Chapter 6

While Jason was taking a break in between what he called ACTS, Joshua took a little break as well and went to check on Pilar and Shellie, He had noticed that Pilar was not looking very happy and wanted to be sure she was okay. He made it to the back of the kitchen and saw Shellie was in there talking with Pilar. He almost hesitated and then decided to go in just to see.

"Shellie, you do like those tortilla's, don't you?" Joshua said pleasantly with a smile but saw that she stiffened a little when he had said her name.

"It is good to see you sometime this night Joshua, mi amor!" Pilar said as she turned to give him a quick kiss. Before he could kiss her back, Shellie blurted out the question:

"Papa, what happened to me that you and mama are always so worried about? Why do I feel differently about you than mama, or even Uncle Jason and Uncle Jeremey, I don't' feel the same anymore? What happened?" She stood in her most demanding stance. Hands on her hips, her soft face in a fierce but fearful look challenging the grown-ups to be honest with her.

"Shellie, when we were getting ready to take you home, Frank, the man who was the helper on the farm, well he, he…" Joshua almost couldn't say it. Pilar was about to jump in when J. J. came running up to Joshua and saying he was needed.

"J.J., can you get a couple of the older boys, Jonathan, and Willy to help Jason, Mama and I have to talk to Shellie. J. J. did as he was told. Pilar was standing and waiting, and Joshua was grappling with how to tell her,

"Shellie, my daughter, Frank did something to you when you were only 3. He hurt you and then he wanted to hurt me as well. So, he told me that you weren't my daughter!" Joshua took a breath and then Shellie took a breath as well and said:

"If you aren't my father, then is Pilar my mother? Who is my real mother? Who is my real father?" She said. Joshua was kneeling in front of her and said:

"Shellie, I am your real father. Sheila, was your mother, but she died, Pilar is you mother now!" Shellie looked at Joshua and then at Pilar who said:

"We have her diary if you want to read it now. Or maybe later when you understand better." Pilar said to her. Shellie just looked at Pilar and then ran, she ran out into the woods. It was dark, she did not take a light, she kept running. She did not realize how far she ran.

Pilar shouted to her to come back, when she did not come back Pilar looked at Joshua who was still in a stupor of sorts from telling his daughter what he told her. He did not realize she had run into the woods. Pilar took hold of his shoulders and shook him. She shook him hard. Speaking all in Spanish she said:

" ¡Debes ir tras tu hija, ella te necesita!" (Go after her, She needs you!) Pilar said to him. He slowly stood up, she pointed to the woods. He then went to grab a lantern, to help him see, he wasn't sure which way she was going but as he got closer to the woods, he suddenly knew, it was the grove of trees, She would be heading there. He wasn't sure if that is where she knew she was going, but he had to go that way! Pilar prayed and prayed for his and her daughters' safety. Jason and Jeremy had come over to the dormitory kitchen to find out why Josh wasn't coming to help.

"Pilar, where is Josh going?" Jason asked. Pilar looked at him and almost started to cry and speak Spanish but remembered he would not understand what she was saying. So, she said to him in English:

"Joshua, he goes to find Shellie, ella es, no, no!" Pilar stopped to get her words right: "

" She ran, she ran into the woods." Pilar said.

"J-j-Jason, we have to go get him out of the woods!" said Jeremy. Jason was just as worried; Aaron came over and wanted to know what the delay was. When Jason told Aaron said:

"Jason, you, and Jeremy go find him and Shellie, it is too dark already, we can continue the story tomorrow. I will let everyone know!" Jason said Thank you to Aaron and he and Jeremey took off on foot with their lanterns. Aaron went and dismissed the audience saying that the story would end tomorrow.

Jeremy, took his lantern and went towards the forest grove. Jason was searching in the opposite direction. They had decided to circle around so that if they saw either Shellie or Joshua, they would be able to help them. Meanwhile, Shellie went deeper and deeper. She thought she heard her name being called. It sounded like Joshua's voice, so she headed towards the sound. The trees started to get closer and closer as she walked. Since there was no moon that night, she could barely see in front of her, a couple of times she would trip over a tree trunk or a tree root. She was getting scared.

Joshua was on the other side of the forest grove, but it looked as if there was a large bush right in the middle of the path, as he tried to go around it, it seemed to move or grow extra branches. He closed and opened his eyes a few times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He heard a scream and knew that was Shellie, he went straight through the bush hoping that she was on the other side of it!