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Part 72: Where All Journeys Grow

Chapter 18: Assault

V2.0 – 10/08/2025

Over the next few days, most of the crew regarded me with suspicion and kept their distance from me. No one, save Juan, spoke to me. I felt more alone than I had ever felt before in my life. The spiritual world around me was volatile. I kept to myself and did my work about the ship to the best of my ability.

Juan told me that we were about to cross the main shipping lanes that led from the Panama Canal past Europe and to the Middle Eastern nations beyond. He told me that we would see other ships passing by us in the next few days.

If it was God’s plan to take me to Israel, then I reasoned that somehow He would have to get me on one of those passing ships. I knew that was impossible. Cargo ships didn’t just sidle up to one another for a transfer of crew in the middle of the ocean. I trusted God to get me where He wanted me to be, but that didn’t stop my mind from wondering what route He would take to get me there. I thought of the crazy way I had found myself aboard this ship.

On the fourteenth day of our journey, I finished up my afternoon shift on watch and gathered my things from the fore deck. The sun had set below the horizon, and the stars were beginning to shine brightly in the soon-to-be night sky. The only light on board was shining from the deck lights which cast heavy shadows from the cargo across the narrow walkways above deck. I walked slowly back toward the rear cabin to go below, grab dinner, and finally get some sleep.

I heard a noise and saw a man’s dark figure step into my path ahead. I heard the noise of boots on the deck behind me and turned to see two more figures emerging from the shadows. The three men slowly moved towards me, closing me in. There was nowhere for me to run. I sensed the Dark One’s minions lurking, cheering the men on.

“Cry out and we will throw you overboard.” One of the men whispered to me.

The men wore masks that covered their faces. I didn’t recognize their voices.

“Your dark magic isn’t welcome here.” Another of the men whispered to me.

“What do you want with me?” I asked them, holding my things tightly to my chest.

“We want you off this ship.” One answered softly.

Terror slammed me in the chest. Would they throw me overboard in the darkness? I knew that no one would hear the splash I made when I hit the ocean some 100 feet below. What would be worse is that no one would be able to see me once I had plunged into the water even if they did somehow hear my fall.

“Lord, help me.” I breathed.

They had backed me into a corner of two huge cargo containers. In the darkness I couldn’t make out their faces, but I thought I knew who these men were. One was the Captain of the ship and one was the man that had cried ‘El Diablo’ and run away when I had healed Juan.

My perception of the physical and spiritual worlds overlaid one another in that moment. I saw the Dark One’s minions battling against my guardian angels. There was war in the heavens above me. The sky was aflame with swords, wings, and flashes of light against the darkness. The ship itself was being assaulted by the Dark One’s forces, and my guardian angels were making a valiant stand against them.

One of the men struck me across the face, throwing me to the ground. Another kicked me squarely in my stomach. I groaned in pain as I lay on my side. I curled myself into a ball and tried to remain still.

“God, help me.” I cried out.

“When we arrive in Buenos Aires you’ll get off the ship and not get back on.” The man I thought was the Captain hissed.

There was a moment of silence, then I heard their footsteps as they walked away leaving me huddled on the deck in the darkness. My face hurt. My stomach hurt. I lay there hoping the pain would subside.

The Dark One’s minions cheered and cried out in triumph around me. My guardian angels stood close to me, swords drawn but unmoving. Why hadn’t they intervened and kept me safe from harm?

I lay there feeling abandoned and confused.

I’m not sure how long I lay there in the shadows of the huge cargo containers. I feared the men would come back and hurt me more. I feared to go back to my cabin in case they were there waiting for me.

The silence around me seemed to engulf me.

“God, where are you?” I whispered through my pain.

“Right here.” Came the Lord’s still, small answer.

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I said nothing more. I pulled myself up off the deck and slowly walked back to my cabin. I saw no one along the way. I reached my cabin and locked the door behind me. I climbed into my bed and longed for sleep to claim me.

Tears began to fall down my cheeks when the shock of what had just happened wore off.

I felt God’s presence fill the room and sensed His love pouring over me. Did I really trust Him? Did I really? I pondered that for a time. Did I think this journey would be easy? Did I think I wouldn’t face trouble along the way? I asked myself a million hard questions with no answers. Would the Dark One hound me and torture me for the entire journey? Would he succeed in killing me? No. God wouldn’t allow me to be killed until my time had come and my work was done. At least that I knew for sure.

I sank deep into the bed pulling the small blanket around me. The pain began to subside in my face and stomach. I wanted to go home and hated myself for thinking such a thought. I set it all aside. I reached for God and felt Him holding me.

He had given everything for me; shouldn’t I give Him everything of myself? Even unto death. It would be much harder than I thought it would be.

I had almost drifted off to sleep when I felt someone push me roughly.

I looked up but saw no one in the darkness of the small cabin. I felt another gentle shove. I rubbed my eyes and then shifted my perception to the spiritual world. One of my guardian angels was trying to wake me up. He pushed at me again.

“Get up now,” He told me. His voice was deep and thrummed through my spirit. I heard him as clear as if he had spoken aloud in the small room, “Get dressed, gather all your things, and put on your life jacket.” His voice was filled with a sense of urgency.

I leap up and got dressed. I put on my heavy work overalls over my jeans and t-shirt. The ship was quiet around me. I pulled the life jacket from beneath the bed and put it over my head and strapped it to my chest. I gathered all my belongings. Which amounted to picking up my phone and its charger.

“I’m ready.” I told him.

The shining angel held up a hand for me to wait and I waited.

I sat down on the edge of the bed and listened. The ship creaked and groaned around me softly as it rolled along over the ocean’s waves.

The sound of the ship’s alarm blared through the small room startling me.

In the next instant, the Captain’s voice screamed over the intercom, “Fire! Fire! Fire! Abandon ship! I repeat, Abandon ship!”

I looked at the angel who motioned for me to follow him. I followed him out into the corridor. When we reached the door that led to the staircase that would take me up to the lifeboats the angel stopped walking and blocked the door with his body. He drew his sword from its sheath and gripped his shield. He took up a poster of protecting the door preventing me from passing through it.

“I have to get up to the lifeboat!” I shouted at him, “They will leave without me!”

He shook his head and didn’t move. I tried to get past him, but he held me firmly in place. I couldn’t move my muscles.

“Fire! Fire! Fire! Abandon ship! Abandon ship!” The Captain’s voice called out over the loudspeakers once again.

I heard the distant sounds of men running. I heard the sounds of the life rafts being moved into their launch positions. I heard the panicked shouts of the crew.

“You’re going to get my killed.” I told my angel in my panic.

He looked at me with such love that I stepped back away from him.

“I have my orders.” He told me kindly.

What could I say to that? I stood there listening to the sounds of the crew getting the lifeboats ready. I smelled the distinct odor of smoke in the air. I heard the men shouting to each other to “Get in! Get in!” I heard Juan’s voice asking where I was, telling the other men that they couldn’t leave me behind. I could tell no one was listening to him.

There was a moment of silence then I heard the unmistakable sound of the lifeboats being released into the sea. I heard the distant splashes of the lifeboats going into the water and then total silence fell over the ship.

The ship creaked and groaned around me. The acrid smell of smoke grew stronger. I knew the ship was filled with explosives. It was only a matter of time until the fire reached the containers and then the entire ship would explode.

“Follow me.” The angel told me as he opened the door that he guarded.

I followed him up the stairs and out onto the main deck. Far down the ship I could see the red glow of flames through the dense smoke. The air was thick with the fumes from the burning chemicals.

I saw that all the lifeboats were gone. I was alone. I ran to one side of the ship and looked out but couldn’t see the lifeboats anywhere in the dark ocean waters below. I ran to the other side but saw nothing. The crew was really gone.

What was I going to do now?

It was at that moment that my spiritual eyes were opened, and I saw hundreds of the Dark One’s minions flying about here and there. They carried swords and spears. They were attacking the ship. The ship was under assault.

“Why are you here?” The Dark One sang to me from behind. I whirled to see him walking toward me. “Did everyone leave you behind? On a burning ship in the middle of the ocean? And your angel here seems set on you dying as well! Even God wants you dead!” He threw his head back and let out a cry of evil laughter. My guardian angel stepped between us with his sword drawn. I stood still.

“God will save me.” I told him.

The Dark One tilted his head at me and sang, “God will save you? God will save you? He has already abandoned you here! Look around you! Do you see any other lifeboats? You are in the middle of the ocean! This ship is aflame! It is filled with explosives! You will surely die here! Your precious journey will end! I will have my victory!”

His minions took up his chant, “Your journey will end! Your journey will end!”

I stood helplessly watching the flames lick the sky at the far end of the ship. He was right, I was going to die here. I coughed as the black smoke seemed to wind down the deck and surround me. My eyes burned from it.

Somehow God would save me. Somehow. I had to hold onto hope.

I closed my eyes and prayed, “God, save me.”

“I already have.” God whispered to me.

In the next instant the fire reached the main cargo bay below decks.

There was a blinding flash and a massive explosion.

The entire ship exploded beneath me.

I was thrown into the air, away from the ship, and out over the ocean.

Everything went black when I hit the water.

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