell me what happened.”
“She had been very sick for about two months, but just went into the hospital last week,” Amy began. “I have been by her bedside all week and I’ve been terrified that she might die and leave me. But Brent, the thing that made me the most confused was what happened with her doctor. Tonight, while I was visiting her, a young doctor, who looked more like a boy, came to visit my mom in her room. He told my mom that ‘the Lord heard her prayer and had forgiven her’. He then turned to me and said that my mother once knew the Lord but had fallen away in the Year of Purification. She had lost faith and denied her Lord, but in the final moments of her life she had asked the Lord to forgive her and to show Himself to her daughter.”
Brent sighed thoughtfully. “That’s pretty amazing, Amy.”
She continued, “I didn’t know what he was talking about, but he told me to find a boy named Josiah and he would explain everything to me. But Brent, I don’t know anyone named Josiah, and the name is not listed anywhere in the school directory.”
Brent felt a shudder run through him and backed away from Amy. He said, “Amy, that is a forbidden name from the Book of Books.” He paused for a moment, and then asked, “Amy, what was the doctor’s name?”
Amy replied, “You know Brent, I can’t seem to remember it. It was very strange, something like, Sha…Sha…something.”
“Shaphan,” Brent said.
“Oh my goodness, Brent, how did you know?” Amy asked. “Do you know him?”
“Who is he?” Amy asked. “When I asked the hospital staff where the young doctor was who had been in my mom’s room, they said there was no young doctor, that I must have been mistaken.”
Brent gave her a reassuring smile, “Yes, he has a way of doing that. There is much to explain, but we can’t do it here. Can we talk about that later?”
“Sure,” Amy answered, “but you did get me very curious.”
Brent was so eager to tell her everything, but knew he had to wait until the right time. “Right now the important thing is, are you OK? I’m so sorry about your mom. Will this effect your enrollment at the Academy?” Brent asked, hoping he wouldn’t lose this friend.
“No, no. It’s fine. I’ll stay on campus,” said Amy. “My counselor said she will look after me and that I don’t have to worry about my schedule. I just can’t believe Mom is gone. I’m glad she found whatever peace she needed at the end, but I’m still so curious about the doctor’s words…‘the Lord’ and all that stuff,” Amy answered.
Brent was nervous for her, but tried to hide it. “I’ll explain all of that to you, I promise. Just promise me that you won’t talk to anyone else about your visit with the young doctor.” He spoke with an earnestness that Amy easily noticed.
She answered with a simple, “OK. I promise.” And then added, “Look, I need to get going before I’m missed.” She took his hand and held it lightly, “Thanks, Brent.”
Brent smiled, “You’re welcome. Go! Will you be OK?”
“Yes, thanks to you, Brent,” Amy replied.
He added, “Hang in there. There are answers, Amy, but don’t talk to anyone else about this.
I'm serious.”
“OK, Brent, I trust you.”
She gave his hand a squeeze before letting go, then smiled, turned and left. Brent stood motionless and tried to decipher his emotions as he watched her disappear over the sprawling lawn of the Academy campus. He was just about to return to his own dorm when he saw Amy turn and look back. She smiled again. He offered a smile in return and shyly waved, feeling embarrassed to be caught still watching her. As he turned and walked away, he forced himself not to look back as much as he wanted to.
The next day at the Academy, Brent noticed Amy was not in any of the classes they usually shared. He was worried that she had not taken his advice from the night before to keep their conversation to herself. After lunch, Brent was relieved to see her walk into the cafeteria. Her eyes were red and she looked tired. He noticed she was wearing the same clothes from the night before.
Brent went over to her and asked, “Amy, what’s going on? Are you OK?”
“Oh Brent, I think I’m in serious trouble. As if it’s not enough to be grieving over my mom, last night two UFP officers arrived at my dorm room and took me into the UFP headquarters! They questioned me for hours.”
“About what, Amy?” Brent asked impatiently.
Amy said, “I went on the GlobalNet last night to try and find out who this ‘Josiah’ is, and who
‘the Lord’ person is that my mom talked about before she died. Apparently you were right Brent, those are forbidden names.”
“What did you tell them Amy?” Brent asked nervously.
“I told them the truth, Brent. I told them they were words my dying mother had said that made no sense to me. They seemed to believe me.”
At that moment Brent wanted so badly to tell Amy everything, to take her to a Gathering where it would all make sense and her grief could be eased. But he knew the UFP would be
watching her, so taking her to a Gathering would be dangerous. They would have to find a place on campus to talk. He told her to meet him that night outside his dormitory and they could go for a walk and talk together.
The hours that day dragged like never before. Brent struggled to concentrate on his studies, often pausing to close his eyes and silently intercede for wisdom about what to tell Amy.
The evening finally came, and as the two of them were walking around the grounds, Amy saw UFP officers headed toward them. She quickly said to Brent, “Hold my hand, it will be less suspicious.” Brent didn’t hesitate to grab her hand. He felt the tingles it sent up his back. It was a nice feeling, but short-lived. After the UFP officers passed, she let go of Brent’s hand.
He wished she hadn’t. He wondered if that was love he felt?
They sat down under a tree and Brent decided to tell her about the Remnant, but without any details that would endanger the others in case she didn’t believe him or decided not to join.
They took off their DP’s and laid them aside with music playing to muffle their hushed tones.
Amy listened intently, hanging on every word. She asked about the Redeemer, if he was the Lord that her mother referred to. Brent told her he was.
After hours of talking, Amy said, “I think I am ready for the Yielding. I would like to see my mother again someday, and discover the Faith that she lost only to regain it at the end. I want to live the life of Faith that my mother missed out on.”
Brent was pleased at her eagerness, but tried to speak cautiously because he feared losing this special friend if she decided to reject the Truth. “Amy, the Yielding is simply a decision to surrender your life to the Sovereign and accept His Lordship over your life.”
“How do I do it, Brent?” asked Amy.
Brent answered, “Just tell Him…the Redeemer…right now. Tell him in your own words what you are thinking and feeling. He will hear you and do the rest.” Amy then bowed her head and interceded for the first time.
When she had finished, she looked up, a tear tracing down her face. “Thank you, Brent.
Thank you for sharing this with me. I am so glad I have you. With my mom gone, I have no family left.”
Brent smiled back, taking his finger and wiping her tear away. “It says in the Book of Books, of the Redeemer, ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or
mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ That’s a promise, Amy.”
“When will this happen?” Amy asked.
“I don’t know, but hopefully soon,” he answered as he stood. “We'd better get back, we've been out awhile.” Amy stood up, brushed the grass from her pants and then looked at her friend.
“Brent,” Amy spoke now with a solemn curiosity on her face.
“Yes?” he answered, wondering what question would follow the intent look in her eyes.
“Are you Josiah?” Her question shocked him. He didn’t know what to say. He wanted to tell her, but he also was nervous to compromise the Remnant until they had met Amy and welcomed her. He was struggling with how to answer when she interrupted his thoughts.
“You don’t have to answer. I understand. If you aren’t, then he sent you. But if you are, thanks for helping me.” She took his hand again, gave it a slight squeeze and turned and walked away.
Brent stood there for several minutes feeling the emotion that was welling up within him. He
been fulfilled. Amy would become a member of the Remnant. She had discovered and
accepted the Truth, and soon would be leading others to it in her own way. As Brent returned to his room there was a bounce in his step again. The despondency of the last several days was evaporating as he realized that the Sovereign was indeed at work in the world in the lives of people who were open to the Truth. While the journey was not always easy, being on the side of Truth was better than anything else the world could offer him. He wondered what the future would hold for him and Amy. Whatever it was, he was ready and eager to find out.
