Touched By An Angel
The Battle
by
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Chapter 2
But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
-Judges 20:14
Sixteen-year-old Tracy slammed her locker door shut. As she turned, her nerves were thrown about, causing her to jump, at the sight of one of her three best friends. Evie stood with a smirk spread across her chocolate brown face, and contentment shimmering in her eyes. Tracy grabbed at her heart, trying to slow down the pace. Evie giggled as she adjusted her hair: brown, honey blond streaked micro braids.
“Don’t do that!” Tracy cried. She hated when Evie got in her face like that.
“I get you every time.” Evie laughed. Tracy rolled her eyes at her friend’s humor.
“Keep playin’. You’re going to give me a panic attack one of these days.” Tracy mumbled. Evie playfully jabbed her in the shoulder.
“Lighten up, Tracy.” She chuckled as they made their way down the busy hallway. Tracy sighed in response. They rounded the corner, spotting their other two friends, Karri and Amber, standing by the water fountains. Karri had a cream colored skin tone, and shoulder-length jet black hair. Amber had a mocha colored skin tone, and wore her long dark brown hair in two French braids.
“Evie, Tracy!” Amber called out, waving her hand in the air, summoning them over to where she and Karri stood.
“Hey ya’ll,” Tracy said, greeting her two friends with a small hug. Evie did the same.
“So, what’s going on?” Evie asked.
“We were just talking about the youth service we had at church last Friday.” Karri said.
“Karri, the praise team was on point starting off the service.” Evie complemented.
“It was nothin’ but the Lord.” Karri explained. “During rehearsal none of us could hit the notes on the last song, and Joe had trouble remembering what key to play the song in on the organ. It was a blessing that we sounded so good. Now how about that Holland Davis?”
“Man, he can sure preach.” Amber stated.
“Oh yes. That is one anointed man.” Tracy added. “He set it off in there.”
“I can’t wait till he comes back to town.” Evie said, as the others nodded in agreement. “So we doin’ that fast he suggested we do?”
“I know I am.” Karri said. “I started today.”
”Listen, I’m all for showing my dedication to the Lord, but a girl has gotta eat.” Amber said. “My mom’s making barbequed chicken wings tonight for dinner. I can’t pass that up.”
“Amber, you don’t have to starve. You have to make your own plan of fasting.” Evie said.
”You can give up other things besides food, like TV or something like that.” Tracy said.
“But my favorite show comes on at 9 o’clock every night.” Amber retorted, scratching at her long brown hair as she pondered what to do.
“Ugh. Amber.” Evie groaned.
“What?” Amber asked. Tracy giggled.
“Look now, I don’t know about you guys but I’m expecting some blessings during this fast.” Karri says.
“Hallelujah!” Evie shouts, loud enough to echo down the hallway, and to make other students passing by stare at her weirdly.
“Shh!” Tracy spat, her face burning in embarrassment as she felt eyes of strangers on her. “Evie, shut up.”
“Oh, can’t nobody stop our praises, Tracy!” Karri chuckled, not recognizing the seriousness in Tracy’s voice. Amber immediately began clapping her hands in a gospel rhythm. Evie joined in, stomping her foot to the beat. Karri smiled, raising her hands in the air.
“The Bible says ‘let everything that have breath praise ye the lord,’” Karri said, “and just like David, I’m gonna dance before my King.” Tracy’s eyes widened, as she watched Karri ‘shouting’ in the middle of the hallway, while Amber and Evie kept a steady beat. Tracy’s stomach knotted in self-consciousness. She gazed around the crowded hallway. Looks of wonder, confusion, and disgust burned through her skin. She noticed a group of four girls glaring at them from the other side of the hall.
“Guys,” Tracy pleaded, as the group made its way over to her own. “Stop.”
“Hey!” a voice shouted over Amber’s and Evie’s beat, and the sound of Karri’s feet. Tracy gulped. Amber stopped clapping her hands. Evie ceased stomping her feet. Karri’s dancing came to a halt. They turned to face a girl named Stella. Stella had a vanilla skin tone, dark green eyes, and was tall and muscular. She could pass as a white girl if it weren’t for her nappy, light brown Senegalese twists. She bragged to the school about how she her parents prayed for an exotic looking child, but in reality she was nothing more than the offspring of a black woman, and a white man after one too many shots of Tequila. Stella stared down at the four girls with hard eyes. Her ‘posse’ of three stood behind her throwing out the same glare. Tracy gulped, and quietly inched herself away from her three friends. She was very familiar with that glare, as she had been on the same track team with Stella for two years.
“What’d I tell ya’ll about that God stuff?!” Stella barked. “Keep it out of my school, holy rollers!”
“Like I said before Stella, can’t nobody stop our praises,” Karri snapped.
“Not even the devil herself.” Evie added, stepping up beside Karri.
“I thought the devil was a guy,” mumbled Monica; a thick, caramel colored sister with a slicked back bun that sat on the side of her head.
“Not today.” Amber answered, resting a hand on Evie’s shoulder. Stella narrowed her eyes, and clinched her fist. She looked over at Tracy, who immediately captured her lips in her mouth, as if acknowledging the fact that she had nothing to add. Stella looked back at Karri, Evie, and Amber.
“Keep the God stuff out of my school!” Stella growled.
“Guys, I think we should just go.” Tracy said, grabbing Amber’s arm, and quickly reaching for Evie’s.
“No amount of garbage you can come up with will ever make us regret sending our praises up;”Evie said, pulling away from Tracy’s reach. Stella bucked towards her, and Evie naturally lunged back. Her fists in the air, ready to strike. Stella jumped back; stunned that someone would dare challenge her.
“Evie!” Karri shrieked; grabbing Evie’s arm. Amber pulled her back by her shoulders.
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About the Book
What do you do when you’ve asked for help and received no aid? When you’ve prayed all that you could pray and there was no sign of change, what do you do? Meet sixteen-year-old Tracy and her thirteen-year-old brother Jeremiah. Two teens facing difficulties and going through hard times as they turn away from God’s word and fall deeper into the wicked world. Since the very day their father died, Tracy, despite their fateful attempts to reach out to her, has shunned her friends, refusing to let anyone get too close and see the pain she possesses and Jeremiah chose to drown his sorrows in the demonic spirit of drugs and alcohol, along with a new crowd to hang out with. Just when all hope seems frail and it looks like the sun has set for good, Jack steps in, bringing the word of God with him. No one knows who he is or where he came from but he is on a mission and has a secret. Tracy is taught that life goes on even after it ends and Jeremiah learns that only God can take the pain away. Jack changes their lives in teaching them that God may not always come when you want him, but he’ll be right there on time.
About the Author
Jada Smith began writing and drawing at a very young age. By her high school years, she had amassed a portfolio of illustrations, poetry, and short stories. Jada’s passion for words and images led to the publishing of her first chapter book for young readers ~ Touched By An Angel. Released in 2008, Touched By An Angel received much acclaim and led to the young author’s first literary award; The Aida Ford Scholar award. The honor is presented by the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World at their annual conference to recognize authors in the field of Christian Education. At 16, Jada was the youngest author (to date) to ever receive the award. Jada’s inspiration for the Touched By An Angel series came from her spirited involvement at Greater Morning Star Apostolic Ministries in Upper Marlboro, MD under the leadership of Bishop Charles E. Johnson. Jada is a faithful member in the Youth Choir, Sunday school, and several other youth activities. She is currently a student at George Washington University where she is double majoring in Education and Creative Writing.