Page 6 of Gideon

“You sure? I can see you’re very troubled.”

“I’ve got cares like the rest of the world.”

“Yes, but for you it’s…it’s different. You’re hiding a truth from the ones you care about. Or the ones you are trying to care about.”

“I said I didn’t want a reading.”

“I’ve made you uncomfortable. I apologize. Butplease, the offer is open. If ever you need direction, come see me. I’m an excellent listener, and maybe I can even open your heart to your life’s true path.”

“Thanks for the offer. But it looks like you have a few people waiting for you already.”

“I should get back to them. I hope to see you around again.”

“Yeah.”

The man was charismatic, and Gideon could see by the response of those he returned to that they looked up to him and trusted him for answers. It was disturbing. Especially after what he’d said to Gideon. His words had gone straight through to his soul. But whatever tricks the devil liked to pull, Gideon wasn’t about to fall for one so blatant. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for those who were about to be given advice from the father of lies. Desperate times made people reach for the easiest solutions to their problems. They exchanged the truth for a lie and worshiped created things instead of the creator.

Chapter 3

Gideon wanderedup one row as his thoughts drifted to the little white church near the edge of town, and he wondered if anyone was still attending. They couldn’t have all given up on God, and Pastor Thomas wasn’t a man who would abandon anyone.

Gideon had been too upset at his last visit seven years ago to see him. He hadn’t planned on it this time, either. Guilt and shame were easier to ignore when no one cared about you too much. But with everything that was going on in the town, he was interested to hear Thomas’s perspective on all of this.

The shrill sound of a whistle behind him had him spinning around. A girl, around eight years old, was blowing into the tail of a bird-shaped whistle.

“Mine’s broken,” she said, holding it up to the stall owner, who smiled at her patiently.

“That’s because there’s a secret.” He lifted a small container of water and held the bird steady in the girl’shand while he poured water into a small hole in the bird’s head. “Try again, but don’t blow too hard.”

The girl blew, first too softly, but then a lilting birdsong arose, and, in her excitement, she forced her breath and lost the sound, the water bubbling out of the bird’s head.

“Very good.” The stall owner clapped, and the girl—eyes wide—walked off, leaving a trail of chirping behind her.

Gideon picked up one of the whistles. “I’ve never seen that before,” he said, looking the whistle over. “If I hadn’t been watching, I would have thought that was a real bird.”

“They’re my top seller,” the man said.

“I can see why.” He pulled a ten-dollar bill from his wallet. “I’ll take one of these as a gift for someone.”

“Excellent. Did you want a bag to carry it?”

“No, thanks.”

“Then let me get your change.”

“It’s okay. Keep it.”

“Thank you very much.” He pointed toward the totem. “They’re good luck, you know.”

“What, the totems?”

“I’m not into worshiping them or anything, but I’ve noticed that every time I’m in the shade of those things, I always sell more.”

“Maybe I wanted to be generous. I know how much this town is struggling.”

“I understand that. It’s very kind of you, and it’s why the totems sent you my way.”

“Right. Okay, have a good one.”

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