125. Maker and Judge

We found a side road leading to Sable Road. Kelsey can barely keep going. Not because she’s bleeding to death, but simply because she’s so tired. She doesn’t remember anything from the last few days. I just keep encouraging her to keep going.

Headlights coming toward us give me hope. Until I see the car swaying back and forth. Thirty yards before getting to us, the vehicle runs off the road and crashes into the bank.

I stand still with Kelsey, watching to see what happens.

A door opens, and the interior light comes on. It’s an SUV.

I think I know that SUV.

Then someone gets out—no, make that falls out of the car.

Someone who is groaning and calling out my name.

“Chris. Help me, Chris.”

Of all the people to come to our rescue tonight, and all the people for me to hear those words from …

Jeremiah Marsh is not the one who would come to mind.

“Chris, please,” he shouts in agony.

“Stay here for a minute,” I say to Kelsey.

I look around and don’t see anybody else.

This could be a setup, Chris.

Then I change my mind and take Kelsey’s hand. “No, come with me.”

We walk over to the figure sprawled out in the road. Marsh is wincing in pain, holding his gut and midsection.

“Heidi did this to me. She finally decided to fight back. Because she was in love. Because I killed her one true love.”

I look inside the SUV.

“Get in the car, Kelsey,” I tell her. I lead her around the body just in case he suddenly gets a surge of energy.

She climbs in, then I look over at Marsh.

“Save me,” Marsh says. “I know you saved her, didn’t you? She wouldn’t still be standing if you hadn’t gone to the falls? Right?”

“I didn’t save anybody. God did.”

Marsh spits and laughs. “You stupid fool. The only thing I wanted to do was free you. You have no idea. She’ll bring you down, Chris. She’ll be a noose to your life.”

“What happened to you?”

“I’m bleeding like a stuck pig.” He coughs uncontrollably and curses again. “I tried, Chris. I tried everything in my power to make you believe. But the only thing I couldn’t have ever foreseen was you falling in love with that stupid girl. Then going on a mission to find out why she died.”

“You’re the reason she died.”

“She would have ruined you, just like this girl will ruin you. That’s what happens. This is what happens.” He holds out a bloody hand.

“Jocelyn helped save me.”

“You say that now, Chris. But when a gun or a knife is aimed at your head, or at someone you love, you’ll say something different. Just like back there at the church.”

I don’t say anything, because this time he’s right. I failed. I got scared and said whatever I could to save Kelsey.

He moans and tries to hold his gut as if it’s leaking and falling out. He mumbles something I don’t understand.

“Please, Chris, please,” he says. “I’ll do anything. I’ll be a better man. I’ll go away. Just, please … have mercy.”

I’ve heard enough of this man’s lies. I shake my head as he crawls over to my feet and grabs the leg of my jeans. Then he starts crying.

“I wanted us—I wanted to live as long as I could—I wanted to just take—I just wanted to make all this awful stuff inside go away. You gotta understand—please, Chris, have mercy. Please. Forgive me like your God would forgive me.”

I shake my head. “I’m not your maker. And I’m not your judge.”

I jerk my leg out of his grip and head to the SUV. Marsh begins to scream and cry out, but I shut the door and back up the car. Then I head back the other way toward Solitary and away from this dying man.