Dakota sat down at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the others little group. All their backs were turned to her, as they discussed whatever there was to discuss. When they had gotten back the night before, all the others had done was ignore her. When she had asked Brooke what the food was going to be, she only replied, ‘Maybe they’ll bring a shock collar for you to chew on, that’d be nice.’
The only one that didn’t seem to be to mad, was Jordan, but she seemed a too shy to talk to Dakota. Dakota felt so alone, down in the basement. It was bad enough to be kidnapped, but to have fellow captives ignoring her, made it awful. Sure she didn’t know them, but there was nothing else to pass the time. Besides maybe pray to God. But she didn’t really feel like doing that. After all He was the one that could get her out of there, and she was still there, practically waiting for death’s door to open. Creak! The door upstairs opened, and Dakota jumped. She stood and glanced behind her, to see Red and Creepy.
Dakota stepped out of the way, and moved to a corner as they came down. She heard one of them, come from behind her, and shoved a taco into Dakotas hands, “Why do we have to feed you anyway.” Creepy mumbled under her breath.
Dakota studied the taco, it looked very appetizing since she hadn’t eaten in the last twenty-four hours.
I don’t think they’re going to poison me? She decided it was safe, and dived into the taco hungrily. Dakota heard Red and Creepy leave the room a moment later, as she finished her food. She searched around frantically for any crumbs that had escaped her taco. Her search ended fruitless, and in hunger. I’m going to starve to death here. She leaned against the wall and studied the room for about the hundredth time. Everything was the same, and in place. Eight wood beams still stood, the other kids still huddled in their little corner, and there was still no means of escape.
She sighed, maybe I could try and guess the names of my captors. Rumplestiltskin? Dakota smiled at her guess, then she froze. She saw something slither along Jordan’s back across the room. She gasped, Rattlesnake. “Jordan, don’t move.” Dakota commanded across the room.
Jordan froze in place, “What is it?” A hint of fear was in her voice.
“Just don’t move.” Dakota demanded.
Dakota’s dad had shown her how to catch a rattlesnake before. It was pretty easy, you just had to be careful. Dakota approached the snake slowly as the others eyed her curiously. In a swift movement, she grabbed the head and held it away from her body. Everyone gasped when they realized what it was. “Okay Jordan, you’re fine now.”
Jordan turned around and looked as if she might faint from the sight of the snake. “Oh my gosh! Was that-“ She didn’t finish her sentence.
The snake hissed and tried turning its head around, but was unsuccessful. “Do something with it!” Sarah shouted at Dakota.
“There’s no where to put it!”
“In here!” Ian opened up the drawer of the desk, on the other side of the room.
Dakota rushed over to him, and shoved the snake in the drawer he held open. The snake hissed at them before they slammed the drawer on it. Dakota let out a sigh of relief, and watched Jordan tremble in fear. Sarah tried comforting her, but Jordan was in too much shock to pay attention to anyone. Dakota straightened, and glanced at the desk behind her. She was surprised to find an old book, sitting on the desktop. “What’s this?” Dakota asked out loud, as she picked it up.
Jordan had seemed to calm down a bit, and Brooke answered, “Oh, that’s just a bible. We don’t know how it got here, but you should have seen Jordan when she found it. We had all thought she found a way out.”
Dakota studied the bible, and smiled, I am a little behind. She sat down next to the desk, and opened it up. She flipped open to Psalm 13, and began to read. O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? Does God forget people? Dakota thought. It sure seems like he forgot about me. She continued to read, How long must I suffer with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart everyday? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Dakota paused, and thought for a second, looking up at the ceiling. My enemy has the upper hand right now… literally. Turn and answer me, O LORD my God! Restore the light to my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall. But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the LORD because he has been so good to me.
Dakota knew, from what she had read in the past, that David (the author of Psalms) seemed to have interminable faith. But in this passage, he seemed to be doubting God, like he thought God couldn’t get him out of his mess. But then he seemed to have switched sides at the end, saying that God rescued him. But God had not answered his prayer yet. “Hello.”
Startled, Dakota looked up at the face of Jordan. “Oh, hi.” Dakota greeted.
“What are you reading?” Jordan asked quietly, sitting down next to Dakota.
“Psalm thirteen.” Dakota paused, “Brooke said you were really excited when you had found this, are you a Christian?”
Jordan smiled, “Yeah, I’ve grown up all my life in a Christian home, and received Jesus as my Savior when I was ten years old.”
They sat for a moment waiting for one or the other to speak. Finally Dakota asked, “Have you talked to any of the others about Christ?”
“I’ve talked to Brooke and Sarah, but they think I’m nuts. They asked that if there’s a loving God, why would He allow them to get kidnapped?”
Dakota became curious, That’s what I’ve been struggling with. “What’d you tell them?”
“I told them, that sometimes God lets non believers go through terrible things to get their attention.”
“But what about believers?” Dakota asked.
Jordan smiled. I think she knows I asked because I’m doubting. “He sometimes lets us go through hard trials to help us grow in faith. It’s like in James one two, Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. Every trial and pain that we go through, is to be considered a joy.” Jordan explained. “Also, we could be here to have the opportunity of telling the others the gospel.”
Dakota thought about it for a moment, that sounds like an explanation my mom would give me. She stared at Jordan, “How old are you?”
“Fourteen.”
Dakota’s eyes widened. “Well you know a lot more about the bible then me.”
Jordan blushed, “I’m only repeating what others wrote.”
Jordan is very humble. Can’t find that in a lot of people today. “By the way, I don’t know your name.” Jordan said.
“Dakota Hunter.”
“Well Dakota,” Jordan whispered, “about Ian being a jerk last night. He’s just trying to protect us, that’s why he gave the box to that guy when he threatened you. He doesn’t want any of us getting hurt, that’s why we have the rule.”
“The rule?” Dakota asked.
“Everyone sticks together. We do what the guys say, so we can get home. We don’t want to, but we have no choice.”
“Do you really think they’re going to let us go after seeing their faces?” Dakota asked, the thought that had been bothering her ever since the morning before.
Jordan thought for a moment, as if she had just realized she had seen their faces. “I don’t know if they will let us go, but it’s worth the risk.” Her eyes grew misty, “because I will to do anything to get back to my family.”
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