After Charlie had finally driven off, we started walking down the road again.
Another ride from a nice man in another decrepit car left us at another intersection on a nameless road in the middle of the scorching desert. We started to walk again. No water. No food. The day passed with no one else offering us a ride.
The next morning came as hot as ever. We walked and walked, always hoping for someone to pick us up. But the cars kept zooming by. By then, my light skin had been sunburned to a painful cherry red. My cheeks and nose were blistered and bleeding. The sunburn was very painful, and having to carry the heavy bags across my sunburned shoulders only made it worse. Finally, I took one of Mitchell’s undershirts and wrapped it over my head to protect my neck and face.
As evening approached, I was desperate for want of water. I really didn’t know how much farther I could go. Suddenly a white truck pulled over. A young man jumped out and started handing us bottles of ice-cold water. He told us that he had passed us on the road and had gone up to the next town to buy some water, then circled back to give it to us. Another act of kindness! Another saint! A bit more strength to go on.
A few rides and a lot of walking later, we finally made it to Las Vegas. We immediately made our way to the nearest place to eat. While we were inside the Burger King, a lot of the people stared at us, always whispering to each other. Nothing unusual about that. But this was much more than the normal amount of whispering and pointing. Mitchell was starting to get nervous. He shifted anxiously in his seat, his narrow eyes darting around. His hands were always moving, flittering in front of his face. Seeing his growing agitation, I grew nervous too. What if something goes wrong? I thought. What if he blames me? What if he hurts my family?
The moment we finished our food, Mitchell got up and commanded us to go.
As we were walking across the parking lot, a police car drove up. The officers got out and started questioning Mitchell. I couldn’t hear everything they asked, but Mitchell was always calm and cool. “We are ministers for Christ. This is my wife and my daughter.”
One of the officers looked at me. I immediately dropped my eyes.
The officers questioned him a little longer, but there was nothing they could do. There were lots of strange people in Las Vegas. We weren’t the only ones they would stop that day. After a few minutes, they got back into their patrol car and drove away.
Free of the officers, Mitchell was frantic to get out of Vegas. His face was tight with fear, and he croaked in fury as he turned to me. “Once we make it back to Utah, we will go to the upper camp. There, you will stay! You will never leave the camp until the Lord has said it is time to come out.”
Until the Lord said it was time to come out? I knew that meant forever. I started shaking with fear and dread. That wasn’t the reason I had wanted to go to Utah! I needed to be seen around the city if I was ever going to be rescued. No one would find me on the mountain. I closed my eyes and started praying. Please God, help me find a way.…
We walked toward a nearby gas station, where a bunch of semi trucks were fueling up. Mitchell went into the truck stop to use the bathroom. While he was gone, one of the truck drivers walked over toward Barzee and asked if we needed a ride. The driver was a little worried when Mitchell came out of the building and he realized that we weren’t traveling alone, but he agreed to take us anyway.
We climbed into his truck. Barzee got in the front seat while Mitchell guarded me in the cab area where the man had his bed. Mitchell asked the man how far north he was headed. The man said he was going to Orem, Utah.
My heart started pounding! I would almost be home!
We rode in silence for most of the way. As night settled, Mitchell told me to go to sleep. The next thing I knew, he was shaking me by the shoulder, telling me we had to get out. It was either very late at night or very early in the morning. We climbed wearily out of the truck and thanked the man.
Inside, my heart was singing! I was back in Utah. I was almost home!
36.
I Am Elizabeth