Messiah

Novel Excerpt

“Why are you doing this?” André asked, sensing an underlying agenda.

Matthew sighed. “Because my wife can’t have children,” he admitted. “And adoption wasn’t in the cards either. I’m not in a line of work that allows that.” He leaned back in the chair. “You need a home; she needs to be a mother.” He shrugged. “It just made sense.”

André sat down in the chair opposite the desk and looked around the room. The walls were lined with books and he recognized some of the letters that Linda had gone through with him, which made him smile. “What do I call you and your wife?”

“What do you want to call us?” Matthew asked.

André shrugged.

“You can call us Matthew and Linda, if that’s what makes you comfortable,” he replied.

André nodded and stood up. “Thank you.” He licked his lips. “Matthew,” he said, not quite feeling right about using the man’s proper name.

Matthew stood and escorted André to the guest room. “This will be your room,” he said, flipping the light on. He pointed toward a doorway in the corner. “You have a bathroom over there.” He turned toward André. “Another rule. No locking your bedroom door. A locked door means something is going on inside that I wouldn’t approve of,” he said sternly. “Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir,” André replied looking around the room. It was more than he ever had in his young life. “Thank you.”

“Goodnight, André,” Matthew said and messed up his hair.

“Goodnight, sir,” André said.

Matthew cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows at André.

“Goodnight, Matthew,” André corrected. He waited until the door closed behind Matthew before he let the sob escape. Gratitude and fear snaked over his skin, combining to a crippling combination, and he fell to his knees on the plush carpet with his face in his hands.

He never expected to live long enough to see a planet, never mind meet people willing to take him in, to offer food and a place to sleep, to offer kindness and make him feel safe. He didn’t trust what he saw, what he felt, and wondered if this was just another last-ditch hallucination or if it truly was real.

It was too much for him and he let the tears come, staining his shirt and pants as they fell through his fingers. Fear kept his palms to his face—afraid if he moved them away, he’d still be in that god forsaken death ship.