God Has Spoken by Theresa A. Campbell Page B

vibrated through her entire body.
    Tiny was gone. It was like an echo in Aunt Madge’s brain as she slowly walked back home. Her little girl had done run away.
    Aunt Madge was still crying when Mother Sassy brought home Baby Dupree later than evening. “She’s gone,” Aunt Madge informed her longtime friend as she took the baby from Mother Sassy’s arms. “Tiny ran off to Kingston.”
    Mother Sassy wrapped her arm around her friend’s shoulder and the women cried together. A few minutes later, they prayed together before Mother Sassy left to go home.
    â€œLooks like it’s just you and me now,” Aunt Madge said to the baby that night as she rocked her to sleep. “But I will never stop praying until your mother comes home.”
    And praying she did. Aunt Madge pounded on heaven’s door, beseeching the Lord to send guardian angels to watch over Tiny. Unbeknownst to her, Tiny would need all the protection she could get. She was a little guppy swimming in a pool of sharks.

Chapter Nine
    Tiny’s head dipped. Alarmed she sprang awake, her eyes scanning her surroundings suspiciously. After receiving the indecent proposal from the rude man, her radar was up. She couldn’t afford to fall asleep. She had to stay awake until daylight.
    It was the wee hours of the night. The park was dark and eerily silent. Tiny spotted a few more homeless people scattered around on benches and under the trees. Taking a deep breath, she slowly allowed her body to relax.
    Yawning, she rolled over on her side, the grass tickling her face. With her head cushioned by her hands tucked under her neck, she stretched out her long legs and stared into the night. A smile crept up on her face as she thought about seeing her friend, Dolly, again after all these months. Yes, tomorrow everything would be all right.
    Tiny’s head nodded again. Blinking her eyes rapidly, she struggled to stay awake. Through tired, slanted eyes she peeped at the trees in her blurry vision. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically. Soon, long eyelashes draped closed over droopy eyes, and Tiny fell into a deep sleep.
    Moments later, her eyes popped opened and widened in terror at the faces looming above her. A scream started in her throat but was muffled by the huge hand covering her mouth. She tried to move her arms, but they were pinned to her side. Desperately, she tried to kick her legs, but they wouldn’t move. She attempted to twist her body but could barely move. Tiny was pinned down to the ground.
    Helpless, the tears leaked down the side of her eyes, wetting her neck before disappearing in the grass behind her body.
    â€œWell, well, well. What do we have here?” the menacing voice boomed in Tiny’s ear. “I think Santa is a little early this year.” A chorus of harsh laughter rang out into the night. A cold chill ran down Tiny’s spine.
    Visibly shuddering, her panic intensified, again, Tiny tried to move her body, but to no avail.
    â€œRelax!” the command echoed in her ear. “You give us a hard time, and I’ll put a bullet in your skull. Understand?”
    But Tiny writhed even more. Twisting this way, turning that way, she felt her body loosen a little against the human restraints. A burst of energy washed over her, and she kicked out her right leg, making contact with something soft. Angry expletives reverberated in the air.
    Baff! A hard fist connected with Tiny’s left eye, snapping her head further back into the grass. Pain exploded in her head as she thrashed wildly in the grass. Arms frantically tried to hold her. But she bit into the hand over her mouth and screamed in terror.
    Tiny was slapped repeatedly. Her face was on fire. Undeterred, like a wildcat, she clawed and yelled. “Help! Help! Somebody, help me!”
    Then the scream lodged in her throat. The heel of a hard boot clamped down on her windpipe. Pressing and crushing. Blows and kicks rained all over