a/n: italics represents past experiences, very recent and old ones.
a/n2: to Joelle... Go Sue indeed! Thanks for your steady support.

Chapter 21

Jack dropped on his knees when a new wave of cramps and nausea assailed him, doubling over when, already for the third time in a few minutes, he threw up the contents of his stomach.

Ten minutes before, the serial killer had freed him, going away immediately after and grabbing the baseball bat used to knock Jack out, ready to defend himself. But Jack had no intention of attacking him.
Initially assailed by a shooting pain in the shoulders and in the chest for the tortures suffered and then assailed by sudden abdominal cramps, Jack had briefly thought about the possibility to revenge himself on his tormentor if the pain subsided. But, realizing that his arms were useless, he rapidly discarded that idea and chose to try to escape. He had made just a couple of unsteady steps when he was assailed by another wave of cramps and had thrown up for the first time.

Lifting his gaze, Jack saw that the church entrance was still a few feet away, the distance nearly impossible to cover, and he decided to give up the idea of running away. He felt too weak and too tired to manage to cover more than a few steps outside the church. Managing with great difficulty to get up, Jack staggered to a dark corner and flopped on the floor, hoping that at least the annoying buzzing in his ears would stop soon.

Looking around, fully aware of being observed by the killer, Jack rested his gaze on an old faded painting placed in front of him in the other side of the nave. In spite of his cloudy vision, Jack managed to distinguish in it the figure of an angel with blond hair and a bright halo around him. His thoughts inevitably turned to the blond angel who had stolen his heart four years ago and to a discussion that took place just a couples of months before the beginning of this nightmare.

Jack had heard the words of comfort and faith that Sue had told to a mother whose six-month-old-son had just been kidnapped by a group of criminals who wanted to get rich with the ransom.

"How come you have this unshakable faith?" Jack had asked suddenly, once they were in his car. "I mean, in spite of all the horrible things we're forced to face every day in our job, you still have a faith so pure… Don't you ever doubt the existence of God?"

"It's true that horrible things happen, things that sometimes make me question my faith in the mankind but every time I seek comfort and courage to get through these moments, every time I'm scared or I have some doubts or I think I'm going to break down, all I have to do is just stop and pray, open my heart to God…and I feel His presence, strong and reassuring, near me."

Sue's answer had been simple but to Jack it had meant a lot more then he himself realized. Beginning from the following Sunday, Jack had started to go to church with Sue, eager to believe without doubting or wavering.

Closing his eyes and bending his head, Jack opened his heart to God completely, confessing his fears and his desires, asking for strength for himself and serenity for his friends and the woman he loved.
Closing his eyes and bending his head, Jack welcomed God in his heart.