Necessary Heartbreak Read Online Free PDF Page B

they watched the soldiers now kicking the man, who was obviously in terrible pain. The look on her face gripped Michael’s heart. But love for his daughter—and fear that Elizabeth would get hurt if he tried to intervene—paralyzed him.
    He couldn’t let anything happen to her. She was his reason to live.
    Michael reached into his pocket. Empty. Then he remembered. “Oh, no, I left my cell phone back at the church.”
    â€œI don’t have mine with me either, but we have to do something. We can’t just watch this and do nothing.”
    The soldiers started spitting on the man. Elizabeth screeched in horror. “No, no!” she shouted through the tiny opening. “Stop it!”
    â€œQuiet, Elizabeth!” Michael hissed as he put his hand up to her mouth.
    But Elizabeth slapped his hand away and pushed forward against the metal grate. Its frame cracked slightly.
    To Michael, the crowd outside seemed to be getting louder and the soldiers’ laughter more defined. “No, Elizabeth, stop. Please stop pushing!”
    â€œI have to help, Dad. I have to help him!”
    With one last thrust, the grate broke free of its frame, falling out onto the road above. Elizabeth pushed against Michael, hoisting herself through the opening, and dropping her miniature flashlight pen. Getting to her feet quickly, she ran over to the bloodied man.
    Michael grunted as he pulled himself up onto the road. “Elizabeth, stop!”
    He ran over to Elizabeth and grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the bleeding man. “Sir, are you okay? We need to get you some medical attention.”
    He turned toward the crowd. “Someone should really call 911!” he shouted, exasperated.
    Several soldiers surrounded them, one of whom pulled Elizabeth away from the man.
    â€œGet your hands off my daughter!” Michael screamed.
    â€œKατασιγ ά ζω!” a soldier shouted. *
    Another soldier waved at the crowd to quiet them, then turned to Michael. “ П ώ ς σας λένε?” *
    Michael and Elizabeth looked at each other, unable to understand what the soldiers were saying. One began to scream at him. “ποοκρίνομαι!” *
    â€œWhat?” Michael muttered. “Who are you? What is going on here? This guy is seriously hurt!”
    The soldier pushed his spear into Elizabeth’s chest. “ποοκρίνομαι!”
    â€œStop! Please don’t hurt her!” Michael screamed.
    â€œÏ€Î¿Î¿ÎºÏÎ¯Î½Î¿Î¼Î±Î¹! Пώς σας λένε?”
    â€œWhat . . . what did you say?” implored Michael as he was pushed to the ground.
    â€œDad!” said Elizabeth weakly as the soldier continued to press his spear near her neck.
    Michael reached up with his left hand, grasping at the spear, his ring sparkling in the sunlight. The soldier relaxed his stance slightly and leaned over, grabbing his hand. He pulled at Michael’s ring.
    â€œNo!” he shouted at the soldier.
    The soldier pressed his spear with one hand against Elizabeth’s shoulder and reached for the ring with the other. Still unable to comprehend the soldier’s demands, Michael hesitated. The soldier took his spear away from Elizabeth and jabbed at Michael’s hand, gesturing at the gold ring.
    â€œNo,” Michael said, shaking his head. “Not my ring. Please.”
    The soldier swung his spear wildly around, whipping it past Elizabeth’s face.
    â€œOkay, okay, whatever you want.” Michael looked at the ring quickly, kissed it, and slowly slid it off his finger. “I’m sorry . . . I’m so sorry,” he whispered.
    He weakly reached up to give the ring to the soldier, who seized it violently. Suddenly a big gust of wind bent the fig trees in the distance,tossing the fruit in the air and whipping up the dust from the ground.