shouting to me from far, far away. âI shall rebuke this childâs pain and disease, just as Jesus caused the fever to vanish in Peterâs mother. I call the pain out where I can see it, I summon it to the surface where I can smash it like a fly on the wall. What do you feel, Miriam?â
âA churning in my stomach, Brother James.â
âYes, yes. The Holy Spirit is fiercely spinning and gathering everything in its path. It is banishing Satan. It is sucking up the pain in your back, it is swallowing whole the tumor they say is in your bones. It is drawing all the evil of pain and disbelief into a tighter and tighter circle. Do you feel it?â
âYes,â I said breathlessly. The black walnut, everything, drawn out of me.
âTighter and tighter, the circle.â His voice changed pitch; it was harsher now. âWhen the circle can compress no smaller, it will change direction. Is it changing now, child?â
âYes, yes!â
âYes. It is spinning out, scattering cool sparks outside of you. You are no longer afflicted, praise God.â
I wanted desperately to believe him. I believed him. He was silent for a few minutes, with his jaw locked in a determined prayer. I felt no pain, and the panic that had been just below the surface since this whole thing started settled into a serenity. The quiet after the storm, I told myself. Or was it the eye of the hurricane?
âNow that youâre feeling better, we must plan,â Brother James said. He still had hold of my hands. âWe will not defy the law of the land, but neither will we comply,â he said. I did not understand. âOh, I could bring in half a dozen brothers and have you out of this place and back in your mamaâs house in no time.â
âThatâs where I want to be, Brother James.â
âYes, but we have this court order to contend with. It says they have the legal right to keep you here. It says they can run tests on you until they have their so-called scientific answers. But it does not say they can administer any of their poisons.â
I furtively glanced toward the IV dripping into my arm.
âIâve checked on that. Itâs only sugar water, no drugs. Iâll pull it out when I think itâs the right time, but weâll go along with it for now. Itâs to our advantage, and it doesnât violate Godâs law. But I swear to God, and Sword and the Spirit Church will stand behind me on this, I will never let them give you drugs that they disguise as medicinal, and I will never let them pump someone elseâs blood into your veins. You have my word. Now, tell me about your friends.â
âAre you angry with them for getting me into this?â I asked.
âNo, child. They only did what their mothers and daddies taught them. Do they come to visit you here?â
âDianaâs coming tonight, I think, but I havenât seen Adam yet.â
âLucifer comes disguised in plumes and finery, but is Lucifer still.â
âI think heâs a nice boy, Brother James.â
âA very nice boy. Well-mannered, bright, fine looking boy. But remember, he doesnât follow our Lord.â
âI suppose not.â
âThatâs my girl. Now, donât worry about your mama. Iâll have Sister Naomi go over and stay with her until we get this settled, so your uncles wonât fret.â He pulled a peppermint out of his pocket. The crinkly wrapper reminded me of green cellophane around a Christmas fruit basket. He motioned for me to open my mouth, and he slid the red and white candy onto my tongue, as if it were a communion wafer.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Told by Adam
âWhat is this ? Dad, whatâs this mystery food sheâs passing off on us?â It jiggled on my plate like dead vomit-colored Jell-O.
âTofu,â my mother said. âItâs healthy. Itâs Japanese. They eat it in California.â
âYes, but
Jade Sinner
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