by Len du Randt
The people appeared more relaxed, but the tension was still tangible.
‘What can we do?’ a woman asked. ‘The sound alone will surely drive us all insane.’
‘Praise and worship the Lord,’ Timothy said. ‘The louder the buzzing, the louder we praise.’
For a moment there was only the buzzing, and then another humming filled the room. Softly at first, but growing in volume. Mary hummed louder as she recollected the memories of when she and Angie used to sing together. Malcolm squeezed her hand and joined in, uncomfortably at first, but growing more relaxed as others joined in.
Timothy had some people hand out tambourines, drums, shofars, and guitars. Before long, they were all singing and rejoicing together. They continued long after the buzzing had passed, and for the first time in his life, did Timothy worship with his parents and actually enjoy it.
- - -* * *- - -
‘Can someone please tell me what the Hell is going on here?’ the doctor demanded as he burst into the operating room.
‘It’s the people, sir,’ a nurse replied. ‘They’re being brought in by the dozens. I—I have never seen anything like this in my life.’
‘And what’s causing it?’ he asked.
‘It’s mostly self-inflicted, doctor,’ she said.
He stopped, and then looked at her quizzically. ‘Self-inflicted?’
‘Yes, doctor.’
‘Why? What’s the cause of this?’
‘According to those that brought them in, they apparently couldn’t stand the pain of that weapon that the Christians are using.’
‘And they tried to commit suicide?’
The nurse nodded. ‘Everything from gunshot wounds to people that jumped from the rooftops of skyscrapers.’
‘And they’re alive?’ the doctor asked.
‘Yes.’ The nurse nodded again. ‘All of them are, doctor. It’s like they can’t die, no matter what.’
- - -* * *- - -
‘Aren’t you going to work today?’ René asked as she was about to leave the flat.
Trevor shook his head. His facial expression revealed the excruciating pain that he still felt even hours after the attack.
‘Did you call in sick?’
He nodded.
‘You know that because you can avoid the pain, management won’t accept what you’re going through as being legally sick.’
Trevor didn’t say anything.
‘According to them, if you refuse to take the Shield, you are regarded as a terrorist, and no longer work for the company.’
Still no reply.
She hesitated for a second. It was hard to believe that the poor, pathetic man lying on the sofa was Trevor. She longed to care for him, but at the same time wanted to teach him that his stubbornness was what was causing this pain and suffering. She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. She merely walked out the door and locked it behind her.
Trevor turned up the volume as GMN displayed some commotion at a hospital.
‘It is a sad day today,’ the News Reporter said, ‘as hospitals worldwide are being swamped by attempted suicide victims that have somehow miraculously survived. The motive behind the suicides all appear to be linked to the secret weapon of the Christians, but doctors and nurses are at a loss as to what it is that is keeping these people alive, as some of them have survived electrocutions, gunshot wounds to the head, and even plummets from as high as thirty storeys.’
Trevor flinched. He could just imagine the pain of surviving something like that.
‘The European Empire’s President, Victor Yoshe, has claimed that he is the source that is keeping the people alive, since he cannot, quote, ‘see the use of losing so many good people due to the fact that they will simply not worship me or accept my Shield of protection,’ end quote. This is Stefan Goemans for GMN Live.’
- - -* * *- - -
Andrew was painfully typing up an email for his parents when his computer announced that he had new mail in his inbox. He minimized his current message and stared at the header of the incoming mail for a moment before clicking on it. It read:
Subject: Message from the Sealed Ones of Israel
Dear reader,
We greet you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ. It is our duty as the Sealed Ones of Israel to inform you of what is going on in the world. Since the disappearances – which we now know was the Rapture, and not ‘alien attacks’ – the world has seemed to have spun violently out of control. There were the two prophets in Jerusalem, the economic crash, the meteor strike, the poisoning of fresh water, and now, the invisible attacks, which are blamed on Christians.
Take heed! This is not so! Christians are not the cause of these attacks. Demons are. We are living in the last days. We have been left behind on this planet to go through G-d’s wrath on mankind for its stubbornness. This is His last desperate attempt to win your hearts before it is too late. It has all been prophesied. There is no escaping the wrath. But there is an escape of the eternal torment that shall follow the last years of our existence.
That escape is Jesus Christ. Repent now, and turn your hardened hearts to the Lord. Repent and be saved. You will still go through the plagues like the rest, but be assured of your salvation. Console yourself in the fact that the short-term pain is more than worth the long-term gain.
Victor Yoshe is Armilus: the Antichrist. He is not the Christ. He is not G-d. He is an impostor, and soon, he will enslave and kill hundreds of millions. If you have not worshipped him yet, nor have accepted his mark, called ‘the Shield of Victor,’ we want to urge you to continue in your path of light. Do not yield to him, no matter how tempted you feel. He has control of these demons that are currently plaguing the world. That is why they leave you alone when you worship him. He commands them not to harm those who has the Shield or who worship him, to create an illusion of protection.
We understand the pain that you are going through, but please, for the sake of your eternal soul, do not do anything rash. Do not try to commit suicide, and do not worship Victor or take his mark. Victor’s control over these demons will last for five months only. Commit your hearts to Jesus Christ, and you will reap the eternal benefits.
Please know that if you do choose to follow Jesus, soon you will be persecuted, and more than likely be killed. But fear not, for the time of the Great War is approaching, and then shall the end come.
This war will not just affect the European Empire, but will involve the entire world. Soon the time will come that you will have to choose a side: Victor or Jesus.
We will continue to pray for those whom there is still hope for. If you are already following Jesus Christ, join us in prayer, and ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes and hearts of those blinded to the Truth.
Fear not, you are not alone in your struggles. G-d is with you.
Sincere love in Christ,
The Sealed Ones of Israel
Andrew sat back in his chair and sighed. He felt renewed strength in his faith and wondered how they had managed to get his email address. There was no reply address, and the mail had been sent to an ‘Undisclosed Recipient.’
He forwarded the mail to Trevor and everyone else in his address book, and then shot a prayer for them all, asking the Lord to open their hearts and to make them see. He would have continued praying had a soft humming sound not distracted him.
‘Jesus,’ he prayed out loud. ‘Please help Trevor, myself, and all the others worldwide through this.’
He grabbed hold of a towel that was soaking in a bucket of water and rolled it up. He stuffed it into his mouth and bit down hard as he prepared himself mentally for the torture session that he was about to endure.
- - -* * *- - -
‘Water wars have broken out globally in the cities with the most lethal level of contamination. N-Force peacekeepers have tried to keep the riots under control, and have resorted to using violence to keep the occupants at bay. No deaths had been reported yet, as President Yoshe’s no-d
eath gift is still in effect.
‘President Yoshe has issued a stern warning against those trying to attack anyone with the Shield for his or her water. In a press conference he said that anyone doing so will be subjected to the Christian’s secret weapon regardless of whether they worship him or not.
‘He also said that anyone caught disturbing the peace will be arrested, and held captive until the no-death period is over, after which he will personally ‘take care’ of those individuals.
‘N-Force has their best task force officers on the mission of finding the location of the Christian’s secret weapon, and will destroy it when found. Investigation has revealed Yemen as a possible location for the weapon. This is Connie Jacobs for GMN Live.’
- - -* * *- - -
South Africa: Five Months Later
‘Trevor?’
‘Yes?’
Andrew could hear that Trevor had been pushed to his limit. There was no going further. ‘It’s over.’
‘Over?’
‘It’s finished. The demonic attacks.’
Trevor tried to grasp what Andrew was trying to tell him. He was physically and mentally worn out. Five months of relentless torture, three times a day; seven days a week had broken him.
‘Did you hear me, Trev?’
Trevor looked at the blood-stained towel next to him and tears filled his eyes. He broke down into sobs. ‘It’s finished?’ he asked, not caring about revealing this side of himself to Andrew.
‘It’s finished,’ Andrew confirmed.
‘No more torture?’
‘No more stinging.’
Trevor wanted to say something, but he just cried instead. Eventually he did manage to talk again. ‘When are you coming over again?’
‘I could be there tomorrow if it’s okay with you,’ Andrew assured his friend. ‘But for now, please, get some rest.’
‘Th—thank you, Andrew,’
Trevor hung up the phone and just shook as he sobbed out loud.
- - -* * *- - -
Cameras flashed simultaneously as Victor stepped up to the podium. Everyone wanted to hear what he had to say about the Christian’s secret weapon. He held up his hand, and everyone in the room instantly fell to the ground.
‘Experience the power of God,’ he said. ‘Worship me, and receive strength.’
The GMN reporters and newsreaders worshipped as one, praising Victor for his kindness and glory in murmured prayers. Slowly but surely they regained their strength and sat down on their seats; all except for one.
‘Ah,’ Victor said with a hint of amusement in his voice. ‘Do we have someone here who refuses to worship?’
The man lying on the floor didn’t say anything. He didn’t have enough strength to even lift his head.
‘What’s the matter, Richard,’ Victor asked. ‘Do you have a hard time getting up?’
The man tried to speak, but all he managed to accomplish from his efforts was to make a short gurgling sound. Victor looked at the reporters and smiled, pointing to the man lying at his feet. They chuckled and a few took pictures.
‘Say again, Richard,’ Victor said. ‘I didn’t get that.’
‘Ung...y—you...I...’
‘Come now, Richard. We haven’t got all day. This is live, you know.’
Richard just lay still, unable to move.
Victor bent over and brought his face close to the man lying on the ground. ‘Are you a Christian, Richard?’
The man tried to say something, but only managed to gurgle some more.
‘Fine,’ Victor said and stood up. ‘Get up and speak for yourself.’
The man gasped and swallowed heavy breaths of air as his strength slowly returned. Ryan walked over to him and jerked him to his feet.
‘Thank you, Commander Archer,’ Victor said, pleased. ‘Now, Richard, tell us. Are you a Christian terrorist?’
The man just remained quiet and silently scanned the dozen pair of accusing eyes for a glimmer of compassion. He found none.
‘Richard,’ Victor said, the humour gone from his voice. ‘I sincerely hope that I will not have to repeat my question again. Are you a Christian terrorist?’
The man answered with a mumble.
‘Excuse me?’ Victor said. ‘Are you trying to say something?’
The man answered again.
‘Louder,’ Victor ordered and took a step back; any form of diplomacy completely gone from his voice.
‘Yes,’ the man said loudly. The GMN crew held their breaths.
‘Commander Archer, please take this man to one side while I address the world.’
Ryan complied and pulled the man to the back of the stage.
‘Dear people of the European Empire, and the rest of the free world,’ Victor said. ‘I am addressing you today to declare that the secret weapon of the Christian terrorists has been found, and destroyed. The Christians cannot use this weapon on you anymore, and the no-death state is thus no longer applicable.’
Cameras flashed and a slight cheer of relief came from some of the reporters.
‘This incident has, however, forced me to take drastic action against these terrorists who call themselves the followers of Jesus.’ He spat out the name as if it left a vile taste in his mouth.
‘How long can we turn the other cheek to these hypocrites? How long must we be subject to their torture and hatred? Do you know that more people have been killed for the cause of Jesus since he died, than all natural disasters in the history of this world combined?’
The GMN reporters were taking notes and pictures, supporting Victor with the occasional nod.
‘Is that love?’ he asked and looked around the room at the reporters shaking their heads. He looked at the Christian man at the back of the stage. ‘Is that love, Richard?’
The man didn’t answer.
‘That’s not love,’ Victor answered his own question. ‘That’s nothing but pure hate! The Crusades and the dark ages are but two examples of this hatred in practice. People in the Middle East have been slaughtered for years for this Jesus. And for what? Why do you stand up for this...this superstitious, government instituted ‘religion’ called Christianity?’
He turned back and faced the cameras. ‘Wake up, people! These Christians are the real reason that racism exists, that innocent people are killed by the thousands each year. These Christians,’ he said and pointed to the man at Ryan’s side, ‘are the real terrorists!’
The crowd of reporters verbally approved Victor’s views.
‘No,’ Victor said after a brief moment of composing himself. ‘This has gone on for long enough now. I declare a state of martial law against any individual who takes sides with the false Christ called Jesus. It doesn’t matter what age, race, or gender.
‘These people must learn that they cannot just walk in here and incite terror and fear. If they want to play hardball, we will play their game right back at them. As of today, I am officially, by my own authority, reinstituting the crucifixion of the old Roman Empire.
‘If these people want to live by the cross...’ he paused and the edges of his lips pulled into a grin, ‘they shall die by the cross!’
The cheers were deafening. The reporters clapped and cheered as cameras flashed.
Victor walked to Richard and pulled the man by his tie to the front of the stage. The man choked and the reporters laughed as his face become red.
‘Are you still a Christian, Richard?’ Victor mocked.
The man coughed and wheezed and Victor let go of his tie.
‘Say what?’ Victor said and leaned forward.
‘Y...yes...’
‘And are you prepared to die for your faith?’
‘Yes...’
‘Then so be it, fool!’ Victor said as he motioned toward Ryan. ‘Commander Archer,’ he said. ‘Take this man and hand him over to N-Force. Let them make a public display of his crucifixion so that the entire world can see that we are once and for all stomping our feet down on terror. As of right now,
we are taking a stand against anarchy.’
Victor looked at the crowd of reporters before concluding: ‘Let it also be known that anyone in the Empire harbouring a Christian terrorist will indeed be breaking the law, and thus share the same fate as the terrorists: death.’
.XVI.
Persecution
For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equalled again.
- Matthew 24:21, NIV
Traffic seemed considerably lighter to Trevor since the disappearances, yet the cars still stood still during morning rush-hour. Trevor loved the freedom as he weaved the motorcycle between the cars. A few minutes later he pulled into a fuel station.
‘Fill ‘er up,’ he said as he stretched his legs.
‘Will that be card or Shield, sir?’ the station attendant asked him once the tank was filled to its brim.
‘Card,’ Trevor said and wondered how long it would be before the answer would change to ‘Shield.’
The attendant scanned Trevor’s card with a small handheld scanner and punched some numbers into a keypad. ‘You know,’ the attendant said as he punched in the amount. ‘It’s strange to think that in only a few more weeks this little piece of plastic will be obsolete.’
‘Don’t remind me,’ Trevor said. ‘Now that the African Union is about to merge with the European Empire, we will be forced to get the Shield.’
‘You say that as if it’s a bad thing,’ the attendant said. ‘I mean, with the aliens now able to forge the card, it would be easier to blend in with us again for another attack. I personally think that the merger is the best thing that could happen to this country; both economic and growth wise.’