Free Finding Eliza by Stephanie Pitcher Fishman

grass under his feet sounded as loud as the crackle of thunder in a storm. The walk took mere seconds yet felt like hours. Alston reached the barn door before he was able to fully prepare for what would happen next.
    Steadying his breathing in an attempt to gain control, Alston lowered his eyes and whispered a simple prayer.
    “Dear Heavenly Father, please prepare my heart so that the words from my mouth match the wish and desire you have for this situation. May your will be done. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.”
    Alston placed a flat palm on the weathered barn door and began to slide it open. The heavy wood creaked with the sudden movement. The barn groaned as he struggled with its rusty hinges, startling Eliza and her young friend. Alston moved the door enough to squeeze through. At the same time, they pushed through the heavy door at the opposite end of the barn and began running toward the empty field.
    “Wait!” shouted Alston. “Stop, Eliza. Now!”
    Hearing a familiar voice, Eliza stopped cold. She began begging the person she was with to keep going. Alston saw a teenaged boy standing in the middle of the field looking back at his sister, his face twisted in fear. He stood motionless as if he were deciding if he should run to save her or run to safety himself.
    “Run, Eldridge! Go! Don’t stop!” screamed Eliza. “I’m fine. Go, on!”
    Eliza struggled to close the barn door creating a barrier between her brother and her companion. As soon as Eldridge was out of site, Eliza burst into tears. Covering her face as she dropped to her knees, she grabbed her brother’s legs and began begging him to stop the pursuit.
    “Please, don’t go after him, Allie. Look at me. Stay here and talk with me. Please let him go!” Her tears fell as she began crying audibly and continued to beg. “Look at me, Allie. Look at me!”
    Distraught, Eliza’s body finally gave way and acted against her. Alston saw her form crumple onto the dirt floor of the barn. She didn’t have the power or energy to do anything but weep. Her cries grew louder as she kept repeating, “Just look at me, Allie. Not him, just me.”
    Alston stood there, stunned. His mind raced from thought to thought. He was angry that his sister had kept such a dangerous secret from him. Fear held him captive.
    Alston knelt and wrapped his arms around his sister, hugging the sobbing teenager. He moved her hands away from her face and held them in the palm of his own. The damage that these kids could cause to both their families made Alston want to lash out at her. At the same time, Eliza was his baby sister. She held such a special place in his heart that he could do nothing but place his arms gently around her to console her.
    “Oh, Eliza. What were you thinking? You can’t do things like this in Everett Springs.”
    His sister’s tears continued to fall as she gasped for breath between quiet wails.
    “Let’s stand up. Look at you. You’ve gotten dirt all over your beautiful skirt. Mama will not be happy if that stains. You look just like Bette Davis, remember. Sweetheart, we’ve got to get you up before you do more damage.” As angry as he was, Eliza was his sister, and his heart broke with every tear that fell from her big green eyes. He wanted to protect her, not make her cry.
    Alston had a war of conflicting emotions welling up inside of him.
    “Please, Allie, you can’t tell Mama you found me here. I don’t know what Daddy would do to him,” Eliza begged.
    “Daddy is the last of your concerns. Do you realize what could happen to you had any number of men in the county caught either you? You shouldn’t have been here. Who was that boy? Tell me. You have to, Eliza, and now. I demand it.”
    Alston wasn’t used to being firm with his sister. Under the circumstances it was easy as long as he ignored her tears and focused on the terror that held him hostage.
    As soon as she was standing, Eliza threw herself into Alston’s arms, crying and pouring