Reality stunned Corey like the big bucket of ice water his buddy dumped over his head last summer. He was soaked in panic as he stared at the leviathan coming toward him.
“Start running!” Shem urged. “Don’t fear, brother! The Lord is our shield.”
Corey turned around one last time just to make sure his mother and Molly weren’t here. They were nowhere in sight. And Corey was still being hunted by a giant man swinging a deadly sword.
Corey started running after Shem and was amazed that the two lions did the same.
The sword-bearing giant closed the gap. He roared some words that Corey didn’t understand. Then he boomed, “I WILL DESTROY YOU!”
Even though Corey and Shem were running full speed, there was no way they were going to make it to the boat before the giant predator caught them. And then what? Corey couldn’t imagine.
The other two giants joined in the pursuit, running at an angle to cut off Shem and Corey before they reached the ark.
They were trapped.
Shem must have had the same thought. “Stop!”
Corey put on the brakes. The other man and the two lions did the same.
The giant caught up to them and skidded to a halt. The ground quaked. He raised his sword high in the air and brought it down inches away from Corey. The blade pierced the ground all the way to the golden hilt. The other two giants bent down and put their hands on their knees. They stared at their prey with evil eyes.
Both lions began baring their fangs and growling.
“CALM YOUR ANIMALS OR ALL OF YOU GET THE SWORD,” the first giant threatened.
Corey watched as Shem stepped forward, in between the lions and the giant.
“The Lord has commanded that we fill our father’s ark with the animals,” Noah’s son said. “You and your friends can’t stop us.”
Corey couldn’t believe the confidence Shem showed in the face of this crazy situation. He was standing up to a human giant who could pulverize both of them with one hand.
And just like that, one of those hands grabbed Corey and lifted him high in the air. It was like being on a zip line but in reverse. He dangled in the air like a toy in the giant’s hand.
That’s when he could hear his mother’s voice, clear as though she were dangling from the giant’s left hand, up in the sky with her boy, high above this bizarre scene.
“Rely on God. Rely on Him, Corey. He never changes.”
Now was the time to start relying.
“God, please help me!”
Hanging there, Corey noticed that the female lion was inching her body closer to the giant. Then the male lion moved closer. Each crept low, ready to pounce.
“CALL THEM OFF NOW OR—”
The giant didn’t get a chance to finish his threat. The lions attacked, each one biting one of the monster’s powerful legs. The giant tumbled backward. As his captor fell, he let go of Corey about five feet in the air.
The lions stopped their attack but stayed between the giant and Corey.
“Come, brother!” Shem ran over to help Corey up and make sure he didn’t hurt himself in the fall. To the giant he said, “Tell your friends they cannot stand in the way of the Lord’s plans. Now leave us!”
Corey watched the giant stand and hobble away on bloody legs. The other two superhumans walked alongside their injured friend. None of the three pulled the sword from the ground.
Corey followed Shem and the lions all the way to the ark. The massive wooden ramp had been lowered, and at the top of it stood an old man with a very long beard.