Melissa and the Yoke

This story is by Abigail Ingalls and was part of our 2024 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.

Savoring breakfast on the front porch, Melissa Jones had already styled her black hair for work. Then she spotted a Schnauzer puppy slowly walking across her yard. The thirty-year-old, childless divorcee had not seen the skinny pup before, so she ran to him. Without a collar, he looked tiny and helpless. Tearfully, Melissa carried him into the house and fed and bathed him.

Melissa’s mother, Kate, staggered into the bathroom, asking, ”Where’d tha’ thing come from? Are ya’ gonna’ keep’im? We don’ need another mouth ta feed!”

“Oh, Mom! I can afford him. Besides, the clinic’ll give me discounts. I’m keeping him!”

“Get tha’ thing outta’ here!”

“I’m keeping him!” Melissa grabbed the puppy from the bathroom counter, tipping over Kate’s bottle of OxyContin for pain. She slammed the bathroom door and retreated to her bedroom.

Twenty-year-old Sylvia entered the bedroom. “I guess Mom doesn’t want that dog.”

“Yeah, but I don’t care. He was walking across our yard without a collar. I’m calling him Buddy. I have to hurry to work now.” After Sylvia left the bedroom, Melissa nervously placed a bottle of Xanax in her purse.

Next, she gently carried Buddy to her car and drove to the veterinary clinic. Dr. Edward Hyde leered at her and Buddy in the waiting room.

“Is that your dog? I suppose you’ll want a discount for his care. As a new employee, you’ll get 5% off.”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” Melissa bit her lower lip.

“Let’s take care of him now before the public arrives.” Dr. Hyde marched to an inner room where he immediately treated Buddy. Then Melissa placed Buddy in a kennel in that room, where she assisted Dr. Hyde throughout the day.

Finally, the clinic closed. As usual, Dr. Hyde had expected Melissa to anticipate and fulfill instantly each of his requirements. His sneers at her had alarmed her.

Melissa loaded Buddy into her car, thinking about her younger sister and aunt nearby. I can hardly wait to show him to Lily and Aunt Jill. Soon she entered the Jill’s home with her little friend.

Lily and Jill met them in the living room. At fifteen, Lily looked lovely and fresh. Her long brunette hair complemented her bright green eyes, which flashed with delight. “Oh, Melissa! You brought a puppy!”

“Hi, guys! I found him in my yard without a collar. I’ve named him Buddy. Mom’s on one of her binges again with her pills. Can I spend the night here? It’ll be like old times!”

Jill replied, “Of course! You know you’re always welcome. And Buddy, too!” That month Melissa spent more nights with Lily and Jill.

As weeks passed, Buddy gained weight and strength but was not housebroken. Seeing Melissa with a collar and a leash, he would hide. Whenever she tried to collar him, he growled and snapped at her. For the training to succeed, he would need to cooperate. Although Melissa loved Buddy, she would find him a different home if he remained uncooperative.

One morning Melissa arrived three minutes late at work. Dr. Hyde glared at her, coldly stating,” You’re still under evaluation.”

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry. I’ll stay late this afternoon.” Melissa did work an extra thirty minutes.

In her car, Melissa thought, Mom’s on another binge. I can’t stand it when she’s like that! From her purse she extracted the pill bottle and a water bottle. Then she swallowed one pill. More relaxed, she drove home and retired to bed.

Her dream began. Now in high school, Melissa lived with her sisters and Jill while Kate was at a rehab facility. Jill attended church weekly with the girls. Melissa found herself in a Sunday service as Pastor Jim Stewart started to preach.

“The Bible says, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ This means you should surrender every part of your life to Jesus Christ. Believe what the Bible says about Him, and live for Him instead of your own selfish desires.”

Jill’s eyes lit up as she read the verses that Pastor Stewart explained. Meanwhile, Melissa doodled on her church bulletin and Sylvia colored on hers.

Suddenly Pastor Stewart’s appearance changed, and in his place stood Jesus Christ Himself! His eyes seemed to view even Melissa’s darkest secrets, but He looked kind and good. “Melissa, come to Me! You’re weary and carry heavy burdens. Take My yoke upon you; let Me teach you. You’ll find inner rest, because My yoke is easy to bear, and My burden is light.”

“Oh, Jesus! I’m not ready for that!” Melissa sprang from her seat, ran out of the building, and turned toward the parking lot.

 

Abruptly sensing the morning light, she realized she had been dreaming. Her alarm clock sounded. After dressing, Melissa heard Sylvia.

“You stupid dog! Don’t you ever poop on my bed again!” Sylvia seized Buddy, opened the kitchen door, and threw him outside.

Melissa stormed into the kitchen and shouted, “Sylvia! Don’t you ever throw Buddy outside again!” Then she slapped Sylvia’s face.

“Ouch! Leave me alone! You didn’t see what he did!”

“I don’t care! He’s my dog and only a puppy! You leave him alone!” Melissa retrieved Buddy, while Sylvia dashed to another room, crying. Placing Buddy in her own bedroom, Melissa settled down on the bed uneasily. First, I have a fight with Sylvia, and now I have to go assist Dr. Hyde.

In her car, she searched her purse and found the two bottles. She swallowed only two pills. Driving to work, she started to feel sleepy. Weaving back and forth in two lanes, her car screamed, “BANG, SCRAPE!” Melissa had sideswiped a parked vehicle! She steadied the steering wheel. Her squinted eyes perceived two red lights overhead as her car ran through the next intersection. Quickly, blue lights flashed while a siren blared! Melissa halted in a parking lot, where a policeman determined that she had been driving while intoxicated. She cooperated. The legal procedures blurred together as her drowsy consciousness faded. That afternoon, she awoke on a jail cell’s cot. Parts of the previous night’s dream had returned.

“What’ve I done?” Melissa muttered. “One pill worked, so I thought two’d be okay. I, I’m in so much trouble! I, I’ll lose my job, my income, my reputation, time in prison or rehab, and, and…,” she sobbed with regret. “What can I do? I need to answer some questions.”

“Excuse me, sir. Could I have a notebook, a pen, a dictionary, and a Bible?” Melissa asked the guard. In a short time, she was copying the definition of “yoke.”

“Yoke: a wooden frame or bar which joins two animals at the necks or heads for working together in pulling heavy loads, etc.”

Curious, in the next few weeks she devoured parts of the Bible during meals and free time. Her understanding expanded. Melissa concluded, Jesus is the Son of God and is also God. Sin is breaking God’s Ten Commandments and brings trouble, death, and punishment. Since only Jesus never sinned, He became our Substitute, receiving the punishment and death we have earned. His crucifixion and resurrection can free us from being yoked with sin. If we surrender our lives to Jesus and believe the Bible’s facts about Him, God forgives us. He changes our desires, starts a relationship with us, and shares our load. If we refuse to cooperate with Him, we are refusing to let Him put His yoke around our necks. Wait! Wait! What? That sounds like a collar, a collar around our necks!

Oh, Lord! I’m like Buddy! I’ve been stubborn, wanting to please only myself. I’ve sinned! Jesus, I come to You! I want Your yoke! Melissa soon felt a new peace with joyful hope.

More days passed as the court gave Melissa a six-month prison sentence. There she attended a small Bible study with other inmates who became loving friends. Meanwhile, Jill decided to keep and train Buddy until Melissa was released.

One day a new young inmate became Melissa’s cellmate. Olivia’s brown hair and bright green eyes reminded Melissa of her dear sister Lily, but Olivia’s harder life had damaged her greatly. Melissa gave Olivia some heart-felt counseling and invited her to attend the Bible study. The small group welcomed Olivia and began to tell her about their lives and their Lord. After a few study sessions, Olivia told the group about her new faith in Jesus.

Emotionally supporting and counseling Olivia led Melissa into a new journey. With Jesus’ help, she would pursue a degree in counseling. Maybe He would even use Melissa to help her own mother. After all, Jesus was Melissa’s Yokemate!