Glacier House

CHARACTERS

Jake Julion       Brother of Zack with a dream to help victims of human trafficking

Zack Julion      Retired military working with homeland security and recently with help of his now wife, broke up a human trafficking ring

Jen Julion      Wife of Zack. Also retired from the military after an injury and helped break up a human trafficking ring

Trish      A friend of Jen’s who is forced to leave her life because of an abusive relationship.

CD      Charlie David, the dog injured when his handler and Jen’s best friend was killed and Jen was injured. Jen was able to adopt him when he was retired from the service

Jessica Julion      Mother of Zack and Jake

Trevor      Victim of human trafficking, rescued by Zack and Jake

Cara      Victim of human trafficking, rescued by Zack

Petra      Victim of human trafficking

PRELUDE

Trevor lay on the thin mattress on the floor. He could not move and could barely breathe. He had lost the night before. He continued to hear the echoes of the crowd yelling for more and more blood. His opponent kept hitting and kicking. He knew he probably had broken bones, and he was having difficulty breathing. He knew he should get up and drink some water, but it hurt too much. Maybe this was it. He was going to die, right there in the cell. A life of worthlessness and death by himself.

Vaguely he heard shouting but just allowed the tears to flow. Maybe death was welcome. At least there would be no more pain.

He realized the shouting was getting closer, and he heard feet running, and then the door to his cell was flung open. He heard what sounded like a hiss. Then he heard someone yell, We need an ambulance.

Trevor felt the upper part of his body gently lifted into someone’s lap. He passed out from the pain. When he came to, he heard someone talking gently.

Father, this young man is so hurt and broken. He has been hurt too much. He has been so mistreated. Jesus, You know how that is. You know what it is like to be so tortured. I lift this young man up to You. I ask You to put Your hand on him and be with him and keep him alive. Help him to live so we might show him Your love instead of the evilness of those he has known.

Trevor felt a stinging on some of his wounds and realized the man holding him was crying and rocking him. As the tears fell on the wounds, the salt in them stung. No one had ever cried for Trevor. He did not remember anyone who had held him so gently.

More rushing feet, then he was lifted onto the gurney. He passed out again from the pain.

CHAPTER 1

TRISH

Trish slowly got out of her car. She was so tired. She had just completed her stretch of three 12-hour shifts in the emergency room. It had been a crazy stretch. If it wasn’t a full moon, it certainly had the markings of one. They had been busy, and they had some very strange cases. On the second day, a man had been brought in after he collapsed at the mall. He was immediately given CPR and rushed to the hospital. They continued to try to revive him. After five minutes, the doctor looked up at the clock to call the time of death and the man suddenly gasped. Last night the ambulance brought in a gunshot victim. The police had tried to stop the bleeding as did the EMT, but he expired. After the body was sent to the morgue the police officer that tried to save him came in and said he had been exposed to his blood. This meant they had to get the body from the morgue and do chest compressions until they could pump enough blood to get a sample to test for HIV, Hepatitis, and a gamut of other possible life-threatening possibilities for the police officer.

She was so tired she could hardly put one foot in front of the other. She wanted a hot shower and a nice long sleep. Her brown hair had escaped the bun she wore when she worked. Her scrubs were spotted with blood. As she rounded the corner, she saw Dillon standing at her door. She just did not have the energy for this right now. She sighed and kept walking. She tried to make her 5’5" taller by standing erect, hoping she would come across as more confident than she felt.

Dillon, I told you we were through. I’m tired. I need a shower and to sleep. Please leave.

No Trish, I know that you think we are done, but I just want to talk. Please let me come in.

There is nothing left to talk about. Please leave.

He grabbed her arm just as the door in the apartment next to her opened. Her neighbor Brent came walking out and stopped as he saw Dillon grabbing her. Is everything okay?

Dillon was just leaving.

No, Trish, we are going to talk.

I think the lady just asked you to leave. You need to leave.

Dillon turned on him and hit him in the jaw. You don’t tell me if I leave or not.

Brent had been knocked back into his door. He straightened.

Trish reached over to Dillon, Please just go. He turned around and hit her with the back of his hand. She stumbled backward.

Brent took a step forward. You heard Trish, time to take off.

Dillon started swinging. He hit Brent several times and didn’t appear to be stopping. Brent’s wife, Barb, opened the door. I’ve called the police.

Stop, just stop. He turned around and acted like he was going to hit her again. They could hear the sirens and Trish saw the police coming down the road.

Dillon turned to Trish, We are not done. He turned and strode off. As he reached the parking lot a police car pulled up. One of the officers got out of the car and walked over to him and said something. Dillon took a swing at him. The officer grabbed him, flipped him on the ground, put cuffs on him, and jerked him into a standing position. A second police car pulled in. The first officer went over to the second car and talked with them for a minute. An officer got out of the second car, went over to Dillon, and appeared to be instructing him to get into his car. The first officer started up the stairs to where Brent, Trish, and Barb were standing.

Trish recognized the officer. And sighed in relief. Chad, hi. I’m glad it’s you.

I didn’t expect to see you so soon.

As he came to stand by them Trish made introductions. Brent and Barb, this is Officer Chad. He brought in a gunshot victim a few hours ago. Chad, this is Brent and Barb, my neighbors.

Can you tell me what happened?

I had been dating Dillon for a couple of months and broke it off with him a week ago. Since then, he shows up everywhere I am. This morning he was here when I got home. Brent came out when I was telling him to go and tried to help. Dillon hit him.

Chad looked at Trish. It looks like he hit you too. Trish put her hand to the place where he had hit her. I know the ER was crazy last night and you look really tired. Because he took a swing at me, we can hold him on assaulting a police officer. Brent, could you come to the station and make a statement and let us know if you want to press charges?

Oh, yeah, I want to press charges. I don’t like that guy and I don’t want him getting away with this.

If you would come to the station sometime today that would be great. And Trish, why don’t you get some sleep and when you wake up come to the station. Someone will take your statement.

Trish nodded with relief. She went into her apartment and went over to the mirror. She saw a welt where Dillon had hit her. She turned away. She sat on the bed, then lay down. She would rest for just a few minutes and then get up and shower. She woke up six hours later.

CHAPTER 2

JAKE AND TREVOR

Jake and Trevor had been driving for about a half hour in total silence. Jake glanced at Trevor and asked, We’re about ½ hour from Polson. Mom said she could meet us for lunch. Interested?

That sounds great. I’m hungry and seeing your mom would be awesome. She told me I could call her mom. Are you okay with that?

I think it’s great. I know how much she enjoyed the time you spent with her and how close she feels to you. So, Bro, let’s give her a call," he smiled as he said it.

He pushed the button on the steering wheel. What would you like to do? came the automated voice.

Call Mom.

Calling the home number for Mom.

The phone rang twice before his mother picked it up. Hi, Jake.

Mom, we are about 20 minutes out, do you want to meet us at the Chalet for lunch?

That sounds great. I have to drop off something at the church and then will be there.

Soon after he ended the call, they came over the top of the hill, and displayed below them were Polson and Flathead Lake. The view never got old. Flathead Lake was a large natural lake created by glaciers. There were islands scattered throughout. The lake was beautiful from every angle. Polson was in the southern part of the lake. From the top of the hill, coming into town, you could see the lake for miles.

Jake remembered going to the church camp in Bigfork. It was on the lake, and those camps had been the highlights of his summers. At the church camp there had been the usual swimming, volleyball, and canoeing but also was the spiritual angle. Jake remembered one summer in his junior year of high school when they were around the campfire. The devotion had been about the suffering of Christ on the cross and how He had done it for each of them. After the devotion, they were asked to remain quiet for a few minutes. Jake had looked up at the cross next to the fire pit and saw Christ hanging on the cross. He had shaken his head and closed his eyes and when he looked again, the image was gone. It had left him changed. It had made the love of God come real for him.

When they arrived at the Chalet Jake’s mother was standing by her car. She was a beautiful woman. She was in her fifties. She stood all of 5’4" with a mixture of brown and blonde hair cut in a short, sassy style. Her gentle spirit seemed to envelop her. Her smile welcomed everyone she met.

Jake and Trevor got out and went to meet her. She embraced Jake and then turned to Trevor and embraced him as well.

Hi, um, mom.

Her smile widened. I like that. Let’s go eat.

After they ordered, Jake filled her in on what was happening.

After the trafficking ring had been broken up, with the help of his brother and sister-in-law, well she wasn’t his sister-in-law yet, Jake knew the victims were going to have a tough time overcoming what had happened. He had held Trevor’s broken body in his arms and cried. He felt it was at that moment God gave him the mission of trying to help Trevor and as many of the victims of human trafficking as he could. As he sat in Trevor’s hospital room day after day the idea of Glacier Emmanuel House took root. He talked with his prayer warrior, his mother, and then with his pastor and brother. Over the last 12 months, the plan has come into reality. He and Trevor were moving to Whitefish where they had bought an old school building. They were going to renovate it and make it a haven for those displaced and suffering from the aftereffects of their imprisonment.

As they finished their lunch, Jake said, We better get going, I told Jen and Zack we could be there early this afternoon.

They said their goodbyes and hugged around. They walked his mother over to the car and before she got in, she turned and said, I’ll be up next week and help however I can. Jen said there was room for me. You boys are good and drive safe.

As she pulled away Jake shook his head. We’ll always be boys in her eyes.

I’m good with that. She is so special and has been so great with me, she can call me whatever she likes. Jake nodded and smiled. They climbed back into the truck and turned back onto the highway.

CHAPTER 3

JEN

Jen woke to find her dog CD, licking her face. This licking her face was a new habit of his. She decided that he felt her sadness and wanted to keep her going. She struggled to get out of bed. It seemed every day was a struggle. She and Zack had worked together to break up the trafficking ring. Six months later they were married and two months later she found out she was pregnant. They had been ecstatic and had told everyone. Five weeks later she lost the baby. It had been several months, but she still felt just sad. She and Zack talked about it often. They each were struggling in their own way.

She passed the picture of their wedding. Zack stood tall, over 6’ and she was 10 inches shorter. They were smiling at each other when the photographer snapped the picture. She smiled. It had been a wonderful day with friends and family witnessing their vows and celebrating with them. She sent up a quick prayer of thanks to Zack.

She stood at the sink and looked into the mirror. She saw the dark circles under her eyes. Her hair looked oily and unkempt. She looked like she was 50 instead of 30. She had not taken time to fix her hair or her makeup for several days. She took a deep breath, You are right, Lord, it is time to get my act together. She got into the shower, and washed her hair. As she fixed her hair and put the finishing touches of makeup on, she realized she was feeling better.

She had been trying to keep busy. She had been helping Jake line up some fundraising for Glacier House and was keeping up with the contract work she did for Homeland Security and running the short-term, long-term rental