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At least I’m not the only one with this problem. I like Mr. Caddick a lot, though I’m not sure how much screentime he’ll actually get……
I am very heavily leaning towards it.
Let’s just say there will be problems if you don’t…..
Like a tone of readers furious because everyone can see from the moment they met that they are perfect.
(and that’s just one of the many things.)
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
@hybridlore @linus-smallprint @koshka @keilah-h @elishavet-pidyon @grcr
NEXT SECTION!!
Joseph and Noah were exhausted and slept until evening. It was Joseph who woke first. Getting up, he roused Noah, who was sleeping lightly. The two tidied the room and Joseph started downstairs. When he reached the bottom, one of the little girls greeted him, the oldest sister close behind. “Did you sleep well Mr. Conway?” asked the little girl.
Joseph didn’t respond, glancing over his shoulder to see if someone was behind him.
“Mr. Joseph Conway, did you have a good rest,” the eldest girl asked.
“Oh, I am so sorry,” Joseph laughed. “No one has ever called me by my last name, I had no idea who you were talking to!”
The little girl giggled. “That’s alright Mr. Conway.”
“Please, just Joseph, I’ll never get used to Mr. Conway,” Joseph told them. “And yes, I slept wonderfully. Oh, and when he comes down, Noah will want to be called by his first name as well, I’m sure of that,” he added with a wink.
“If you would like to come to the kitchen, supper is ready,” the oldest sister told him.
“That sounds delightful,” Noah said as he came down the stairs.
The four entered the kitchen and were greeted by the rest of the family who were already there cleaning up and helping set the table. Mr. Caddick called everyone together once the table was ready. “Before we eat, I think it would be a good time to have everyone introduced.”
They all nodded at that, and a few ripples of laughter were heard. “As you all know, this is Mr. Joseph Conway, and Mr. Noah Elwood,” Mr. Caddick began.
“Oh, just Noah and Joseph if that’s acceptable. We could never get used to ‘Mr.’,” Noah grinned.
“Very well then,” Mr. Caddick laughed. “Joseph and Noah. Now, this is my wife, Rachel,” he motioned to her. “And these are my children. The youngest is Beth, and following are Elise, Andrew, Quinlan, Ruth, Amelia, Stephen and David.”
Each child nodded or waved when their name was mentioned, and Joseph listened closely to each, carefully imprinting the faces in his mind. After introductions, everyone sat down at the table. Joseph found himself between Stephen and Quinlan, while David sat on one side of Noah, and Andrew on the other. The girls spread out between the two benches, and Mr. Caddick took the head of the table, with Mrs. Caddick across from him. Everyone joined hands, and Mr. Caddick lead them in a prayer of blessing. After that, dishes were passed and plates and cups filled.
Once everyone settled to eating, conversation began. The boys talked about their day at work, David asked his father how his day had been, and Mr. Caddick grinned, remarking it had been the same as always, and he was glad his sons weren’t working with him. Then the girls told a few funny stories about their day. Then David turned to Noah and asked him to tell them about the Capital. After that, it was mostly questions for Noah and Joseph.
When supper was finished, everyone pitched in to clean up the kitchen, and afterwards they gathered in the living room. Soon they were sprawled on the floor or seated on chairs, and the talk continued. Noah and Joseph told them about life in the Capital, the terrorism of the Empire, the faith and courage of their friends, the remarkable conversion of several Imperial soldiers. Joseph felt tears stinging his eyes and his voice grew hoarse as he spoke of Adrain. The faces around him were sober, and Elise and Ruth cried softly. Amelia sat with her hands folded in her lap, tears running down her cheeks. Looking at her, Joseph felt she must have a very tender heart. Her deep brown eyes were kind and gentle, and her face was framed by brown hair tinged with auburn highlights.
Noah and Joseph took turns telling their story, until at last, all had been related. When they finished, there was a long silence. Then, David spoke. “When we were in the capital, fighting the Empire, father and I were on the walls. I remember Aaron was up there with us. He would gather everyone together on the walls, and he would lead us in prayer and singing. He had a friend, Turin, who roused us to fight. He was a true warrior and a wonderful leader. But it was through Aaron that father and I came to Christ. After that, we would come with the family to the ruined building Aaron gathered everyone in. Elise was only a baby then, and Beth wasn’t born. After the battle, we didn’t see them for a long time. Then Aaron began to gather us for church, and he and two other young men would lead us. I don’t remember the others’ names, I only remember Aaron because he wasn’t Ardantin, and Turin because he was such a strong commander. When the Empire separated everyone, we came here. We have not heard of Aaron or Turin since.”
Joseph swallowed hard and looked at Noah. Noah nodded to him, and Joseph turned back to the family. “Turin died in the battle. Aaron, Darrien and Noah,” he paused to nod to his companion. “Survived the war and continued to lead the church. It was about a year or more after, that the Empire started imposing their gods on us. Noah was almost killed because he wouldn’t help build a temple, and our church meetings were banned. We continued to meet in secret, but one morning, as Aaron was leading a meeting, the soldiers found us. He was arrested, and a few days later, he died for his faith.”
Joseph’s eyes were blurred, and he covered his face with his hands. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, and a sob escaped him before he forced back the rest, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He looked up to see Stephen beside him, his face full of grief and concern. Joseph looked around at the others. “Aaron was a father to me, and I haven’t spoken of him in some time. I still feel the pain of his loss very deeply.”
“As do we all,” Mr. Caddick said, “Though I cannot say as much as you do, for we never had the privilege of knowing him well.”
“He was always kind,” Amelia said softly. “That is what I remember most about him— how kind and loving he was.”
“And his laugh,” David added. “I have never heard such a joyful laugh. There was something very special about Aaron. Everyone he encountered felt it.”
“I’m very sorry, Joseph,” Stephen said. “We will all miss him. He was a true hero. A warrior of God.”
Joseph smiled up at the young man. “Thank you,” he said softly.
“Tell us what happened to you when the Empire separated everyone,” Noah said after a long pause.
“We came here with a small group of people,” Mr. Caddick began. “For a while we kept a steady church going, but one by one the people began to slip away. Then, everything changed. It must have been around the time that Aaron died, for all at once, the Imperial garrison stationed here became ruthless. They banned every religious meeting and began forcing their gods on the people. The church was already crumbling, and when three young men we captured, interrogated and killed, it fell to pieces. Everyone scattered, and try as we might, we couldn’t get them to come back. After that, most turned to follow the ways of the Empire, some remain neutral, and if there are any other Christians, they refuse to admit it.”
“David and Steven would go out and try to gather the people back together, but after several threatened to turn them in, father told them to stay at home,” Amelia added.
“Turn them in!” Noah exclaimed hotly.
“They were frightened,” Stephen said. “They were worried that David and I would get them in trouble, and they were just trying to keep their families safe.”
“Still, that’s horrible,” Noah said. “To hand you over to the soldiers to be murdered… there’s no cause for that.”
David smiled sadly. “Fear makes beasts of many men.”
“And what about now?” Joseph asked. “Have any come back?”
“The situation remains the same,” David replied. “As far as we know, we are the only Christian family. We have tried to do some, but people betray each other right and left, and the soldier kill ruthlessly. We have been afraid, and we have been alone.”
“And now, thanks be to God, you have come,” Mr. Caddick added.
“I believe things are about to change,” Stephen grinned. He pounded a fist against his leg. “Come, rise again and let the kingdom the devil has made here come crashing down!”
***
For three days, Noah and Joseph got to know the Caddick family. When the Sabbath came, Joseph led the morning Bible study which was held by candlelight before sunup with the windows closed. It felt a little frightening to Joseph, especially with the way Stephen and David took up positions near windows, ready to give a warning in a moment’s notice.
It distracted and unnerved him, and he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to teach.
After the singing, he took a deep breath. “Father, protect us this morning as we gather in worship today. Shield us from the soldiers, and guard us from all evil. Fill us with peace and strengthen our faith.”
He heard murmured amens throughout the room and when he lifted his head, he felt peace and assurance fill him. He smiled at those gathered and opened his Bible. Someone sucked in a sharp breath, and Joseph looked up, startled. Stephen was staring at him, his eyes wide. Slowly he moved forward, a hand slightly outstretched. “Is that a Bible?”
Joseph looked around the room to see the rest of the family watching him with startled expressions. “Yes,” Joseph replied. He held it out, and Stephen touched It with hands that shook slightly. He held his breath as he took the Bible from Joseph, cradling it in his hands and gazing down at the pages. He looked up, laughter in his eyes. “It is!” he cried. “It is!”
The others hurried to gather about Stephen, and carefully he gave the treasure to David, who then passed the book to his sister, Amelia. At last, it came down to little Beth, who hugged the book close to her chest, eyes shining.
Joseph and Noah looked at one another, their eyes bright with tears. Never had they seen anything like this quiet joy.
Suddenly, Joseph gasped as if he had been struck. Spinning on his heel, he turned and bounded up the stairs. A minute later, he was back, lugging his and Noah’s rucksacks with him. When he came back into the room, Mr. Caddick turned to him and offered the Bible. “You do not know what a treasure you have, Joseph. This is the first time we have touched a Bible, though we saw Aaron teach from one.”
“What do you read then?” Noah asked.
“This,” David said, holding out a small leather-bound book. “Amelia always brought her journal to the meetings. She wrote down whatever Aaron read out of the Bible. This is all we have.”
“Read us something new, Joseph!” Quin pleaded; his eyes wide in excitement.
“I will, but first, look what I have,” Joseph said excitedly. He tore open his rucksack and delved into it. Noah had grabbed his and was also searching through it. Joseph reached the prize first, and came up, a wide smile on his face. He held out a leather-bound book in his hand. There was a long moment of frozen silence. David was the first to move, carefully taking the book from Joseph. His hand shook slightly as he opened the cover. “Another one?” he gasped.
“We have a team at home who copy these down. They work together, checking one another’s work to the original. We have made so many over the last seven or eight years, and Noah and I brought all we could. This is yours.”
“Ours!” Amelia whispered.
“To keep?” Quin asked, his eyes wide.
“Yes,” Joseph told them. “Yes, it’s yours to keep.”
Amelia covered her mouth with her hands, tears running down her face. Stephen put his arms around his sister, laughing and crying. David looked at his father, his eyes shining, and Mr. Caddick hugged his wife close. The little children stood in shock, looking at the book in David’s hands.
Joseph looked up at Noah. He could hardly believe what joy they had already brought after only a few days. He pulled out another Bible and held it out. “You have a big family, and we have many with us.”
That morning, Mr. Caddick sat on the bench with his wife at his side, little Beth on his lap, and Elise on his other side. Stephen held another Bible, with Amelia, Ruth, and Quinlan reading on either side of him, while Andrew and David shared with Noah and Joseph.
Joseph read story after story to them. The ones they asked him to read again and again were the stories of Daniel and his three companions. Then, Joseph showed them the Psalms. They didn’t stop reading until David finally mentioned the fact that the whole town was awake.
With great reluctance, the Bibles were put in a safe place, and everyone began to prepare for the day’s work ahead of them. Joseph noticed that all the boys down to Quinlan worked, and he worried that he and Noah were a burden to the family. He decided that he would ask Stephen or David about finding work in the next couple of days.
That night, Joseph and Noah stayed up late talking. Noah would be leaving in the morning, and Joseph wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. He understood the need for Noah top go back, and he himself had no intention of leaving this town. The only thing that sweetened the parting was the friendship of the Caddicks. Joseph knew he would not be alone here, and for that he was grateful.
The next morning, everyone said farewell to Noah, and then Joseph walked with him to the town gates. The two paused a little way off, and Noah turned to Joseph, laying a hand on his shoulder. “You will do well, Joseph. I am so proud of the man you have become. I am excited to hear how God uses you. You will come and visit us again?”
“Yes, if I am able, I certainly will,” Joseph replied.
The two embraced. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make straight your paths.’” Noah quoted.
“I will,” Joseph replied. “Goodbye, my brother.”
“Goodbye, Joseph. Until we meet again,” Noah said.
The two stepped apart, and then Noah hitched his pack higher on his shoulders. He smiled and turned toward the gates. He passed the guards, who merely glanced up at him. When he was on the road, Noah paused and raised a hand in farewell.
Joseph returned the gesture, and stood watching until Noah was lost from his sight.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
I feel like Joseph and Amelia are going to get married . . . 🤭
“I didn’t come this far to just come this far.”
Is that all you have to say!!
lolololol.
Just teasing. You’re not the first one. Linus already has them as a couple.
But then again…… a lot of people had Aaron and Sabina as a couple……….
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Lolol. How did Linus know about Amelia already? And you weren’t very subtle. XD
True, but they would have gotten married.
“I didn’t come this far to just come this far.”
He matched them the minute I mentioned an older girl in the room. lol.
what do you mean I’m not subtle? what did I do?
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Ohhhh, gotcha.
I don’t know. The way you described her. I think I’m just used to picking out love interests immediately.
“I didn’t come this far to just come this far.”
is it because she’s the only one of the family I did describe? lol.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Yeah, the special attention, and her age. 🤪
“I didn’t come this far to just come this far.”
well.
we’ll just have to see.
no one put her on the protection squad, ya know, and last time I killed the guy………
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Nope. Not happening. *puts all of your characters on the protection squad*
“I didn’t come this far to just come this far.”
Oh look, no more protection squad in your signature! NOW I CAN DO ANYTHING!!!!
You can’t take all my characters. NAS (National Authors Society) vetoed that.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
HEY. There’s not enough room, okay? I like that quote.
Is that really a thing? Anyway, it’s too late. They’re mine now.
“I didn’t come this far to just come this far.”
It is now.
Okay fine, take them all, but the others can sue you when I don’t post anymore because I lost my characters.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
You can borrow them back to post as long as you don’t kill them.
“I didn’t come this far to just come this far.”
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