"Do I have to, though…?" Jenny whispered to herself. But she stood up anyway, letting out a quiet sigh.
"I'm Jenny White," she began. "I live with my mom and younger brother. I've been homeschooled my whole life—"
"Since you were a baby?" a boy called out, snickering.
"Yes," Jenny replied simply. The class fell silent again. "And I finally got a chance to learn among my peers here at Roadwood High." She finished quickly and started lowering herself back into her chair.
"Any hobbies?" the teacher asked cheerfully.
"No." The answer flew out of her mouth before she could think. She just wanted everyone to stop looking at her.
Jenny's gaze drifted across the room and landed on the ginger-haired girl. The shadow around her hadn't faded. If anything, it seemed even heavier now, like a thick fog clinging to her back. The girl rested her head on her desk, slowly spinning a pen between her fingers.
Something about her… tugged at Jenny.
A quiet, troubling feeling rose in her chest.
She needs help.
But Jenny had no idea what kind—or why she felt that so strongly.
School finally ended. Honestly, for a first day, it was pretty boring. And the homework? Way more than she expected. She was starting to understand why kids complained so much—everything felt so slow and dragging.
As Jenny waited near the school gate for her mom's car, she spotted the ginger-haired girl again.
But this time… she was running.
Not jogging.
Not skipping.
Running—as if something was chasing her, or she was desperately trying to get away from something unseen.
Jenny glanced at her watch. Ten minutes until her mom arrived.
She hesitated only a second before following.
The girl sprinted behind the school, down a narrow pathway, and into a small creek area hidden by trees and bushes. Jenny slowed her pace when she reached a green, open space. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, landing on little streams running between mossy rocks.
It was quiet. Peaceful. Almost beautiful enough to distract her.
Summer warmth hung in the air, stirring the grass and making the tiny creek shimmer like glass.
Jenny stepped carefully, listening for the girl, wondering why she had come here—and what she would find.
"Hi—hello! Ginger-haired girl! Where are you?" Jenny called, skipping a small rock across the shallow stream.
No answer.
Then she heard it.
Soft. Broken. Crying.
It came from behind a massive tree. Jenny's steps slowed as she followed the sound, her heart beating louder with each one.
"Make it stop… please, make it stop," the ginger-haired girl sobbed. She was curled into herself on the ground, arms wrapped tightly around her knees.
"Hey," Jenny said gently, kneeling a few steps away. "What's wrong?"
The shadow behind the girl shifted.
It wasn't just a shape anymore.
It had eyes now.
And a mouth.
Its form twisted unnaturally, stretching into a cruel smirk, as if it were enjoying the girl's pain—feeding on it.
Jenny reached out, barely brushing the girl's shoulder.
Suddenly, a warm light appeared beneath Jenny's hand.
The shadow hissed and recoiled, jerking away as if burned. The girl flinched too, snapping her head up, anger blazing in her eyes.
"Leave me alone!" she shouted.
The shadow reacted instantly—swelling, darkening, rising high above them.
"Dear Lord… what is happening?" Jenny whispered, frozen in fear.
"Why can't you just leave me alone?!" the girl cried. "You weirdo! I hate you! I hate everyone! I hate everything!"
With every word, the shadow grew larger, heavier, more violent.
"Just leave me alone!" she screamed.
The shadow lunged.
It slammed into Jenny, knocking her backward. She hit the ground hard, scraping her elbow as pain shot through her arm.
She had never been this scared in her entire life.
Not even when doctors had spoken in hushed voices.
Not even when she had been told things might get worse.
This was different.
This was terrifying.
The shadow rose again and rushed toward her, lifting its arm—
Jenny raised hers in pure instinct.
And suddenly—
Her bag burst open.
The Bible she always carried flew out, glowing with a blinding light as it unfolded into a solid, radiant shield in front of her.
The shadow struck it—
—and oblivarated.
Gone.
As if it had never existed.
The shield folded in on itself, becoming just a Bible once more, and dropped softly to the ground.
Silence followed.
The ginger-haired girl collapsed, unconscious.
"Hey—!" Jenny scrambled to her side, heart racing. She gently shook her shoulder. "Please… please wake up."
Jenny looked down at the Bible, then back at the girl.
Her hands were shaking.
But she knew one thing for sure now—
What she was seeing was real.
And she had been protected for a reason.
The girl slowly opened her eyes and, for a moment, simply stared at Jenny.
"What… happened?" she asked quietly.
"You…" Jenny hesitated, unsure how much to say. "You were crying, and then you fainted. Luckily, I was nearby." She offered a small, reassuring smile.
The girl's eyes filled with tears.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I—I suddenly feel so… peaceful." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Jenny in a tight hug.
Jenny froze for a second, completely confused—then hugged her back.
"I didn't do anything," she said softly. "God did." After a pause, she added, "You should try talking to Him sometime. It helps when your emotions feel heavy. Trust me… He never disappoints."
The girl nodded slowly, wiping her eyes. "I'm Ashley," she said, smiling for the first time.
"Jenny," she replied.
"Are you new here?" Ashley asked.
Jenny blinked, surprised. Does she really not remember anything? she wondered.
"Yes," Jenny said. "I'm actually in your class."
"Oh! Really?" Ashley laughed lightly. "How did I not notice you?" She slung her bag over her shoulder. "Anyway… thank you for being there. It's the first time someone's ever been there for me— even if it was by accident." She smiled warmly. "I'll see you later, Jenny."
"See you… later?" Jenny echoed as Ashley walked away.
She stood there in the quiet creek, her heart racing.
What had just happened?
Was she imagining things?
Or was she seeing something real—something no one else could?
Jenny glanced down at the Bible that was on the ground.
Whatever this was… she knew one thing.
This was a relevation of something big.
And this was only the beginning of it.
1 Corinthians 2:10 NIV
[10] these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.