The thought had crossed his mind earlier inside the taxicab, but Charles wanted to first exhaust every possible scenario before broaching the subject of…could it be?
He still didn’t want to believe it.
Believing it meant he would never see his family again. At least not in this lifetime…
So, this is the price I was willing to pay for success, he thought, suddenly mindful of how blind he had been the past three years. Monique was right all along. His Cell-U-Loss business had totally consumed him, causing his spiritual life to suffer greatly as a result. He paid the ultimate price for the success he achieved—his family.
Calloway always proclaimed to be a Christian. He knew the Scriptures fairly well. He knew John 3:16 by heart, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
He also knew Romans 3:23-24, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
And he often quoted his favorite Scripture found in the Book of Philippians, chapter 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
When Calloway did attend church—which was rare of late—he sang the songs with deep emotion and was always the first to shout, “Amen!” He always looked involved. Even when it came to his business, he openly thanked God for the many blessings he’d received.
On the surface, Charles Calloway looked like a solid Christian. But he now had all the proof he needed that he wasn’t a genuine follower of Jesus Christ. He felt like a phony, a counterfeit.
His father, Benson Calloway, always preached on having a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. He often said everyone had heard the name of Jesus, and most even claimed to know Him. But it was more than just proclaiming to know Him that saved one’s soul.
Obviously, I didn’t get that part...
His father often warned that one day the true believers of the Church would be taken away from Planet Earth in the twinkling of an eye. On any given day—BAM!—millions, perhaps even billions, of people would suddenly disappear from the face of the Earth without a trace.
Benson Calloway always warned that the Rapture was right around the corner. “Brothers and sisters, the day of the Lord is at hand. Jesus can come back for His Church at any moment,” he would say. “Nothing else has to happen, prophetically speaking, before Christ returns for His Bride. He can come back this very minute! Only He knows the exact hour and day. All I can say is be ready people. It’s time to get serious with God! Prepare to meet Him.”
His father also described in vivid detail what would happen on Planet Earth after the Rapture. Charles always thought it was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo nonsense his father was using to scare him into staying right with the Lord. Now he had no choice but to believe it.
The more Calloway thought about his father, the worse he felt. How do I explain a preacher’s son left behind because he was unworthy to go home with the Church? Guess the joke’s on me now. Where do I go from here? Is there any hope for me? Will God ever give me a second chance?
The broken man dropped to his knees and cried out to God, “Lord, I know this was the Rapture of Your Church. You came unexpected just like my daddy said. I don’t know what to do or where to go from here. Sorry for my unbelief. I feel so worthless and alone. Daddy always said You loved me so much that You gave Your Son as a Ransom for my sins. Sorry for not taking it more seriously.”
Calloway looked up at the ceiling. “Is there still hope for me? Please give me a second chance, Lord. That’s all I ask. I paid a huge price today. I lost everything dear to me. The pain’s unbearable. Please take good care of my wife and children in Heaven. If there’s any hope for me, Lord, please give me a sign. If there is, I’m all Yours!”
Just then Charles heard a reporter on television say, “We now have new revelations…” All Calloway heard was the word revelations. Is this a sign? It sure felt like it.
Calloway practically dove across the bed and opened a drawer looking for the Word of God. He was shocked to see four different books inside: the Quran, the Book of Mormon, the Talmud, and the Bible, compliments of the Gideons.
“No wonder humanity’s so messed up,” he said, “we can’t even worship the same God!”
Charles opened the Bible to the Book of Revelation. Before reading it, he returned to his knees, “Lord, I’m taking this as a sign that there’s still hope for me. If so, please confirm it for me in Your Word. Give me the wisdom to understand the Book of Revelation. Thank you. Amen.”
Calloway needed to nourish his body before delving into the Word of God. He called guest services and was amazed that someone had answered. He was even more amazed that they were willing to bring him food, but only a limited choice of soups, salads and sandwiches.
He ordered a turkey club sandwich, a garden salad and a bowl of mushroom barley soup. He was told the waiting time would be at least one hour.
Charles noticed a wicker basket full of snacks and goodies resting atop the small refrigerator. He wasted no time digging in...
16
BRIAN MULROONEY AND RENATE McCallister stared at each other in total astonishment. If the President of the United States couldn’t pinpoint with any degree of accuracy what happened earlier, who could? Seeing so much fear in his eyes on television made it all the more frightening. It was sobering to say the least.
“Tell me this is a bad dream, Brian!” said Renate, “Tell me we’ll wake up tomorrow and everything’ll be okay.”
“I wish I could, but it’s not a bad dream. Life as we know it has been forever changed.”
A stray tear escaped Renate’s left eye. “Does this mean I’ll never have children?”
“I’m not sure what it means.” Brian’s cell phone rang. He nearly jumped out of his skin.
Renate answered it: “Hello?” There was a brief pause. “Thank God you’re okay, Mrs. Mulrooney!”
“Thank God!” Brian whispered to himself.
After a few brief moments, Renate cupped the phone, “Everyone’s shaken up, but at least they’re okay.”
Renate handed Brian the phone. The moment he heard his mother’s voice, he said a silent prayer of thanks. Relief poured over him. It didn’t last.
“Craig’s mother died,” Sarah Mulrooney said.
“How?”
“Heart attack.”
“Oh, my.”
“That’s not all.”
“What is it, Mom?”
“Mrs. Becht stopped by an hour ago. She told us Justin’s parents were killed in a car wreck. They were hit by a beer truck driver who switched lanes to avoid an oncoming bus. He hit the Schroeders head-on. They were killed instantly.”
“At least now they won’t have to mourn the loss of their son...”
“What?” Sarah screamed. “Did something happen to Justin too?”
Brian lowered his head. It was his turn to be the bearer of tragic news. “Justin’s gone, Ma. He disappeared.”
Sarah burst into tears. Brian’s father tried to comfort his wife as she relayed the message to him. Then to Brian: “Are you okay, sweetie?”
“I’ll be fine,” he lied. Why give his mother something else to worry about?
Brian’s father grabbed the phone. “Hi, son.”
“There was nothing I could do, Dad. He just vanished.”
“Of course not,” Dick Mulrooney replied. “Don’t blame yourself. This is completely beyond our control.”
Brian’s sister, Chelsea, listened on another phone. When it was her turn to speak, she practically screamed into the receiver, “Please come home, Brian! We need you here!”
The
proposition sounded downright comforting. Even with Renate by his side, Brian felt terribly alone being so far away from his family. And vulnerable. “I’ll do my best, sis. But there’s no way I’m flying!”
Chelsea didn’t reply. She totally understood.
Sarah took the phone from her husband. “Craig never made his flight, but he’s okay. Expect a call from him either tonight or tomorrow.”
“Honestly, Mom, I forgot he was even coming.”
Sarah sighed. “I understand. We’re all reeling.”
Brian’s phone vibrated. It was Jacquelyn Swindell. “I have another call, Ma. Can I call you later?”
“Sure. Be careful, Brian. Please don’t leave the apartment under any conditions.”
“I won’t. Sorry, Ma, but I gotta go.” Brian switched over just in time before it went to voicemail. “Hey, Jacquelyn.”
Renate’s ears perked up: “Who’s Jacquelyn, honey?”
Brian cupped the phone, “The one I told you about earlier.”
Shooting her boyfriend a sideways look, she said, “Oh, I see.”
Just as she was about to ask another question, Brian held up his right forefinger as if to say, “Hold on. I’ll fill you in later,” much to her chagrin. Then into the phone, he spoke, “How’d you make out today?”
“Just got back from the hospital. Is that Renate?” Jacquelyn inquired.
“Yes. She’s safe, thank God. So are my parents and my sister. As far as I know, the only relatives I lost were distant cousins.”
“You’re one of the lucky ones,” Swindell replied in a low tone.
“Guess it could have been a whole lot worse.” There was a brief pause. “How’d you make out at the hospital?”
“Place was jammed. They had a triage unit set up in the lobby that was split into three sections: One was for patients needing immediate treatment. The one I was assigned to was for those suffering non-life-threatening injuries. The last was for the dead and dying.” Jacquelyn sighed. “I waited four-and-a-half hours just to be seen. I got seventy-two stitches in my leg.”
“Seventy-two? Wow!” But Brian wasn’t the least bit surprised. The way her leg looked earlier, she could have said 272 stitches and he would have believed her.
Jacquelyn burst into tears, “I lost my child, Brian.”
“I’m so sorry, Jacquelyn.” After hearing President Danforth’s address, Mulrooney wasn’t surprised. “Are you alone right now?”
“Actually, I’m driving to my parents’ house. They need me.” Jacquelyn sniffled. “My brother Dennis disappeared right in front of their eyes.”
I can’t believe I forgot to ask about her family, he thought. How selfish of me! “Where do your parents live?”
“Irish Hills.”
“I know where it is. I pass through there whenever I take the back roads to South Bend, Indiana. Route Twelve runs straight through it, right?”
“Yeah. My parents live right on Twelve. Anyway, they’re hysterical now. I hope they survive all this. My dad’s been experiencing chest pains all day. They were discussing Thanksgiving dinner when Dennis vanished before their very eyes.” Jacquelyn paused. “I told them what happened to my husband, but not about the baby yet.”
“Not to overstep my bounds, Jacquelyn, but they probably already know. Did you watch President Danforth’s address?”
“No. What did he say?”
“He confirmed what you and I heard earlier, that every child on the planet has apparently vanished, including all unborn babies.”
“Guess they do know then,” she surmised.
Not knowing what else to say, Mulrooney cautioned, “Be careful driving tonight. Try not to get pulled over by the police.”
“Last thing I’m worried about is a curfew violation. If I get pulled over, I’ll deal with it then.”
There was silence. In a near whisper, Brian finally said, “Keep in touch, okay?”
Hearing it, tension stabbed at Renate’s heart. Her insides turned cold. Her eyebrows slanted upward; she shot her boyfriend a menacing look. He ignored it.
“Okay, sure.” Jacquelyn fought hard to hold back more tears.
“And Jacquelyn?”
“Yeah?”
“Sorry to hear about your brother.”
Jacquelyn ended the call, pulled to the side of the road and burst out in tears. She never cried so much in one day in her entire life. Sadly, she knew her weeping was far from over.
Renate wanted to ask Brian a million questions, but she refrained. Her boyfriend was simply comforting someone in utter distress. Nothing more.
Now wasn’t the appropriate time for a jealousy flare up. It could wait until the smoke cleared...
17
WAITING FOR ROOM SERVICE to arrive, Charles Calloway sat on the edge of the bed fingering through the pages of the Book of Revelation. He stopped at chapter 20.
The subtitle above verse 11 caught his attention: The Dead Are Judged. He read on.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Calloway felt a sharp pain in his chest. “I missed it!” he cried. “I’m doomed. I’m going to be thrown into the lake of fire! It’s hopeless for me!”
The thought of being thrown into a lake of fire was enough to stop his heart from beating, especially knowing those flames would be eternal. The fear of God his father always spoke of now gripped him to the point that he nearly passed out. There was no worse feeling than knowing all hope was forever extinguished.
Or was it?
Always the fighter, knowing his eternal future was on the line, Calloway wasn’t about to lose all hope just yet. He needed to press on, despite how he felt.
Yes, he needed to know everything that lay ahead, whether good or bad. That’s just the way he was wired. In order to best understand the Book of Revelation, he had to start at the beginning and read it all the way through. Perhaps then it would make a little more sense to him.
As crazy as the world was outside his hotel room, Calloway felt temporarily cut off from it all. Instead of monitoring world events on television, he turned it off in favor of reading the Word of God. There would be plenty of time to get caught up on everything else later.
For now, he wanted to dedicate the remainder of the night to reading the only Book that mattered to him at the moment...
Flipping to the first chapter of the Book of Revelation, Calloway was determined to read this prophetic Book over and over again, along with the rest of the Bible, to see if he would have a second chance with the One who saw his unformed body before time began, the very One who knit him together in his mother’s womb. Nothing else mattered to him now.
There was a knock on the door. Room service. Finally!
Though his stomach was churning in knots, knowing he’d probably be awake for the remainder of the night studying God’s Word, he would need all the energy he could get.
18
RENATE DIDN’T WANT BRIAN to be left alone tonight. With his family hundreds of miles away in New York City, there was no way he could be with them now. Not tonight, anyway.
For one thing, he no longer had a car. And with all modes of transportation canceled
, including all flights, there was no way he was getting out of Michigan anytime soon. Even if he could get a flight home, Renate knew there was no way he would do it.
Brian likened this catastrophe to an earthquake. He was still bracing for the aftershocks to hit. And aftershocks were sometimes worse than the original quake. No one really knew for sure. You just had to wait and see. Certainly not a comforting thought.
No, Brian couldn’t be left alone tonight. There was this blank expression on his face. It was the look of someone who wanted to throw in the towel and give up. He was clearly unstable and needed someone to hold him and tell him everything would eventually be okay.
The problem was that Renate needed the same thing. But Brian was incapable of consoling her. I must be strong for us both, Renate thought, reaching for the phone.
“The number you are calling cannot be completed as dialed…”
After trying her parents’ land line and cell phone numbers a few times and getting the same result, Renate went into the spare bedroom to change into something more comfortable. She kept a sizable wardrobe at Brian’s apartment for moments like this.
But there was another reason she did it: her parents had often accused her of being a shopaholic and an Americanized shopper in every sense of the word. Buy today, pay later!
Dylan and Rose McCallister often chastised their daughter for spending money she didn’t have and couldn’t afford to pay back. The power of credit cards...
“What they don’t know won’t hurt them!” Renate often said, regarding this extra stash of clothing they knew nothing about.
Those days seemed eons away.
Life would never be the same on any level ever again.
Changing into blue sweatpants, Renate noticed a Gift on the end table next to the bed. Curious, she took a closer look. It was a present for Brian. Was it from Justin?
The Aftermath Page 6