The large Maple and Pine trees engulf the road. There are no houses or barns around but why is there fresh tire tracks leading down this dirt road? From the depth and width of the print, I'd say a big four-wheel-drive truck has been down the road this morning. Now, I see the broken limbs in the trees pointing me in the right direction. I smile then say, “There must be something down here.”

After walking for another hour, I notice how quiet it is. Nothing stirs! No birds, no bugs or critters of any kind. That usually means a strong presence of evil. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stick straight up. “Someone is watching me.”

It's another half-hour before I discover an open gate covered in No Trespassing signs. The tire tracks around it are fresh, and so are the footprints-military boots but not as big as mine, maybe a nine and a half. I start to smell the stench of evil.

I slip into the woods for the final stretch of this journey, but feel someone watching. No frontal assault. Something catches my foot then almost trips me. It's a stretch of coaxial running up the tree. There on a branch about eight feet up is an expensive outdoor camera. “Somebody has been watching me for a while.”

Slowly, I make my way through the woods until the shape of an old farmhouse starts to appear in the distance. There's a flash of chrome ahead. I hear a generator humming in the distance. Stopping just short of the clearing, I find a big black Ford F250 with four-wheel drive parked in front of the dilapidated house with saplings growing through the front porch. But the front door and window are cleared away.

There's movement in the front window. I duck behind a large Pine tree. I know cameras are covering the entire front of the place. But I don't think it is who's watching me. I reach into a side pocket of my old backpack and pull out my small field binoculars. It's a young woman, no two, shall we try for three, all blondes that look to be sixteen to eighteen. “What in the world is going on here?” I ask myself.

It's against my better judgment. “But I've got to get a better look.” Slipping my backpack over my shoulders, I step out then quickly make it to the truck. Glancing around the front of the truck there's no movement at all. I slip around the truck then onto the porch out of sight of the window. Creeping towards the window I hear a few saplings breaking under my boots. I see the window now, and it's completely dark. No movement, so I slide in front of the window to look in. I hear a gasp from inside then a young face appears in the window pleading. “Help us! He has us chained to the floor.”

“How many of you are in there?”

“Three of u...Look out!”

I turn just in time to read Louisville Slugger on the baseball bat. It bounces off my shoulder then catches above my left eye. For the first time in a long time, I fall into a deep black pool.

~

My eyes flutter then slowly open. There's something in my left eye. When I try to reach for it, I hear a chain rattle behind my back. With the left hand, I feel a metal cuff connected to a log chain. “This won't keep me down!”

A faint female voice asks, “Are you all right?”

In a dark corner, I can barely make out three faces. I smile then say, “I've felt better. Who are you?”

“My name is Sherry. Ava and Madison are here with me, but they don't talk much.”

“I understand. How long have you been here?”

Sherry's voice replies, “I've been here forty-one days. But Ava and Madison were here when I got here.”

“Is he still here?”

“No! He screamed at us, dumped out your backpack then stormed out of here.”

“That's good.” I smile then say, “It might have saved one of your lives. The more he concentrates on me, the less he does to you.”

I hear chains dragging on the floor then out of the darkness, a slender figure appears. A young woman takes a rag then begins to wipe my eye. “That's a deep gash. I'm shocked he didn't kill you.”

“The way my head feels, he tried hard.” Now that my eyes have adjusted to the darkness I can see a little more of this room. “What's behind the big black door?”

Sherry answers, “Nobody knows. Since I've been here, four girls have gone in. But they never came back out. All we could hear was screaming for a day. Then nothing.”

“That means there's another exit. Why are all of you naked?”

Madison and Ava cringe in the corner then begin to cry. “After he brought me home, he calls it. I woke up chained to that pole. He was watching me with a terrifying smile. I noticed that he had soft, elegant looking hands when he picked up the scalpel. He began to cut my clothes off my body with extreme passion. He was drooling when he got to my underwear. After that, he did evil sexual things to me. He made sure the others were watching everything he did to me. After that, you're pretty much his sex-slave at least four times a week.”

“Why do I smell urine in here?”

Sherry finally gets indignant. “Because he makes us go in this bucket. He feeds us dog food with leftover McDonald's when he stops by for sex. He even sets out a water bowl for us.”

“He's not here every day?”

Sherry answers, “No. Every other day or sometimes it's the third day.”

“That means he's got a life somewhere else. Maybe a wife and a family.”

Madison asks, “You're kidding?”

“No. The perp is probably known as a respected person in his community. This shack is his the evil secret life he keeps hidden away. Where are you guys from?”

Madison meekly answers, “I'm from Milan.”

Ava adds. “I'm from Atwood.”

Sherry is shaking her head then says, “I'm from Bradford. We're all from Gibson County.”

“That's what I thought. There's a common thread somewhere.” I stop to think for a second. “I want all three of you to listen to me. God has sent me here to rescue you. I guarantee you, all four of us are walking out that door alive! The Lord never fails.”

Ava asks, “With these chains attached to the floor, how can God help us?”

“There are many great escapes in the Bible. My favorite is when Paul and Silas, arrested for preaching the Gospel of Jesus. They were beaten savagely then thrown into the deepest dungeon. At midnight when Paul and Silas were singing praises to the Lord a great earthquake happened and opened all the doors to the prison. The chains that held them fell to the ground. I want all of you to believe that God will do the same for us. But you have to believe it.”

Silence.

“Please, believe me.”

Sherry answers, “We believe you.”

I see darkness start to fall out the window. “Does the man ever come at night?”

Madison says, “Not since I've been here.”

“Then let's get some sleep. The man will visit tomorrow, and won't be happy.”

Ava asks, “Why?”

“He didn't get to do what he wanted today. The pressure will be too great for him to complete his pleasure. He'll be back tomorrow.”

~

After a couple of hours of sleep, I start my prayer vigil. I start to mutter to myself. “Oh mighty Father in heaven, hear my prayer. Release these captives from their bondage! Please give me the power to be Your vindicator. To give peace to the lives that have been shattered by this evil. Please help Your loving servant, Father. In Jesus name. Amen.”

I begin to praise His name for the rest of the night. “Praise You, Father! Praise you, Jesus! Thank You, Holy Spirit.”

~

At daylight, Sherry jars my intense focus and asks, “What are you doing?”

I stop my nodding back and forth. “I've been praying all night, filling myself with the power of the Lord. Our captivity will end today.” I start nodding again.

An hour later, I hear the truck turn off his motor then quietly coast to the house. The girls are sleeping when he closes the door, barely making a sound. I hear his footsteps slowly cross the porch to the door. The door suddenly opens. In the bright glare of the sun rising is a shadow in the form of sin.

The shadow speaks, “Well, preacher man. I see you're awake. That's good! You'll make a great audience while I pound the hell out of pets here.” He slowly walks over to Sherry then caresses her cheek. “How are you my sweet thing.” He draws back then slaps her so hard Sherry falls into the other two.

I ask, “Is that how you get your kicks, mama's boy, beating defenseless girls? Why don't you come over and try me? I'll give you a run for your money even chained to the floor.”

The shadow's eyes and smile sparkle in the dark.

It's working. “Hey, mama's boy. I bet you still breastfeed. Did you get you a good suck today, mama's boy?” That did it!

He runs screaming at me across the room. “AARRGHH!”

I quickly pull my legs to the left then sweep them right through his charging feet. It sends him flying; he lands on his back with a thud. His head is out of reach, but his hand isn't. I raise my left boot high then slam the point of my heel in the center of his right hand. I hear several bones snap under the force of the blow. He pulls his hand back writhing in pain. “You son of a bitch! You broke my hand.”

“I know!" I smile. " Come a little closer, and I'll break something else.”

He disappears in the dark. I hear the big black door open. Something rattles in the back then silence. I feel his breath too late, a glimpse of steel flashes. There's a searing pain in my right chest, but I don't flinch. “There you go, preacher man! A present from me. I hate I missed your heart, but this will be a slow, painful death anyway. I enjoy them more.”

I swing my legs over my head in a kick, striking nothing.

“Nice shot, preacher man. You sure are agile for a big man. I'll give you that. But I'm not chained to the floor, you are.” He opens the door, and the glare is stifling. “I'll be back, preacher man. Then I'm going to take out everything you did to me, on Sherry. While you're begging me to stop!”

“Hey, mama's boy, the power of the Lord will smite you with His vengeance today. So you come on back.”

He smiles in the doorway. “That's a bold statement for a man with a scalpel in his chest.” The door closes, and darkness fills the room.

I drop my head to gather all of my strength.

Sherry slides towards me then asks, “Do you want me to pull it out?”

“No! That will make it bleed even more. We need to start praying. Pray like you never have before. Scream it, holler it, shout it! Make sure heaven hears us!" I begin to shout, "Father, release these chains that hold us! Lord free us!”

Sherry begins to shout with her tears falling. “Free us, Lord. Please free us! Free us, Lord!”

Ava screams, “Lord, set me free! Lord, set me free!”

Madison adds her plea. “Help us, God! Help us, God!”

The windows begin to rattle with the power of many prayers.

~

An hour later I hear the truck flying towards the house. He times it perfectly with a big-brake and a fishtail to hit the corner post to the porch. Collapsing part of it and shaking the whole house.

Time freezes for a second.

The chains that hold us fall to the floor.

I smile at the shocked looks on their faces. “I told you, the Lord never fails!”

I draw my knees under me then stand with a vengeful purpose. With my left hand, I gently slide the scalpel from my chest raising it to my face then studying it-the precision work. A drop of my blood slowly falls to the floor. With a lightning toss, I stick the scalpel in the table. My strength explodes when I hear the truck rev up again for another run at the house. I look at the girls then say, “Stay there!”

I slide beside to the door when he slams on the brakes then hollers out of the truck window. “I'm coming to kill you, preacher man!” He opens his door then hops out of the truck with it running.

There are his boots scuffing on the porch. I see the handle turn then he flings the door open and points the 44 Magnum to where I was chained. But I'm not there. “What!”

I've never thrown a better left-handed punch in my life. It felt fantastic when my fist connects then crushes his jaw. His feet fly out from under him, and he lands right by the girls. The gun goes twirling into the darkness. “Forgive me, Lord. But that felt good!” I look at the girls then ask, “Can any of you drive that truck?”

Madison and Sherry answer, “Yes!”

“Great! Grab some of my clothes and go get the police.”

Ava looks stunned then asks, “We can go?”

“Yes sweetie, it's over. You're free!”

She finally smiles at me. All three of them, jump up and grab a tee shirt of mine then slip them over their heads. They stop at the door for a second and raise their hands to protect them from the sun. Sherry turns at the door. “Come on; you need medical attention.”

Smiling, I answer, “No, I think mama's boy and I are going to have a long conversation. When you get back with the police, I'll have him neatly tied up in a bow for you. I promise.”

Sherry smiles for the first time in a while. “Who are you?”

“My name is Gabriel Hope, but you can call me Gabe. All my friends do.”

Sherry shakes her head then runs into the light.

~

Two hours later, sirens scream down the old farm road. The Tennessee Highway Patrol Crime Scene Unit, Gibson County Sheriff's Department SWAT unit, The TBI Crime Scene Unit are all following the Milan Police cruiser with Sherry, Ava, and Madison in it. They stop short of the front door. Tactical Units deploy to create a perimeter. The SWAT team flows towards the door, and on the count of three, it flies off the hinges. Light floods the room and there chained to the pole in the center of the house is Dr. Richard Fletcher from Trenton, Tennessee.

He's nude! Chains wrapped with precision around his neck and waist with each hand is tied separately to the ceiling and his feet to the floor. It looks like his underwear, crammed in his mouth.

On the table with bloody scalpel stuck in the middle is a confession written by the doctor. It seems that several bodies buried out back.

His eyes are wide open when Sherry, Madison, and Ava approach him. Sherry says, “That's him! The man who held me captive for forty-one days and raped me numerous times in this house. Behind that door is a torture chamber of some kind.” The Crime Scene Units attack the room.

Sherry glares at him chained to the pole then spits in his face. “I hope you rot in hell!”

Madison gets face to face with him then smiles. She takes her knee then slams into his groin.

Sheriff Tom Autry asks, “You said there was another man. The one who saved you?”

Sherry answers, “Yeah! A big guy with gray hair in a military cut. There were muscles galore hid under his tee shirt. He had the bluest eyes I've ever seen.”

Ava adds, “Yeah! They glowed in the dark.”

Sheriff Autry says, “Really! Did he say his name was Gabriel Hope?”

Sherry hollers, “Yes! Mama's boy jammed that scalpel deep into his chest. Before that, he smacked him in the head with a baseball bat. You've got to find, Gabe. He's dying!”

~

I stumble along the banks of the Obion River listening to the Red-wing Blackbirds sing along the banks. I see glimmers of the sun through the Cypress trees and hear the river flowing over the rocks. My eyes are barely open when I start to pray. “Father, please send your Angel to stir the waters. Like the pool in Bethesda. Please heal this soldier of Yours.” I step into the water then immerse myself. I see the red ribbons of my blood, flow down the river. The pool begins to stir and boil.

Slowly, I drift away.