I wake up to the sounds of screaming and a familiar voice shouting my name.
“Father Maxwell! Father Maxwell,” I hear, opening my eyes. I immediately spring into
action.
“What is it Mother Teresa?” I shout, the loudest I can muster, as I prepare myself for
whatever is to come. The roar of what sounds like a massive beast replies.
“God has sent the Danes here to punish us,” Teresa murmurs, as a small tear falls
down her innocent face. “We have forsaken him, for why else would he put us in such a
position?”
“Our Lord is testing us,” I say firmly, but secretly I am worried. I place my left hand
upon hers, wiping tears away from her eyes with a cloth in my other hand. “We must go
before they find us here. Let’s hurry.” Teresa’s facial expression shifts on a dime as her dark
gloom turns into sudden determination.
“Certainly,” she responds. “By the power God we shall escape this city.” With a great
force, she grabs my arm and pulls me firmly out the door. As soon as I leave my room and
my sight adjusts to the brightness set before me by the burning sun, I am absolutely
horrified by what I see. As far as my eyes can see, innocent men of God are being slain and
screams of horror fill my ears. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, ordering Mother
Teresa to do the same.
As calmly as I can, I utter commands, “On the count of three, I will run to the west
and not look back. You shall do the same.” I count to three, and as I said, we take off,
leaving the barbarians behind us. We run around the corner of the church as one among
the Danes advances in our direction, like an untamed dog. I want to move, but I just stand
there, petrified with fear. Mother Teresa shakes me and bawls.
“Maxwell! Maxwell! Get yourself together! Move! Move!” I scream to myself. I want
to move ...but I just can’t…I can’t get myself to move. He is now within ten feet, as he
readies his axe to swing. Teresa then commits the final act of her Godly life, as she jumps in
front of my frozen body and takes the blow delivered from the ungodly Dane.
With this, I am jolted back into reality.
As I lean close, I hear her final words, “May
God be with……..you.” As she falls onto the dirt, her blood soaks the ground beneath her. I
dash off as fast as I can, as I am praying to God for safe passage of her soul as she enters the
gates of heaven. I run and run, until my legs give and I fall against a tree in an unknown
forest.
I bow my head to pray. I pray for the souls of my fallen friends in God, the people
still in the terrible situation (if any), and for my life that I may continue a life for God. I begin
to cry as I think back to all the times that I spent with Teresa. “I’ll miss you…..my love”.
“Father Maxwell! Father Maxwell,” I hear, opening my eyes. I immediately spring into
action.
“What is it Mother Teresa?” I shout, the loudest I can muster, as I prepare myself for
whatever is to come. The roar of what sounds like a massive beast replies.
“God has sent the Danes here to punish us,” Teresa murmurs, as a small tear falls
down her innocent face. “We have forsaken him, for why else would he put us in such a
position?”
“Our Lord is testing us,” I say firmly, but secretly I am worried. I place my left hand
upon hers, wiping tears away from her eyes with a cloth in my other hand. “We must go
before they find us here. Let’s hurry.” Teresa’s facial expression shifts on a dime as her dark
gloom turns into sudden determination.
“Certainly,” she responds. “By the power God we shall escape this city.” With a great
force, she grabs my arm and pulls me firmly out the door. As soon as I leave my room and
my sight adjusts to the brightness set before me by the burning sun, I am absolutely
horrified by what I see. As far as my eyes can see, innocent men of God are being slain and
screams of horror fill my ears. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, ordering Mother
Teresa to do the same.
As calmly as I can, I utter commands, “On the count of three, I will run to the west
and not look back. You shall do the same.” I count to three, and as I said, we take off,
leaving the barbarians behind us. We run around the corner of the church as one among
the Danes advances in our direction, like an untamed dog. I want to move, but I just stand
there, petrified with fear. Mother Teresa shakes me and bawls.
“Maxwell! Maxwell! Get yourself together! Move! Move!” I scream to myself. I want
to move ...but I just can’t…I can’t get myself to move. He is now within ten feet, as he
readies his axe to swing. Teresa then commits the final act of her Godly life, as she jumps in
front of my frozen body and takes the blow delivered from the ungodly Dane.
With this, I am jolted back into reality.
As I lean close, I hear her final words, “May
God be with……..you.” As she falls onto the dirt, her blood soaks the ground beneath her. I
dash off as fast as I can, as I am praying to God for safe passage of her soul as she enters the
gates of heaven. I run and run, until my legs give and I fall against a tree in an unknown
forest.
I bow my head to pray. I pray for the souls of my fallen friends in God, the people
still in the terrible situation (if any), and for my life that I may continue a life for God. I begin
to cry as I think back to all the times that I spent with Teresa. “I’ll miss you…..my love”.