I was walking home from a long shift at the school, and I haven't been home all day and I'm anxious to eat something other than cheap school food which tasted like carboard. It was getting really dark, which made me slightly nervous. The chill in the air wasn't helping me either.
"Okay Alice, it's just a little wind. You'll be home in fifteen minutes, twenty minutes top..." I tried to calm myself by giving herself a pep talk. It didn't help. The wind was picking up and really starting to frighten me. I gradually put my right hand over my Crucifix necklace, I never leave home without it.
It had been an entire year since I've had devoted myself to Catholicism. None of my friends really believed in it, but they love me all the same and even attend church with me a few sundays a month. I even got Gwen and Alex to go with me to youth group every Sunday night. Alex was starting to devote himself like I have, but Gwen is still kinda whatever about it. I don't think she sees it. But Alex is starting to pray more and just loves going with me every Sunday. I'm so proud of him!
Well, anyway, I was walking home and the stars were now shining dimly in the night sky. It was getting excruciatingly hard to see the path I was following, even with the street lamps overcasting the streets. I just pulled my thin jacket closer to my body, trying to obtain some warmth.
"Hmmm...is there another way to get home faster?" I wondered aloud as I hustled through the streets. Just then, I saw a small alley leading to a street fairly close to mine. Although, there was a man standing in the alley. I stood staring at the small opening, wondering if I should go through. I wanted to get home, but could I trust this guy? He stared right back at me. I gasped, and walked just past the alley. The wind picked up some more when I was out of sight from the man. I sat on the side of a building, breathing deeply.
"He probably didn't see me...I'm okay..." My pep talks were strangely not peppy. I sounded too frightened to fool anyone, even Justin. I stood up from my spot, brushing off any dirt that could've clung to my clothes. I took a few more breaths as I stood there. Then I contemplated my options.
'If I go through the alley, I'll get home in a few minutes. But if I don't, I could very well be out here for an hour...but that man in the alley looked none too friendly..." Then it started to rain. "Okay, I'm going through the alley." I took a few steps, but felt uneasy. I sat down again, in the rain. I decided that now would be a very good time to pray and I made the sign of the cross.
"Lord," I began. "If you can hear me up there, please give me the strength to walk through that alley and get home safely. Please protect me from any evil that may be around on my way home...Amen." I stood up and once again brushed off any dirt. Then I took a deep breath and began my trek through the alley.
I walked past the man. I noticed he had dark hair and his headband covering his eye. He looked alot like Jeff , only younger. He had the hat and everything. He looked at me, and I felt his eyes bearing into my back when I was nearing the end of the alley. I sighed, relieved, when I turned away from the alley. I walked home the happiest girl in the world.
The next morning, I turned on the news while I ate my breakfast. "Yum...cereal, no cardboard..." I said happily to no one. The lady was talking about a sexual predetor that was seen around late last night by mulitple people. Apparently he had raped and killed a girl not too long after I got home. That shocked me.
"Was that the guy from the alley?" I listened intently as the woman said that if anyone had information then they should go to the police. I quickly munched down my food and got ready. In twenty miinutes I was out the door.
"Can I help you, young lady?" The officer asked as I approached his desk. I took notice that his name was Officer Scott.
"Yes sir, I believe I can help wih the investigation of the predetor. My name is Alice Nollen. I think I walked past him yesterday on my way home from my school shift." The officer looked surprised. "Okay, then you can help us." He stood up and told me to follow him. I did. He led me to a small room with a one-way mirror. There were five guys standing behind the glass that were thought to be suspects. I looked at each one carefully.
"Now. Can you tell me which man you passed yesterday night?" Officer Scott asked me. I looked again. There was a bald man with a beard. That wasn't him. A man with blonde hair and no facial hair...no. Hmmm...then there was the man from yesterday! He had brown hair hanging out of his hat , which was placed over his left eye. He stood tensely. I knew that was him.
"That's him Officer. The third guy from the left." Officer Scott told three more officers to take him away. I stopped them for a few minutes.
"Please let me ask him something real fast, Officer Scott," I begged. He nodded and took me there. When I was standing right in front of the man, he looked at me sadly. I knew he was sorry for what he had done, and was ready to leave for jail. I asked him a simple question.
"Why?" He looked at me even sadder than before. "Because I needed to feel love." I didn't understand him completely, but it wasn't any of my business, so I didn't ask further. Officer Scott had a question.
"Why didn't you go for her?" He asked as he put a hand on my shoulder.
"Because she had two guys with her." And I knew he had heard my prayer.
Later that night I knelt down and prayed.
"Dear Lord almighty, thank you for protecting me last night, for it was by your Grace that I'm here today, in your name I pray. Amen."
I got into bed and started to get ready to fall asleep. I suddenly sat up, and looked around. I knew I had heard a voice and what it said had put me in awe and fear. I laid back down thinking the words over and over again.
Do you wish to know what these words were? Well, I tell you, they were the simplest and most spoken words in the English language.
"You're Welcome."