No Geek Rapture for Me_I'm Old School

by Jonelle Renald

  From his seat beneath the tree, Enoch looking up at Mia and asked, “So you put yourself in the position to decide what God should do. You think you can judge the Lord of Heaven?”

  Mia said, “No. Well — no.”

  “That is how it works out. When a person won’t give in to God, they eventually end up accusing God of doing something wrong, trying to force him to accommodate what they desire, no matter how contrary it is to God’s way of doing things. A self-directed path always ends in trying to assert control over God. Which is impossible. There is no living apart from God. He’s the source of all things good. That’s why you’re either on his side or you’re a rebel trying take God’s power away from him. Do you see that?”

  Mia thought this over. She recognized that she had started thinking she could force God into doing something for her by talking about what was fair. “God, you must help me, I’m helpless,” even if she rejected him. She had a sudden image of flipping Psalm Twenty-Three on its head, of making I shall not want into an indictment against the shepherd, instead of a praise for his goodness. “Give me everything I say so I will not want.” Anything that was wrong in her life would become God’s fault for not helping her out. In her mind’s eye, she saw a chain of images. Memories of her days at iCon appeared in Mia’s mind, only with the roles reversed. She became Andie playing a game of hallway chicken — she was walking directly at Enoch, trying to intimidate him, force him to alter his course. She became Skip Morrison using the power of the group as a weapon to manipulate Enoch to conform to her will and become a minion of the Kewl Kids club. She became Chase using her saber like a whip, punishing Enoch because he wasn’t sufficiently humble and wouldn’t accept the condemnation he deserved for being a stupid, worthless human. And worst of all, she saw a final image of herself in brown insulated overalls, standing on top of a ladder, and she deliberately dropped the white statue of the Shepherd King off the bracket where he had been installed. She watched as it hit the brick walkway and exploded into a cascade of shattered white limestone bits and pieces. And then she laughed at the destruction, saying, “Looks like I took Jesus down a notch or two!”

  She had to admit it. She wasn’t better, wasn’t any different, than anyone else, and was capable of doing any or all of the evil that had been done to her. There was no reason she should be in charge of anything, let alone her own life. She couldn’t handle it. It was crazy wrong to think she could.

  So her choices were limited to loyalty to herself plus rebellion against God or loyalty to God plus — plus what exactly? She wasn’t sure. Going back over her recent encounters with the supernatural, Mia considered what each side was offering in exchange for whole-hearted loyalty. iCon and the transhumanists who wanted to rule their own existence apart from God were offering a klugey, counterfeit eternal life if you would give up your body and soul to their Geek Rapture. Managed and controlled body and soul by evil and unreliable monsters. On the other side, God offered plain and simple things that were almost too overwhelming to appreciate. Literally too good to be taken in. She didn’t know how to describe the difficulty she’d had trying to eat the meal beside the brook in Heaven’s suburb. It was like drowning in deep water, but that wasn’t the right description. Because nothing about it felt threatening. Suddenly she realized it was Psalm Twenty-Three completely and utterly come true. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” shall not lack any good thing. A garden, pure water, a meal picked off a tree. Things so right, so filling — so fulfilling that every need and want is met. Someone could say, “Haha! How trivial, how trite. Exchange my soul for some organic lunch? How cute. No thanks!” But it wasn’t just a simple meal by itself that had overwhelmed her heart here in Heaven. It had been genuine, unending life given to her in the form of good food, true love embodied in a friend and family member. Nothing else needed because your cup and your heart are filled to overflowing. This new understanding made her options crystal clear. Her decision who she would be loyal to (God or self-rule) was the choice between life and death. Choosing God meant choosing life, eternal life where all your wants and needs were met, where all your days were filled with joy and satisfaction. But to receive these things, you had to give up your independence. There was no third choice. No wonder the Bible said God ruled with a rod of iron. No bending of the rules. For anybody.

  “I’m getting a glimmer.”

  “So whose side are you on?”

  “Has to be God’s. No king but King Jesus. I choose to be loyal to God alone. Guess this makes me a foot soldier awaiting my orders, enlisted in his host. So in keeping with that, I renounce all claims to an independent realm of my own. I want overflowing life, love, and joy, not hell. There’s nothing for anybody in that place. I never want to go back there again. Ever.”

  Enoch smiled and rose to stand next to Mia. “In that case, let’s go back. Kit is waiting for you. He wants to talk to you. Let’s go back.”

  This time, the idea didn’t fill Mia with shame. Instead, she felt happiness, plus a lot of anxiety. But she no longer felt the need to hide. Now, she was able to return. She was looking forward to talking to Kit.

  30 | Reach

  Riding the white horse Kit had brought for her, trailing behind Enoch on Maru-Dannum, Mia was saddle-sore and tired. During most of the journey away from the beautiful mountaintop park on the porch of Heaven, Mia had been going over and over again in her mind the time she had spent with her son Kit. These recent events brought her pangs of both guilt and joy. Such awkwardness on her part, not knowing how to act, or what to say, especially after realizing he did truly love her. She was his mother, but what did that mean when your first idea that you even had a child came from confronting a tall warrior who was a watchman and guardian for Heaven? Some irrational part of her psyche wanted him to be angry or resentful toward her or to feel hurt and deprived — probably because she could understand those feelings. She had also worried that her actual presence would be an embarrassment and a let down to him, but she saw no signs that he felt anything but genuinely happiness and acceptance of her. She had no idea how to react to him, barely knew how to take it all in. But learning that he had been praying for her, that he had brought petitions to God and his Divine Council, asking for them to take action on her behalf, she had been overwhelmed, and had nearly run away again. However she had stayed because Kit had shown her nothing but pure love and consideration in spite of her betrayal. Who could understand such things.

  The saber and scabbard that Kit had given her was hanging from her saddle. A real cavalry weapon, the basket-hilted sword was crafted with a design that was both functional and beautiful, perfectly balanced. The saber’s guard was sturdy and ornate, the hilt wrapped in leather. Both showed signs of being used in combat. The blade was wider than what she was accustomed to, strong and flexible with a beautiful pattern etched into the metal. It was also shorter and heavier than a fencing saber, to facilitate downward cuts delivered on horseback. When Kit had given it to her, she had reacted without thinking, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her hand on top of his head. Then cupping his face in her hands, she had said, “Such a magnificent gift! A treasure from my most amazing son.”

  All the memories, thoughts, and feelings that she had ever had about him — the things that had been boxed up and hidden in a dark and uninspected corner of her soul were now running uncaged throughout her heart, bringing both happiness and pain. But she had no intention of stuffing any of it back into its box again. The guilt and pain continued to persist but now were greatly reduced in power. She emerged from all that had happened concerning Kit alive and fundamentally changed. She had a son, who forgave her for aborting him. God had forgiven her as well. Add to that getting to know her many times great grandfather Enoch — Enoch who had never ever died, but who had lived thousands of years exploring every part of the earth and the heavens. Even better, Kit lived at Enoch’s home, and she would see him again when he returned
from patrol duties. They were her new family that she’d never even imagined existed.

  Added to these changes were the disruptions caused by encounters with one of the Nephilim and a fallen angel in human form who were running a computer and software corporation that experimented on humans, attempting to turn human souls into commodity parcels for buying and selling, while trying to launch the Geek Rapture. As a result of all this, her perspectives and worldview had been completely turned upside down. She’d come to a different way of thinking, an expanded view of a universe made of seen and unseen realms that were both dangerous and wonderful, with constant interactions between them. Her thinking about the supernatural would never be the same, not after what she’d seen.

  What was her place in it all, her purpose for existing in such a universe? Could she find a way to change and adapt to these alterations? She felt dismayed and overwhelmed at the prospect, but also trusted that she would receive help to learn how to find her way and not neglect these marvelous new possibilities. On top of learning to adjust to this new way thinking about the universe and herself, she was glad to know that Enoch’s home would be her home for the foreseeable future. She wouldn’t be heading back to her routine, work-a-day life (which had already been blown apart anyway). Enoch hadn’t said much beyond telling her it wouldn’t be safe for her to return to Barrow Heights. She wondered how long iCon would continue to be a threat to her life, if she’d ever be free of them.

  From the nexus way station, they had taken a gateway to this pristine world with its wide prairie of rolling hills and open skies exactly like Earth. But it was an Earth with no evidence of modern times or human habitation of any kind. There were no jet contrails in the sky, no paved roads or even distant sounds of traffic, no dark haze from polluted air hanging above the horizon, no fences impeding their travel across the rolling hills. The sky was a brighter blue, the atmosphere clearer than the Earth Mia remembered. This air felt healing just to breathe it in and out. The quiet of the landscape was profound, and Mia was surprised at how much it added to her experience traversing through the tall grass (over six feet tall in places) with the flowering plants and clouds of brightly colored butterflies that took flight as they passed, their fluttering wings providing shade from the sun for a moment. So many subdued sounds all around her — the creak and jingle of the horses’ tack and the soft impact of their hooves on the dirt road, the rustle of the tall grass responding to a slight breath of wind, the song of meadowlarks, flickers, red-winged blackbirds, and hawks, even the stealthy passage of a coyote trotting through the grass could be heard. Now more alert and aware of her surrounding, she realized all these sounds would have been drowned out by the continual white noise of twenty-first century civilization. But because the constant din of the modern world didn’t exist here, her ears and soul were blessed by this unexpected reprieve.

  They came to a river and turned north to travel along the bank upstream. They were soon climbing into the foothills of a mountain range, with a forest of maple, oak, and cedar trees around them. As they crested a hill, they crossed over a wooden bridge spanning a gully — the first sign of human habitation on this world. Then below them, Mia saw a beautiful valley. In the distance, she heard a horn sounding in the woods. Pulling up Maru, Enoch turned and said, “Mia, this is my home, Ismarsettehka, the end of our journey. Did you hear the rangers sound the notice of our arrival to the house? They keep watch over my home, to guard against any evil that might wish to harm the people living here. You never know where their reach might extend, so I take nothing for granted.”

  Set back from the crest of the hill was a tall stone archway with thick wooden doors, a woman with long dark hair standing ready to act as gate keeper. The archway was over forty feet high, thirty feet deep (like a short tunnel inside) with decorative carvings on every surface. Extending from the sides of the archway in both directions, a five foot tall stone wall surrounded all of Ismarsettehka. A mile-long road cobbled with river stones descended into the valley below and led to the front door of the magnificent house ahead. This wooden house belonging to Enoch was so much more elaborate than the cabin Mia had imagined as his home. In some ways the word house didn’t adequately describe this beautiful sprawling building, but then Mia thought, “It does fit the verse from the Gospel of John, ‘In my father’s house are many mansions.’ In my greatest grandfather’s house, there are many mansions, all in one great house.”

  The great house was wide and deep with distinct sections spreading in every direction, towers on several corners, all topped with varying roof lines and carved decorations all around. There were courtyards, porches, and archways connecting the various sections together. Three stories high in most places, two or four or one in others, some sections were topped with a cupola, other sections had balconies, some elevated walkways between, with ornate shutters flanking windows in many places, square hewn logs providing support in some corners, wood shakes on the roof and carvings of animal heads — big cats, wolves, bears, horses — at the end of each roof line. Even though each section had its own unique appearance, all the parts shared a master design principle that tied everything together into a beautiful unity. Beyond the house Mia could see barns, orchards, with fenced farmland and pastures beyond that containing horses, cattle, goats, sheep, chicken, and geese, with a river running behind it all. This scene demonstrated how wrong she had been when she had assumed that Enoch was living out his unending life as a hermit. Given the size of the complex building, an entire village must be living here with him. And here they were.

  Complete with several barking dogs running ahead, the village was coming out to meet them, a crowd of all ages streamed out the main door, calling out a welcome. The travelers dismounted, and Enoch introduced Mia to the inhabitants of his house, who greeted her warmly and then surrounded Enoch, talking and laughing, as everyone walked back to the house. One man approached Mia and said, “Hi! I’m James. Let me take your horse for you. I’ll take good care of her.” She lifted her saber in its scabbard off the saddle and thanked him for his help.

  Double doors, tall and wide, made of oak decorated with carvings of animals and trees and fastened with ornate black iron hinges opened onto a long passageway that led deep into the house. Inside, the house was also entirely made of wood, filled with beautiful paintings, carvings, and bright fabrics. Mia thought, “So this is the kind of home a man could build when he has five thousand years to work on it!” As they all walked toward the back of the house, they entered a large octagonal room called the Great Hall. The ceiling soared to the top of a four story tower with balconies and walkways overlooking the area on each floor, stairways leading from one floor to another (sometimes more than one on the same level connecting different corners) with ornate woodwork done in a different wood and patterns on each floor. It was a sunny and open space with many windows, including large bay windows set with window seats. Comfortable chairs surrounded a large fireplace, and many tables and chairs were scattered throughout the rest of the space that offered people a place to gather to talk, play games, eat together, or listen to musical concerts and plays. Beyond the Great Hall, Mia could see a room set up like a banquet hall set with long tables flanked by benches. A large kitchen next door was filled with the wonderful aromas of a meal being prepared. As the noisy crowd filed into the hall, many of the children started running around the tables, chasing each other while they laughed and whooped happily.

  The noisy crowd took seats around the tables, and Mia was left standing next to Enoch in front of the large fireplace. He introduced Mia again, this time providing more details in his account of her history, and why she was staying at Ismarsettehka. He also named the heads of different families and guilds for Mia, so she could begin the process of learning names for everyone. Having taught classes at Edgestow College, she had some experience with learning many new names quickly, but there were so many new names and faces, it would be impossible to remember everyone right
away. She said, “Please help a newcomer out, and remind me what your names are when we talk later.” Everyone laughed.

  — “Don’t worry, we will!”

  — “We’ll help you.”

  — “Lots and lots of names for you to learn.”

  — “Just one for us!”

  — “There will be a pop quiz on it later, Professor.”

  — “Certainly, we can do that for you.”

  — “We’re a big crowd, that’s for sure!”

  Enoch pointed out several other people seated around the room. “We have other guests who have also taken sanctuary here — Mother Benida Tallis, Dr. Claude Adjani, Daisy Gowan, Joseph Freeland, Wynne McPhee, James Huse and his wife April, Pastor JT Robinson. Also included are three of our park rangers — you remember the horn that announced our arrival — they’re still out in the forest standing guard. Their names are Ethan Hargadain, Sofia Lonzi, and Preston Sullivan. They’ll return to the house later tonight. In time, you’ll also meet my confederates who are out working now, tending the farm or creating needed materials in the guild halls.”

  Dr. Adjani asked about the sword Mia was carrying. “That looks like a very handsome weapon you have there, Mia. Are you familiar with its use?”

  “Oh, yes. I have been sabre fencing for several years, and not to brag too much, but on occasion I have done well in competitions, even won a couple. This is a gift, from Kit, a working saber, a genuine cavalry weapon. So it is heavier, more deadly. And absolutely beautiful.” She showed off for the crowd a series of saber parry positions, then finished with a flourish, a salute, and a deep bow. They all applauded her, and then got up to greet her individually.