They were all tired and hungry.

After Tara had regained her composure, she quietly resumed the rest of the hike back to the trailhead office, though she would only walk with Karen.

The subject of her witchcraft, and her attempts to disrupt the lives of the five Christians, had been shelved for the time being.  Tara wasn’t in a place mentally or emotionally to give or take anymore. She was exhausted and the remaining couple of miles to the vehicles taxed her even further. 

Now that they were off the trail and on the road home, the group decided that gnawing on beef jerky and trail mix held little appeal for the multi-hour trip back north. They decided, instead, to stop off somewhere near Portsmouth, not far from the state forest, for something to eat. Long John Silver’s ended up being the restaurant of choice for the women, so the men acquiesced.

Loaded up on batter-dipped, deep-fried seafood and hush puppies, they got back on the road for the drive back to Millsville. To Brent’s chagrin, the driving arrangements remained the same as they had been on the way down. He really wanted to hear more of what was going on with Tara. But that conversation was reserved for Eric’s and Karen’s ears, at least for a couple more hours.

Within his own vehicle, Marta hadn’t said, “I told you so” yet, but Brent knew she had to be thinking it. He now admitted to himself that testosterone had kept him blind to what was going on spiritually around him, both prior to, and during, the trip. Marta had been right concerning the checks she’d had in her spirit, and he needed to humble himself and acknowledge that.

“Marta?” he said softly, looking to the front passenger seat. She had seemed deep in thought throughout the first fifteen minutes of the drive.

“Hmm?” she responded, gazing out her window.

“You were right.”

“About?”

“I doubted your misgivings about Tara. You kept making it clear that something was going on, and I just wouldn’t allow myself to believe you.”

“Oh. Yeah, well… Thanks for admitting that to me.”

“Forgive me?”

“Forgiven.”

Terry apparently couldn’t resist. “Aww… Love birds.”

Brent worked to hold back a smile and just shook his head.

Marta let out a small giggle, never breaking her gaze with the countryside.

UNLIKE IN BRENT’S Suburban, Eric didn’t have anyone riding shotgun. Both Karen and Tara took up residence in the back seats.

The conversation that Eric wanted to hear wasn’t taking place. Tara leaned over onto Karen’s shoulder, as a daughter might do with her mother. The silence that permeated the cab of the Jeep was needed for the time being.

Eric looked back periodically, using the rear-view mirror, and would see Karen smoothing Tara’s hair. At one point he saw her kiss the crown of Tara’s head and whisper something to her that he would never be privy to.

Eric prayed.

ANOTHER SEVERAL MINUTES of silent driving was getting on Brent’s nerves. “So…” he said, “Interesting trip.”

Terry chuckled.

Marta was still looking out her passenger window, but nodded in agreement.

“Yeah,” she said almost as a sigh. “I was just thinking about what Karen told us to do before she broke the news.”

“The prayer?” asked Terry.

“Yeah,” she said again. “What if she hadn’t required that of us?”

A moment of quiet reflection, then Brent answered, “I’d have blown my top.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Marta responded. “I’d have done the same thing if Karen hadn’t challenged me about my attitude and my heart this morning before we broke camp.”

Terry just listened.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really.”

“Hmm,” said Brent in acknowledgment.

“Did either of you know about Karen’s past?” asked Terry.

“Nope. Didn’t see that one coming,” said Brent.

“Me either,” said Marta.

“One thing’s for sure,” said Terry. “I want to hang out with you people more often.”

Brent and Marta both laughed.

Never a dull moment, thought Brent and Marta at the same time.

THEY HAD BEEN on the road for about an hour when Tara sat up and began watching the traffic past Eric’s shoulder.

She sighed.

“Are you okay?” asked Karen quietly.

Tara shrugged. She didn’t think so, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about anything yet.

“We love you, Tara,” Karen whispered in response.

That’s the seventh time she’s said that to me. That’s crazy. She wanted to call Karen out as a liar. But of all the things that Karen and the rest could say, “We love you” didn’t sound like something that would escape their lips as a lie; not when they had every right to say “We hate you” instead.

Love.

What did she know about love anyway? Not much. A life built on hatred and retribution left little room for love. In the past six years, the closest thing she felt to any kind of love was the tie that she’d had with Stephanie. And now she knew that even that had all been just an act.

How am I expected to believe these people? The last group of people I connected with faked it for the sake of an agenda. What’s the agenda of this group of Christlings?

Funny ... ‘Christlings’ doesn’t sound as cute as it did just a few hours ago.

She sighed again. Christians … Brent. She thought about him. He withstood. No other man that she had ever met would have … or ever did.

Who was she? What in hel… Another sigh. What in the world was she supposed to do now?

In another hour or so I’ll be leaving this bunch to… to what? What do I have? Who do I know?

Suddenly she remembered Shalinar’s promise that he’d take care of her in the Otherealm. Was he what Karen claimed? A demon? Is there anything about my life that isn’t blanketed in lies? Is there not one person that I can trust?

A voice whispered into her soul. The words, and the power surrounding them, caused her to catch her breath. She dare not breathe. “You can trust me, Tara.”

She was suddenly overwhelmed. Tears rose up in her eyes. Her vision seemed to cloud over as euphoric detachment began to occur. She could hear Karen asking her something, but it was muffled. Muffled in this … place; this place that she had just entered.

She didn’t feel lost. She knew she was still in Eric’s car; that Karen was sitting beside her. But it felt as though she was experiencing the intersection of two realities; two existences that converged in this one small space.

She was startled. Her heart began to race. There was another presence here.

Her first mental response was, Shalinar?

“No, child. Shalinar cannot inhabit my presence.”

She felt a tear travel down her right cheek. Who? Who, then? Her heart was beating even harder. Her soul latched onto a hope that she’d heard the right words. The words she needed.

“Please,” she whispered. “Who are you?”

“I Am.”

KAREN STARED AT Tara. She wanted to nudge her. She looked like she was in a…

No… not like a trance.

Something was happening.

Something was happening, and it was … holy.

With that realization she felt the Holy Spirit rise up in her with such fullness that it startled her. Her hands went into the air as she folded herself into the presence of God.

ERIC LOOKED INTO the rear-view mirror and did a double take. Huh? He started to turn around to look, but unexpectedly he felt the Spirit of God come upon him. A feeling of awe overtook him. It jarred him to his core and he couldn’t help but begin to worship in the Spirit. Something powerful—something amazing—was beginning to happen.

He had to pull over. He couldn’t keep driving. There … that closed-down convenience store.

Eric pulled off the road and parked the Jeep. He rested his head on the steering wheel for a moment, then he began to weep in this Presence that was just too overwhelming to handle.

BRENT PULLED INTO the convenience-store parking lot behind Eric and pulled to the driver’s side of Eric’s Jeep. He put the Suburban in park.

To Terry and Marta he said, “I’ll see what’s going on.”

He got out of the vehicle and walked around the front. There was a gap of maybe ten feet between the vehicles as he approached Eric’s door.

Eric’s door opened and he stepped out, quietly closing the door behind him.

Brent looked at his face. Tears were streaming down. Terry and Marta must have seen, too, because Brent heard both passenger-side windows roll down.

“Eric?”

“Brent…” He could barely speak. “God’s doing something.” He motioned back to the cab of the Jeep.

Brent looked into the driver’s side passenger window. Tara was staring forward, eyes moving left and right, as if trying to comprehend something. Tears were streaming down her face. Karen’s hands were in the air.

Brent looked back at Terry and Marta, then back to Eric who fell to his knees weeping. His hands were lifted into the air.

Terry’s and Marta’s doors quietly opened. They stepped out, not knowing exactly how to respond, until…

All three of them sensed the Holy Spirit’s presence. In the humility of the moment, in obedience to the Lord’s call, they, too, fell to their knees.

BUT HOW COULD you? Tara couldn’t believe the words being spoken to her. You know too much about me to love me.

“My love, I know everything about you and still I love you. This is a mystery that you will never fully understand. But know that I cannot lie. My words to you are yes and amen.

“I made you, Tara. I know the dark places inside where you are afraid to go.

“Tara, I love you with an everlasting love. With a love that is greater than you can contain. In me there is no condemnation. In me there is forgiveness and hope. In me there is forgiveness and rest for your troubled soul.”

Please… Please, don’t offer me what I cannot have.

“I want you, Tara. May I have you? Will you love me? Will you serve me? Will you allow my death on a cross long ago be your deliverance?”

It’s hard … God. She finally admitted it to herself; she allowed herself to fully accept that it was God, himself, that was making this offer to her.

Oh, God! Oh, my God! I don’t have the words. I can’t think of the words. How do I talk with you? I’m not worthy. Oh God, turn away from me. I’m hideous!

“Let me make you beautiful.”

I’m broken, God.

“Let me make you whole.”

I’m plagued and filled with impurities, Lord.

“Let me remove your disease.”

I am so lost, Father.

“Let me show you why I made you.”

Tara was scared. No … she was terrified. How could anyone survive in such holiness, beside such perfection? How could she be worthy of such offers?

Jesus … You are Jesus, aren’t you?

“I Am.”

Jesus. Forgive me! Forgive me for who I’ve been to you and to those who recognize you as their God. Please! Oh, I beg you … PLEASE … accept me as one of your own.

“It is done.”

Tara looked forward. She blinked her eyes.

The Jeep wasn’t moving. Her heart was beating so hard. She reached her hands to her face and felt the tears. She looked down. Her shirt had soaked up dozens of tear drops. She heard a whisper to her right. She turned and looked. Karen was praying; her hands raised.

No, she wasn’t praying. She was … she didn’t know the right word. She was … adoring God.

She looked to her left, out the window. Terry, Marta, Eric, and Brent were on their knees adoring God, too.

What had happened? She remembered the conversation clearly. She remembered every single word.

She grabbed the handle to the door and began to open it. She felt a hand rest upon her right shoulder. Karen’s hand. She turned to look at her. She was smiling at her and gave her a slight nod.

Tara pushed open the door. She began to step out and almost lost her balance. Her legs were weak.

She heard Karen open her door and close it.

Terry, Marta, Eric, and Brent stood up and looked at her.

The tears began to cascade down her face again, as she said…

“He wants me.”