I don't own HM or any of its characters. I do own this story though, so ha! …Actually… if you want to make a Christian HM story… go for it!

Chapter 10: Bad Memories

Jack didn't move for a long time. He didn't breathe. He could have sworn that his heart had stopped. At the state of shock he was in, he could've sworn that time itself had stopped! All he could think of was the look of hurt and betrayal that had shown on Karen's face before she ran out of the village.

Ann was lying out in the large grass field in her farm looking at the stars when she heard the noise.

The 'noise' sounded almost like something falling with a thud. Ann shot up and searched for the origination of the strange sound.

It took seconds for her to see a dark figure getting up from the dirt pathway that went alongside the large ranch and headed into the beach. She could just barely see that the figure was Karen as she sped down the stairs that led to the beach.

Ann got up and walked over to the front of the ranch and eventually the path that Karen had just fell on.

Ann walked briskly to the place where Karen had fallen and then knelt down by the imprint in the dirt. Seeing nothing there to indicate why Karen was running so fast, she was about to go confront Karen, who was obviously hiding out on the beach. That is, until Ann saw something that she had missed before…

Jack searched frantically for the distraught Karen, but to no avail, he simply couldn't find her! He had searched the mountain clearing, around and in the vineyard, everywhere on his farm, and now he was heading towards Ann's farm.

Ann brought her face closer to the dirt a peered at the few discolored spots of dirt that were in the imprint of where Karen had fallen. The 'discolored' spots were actually spots of dirt that had become wet recently. It took Ann only a few moments to realize what they signified. Tears… Karen's crying!

Ann rose to her feet and began walking briskly down the path towards the beach…

…only to be stopped by a desperate voice behind her. "Ann!"

Ann whipped around and saw the figure that belonged to Jack running toward her. "Jack? What are you—" Jack wasted no time with small talk, "Have you seen Karen?"

Ann was so surprised at the question that she wasn't able to answer. "Ann!" Jack said loudly enough to snap her out of her stupor. "I…" Ann began. She didn't know whether she should tell Jack the truth or lie to him. She figured that Jack probably had something to do with Karen's condition, and she wasn't sure if Karen really felt like talking to him right now.

"I…" She stuttered. Jack turned even more desperate, "Ann… please…"

"You'll never win her over, mortal." Cliff visibly jumped from his spot of prayer, which was kneeling on front of the couch, his upper body draped onto the cushions.

It only took him a few moments to recognize the gravelly voice of the goddess. "Go away." He said sternly, obviously not wanting to be bothered right now. The goddess obviously didn't care. "She'll never go over to your side."

Cliff frowned, "Isn't that her choice?" It was more of a statement than a question. The goddess laughed, "Her choice? I control her, mortal. She makes no decision without my consent." Cliff paused for a moment before smiling. "Then why'd she come over to my house tonight to hear my testimony?" Silence.

Cliff thought he felt something cold touch his neck and he turned around to face the darkness…

…he found nothing there.

"She's mine… They're all mine…" Cliff got fed up with the supernatural entity. "Satan, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. I command you to be gone." Silence. Finally, "Who ever said I was Satan? Haven't you ever thought that maybe you are wrong, and that maybe I'm right?" Cliff growled slightly, "I said be gone!" He said it with such authority that the very shadows of the room seemed to tremble. There was a low hissing sound and then nothing.

Jack made his way down the steps and onto the beach silently. In the light from the stars and the nearly full moon, he was able to see the silhouette of Karen sitting at the edge of the dock. Jack could see her body convulse as the distant sound of crying filled his ears.

She's crying… because of me? Jack wondered sadly. All of a sudden, Jack stopped approaching her. Nervousness and uncertainty filled his mind. Maybe I shouldn't… Maybe I should just give her time…  These and more flooded through his head like a twisting… twister. That is, until a wail originating from Karen broke through his thoughts and slammed home in his mind. This is my fault and I'm going to fix it.

Jack marched forward, not nearly as silent as before, but Karen still didn't hear him. When Jack reached the beginning of the dock, he hesitated for only a second before continuing towards Karen.

His first step onto the wooden pier silenced Karen. She listened for the next step. It came seconds later. Karen didn't say anything as the person came closer and closer.

Jack winced at every loud noise his boots made against the wooden dock. Finally, he was within arms reach of Karen. There he stopped. "Karen… I—"

"Go away." Karen's words cut deep into Jack's heart. He was silent for many minutes.

Finally. He was able to gather up enough strength. "Karen, please…" In a flash, Karen was on her feet and within inches from Jack's face. "Do you have any idea what you have done to me?" Jack tried to stutter out an answer, but before he could manage anything more than a whimper, Karen turned away and walked back over to the edge of dock.

"Karen, would you let me explain?" Jack asked quietly. Karen continued on like she didn't hear him, "You were the first boy I've liked in a long time, Jack. You treated me with respect. You protected me. You were there when I needed you." Each word was like a bomb going off inside Jack… mainly because he knew what was coming next…

"I really liked you… and then… and then… you betrayed me…" Karen said that last part so quietly that Jack had to strain to hear it. When he did realize what she had said, he sighed. He had been right…

She knew she shouldn't be spying on the two, but she couldn't help it! It's not like she could actually hear what they were saying! She was just watching their movements!

Ann was perched in a tall tree that rose above the small cliff that shielded the beach from the public. She was as high as she dared go, and from where she was, she could see Jack and Karen clearly. She couldn't hear a word that was spoken though…

"Karen, please, if you'd let me explain, you'd see—"

"I'd see what, Jack?! I'd see that you didn't kiss Popuri?! I'd see that it was actually her that kissed you?! Is that what you're wanting me to see?!" Even Ann could hear Karen's outburst this time. So that's what this is all about… She said silently in her mind.

Karen had whipped around again and looked straight into Jack's eyes so he could see her pain. She regretted it immediately. Instead of him seeing her pain, she saw his pain. She saw the confusion that whirled through his mind like a ravaging tornado.

She turned around again. She didn't want to see that again. Not while she was still trying to keep her almost spent anger alive.

Finally, she laughed gruffly. "For a moment there, I actually thought that you might the one, Jack."

Jack's mouth dropped. She thought that I was—"I guess I was wrong. I guess I'm just destined to be alone…" Karen's words stopped Jack's thoughts in their tracks. Finally, somehow, he was able to speak.

"Karen… Popuri kissed me, not the other way around." Karen turned around slowly to face Jack. "I had spoken some harsh words to her and ended up causing her to cry. I was just comforting her when she surprised me with a kiss."

More tears began welling up in Karen's eyes. "I would not ever do that to you, Karen. Ever." It was Karen's turn to be speechless. "Karen, please say something." Karen's reply came out as a muffled sob.

It took a few moments before Karen was able to speak. "You… she… I… Really?" If they were in a more relaxed situation, Jack would've laughed at the idea of Karen being truly speechless. Instead, Jack just nodded.

Finally, after a few moments of fighting her desires, Karen couldn't hold herself back anymore, and with tears running down her already tear-stained face, she rushed into Jack's outstretched arms.

When Ann saw Karen and Jack embrace she smiled and began climbing down the tree…

"Jack, I…" Jack put a single finger to his mouth, "Shh…" He leaned forward and their lips came closer and closer to Karen's…

…this time, there was no one to stop them…

The door flew open and Cliff jerked up from the spot where he was praying. He looked up at the person who stood in the doorway—it was Jack.

"Jack! You're kind of late, aren't you?" Cliff looked at his watch; It read 11:30 PM. Jack thought about closing himself off to the Christian man like he did so many others before him. Then, he realized that this wasn't just some random Christian, but his best friend, Cliff.

"I… uh… I messed up with Karen, and was spending time making it up to her." Cliff raised a curios eyebrow. "How exactly did you make it up to her?" He asked, switching into concerned-cousin mode. Jack raised his hands in a peace gesture. "Not like that! We spent a few hours talking at the beach." He said only half-truthfully.

Cliff easily saw that Jack was hiding something. "Is that all you did on the beach?" Jack frowned, wondering how Cliff had figured it out. He decided to tell Cliff the truth lest he lose Cliff's trust in him.

"Well… uh… Karen and I kinda… you know… kissed…" Jack stuttered. Cliff folded his arms across his chest, "And…?" Jack shook his head, "And we talked. That's it. I promise!" Cliff nodded curtly and accepted the fact that Jack was telling the truth.

"So, you two are a couple now?" Cliff asked, as the two got ready for bed. Jack was silent for a moment until saying, "Yeah. I guess we are." Cliff smiled, "Well, if it makes up for the interrogation earlier, I'm glad it's you that Karen's fallen in love with." Jack turned red, "I—uh—wouldn't say love, but…" He stopped remembering what Karen had said earlier.

"For a moment there, I actually thought that you might the one, Jack." Played through Jack's head. Cliff's voice broke the silence, "I dunno, Jack. She seems pretty taken with you. If it's not love now, I'm sure that it has every chance of becoming it." Jack turned redder, and Cliff laughed.

"Okay, changing the subject, why didn't you tell me that you were a Christian?" Jack asked. Cliff sighed, "Would it have changed anything?" He asked. Jack frowned, "Actually, yes, it probably would have."

Cliff's eyes widened, "It would? Why?" It was Jack's turn to sighed, "Let's just say that I don't really like Christianity." Cliff thought about it for a moment before asking, "Why don't you like it?" Jack sighed again. It had been years since he had told his story…

"It all began seven years ago, during a revival service at the local church." He began. It was a beginning that Cliff had not expected…

Three teenagers sat bored at the very back of the large room. At the very front, on a raised platform, the youth pastor was in the middle of preaching a powerful sermon that had rendered most of the very large congregation silent.

All three of the teenagers had been dragged along to the revival meeting against their wills by their Christian parents. Or parent, in Jack's case.

Jack was just fourteen years old, and his life had never been better, or so he thought.

He had finally gotten his first girlfriend, whom just happened to be the most beautiful sophomore girl in school. Because of his girlfriend, it immediately made him fairly popular around the girls, freshman or not. The guys mostly hated him for it, but that hatred had been neutralized after Jack became the star player for the school football team. Although he was just a freshman in high school, the varsity team had already noticed Jack.

Jack, himself, was handsome in a sort of rugged way. He had the look of a teenager who had gone through a lot and made it through easily enough. The girls seemed to admire that too.

By the end of the message delivered by the preacher, Jack was no longer bored. All of a sudden, the message was hitting a very personal thing happening in his life—his father.

"How many of you have come from broken homes?" The pastor asked rhetorically. "Abusive fathers or mothers? How about alcoholic parents?" Jack winced. His father was a serious alcoholic.

"How many feel hated and despised by their folks?" Yet again, Jack winced. "For all of those who know what I'm talking about, Christ seems to be the right way for you! Did you know that through Jesus, we could be adopted in God's family—a family where God is our daddy? It's the perfect family." Jack's throat constricted. "Unlike your parents, God is willing to be there for you every step of the way. He'll never abandon you or hurt you." Inwardly, Jack's heart screamed out for this 'God' who was so loving.

"God loves you so much that He was willing to send Jesus, His only true Son, to die on a splintery cross so that you could be His son. Through Jesus' death, and resurrection three days later, we have been allowed to hang out with Daddy.

"I know you've all heard it before, but I beg you, don't pass up the opportunity. We never know when our last breaths will be. On our way home tonight, who knows, a drunk driver could slam into you car our, God forbid, you and BAM! You're stuck. There's no turning back after that!

"I'm not trying to scare you here. I'm just trying to get you to realize that life is full of uncertainties. Through Jesus, we don't have to fear death! I sure don't! I know that when I die, I'm gonna be hanging out with God forever! In heaven, there is no more sickness. No more pain. No more suffering. No more hunger. No more depression. No more abusive parents. No more…" The preacher went on down the list, but Jack was no longer listening. He already knew what he was going to do. The preacher didn't need to convince him any longer…

Cliff sat on the couch, stunned. "So… what happened?" Jack flinched and then scowled, "I grew up." Cliff knew better than that. "Jack, if it's hard, then I don't want to force you to tell me, but I would like to know. Who knows, I might even be able to help you." Jack's scowl grew, but he continued nonetheless.

"I prayed for Jesus to come into my heart that night. I followed him faithfully for the next year. It wasn't easy, of course. I lost my popularity instantly. My girlfriend dumped me for the first thing that moved. I was threatened all the time by peeved students. On multiple occasions I would get ganged up on by teens and got beat up. The list goes on.

"Nevertheless, I followed God. I led dozens to Christ. It all stopped halfway into my sophomore year…" Cliff waited patiently. "My mother was a police officer. A police officer that just happened to get into plenty of tense moments. You'd think she was a SWAT member with how many gunfights she got into. Each day, I'd pray for her. I'd beg God for her safety. He never seemed to fail in answering. Until, one day…" The puzzle pieces were falling into place in Cliff's mind. He was finally beginning to understand Jack.

"One day, my prayers came back unanswered. My mother ended up getting shot by some teenager. She was rushed straight to the hospital. My dad and I came shortly later.

"We arrived just in time for me to slip past the nurses and find the room where my mom was. When I got there, I was just in time to see the heart monitor flat-line and see the doctors and nurses sending jolts of electricity into my mom's body. I saw her body shudder and convulse as hundreds of volts of electricity coursed through her body. I arrived there in time to see the head doctor stop the others from trying to resuscitate my mother and declare her time of death…"

Cliff sat in stunned silence. "I… I never prayed again after that… I don't even believe that there is an all-powerful 'God'. And if there is… He's a jerk." Cliff visibly flinched, but he didn't reply.

Jack went to bed shortly after, leaving Cliff to his thoughts. Jack's gone through so much… I can understand fully why his faith was shaken… How can I change that though? How can I get him to look past the pain and hurt and look back to God? Cliff wasn't able to come up with any answers…

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You all must hate my cliffhangers. I'm notorious for them! But… truthfully, this one wasn't too bad!

God Bless!

Anyway, until next time… R&R!

--Ben