667 words - teen historical fiction
You are ten years old. You stand in the crowd, holding your mom's hand, as a Lamanite stands on your city wall. The crowd jostles you and yells at him. They are so loud it's hard for you to hear what he is saying.
He says a baby will be born somewhere far away. The Son of God. Jesus Christ, he calls him. Five more years and this baby will come. You've heard about this baby boy. Your Mom has told you that He would come. Your prophet, Nephi, has preached about Him. Your friends have told you it was all a lie.
Standing here, listening to this Lamanite as he shouts above the crowd, you feel his words slice open your heart. And you believe.
He says you will know when Jesus Christ is born because there will be one night without any darkness. He says there will be a new star. He says there will be light.
Maybe you shouldn't believe it. Maybe it's too astounding to be true. But your heart wants it to be true. You want this baby boy to come. This Son of God. You want Him to be real. You want your Christ.
The crowd is now so angry they start throwing stones and shooting arrows at the Lamanite prophet. You shout for them to stop and not to hurt him. The Lamanite leaps from the wall and is gone. As the angry crowd disperses, your mom squeezes your hand. You walk home with her and neither of you say anything. You think she is probably feeling her heart that got cut open by his words too.
Five years go by. You are fifteen years old. You remember that Lamanite prophet and what he said. You've been waiting. Everyone else remembers too. The girls who used to be your friends laugh about it and say that a whole night with no darkness is impossible. They might be right. Your heart still wants it to be true, but sometimes you wonder. So you wait.
Then you hear the proclamation. They have picked a day when everyone who believes will be killed. Men, women, and children. Slaughtered. You wonder if it's worth believing. When you get home, your mom is on her knees. God needs to send that baby boy. God needs to send the light. You kneel down and pray beside her.
People point at you when they see you. They laugh and yell and spit. One of your friends, who you thought believed, stands with the ones who stare at you, only she doesn't meet your eyes.
Every night you wait outside for the sun to set and you pray. You plead with God to send His Son to save you. You beg Him for a miracle. You tell Him that He promised. But the darkness always comes. Your little sister cries every night in bed beside you.
There is only this one day left now. You don't go outside. Your mom sits and holds you and your siblings close. You wonder if you are willing to die if what the Lamanite prophet said isn't true. You wonder if you are willing to die for what your heart feels. You wonder if your heart could be wrong.
As the day ends, you go outside as a family and hold hands to watch the sun slide down the sky. You hold your breath, heart beating, as you watch the sun disappear. You fall with the sun to your knees. And you pray like you have never prayed before, because you know what your heart feels. You know God doesn't lie. You wring out your cut open heart before God because you want it all to be true. You hope it's true. You pray it's true. You feel that it's true. And maybe that's enough for a miracle.
You need that baby boy, the Son of God, now. This very moment. You need your Christ.
Your brother whoops. Your mom begins to cry. You look up.
And you see the light.
Reading Recommendation: Helaman 13-16 and 3 Nephi 1
(Book of Mormon pages 397-409)
