Overcoming
Chapter One:
What I needChapter One:
Going through the lush forest before the mountains of South Dakota Jett and his friends, Nina, Liz, and Tommy, all enjoying the fun of Backpacking. Backpacking has always been one of Jett's favorite things to do. Of course being a star athlete he enjoys anything having to do with a work out been his favorite. “Hey guys! Check it out! There's a snake, it's so ugly! Come look at it!” Tommy calls from ahead of the group. Tommy is tall with his shaggy blond hair falling in his face. Tommy's pretty well built, has some muscle not as much as Jett but still for 15 he's not that bad in the muscle part. “Careful, Tommy! That snake could have like poison or something!” Liz shouts. Liz is tall as well with cropped black hair framing her face. Liz is 16. For someone with black hair she sure has some blond moments. Jett thought quickly. “Nina you have to look at this! It's so coooool!” Tommy shouts again. Liz shoots her brother an annoyed look. “We get it, okay? We are not going to look at your stupid snake!” A mischievous grin slides Tommy's face. “Okay then.” Jett turns to look at Nina. Nina's sweet and petite. She pulls her sunset colored long slightly wavy hair back into a ponytail. She catches his eye and they both stare. She has the lightest blue eyes he’s every seen. ”Don't you dare touch that snake, Tommy! It could, like your sis says, have poison or something.” Nina smiles but her voice remains firm. “I know this kind of snake. It won’t bite or be filled with poison.” Tommy picks up the snake and walks toward the three. “Put that thing down, Tommy!” Liz screams. “Chill out.” Jett says calmly. Jett being 17 makes him the oldest of the group. He runs a hand through his short wavy black hair. Jett has to be the most popular guy in school and the head jock in every sport, to him that was great; to Nina smarts were better than sports. “I’m coming for you and with my little snake too!” Tommy did his best at a witch laugh. Jett laughed along with him. The girls give them disapproving looks from the side. “That's dangerous.” Nina warns. “It's harmless, see, I'll pet it.” Says Tommy moving the snake slightly to try to pet it. Jett steps in front of Tommy watching carefully. Nina hangs back with Liz also watching. “This is hard!” Complains Tommy. Tommy moves the snake un-carefully and drops it. It lands with a thud and a cloud of dirt. “Don't move.” Nina whispers through clinched teeth. “It looks mad.” Liz whispers. All at once six things happen, the snake hisses and Liz screams, the snake moves toward her and she screams “run!” Jett takes a move to suddenly and the snake lunches at him. The snake sinks its teeth into Jett's calf causing blood to gush. Jett screams in pain. Tommy removes the snake and flings it far with his throwing arm. “Jett, can hear me? If you can, don't move. Just keep calm.” Nina sounded flustered over Jett's cries of pain. “Guy's run to the small market we saw coming up into the forest, get help. Hurry.” Nina ordered and they ran after a quick nod. “It's going to be okay Jett.” Nina promise. She tears at the and of her over shirt and wraps it around Jett's snake bite. “Shh. It's going to be fine, I promise.” She probed him up against a cool rock. “I know snake bites, you cool for a while then the poison will kick in and you'll hurt, but Liz and Tommy will be back soon, I'm sure of it.” Nina's silent tears rolled down. She sat next to Jett, bowed her head and started praying. Perhaps this wasn't the greatest idea. Thinks Jett. The jungle is full of adventure but so many accidents could and have happened. So now we sit here with. We're waiting for something. But what? Help? Death? A miracle? I'm the only one here who hasn't been 'saved' as they call it. They go to church every Sunday, read the Bible every day. I don't have what they have. So why would a miracle happen to me? Do I need to be saved? Yes now, I think so. They says their praying for me. For me to get saved. Now, right now they are praying that this poison from the python or snake or whatever’s bite doesn't kill me. Jett thought quietly. “Can you pray with me?” Jett whispers to Nina, his best friend, and wannabe girlfriend, sitting beside him, she's crying. Of course she’s crying I’m most likely not going to make it. Jett cringes slightly because of the poison traveling slowly up his leg. “Of course I will. What do you want to pray about?” “I want Jesus to be with me, like he is with you.” Nina takes Jett’s hand and bows her head. Jett does the same. He’s hasn’t prayed in two or three years, why now? Does he really need Jesus in his heart? Will he go through with this? Jett closes his eyes with Nina. “Repeat after me, okay?” Nina says quietly. “Okay.” He whispers. “Dear Father God,” Jett cringes again. “My fathers dead.” He states quietly. Nina looks at him. “Our Father, God, is alive. So is Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and then-.” “He rose again, now, we can be saved.” Jett interrupts. “Yes, so, you ready to pray?” Her face showed her worry; Jett’s face is turning grey. He nods. “You know, there isn’t any big prayer you have to say. You just have to ask Him.” He nodded again and closed his eyes. “Lord, please forgive me of my sins. I know I have sinned so much, mostly after my dad died, and there are so many other people out there who probably need you more than I do right now. But I do need you, for years I’ve says I don’t, but, boy have I been wrong. I need you; I need you in my heart, the way Nina has You in hers. Please come into my heart Lord. Amen.” Jett slowly opens his eyes to see Nina smiling and sobbing. “I’ve been praying for you to do this for so long, Jett!” She sobs. Nina gently throws her arms around Jett and cries into his shoulder. “I know. Thank you.” Jett moves his hand slowly down from the crown of her head to her mid back then does it again. He looks into the lightest blue eyes he’s every seen. ‘The eyes are like the mirror of your soul.’ As his mother would say. She’s aching for me. “Am I going to meet God, today?” Jett whispers in Nina’s ear. “I’ll be so jealous if you meet Him before me.” Nina’s voice cracks at her attempt to make him smile. She’s trying to lighten the mood. I’ve all ways loved that about her. “Nina,” Jett tries hard to make his voice firm but it comes out as a cry. “I don’t know, Jett. Part of me will be glad because you’ll be with God; but the other part of me, the selfish part, wants you to stay here with me, your mom and little brother. But you would be hurting, you are hurting. And I hate seeing you hurt.” She puts her face against Jett’s shoulder. “I hope help comes soon.” “We could try to meet them half way.” Jett suggest. “No,” Nina says firmly, regaining her composer. “If you move, the poison moves faster. So, no moving, Okay?” Jett smiles a crooked smile. “Glad someone pays attention in school.” He teases. “Someone has to be the brains of this group.” She teases back. Her laugh rolls out like music and fills the trees. Suddenly Jett's hands fly to his calf and he winces in pain. A happy, proud moment turns dark quickly. “Jett, what hurts? Do you feel anything?” Nina's eyes grow in panic. “Nina... I can't feel my leg.” Jett whispers leaning against the rock, the cool dampness having no effect on his growing fever. “They should be here soon. Just hang on.” Nina removes Jett's hands from his calf. His hands go back to gripping his calf. “Stop, Jett. You could make it worse!” Nina grasps his hands in hers. Jett's eyes grow wide as he tries to fight Nina. “It burns. It burns!” He screams in pain. “I know it hurts, but you have to focus. Jett, look at me. That's it. Just focus on me, Jett. Repeat after me, okay? God will protect me.” “God will protect... Me.” His voice shakes in tune with his hands. Trust the Lord. He thinks. I trust You, God. But why, me? Why my dad? Why did you take him from me? Why did that dunk drive into his car? Why do You let these things happen to us? Do You even care what happens to us? Jett's mind races with anger and poison induced thoughts. “God loves you, Jett. He will always love you. That's a promise. Just hang on.” Nina's voice breaks with tears. “Burns. It... Burns, Nina. Make it stop. Make it stop! Please, Nina, kill me, make the pain stop!” Jett shouts but doesn't shed a tear. “Wait, just wait.” Nina says standing up dropping his hands. “Stop! Stop it, please! Please! Nina!” Jett cries again. “Help! Will someone help us! Please! Somebody!” Nina stood there screaming into the trees that were so full of laughter. “Nina, make it stop...”Jett moans. Why me? Why do you let things like this happen to us? Jett thought thrashing around in the mud. “Help! Have a heart, somebody!! Somebody help us! Please send someone, God! Please help us!” Nina shirked into the air. Nine looked up to see small black birds flying into the gray sky. From the puffy gray clouds small rain drops fall to the earth, ready to soak anyone who isn't in side. “It's going to rain! Ugh! Could this get any worse?!” Nina gets a small rock sending it flying against a tree. “HEY, HELP US, PLEASE!!!” She cries as the rain pours down on them. “It burns, Nina. It hurts so bad, Nina. Make it end. Make.... It... All end. Please Ni...na.” Jett's breathes hard, close eyes and grips his snake bite. “Hang on, Jett. That's all you- I mean we, can do. Hang on and pray, Jett.” Jett didn't respond only lay against the cool rock. ”Jett, can you hear me? Jett? Talk to me, Jett.” Nina sat next to Jett, in the mud. “Jett, answer me.” Fear struck Nina quickly. She could be losing her best friend. “You’re not going to die. I know your not. Jett, speak. Come on, Jett. Speak. Speak, Jett.” Nina grasps his hand. “I...'m... Not....A dog...” Jett breaths. “I know your not. I know your not.” Nina whispers as tears and rain falls down. 'I'm going to meet God, aren't I?' Jett mouths. “I don't know.” Nina confesses. “I hope you don't, Jett. I really hope you don't. Not right now. I mean, your mom needs you. Your brother needs you,” Nina chokes up. Gaining her composure she goes on, “I need you. I really do, Jett.” Nina whispers then squeezes his hand. “Jett?” Jett couldn't open his heavy eye lids and couldn't speak and could barley breath. He shook all over in pain. Puss oozed out of his bloody bite in his swollen calf. This isn't really. This is a nightmare. Jett thinks slowly. And that's what he feels like he's in, a dream. A nasty dream. “Jett I know you can hear me. I know. You just have to. So just listen, okay? I don't know what's going to happen. If the poison reaches your heart before we get help, you'll die...” Nina choked up but kept going. “I have to tell you this before you leave me, Jett. I like you. As in more than a friend. Jett I like like you. I've always have. I'll always will.” Nina leaned down and gently kissed his cheek. “You'll always be my Jett. If you die tonight, years from now, I’ll be on my front porch talking to you, like this, talk and you listen. Okay? I'll always be your Nina and you'll be my Jett. Okay? And there won't be someone else.” The rain pours on Nina and Jett with no sign of stopping. Jett's lips move with no sound coming out. Nina shakes her head almost in disbelief. “Don't take him, Lord. I might be selfish to keep him. But, please don't take him.” Nina whispers. “I....'m ...not going any... Where... Prom...ise.” Jett breath. Jett's grip loosens on Nina's hand. Not that he wanted to. If he could he would throw his arms around her and tell her he felt the same and then kiss her lightly. “But, if you do...” She trailed off not wanting to speak what they both were thinking. I'm going to die. “Dreaming...” Jett whispers. “What?” Nina says frantic. “Don't be losing your mind, Jett. Please.” Jett's eyes open slowly. “I'm...” He trails off closing his eyes again and holding Nina's hand tighter. “Dreaming... I'm... Oh! I'm dreaming. That's what you meant.” Tears again swam in Nina's eyes. “This isn't a dream, Jett, this is a nightmare. This is real. You have to stay with me, so we can be real.” Jett heard sloshing and began to panic. I'm going to die. I'm going to meet, God. I know I am. There’s no way I'll live through this. Lord, please, doesn’t take me away from Nina. I like her. Really like her and I need to learn more about her. I need to learn more about you. Jett thought squirming slightly. “Hold still, Jett. Don't move.” Nina's voice became more distant as the seconds ticked on. “Nina...” Jett whispered. “I'm here, Jett. I'm right here.” She says in a loud whisper. “Don't let me,” Jett breathed hard then is gasping for air. “Nina! I found a phone! We brought help! They'll take him to the Hospital! They have an ambulance!” Liz shouts. They put him on a stretcher as Nina tells them all what happened. “Are you going with them?” Asks Liz quickly. “Yes. You guys go home, get cleaned up. Call Jett's mom, your mom and your dad and my grandpa. Get Danny from his friend and meet me at the hospital.” Nina jumped in the ambulance and them slammed the doors and drove off with squeaking tires. They strap Jett in and place a mask over his face. “Nina?” Jett's mask fogs up as he talks. “I'm here, Jett. Don't worry. I'm here, I'll always be here.” Nina holds Jett's shaking hand. “Nina...” Jett whispers again. “Don't... Let... Me...” Jett's breath slows and the fog in the mask stops. “CLEAR!” A nurse yells and Nina squeezes her eyes shut and listens to the buzz shock Jett back to life. Nina takes the chance to look at Jett and sees his mask fogging up. “Go...” Jett whispers. “I'm not going to go, Jett. I'm going to stay with you till the end.” Nina felt the nurse's eyes fall on her. “Besides you’re going to need a ride to your game tomorrow.” Nina adds trying to get a smile from him. She at least wanted to hear his laugh; One last time. “Thank You, Lord... For Nina... Thank You for... Brining her into my life. I wouldn't have gotten on your track... If it weren't for... Nina.” Jett closed his eyes as he started to pray silently for Nina and his other friends. His friends who didn't have Christ. His friends who did have Christ. His mother and ten year old brother Danny. Oh how he was going to miss Danny-Boy! Danny was born 2 years before their dad passed away-years ago-so he often asked about their father. Jett answered unwillingly almost ever question Danny asked. Danny looked so much like their father. Danny had light brown hair that looked organ in the sun. He had small eyebrows and had a laid-back kind of personality and went wit the flow most of the time. He is shy just like their father use to be and mainly talks to people he knows well, rather than going up to a random kid on the playground and chat away like old pals. “Take Danny to his... Game tomorrow, please... Nina.” Jett whispered and gave Nina a small and feebly smile. Nina smiled back. “You’re poisoned right now, and all your worried about is Danny's scorer match?” Nina let a small laugh come instead of tears. “Please.” Was all Jett says before the ambulance stopped with shrieking tires and rolled Jett out before Nina could stand. She caught up to them before they went inside the doors. “Nina, please.” Jett's feebly, shaky voice shook Nina more than before. “I will.” Nina says quietly. “Remember... me when I die too...” Jett whispered before they went as far as Nina was allowed “Always!” She called into Jett's room. “Miss, are you with him?” A slightly pudgy lady at the desk asked “Yes.” Nina answered quietly moving closer to the desk. “You are going to need to fill out some forms. Here.” With one of her manicured hands she gave Nina the forms. “He looked awful,” The lady says after handing Nina a pen. Nina looked at her name tag and it read, “Penny”, she had long bronze hair twisted into a bun at the top of her head and wore bright pink scrubs with zebra print of the seam and looked a bit older than Jett. Before Nina could stop herself she told Penny all about Jett and the snake bite. “Oh my gosh!” A girl behind Penny gasped. Nina looked around and it seemed as if everyone was watching and listening, who could blame them? It was like a story you would find in a book like 'mishaps with wildlife' or 'why not to mess with snakes'. “Well, how is he?” Nina heard tears in an older lady's voice ask. Nina turned to see her and who Nina guessed to be her husband were talking to a doctor. “I'm sorry miss. We couldn't save him.” The doctor replied. “No.” The woman softy cried into her husband's shoulder. He cried into her hair. “I could be hearing that soon.” Nina says with tears in her eyes. “I'm sure you won't.” Penny says as Nina stared at the Old woman. “Or, at least we hope you don't.” She added quickly. “Lord,” Nina prayed aloud quietly. She didn't care if anyone heard her or thought she was nuts, she just prayed. “Please bless these family's here today, tonight, throughout their life time. I hope they have turned their life over to you. I know most of them probably have not. But they need to; you know that, I know that. Please help me figure out some way to help them. Amen.” Nina turned and handed Penny the paperwork and then went to sit down. Finding a chair was no easy task. It seemed everyone was sitting in every chair in the waiting room. When Nina did find a chair next to a little boy and the women who had lost her son. “Oh, dear!” The women exclaimed making Nina jump. “You look horrible, missy!” She exclaimed again. “Well, umm, I, err...” Nina stuttered. “What happened? What's your name? Why are you here?” The women asked quickly. “Well, I and my friends were backpacking and then my friend Tommy picked up a random snake to scare us and then he dropped it and my friend Jett...” Nina stopped. She couldn't keep reliving the past few hours. Nina put her face in her hands and cried. The old woman placed a hand on her shoulder. “Penny,” She called. “What is this girl’s name?” “Nina. Her name is Nina.” Penny called back. The women nodded then turned to Nina. “I'm Ella.” “He got bit and now he's going to die.” Nina says hoarsely. “Oh my. Howard,” Ella turned to her husband. “Can you take this young girl to her house? She needs to clean up. Then bring her back.” Howard nodded. “Nina,” Ella turned to face the weeping girl. “Yes?” “Go with my husband. He'll take you home so you can clean up. Then he'll bring you back here.” Ella smiled a wrinkly smile. “I can call a cab.” Nina whispered. “Then go do so. We'll wait here and watch any news about your boyfriend Jett.” Nina smiled her thanks and went to the pay phone. She dialed her grandfather's number. “Hello?” His warm voice answered. “Grandpa.” Nina cried. “Nina, what's wrong? Where are you calling from?” Nina relayed the whole story. “I'm coming. Just stay right there.” “Okay.” Nina says then hung up. “Nina!” Nina turned to see Tommy running toward her. “Tommy!” Nina ran into his open arms. She cried into Tommy's shoulder. “I dropped Liz off at our mom's place. I couldn't get a hold of my dad's phone so I went to his place and wrote him a long note. I called Jett's mom, she didn't answer and I didn't want to leave anything on her voicemail. My mom is going to keep Liz at home, she really shaken up.” He pulled Nina back to get a look at her. “Ugh. You’re soaked.” Tommy teased. “My granddad is coming to take me home so I can change and get cleaned up. Then I'll pick Danny up early from his friend’s house.” Nina whispered. “Let's find a seat.” Tommy held her close to his side as they walked to where Nina sat earlier. “Ella, can you and Howard move down one so my friend and I can sit together?” Nina asked quietly. “Okay, honey.” Ella moved down after Howard did. “Ella, Howard this is my good friend Tommy. Tommy these are Ella and Howard, they offered to help me get home.” Nina smiles feebly. “I thought Jett is your boyfriend?” Ella says quickly. “I don't have a boyfriend.” Nina states just as quickly. “Oh.” Ella says with a small sigh. Ten mistunes of awkward quiet passed before Ella and Howard left and Nina and Tommy could breathe easier. “Nina? Nina where are you?” Nina looked where her name was coming from to see her grandfather looking franticly around the pay phones. “Grandpa!” Nina rocketed from her chair into her grandpa's arms. Her grandfather was a foot taller than her with grey hair balding. And was as sweet as a candy bar. ”Do you have someone to wait for Jett?” Nina nodded and waved to Tommy as the exited. Nina told her grandpa the plan she made with Tommy and told him what Tommy told her. “Tommy must have spent a lot of money on those cabs.” Nina nodded. “So, besides the bad things that happened, how was the trip?” Nina's Grandpa asked pulling in to the drive. “It was good. The best part was when Jett got Christ back in his life.” Nina smiled at the thought. Her grandfather went to the door and walked in with out further comment. She walked in and headed up the stairs. ”Do you have the number of the mother who is watching Danny?” Nina's Grandpa called up the stairs. “It's on the fridge!” Nina called back. When Nina walked into her room the first thing she noticed was the full length mirror, in the mirror was her reflection. Nina let out a scream. “What? What's wrong?” Nina's grandpa called. “I look like a MESS!” She called back and could hear laughter coming from the down stairs kitchen. She did look like a mess. She was soaked from the rain, she had mud all down her bare legs and shorts, a rip in her shirt from making a Bandage for Jett, her face and eye were swollen and puff from crying, and her hair was a frizzy mess. Nina sighs at her reflection. “Oh, well.” Nina grabs her
No comments:
Post a Comment