“Don’t move!”
They were trapped. The shadow man slipped around the soldiers and entered the cave.
“Go,” David told Wren. He stepped forward to intercept the newcomers.
She had no choice but to turn and head deeper into the darkness. She couldn’t see a thing, so she stretched her arms out in front of her.
She bumped into walls and only managed to move a few feet before the entire cave lit up like the morning sun had risen inside the stone walls. In reaction, Wren’s eyes slammed shut.
“Don’t move!”
She felt a hand clamp down on her arm. The hand belonged to one of the soldiers. She saw that the other soldier had David.
What is the point of all this?
Why am I here?
None of this makes sense!
“Bring them back to the camp. Keep watch until Goliath can deal with the girl,” the shadow man said.
She didn’t understand what all this meant. The soldier pulled her out of the cave. She saw David being led away by the other soldier.
The soldiers led them down a path that made its way to the bottom of the hill. The whole time they walked, Wren kept looking for the shadow man. He never came out of the cave.
When they reached the place where the dusty path gave way to the prairie, Wren could see the giant again. He was standing out in front of the Philistine army facing the Israelites. Hands raised like he had just crossed an imaginary finish line.
“THIS DAY I DEFY THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL! GIVE ME A MAN, AND LET US FIGHT EACH OTHER!”
The giant’s voice sounded like it was being pumped through a siren. It was deep, loud, and scary. His words shot through the air and hit her ears like heavy rocks. Each one powerful in its own way.
This is why the Israelite soldiers are afraid!
God, please help me get out of this place!
The soldiers led them deep into the Philistine camp. Wren watched as David was shoved into a tent. Her soldier led her a little farther before pushing her into another tent.
Inside the tent, Wren sat on the ground and buried her face in her drawn-up knees. She could not figure out how or why she was trapped in this otherworld. At first, she thought it was cool to be able to experience a Bible story. But now, stuck in the enemy’s camp, no part of this bizarre trip was fun. Wren felt just like she did when her mom passed away from the terrible cancer.
Being caught in the Philistine’s camp made her stomach churn under the wave of nerves that crashed over her body. This was also just like when the school bus turned onto their street and she saw the fire trucks.
Overcome.
And just like with all those real-world problems of pain and loss, she had no answers here either.
“I understand. Believe me, I understand.”
She heard the words. They were spoken aloud, but no one was with her in the tent.
“All things, Wren…all things are possible.”
What’s happening? I’m hearing voices that are not real. I’m hearing a man speak, but no one is in here with me.
“I’m here with you, Wren. Just believe.”
The ground beneath her rumbled. The tent poles shook. She stood and nearly lost her balance but steadied herself before falling. She wanted to find the owner of the voice.
She peeked through the opening of the tent and saw the group of soldiers who had been guarding her. They all stepped back to let the giant pass by.
Goliath was back!
Each step he took toward the tent shook the ground harder the closer he came.
“WHERE IS SHE?”
Oh Lord, please keep me safe!
Wren looked around for a way out, but there were guards all around the outside of the tent. She could hear the soldiers telling the giant where she was being held.
And then the ground stopped quaking. And the loud siren voice stopped booming. And then came the silence.
But it was only the calm before the storm. The eye of the hurricane.
A massive hand pulled back the tent flap. Wren instinctively jumped back and pressed herself into the corner, holding down a scream so she wouldn’t give away her position.
The giant’s hand moved back and forth. Back and forth. Back and—
The huge hand found her.
“COME OUT!” Goliath screamed.
The hand grabbed her in a tight grip and pulled her out and up into daylight.
Staring into the eyes of the hideous giant man, Wren discovered a terrible new truth.
All things were not possible.
Goliath smiled.
Tightened his grip.
Her body couldn’t do a thing against his power.
“Please, God! Help me!”