thinks my work is that promising.
“It feels good to be on the right side of him, doesn’t it?” Rachel says.
“Yes. Oh yes,” I say, relief washing over me.
I look down at the necklace I was working on when Ezekiel came in. Without realizing it, I’ve been making a necklace much like the one Daddy gave me all those years ago—two pearls, a silver spacer, a rose quartz heart, silver spacer, and the pattern goes on.
It was the first or maybe the second day after Mother and I arrived at the Arizona compound that I lost my necklace. I don’t remember the trip from Chicago, but I remember a laughing, singing Mother instead of the crying and angry person she had been before Ezekiel.
We sat in the chapel listening to a forever sermon. I had to go to the bathroom, but each time I tried to tell Mother this, she would press hard on my leg with her hand—a motion I knew meant “be quiet.”
It got more interesting when Ezekiel started calling members up to the altar one by one. He thanked several for all that they had given Righteous Path. Everyone clapped. Then he called up persons he thought were holding back. He thought they could give more, and each one did.
He called, “Eva.” I thought he was talking about someone else at first, but when Mother pushed me forward, I remembered that Eva was the new name he gave me right when we got here. But I liked my real name, Lily. I hid my face in Mother’s dress, but she pushed me away from her. “You must obey,” she said.
I was afraid, but when Ezekiel smiled so big at me, it was easier to go to him.
“Eva, do you understand that you are chosen?” he asked when I got to the altar. “And because of that, you will live with God in heaven when you die.”
I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure what he meant.
“And God wants you to give up your toys and clothes to follow Him.”
I could see that he was staring at my necklace—the one Daddy gave me with the little pearls and rose quartz hearts. I expected him to tell me that it was pretty but he didn’t.
“All of these are things people have given to Jesus,” he said, pointing to the big basket that held rings and watches, necklaces and bracelets, even a few fancy pens. “Now it’s your turn.”
I covered my necklace protectively. “I can’t ,” I whined. “My daddy gave this to me.”
All of a sudden, Ezekiel’s face got dark and his voice turned angry. “You must forget your daddy,” he said. “Your daddy was not chosen by God for salvation, and he won’t be welcome in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
This was too much. I plugged my ears and my stomach suddenly hurt. “Daddy’s not bad. Daddy’s not bad,” I kept saying. But Ezekiel firmly pulled my hands down.
I searched for Mommy’s face in the crowd. When I found her, I reached out my arms so she would come and take me away from this man, but she just shook her head no and lowered her head.
In a flash I realized something important. She was no longer in charge. This man was the boss of me now, and Mommy’s boss too. He was the boss of everybody.
“Now you will obey me and give me that necklace,” Ezekiel demanded.
He paddled me hard until I gave it to him. That’s when I wet myself in front of everybody.
I could cry all over again thinking about it. It was a powerful lesson, one that I needed to learn—that God comes before any material possessions.
The craft room that seemed so sunny just a few minutes ago is now oppressively heavy. Somebody sucked out all the air.
Rachel must feel it too because she stands up and opens a window. “Do you know that it’s almost seventy degrees out there? In November too!” she says. “Annie and Jacob are out collecting wood for a bonfire tonight. Why don’t you go help them—get a little air? You won’t see another day like this until spring.”
I love the idea. “Okay, as soon as I finish attaching this clasp.” In my hurry I prick my finger on a needle. The darned thing bleeds like
“It feels good to be on the right side of him, doesn’t it?” Rachel says.
“Yes. Oh yes,” I say, relief washing over me.
I look down at the necklace I was working on when Ezekiel came in. Without realizing it, I’ve been making a necklace much like the one Daddy gave me all those years ago—two pearls, a silver spacer, a rose quartz heart, silver spacer, and the pattern goes on.
It was the first or maybe the second day after Mother and I arrived at the Arizona compound that I lost my necklace. I don’t remember the trip from Chicago, but I remember a laughing, singing Mother instead of the crying and angry person she had been before Ezekiel.
We sat in the chapel listening to a forever sermon. I had to go to the bathroom, but each time I tried to tell Mother this, she would press hard on my leg with her hand—a motion I knew meant “be quiet.”
It got more interesting when Ezekiel started calling members up to the altar one by one. He thanked several for all that they had given Righteous Path. Everyone clapped. Then he called up persons he thought were holding back. He thought they could give more, and each one did.
He called, “Eva.” I thought he was talking about someone else at first, but when Mother pushed me forward, I remembered that Eva was the new name he gave me right when we got here. But I liked my real name, Lily. I hid my face in Mother’s dress, but she pushed me away from her. “You must obey,” she said.
I was afraid, but when Ezekiel smiled so big at me, it was easier to go to him.
“Eva, do you understand that you are chosen?” he asked when I got to the altar. “And because of that, you will live with God in heaven when you die.”
I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure what he meant.
“And God wants you to give up your toys and clothes to follow Him.”
I could see that he was staring at my necklace—the one Daddy gave me with the little pearls and rose quartz hearts. I expected him to tell me that it was pretty but he didn’t.
“All of these are things people have given to Jesus,” he said, pointing to the big basket that held rings and watches, necklaces and bracelets, even a few fancy pens. “Now it’s your turn.”
I covered my necklace protectively. “I can’t ,” I whined. “My daddy gave this to me.”
All of a sudden, Ezekiel’s face got dark and his voice turned angry. “You must forget your daddy,” he said. “Your daddy was not chosen by God for salvation, and he won’t be welcome in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
This was too much. I plugged my ears and my stomach suddenly hurt. “Daddy’s not bad. Daddy’s not bad,” I kept saying. But Ezekiel firmly pulled my hands down.
I searched for Mommy’s face in the crowd. When I found her, I reached out my arms so she would come and take me away from this man, but she just shook her head no and lowered her head.
In a flash I realized something important. She was no longer in charge. This man was the boss of me now, and Mommy’s boss too. He was the boss of everybody.
“Now you will obey me and give me that necklace,” Ezekiel demanded.
He paddled me hard until I gave it to him. That’s when I wet myself in front of everybody.
I could cry all over again thinking about it. It was a powerful lesson, one that I needed to learn—that God comes before any material possessions.
The craft room that seemed so sunny just a few minutes ago is now oppressively heavy. Somebody sucked out all the air.
Rachel must feel it too because she stands up and opens a window. “Do you know that it’s almost seventy degrees out there? In November too!” she says. “Annie and Jacob are out collecting wood for a bonfire tonight. Why don’t you go help them—get a little air? You won’t see another day like this until spring.”
I love the idea. “Okay, as soon as I finish attaching this clasp.” In my hurry I prick my finger on a needle. The darned thing bleeds like
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