Brianna reached up to caress her daughter’s cheek. “She’s my tough girl.”
Carla perked up. “I am brave and strong, one of the Father’s special children.” She grinned. “At least that’s what Onafiel says.”
“Well, Onafiel is right,” Brianna said.
Thomas's gaze dropped to Callie beginning to fuss in her mother’s arms. He couldn’t imagine how difficult it was to care for little ones in such dangerous times. If Brianna wasn’t a Deviant, and with her education and skills, she wouldn’t have to worry at all. Yet here she was, putting her kids through a nightmare. For what?
“You know the NWU would help you. Give you money and a place to stay if you couldn’t find work,” he said.
“You think that’s why I’m here?” She laughed, her beautiful dark skin glistening in the sun. “I’d have no trouble finding work with my skills.” Callie started to whine, and she held the baby out to Thomas. “Hold her a sec, will you?”
“Sorry, precious.” Thomas set Carla on the ground and then took the babe from Brianna. Fumbling the wee thing for a moment, he drew her close, hoping she wouldn’t barf on him again.
Brianna adjusted the straps of her holder. “Their eternal future is far more important than their comfort in this life.”
Thomas frowned. “If, and that’s a big if, what you believe is true.”
“Would I be going through this if it wasn’t? Like I said, I live in terror for my kids. I’d do anything for them. But following my Savior, knowing Him is worth it all.”
Thomas shook his head. “I guess I’ll never understand your allegiance to this God who would allow you to suffer so much. I mean, what if we are caught and you are tossed into a reformation camp, separated from your kids, or this weird manna stops coming and your kids starve?”
Brianna’s dark eyes searched his, and he saw pity in them. “Yes, in truth, those things terrify me, keep me up at night. I would rather boil in oil than have anything bad happen to my girls.” Tears pooled in her eyes as she retrieved Callie and placed her back in her holder, and Thomas felt bad he’d said anything. “Tori says I need to trust God, and that’s what I’m trying to do. It’s not always easy, I admit that, but my faith is growing. I can never turn back now.”
Thomas nodded, though he still didn’t understand.
Halting beside the back of a store, Tori pulled out her map, studied it for a minute, then faced them. “We need to avoid Atlanta, so we go north, weave around Athens and then it should only be two or three days from there.”
“No, Miss Tori.” Carla dashed to her side and looked up. “Onafiel says we have to go to Atlanta.”
Tori brushed the dark curls from Carla’s face. “Well, this time your friend is wrong. Atlanta is a very dangerous place for us right now.”
Aaron leaned on his cane and nodded. “I agree. North we go!”
“Sounds good to me,” Sara added.
Thomas rubbed the back of his neck and stared up at the sun high in the sky. How it could be so hot through all the haze was beyond him. Hot and dry. Unfortunately, they still had at least five hours of daylight. But avoiding a major city was a good idea. “Let’s do it,” he added.
Tori stared at him, yet not reallyathim. She closed her eyes, then opened them and looked around as if she’d heard something no one else had. “Wait.” She glanced at her map again, then walked a few yards away and stood, staring at the pavement. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, but was only ten minutes or so, she returned, a determined look in her eyes.
“We head toward Atlanta. I don’t know why or how near the city we will get, but this is the what the Lord wants.”
A wave of shock drifted over the group, keeping them silent. Thomas was the first to speak up. “Do you think that’s wise? The NWU troops will be all over the city.”
Tori released a deep sigh. “I’m sure they will, but I must do as the Lord says.”
“Are you sure you heard from Him?” Thomas pressed, an unavoidable skepticism in his voice.
“Yes.”
Brianna flattened her lips but nodded in agreement.
Sara shrugged as if she didn’t care
But Aaron seemed to grow agitated, even angry. “This is insane. If we go near Atlanta, we’ll be caught and killed.”
Tori folded up her map and slipped it into her back pocket. “If that is God’s will, then that is God’s will. You can join us or not.”
Aaron pointed his cane at her, fury flaring from his eyes. “How do you know you’re hearing from God? I’m a Christian too, and I sense He is saying to avoid Atlanta!”
