7 ELISHA AND ELENA

***

[Months after the feast]

There was one girl named Elisha. Elisha was sweet girl who lives near the sea together with her parents and her one older sister Elena. Elisha was an obedient, loveable girl who always walks in the seashore. She made it her habit to walk on every morning; it felt like she was waiting for someone to arrive, anytime soon.

Every morning, at exactly 6:00 o'clock, she wakes up and makes herself wait in the seashore because it was the same place where she left her sister and from that day forward, Elena was nowhere to be found.

Elena and Elisha were helping their dad, Raul, for the fishes he caught. Upon arriving in the seashore, the two would collect the different fishes their dad caught somewhere in the middle of the Sea. Afterwards, Elisha was tasked to bring these fishes to her mom, Kara, in the supermarket to sell, these freshly-caught fishes, while Elena would stay to help her dad and to do household chores, subsequently.

That was their livelihood; that was their bread and butter. That was the only source of income they know, and most families who lived in that area were all fishermen and vendors of various fishes.

This family gleefully lived in province near the sea in the Philippines, most of the families had a very simple life and that what matters to them, living in peace and festive community. This place called is called Barangay Karagatan, a place filled with abundance of natural resources, people with good heart and a community of generous people.

They believed that they were one big family that's why when a serious problem or hardship occurs; a proper solution was immediately given, a reason why harmonious was one of the best word that describe the palace.

That was a total picture of a happy and healthy community. People shared their meals, people sang together, they laughed together, they were helping each other. They were generous, kind-hearted and have a kindred-spirit. They believed in God, they believed that the one behind every success of man was a God who guides and leads the way.

Every Sunday, whether they like or not, they attended the church service and pastor Hiram led the Sunday mass. God gave us six days to work and He was only asking us one day, a day to be spent with his presence, a firm and steady principle rooted on their belief about Sabbath.

Rev. Hiram was the pastor of Jesus Will Come Back Again church. He leads the people on how to live life according to God, reason why this community was one of the best communities in their province. Given the fact, that all people here were devotedly religious from the Captain down to the officials, from the head of each household down to the family members.

However this place of peace became a place of terror to the Barangay Karagatan Community, because of what happened last two months ago, the day right after the feast. An incident happened and no one was able to explain the enigma, the possible assumption about the present situation.

Four girls had gone missing and Elena was one of them. On that moment, according to Elisha, she left her sister in the seashore; like she used to do, it was the usual routine of her sister.

Then, Raul mentioned that it was already time, the sun was about to set but her daughter, Elena, was still outside. Afterwards, Karen and her daughter Elisha also arrived at home but, still, Elena was not around, yet. They were all worried, reason why they started to look for Elena outside until the families of the three girls were also outside, searching every place in the area just locate them, but they failed to do so.

They even went to the police station just to report the missing incident but the police officers could not offer them the search operation because they were missing for less than 24 hours,

Back then, they went also to the church just to ask Pastor Hiram for their immediate quandary. They also let the community know about the incident, they tried to do their own investigation but most of them failed to testify if someone abduct them or what.

They were all clueless about this matter, parents were collapsing, families' worries started to escalate and terror began to reside in the peaceful place of Barangay Karagatan.

Another day had passed, but Elena wasn't home yet. Karen started to feel weak because she barely eats. Raul stopped working for a while and helped the police officers to search the missing kids. What bothers Raul was the fact that no one saw what happened, there was no single individual in the place where they have been kidnapped. Kidnapping, Raul believed that someone took his child and other girls because this morning, Elisha tried to go back on the area of the seashore where they usually went by with her sister. There, she found a purple bracelet which was very familiar to her.

It was the bracelet she made for her sister on her last birthday.

She grimaced as she ran back hurriedly to her house and brought the bracelet back to her parents. Could it be possible that someone took them? And because she was fighting for her life, she left her bracelet unnoticed; this whole thing was merely the theory of the grieving family.

Police officers tried their best to see situation in details but they could hardly get information. The abduction just happened in this area, and after that, no recorded abduction after the incident. So, the police officers were still largely puzzled and perplexed with these circumstances. Days after the incident, they started posting posters of the girls everywhere. Elisha led that searching activity because she missed her sister so much and she was dying to see her. That's why on her simple way, she believed that her sister was somewhere in this world and needs help.

Her mother fainted, and began to show unwanted illness that's why she had to take over their business in the supermarket. His father was becoming hopeless and helpless as the day went by and trying his best to live his life again without his daughter, Elena was like standing on a quicksand, totally penetrable. He went back in fishing, other families too.

Elisha was the only one who had this faith that her sister was and is still alive.

One day, on a church service, they had decided to offer prayer for the deceased. Elisha stood up and told everyone that her sister was still alive.

Is she is dead, can you show me her body? She is alive. After mentioning it to everyone, she left the church and her dad followed her and bawling. She was heading her way to a Big Rock on the side of the church and her dad encouraged her to stop hoping, that her sister was dead and they were still alive. Life must goes on without her sister, that's what he wants. He wanted everyone to move on. Just because he wanted everyone to move on didn't mean he was not hurting. He was trying to stop mourning. Mourning kills him, weeping almost everyday hurts him, he was also dying inside. But the pain was always there but the suffering must stop.

He, also, mentioned that just in case, her sister witnessed what was happening, does she think she will be happy with what she was seeing right now? They were mourning every single day. Raul hugged his daughter, explained it in a way she could comprehend, and he knew it was the best for everybody.

"She's alive in our heats Elisha."

Elisha, despite of his dad's acceptance, kept her faith growing. Every day and every night, she never ceased praying, connecting his spirit to the Holy Ghost. She never stopped hoping, when you could see her silent, she was definitely uttering a sincere orison. She never stopped believing that one day, God will perform a miracle and everyone will believe him, that everyone will believe that God was the real God. A part of her commitment to her wish, she made a habit to walk in the seashore every morning. She was always waiting for something to happen. She was presumably waiting for God's favor that one day, her only prayer will be granted, given, bestowed. Everytime, she looked in the immense sky and perceived the luminous sun, it reminded herself about the possibilities and more possibilities coming.

***

On the same area but a bit far from the community, there was an old strange man living in Barangay Karagatan, He was Lolo Isko (Grandfather Lorenzo). But people usually called them by Lolo Isko. Lolo Isko lived alone in a hut on the forest. Everyone knew him because Lolo Isko was a good citizen; he relentlessly helped people and shared awe-inspiring stories with the kids. He had no family - no wife, no kids. He chose to stay there because he firmly believed he connected with God on that place, and it was the only place he knew he was safe from any harm or possible peril. The community allowed him to stay there because it was also his plea to reside on the hut. He also a devoted Christian and went to church every Sunday. But lately, because he was ill, he chose to stay in his house and waiting for his strength to be renewed.

One day, he was reading a bible, even though he was old and his eyes could barely read the passages, he never ceased reading, because this was his way to connecting with the supernatural being. He opened his bible and he went on Elijah's book. Lolo Isko was currently reading the passage where Elijah and the prophets of Baal met at the Mouth Carmel. Each of them wanted to prove something; they wanted to stand for their faith - the greatest time to reveal who was who. Elijah wanted to prove that God was the only true God. Now, Elijah challenged them, the god who can produce fire and consumed the sacrifice will win. Baal failed to create fire but Elijah through prayer asked God for fire and it consumed the sacrifice. Israelites dedicated their lives towards God. Later, near the Jordan River, a fiery horse-drawn chariot descends from the sky and takes Elijah.

"Booooggsss!"

Then, a loud noise caught his over-all attention. There was a noise which came from above and he was unsure of what was that, reason why he immediately closed his bible and went outside to keenly observe. He was so curious but upon scanning the area, he saw no one, he saw nothing. Until a man from the roof fell down on the ground which surprised the old man. Lolo Isko got scared because he never knew who the man was, even If the man showed how badly hurt he was from falling, Lolo Isko's concern was to check of who he was and not how he was.

Because he wanted to protect himself from any danger he got the broom and began asking, "Who are you?" The man wasn't able to answer the question because he was still in pain. He was trying hold his back, ease the pain, but his entire countenance was totally in the midst of great discomfort. He was badly hurt and he was murmuring, he was saying, "Ouch". Lolo Isko felt safe when he saw the man lying on the ground, hurt and almost crying. He set the broom aside and tried his best to help the man in need.

Lolo Isko opened his house for the stranger, offered him water and the man began to feel well. Lolo Isko stared at the man suspiciously while he was seriously drinking. Lolo Isko looked stern and firm as he asked himself who this man was, a question he did not ask using words.

Apart from this question he kept on asking himself, he tried to delve why the man was wearing armor-like gear, which closely resembled to a hero he watched from a movie. Yes, he was wearing a full white armor with white boots and white gloves and a heavy decorated white head dress. He looked like a warrior prince from a castle in a fairy tale.

But why was this man wearing this costume? An angel? Lolo Isko tried to visualize If this man in front of him was an authentic angel. Since, he heard a noise from above and saw that this man fell from the roof, would it be possible for an angel to fall from the sky? But he was unsure because he was trying to check the wings on his back but found nothing but the white full armor. The old man began asking question after drinking water.

"Sino ka?" "So, tell me who are you?" Lolo Isko asked the man.

"I am Elijah" the man replied.

Elijah? You mean Elijah..... from the bible? The prophet? Lolo Isko was flabbergasted, the only dominant facial expression he displayed, after hearing that the man fell from heaven, the man he helped and the man he asked to go inside, the man he has offered him water was Elijah.

Without hearing any confirmation from the man at all, Lolo Isko concluded it right away, that he was the man he just read from the bible before the indistinctive noise occurred, Elijah, the prophet of God.

The old man started to breathe heavily in disbelief. Elijah helped the old man to sit when he noticed that he was not fine, not to mention that he was in the midst of deep confusion. Then, he gave him a cup of water just to make him feel better, then, afterwards the interrogation continued.

He then, asked "if you are Elijah, what are you doing here?"

Elijah, with no hesitation at all, shared that he was descended from heaven to earth for a special mission and he had to accomplish that mission God has given him. The old man dared to ask what the mission was until Elijah found himself sharing the mission to the old man, to a stranger one, and while Elijah kept on talking, Lolo Isko was murmuring words to wake him up for a profound slumber, "Wake me up". He could not still believe what's happening. He could not imagine that the man he was reading in the bible a while ago came to life.

Meanwhile, from the outside of Lolo Isko's house, two men from the Barangay Karagatan Officers sincerely visited Lolo Isko until they saw him talking with Elijah. With a great surprise and fear, they ran over and went back to the office. They hurriedly reported what they saw while gasping and they were so certain, hundred per cent sure indeed, about what they have seen and that was Lolo Isko talking to an angel. The captain was unable to believe what they have seen that's why he asked the whole team to verify this report tomorrow.

***

God was so elated when he watched Elijah safely descended on Earth. God told him to do his mission as soon possible because this power of Vlanteorr was getting stronger, reason why carrying out his mission was of optimal importance. King Phyllis was also deliberately planned to invade more places, regions, to wreak havoc, a manifestation of great power and terror, reason why he summoned his army to be fully equipped because for their future dominion. These barbaric, sinister, vicious, heinous, acts must be stopped in any all form of interception which gives terror and devastation to the adjacent countries, and sooner gives greater agony for the entire world. God placed his confident trust over Elijah and he sent it out because, he once thrived over Baal and he could definitely do it again. He certainly believed.

***

One gloomy morning, when the sun was about to set irrespective of the unhappy weather, Elisha walked on the seashore again, barefoot. Another moment of hoping and praying, a time for her to send her serene prayer to God. She was praying together with the ocean, with wind and with the sky as if they were allies strongly connected with one purpose. She knew that if there were more prayers, God would hear her plea, her request, her ultimate dream. She looked up in the sky and she was staring the vast sky until she saw a burning fire from heaven, being descended somewhere near where she was standing. She was so amazingly shocked and tears began to fall.

Was it a sign to her prayer?

Was it a ball of fire sent from God as a promise?

She started to think that God was listening to her prayer. When the fire of ball arrived on the ground, she went inside of the house and started talking to her mom, Karen. She was persistent that one day, it may not be today, soon enough all the questions they had in mind will be answered in God's perfect time

"I know one day, wewill still meet her."