Her Catalyst: Part 20 of 25

In Part 20, Rebeka displays her drawings at an art expo and only the continual support of her friends keeps her from being overwhelmed from the praise she receives which is hard to accept after many years of abuse and rejection. Sharlene demands that the emotional recording online site is shut down after a commando shoots at her and misses but doesn’t miss her catalyst and the public is outraged.

A peek inside:

When their tears have partially subsided, Angelisa tells herself, “Think,” then says out loud, “We know Teekuh and Anndee wouldn’t just up and leave us, so something must have happened which they needed to help with that was more important than being with us. . . . Oh, no!! . . . People at school were talking about an airevac going over town. . . . What if it wasn’t going to the wilderness area like everyone thought?” Angelisa tries to hold the fear at bay even as she asks, “What if it was going to George’s?”

Rebeka can barely stay upright as she exclaims, “Oh, deity, no!!” Without a word, . . . Rebeka quickly follows Angelisa to her vehicle then stops her from putting the vehicle in gear and asks, “Are you going to be able to safely drive?”

Angelisa wipes her eyes with her sleeve, grits her teeth, and proclaims, “I have to.” She puts the vehicle in gear, her foot hits the accelerator, she drives as fast as she dares, and they’re soon at George’s, but they’re unable to pull in because there’s a sheriff’s vehicle blocking the driveway. Since there’s no room to turn around and she’s on the verge of sobbing again, Angelisa drives up the road a little until she can turn around then returns to the driveway and stops next to the sheriff’s vehicle.

Before they can ask, the deputy steps up to their opened window and says, “Keep moving. There’s nothing for you to see and you’re blocking the road.”

Rebeka pleads, “Please, our friends live here.”

As he notices their tear filled eyes, he softens his words, “I’m sorry, but nobody is allowed in except emergency personnel.”

They sit there for a few moments while they look at him in disbelief, but before the deputy reminds them to move on, Rebeka realizes, “Paula, maybe she’ll know something.”

Without a word, Angelisa releases the brake and hits the accelerator to hurry to Paula’s then barely gets the vehicle stopped before they throw open their doors and hug Teekuh and Anndee. Their joy at finding their furry friends safe and sound keeps them distracted for a little while until they remember George’s blocked driveway. As the step into the store, they’re shocked to see Paula’s tear stained face and simply obey her when she points, “Go into the house.” Less than a minute later, Paula joins them after she takes care of a final customer and closes and locks the store.

Rebeka asks, “Paula?”

Without a word, she takes their hands and leads them to the sofa and sits down between them and bursts into tears. They each hug her to try to comfort her and are afraid to ask what could hurt the woman they always thought was one of the strongest women in town. When she senses that Paula is mostly cried out for the moment, Angelisa tries to ask as gently as she can while she tries to keep her own fear from being expressed, “Aunt Paula, what happened?”

Paula resumes sobbing for a little awhile, then after she clearly struggles to gain some control over her emotions, she takes some deep breaths, and says, “Somebody tried to kill Sharlene.” She takes a few more deep breaths while Angelisa and Rebeka are stunned speechless which allows Paula to deliver the next bit of news, “She’s safe and unharmed, but they shot George.” Paula bursts into tears again.

It takes a little while for her words to register with Angelisa who screams, “NO!!!” and faints while Rebeka feels paralyzed, unable to think, unable to speak, and unable to cry as a thick blanket of fear and despair settles over her and seemingly suffocates her.