Free The Gift of Knowledge (The Gifts Book 2) by Jen Gentry Page A

Phoebe smiled and laughed as she left Ethan to his unpacking.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
        Locked in a dream, Emily ran. She prayed as she ran through the forest, vines catching at arms and legs, hidden tree roots threatened to trip her in her flight. She ran on, the sounds of violent fighting all around her. She ran towards a light, a break in the forest trees where the sunlight shone through. When she reached the bright sunlight, a huge mountain rose in front of her, its foothold so close she couldn’t see anything else. There was no place else to go but up, so she began to climb…
         Emily awoke with a start. Her chest pounded as if she’d just run a mile. As her racing heart and breathing slowed, she watched the early morning sun cast a faint glow into the tent.
         Phoebe slept on her cot across the wooden slat floor of the tent. Good, Emily thought, at least I didn’t sleep in. She wondered at the meaning of the dream but pushed it aside. The smell of her own body caught her attention. She’d forgotten how she’d gone to bed sweaty and fully clothed last night.
         Feeling the grime and dirt of the previous days travel and work, she felt the need for a long hot shower but quickly realized that was probably not going to happen. Cliff gave her a tour of the camp yesterday, and she knew where to find the makeshift latrines, but there were no showers, at least none she knew of.
         “Well, I’ll just have to find out how one gets cleaned up around here,” she said to herself as she rose from her cot.
         “There’s a makeshift shower near a waterfall not far from here. I’ve got some towels and soap in my trunk. If you give me a minute I’ll take you.” Phoebe spoke in a sleep filled voice.
         “Sorry, Phoebe, I didn’t mean to speak out loud and wake you up.”
         “It’s no matter. I was awake. Just need some coffee.” Phoebe sat up on her cot as she stretched and yawned. She reminded Emily of a graceful, blond cat flexing itself. 
         While she waited for Phoebe to get ready to leave, Emily went to get coffee for both of them. Following her nose, she walked toward the smell of freshly brewed coffee. In a tent set apart from the circle of the other ten or so tents, she found a makeshift kitchen. Inside, a middle aged native woman was cooking at what appeared to be a large camp stove. There were a few tables and benches in the center of the tent, while several shelves laden with food and supplies hugged the edges of the canvas walls. She made her way around the tables to the stove where two large coffee pots were brewing and she asked the woman in Spanish if she could help herself to a couple of cups.
         “Si, Senora,” the woman replied and then in English “the cups are here.”
         Emily took two tin coffee cups from a nearby shelf, and as she poured coffee she asked, “You can speak English?”
         “Yes, I was raised in a missionary orphanage in Campos, Peru. The missionaries taught me English. I am Mari.” The woman held her hand out to Emily. As they shook hands, Emily felt warmth coming from the woman.
         “I’m Emily. I just got here yesterday,” Emily stated.
         “Oh yes, I know who you are. You are the red-haired woman that Anke spoke of last night.