A Little Piece of Heaven.

After changing into some clothes and slipping on her shoes. She quietly left the motel room, leaving Danny alone to sleep. As she walked past the landlord's office, she heard a voice call out.

"M-ma'am? Uh, Ma'am!"

erin turned swiftly as the land lord rushed up to her and nervously took off his cowboy hat.

"I don't mean to be a bother but, I checked the records and it says that you haven't paid yet."

"Oh, right,"

"The bill is $89.85 ma'am, and you've been staying here for quite awhile," The man spoke sheepishly, "If it goes any higher, I'm afraid I can't let you stay any longer until you pay what you owe."

"I understand sir," Erin spoke solemnly, "I'll be sure to stop by the bank right away."

The man nodded sharply with a smile and placed his hat back on.

"Much abliged miss, I'm glad you're enjoying your stay," He chirped. Erin smiled lightly and nodded. The man smiled in return and looked up at the sky.

"Whoowee, looks like a big one's coming," He announced.

Erin looked up ahead at the sky, dark clouds were rolling slowly towards them.

"Looks like it's gonna be a doozy," He spoke, "Hopefully it's not gonna be another flood. I'd hate for everyone to rush around trying to get to higher ground."

Erin's eyes widened slightly and turned sharply towards him.

"Higher ground?!" She quoted.

"Well yes ma'am, if there's a flood, Rule No. 1 says to get to higher ground," He informed, "Now, I'm no meteorologist, but I believe those clouds are flood clou-"

"Where would you go to get to higher ground?" She interrupted. The man stood back a little.

"Well, if i had time, I'd go on my roof," He answered, "But the natives that roam around the desert usually run up to those mines right there. They go up there every now and then to pray and dance and stuff."

Of course, Spencer said those mines had metal, and Emilie told me to get to higher ground. That must be where my necklace is at.

Erin smiled lightly and nodded towards the man.

"Thank you so much sir! I've gotta go!" She bolted off into town, hoping to find a place where she could rent a car of some kind.

"I'd be careful if i was you!" The man called out, "Them clouds look deadly!"

"Hello, may I help you?" The woman at the front desk asked.

"Yes, I'd like to withdraw some money please," Erin replied as she slipped out her wallet.

"Sure thing, can I see some ID?"

Erin handed her card and waited patiently as the woman began the process of withdrawing some money. She looked around curiously at the bank, particularly at one couple arguing in a whisper. The woman looked young, in her late 20's early 30's range. She had pin straight brown hair with a floral pattern headband. She was also wearing a sundress and holding a bible close to her heart. The man looked well kept, Erin guessed it was her husband.

"Judith, I'm not arguing with you here!" He whispered loudly.

"But James, you promised we'd go and help the children!" She whispered back.

"Not...to..day!" He hissed. And with those words he marched off past the woman in a huff. Erin stared at him curiously as he started to walk past her. Then, incedentally, they locked eyes. The man looked at her for a long moment as he walked on, and then a small smile appeared on his face. Erin looked away in embarassment and in self conciousness. That guy was kinda creepy. She then turned her attention back at the woman, she was wiping her eyes and sniffling.

"Aw, come here Judith," The front desk lady spoke, "One moment Miss Roarks. I'm sorry, it's the pastor's wife. you understand right?"

Erin nodded and said it was alright. Judith slowly walked over and grabbed a few tissues that were in the box on the counter.

"Please forgive me for that scene back there," She sniffled, "I've been such a mess lately. I just miss my husband."

"What's up his alley anyway?" Erin asked curiously. Judith looked over at her curiously, and then back down at her tissue.

"Well, he's...he's been such a wreck lately. He's been holding private sunday school lessons for the little native children who live up in the canyons over there" She explained, "Every few days he'd go up there all angry, stay for awhile, and then come back down all happy without a care in the world."

Erin nodded her head curiously. Judith then covered her mouth and gasped a little.

"Oh! I shouldn't be gossiping about all this, it's a sin to turn against my husband like this!"

"What're you talking about? You're not sinning," Erin justified, "You're just telling us what you've noticed about him."

"Oh no no no, I've been assuming the worst of him lately," She replied, "I've been turning against my husband, and to turn against my husband is to turn against our Father himself."

Erin cocked her eyebrow. So she was that kind of believer. The crazy ones that grab your arm and smack you with the Bible screaming "Believe!".

"Do you believe?" Judith asked curiously, with a small weak smile. Erin's eyes widened.

"Wh-wha?"

Judith took both Erin's hands and held them into her own.

"You and I must save this generation," She preached, "The spirit of God is within us. We must save the children. We must save them, before their pure youthful hearts begin spoil and rot with sin."

The front desk woman nodded with an amen. Erin gave Judith a weak smile and pulled her hands away. No wonder they were married. Suddenly the sound of a machine went off.The front desk woman pulled out a small stack of cash and handed it to Erin.

"Here you go miss Roarks, 80 dollars in cash," The woman chirped, "Might I ask what for? Going on Vacation?"

"I'm renting a truck to head up to the mines," Erin announced.

"You can't go!" Judith snapped. Erin jumped a little as Judith grabbed her hands again.

"The mines are not safe. They're haunted and festered with demons and Satan's doing!" Erin looked down at Judith's hands in surprise and raised her eyebrows a little. 2 keys were dangling off of it along with beads that read WWJD. The sign from the movie theater popped in her head.

Get them.

"Okay okay, I won't go," Erin spoke. Judith let out a sigh and closed her eyes, Thanking God under her breath. Erin put her hands behind her so they wouldn't be taken again.

"When does your husband usually go up there?" She asked curiously.

"He's heading out there this evening," Judith announced, "Spencer's going up there too, something about research."

"Is it possible if I could go too?" Erin asked, "I mean, hearing his teaching might help me decide if I believe or not,"

Judith nodded and smiled.

"I just know that the spirit of God will pull through and bring you on the right path,"

Erin merely plastered on a fake smile and nodded. Judith wrote down where to meet Spencer and the pastor on a little piece of paper. Erin thanked her deeply and took a deep breath as she headed outside. She slipped out her phone and texted Danny saying that she would be right back. After that, she slipped her phone in her bag, and looked up towards the sky. The clouds were getting darker.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Well hello there," The pastor spoke, "My names James Whitmore."

Erin politely took James's hand and he kissed it. She tensed up slightly as he looked up at her and smiled.

"Don't worry, I won't bite," He laughed, "So, Judith told me this is your first time with missionary work."

"Yeah...it is," She replied awkwardly. A warning sign was going off in her head the minute he smiled at her.

"Well it really is a fantastic thing, trust me, you'll feel like a superhero."

"Oh trust me, I already do," Erin muttered under her breath. Suddenly she heard feet patting rapidly against the ground. She turned around sharply and saw Spencer racing up to them. He stopped next to Erin and let out a cough as he tried to catch his breath.

"Sorry...I'm late...Father Whitmore," He wheezed, "Had to...help my mom with the-"

"Catch your breath Spencer, everything's fine," He spoke, "I was just telling Erin about the fun she was going to have on this trip."

Erin gave him a fake bright smile, and in return she got a small warm one. Her muscles tensed up and chills went up her spine. Now she was kind of regretting the whole thing. Spencer patted her on the shoulder and smiled at her.

"Don't worry, you can chill with me, then we can find the Artifact together,"

Erin smiled at him and nodded lightly as they all piled into the truck and headed towards the canyons. She took a deep shaky breath and sighed as they got closer and closer to the Red rocky mountains. She looked up towards the caverns and saw a woman standing there. She was wearing a gold and silver dress, her dark hair hanging losely on her shoulders. Erin nodded lightly and she did in return.

"You like the canyons?" James asked curiously, snapping Erin out of her daze.

She nodded her head. She didn't feel too comfortable to speak to him. He smiled lightly and reached over to pat her leg. Erin's eyes widened and her mouth parted slightly. Was this guy for real? After a few minutes of driving, they finally made it up into the canyons, and onto a small reservation with sandstone houses and rock walls painted with tribal symbols. Erin got out of the car and placed on her sunglasses. The natives were walking around chatting, some were working, and some were tending to their young ones. Spencer hopped off the truck and snapped a few pictures. He then looked over at Erin and smiled.

"You ready?" He asked. Erin nodded lightly and got out her water bottle. Father James came out of the truck and stood in front of them.