Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Holding his now dead wife against his chest, William looked to the sky. For that moment there was no one else in the world. Space was empty and the moon no longer let off a glow. The stars ceased to glisten and all was silent, at least for him. Her words, “I love you,” still rang through his ears. As tears streamed down his once callus eyes, he broke the silence and screamed in agony at the top of his lungs. There were no words, but for what seemed like an hour, there was a horrific scream. As a wolf howls at the moon, so he cried to the abyss in the sky, hoping that his life would end.
Picking her up, not even realizing that Joshua was watching and praying, he carried her to the truck. Now he too was soaked in blood, but he did not care. He sat her in the seat next to the passenger door of the beat up truck. As if in a zombie like state, he buckled her in. He, though in the past did not take care of her like he should, was going to make sure she was safe. Joshua walked up behind him, and in a loving manner grabbed William’s shoulders and began to violently shake him. “SHE IS DEAD! You can’t do anything now,” as tears flowed down his eyes; he knew he had to get through.
Shoving Joshua to the ground in denial, William runs to the now decimated house. He finds a piece of wood splintered from the fire and prepares to impale himself. Just as he is about to plunge the wood through his stomach, he is slammed to the ground by the short, fat man.
“Are you a complete idiot? I didn’t save your life when we were kids for you to toss it away now!” As teens, William and Joshua had built a tree house from which they conversed about the deeper things in life, like who they liked and which guys they wanted to beat up. One day, William, after being dumped by his girlfriend, was in the tree house with Joshua calling her all sorts of ugly names. As he stomped around on top of the old wood it cracked in half. He managed to grab the plank beside him, but was unable to hold on long. Below was the jagged wood fence that they had painted white earlier that year. Just as he was about to slip and assuredly be impaled, a hand grabbed his wrist, and with a strength only explainable by adrenaline, William was lifted up and once again sat on firm ground.
“William, you know how I was able to pull you back up that time and prevent you from dying too young? Well you’re still too young. I will not allow you to throw your life away.” As he talked he was able to pull William away from the ash coated remains of a once glorious home. They walked and sat facing away from the carnage. “After we parted ways, I got pretty drunk one night. I really don’t remember why, but I was. I got into a fight, and without you to actually fight for me, I got tore up pretty bad. After being beaten and stabbed, I thought I was going to die. I was lying in the street outside the bar when a tall skinny man in a black suit passed by. He saw me there and decided to help me. He took me to his home, which was a small 2 bedroom brick house, where his wife cleaned my cuts. They talked to me about God. I don’t know why, but I was fascinated about someone who really never messed up. He was a man, but he certainly didn’t act like any man I had known. He was like us William, he hurt, he cried, and he enjoyed life, but at the same time he wasn’t like us. He never sinned. I didn’t even know what sin was, but the old minister told me. He told me how God sent his Son, his only Son, like David, to die for me and for you. He was the strongest man ever, but he died for jerks like me. I gave my life to Jesus Christ that night, and I have never been the same. I stayed there with him and his wife for months. I realized that the Bible was the map to life I had been missing. Soon after that the old man died, but before he died, he handed me his tie. He said ‘Boy, its time. You take this and tell others what I told you. Do for others as I have done for you,’ and with that he died. Since then I have been a preacher. I haven’t always had money, but I have always had God. I always try to help people who were like me, alone and near death. Now I have the chance to help you. I can’t tell you why you went through what you just did, but I can tell you about someone who loves you and wants to spend time with you. He will forgive you and teach you to forgive those that did this and change your life forever.” As he spoke William’s eyes burned like fire.
“What are you doing Joshua? My wife and children are DEAD! God does NOT care about me. You have the nerve to tell me that “God” can teach me to forgive those dogs that did this to my family. I will not forgive them. I will destroy them! Their lives will never come close to repaying me for what I have lost, but their blood will pass over my hands before I forgive any of them!” With that William got up, activated his vest and vanished. Before he went on his mission of vengeance, he had a few more words of instruction for his friend, “Take them and bury them.” With those five words he left. He had rejected an offer for salvation in order to seek vengeance.
“God, I know that you hear me. I know that you heard him, please watch over him. There is a reason that he went through this. God, I will not question you, but please just keep him safe. He doesn’t deserve it, but neither did I. In your name I pray, Amen.”
Joshua’s prayer brought tears to his eyes. Praying always did. For some reason, he could not even pray over his food without crying, for he truly understood God’s love for a people who did not love Him in return. As he prepared to leave, he scooped up the empty shells that once were his friend’s children. After placing them both inside his truck, he crawled in. He was cramped and felt very awkward, but knew that William would not want his loved ones riding in the back with the trash.
William, though Joshua did not know it, had stayed there to make sure that his family was secure. With tears in his eyes and guns gripped tightly in his hands, he was going somewhere. He did not know where, or how, but revenge would be cold. Swiftly he ran out of the neighborhood. William was an avid runner, and with the extra boost from his vest, he was not winded at all.
“I will kill them all,” no longer rational he was simply going to Unitek. He knew they were there. He knew that from there he could find out exactly who had killed his family. Not only would he find out who killed them, but he would find out why. If he had to break every bone in their body just to make them talk, that is exactly what he would do. As he ran, the adrenaline pumped, as it pumped, he became angrier. It was as if he was possessed by a single desire, a primal desire. It was a desire to kill. He knew it was just like the lion that had nearly taken his life, it was going to be either them lying dead, or him. He knew that he was stronger, faster, and smarter, but he also knew that he was greatly outnumbered. “Let’s see. It is now 4 am. There should only be a skeleton crew of security guards. That’s all they will be when I am through with them… just bones. Just like my wife and children, all the blood from their bodies will feed the soil.” In an almost sinister way, he began to laugh. Filled with hatred, fueled with grief, he made his way to either their grave or his.
Upon arriving at Unitek, the once glorious company now appeared darker. He took his guns out of their holsters and unleashed shots into the guards at the main gate. He knew that they had no idea who killed his family; they were of no use to him. He chuckled as he saw them drop to the ground. He remembered how regretful he was for shooting Richard, now, with glee; he would ruin everyone that he saw. “Though alive, I am now dead. If I suffer, they all will suffer.” These were the words that he spoke each time a shot was fired from his pistol.
Making his way methodically through the parking lot, he came to the main entrance. It was not normal for him to enter this way. He typical took his own elevator to the top where he had his office, but now he no longer had an office. “I have no job, no family, no home, and no life. The only purpose I have is vengeance.” His mind was now corrupt. Hate filled not only his body, but also his heart.
Meanwhile, Joshua had made his way back to the home of his former pastor. The widow still lived there, and, still being single, Joshua took care of her for part of his rent. He explained the situation to the little old lady, and, after they both cried and prayed, he began to dig graves in the back yard of the parsonage. See the pastor’s home was also the back yard of the church. The back yard of the church was also a graveyard.
“Lord, I have gone into the highways and byways as you have asked. I have found those that are hurt and in pain, just as you had, but God, I don’t know what to do. Lord, You said that it is not your will that anyone should perish, but that all would come to repentance. Why did William reject Your call?” Now dropping to his knees he began to weep uncontrollably, “FORGIVE ME! I did not know that it would cause this God. I did not know. I needed proof, and I found it, but how God, how can I tell him?”