Keeping The Faith

• Eleanor Wickens, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2019

The prison guard tapped his pencil on the desk as he read the prisoner’s record. Abruptly, the tapping ceased, and the guard placed the file gently onto the table. He interlocked his fingers in front of him and stared at the small girl sitting in his sight. She stared back at him with the courage of a lion.

“Miss Lust.” The warden began, quickly glancing at the file to clarify that he was right. “It’s really, very simple. You sign this form now, and we’ll be done with you. You’ll be free to go back to your…” Another glance at the paper. “Your music...without another word from us.” He revealed a form from under the desk, and slid it across the table to Zoe. She didn’t touch it like the others, he noticed. All she did was stare at it like it was poison. The warden held out a pen to her, but she didn’t accept it. In frustration he shook the it in front of her.
“Just sign it! And all of this will go away. You can go back home to your family. Just -”
“No.” the statement was quiet but firm. Zoe turned her head and paused.
“Sir, with greatest respect, I will not be signing this paper. Not now. Not ever.” The guard lowered the pen and stared. No prisoner had ever rejected freedom like this.
“But,” He began. “You’re giving up your freedom for something that you can’t ever see or touch. Something that you cannot even be sure exists!” Zoe shook her head.
“No. I’m only giving up temporary freedom. What I’m looking forward to is something that only this kind of world can dream of providing. Asking me to give that up; to give up true freedom, it’s impossible. It’s just as crazy as me asking you to stop breathing for the rest of your life.
“Asking me to give up my faith in my religion feels to me, just as important as breathing is to you and every other living organism. My faith, is my life source.” She pushed the form back towards him.
“So, thank you, but I will not be signing this form.” The warden gave a long and pitiful sigh. He hit the wooden desk with great force, indicating to the listening guard behind the door that the interview was finished.
As the door opened and Zoe was escorted out, he called out to her:
“I hope your courage is rewarded.”

…

Two years later, Prisoner number 814362, or Miss Zoe Lust, died of influenza in her prison cell. The Prison Doctor noted that she had been holding a strip of paper from a book. He pulled it from her hands and read.
“Happy is the man who does not walk according to the advice of the wicked…,but his delight is in the law of Jehovah God, and he reads his law in an undertone day and night...and everything he does will succeed.”