At the Feet of Angels
by Vernon Bargainer
Writers’ Branding


"Forsaken by those who claimed to love her, she coddled her toy dolls and sought salvation in dreams."

The innocence and purity of children are angelic, as close to the heavens as one can get on earth. Yet, as Bargainer's novel shows, humanity often reveals the true horror that it is capable of upon the defenseless. This conflict between good and evil is exemplified in the blind faith and devotion of little Jenny Burnett as she clashes with the darkness of Sheila Holdershaw, constantly testing Jenny's innocence in the most gut-wrenching manners. Revolving around the simple premise of how a three-and-a-half-year-old is thrust into a toxic and, quite frankly, deadly environment, Bargainer's narrative is timely yet heartbreaking because of how closely it mirrors the reality of many lost babies who have become victims of kidnapping.

A routine trip to the supermarket turns into a nightmare for Jenny and her mother when her Uncle Jay, on the pretense of ice cream, orchestrates not only her kidnapping but also her sale to strangers. Audiences will be unable to do anything but cringe knowing that those entrusted with protecting children are the same individuals committing such heinous crimes. On the surface, Jenny's time with the Holdershaws, Sheila and Bryan, is one of love as it seems like they will do whatever they can to see that their newly-acquired daughter is comfortable and feeling loved. However, the reality could not be further from the truth. A recovering alcoholic with very little control over her actions and a compromised moral compass, Sheila Holdershaw is so engrossed in her addictions that Jenny is nothing more than a new toy for her to tinker with. After failing to convince Jenny that her birth mom left her by choice, Sheila resorts to physically hurting Jenny. At times, whether it is Sheila squeezing her chin to have Jenny acknowledge her as "Mommy" or something as simple as Jenny asking for her grapes and Fruit Loops, audiences are constantly left wondering if the next time will go irreparably too far.

Through Jenny's character, Bargainer demonstrates the strength of the will and imagination's pivotal role in preserving this willpower. Though Jenny is physically withering away in Sheila's vicinity, her connection with her friend Billy and an aging mulberry tree in the yard is her saving grace. Here, she is able to look at the sky, reinvigorated with hope as she envisions angels herding clouds and twirling like ballerinas in response to the singing, cheerful, chattering fairies in pink gowns. These scenes are whimsical and clearly symbolize Jenny's coping mechanisms regardless of how severe Sheila's actions get toward her. Numerous events in the book are in stark contrast to this scene of peace and grace. However, perhaps few are more visceral than the heated discussion that ensues between the Holdershaws as Sheila is resolute in chopping Jenny's hair off and threatens her with scissors.

In clearly written prose, Bargainer effectively depicts the atrocities that kidnapped children have to suffer daily, and, unfortunately, the outcome is not always a happy reunion. Probing deeper, the story reflects on how broken the human mind and spirit must be to transpose one's addictions onto a completely innocent child. In Jenny's case, Bryan Holdershaw is more or less an unsuspecting bystander to Sheila's conniving plans. However, will every child in Jenny's situation have a Bryan Holdershaw? Bargainer's text is a testament that faith and will are more than adequate to preserve hope even in the deepest darkness.

Return to USR Home