The Long Journey, Chapter 4

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Lizzie Jane, still thinking that the strange man was giving her a ride to Tuscaloosa, was unknowingly flown to a small airport outside Miami. Still unsuspecting the true motive of the strange man, she was placed in a room with two other girls “to wait for just a little while”.

It was when she was given a pair of short-shorts and a short top that revealed her belly button that questions seem to pop up. Puzzled, she asked, “What are these for?’

“Because that is the way our clients like for our young girls to be dressed,” came the reply.

”Clients?” questioned Lizzie Jane.

“Shut up and put them on,” was the response, followed by a sharp slap on the face.

Surprised and being overcome with fear, she complied. The two other girls looked on at the spectacle.

After the door was closed, one of the girls spoke, “Didn’t you realize that you have been kidnapped and to be sold to someone of another country? We are all in the same boat.”

Lizzie Jane was speechless. The girl noticed Lizzie Jane’s confusion, so she continued, “We tried to resist and were beaten for our efforts. We have talked about escape, but there isn’t any chance."


 

The Long Journey
(A Lizzie Jane Adventure)
Chapter 4
 
By Billie Sue

 
Chapter 4
 
In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, lay a seemingly lifeless figure, unresponsive to any therapy or medication. Her eyelids, previously open and staring into space, were now closed and she had all the appearances of death. She was still breathing on her own, so was counted as one of the living. The doctors had tried almost everything and had given up on any improvement.

“Maudie — Maudie”

The feminine voice could be heard in the darkness — a deep darkness that enveloped Aunt Maudie — a cold, empty darkness that held no memories — nothing... but a voice coming out of nowhere and so far away.

Who was it calling? Who was Maudie? There were no thoughts, no knowledge of anything -- just the voice — the voice that continued to call someone’s name.

“Maudie — Maudie. This is your sister.”

Sister? What sister? Who was this Maudie she was calling. Did Maudie exist?

“I have been sent by God to bring a message. Lizzie Jane is alive.”

Lizzie Jane? Now, slowly — but very slowly -- a memory was returning. Images of a young girl slowly begin to materialize within the darkness and a dim light began to emerge.

Ah, yes — it was becoming clearer — A young lady that Maudie once knew — one that she had learned to love. Love! Something that seems to bind memories and hearts together!

Yes, she remembers a Lizzie Jane. Something had happened — but what? Another scene was coming through the darkness — water! What would water have to do with Lizzie Jane?

Water seems to be all around this young girl — she is immersed — she is drowning! As she disappears below the waters, Aunt Maudie thinks, “I am not there for her! She needs me!”

Again the voice proclaimed the message: “Maudie… Maudie. Lizzie Jane is alive”.

Alive? Not drowning?

Slowly, very slowly, glimmers of light began to be seen through closed eyelids. The memories start flooding back — she is beginning to remember.

Ah, to remember — to remember something that she embraced. The love that she held for a child — her sister’s child — was so strong she loved her as if she were her own.

But that voice. That of her sister? Her sister is dead. She had said that God was sending her with a message. Her dead sister bringing her a message from God? A message that Lizzie Jane is alive?

With some difficulty, Maudie’s mouth begins to move. It had been silent too long.

She begins to whisper in a soft voice, barely loud enough to be heard, “Lizzie Jane is alive --- Lizzie Jane is alive.”

A little louder —as close to a shout as her weak voice could reach ---

“Lizzie is alive!”

She begins to hear other voices, not the far-way voice she heard calling her name. These voices seem excited. What are they saying? She can hear a little clearer now — “Doctor! Doctor! She is speaking! She is coming out of a coma!”

Maudie heard some movement, but could not understand what was going on and where she was.

“Maudie, Maudie, open your eyes,” a male voice was heard.

Maudie slowly tried to open her eyes. “There is too much light.”

“Close the curtains, “the male voice ordered.

As her sister’s voice began to fade, Aunt Maudie heard one last thing: “Find Reverend Bob Walker.”

The voice was heard no more.

“Welcome back to the world.” With blurred vision, Maudie saw a nurse smile. Maudie retuned the smile. She was glad to be back. She needed to see Reverend Bob Walker.

Oh yes, Bob! She knew him from his childhood.

“Need Bob Walker,” said Aunt Maudie, very weakly.

“Okay -- we have his number as a contact person. We will contact him for you,” replied the friendly nurse.

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Mary Walker had begun breakfast early. She had been unable to sleep, worrying about Lizzie Jane — the young girl was in trouble and there was nothing Mary could do to help.

On the other hand, Reverend Walker came into the kitchen, a little more content. Before Mary could express her surprise at his calm state, Reverend Walker began telling about his dream:

“I never believed much in Elizabeth Jane’s story about her mother talking to her, but never said anything because Big John claimed to have seen her and was able protect Elizabeth from a dangerous panther.’

He continued, “Last night, her mother came to me in a dream — or was it a dream? It seemed so real. She told me that Elizabeth had fallen into the hands of a dangerous man, but that God is still in charge. No harm will come to her from the man’s hand. She will keep her virginity.”

Reverend Walker continued. “But, Elizabeth sinned by what she did — stealing clothes, running away from home, disobeying her guardians. She will have to pay the consequences’.

“I asked, what are the consequences? The answer I received was very strange.’

“God created time and He is able to move back and forth in time and is able to control whatever age we find ourselves. I did not understand what ‘time’ had to do with the consequences. I was informed that it is not for me to know the mysteries in which God works.’

“Also, I was told that I would receive a phone call from Maudie today and I am to tell her that Elizabeth is alive and well and we will see her in due time.”

Mary Walker remained silent and was pondering over the strange message when the phone rang. She answered it and said, “Yes, he is here.” In handing the phone to the Reverend, she said, “It is Maudie.”

Not a bit surprised and with a smile, Reverend Walker took the receiver.

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Lizzie Jane, still thinking that the strange man was giving her a ride to Tuscaloosa, was unknowingly flown to a small airport outside Miami. Still unsuspecting the true motive of the strange man, she was placed in a room with two other girls “to wait for just a little while”.

It was when she was given a pair of short-shorts and a short top that revealed her belly button that questions seem to pop up. Puzzled, she asked, “What are these for?’

“Because that is the way our clients like for our young girls to be dressed,” came the reply.

”Clients?” questioned Lizzie Jane.

“Shut up and put them on,” was the response, followed by a sharp slap on the face.

Surprised and being overcome with fear, she complied. The two other girls looked on at the spectacle.

After the door was closed, one of the girls spoke, “Didn’t you realize that you have been kidnapped and to be sold to someone of another country? We are all in the same boat.”

Lizzie Jane was speechless. The girl noticed Lizzie Jane’s confusion, so she continued, “We tried to resist and were beaten for our efforts. We have talked about escape, but there isn’t any chance."

At that point, the girl began to break into tears and the other girl walked over and hugged her and put her arms around her waist. They began to cry together.

Lizzie Jane did not know what to say or do. She just stood there a moment and walked over and gave the girl a hug, too. She stepped back, with tears in her own eyes, and said with a weak smile, “I am Lizzie Jane.”

She stood there a moment and girl who had been talking replied, “I am Shirley. This is Christy”, as she introduced her companion. “I am sorry about crying and I am sorry that you are in this mess with us. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Have you tried praying?” asked Lizzie Jane. She was shocked and surprised at the events, but the seriousness of the matter had not sunk in.

“Yes, we have prayed. We have cried. The only thing we can do is to try to support each other. We will never see our parents and friends again and it hurts. We have talked about taking our own lives.”

Lizzie Jane started to say that would never do, but she had stopped before the words formed in her mouth. If what Shirley was saying were true, maybe death would be better. She swallowed real hard, and asked, “Where are we? In Alabama?”

“No, we are in Florida. From what I have heard, we are near Miami and will be flown to Puerto Rico for another stop to take on more girls,” answered Shirley. “By the way, how old are you?”

“I am nine years old,” replied Lizzie Jane.

“So young…to be headed for so much trouble. I am 17 and Christie is 16.”

“You said you have prayed and I will pray, too. I know that God can get us out of this mess,” assured Lizzie Jane.

“Well, Christie and I have not lived the kind of life that I think God would approve of, so prayer was kind of a last resort.”

The girls heard the door being unlocked and a huge bearded man open the door and said, “Well, I see you are ready. Let’s go.”

He followed the girls to a twin-engine plane waiting at the small airport. Lizzie Jane kept looking for an avenue of escape, but nothing availed itself.

“Just got three this time,” the man told the pilot as they boarded the place. A quick glance around the plane indicated that it could easily carry two or three more passengers.

A tear filled the girls’ eyes as the viewed their last hope of freedom disappearing beneath them as the plane took to the skies. They were leaving behind family and all their friends, so the only comfort they had were to embrace each other until they were separated.

Everyone sat in silence as the plane continued on its route. About 15 minutes into the trip, the pilot began to notice his instruments were not working properly. Ahead, he spied an unusual looking cloud, so he turned the plane around and flew away from the cloud at an angle.

The huge bearded man noticed the pilot’s actions, stepped up to the cockpit and wanted to know what was going on. The pilot pointed toward the cloud and simply stated that he was going around it.

“Just go through it,” growled the beard man.

“I have heard of something like this before. Although I have never really believed in them, I have heard tales of clouds like that — particularly since my instruments started acting up. I am going at an angle so I can eventually go around the cloud, but it is moving and gaining on me, so I may have to backtrack completely.”

“A moving cloud… gaining on you? Man, you are crazy,” snorted the bearded man.

“But, it is, look behind us!”

Sure enough, the cloud was almost upon them.

“What is going on?” exclaimed the bearded man.

The pilot replied in a scared, excited voice, “Sir, we are in the Bermuda Triangle!”
 
 
To be continued...

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Comments

Oh No!!!!

laika's picture

He slapped Lizzie Jane! He can't do that! What a MEAN man!
Whatever it was I was bitching about regarding the last chapter, I don't see it here.
From white slavery ("Oh no, that's the bad kind!" .....I always wondered about that term)
to the Bermuda Triangle, it's a wild ride, Billy Sue!!

Oh No!!!!

Well, I kept saying that Lizzie Jane was in for a wild ride, but she is going to have two companions. Two others girls have joined her for the wildest adventure yet.

Can you imagine three scared young girls ALONE in a strange world with no idea of what to do?

Billie Sue