POV: Grace

"COME AND CATCH ME!" I yell from the top of the slide. Chad runs up the slide like a bad boy.

Joey starts, "Wait pretty girl we still don't know...." before he could finish his thought I was up the wall stairs. It is very hard to hide in this play set for how big I was who knew how those guys got up here. I found this one spot where it was high and a little corner. Maybe if I stayed here I could disappear. Would they wanna find me? When I finally got in the corner spikey... I mean Caleb whizzed by. He looked back and forth like a lost puppy.... he seems to have that sense of puppyness whatever that meant. He then crawled on through. Somehow though Alan was able to find me.

He looked at me and I saw exactly his eyes now what I was avoiding before. I could tell he had concern, but all I know right now is I cannot trust.... I can't..... this world or just everyone.... all they ... they just hurt. You can't.... I can't.... suddenly I was trying to breathe slowly but my heart was racing and my breathing was rapid and my mind was thinking everything that happened the past two days I was collapsing in my own thoughts and my eyes watering and I .... I felt a hand reach out and try to hold me. I felt myself try to go deeper into the cubby of a block, but it was pointless I was trapped. I tried to gave in and tried to allow Alan to help me but my body wouldn't move. It wasn't I was too big for the space, but my mind controlled myself with these thoughts. Alan was able to get a hold of me after a few minutes.
"I got you. My daughters are in here all the time. I know every inch of this place."
I felt comfort from his scruffy but mellow voice. My mind tried to say run but my heart said stay... my body wasn't able to go anywhere so my heart won this time. I wanted to cry but the rivers were dry. Surprisingly he stayed there for a while. None of the close space bothered him. Also, weird how none of the guys found us either. Though the room was quiet.... too quiet.

After a while of Alan holding me we climbed down to the bottom. All the other three guys were sitting there playing with their kids toys. (Which they begged for Alan to ask for.) Chad and Joey were trying to annihilate one another as Caleb spun his around like a ballerina. I have to keep thinking could I be scared of these weirdos? Was it a cover up? Can I trust them?

Right now I feel if I am to survive at all, these guys may be my only hope.

Alan gestures to the others that we are going. Hope in the van and Alan sits at the wheel. Caleb begs, "Can I drive?"
"I'm walking!!" Joey exclaims but Chad pulls him back in. "If we suffer with his driving. you suffer." Caleb gives him a "look" like 'what the heck bro?'
Alan drives, and I couldn't be more happy about that. Leaving the place, weirdly I still feel hungry. Or was it stomach pain from nervousness or was it something else? Something that wasn't 'hunger' exactly?.....

We arrive down the street at this smallish building on the outside. "Welcome to our music home!" Joey jumps. Inside I step into a world that was full of the most high tech stuff I've ever seen. There were long halls and a lot of doors.

"Helps to keep the sound from bouncing as much as Mexican jumpy bean over there," Alan laughs. Wait... why would they wanna keep sound inside? Were they going to torture me?..... I feel my stomach flip and my heart pound and my whole body shake... I wanna run and hide and cry and feel this is just a dream and go back to my tree house my safe haven my escape. Every step was a struggle. Every breath was a miracle. Every heart beat was a gift of life. I am not sure how much torture I could handle........

Okay this room was not that bad it was .... beautiful!
There was a black couch and the walls were all wow... and a little room next to the giant high tech geeky stuff! The small room had a mic, at least I thought, in it.

I was amazed.

I had this overwhelming of relief walking around. "And over here is where we keep our dinosaur and truck." I turn around to Chad playing with tiny toys on the table. Everyone laughs.

I can breathe.

I opened the door of the one next to where we came in. Stepping into the little room, my eyes were wide opened. I look around and Caleb is standing next to me. "Say something," Caleb whispers.
"What do I say," my voice echoes and I start laughing. A real laugh. And the laugh echoes. I walk outta the room before I would have hours of a laughing fit in there rolling on the floor.

Walking out, I go to sit on the couch. It was a very fluffy couch. I was calm, yet something felt missing. Something always felt missing. I never knew or know to talk to for I feel I'm always complaining or worse they wrote me off or yet they have so much they forget about me. I don't mind being invisible... at least I thought. I know I know I'm not COMPLETELY invisible I've heard of a higher power who watches us, but never have I ever thought it applied to me. I was nice and kind to people.... most of the time, and I was fine in life.... most of the time. I'm fine.... I'm fine.....

I thought I was calm until I felt myself with streams down my face... I must look ugly right now I hope nobody ever sees me.... oh....
Plop, I feel the guys around me without even looking up.

"Can we pray for you?" Alan sweetly says. He's sitting next to me as I look at him like he's got two heads. .... I've heard the word before, but at the moment I feel like he's speaking another language. Was it German? Spanish? Latin? Maybe it was one of those foreign languages only like 10 people in the world know how and he's one of them. All four of them are looking at me. He doesn't have an answer before he wraps his arm around my shoulder to pull me into a tight hug, but he doesn't let go. Words flow from him as natural as tears are for me.

Dear Father,
We give you praise for this day. For giving us a new friend. We are here. We may not know the answers, but we trust You. Hold her mind, heart, and hands as she is with us and when she continues on this long journey. We may not know what's going through her mind, but You do. Give her peace and let her know of Your grace.

All four chorus "Amen"
I'm shocked.... "how.... how did you know ..... you know my.... my name.... name is Grace?"

Alan peacefully, "We didn't. Our Heavenly Father knows our hearts and words flow sometimes without us even knowing. He is our higher power when we are feeling our lowest. He sometimes amazes us when we least expect it."

"Who's.... what's... who's this Father you are talking about?" I stammer.

The four of them do not looked shocked or concerned but hopeful. They all look gently at me. Alan speaks slowly for me to understand yet with a way that I do not feel afraid.
"Grace, sometimes we are still amazed at even the smallest miracles every day. And He is the reason you are here. He helps us in situations and sometimes we can never explain...."

I try to snap angry but the feeling disappears. Almost as if by some 'magic'.
"Have you ever heard of the Bible?" Alan continues. I wanted to shake my head yea, but I couldn't lie. What was happening? I've heard, yes. Truly knew what it was? No.

For the next what could've been either one or ten hours Alan talked for a long time about his God and Father and the Bible. He also told me his story of how he was in a dark place, but there was a single light; and he knew where the light was no darkness could be found. I was wowed by how this day went. Joey pulled out his guitar and started to play. His playing was so pretty I was kinda jealous. Yea I've played a while but never felt I was good enough to play anywhere but my tree house.

The four sung this song what they said was "Amazed", and an overwhelming peace and yet 'nothingness' filled me. It was almost joyful. I loved and was just.... wow. Who knew one song? Four guys who believed in this God, I wonder how many more believe.... maybe He is real. I feel..... maybe I can trust these guys.

This feeling.... it was amazing... wait... could I?