The Author doesn't call the qualified; he qualifies the called. That's exactly what he'd done with Private Devin. Every single teenage recruit, sporting a hovering flame, had a seat upon the Unity Camp bus. Operation SAD mission had begun.

To the Author the SAD didn't mean: Search And Destroy but rather: Save All Dependents.

As the bus readied to pull through the gates Devin yelled, "Wait! There's one more!"

The sargeant, Leon and Tommy breathed a sigh of relief.

Devin ordered, "We need Chef Quest!"

Leon chuckled and thought to himself, "So Alfred's a chef now?"

Devin ordered Spite Jones to run into the galley to retrieve Alfred. Spite thought, "Why does this kid seem to have it out for me?" He was sick and tired of being ordered around by a freckled nosed punk but he did as he was told.

Spite found Alfred sitting on the edge of his green cot in the pantry. Alfred held a gunny sack filled with the manuscripts and aching to go. He thought he'd been forgotten and had been silently praying all morning. When Spite popped in a wave of relief filled his soul.

Once Alfred and Spite boarded the bus Devin ordered the gates to be opened.

Devin stood at the front of the bus and said, "At ease men." Then he laughed at the absurdity of it all. Everyone joined him. Once the nervous laughter died down Tommy patted the bus seat next to him. As Devin settled next to his big brother he laid his head on Tommy's shoulder and cried. He cried for what he'd been through as a Preb. He cried for what he'd put the older boys through that morning. He cried because he missed his mom.

Sergeant Bad Breath took his place at the front of the bus, relieved to be in charge once again. He knew how tough leading could be—especially for a little boy. He cleared his throat. "Listen up young men. We are not in the clear. As soon as dinner time rolls around and Cook Quest isn't at his post, the Captain and Corporal Creephead (yeah, he knew their nicknames!) will grow suspicious.

Alfred didn't like the fact that he might compromise their escape.

A true friend lays his life down for his brother.

"Permission to speak Sergeant." The sergeant nodded. Alfred stood up and continued, "I'd like to stay behind sir."

Leon and Tommy spontaneously gasped and shouted, "No!"

"Hear me out..." He got out of his seat and handed the gunny sack to Leon. "The most important thing are these books." He looked at Leon, "People have lived and died to save them. I'm staying behind so it will seem like business as usual. If I were to jeopardize this mission it wouldn't be right. I couldn't live with myself."

Alfred had spent too many years hiding the truth. By staying behind had the chance to spread the Word unlike ever before.

Forgetting protocol Leon stood up. "If you're staying then I'm staying." He tried to lighten the mood. "Besides everyone knows I'm the real chef around here." He passed the gunny sack filled with the books to Tommy. "Take real good care of these man." Before Tommy, and the rest, could protest Alfred and Leon quickly left the bus and made their way through the open gates. Together they closed and bolted the gate then watched as the bus pulled away. They continued watching as the bus full of boys left Camp Unity's grounds and disappeared down the dusty winding road.

As Tommy and Alfred headed toward the galley they understood now, more than ever, they needed to be living sacrifices. They also knew they had a lot of potatoes to peel.

---

Ella felt sticky salty sea air on her face. Foamy waves splashed into the small lifeboat. Her long black hair was matted with sand and her clothes were soaked through. She could barely make out the back of her captor. He didn't speak but she could hear him grunting as he rowed the tiny vessel against the current. Her eyes were crusty and swelling shut. She tried to speak but her throat was dry and her lips were cracked and bleeding. Am I being saved or enslaved? What difference does it make? I'll be dead soon.

Ella welcomed death if only she didn't have so many regrets. In her heart she heard, "For the sorrow that is according to my will produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death."

She wondered if she was losing her mind. Then she remembered her prayer on the Brooklyn Bridge. Is someone really at the other end of a prayer? She knew her prayer was out of desperation but it was also sincere.

It is not enough to be sincere Ella. Most people are sincerely wrong. There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

She heard the mysterious voice once again. It both terrified her and calmed her. For the first time, in a long time, she knew she wasn't alone. As she gazed up at the rising moon and the blurry stars she wondered how much time she had left. The night sky began spinning and everything turned black.

Hours later Ella woke up in complete darkness with pure water trickling down her throat. Desperately she attempted to swallow. As the water gurgled she choked and spit up. It spilled out the sides of her mouth. She held up her hand signaling to her captor to stop. He did.

Ella's clothes had been changed into a clean velour sweatsuit. She was dry and her hair had been brushed and pulled into a sleek side ponytail. She couldn't see her nurse but understood he meant her no harm. A warm rag lay across her eyes. Her head rested on a fresh pillow.

She thanked the invisible voice for the care. She prayed she would live. She no longer sought revenge but rather she wanted to make things right. She thought, "Please give me time. Please give me time. Please..."

The rocking of the ship lulled her to sleep.

-End of Chapter 35-

Author's note: I'm feeling better! I still have Christmas shopping to do and cookies to bake and chapters to write LOL! You're voting and commenting are gifts to me and all the authors on Wattpad! 😊🤟🏼❤️