QQ: Not Heroes

My good friend, Melody, hosts a Quote Queste every month in which we writers get to enter a bit of writing based on a quote of her choosing. Even though this has been around for a bit, this is actually the first QQ I've participated in. Be sure to visit her blog to read more about QQ!

This snippet is from a story of mine that's still kinda in the works. Doesn't have all the kinks ironed out yet. But I am so insanely excited to write this book, and when I saw what Melody had posted for this month's inspiration for QQ (picture below), my thoughts immediately turned to this story. For those who are interested, it's called The David Team, but any more information will have to be found via this link. 

~*~*~*~

I rubbed my hand across the gun slowly. Even if I hadn't been looking at it, I could tell where each and every scar lay.

Isaac must have been watching me for I had not been pensive for long before my weapon spoke to me.

“Wake up, Johnny-Boy. It'll be alright.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, but I didn't have the heart to let it grow fully.

Preliminary mission failed, Isaac switched tactics.

“Hear me, oh heroes!” the overhead light thundered. “Be ye of good courage and faith!”

It did the trick. I laughed, Drew laughed – even Cyril laughed. Alpha Richards was the only one who jumped. With a scowl, he turned on the troublemaker.

“Blast you, Isaac! I'm never going to get used to that!”

Isaac only spread his hands out in an innocent gesture. “Why accuse me? It's not my fault that the light has words of wisdom to impart on us!”

Alpha muttered something under his breath, but resolutely turned back to his weapons stash. Already, he'd put together a number of grenades that we'd be using during the mission. The vigorous training in using those and other explosives were now second nature to my fingers, but I still hated using them if I could help it. For a reason I could not explain, any mention of something exploding set my heart racing and my stomach hurting.

Even now, looking back to my small firearm, the only firearm the team liked to entrust to me, I still could not feel comfort. This gun had saved my life before, and I was certain it would save me again.

I hadn't noticed Drew walking over to me until his hand was on my shoulder. “Jonathan, are you okay? This is going to be the same as every other mission. Don't worry about it.”

I could only stare at the gun. “Am I doing the right thing?”

Drew cocked his head. “What do you mean?” He kept his voice low so that we wouldn't have to share the conversation with the rest of the men in the room.

“This.” I shook the gun a little, to emphasize my point.

Drew nodded. I didn't have to say much to make him understand – he was a homeschooler, after all. Perhaps the skill of quick understanding was part of their basic cirriculum. “We're not using these for fun, Jonathan,” he said. “We're using them to save people.”

“But at the expense of killing others?” I turned to him.

Drew's hazel eyes were steady. “Every one of the men and women coming against us knows what they fight for. They've made their choice. Nothing we can do will reverse that.”

I knew that, but somehow hearing it out loud made the argument seem lessened in my mind. My eyes fell back onto the gun. I had rubbed it so cleanly that I could now see part of my reflection in the side. “What would David have done?”

“What would Jesus have done?” Drew countered softly. “Jonathan, He died for those people we're trying to save. Some of them don't know how much He loves them. Shouldn't we give all to give them a second chance? Shouldn't we risk our lives to give them hope and a promise?”

“I don't regret that.”

“I didn't think you did.” He jostled my elbow. “This team was your idea anyway.”

{QQ Inspiration}

I continued to stare at my reflection. There was something haunting about my eyes, the jagged scar from a previous mission stale on my cheek, the skin pale from too much time underground.

“How did we get mixed up in this, Drew?”

He gave a wry grin. “God knew we needed to be a part of it.”

“But we're just kids. We're not supposed to be heroes. Alpha, Cyril... the others – they're all older. They know how to handle stuff like this.”

“And that's why we're not going out there alone, Jonathan.” Drew took both of my shoulders in his hands and turned him to face me. “We may be young, but God has gifted us with the talent to serve Him in this way. You have proved yourself worthy of your spot on the David Team again and again.”

“And your brain has helped almost every part of this mission.”

Drew shrugged. “I wouldn't say every part, but I like tinkering where I can. The point is, we're here because God placed us here. I know it's big and scary, but God knew we could handle it. I don't mean to sound boastful, but even though we're not as old and as experienced as some of the other members of the team, we can still make a huge impact. God's using us to bring people to Him. It's awesome just to think about, and I mean the awesome that just makes your mouth drop and your mind melt in an inspired mush. God had this all planned. And I couldn't ask for a better team than this.”

I grasped his shoulder in return with my free hand. “And neither could I.”

“Then let's go save lives.”

Drew hadn't spoken. Confused, we both dropped our gazes to stare at the suddenly loquacious barrel of my gun.

Isaac only grinned.

God bless! 
P.S. This quote is actually from May's QQ, and I'm kinda late in posting, but better late than never, right? I'm looking forward to what Melody's planning for June's QQ!