In All Places (Stripling Warrior) Read Online Free PDF

loved me because of who I was, and Zeke loved me despite of it. And I had come to know that God loved me in both ways.
    The worst part was that I didn’t even care anymore whether or not Zeke understood me. He did support me, and a part of me had always known it. Before the war, I had thought being in love meant we had to understand each other completely and perfectly. But that wasn’t it at all. Love was an entirely different feeling than I had thought, because it was so much more complex than just a feeling.
    Slowly, as Zeke and I walked together, we healed. Our strength increased, and our friendship, though guarded and different, grew too. He was my best and oldest friend. Our friendship had been tried, but I very deliberately rebuilt it, and I made sure everyone saw. Zeke had nearly given his life for me. I would give mine over to him in return.
    When nearly everyone was healed enough to march, Helaman commanded us to prepare to march on the city of Manti.
    On the way back to our tents from the council meeting that night, I asked my captains, “Wouldn’t it be better to wait until we have provisions? How far can we march with no food for strength?”
    “Manti’s got provisions,” Seth pointed out. “When we take it, we will have its provisions. And we can hunt on the march.”
    “And if Helaman has no hope of receiving assistance from the government, he has to take action of his own,” added Gideon.
    The next day , I looked around at all the troops. They all showed signs of hunger—sallow cheeks, dull eyes and hair, sedentary when they were not on assignment. I was becoming worried. Not for myself, but for my brothers in arms. They needed much more food than I did to maintain their strength, and the rations now were even too scant for me. Their wounds were healing, but they needed nourishment to heal fully.
    I had chosen life in the army and all that came with it. I was willing to suffer through this grim time myself, but it was very difficult to watch those I loved suffer, e ven with the faith I had in God. As I watched the men suffer, I understood more fully the anger our prisoners had felt toward us for the unforgivable act of starving their families.
    After our meager morning meal, I looked into the azure sky and knew I needed to make peace with the horrible conditions here in the camps. I looked back down and met Gideon’s eye as he passed a water skin to Zachariah, and I knew I needed to make peace with my feelings for him too.
    I approached Lib, and when I told him what I wanted to do, he placed his hand on my shoulder and agreed to take me. He had a couple conditions, but they were acceptable to me and even welcome by then.
    He and Ethanim walked with me to a part of the city that was still deserted. We climbed to the top terrace where the more dilapidated homes sat. There was no poor class of people now. We were all poor, and the army stayed in the areas closer to the city center.
    I chose an area behind a humble, abandoned hut. As Lib and Ethanim checked the yard for any hidden dangers, I stood at the edge, overlooking a very small stream that ran through an overrun garden that hadn’t seen tending in a good while.
    I had my tent for privacy, something I always appreciated, but I seldom had enough privacy to speak aloud to God.
    I was so worried and so troubled and confused, I just had to speak with Him.
    Ethanim began to walk away, but Lib lingered. He touched my cheek with the back of his fingers and looked into my eyes. “I hope you find what you seek,” he said. And then, surprising me, he bent and kissed my temple.
    I wanted to throw my arms around him and hug him tight to me, but not more than I wanted to hug Ethanim. I cherished them both. They had been so diligent for these three years , shielding, protecting, warning, and comforting me. How could I ever thank them for doing this? How could I ever let them know that I appreciated their efforts? I knew it had not always been easy or fun for