Does Anybody Hear Her? part 5

Does anybody hear her cry? Did anybody see?

Saturday seemed to take forever to get here. Each day passed slowly, and every morning, I counted down the hours, because I was hoping I could help Janayla with this concert. I didn't know what would happen if it didn't reach her. I would move, and she would go back to being everyone's toy.

Saturday itself seemed to be taking its time on purpose.  I would look at the clock after what would have seemed like an eternity, and only a few seconds would have passed. My parents asked what was up, and I told them. Together, we prayed for her, lifting her up, asking God to open her eyes, and set her soul free from the chains that held her.

When Saturday night finally came, I stopped by the school at six and waited for her. I almost thought that I would be stood up, but at the last minute, she showed. Silently, she crawled into the cab of my truck, and just as silently, I handed her the ticket.

She studied it. "Casting Crowns? Kutless? Who are they. I've never heard of them."

"They're good."

"You think so?"

I shrugged. "Yeah."

"They sound Christian."

"They are." For a second I thought she was going to demand that I drop her off right there. But she took a deep breath and settled back into the seat, not saying anything.

I turned on the radio, and listened as Air1 softly played in the quiet cab.

Finally, she turned her face to look at me. "You're different."

I kept my hands on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead. "That's the way I like it. I wouldn't
want to be like everyone else."

"But...if it had been anyone else, you would have pulled over by now and...you know."

After she said that, I realized just how empty this road was.