Short Story: The Runaway Daughter

[Waiting4Him]

The Runaway Daughter
Fiction based on: Luke15:11-32

By: Rachel (Waiting4Him)

Once there lived a man named Felix, who had two daughters, named Abigail and
Beth.

Beth loved to work in the fields and care for the animals; but Abigail was adventurous

and wasn’t content to stay at home, so one day she decided to do something about it.

“Dad?”

“Yes, Abby?”

“Give me my inheritance. I can’t stand this place anymore. I’m sick of weeding the

garden and milking the cows; I want to have fun out in the real world.”

At this news Abigail’s father looked very distraught but after some time he shook his

head and said…”Abby, do you really need to leave? You’re only sixteen! Your sister,

Beth, is almost eighteen and she still lives at home.”

“Beth has always been a worry wart. She’s too afraid to have an adventure! She would

much rather stay at home sowing seeds.”

“Well, I guess if I can’t change your mind I’ll have to let you go. Come on, I’ll help you

pack.”


So with a breaking heart Felix headed towards the house to help his daughter pack her bags.

“Abby, why don’t you take my hiking bag. You should be able to get a lot of stuff in it.”

“Thanks, Dad,” said Abigail as she joyfully packed her clothes.

“Here you go dear, here’s your inheritance. I’m afraid it’s not as much as I had hoped. If


you could wait a few more years, I would be able to give you more.”

“No way! Two thousand dollars is more than enough.”

“Then, I guess this is good bye, please remember I love you very much and if you ever

decide to come back….”

”Yeah, I know if I ever want to come back I can, but I don’t think that’s going to

happen,” said Abigail as she rushed out the door.


“Dad, where’s Abby going in such a hurry?”

”She’s leaving, Beth; she has taken her inheritance and left.”


After over a five mile walk, Abigail arrived in the small, but prosperous town of Shiloh.

Once there she quickly made friends with a rough-looking group of teens.

“Hey, my name’s Alex, what’s yours?” Said the eldest in the group.

“Abigail.”

“You running away from home or something?” Asked a girl, pointing to the bag on

Abigail’s back.

“No, actually my dad just gave me my inheritance so I decided it was time to leave.”

”Your inheritance!” Said Alex with a greedy smile. “Tell you what, Abigail, since you’re

all alone you can join my group and I’ll look out for you.”

So Abigail ran off with her new friends, but what she didn’t know was that these

“new friends” only wanted her money. A few weeks later the group sat in a little diner

eating lunch.

”Abby, can you cover this one again? I seem to have left my wallet at the hotel.”


”Alex, I told you I don’t have any more money.”

”What! I thought you said you had two thousand!”

”I did three weeks ago, but now I’ve only got two bucks left.”

“Don’t worry, Josh can cover this one.”

”What!” Said Josh quite surprised.

Just do it,” said Alex.

After the meal had been paid for, the group left the diner and went outside.

“Well, looks like this is goodbye, Abigail. I’m going to be taking my group out East and

I’m afraid you can’t come. See, I may get convicted of kidnapping or something,” said

Alex.

“No, you won’t! I told you I left home of my own will.”

”Sorry, kid.”

With that the group left, leaving Abigail alone on a deserted street corner.

“What am I going to do now? I can’t go home – Dad would never be able to love me after

what I did to him…I’ll just have to find a job.”

The next morning Abigail went to and from all the places she had gone with Alex and his

group, but no one wanted an inexperienced sixteen-year-old. It was getting late, but there

was one place left to try – a pig farm, just outside of town.

“Excuse me, sir,” said Abigail. “I need a job – I’ll do what ever you want.”

”I usually don’t hire little girls, but I guess you could take care of feeding the pigs.”

”Please, sir, is it all right if I stay in your barn?”

“Yeah, that would be fine.”

”Thanks.”


“Here, this is the pig’s food. They need to eat once in the morning and then again in the

evening; I haven’t feed them yet, so go ahead and feed them.”

Abigail walked slowly over to the corral and dumped the nasty mush into the trough.

The pigs gulped it down hungrily. It was then that Abigail remembered how hungry she

was.

“Man, I’m so hungry, I could almost eat the pig’s food, maybe I will.” As Abigail bent

over to pick up a half-eaten corn cob she remembered what her father had said.

“No matter what, Abigail, I’ll always love you.”

”What am I doing?” Said Abigail as she tossed the corn cob aside, my Father loves me. I

don’t need to eat this; my father will take me back.”

With that Abigail left. About an hour later she was approaching her house and out on the

porch stood her father. Their eyes locked and within an instant Abigail was in her

father’s embrace.

“Abigail, I’ve been praying that you would come home.”

”Father, I’m sorry, I realize now that you love me and want what’s best for me.”

”It’s all right, Abby, here, take my jacket, it’s kind of chilly out.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

”Say, why don’t we go inside and I’ll make you some dinner.”

”That sounds great,” said Abby as she walked through the door.

”Dad, why are you being so good to her? Said Beth resentfully, “She’s been treating you

like trash.”

”I know, dear, but I seem to recall that Jesus taught us that when we lose something and


then get it back we should rejoice. See, Beth, your sister was lost but now she is found.

Now that’s something worth rejoicing over!”