"If anyone serves,

he should do it with the strength God provides,

so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ."

1 Peter 4:11b

Chapter 3

"Alright then," Sister Anna said at last now that a mission had been given. This was something they could handle. Having been the program director for their Christmas pageants and the like, had taught her to take overall responsibility. "Mary, go into town and talk to those in the local church. See if they have a car or ambulance, or something like that, that can transport both of them. Make sure to tell them they will be reimbursed immediately."

"On it!" her peppy little voice called out as she sprinted towards the car.

"Oh!" Anna yelled back to her. "Leave the medical supplies!"

Claire tilted her brunette head towards Anna who was surprisingly keeping a level head. "What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"I want you to gather up all the pieces of the clock as Minister Remington suggested," she decided quickly. "I'll tend to Chrono," she revealed solemnly. Her hands were shaking, but she had always stepped it up when the times called for a leader during their own missions.

Working diligently the three young women focused on their tasks. It felt good to be given a job to do. Left standing idly gave way into hopelessness. Sister Claire collected all she could find and had placed all the pieces in a drawstring bag. Sister Anna worked to clean and bandage Chrono's head which seemed the slightest touch caused him even greater agony. She tried not to cry for them as she wiped away the rivers of red blood that pooled around him.

Mary had returned with an ambulance and men willing to help. Anna told the men that examining Rosette and Chrono were not necessary and asked if they could just help them carry them into the vehicles. The locals had no issue with that except when they tried to lift the unconscious man onto a stretcher his hand wouldn't let go of Rosette's.

"Wait please!" Claire suddenly stopped them. "Don't pry their hands apart."

They stopped in bewilderment.

"What do you mean they can't be separated?" one man asked in surprise. "You can't fit more than one person at a time in the back. It's too narrow."

"I don't care," she stunned them all by saying.

"Claire?" Sister Anna asked unsure of her motives. Anna wondered if Claire's added time with Remington had given her friend new insights.

Claire nodded in the direction of the two on the deck. How was she going to explain herself to these men? She couldn't just say that these are her friends whom an angel a moment ago raised back to life and oh don't forget one's a demon!

They were still holding hands and she didn't know what really happened between them. Therefore, as a safety measure, she would not budge on her statement. The medics could only fit one cot in the back of their vehicle then only one cot would be used. So after a bit of an argument about what was considered unorthodox, Chrono was lifted up just enough for the stretcher to be placed underneath him and Rosette was gently rolled onto his stomach. Chrono winced first in his comatose state, but then Rosette curled slightly against him and the smell of her hair actually helped him relax.

It was going to be a long trip back for them all.

TBC...