The cell bay was dark. All the others were asleep. Even the officer of the watch had succumbed.
My body was beyond weary, but my mind was alive as if bathed in fire. I sat still not saying a word.
Waiting. Waiting. How long would I have to wait?
I did not know.
Looking around I tried to hold myself in emotionally, but I couldn’t help it as the persistent thoughts of all that could be occurring right now to Desirée continued to plague my mind like a cancer that wouldn’t go away.
“I am with her in force even now as I speak to you.”
“God?” I whispered.
“Yes. Tell me warrior, what is it you would do?”
Blinking I searched for an answer, but it was hard as none seemed good enough to convey the emotion I felt there was cause for in the addressing of one’s own Creator. Finally I whispered, “Set her free.”
“Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. She already is free of spirit and in no danger of seizure. I guard her soul as something of immeasurable wealth even so as I do your soul now.”
Crying I sat there unable to form words. Unable to comprehend that my God would actually even speak to me of all people.
“Tell me what it is you want most Victor.”
“Don’t you know?” I fumbled out with.
“I do, but I wish to hear it from you.”
“I want to enjoy my next breath, my life, as I never have!” I broke out in voice with emotionally and then pulling my knees up to hug them to me I said as if it were an impossibility, “And most of all I want to do it with her.”
“She is rare. She’s yours Victor. The way lies open before you as I have purposed for this to be.”
At the sounding of the words the door of my cell slid open, while all within the jail cell remained asleep and absent from all that was taking place. I stared at the open door in astonishment.
Gaining my way to my feet painfully I was immediately made aware of how puny my strength was in comparison to the God I now served. I couldn’t do this alone. I had done everything else in my life alone, but not this. This path that was now before me was well beyond any ability of my own to accomplish.
“Will you please help me?” I whispered out.
“Always My son.”
Feeling the wetness of more tears upon my face I asked, “Why? I’ve done nothing good in my life to merit You helping me so much now.”
“I love you Victor. I give favor to whomever I will and so do not question what I do for you, but rather accept it, even embrace it for the promise that it is. You have been noble and generous with the giving of your life to advance the life of one of My saints and even so do I now in return give you the reward of your heart’s desire. Not based out of any merit, but out of My good pleasure to reward those who I seek to favor. I am with you wherever you go and My words, that you have been diligent to read and fully take to heart, are true. Now claim your bride and be My warrior while in this life and in the eternity to come.”
I stepped forward to walk out of the cell and then I was passing through iron bars and concrete walls. In the blink of an eye I found myself standing in the parking lot where I had last seen Desirée.
Looking around I ignored the charred out shell that the hotel had become and instead looked for clues in the surrounding landscape. I found one in the form of a lone tree.
It was the only place that could offer one concealment and yet have a view of the hotel and the parking lot before it. I headed for it intent on doing whatever it took to get my woman back.