Tell me what you think. My best friend and I are writing it. Yes, it's a religious Left behind type book but, I want everyone's opinon.. not just christians. I know there are some spelling errors and typos but, I am fixing it later. Just tell me what you think sof ar. This is just the chapter I wrote so it may not make much sense yet since it's only one chapter.
BE TRUTHFUL AND REPLY!
Just keep running, just keep running Gem kept saying to herself. She knew if she didn't get out of there-there would be no more Gem Lynne LaVista!
It was a pitch black evening and the rain was coming down as if it would never stop. There Gem was in the mist of a flood running for her dear life, there was nothing else to do BUT run. Gem was a sopping mess but she didn't care. Her long scarlet red hair was tangled with mud from stumbling so many times but beauty queen herself dismissed it. She just had to get away from there. But, she had never been so tired, so cold, so deranged. So, she decided to weigh out her options. She could (a. rest here and risk dying or (b. continue running but die from exhaustion. Either way it was going to cost her something.
Gem Lynne LaVista was born on May 13th in the small town of Smithton, Maine to Hector and Bethany LaVista. As a child the scarlet haired, gray eyed, freckled faced girl had a natural gift for entertaining. She would spend her first few years on this earth making up funny songs and singing them into her kiddy microphone or she would dress up like something and make people guess what she was attempting to be. Everyone envied her. But, she had a few problems to get through before she could live her lifelong dream- to act and sing.
She had a twin sister named Ruby. They were best friends and although they didn't look-alike they had the same hopes and dreams. Ruby was born with one brown eye and one blue eye and wavy mohogany hair whereas Gem had gray eyes and red hair. The sisters got involved in theatretical projects and singing competitions.
Ruby was offered a role as the daughter of the actress Brandi Lone in one of her movies. Though it was a huge role,she was only 7, and her acting was amazing she didn't get offered another role. Most people didn't even recognize Ruby when she went somewhere. The movie had been a flop though and Brandi who had huge hopes for Ruby stopped communicating with her family since reports stated Ruby was the cause of the movie's flop. It was a big disappointment for the LaVistas.
One day Hector wanted to have a father/daughter day with his daughters. But, Gem was sick so he and Ruby just went. After a movie, lunch, and going to the bookstore he decided to take Ruby to the mall. After a bit of shopping there he had to use the restroom and since Ruby was 8 he told her to wait outside there and not move. Ruby had been looking at a new cd player when a man came behind her and grabbed her. When she tried to scream he put his hand over her mouth. Since her dad and mom had given Gem and Ruby the "what to do if a stranger tries to hurt you" speech to them a few weeks before she knew what to do. She spun around and kicked him where it hurt. He bent over in pain but quickly recovered with a slap on Ruby's mouth and eye. Her mouth bled and she started throwing up blood. He then tried to grab her again but when he did Hector had just walked out and was after the man. He had gotten away but Hector was just glad Ruby was alright.
The next few weeks the LaVistas were put under high security guarding their family. After a month of that man not showing up the police left the LaVistas. Though they were still careful Hector and Bethany left their guard down. Gem and Ruby were still shaken with what had taken place to Ruby but, they trusted their parents had it under control. One night a while after the "Ruby Trouble" Hector and Bethany went on a date night leaving Gem and Ruby alone at home. They had turned on the television and were watching the Oscars.
Suddenly, something didn't seem right. You know that feeling you get when you think someone is watching you? Well, that's the feeling they got that evening. Shivering with fear Gem went to the door to make sure it was locked. But, as luck would have it the door was not only unlocked but slightly ajar. Gem started crying and Ruby ran over. She was about to ask Gem what was wrong but before she did they both heard the television turn off. They ran to the room and a man in black was sitting on the couch.
"Why hello...girls," the man said as he ran to them.
They turned to escape and get as far away as possible. But, instead of it he put up a fight with them. Five times their height and ten times their weight was too hard to fend off. Ruby and Gem lost their power very quickly. He had overpowered them and was beating them up. Gem went unconscious and didn't wake up till a bit later. When she did she looked around for Ruby but she was nowhere to be seen. Gem heard a car pull up and it was her parents. They broke into tears when they heard what had happened. Ruby was gone!
They organized a search party and used Gem's description of the man to search for him. But nothing turned up well that is for a few months. Soon after Ruby's disappearance a man who matched Gem's description was shopping in a store around Smithton and one of the residents also shopping saw him and called the police. The police arrested him and sure enough it was the same man. Upon questioning from the LaVistas the man named Jude (the kidnapper) said Ruby had been put up for adoption in another state far away and had been adopted. They asked him where she was and he said he didn't know. They searched his house for any lies but found none. They looked high and low for Ruby's adopted parents but couldn't found them.
A year after Ruby's disappearance they accepted the fact Ruby was with a safe family and someday they'll see Ruby again. They decided to take a family vacation to wear away their troubles for a few days. Of course, it took a wrong turn. In Arizona, Hector, Bethany, and Gem were driving to their destination (California) and the tire went flat. They had taken the spare out to put their bags in. The closest gas station was ten miles back and the closest store about five miles away. They were stuck they could only hope someone would pass by and stop. They tried to stay in the car considering the temperature was 106 degrees outside. But, after four hours it was difficult to stay inside. So, they jumped out and sat in the sand next to a cactus. Two hours later five cars had passed but didn't stop until a broken down camper that was painted yellow and orange drove by and stopped.
"Are you three okay?" The man who jumped out of the car asked.
"Oh sure, we are just sitting here for four hours for the scenery," Bethany said sarcastically.
Apparently, the man didn't hear her or it didn't register with him that she was being sarcastic.
"Looks like you have a flat here eh?"
Before Bethany could answer he went to the old camper, took out a tire and brought it over. In five minutes the tire had been changed.
"There y'all go I know she's an old tire but she's faithful she's been with me through thick and thin and hopefully you can get to where you're going on her."
"Thank-you Mr. uh I'm sorry I didn't get your name?"
He wiped his sweat off his head. "Oh! Silly me! I'm sorry I must of forgot to introduce myself, that comes with old age you know," he paused for a moment to see if either person would reply and when they didn't he went on.
"The name's Jack... Jack Destiny."
"Oh, okay well thank-you Mr. Destiny." With that Jack Destiny turned back around but right before he got in his camper he paused for a second.
"Say, do you three have a place to go?" The strange man asked.
"Well... actually... we... well... umm..."
"Say no more, come, come my wife and I would love you to be guests in our house for the time being."
"But, we couldn't I mean you just met us and we don't want to put you out."
"No No! Come, this will be fun."
With that Jack pulled out in the camper and had the woman, man and child follow him. His house was as interesting as he was. It was a white mansion with green shutters looking out over the mountians behind the town of Poenix. The house seemed to be there since the beginning of time. With fourteen bedrooms and seven bathrooms the private space was immense.
Gem, Bethany and Hector felt as home immediately after getting there. They stayed there for a few weeks and started attending Poenix Destiny Chruch of Christ which Jack Destiny was the pastor of. Hector had always been an atheist even growing up but attended ADCOC out of respect.After, all that was the least he could do considering this man helped them so much. After, a few weeks of attending it something changed inside of Hector. After Jack's lesson on Jesus' death on Easter Hector felt uncomfortable. His heart trembled. Could Jesus really have died for him? He started crying. Had he been wrong his whole life? Perhaps God was real. Hector asked Jack to tell him some verses that supported the exsitance of God.
He just laughed."Mr. Hector LaVista all scirpture verses support his existance, some don't talk as much about God as others though, here let me give you a Bible lesson."
Each day at 7:30 pm he would read something out of the New Testament. After one week of those lessons Hector decided his life was nothing without Christ. He asked Jack how to become saved and he asked Christ into his heart to cleanse him. From there he realized how to truly live with a cause. Jack and his wife Karalee become even more open with Hector, Gem, and Bethany then they had been before.... if that's even possible? Soon, after Hector's conversion Bethany found Jesus.
One night Gem went to go to bed early and when Karilee walked by Gem's bedroom she heard this nine year old singing and it wasn't just singing but it was the sound of an angel. Karilee went downstairs to talk to Jack about her singing.
A week or two later Jack's friend Ioanna Greentona came for Friday night dinner. Ioanna was a big time record company owner. She was looking for some new talent and when Jack told her about Gem she just had to see what this girl could do.Jack, Karilee, Hector, and Bethany didn't mention who Ioanna was... just that she was a friend of the Destinys. About half way through dinner Hector told Gem to go get a cd and show the people her dances and singing. Gem never refuse the chance to impressive people with her singing.
By the end of the song Ioanna, Jack, and Karalee felt their mouths gapped.
"Congratulations Gem! You've got a record deal," Ioanna said.
"What? What are you talking about.. mommy what is miss Greentona talking about?"
"Gem, meet Ioanna Greentona record company owner. You see Karalee walked past your room a few weeks ago and heard your wonderful voice and said we should call Ioanna and tell her about your talent..."
"And the rest is history," Karalee softly said to Gem.
"So what will it be Gem," Ioanna asked.
Gem was in shock she had never thought in that her short nine years of her life that someone would offer her a record deal.
"Mommy," Gem turned to her mom with questions in her eyes.
"Go ahead Gem and do what you want. If you want to make a cd then say yes if no then skip it."
"I do but..."
"Then it's final! You'll fly to Hollywood in a month and start recording a cd."
"How long does it usually take to record a cd," Bethany asked even though she already knew.
"Well considering Gem's age probably a year maybe a year and half."
"That's great!"
"Well guys I got to go see you in Hollywood, Gem."
Gem, Hector, and Bethany left the Destiny’s' house a few weeks later and they moved to Hollywood hoping Gem would strick it big.
Gem worked diligently for the next year and 4 months recording 13 songs for her first cd Chicks Song. On her 11th birthday the cd went on sell at every major store in the nation. The cd didn't sell as good as they had hoped it would. Gem decided to change career choices and she went for an audition a year later for a TV show. She was up against some pretty tough competition but she got the part! The show sky rocketed to top of the lists every week and it was a huge success. By the time Gem was 14 she was at the top of Hollywood. Her name was as popular as Brittany Spears or Jennifer Lopez use to be. She was truly the shining "gem" of Hollywood. With eight movies out, three cds, a clothes line, several shows she starred in everything seemed to be going perfectly for Gem LaVista, but it wasn't.
She still had pain from her past. She had to be doing something to get her thoughts off of her past. If she was alone or sitting somewhere having no one talk to her she would fall into a deep depression. Hector and Bethany occasionally would tell Gem she could be free from this if she would just accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. It was the same response every time.
"Gem, you can be helped through this. Jesus loves you and doesn't want to see you this way."
"Mother, quit it! Jesus doesn't love me if He did then I wouldn't be without a sister now would I? I hate God!"
"But dear..."
"Don't dear me... mother, father Jesus is dead! He always will be... DEAD YOU HEAR ME?"
But Gem knew He was real she just was scared to give her life up to God she was afraid He'd regret her. So, she continued living the way she wished.
Meanwhile, in Smithton, Maine the man who had kidnapped Ruby had just gotten whiff of Gem's success. He had been thrown in the slammer for 10 years but, when he heard of Gem's acting carreer he kicked himself. Though, Ruby had been the one he wanted he should have taken Gem too. If the police hadn't arrested him he would of wed Ruby. Of course, Gem was nice looking as well but Ruby was the only girl he wanted! But, now since Gem was famous he could only wish he had taken the oppurtunity to have Gem as well. As the days wore on knowing Gem was famous he had to escape and find her. He planned his escape that evening.
Jude got out of his stolen car and picked up a phone book. He looked up the name Hector LaVista (even though Gem was famous they were still listed in the phone book) and drove up to the street listed under his name.
Jude got chills. Gem's beach-house was emeculate! A huge modern glass house in the middle of a forest with the ocean on the other side was haunting as it is but, what was even more haunting were the beautiful colors on the ocean waters. He looked up puzzled.Was that what he thought it was? An Aurora Boriolas? But, it was L.A.'s outskirts! Not, the North West Territorties.
Weird, he thought, Auroras in California? That's something new, never heard of an Aurora in the outskirts of LA!
Jude walked up knocked on the door. A heavy set black women came to the door.
"Yes," The maid asked Jude.
"I need to see Bethany, Hector, or Gem are any of them there?"
"Do you have an appotiment?"
"No, I don't but I am a big time movie producer...er...director and I need to see Gem about a new role," he lied.
"Then what do you want with Bethany and Hector?"
This woman didn't miss a beat did she? He made something else up.
"Well, since they are Gem's parents I need to talk to them about this role as well."
"Name please," asked the maid opening the door a little wider.
He thought of all the directors quickly.
" Ket Sharman."
"Really? Interesting," The lady started to mumble something to herself.
"Look lady, it's pouring down rain out here and I am getting cold so can I come in or not?"
"Fine, come on in Mr.... Sharman," the maid said still eyeing him suspecialty.
Jude looked closely at the house as he walked through it following the maid. It was enormous! A 17,000 sqaure foot house overlooking the ocean fully equipped with a sauna, a movie room (where all Gem's magazine articles, pictures, and stuff- bascially a shrine to her), an indoor movie theator,pool with SO much more!Gem was surely living the good life.
"Sir, would you like a drink?"
"Sure, thank-you what do you have?"
She went down the list and he chose something. She went to get the drink and they continued walking towards the library. When they entered Jude was astonished with how many books they had! There had to be 10,000 books in there! Looking closer at the titles Jude figured that Gem, Hector or Bethany or all of them found religion considering the titles of the books, The Bible, Following Jesus' Path, The Age of the Anti-Christ, Is The Anti-Christ Alive Today, Glorious Appearing, This Present Darkness. Those were just some of the names. Well, Jude thought, tonight they can all meet their maker!
"Sir, Gem, Hector, and Bethany will be here in a few minutes just make yourself comfortable."
When Gem, Hector, and Bethany walked in he changed his voice to make him sound foreign so Gem wouldn't reconize him. "Good day LaVistas."
"Hey... so you are here to talk to Gem and us about a movie deal?"
"Why yes, I am."
"Okay, what's the plot," Bethany asked expectantly.
"Well, a girl and her mom run out on her dad at his lowest point in life and he comes back for revenge and kills both of them." "Doesn't sound like a family friendly film sir."
"Eh, it's not meant to be, mrs. LaVista."
Gem stepped in, " I don't want to make any movies my younger fans couldn't see, sir, sorry."
"Well, very well. But, you know that not the only reason I came today?"
Bethany smiled," Why else, Mr. Sharman?"
"Eh, to do this," Suddenly his voice changed. He grabbed Gem by the arm.
"Stop it," Hector jumped in.
Mr Sharman, AKA Jude pointed the gun at Bethany and Hector," If you come here to save your daughter she'll see the death of her parents!"
Bethany shook with fear,"Please don't do this, Jude. Let's rationalize this as adults."
"Okay, you give me your daughter, she falls into marriage with me, we run away and you don't die!"
"You will NOT marry my daughter, Jude," Hector said as he took a step forward.
Suddenly, a shot rang out. Gem's eyes clouded over! Her twin's kidnapper had just shot her dad.
Jude laughed histerically," That's what you deserved Hector! Now, Bethany don't make the same mistake your husband made cause you see where he is now!"
Jude spun around to kiss Gem. She groped for anything to throw at him. She glanced at the table next to them. Her dad's pocket knife. She desperately clung to it.
"You are mine, now, Gem! All mine!"
Gem closed her eyes. This was going to be difficult. Gem's stomich always tangled up at the sight of blood but, this was desperate measures. She opened the pocket knife to the knife part and jabbed it into his arm.
He cried out in pain, she screamed! She had cut his arm off. He doubled over.She dropped the knife, she tried to run but even as he doubled in pain he ran after her.
"Now...Gem... that's... it! You..... are... going... to... pay!" He gasped between screams.
He grabbed the pocket kinfe off the ground and grabbed her by her leg.
Gem spun around and yelled for her parents," Mom! Dad! Where are you?"
She noticed a pail of clothes ontop of one another. Where were they, she had to wonder.
"They're gone... my parents are gone!"
"You aren't going to fool me,Gem!"
She was in an awkward posision. Where could she go? She grabbed anything she could feel. Then, she thought of Breateatica her maid.
"Breatheaticia! I need help."
"Crap you, Gem!" He jumped up and hide.
Gem ran she knew she only had one chance. This was it! Breatheticia wasn't showing up and she had to run and run FAST!
She stumbled into the woods. Her heart pounded. Rain had started falling earlier on in the evening but she didn't care. She had to get out of that house. It was too quiet, everything was too still. After, three hours of running she decided she could sit down. She sat on a log and meditated on that night's events. She had nearly fallen asleep when she heard a rustling behind her.
Oh No, she thought quickly, had Jude found her? Was this going to be her last few minutes on earth. Oh man... time to pray. She didn't believe God would hear her but she had to try.
"God, if you are out there, save me from death this night!"