L.A.'s POV

"What's Talent Academy?" I say, totally confused.

Joey and Chad stay outside of the school with Lynn, Donald, and I, explaining about Talent Academy. Caleb and Alan went inside to scout it out and see if Susanna is for sure here. Joey's phone dings, "She's here." He eyes each of us. We all march in and then follow Alan and Caleb, who seem to be smiling very widely, but why, where,.... To a gymnasium? How strange is this?

A bunch of students are already gathered there. They are all smiling, laughing, talking, and waiting. But for what? And why would Susanna be here, of all places? I see a big grizzly like man across the gym, and he's holding ... Rascal? I have to save him, the puppy that is. "That man stole Rascal! And I bet he was the one who had Susanna's phone too." I say to the person nearest me, who turns out to be Caleb. I start to run, but feel arms wrap around mine pulling me upwards and back. "Why'd you do that?" I say rather loudly to my "protectors", which are Joey and Caleb. One on either side of me, still holding on.

"That's just Uncle Jake. Well, we all call him that, but he really and truly is Madison's great uncle." Joey tries to explain to me.

I open my mouth to ask how they know him and how he works into this whole thing, when Caleb just shakes his head. "It's a long story, one that I don't think we have time for right now."

Sure enough, Alan steps up at that moment. "Okay let's sit down." He points us towards an open space on the bleachers and we all sit. Why is he smiling so much? Again, I open my mouth to speak, but Alan makes a shushing sound. "Shh. It'll make sense soon. Sit tight and listen, L.A.." He gives me an encouraging pat on the back and I feel a little better.

An older woman steps to the middle of the gym and gives a cheerful smile to everyone. "Welcome, students and visitors." Her gaze drifts to us, and I could have swore it rested on me the longest.

She cleared her throat and continued, "Today we have a special guest speaker. This young woman has faced many trials and has a truly inspiring story. But I'm going to let her tell you. Let's give her a round of applause in welcome."

Everyone clapped and I put my hands together a few times. My eyes were on the person who had just walked in through the side doors. A shy smile, yet you could just tell confidence was a breath away, hidden just in under the surface. "Susanna?!?" Joey and I gasped in unison.

Susanna's POV

I took a deep breath. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I looked up at the sound of the whispered Scripture to see my new friend, Marlowe Kelly, a pregnant English teacher here at Talent Academy, smiling at me. "You've got this Susanna. You have the God of the universe backing you." She encouraged me, waving me onward.

"Thanks, Marlowe." I smiled. I took one step towards the gym doors, then another, then the next thing I knew, I heard Lady Talent introducing me. I stepped through the doors and gave a shy smile, making my way to the microphone.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Susanna Stephens. You may not have heard of me, but that doesn't mean I don't have a story to tell you and maybe even help you in the time of it." I told them tidbits of my story, they laughed and smiled, then I got to the point of the accident that had stolen my memories from me for a time. I closed my eyes, flinching at the pain. The pain had nearly vanished after I recovered my memory, but thinking back to the details of the accident, always caused the pain to resurface.

Marlowe looked at me, a concerned look on her face, as she mouthed, "Are you okay?"

I took a deep breath, willing the pain away, then opened my eyes, nodding to her. "Not nearly a year ago yet, I was in a car accident. Before you ask, it didn't involve any alcohol or drugs. I was driving down the road, when a little girl ran out in the road after her ball. I dodged her, she was okay, but my car ended up flipping over. I was knocked unconscious. When I woke up, I was in a hospital, surrounded by people that I didn't fully remember. I had amnesia. But the part of this story I really want to focus on is when I was out." I paused, taking in some of the faces in the crowd, although, to be perfectly honest, I wasn't really seeing them, I was reliving the time when I was unconscious.

"I don't know how to really describe it. If any of you have ever had a dream where everything is dark, but you still hear like voices, well it was sort of like that. I was standing there in one small circle of light. From my left came a deep, chilling voice. It called out, echoing over the emptiness, 'Susanna, you have failed. Give it up already. No one wants to hear your awful excuse of a voice. Run away, leave this all behind. There's better things for you. Better music. Leave Christian work behind.' Then a second voice boomed through, accompanied by a bright, warm light, sending the first dark voice away. The second voice called out to me, 'Precious child. All is well, I am here. I have given you a talent and set you on this path for a purpose. Stay strong and lean on me.' It was then that the dark and the light swirled together, one fighting the other. Both voices called out for me to choose whom I would follow. Dark or light? Giving up or pressing on? When I answered, 'God I choose you and to walk in your light!' The darkness shattered giving way to light, it was then that I woke from my deep state of unconscious."

I stopped breathless, adding a few closing touches. The audience applauded, and I spoke a few last minute words with Lady Talent and Marlowe. As I turned to leave I caught sight of a familiar group. A smile broke out on my face, everyone one of them was teary eyed, even Chad. They rushed and hugged me, Alan whispering, "I'm proud of you, Sus."

Each of my dear treasured friends, had something to say. Except for Joey and L.A.. Joey wrapped me in a hug and I didn't think that he would let go. He looked me in the eyes and just smiled. L.A. wore an odd smile, like she wasn't quite sure how to react. Dare I say, uncomfortable?