The Days of Elijah, Book Two: Wormwood: A Novel of the Great Tribulation in America

by Mark Goodwin

  Kevin positioned his bag. “I guess you are. Whether we’re playing boys against girls, or couples, you ain’t on my team, so your odds of whipping anybody are slim.”

  “You’re getting a little too cocky.” Sarah laid out her bag and sat down Indian-style across from Courtney. “Girls against guys. You’re going down, Kevin.”

  Everett removed the cards from the box and shuffled them. “We’ll see about that.”

  The four friends played several rounds of cards. It had been a reliable source of distraction over the past few months, much of which had been spent cooped up indoors.

  Courtney laid down a card. “We’d be lost in here without flashlights. If we ever had to move here permanently, we’d have to bring a solar setup.”

  Everett considered the gravity of her statement. “You’re right. We have to have light in here. I hope we don’t get into a situation where we don’t have time to retrieve all the components for a solar generator.”

  Kevin tossed his card on the pile. “Pulling the panels off the roof and disconnecting everything takes time. Twenty or thirty minutes, at least. Between the coming judgments and having hell’s henchmen hunting us down, I can imagine quite a few scenarios where we wouldn’t have that much time to bug out.”

  Sarah laid her card on top and picked up the book. “Yeah, and I can’t think of any situations where we would have to leave, yet still have an extra half hour to burn.”

  “So the question should be, is it worth living without the solar generator now, to make sure we have it later?” Courtney looked over her remaining cards.

  Everett peered at his hand. “It would be an inconvenience, but we can always go back to taking our batteries up to Elijah’s to recharge.”

  “Given the alternative of being stuck in a cave with no way to recharge our batteries, it sounds like a minuscule inconvenience,” Courtney said.

  Sarah grabbed her flashlight and turned it off. “Everybody, turn off your light. Let’s see if that helps us make up our minds.”

  Courtney was first to follow suit. Everett and Kevin turned out their lights next. The darkness was heavy. It seemed to grow as the four of them sat silent for the next few seconds.

  Everett opened his eyes wide and stared at the vacant black before his eyes. He turned his head toward the position where he remembered last seeing Courtney. He could see nothing. The heavy darkness seemed to empty out, to become hollow. At first, he felt the dark laying dense upon his eyes like an iron lid or a wall of lead, but he had a sinking sensation like all light had been drawn into a vacuum, leaving no trace of anything in its wake. Minutes later, the impression of the void became maddening. Everett was sure everyone else was feeling the same thing, but no one broke. His thumb pressed against the soft rubber cover which enveloped the switch of the flashlight. He pressed against it gently; enough to eliminate the slack, but not enough to actually turn the light on. Everett considered what utter darkness must consume the souls of men damned to hell. His sense of overwhelming dread was replaced by deep gratitude because God had shown him grace, and had given him a second chance. Even if he were to hit the light, and it not come back on, even if none of the lights came back on, this realm was temporary, and he could take whatever it had to throw at him, as long as he knew his eternity would be spent walking in the light of the Messiah.

  Courtney finally cracked. She turned on her light. “Okay, that was crazy! Were you guys good being in the dark like that? Because it was about to freak me out.”

  Kevin laughed. “No, I was going to give it one more minute, and I was going to cave if no one else did.”

  “You’re such a baby!” Sarah chided Kevin playfully.

  Kevin shined his light on her hand. “Look at your knuckles! They’re white! You were aching to turn on your light. You just couldn’t stand being the one who folded first.”

  “Whatever!” Sarah switched the light to her other hand and worked her fingers to get the circulation going.

  Everett chuckled. “I guess we have a consensus. We’ll bring the solar generator out to the cave.”

  The next morning, the team woke up early. Everyone rolled up their sleeping bags and tossed them up to Everett who quickly stowed them in the corridor above the cathedral.

  Everett descended and laid the ladder down on its side. “Let’s stash this nearby.”

  Kevin grabbed one side to carry the ladder out of the cave. “Okay. We can cover it with leaves for now. I’m sure we’ll be back in the next day or two with the solar components. We can find a better hiding place for it then.”

  Once they had hidden the ladder, everyone slung their rifles over their backs and Everett, Courtney, and Kevin each grabbed a box or a bucket of supplies as they exited the cave. The sun was just beginning to peek over the foothills in the east when they reached the truck. The rays of sunlight immediately began to break the morning chill. Kevin started the truck, and the team headed back toward the cabin.

  Sarah leaned forward from the back seat and pointed toward the east. “Chopper!”

  Everett shook his head in disgust. “Wow! I’ve never seen them out so early before. I hope this isn’t going to become an everyday occurrence.”

  Kevin gunned the engine. “Maybe we can get home before he gets close enough to spot us.”

  Courtney leaned forward from the rear. “No way. He’s coming this way. Pull off the road and into that clump of trees. Elijah’s place is on the other side of that hill. We can leave the truck here and walk over to Elijah’s. We’ll have visual cover from the forest the whole way.”

  Kevin looked at Everett. “What do you think?”

  Everett nodded. “She’s right. We’ll come back and get the truck when the chopper is gone. He’ll have to refuel after a while.”

  Kevin pulled the truck deep beneath the cover of the trees and cut the engine.

  Everett looked at the temperature gauge. “The engine didn’t get very hot, but maybe we should pop the hood to let out as much heat as possible, in case they’re using thermal.”

  The team grabbed their weapons and exited the vehicle quickly. Kevin called to Sarah and Courtney, “You guys get going. Stay spread out. We’re easier to spot if we’re all clumped up.”

  The girls took off at a quick pace over the hill. Everett and Kevin popped the hood, locked the doors, and then trailed behind, maintaining a ten-to-twenty-yard distance between themselves.

  Elijah held the door open as Everett and Kevin reached the porch. “Come in, come in, hurry!”

  Everett smiled at the old prophet. “Thanks. We’re trying to evade being seen by that chopper.”

  “Courtney told me. This patrol is a most unwelcome development. Most unwelcome, indeed.” Elijah turned the knob on his gas stove and struck a match. “We’ll have some coffee, and perhaps the threat will pass.”

  Courtney looked at the stove. “You still have gas?”

  “I’ve used the wood stove to cook as much as possible, conserving the gas for such a time as this.” Elijah set an old percolator on the burner. “But we’ll be in a terrible predicament if we can’t use wood to heat our homes this winter because we’re trying to avoid being spotted by the Global Republic. The weather is turning cold already. I should guess it was in the mid-forties this morning.”

  Everett looked at the gas stove, the hot pot on the burner, then up at the cabin loft above them. He hoped the pot wouldn’t generate enough heat to be seen through the loft floor and the ceiling above. He dismissed the concern quickly. If the chopper got close enough to see the pot, it would likely pick up on their body heat anyway. He looked at his HK rifle propped up in the corner and calculated his movements if he were to need it.

  Sarah sat down at Elijah’s kitchen table. “Do you mind if we listen to the radio? We couldn’t get any reception in the cave last night. I like to keep up on the propaganda.”

  Courtney took a seat next to her. “Especially when we’re being hunted down by helicopters.”

  “Certain
ly.” Elijah extended the telescoping antenna and turned on the small battery operated radio.

  A female Global Republic reporter with a thick British accent was speaking. “. . . Two lanes of Interstate 95 are now open from Miami to the previous Canadian border in Maine, making it the first fully functional interstate in North America since the Great Quake. Road crews have not yet reconstructed overpasses and exits, but the Department of Transportation has cleared the fallen debris from I-95. Most bridges on the primary north-south artery are one lane only, requiring vehicles to stop and let oncoming traffic pass before proceeding. All interstates are open only to Global Republic vehicles at this time so traffic is well controlled.

  “Interstate 70 now has one lane open from Baltimore to Denver. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are being used by the GR for westbound traffic, while Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are for eastbound traffic. Sundays are reserved exclusively for road construction crews.

  “Department of Transportation officials have stated that they will focus on reopening one lane of Interstate 20 between I-95 and Dallas, before adding a second lane to I-70.

  “Currently, there are no plans to build or repair roadways on the west coast of North America as the death toll from Vancouver to Southern California is estimated at above ninety-five percent. The Global Republic estimates that the quake and subsequent tsunamis killed roughly seventy percent of the population on the west coast. The other twenty-five percent died in the aftermath. The following weeks and months left the area in complete chaos, without food, water, sanitation or security. Unfortunately, the GR was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the disaster and unable to respond.

  “Cities like Atlanta, Miami, and New York did not fare much better, although the GR was able to get some relief to those metropolitan areas within two months of the quake.

  “We can say that New Atlantis is up and running. His High and Most Prepotent Majesty Angelo Luz has moved into his new home which was built on the site of the old White House. The Palace was constructed to withstand severe natural and man-made disasters as the Watchers have communicated that this current period of upheaval may present further challenges to the planet.”

  Elijah laughed and held one finger in the air. “Now there’s the understatement of the year!”

  The reporter continued, “The neo-classical architectural style of the palace itself has integrated Egyptian elements fluidly with Greek and Roman influences. It is remarkably reminiscent of the previous White House. In the front lawn sits an exact replica of the new Temple in Jerusalem. The GR constructed the model as an olive branch to followers of Jewish and Christian mythology.

  “In a speech last week, GR Press Secretary Athaliah Jennings stated that re-establishing order, communications, transportation, food distribution, and power across North America would remain as the Global Republic’s highest priority. She relayed His High and Most Prepotent Majesty’s deep and passionate desire to see the world put back together so we can continue our global journey forward.

  “Perhaps the biggest news of the day is that the Global Republic will begin its first televised broadcast next week. The highly-anticipated programming will debut with public news and information. Programming will be broadcast over the airways via digital, satellite, and even analog signals. Many survivors of the quakes have access to older television sets that can receive a signal via rabbit ears or external antennae, but have not yet been able to obtain satellite receiving equipment.

  “One of the first broadcasts will be a televised tour of New Atlantis. His High and Most Prepotent Majesty believes this will inspire citizens of the global community, providing a ray of hope, and motivating people toward a cooperative spirit. With electric power, internet, sanitation, security, grocery stores, and entertainment, the city has become the first to totally rebound from the disaster. New Atlantis is fully functional and ready to lead the planet back to complete recovery from the quakes which toppled societies all around the globe.

  “In somewhat more somber news, His High and Most Prepotent Majesty has decreed that those refusing to take the pledge to the Global Republic or receive their Mark implants can no longer be tolerated. He has declared these rebels to be enemies of the state. They will have public trials where they will be offered one last opportunity to be part of the new society. Those who decline His High and Most Prepotent Majesty’s grace are to be executed immediately after their trials. Execution is to be by guillotine and will be televised. The means of dispatch may sound barbaric for such a civilized world order as the Global Republic, but it is also a sign of His Majesty’s grace. It is his hope that the brutality and publicity of these sacrifices will encourage other holdouts to join the fold.

  “In international news, Minister of the Americas Richard Clay will be visiting Secretary of the Chinese and Russian Alliance Chenglie Chau in Beijing. The two officials hope to mend relations between the Global Republic and the East. Minister Clay stated that he believes reconciliation will replace the hostility that was so prevalent between the two super powers prior to the global earthquakes.”

  Sarah looked at the other people sitting around the table. “Beheading? Is she serious?”

  “Indeed, she is, child.” Elijah put his hand on her arm and looked at her compassionately.

  Everett swallowed hard as he thought about undergoing the gruesome form of execution himself. “I guess I’m more motivated to not be taken alive now.”

  Kevin raised his eyebrows. “Yeah. Death by guillotine makes taking a bullet sound relatively pleasant.”

  Courtney shivered and curled her lip in revolt at the conversation. “I really wish we’d listened to Ken and Lisa. And you, Elijah.”

  Elijah smiled at her. “The Lord will get you through. He’ll give you the courage and the grace to face whatever Angelo Luz has to throw at you. You are a child of God now. That’s what is important.”

  Everett felt the same way Courtney did. He wished he could go back in time, listen to the wisdom of John Jones, follow the advice of Ken and Lisa, and escape this land of horror and tragedy by being caught up in the rapture. But he couldn’t, so there was no use dreaming about it. Everett stood up and walked out to the porch. He listened for the helicopter. He looked out between the trees. “Nothing. It’s gone.” He hurried back inside. “Guys, I think the chopper is gone. We’ve got to take our window of opportunity. Elijah, thanks for letting us lay low and thanks for the coffee. We’ll be back tonight for dinner if the coast is clear. Also, we’ve decided to take our solar setup out to the cave, so we may need to recharge some batteries here from time to time. If you don’t mind, that is.”

  Elijah waved his hand in the air. “Nonsense, I won’t hear of it. You’ll take my solar panels out to the cave.”

  Everett chuckled as he walked out the door. “We can’t do that, Elijah. They were all your panels in the first place. We can’t let you be up here with no electricity after you planned so diligently.”

  “Don’t argue with a prophet of God!” Elijah’s face was stern.

  Everett was sure he was joking, yet it sent a chill up his spine. He decided not to press the issue. “Okay, thank you.” Everett gave the old man a look of sincere gratitude. “Again.”

  Everett led the way over the hill to the truck. Minutes later, they were back at the cabin. The remainder of the day was spent unloading the supplies and stowing them away.

  CHAPTER 2

  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

  Jeremiah 29:13

  Everett breathed a sigh of relief as he stood on the porch of his cabin and watched the sunset Saturday night. “Rosh Hashanah is over. No sign that the next wave of judgments have begun. I guess we’re in the clear.” He mumbled to himself, “For now, anyways.”

  Courtney walked outside to join him. She zipped up her jacket. “It’s chilly out here!”

  “Yeah, but the air is crisp, fresh.” Everett took a deep breath. “The leaves will be changing soo
n. I love this time of year.”

  She smiled at him. “You’re awfully chipper. You haven’t said much all day. In fact, you weren’t very talkative at Elijah’s last night.”

  “I know. It was supposed to be a celebration; a new year and all that. I felt bad. Elijah put so much effort into dinner. It was great, but I have this sense of dread at every Jewish holiday.”

  She snuggled up close to him. “Well, you can breathe easy for a while.”

  He snickered. “Yeah, for a few days. Yom Kippur starts next Sunday.”

  “Remind me again, what’s that one for?”

  “The Day of Atonement. Jews fast that day as an act of atonement for their sins.”

  “Oh.” Courtney furrowed her brow. “So I guess that one really has you worried, huh?”

  “Yep,” Everett replied. “In the context of the Great Tribulation, the Day of Atonement has something of an ominous ring. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  She nodded slowly. “So Seven Trumpets. We’ve got more earthquakes. Hail, blood, and fire falling from the sky. A giant comet that’s going to poison the water. Do you think it's spread out or all at once?”

  Everett shook his head. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t even know which one to wish for. Both scenarios present a unique set of complications.”

  She turned to face him. “You just came out of your funk, and now I’ve got you all bummed out again. Let’s talk about something else.”

  “Sounds good.” Everett smiled.

  “Do you want to go play cards with Kevin and Sarah?”

  “Not really.”

  “Then do you want to go to bed?”

  “It’s too early to go to sleep.”

  She leaned in to kiss him. “I didn’t say anything about sleeping.”

  He smiled and gave her another kiss.

  Sunday morning Everett awoke to the sound of Kevin’s voice yelling.