title: Derek's Story
author:  Laura J. Boggess 
description: Sometimes it's tough to grow up. I know. <br /><br />After years of struggling, my parents divorced when I was twelve. The changes my family went through during that time were devastating for me and my siblings. We needed a friend like Klaio.<br /><br />Klaio was born out of my desire to comfort other young girls and boys who are going through tough times. <br /><br />I first heard the word <i>klaio</i> in a Bible study (the correct pronunciation is "klah'-yo"). We were studying Luke 19:41, which tells how Jesus wept upon seeing Jerusalem during His Triumphal Entry. My Bible study teacher shared that the Greek word for <i>wept</i> in that passage is <i>klaio</i>, which can be translated as : <i>to weep, to lament, every outward expression of grief</i>. She went on to say that Jesus' tears in this passage were not the pretty tears we often see in the movies. Rather, the word indicates that He was wailing in sorrow, that he was overcome with emotion. <br /><br />This description made an impression on me. The thought of our Lord expressing such sorrow nearly broke my heart. Later that day, as I was out running, I found myself thinking about the word <i>klaio</i>. When I thought of the depth of grief the word expressed, I felt a strange longing in my heart, a recognition of sorts. It felt like something inside of me had finally been named. I realized that this was the kind of grief I had experienced as a child--<i>Klaio</i>, gave word to the emotion I experienced when my parents divorced and my family was changed forever. <br /><br />As I ran along, lost in thoughts and memories, suddenly, a little bird alighted on the path in front of me. She seemed to look at me. She seemed to be there for a reason. The thought occurred to me that there is no greater sorrow than the fall of man. And so, the bird Klaio was born. <br /><br />When I look back on that very painful time after my parents' divorce, I clearly see the Lord's fingerprints all over my life. It is much easier to see that now, in hindsight. It is my prayer that this book, and subsequent ones in the series, will speak to those experiencing difficult times and that they will be reassured of God's presence in their lives, even during trials.
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  # TO CLOSE TO HOME
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Linwood Barclay
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  For Neetha
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # PROLOGUE  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  DEREK FIGURED, when the time came, the crawlspace would be the best place to
  hide. The only thing was, he hoped the Langleys wouldn't take that long, once
  he was in position, to get the hell out of their house and hit the road. The
  last time Derek had played with Adam in their crawlspace, they'd been eight,
  nine years old. They'd pretended it was a cave filled with treasure, or the
  cargo hold of a spaceship, and there was a monster hiding in there somewhere.
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, that had been quite a few years ago. He was a lot bigger now; Adam, too.
  Pushing six feet, already taller at seventeen than his father, Derek wasn't
  looking forward to scrunching down in there for God knows how long.
  
  
  
  
  
  He was 