Lost and Found: Chapter 5

By: Savanna Proffit

Chapter 4 Recap:

Waylen looked into her eyes and found sadness and hurt; in the eyes of his only sweetheart, ever. She still looked the same as she stood in the moonlight. The silver light lit her blond braids up and made her eyes sparkle with the tears that still lingered. She was beautiful; the most precious, dainty, thing he had ever set his eyes on.

Chapter 5:

“Why don’t we find a place to start a fire and eat something,” Waylen said, as he mentally told himself to make sure she was not hurt.

“Ok…” Kayla nodded and clung to his arm as they turned around a tree and started searching for a small clearing.

Waylen kept one hand resting on hers as she clung to his arm while they walked. He could barely see a little clearing up ahead with the help of the moonlight. He could feel her shivering and sometimes he could have sworn he heard her teeth chattering. 

To him, this felt nice, this walking through the woods holding “his girls’” hand, and her clinging to his arm was more than nice; it was pretty much all that he wanted since high school. And now it was happening! A soft and hopeful smile curved its way across his mouth. 

“This looks good… there are some nice trees here to hang hammocks and it's a good place to set up a tent too if you want…” Waylen turned to look at her and see what she thought but his breath and words caught in his throat; she was so sweet-looking, so innocent. 

“Sure, that sounds fine. I'll go get some wood for a fire,” Kayla whispered, slowly walked away, and turned her headlamp on.

She seemed so gloomy. Waylen also turned his headlight on, bent down, and started to dig a shallow hole in the ground to build a fire. He made sure he had his matches ready then went to check his satellite phone to see where they were since he had gotten all twisted around in the dark. He pressed the on button and nothing happened. He pressed it again, and again still nothing. No, no, no, no!! He inwardly raged as his head went back, dragged his hand over his face, and turned around in a full circle. Wait, wait….I had a solar portable charger…where…is…it? Waylen Asher scrambled through his pack for what seemed like forever before he found what he was looking for. 

“Yes! Thank You, Jesus!” He whispered the words of gratitude up to Heaven. He opened it up and went to turn it on so he could charge his satellite phone, but the light wouldn’t come on. 

“No! Not again. He shoved the charger and phone in his pack and sat with his arms resting on his knees, staring at the ground trying to figure out what to do.

“What’s wrong?” Kayla asked.

“My satellite phone is dead and so is the charger. I don’t know exactly where we are, or how we are going to get out of here. And your satellite phone is dead…wait, do you have a charger?” Waylen said with the faintest flicker of hope.

“I do. let me see if I can find it,” She bent down by her pack, rummaged through it, and pulled out her solar charger. She pressed the “On” button but nothing happened.

Waylen stared at the blank, empty bars on the charger for a few seconds then stood up, looked at the sky, and sent a silent prayer to God. When he turned back to Kayla, she was sitting criss-cross in the dirt, her head in her hands, crying, saying the word, “Why? Why?... Why?” over and over again. His heart melted when he saw her. He wanted to go to her, to hug her, to tell her that whatever God’s reason was for allowing them to go through this situation, was a good one and that He would work it out for their good in the end. Suddenly, he did not question if he should do what he was thinking or not, he went to sit beside her, put his arm around her shoulder, and said, “I’m sorry that this is happening… I’ve never been in this situation before…and I’m not quite sure what to do. But, I do know, that God loves us very much and whatever this,” he gestured to their surroundings, “is, He will work it out. There is a reason for us being here…together…completely lost…and I know He will bring good out of our circumstances. We just need to have faith that He will keep us safe… and we need to keep praying.”  Kayla had turned to him with a few glistening tears lining her cheeks, listening, grasping onto every word he said. Waylen looked back at her and, when he had finished talking, it was like time stood still. They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment.

Kayla realized that what he said was completely true, they needed to trust and have faith in the God who loved and cared for them more than anyone else ever could.

“So…”

“So what?” Waylen asked looking a little puzzled.

“So, are we going to pray? Isn’t that what you just said we should do, silly?” Kayla giggled as she wiped away her tears.

“Oh, yeah…” he chuckled. “Let’s pray. Do you want to or do you want me to?”

“Why don’t we both say one?”

“That’s fine with me, I’ll start.” Waylen closed his eyes and was about to start when he felt Kayla lean her head on his shoulder. He paused and smiled to himself. Then started, “Dear Lord, we know that Your ways are the highest, Your plans are the best, and during whatever…trials You bring our way, You have our best interests at heart. Please help us to trust you and your plan. Amen.”

When the prayer was done, they stayed in that position for a good while. Waylen did not want the moment to end. I missed this. I’ve wanted to get back in touch with her for a long time. Why didn’t I? I’ve loved her for years, why did I think I could live without her? I’ve got to tell her…now is the perfect time…

Kayla did not want the moment to end either. She felt safe with his arm on her shoulder and God watching over them. She felt secure like nothing bad could happen as long as they were together. She remembered that this feeling welling up inside of her was the same one she had back in high school when they had professed that they loved each other. Kayla was puzzled now. If things did not work out in high school, why would they work out now? What if they worked for a little bit but then we hurt each other again? I don’t think I could handle another break-up…with him…

“I’m going to start a fire and cook some baked beans with bacon bits, then we should probably get some rest,” Waylen said as he stood up and walked to the hole he started to dig earlier.

Kayla started going to her hammock to grab an extra jacket and get everything situated for the night. Then, she walked towards a rock Waylen had set next to the fire for her to sit on. The two sat in silence, engulfed in their thoughts, waiting for the beans to bubble so they could go to bed. When the beans were done, Kayla carefully placed a scolding spoonful on her tongue and let the warmth spread through her.

“Thank God for beans,” she said closing her eyes and savoring the flavor.

Waylen looked at her, laughed, then agreed.