I Should Have Cried Before I Screamed

Preacher man always despaired of me never doing what I was told. I was not a bad child just rebellious. So when he told me to go, I went. I did not leave though. I hid. I could not leave. Well, I could, but I would not. How could I leave him all alone to face an unknown enemy? He might know the enemy, but I did not. Preacher man was getting on in years. He would not be able to fend for himself. I would hide till the evil ones left, then I would help Preacher man. He did not need to be alone. I went straight to my hiding place. I do not think anyone ever knew of it. I guess who ever made it did, but I do not think it had been used in many years. You would not believe the things I have seen from here. My face turned red. There were just some things a person could not speak of. Little Red acting like that in a church. He did not know I saw him looking up Karen's dress with that mirror, and...well I did not have time to go over embarrassing moments. I went through the secret door in the library, and instead of going forward down the tunnel I flicked a hidden switch. I had found it quite by accident, and never told anyone. I guess now it was a good thing. That hidden switch dropped a set of rickety stairs that came from a trap door in the ceiling. It was so well hidden if you did not know it was there you could not find it. On silent feet I walked across the ceiling that led back to the room I had just left. I walked over to the Statue of Jesus that hung on the wall above the choir pews. The front hung in the main room, but the back was here. I opened the latch and climbed into the statue. I could see through His eyes. Well, not really His eyes, but His statues eyes. Preacher man was kneeling at the alter praying. I could see his tears, but I could not make out his mumblings. The church doors were slung wide open and young boys in uniforms burst in the church. They went straight to Preacher man and jerked him up from the floor. I bit my lip to keep from crying out. No. It could not be, but it was. Johnny. Why would he do something like this? "Where is she old man? Where is Journey?" He slung Preacher man and he hit his head on the alter. I could feel my tears, but I did not cry out. I wanted to. I wanted to hurt them, but I could not. "She is gone, Johnny. She left. I sent her away." One of the other boys picked Preacher man back up, and two held him. Johnny balled up his fist and beat him over and over again. Close. So close. I almost went to help Preacher man. I should have, but if I had all they done to him would be for nothing. He knew what was going to happen, yet he chose that over giving me away. Johnny pulled a knife and I knew I could not watch that. I hung my head down and covered my face with my hands. No. I take that back. I had to watch. I had to remember. I now knew what they were capable of.