Chapter 12
Locked Up
Larry sat in a cell, dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit, and stared out of a barred window. He had been locked up for about a week while Damon tried to straighten this whole mess out for him, Carl, and Samantha Watson. Lewis came by daily to see the three of them, and to encourage them all. He was proud of his son for the courage and the faith that he had acquired, while living with his uncle. Lewis was a remarkable young man with a bright future ahead of him. How could one not be proud of a man like that?
He paced in his cell, and when not pacing, he would stare out the window. Oh, he was bored, and how he would give anything to be outside on this beautiful day. The sun was bright and it was so warm; then he thought of how Lewis had spent several weeks in this same prison and managed to get through it. He then picked up his Bible and read about the many times that Paul had been in prison. He knew he would make it through this, for God's grace was sufficient for him. He started praying somehow he knew that the Lord would hear him, even after all this time. "Lord Jesus, thank you for all you have done in my life. I really wanted to thank you for the protection you have given my son, and for sending him back to me. Thank you for allowing him to love me so much that he wouldn't give up on his old man.
"Lord, please forgive this old fool, for giving up on you. I thank you for never leaving or forsaking me. I give you my heart and my soul, Lord Jesus. I am sorry for all my sins, and ask you to take my life and make me the man that you want me to be. Change my heart and my soul Lord. As of this day, me and my house will serve you my Lord, A-Men." Larry sat down and read the word, and put his faith in the Lord. He knew he would help him, whether he stayed in prison or got out. The Lord was his guide through the dark.
Samantha Watson was the first of the three to be released from prison. Mellissa Wright asked her to come and stay with her until David Grissom decided the fate of Larry and Carl. Samantha had given her heart to the Lord many years before. She had spent so many nights in prayer for all three of her sons and her husband. She had lost them all with the exception of Carl, and she was more than grateful to have him. The Lord had not only spared him but also opened his heart to receive him. Her prayers were answered her youngest son was saved. "Glory is to the Lord, for he is good; and his love endures forever," she sang aloud; and she spent her days praying for the release of Carl and Larry.
Lewis stayed with Sam at the hospital at night while Mellissa went home to get some sleep. He would leave in the morning to go to the prison and check on Larry and Carl. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically, but he kept going. He was all they had other than Samantha Watson, and Sam Wright needed him too. He hadn't really slept in several days, except thirty minutes here and there and it was taking a toll on him.
It was late when he got to the hospital, this night. He had spent some extra time with Carl because the former prison guard was getting a little depressed and stir crazy from sitting in a room for twenty-three hours a day. He had thought about all the prisoners he'd watched and mistreated when he was a prison guard, and felt a deep sense of regret and shame. "Lewis, I deserve everything I get for being so mean; but you have to do something to get me out of here. I am going crazy, man. I don't think I can stand it anymore."
"What do you want me to do," Lewis had said. "Break you out of here? Well I can't, and I am doing everything I can to help you and Dad." He felt bad for blowing up at his friend, but he had problems too. After that, he left and went to check on Mellissa and Sam.
Mellissa was sitting in the chair next to Sam's bed, sound asleep, once he got there. Lewis gently tapped her on the shoulder to wake her up. "Mrs. Wright, hey why don't you go home? I'm here now."
Mellissa looked up at him and smiled, "You're the one that needs to go home and get some sleep. You look like you're half dead."
"Me? I'm fine, trust me. Besides I'll get enough sleep when I'm dead." He laughed, quietly. "Go home. I'll be fine, I promise."
Mellissa left and Lewis took the chair next to Sam. Sam was still in bad shape even two weeks after being shot. He had had to have four pints of blood, because one of the bullets had nicked an artery in his leg. The emergency tourniquet was what had saved him from bleeding to death. His blood pressure had dropped so low that they were afraid that he was going to have a stroke, and now, two weeks later he still had not woken up. He spent his time talking to Sam, hoping that he would hear his voice and respond.
He was asleep as soon as he leaned back in the chair. He awoke with a start, when something hit him in the stomach. He looked around pretty quick and realized Sam had thrown a box of tissues at him. "Hey, man, get some sleep on your own time, would you?"
"Nice to see you awake, sleeping beauty. You had us all worried." He was relieved to see his friend awake. "Hey, I'm going to let the nurse know you're awake."
Sam closed his eyes tightly. He was in pain, but he was alive in a hospital bed in a hospital that he knew well. They had made it home, somewhat safe. Not only that, Lewis was there with him. He knew he had completed his mission and his friend was safe. Now he needed to know what had happened and how long he had been asleep.
"They're calling your mom, now. She'll be here soon," said Lewis with a smile.
"So what been going on, and how long have I been out of it?"
Lewis started filling him in on everything that had transpired while he'd slept.
