I had to write a paper for my Creative Writing class, and it had to be something about Florida. Well, I've known about it for two weeks and it's due today. I probably should have started it sooner, but c'est la vie. I was reading the Bible this morning and read through Acts 12. As soon as I read about Peter being freed from prison, I knew I had a story for my class today. I just finished it, and thought I would share it with you. Enjoy!
Acts of God
Dear Theo,
Happy New Year! Can you believe it’s already 3001? So much for that y3k scare the news was buzzing about last year. Anyway, I just wanted to write and say I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your New Year’s Eve party. Work got crazy. As you probably know, the government is really cracking down on Christians. I remember reading something about freedom of religion when I was in primary school, but I guess with the new head of state in place, there’s no opportunity for choice anymore. Well, I have to get going but stay in touch and maybe – crazy idea – you could come visit me sometime soon here in West Palm Beach? Later brother.
God Bless, Peter
After folding up his note into an envelope and placing it in the message tube, Peter quickly left his apartment and strode toward the brick clubhouse down the street. With bricks falling out and the whole place dilapidating, Peter’s small underground church was gathering today to discuss a new meeting spot. Peter was almost to the door when he saw Mary a few paces in the other direction. She saw him too and gave him a warm smile.
“Hi Pastor Pete,” Mary said.
Peter held the door open for her as he replied, “Good morning Mary.”
He entered right behind her and swiftly closed the door. After looking around to see that everyone was present, he bolted the door and walked to the podium. Looking into the nervous faces of his dwindling congregation of no more than 60 people, Peter sighed.
“Good morning and thank you for coming today, “ Peter started, “We all know that we have come together today to discuss a new meeting place. I’d like to start with suggestions from the elders.” Peter looked to his right into the faces of his seven elders.
The conference progressed as the church decided on a new meeting location, which was finally decided to be the old West Palm Beach Library. It had closed down almost 20 years ago, and it was convenient since Clematis Street wasn’t too far from their current location.
“If we’re all in agreement, let’s meet there in two days and anoint the library as our new church,” Peter smiled, looked around for any objections, and closed the meeting, “God is good and faithful, and he sees us here, in the midst of adversity. Go now, be blessed and be a blessing. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Amen.”
Peter watched his congregation slowly and quietly exit the building. Once everyone was gone, he gathered his things and locked the door behind him. As he was leaving, he turned out of sentimentality to take one last look at his beloved underground church location. Right as he was about to turn around and go to his apartment, government squad cars rushed in from all sides. They surrounded him, floating in the air. One officer called from his car in a loud, stern voice, “Peter, you are under arrest for belonging to the church. We have witnesses who can prove that you are in charge of leading people in this, the path of destruction, associated with the church.” After this statement, the officer’s back car door opened, from about four feet above Peter’s head and a ramp came out to the ground. The officer began talking again, “The government has asked that you comply with law. If you should resist, you will be put to death right here.”
Not wanting to be put to death, Peter walked the ramp up to the officer’s car. As he did, he saw Mary, from behind the squad cars looking toward him from behind the old brick building. She looked frightened as his gaze caught hers. He entered the car and the squad flew away.
Without so much as a trial, Peter was put in the Palm Beach County Jail. He was handed over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. He was told by one of the guards that the government intended to bring him out for public trial after the celebration of Valentines, which lasted one week. So Peter was kept in prison, but Mary had gone to all the members of the church to tell them what had happened to Peter, and the church was earnestly praying to God for him. While in jail, the guards beat Peter and his clothes were taken from him. He wasn’t given any food, and his prison cell was the size of a small shower. He could barely stretch his legs in front of him when he sat on the cold, cement ground.
The night before the government was to bring him to trial, Peter was moved to a new prison cell. It was big enough to fit him and two soldiers. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. It must have been the middle of the night when suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your jacket around you and follow me,” the angel told him.
Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the Iron Gate leading to the city. Peter’s apartment was right in downtown West Palm Beach, and he was amazed when all of a sudden they were at the gate – it was a four-mile trek to the city gates, but it had only taken them a couple of minutes walking. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. He was only a few streets from his home, but decided against going there.
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the government’s clutches and from everything they were hoping would happen.” When this had dawned on him, he went to Mary’s house. As soon as he got there, he saw through the window that there were many people gathered and praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and Mary came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”
“You’re out of your mind, “they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him they were astonished. Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison.
“Tell the elders and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and a few of the people gathered left to bring together the church. Very soon after they left, Peter went to the old Palm Beach County Library to hide from the government.
In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. The guards and the sentries sat around the TV watching and re-watching the footage that the video camera had captured of Peter walking out of prison. They watched as Peter was sleeping, then as a bright light appeared and lit up his cell. For almost two minutes, nothing was visible except for a bright light, which was almost too bright to look at, even on the video monitor. After those two minutes, the guards could see the prison door swing open, but the rest of the cell was still too bright to even see if the guards were still in Peter’s cell. Right after the door swung open, something that looked like a finger moved close to the video camera, touched it, and the power to the video camera was shut off. Irate, the head of the guards commanded that the video footage from outside the prison be brought up so they could investigate those recordings. But, after much searching, the videotapes to the outside of the prison couldn’t be found anywhere. The guards that had been sleeping on either side of Peter were frightened for their lives, especially because they didn’t hear a sound when Peter had been recorded as leaving the jail. With awe, one guard said to the other, “There’s no other explanation. Peter claimed to be a follower of Jesus, and I think that an angel was sent to save him from prison.” At this, the guard put his faith in Jesus and stopped searching for Peter to execute him.
After the video recordings yielded no results, the squad cars were released to find Peter. The officer, who had originally arrested Peter, went to the old brick church. He broke down the door and searched all throughout the small building. When Peter wasn’t found there, he went to Peter’s apartment. After pounding on Peter’s door and getting no response, the officer broke down Peter’s door and searched all throughout Peter’s apartment. Throwing over tables and breaking chairs against walls, the officer was in a fury to find and arrest Peter. This search lasted three days. The government was able to find every member of Peter’s church through video recordings of people entering the brick building, and they searched each member’s house looking for Peter. Peter had left Mary’s house the night after his escape from prison without telling anyone where he was going, so none of the congregation was even able to, under interrogation, tell the government where Peter was hiding.
After the government had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, the guards were cross-examined and it was ordered that they be executed. All the while, Peter was hiding in Kidspace, on the third floor of the old Palm Beach Country Library. As he was hiding, he wrote a short note to his brother.
Dear Theo,
On Second thought, maybe it’s better if you stay in England. Florida is not very nice to believers. Maybe I should come visit you soon? What does your schedule look like? I’d love to visit. I’ve heard teleporting is quite fun too.
Blessings, Peter
