A War Within
by
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John wasn’t ready to just lay back for the night so he decided to go for a walk to Mitchell Hall and see if there was any action there or at the school yard. He walked the three blocks to the school to see if anyone was there that he cared to talk to but came up lame. He walked to the corner and saw Joshua and Alicia.
“Hey Josh. What up?’ John said as he walked up to him. “It’s been a long…” John stopped in mid sentence. “What’s wrong man.” John looked closer at his friend. “What are you guys on?”
They were both messed up. So stoned that they couldn’t see straight. Joshua looked at John and smiled. “Dude.” He wavered. “I’m doing fiiiine.”
Alicia didn’t speak at all. She sat down on the curb and lay back on the grass. Joshua sat next to her.
John was visibly upset. What the heck is wrong with these people? They were his age with their whole life ahead of them and they are blowing it for what. A high? This is crazy. John felt like leaving them there but decided to try and help even if they didn’t want it. They were his friends and you just don’t walk away from a friend in need.
John bent down a looked into Joshua’s glazed over eyes. There wasn’t any use trying to talk some sense into them at this point but maybe he could get them to some place safe where they could come down and not get hurt.
“Come on guys. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll find a nice soft couch or something to sleep it off. OK?” John said as he put his hand out to Joshua.
“Yeah man. Why not.” Joshua said as he turned to Alicia and grabbed her hand and tried to pull her to her feet but she wasn’t moving. Joshua looked at John. “I need some help here. She’s out like a light.”
John shook his head and reached down to help lift her up but she was dead weight. John looked closer at her and it didn’t look right. He feft for a pulse but didn’t find one. He knew he wasn’t an EMT or firefighter but she looked dead. For real dead. He jumped up and looked around franticly. By luck a patrol car was going by and John hollered out for him. The policemen stopped and one got out to start CPR while the other called for an ambulance. John stood by helplessly as a crowd formed. Another patrol car pulled up and the officers took Joshua and put him in the back seat. They came to John and asked him what happened and he explained what he did. He gave them all the information he knew about Alicia and Joshua as the ambulance pulled up. The Medics did a quick assessment and then scooped her up on a cot, loaded her and took off, lights and sirens roaring. It didn’t last long and before John knew it he was standing alone on the street. The crowd had gone back to there world and nothing new happened except another kid died from an overdose or bad junk. To them life would go on but for John this was personal now. Alicia was his friend and now she was dead. He knew that it was her choice but she had to get the stuff from someone and just like that girl Ginny, no one seemed to care enough to get involved. Oh sure, the politicians would make laws and the media would spout off but no one was going to get dirty over some loser punks from the slums. Talk, that’s all it is. Even the preachers, that’s all they ever do. Gary, Lelon and even Tiffany did something but there was nothing they did that made a difference.
Gary got saved but not until he got clobbered. The streets are hard and if you’re going to make a difference then you have to be harder. Even in the Bible God used mighty men to smash His enemies. David, Joshua and the Judges. Look at Samson. He didn’t do no talking. He let strength do his talking and things happened. I ain't no Judge, John thought, but I ain't a coward either. “People are dieing.” He cried out loud. “My friends. Why? WHY?”
John could feel a rage building up inside him and he didn’t care. He had made up his mind that if no one was going to do anything about this, he was. He looked up at the sky as tears formed in his eyes. “I have to do something Lord. I need you to stand with me because I’m going out among them and someone is going to get hurt.”
He wiped his eyes and started walking down the street at a fast pace.
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About the Book
What a person shows you on the outside isn’t the true picture of
what is on the inside. John Marciano had lost his best friend when
he moved and his older brother to a foreign war. John couldn’t live
up to his fathers standards and the streets were a war zone for drugs
and the gangs who fought to control that trade. Johns church friends
tried to steer him straight but the streets called out in anguish. All
John knew how to do was fight back with a knowledge of the streets
and fast hands. With the word of God pulling one way and the
world pulling the other John had a war within him that no one could
control. So deep was the passion and pain in his heart that when it
came out it would surge forward like an unstoppable tank and affect
everything and everyone in it’s path. Only John could control it but
he must decide for himself who was in control of his destiny. Was it
going to be God or himself.
About the Author
G. Louis Magliano was born on the West side of Chicago and is a graduate of Holy Trinity. He now lives in Tennessee with his wife and son. He is a teacher of Bible doctrine and theology at Gateway Assembly of God in Ashland city and is enrolled in home studies through Global University for a degree in ministerial studies. This is his second book. The first one, The Hour Glass, was completed in 2003.