Helen's Resurrection
"Jesus Christ, you need to shut up!" you shout, closing your eyes and plugging your ears to block out the snake’s voice.
A silence follows. Lamar places a trembling hand on your shoulder, causing you to relax and open yours eyes. You had forgotten that he was there; the serpent managed to make you feel alone during your entire conversation. Right beside you, Lamar stares at the snake with wide eyes.
Grateful for your friend, you shake your head and look back at the devil. He is at the other end of the hole, with his head slammed into the dirt. While his body wriggles in the dirt, his head and mouth never move.
"Looks like it is true," Lamar comments without looking away from the serpent.
"What is true?" you ask without looking up from the pathetic-looking black snake.
"That is satan right there..."
"Yeah, I’m just glad he isn't doing anything."
"Well, the Bible says that 'at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.' Apparently, when you said 'Jesus,' you forced him to bow and shut up. I can’t believe he is here though."
"Oh, I guess this stuff works then…"
"Yeah, let’s save your sister and get out of this place..."
With a deep breath, you turn to the lifeless body next to you. Taking a cold, dead hand in each of your hands, you close your eyes and say, "Umm… Get up Helen; you are just sleeping." Your voice trembles as you fumble over the simple words.
Opening just one eye, you hold your breath and glace at your sister’s corpse. Nothing changes. There is no pulse, warmth, movement, or other sign of life. If anything, the body is colder and stiffer than before.
"Lamar, it isn’t working, do something!" you cry out desperately.
"It is okay, Alexander. Jesus said, 'You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.' Try using the name again."
"In the name of Jesus, get up Helen! I can’t lose you now!"
Silence returns to the graveyard. Your hands grow as cold as Helen’s in the frigid air. At first, you expect something to happen, but after waiting for what feels like hours, that expectation fades. Sobs escape from your mouth, and your body begins to shake involuntarily.
"It’s okay man, calm down," Lamar says placing a comforting hand on your back and glancing at the devil in the corner of the grave.
"This is not okay!" you shout, rage causing your blood to boil and sting your frozen fingertips. "You said this would work, that I could get her to come back!"
"I mean, anything is possible with God."
"Then why isn’t it working?"
Lamar avoids your gaze. Tears form at the corners of his eyes, but he has no answers for you. Another awkward silence fills the grave, followed by a rustling noise from the far end of the grave. The black snake is still stuck in the corner with his head in the dirt. His words replay in your mind: Maybe there is, but it won’t be with your God’s help.
"Alexander, please, don’t resort to that," Lamar begs, following your gaze to the serpent.
Everyone tells you that the devil is bad, but he says that he has a solution. God’s way doesn’t seem to be working for you. Patiently waiting around to see if God will fix the problem isn’t an option. Doing the same thing over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. At least with the devil’s offer, you will be taking action to bring Helen back. With another deep breath, you make up your mind.
A silence follows. Lamar places a trembling hand on your shoulder, causing you to relax and open yours eyes. You had forgotten that he was there; the serpent managed to make you feel alone during your entire conversation. Right beside you, Lamar stares at the snake with wide eyes.
Grateful for your friend, you shake your head and look back at the devil. He is at the other end of the hole, with his head slammed into the dirt. While his body wriggles in the dirt, his head and mouth never move.
"Looks like it is true," Lamar comments without looking away from the serpent.
"What is true?" you ask without looking up from the pathetic-looking black snake.
"That is satan right there..."
"Yeah, I’m just glad he isn't doing anything."
"Well, the Bible says that 'at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.' Apparently, when you said 'Jesus,' you forced him to bow and shut up. I can’t believe he is here though."
"Oh, I guess this stuff works then…"
"Yeah, let’s save your sister and get out of this place..."
With a deep breath, you turn to the lifeless body next to you. Taking a cold, dead hand in each of your hands, you close your eyes and say, "Umm… Get up Helen; you are just sleeping." Your voice trembles as you fumble over the simple words.
Opening just one eye, you hold your breath and glace at your sister’s corpse. Nothing changes. There is no pulse, warmth, movement, or other sign of life. If anything, the body is colder and stiffer than before.
"Lamar, it isn’t working, do something!" you cry out desperately.
"It is okay, Alexander. Jesus said, 'You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.' Try using the name again."
"In the name of Jesus, get up Helen! I can’t lose you now!"
Silence returns to the graveyard. Your hands grow as cold as Helen’s in the frigid air. At first, you expect something to happen, but after waiting for what feels like hours, that expectation fades. Sobs escape from your mouth, and your body begins to shake involuntarily.
"It’s okay man, calm down," Lamar says placing a comforting hand on your back and glancing at the devil in the corner of the grave.
"This is not okay!" you shout, rage causing your blood to boil and sting your frozen fingertips. "You said this would work, that I could get her to come back!"
"I mean, anything is possible with God."
"Then why isn’t it working?"
Lamar avoids your gaze. Tears form at the corners of his eyes, but he has no answers for you. Another awkward silence fills the grave, followed by a rustling noise from the far end of the grave. The black snake is still stuck in the corner with his head in the dirt. His words replay in your mind: Maybe there is, but it won’t be with your God’s help.
"Alexander, please, don’t resort to that," Lamar begs, following your gaze to the serpent.
Everyone tells you that the devil is bad, but he says that he has a solution. God’s way doesn’t seem to be working for you. Patiently waiting around to see if God will fix the problem isn’t an option. Doing the same thing over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. At least with the devil’s offer, you will be taking action to bring Helen back. With another deep breath, you make up your mind.