Christian Flash Fiction: Situations Can Change a Man

Prompt: Exodus 15:21 - Miriam sang to them, 'Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.'

Situations Can Change a Man

 “Dokie” Joe Carnahan sat uneasy. His horse was old. The gelding was giving out beneath him with every step. It was so worn and old, even its whinny was broken. It sounded like a wheezing old man. He needed a new horse

By trade, he considered himself a semi-outlaw. He had done things that would shame his maw. Thanks to all her praying and preaching when she was alive, he had never killed anyone or robbed a church.

He had studied it though. Situations can change a man; especially, when an opportune situation presents itself.   

He had heard rumors about priests. They ate off gold plates and collected riches to send to someone called Pope.

Nobody would soon miss this wandering preacher; then, they’d blame the desert.

“Preecher, war u headin?”

“God’s mission for me is los niño Jose, my son,” answered Fr. Maria Francis.

He didn’t know that place, “Fokes call me Dokie not Sun. Thet’s a fur walk, sum pretty dange-rus country. Ifins ya git a hoarse ya kin rides wit me.”

“The Lord has given me two feet. I believe that God would rather I walk than to burden one of His creatures.”

“Rid-ns alot quiker den walkin, an toos saf-r den wone, yoar call.”

Dokie changed his plan. He would catch the preacher in the desert, rob and abandon him. Sell them gold plates, buy a new horse and supplies. He needed food, bullets, and things to be in the semi-outlaw trade. If he had enough, maybe he would spend a night or two in a fancy hotel.

***

Fr. Maria Francis walked for three days. As his water ran out, he found a small creek. He knelt and prayed, thanking God for his providence.

Hiding was Dokie. He eased his horse towards the bank. He drew is pistol. He didn’t have bullets but he’d worry about that later.

He could hear the priest praying. It was something Dokie remembered his mother reciting. She called it Miriam’s Song. He knew this would hurt his maw.

Prayers continued. “The flood waters covered them over and they sank like a stone.”

Underneath the horse, the bank collapsed. The horse and rider fell into the stream. The horse faltered and screamed in its broken voice; it could not get up. Struggling, it pinned the rider. Water rushed into the semi-outlaws lungs.

***

Dokie saw a figure outlined by light. Like a man standing in the sun, just like church people described the walk to judgment.

“Is this dead?”

He saw his semi-outlaw life. There was his maw kneeling before the one in the light. Weeping and praying for her little Joe.

“Don’t let me be dead, Lord, I can change!”

Then, a familiar broken whinny busted his stare into the light. Kneeling above him, praising God was Fr. Maria Francis.

 “Blessed be God. May the Lord reign forever, Amen.” 

Smiling the priest looks down, “Niño, I thank God, He has blessed us to meet again.”