Through the Fire: Origins (Book 1)
EPIGRAPH
“Elias… well, he’s strong-willed. Relentless. He’s a good kid. It’s my honor to be baptizing him today.”
He paused, the grin on his face the biggest I’d ever seen—before or since.
“The thing about Elias that you need to know is… he doesn’t understand the meaning of the word ‘no.’ When he sets his mind to something, there’s nothing he can’t do.”
— My dad, before baptizing me at age 11.
Chapter One
FEAR NOT
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
—Isaiah 41:10
Blasting through the mid-morning air came a beat no one had any business listening to this loud.
What is love? Baby, don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me—
Rowan’s head snapped sideways in perfect rhythm. Elias followed suit. Then back. Then forward.
The two of them sat in the rusted-out cab of an old truck, stereo cranked way past reasonable, bobbing their heads in ridiculous unison.
Rowan smirked, glancing at Elias. “You see the SNL rerun last night?”
Elias barely held back a grin. “You mean the skit?”
“Oh yeah.”
“And this time?” Elias exaggerated his next head-bob, shoulders bouncing with the beat. “Jim Carrey joins in.”
That was all it took.
The next moment, they were both full send—miming the skit, committing to the stupid, glorious bit like their lives depended on it. Rowan cranked the imaginary club bass. Elias squinted, nodding with faux seriousness, and together, they reached peak Haddaway sync.
Then came the finger-pointing.
Me? Him? Me? You? Him? Me?
Their hands shot out, accusing and redirecting blame in an increasingly aggressive, nonsensical loop. It was an art form.
Elias bit his lip, trying to keep a straight face. Rowan did the same. Neither succeeded. The truck shook with laughter.
For a moment, there was nothing but music, laughter, and the sheer absurdity of being alive.
And then—
