Everything is peaceful and quiet. I remember the old cliché saying, “its quietest just before the storm.” I lean over the coiled sticks and place my jacket over it. I reach my hand in and begin breaking each one to active their green iridescent glow. My other hand presses down on my jacket to make sure no light is leaking out. After I count nine snaps, I tuck my jacket under the rolled pile to seal in all the light. I gently lift my jacket and its contents, and then softly shake the bundle back and forth a dozen times. This will guarantee that the iridescent mixture is fully saturated and at optimal lighting capacity. I set the pile back down, but on the other side of the tree trunk this time. I take a final look around the perimeter
to see if any evil might be rearing its ugly head. It seems all is clear, and silent. But, I can smell the stew of trouble boiling.
I lean up until I reach a sprinter’s racing position. Very carefully, I slide my jacket from under the roll of lights, while making sure not to let any green light escape. I keep my hand grasped to my jacket collar; that I’m bringing with me. Everything is ready to go. I just need to whistle and run for my life. I take several slow deep breaths attempting to slow the nervousness of my heart, and store some extra air in my lungs for the long fast haul. My head shifts left facing Gary’s position. I lick my lips knowing this whistle has to be loud and perfect the very first time. I’m ready.
I whistle and jump the log onto the open field. I make it
from “zero to infinity” in less than three seconds. The wire sings a song like someone playing a saw with a violin bow. The glow sticks bob up and down, looking like people running in line just behind me. I reach the end of the line as my force tears the loose end of the wire off the tree. The wire holds firm to my belt as the green lanterns chase after me. The darkness hides Gary, but his thumping steps seem to be matching mine stride for stride. The gulping sound he’s making tells me he’s already out of breath. I just hope he can make it to the safety of the store.
We make it about two hundred feet before I hear what sounds like “King Kong” crashing out of the forest. By the sounds of it, it’s coming right at me from my right flank. I turn on what remains of my after burners and run faster than I thought possible. The rushing sound coming from behind me is covering twice the distance in the same amount of time that my legs can cover. I am at the halfway mark with nothing left in my fuel tank. I know in a few seconds I’ll be finished. I unfetter my sailing jacket and find its freedom gives me a little more speed. The noise tells me the size of the assaulting regiment must number in the hundreds. I can’t imagine so many could hide from my prior detection. The sound is just about on top me, and I still have several hundred feet to go.
Their monstrous green shadows have already overtaken me.
I feel the first set of terrible gnashing teeth chomp into my line. The weight pulling at it makes me dip down. It’s huge! It feels like I caught a full fledge Demon. It jerks the wire with its superhuman strength slicing my belt right off. The plan worked! I hear it tangle in the twanging sound of the wire. I reach down inside myself for just a little more juice that will allow me to put more distance between it. The stampede of thumping feet continues to rush after me. It’s like I’m trying to outrun the raging waters of a broken dam. Suddenly, the following sound changes into an avalanche of colliding
booms. I determine the herd must be piling up on the first tangled Demon. I judge, I have only a hundred feet to go as
more thumping begins chasing me; now from both my flanks. The bones in my legs feel as if they’re turning to gelatin. I just know I’m not going to make it. I see Gary pass me as I get ready to collapse. I reluctantly release my fears into the fog of my mind. The only thing left in me is the satisfaction that Gary is going to make it to the safe area. Finally, it ends. I trip myself in exhaustion, and bury my face in the grown. “God, help me!”
The dirt in my eyes blinds me, but I can still hear that Demon slowing. The height of his snarling tells me it is a giant. I’m not sure if its fear or my instinct to survive that causes me to dig at the dirt with my hands and feet to pull myself away. All of a sudden, I am pulled violently backwards; feeling like I’m being stretched apart. In my agony, I helplessly stare at the store that is sadly oh so close. This monster twists and squeezes my legs, tenderizing my entire body. I suffer as it laughs. I know this excruciating pain is just a taste of the torment coming. I grab at the ruts I’m making, hoping somehow to pull myself away. But, it all seems useless. I cry in the dusty dirt, as it drags me off to my demise.
“Let go of him!” a man’s voice commands, while galloping towards me. I tell myself that I know this voice. It’s my dear crazy friend Moses. I try telling him to go back, but
my parched throat will only expel a couple coughs. Moses fearless command must have intrigued the Demon enough to make it slowdown. I make out Moses bouncing silhouette, which is close enough to grab. Moses screams, “In the name of Jesus, let go of him!” The mention of this holy name forces it to drop me. Moses snatches my right arm and frantically drags me in the opposite direction. I see this army of shadows behind Moses rushing towards me with outstretched arms. They are all yelling just one word, “Jesus!”
Pastor Paul jerks my left arm and races Moses toward the store. The army passes us as they shoot their shouts. I turn my dragging head to see the beast behind. My army stands
firm in their defensive line, as the Demon growls furiously in pain. We make it to the point I fell previously, and then brush past it. I sense victory approaching, but I see the beast jump the line and make its final assault. My feet try to assist both brothers as they push at the dirt. Two columns of light appear as we race between them. I hear the sound of a jet and see the blinding brightness of the sun as my brothers pull me inside the safety of the protected store. The last thing I remember before peacefully passing out is the words, “To Hell with you!”
I smell coffee in this dream. I can almost taste it. I don’t want to ever wake up again. I just want to stay safe awhile in this wonderful dark dream and smell this coffee. “Hey, you awake?” I try and indentify this whispering voice, but I know thinking will force me to wake up and steal my dreamy coffee.
“Hey Joey, I made you a cup of coffee.” I don’t see Dave, but I know his voice. I wonder where in the dark he’s hiding. “Is this really a dream, or did I die?” I start remembering the feeling of being safe. I remember Moses and Paul pulling me. I remember the awful monster tearing at me. But, I was pulled to safety! I ask myself, “How can I be dead?” All this thinking is killing me. I know I just want that coffee! I remember now that my legs were hurting real bad. Maybe, the Demon tore my legs off and I bled to death? Maybe, I did die? “How is he?” Hey, I know that voice too. How did Moses get here?
This is a weird dream. Why do my legs still hurt if I’m dead? Why is there an earthquake in this darkness causing my head to shake? And, why is Moses saying, “Wake up?” Maybe I am alive? Maybe, I’m just dreaming? I feel the shaking again and hear the words, “Hey buddy, it’s time to get up.” The pain in my legs slaps me and reminds me I am really alive. I open my heavy eyes to see a smiling Moses as his hand moves back from off my shoulder. I see Dave half sitting on my cot holding a cup of coffee over my chest. I try and grab it, but leaning up causes sharp pain in my legs. “Lay back Joey, you got some really bad bruises on your legs,” Moses explains.
“Don’t worry though, there’s no permanent damage.” Dave moves the cup close to my chin as Moses helps lift my head. I feel him tuck a rolled blanket under it. “Ahhh,” I finally get my coffee.
I watch Dave flail his arms in excitement as he asks me, “Wasn’t last night amazing?” I look at Moses as he turns to walk away and ask him how Katie and the kids are doing. He stops and turns around. I see him welcome Hanna and Jordan under his outstretched arms. “We’re all fine.” Moses shoos the little darlings towards me. Their outstretched arms cover my chest in their attempt to hug me. Their cold little arms warm my heart. Jordan
tells me, “I’m glad you’re alright Mr. Joey.” Hanna just bobs her tiny head into my belly. I see Katie sneak in the picture; as Moses magically grows a set of arms that rub his chest. Her head peeks around his shoulder while telling me how happy she is. “Thank you Joey,” Katie cries. I watch her tears roll down as she mutters, “We have so much to tell you, but you need to get better.” She waves the kids off me and instructs them to follow her. “Jordan, Hanna, come on, we’ll go over there and play.” I see her stare and smile, saying, “You just get all better. You hear!”
Pastor Paul maneuvers around Katie as she departs. “How are you doing Joe?” He moves closer and stops almost alongside Moses. Paul reaches his hands up from behind Moses and places them on Moses shoulders. Paul tells me, “I
don’t know where you’d be if it wasn’t for the strength of this big guy?” Moses face begins to blush with and “oh, shucks-it weren’t nothing” look. The only thing I can say to them is, “Thanks guys for holding on.” Moses informs me, “Katie is right. You need some more rest. I got to let you know Joey how happy I am right now. Thanks for saving me and my family. I love you man.” This tough strong face that’s been through so much shows signs of cracking. His eyes glaze over as he retreats towards Katie.
Dave seems to be going crazy trying to get a word in. I see Paul getting ready to speak as I get ready to sip. I lift my
free hand slightly to signal Paul to wait. I tell Dave to go ahead and tell us what’s on his mind. “Did you see the Angel? Did you see those LD flee when he sliced the thing to pieces? The Angel was huge. I was so scared of it, but he stopped the Demon in its tracks!” Dave fills me in with all the emotional aspects on what happen last night. I fill in the blank spots left in my memory with his explanation. The blast of light last night was what Dave recalls as a huge fiery sword. It caused an explosion as the Angel struck the evil beast. I figure that’s the natural reaction of holy meeting evil. I see the exciting pressure discharge from Dave’s face as he finishes telling me this fantastic story. Pastor Paul patiently waits while nodding his affirmation. Dave looks to him checking to see if Paul continues to agree with his recollection of his story. Dave finally remarks, “That was awesome!”
Dave returns to his sedentary posture waiting for our reactions. Paul nods up and down as he comments, “It’s amazing what God can do.” Dave asks if I need a refill, as Paul’s mouth pauses in the open position sucking air. I hand Dave my cup and tell him, “Filler up buddy.” He grabs it and moves away. Paul asks if anyone told me what else happened here the day I left. “No,” I tell him. “But, I am sure interested to know about the downed jet and the enormous crater.” Paul sits on the edge of my cot knowing this will take time to explain.
“Well, a short time after you left here we were attacked. That downed jet you saw tried to bomb the building.” I remember a jet flying over me in this direction when I was going after Moses. Paul continues with “I heard the roar of its engines roaring nearby. I went to the top of the building just in time to watch it finish circling and head straight at us.” I shake my head knowing something fantastic is coming next out of Paul’s mouth. “The jet starts diving downwards. Then, out of the sky appear these magnificent creatures. One had eyes covering its whole body, and even its wings. It was
gigantic; simply huge. The one with eyes all over it leaps
above the jet, and out of nowhere his sword appears. It was so bright that I could hardly bear to look at it. The creature swung its sword and chopped the jet right in half. The front half shot straight upwards and the back half just dispersed into a rainbow of colors.” I remember concluding that the jet was sliced in two after observing the downed jet. Paul continues explaining, “It raised its sword and flung beams of light at the front half of jet causing it to crash really fast. The flinging light turned into flaming bullets as it passed through the jet. Right after it crashed I noticed the New California Army that had lined up on the edge of the store’s property.” This is the part that really intrigues me. What kind of weapon could kill all those soldiers the way I found them? Paul states, “I heard a command come over a loud radio transmission to ‘Attack’. The two remaining creatures flew fast upwards and raised their open hands towards the heavens. Then, they quickly swung both their arms, dunking this swirling void down towards the army. A second later, there was this enormous crater followed by one large boom. I couldn’t see what the Angels threw, but in a way I could.”
I ask Paul if he might know what caused the magnificent meteor shower. He tells me he found the emergency radio in the box-I discovered. During the storm he turned it on and tuned it in to different shortwave emergency
frequencies. All the stations reported similar messages about
the shower and its destructive power. I learn this was not a local event. Paul describes listening to places as far away as Europe and Africa, telling how they were experiencing the same catastrophic event. “I went to the roof and saw a million fireballs falling from the sky. They were exploding everywhere except right here.” I just stare at Paul in total marvel. I realize exactly everything we both have seen these last few days. It surely was the mighty hand of God.
Chapter 9: Step of Faith
I remember reading a 1960s dictionary definition for the word “compassion.” Back then there was no concern for “political correctness,” or the worry of offending those sensitive to the Christian religion. Its definition is one I will remember the rest of my life. It simply stated: “Compassion is the feeling of distress and pity originating from the action of Jesus Christ as he hung on the cross, often with the desire to alleviate his suffering.” I look out from the roof top over the town and feel this same type of desire. I know there are still Irreverent out there who need to be saved. I stand in the satisfaction that I have been able to help some so far. But, my spirit yearns to find every soul who would be saved. I shake my head side to side in disbelief to all that has happen recently. The revelation in my mind of what lay ahead weighs my head down with both worry and pity. I fear a higher calling that’s pushing my chin up towards Heaven.
It has been two weeks since my legs were injured. I’m now able to hobble around without the handmade crutches the guys made for me. They are still bruised badly, but I’ll live. I stiffly descend the access ladder back into what looks like “Noah’s Ark.” The brothers and sisters have organized this place into a large home filled with lots of love. The women have given it their special touch with witty ways of decorating it. It’s the first time in years since I’ve seen children safely playing and heard them happily laughing. I stop halfway down just to marvel at this phenomenal family, and readjust the swinging crutches strapped on my back-which I still carry just in case. In this moment I thank God for all He has done for all of us. I kind of feel this is what Heaven will be like.
I see Amanda waving to me while she converses with her two friends. I finish my descent and head over to say hello. During my previous mission Pastor Paul took Amanda and several brothers out to the edge of town and rescued Jerry
and Ruth. These are the same two people that were traveling with Amanda and her brother Jimmy before they were captured. They seem fairly fit now, but the group had to drag them back her. They found them badly undernourished and unconscious. They had not eaten or drank water in a week. They seem to be in high spirits living here in their new home.
“Hey Joey, do you got a second?” Scotty yells. He’s waving me over to a group of adults on the far side of this large room. I hand signal Scotty with my index finger, meaning I’ll be over in a few seconds. I detour around Amanda, Jerry, and Ruth while telling them, “We’ll meet up later. I have something important to do now.” I head towards Scotty’s beckoning call alerting me that it is time for the daily briefing. I am forced to slam my brakes on along my venture and give the right away to a wild pack of racing children. I feel my legs being spread forcefully from behind. I am surprised by this kid’s sheer determination as he runs through my legs and after the others
. I tell the tiny tike those eternal words of wisdom my momma passed down to me many years ago. “Patience is a virtue kid!”
I carefully cross the intersection and proceed on course towards Scotty’s continually coaxing hand. There is a small excited group of gossiping women that I try and run over, but they have the reflexes of birds on a highway. I limp through and excuse myself as they part for me. I notice my interruption never causes them to lose a single beat of their chatter. “Ladies,” I tell them, as I hurry to hear the real news from the men on the other side of them. I shuffle pass them to the meeting area. “Sit over here Joey,” Scotty instructs me. I follow his advice and find myself sitting in the front row of this creative bleacher of boxes. Dave tries to squeeze his rear in between Scotty and me. He pats my shoulder with a combination “hello” and a “scoot over.” I think how nice it is not to have to worry about the noise I make, or the LD crashing through my front door. Dave hands me a cup of coffee as I tell him, “Thanks buddy!”
Kenny has been given authority to oversee and delegate details devoted to our everyday living needs. He leads off the discussion by showing us his new creation. It is a “details list” drawn on a large section of cardboard. He finishes his class by explaining how to read the thing, and how to understand our assignments. Moses steps up next. He has been put in charge of all the supplies. Everyone voted him Quartermaster because of his enforcing size. I think it was a good choice. At the end of each week he tells us how much food we used and how much is still left. He also gives accounting of the total population. This has changed recently, as almost all the brothers of “T” have moved over here. Moses tells us the grand total is now 167. I expect that to change dramatically in the coming days as more find out about this supplied safe haven. A couple other brothers give accounts on their assigned, less relevant, positions. I sit through their lethargic conversations while anxiously waiting for Pastor Paul. His job is to monitor the shortwave radio, and-of course, to also give us inspirational advice. He is our link to the outside world. He knows all the real news. We remorsefully begin clapping for the final departing speaker, and then joyfully for our approaching Pastor Paul.
A Abba's Apocalypse Page 16