by Len du Randt
‘And what are the next few steps?’
Timothy stood up and clenched his fists. ‘We take back our city.’
‘Jerusalem?’
‘Yes. Evil has trampled our city and Temple for long enough now.’
Malcolm was impressed at how his son had grown from a meek little boy to a determined young man. ‘And how do you propose we do that?’ he asked.
Timothy sat back down and leaned closer toward his father. ‘Now this is the part where you come in.’
.XIX.
The Gathering
‘Those who want to live, let them fight, and those who do not want to fight in this world of eternal struggle do not deserve to live.’
- Adolf Hitler
The businessman stood on the ledge of the thirty-fourth storey window outside his office. Even though the early morning sun had already pierced the thin layer of dust that now covered the Earth, the moon still hung in the air as if it had forgotten to slip away.
He looked up at the bloodshot moon, wondering if it had witnessed the genocide at Al Jalil; and that it somehow mourned with him.
How could this have happened? The man thought to himself as he looked down at the tiny specks that represented traffic way below. Why did Lord Victor allow this to happen to all his loyal followers?
The wind howled softly, singing a song of sorrows; encouraging the man to make the leap.
My life is ruined, the man tried to justify his reason for standing on the ledge. I’ve lost it all, and there is nothing worth living for anymore.
The fall of the Empire’s economic backbone caused a financial collapse and most of the companies that traded with the city had to close their doors.
Please Lord Yoshe, the man pleaded as he leaned forward. Forgive me and protect my wife and children.
With one smooth movement, the man stepped off the ledge and, a few seconds later, disappeared into the tiny specks below.
- - -* * *- - -
The world leaders took their seats as Antonio entered the room.
‘We thank you for attending this urgent meeting,’ he said. ‘I would like to open this session in prayer. If you would all bow your heads, please.’
The leaders all bowed their heads, and Antonio begun his prayer: ‘Lord Yoshe, God of all; we pray that you will lead and guide us during these terrible times. We pray for your wisdom and guidance and, above all, for your deliverance. Please forgive us our sins against you, and richly bless us with your love. Amen.’
Amen, the leaders repeated.
‘All rise for Sovereign Emperor Yoshe!’
The leaders rose from their seats as Victor entered the room, and they could tell from his facial expression that he had serious business on his mind.
‘Leaders of the free world,’ Victor began his address after everyone was seated again. ‘Brothers and sisters of Earth; I stand before you today, a broken man. The terrorists have taken away that which has been dearest to me: my City of Hope.’
The leaders murmured softly.
‘Al Jalil represented a better future; one that could be achieved by joining forces and speaking one common language as we work toward one common goal. It was our Tower of Babel and represented our ability to stand up and go on, despite the setbacks that we might encounter in life.
‘The terrorists have trampled on our hopes and spat in our faces. They have mocked our ideals and laughed as they slaughtered millions of our beautiful women and children. It is time to act, ladies and gentlemen. If we do not do something about this, if we do not stand up for what we believe, they will continue to harass us until we have all been eliminated.’
Victor allowed his words to sink in.
‘Our very future existence depends not on if, but how we retaliate. They will not cease. They will not show mercy. They will continue to rape our women and kill our children. They will destroy our cities and plunder our homes. They are a plague, and they must be stopped once and for all.’
There were nods and most of the members clapped to show their approval of Victor’s plea. When the clapping died down, one man stood up.
‘Tell us, Lord,’ he addressed Victor. ‘What are we to do?’
‘I am gathering my armies in the plains of Megiddo. Our informers have discovered that the headquarters, the main infrastructure of the terrorist plague is located in caves near that valley. We will eradicate them once and for all on live television, and then the world shall be free. All I ask is that you join me in my quest, and that you bring over as many people as possible to join the ranks of the armies.’
‘But our armies are weak, my Lord.’
‘I did not ask you for your armies, President,’ Victor said. ‘I asked for your people: your men, women, and children. I want everyone worldwide to join our ranks.’
There was a moment of silence as the leaders of the world thought about Victor’s plan of action. Finally one man spoke.
‘Even if we do manage to get as many people to your encampments in Megiddo, my Lord, it could take years to find the location of their caves.’
‘My scouts have informed me of their exact location. If we join forces now, eradicating them will only be a matter of time. If we don’t, their reign of terror could last forever.’
‘What about emigration laws?’ one of the leaders asked.
‘I override those laws,’ Victor said. ‘Anyone loyal to the Empire and its cause is more than welcome to enter. All that enter will accept Shields as a token of total allegiance to me and, together, we will rid the world of this cancer. The terrorists have challenged God by challenging me. And now, I openly accept their challenge and will prove to the world once and for all that their terrorist leader, Jesus, is dead.’
The leaders nodded.
‘You have one week to respond. I hope that we will be standing side by side on the day that victory is declared. Thank you for being here today.’
The leaders rose as Victor and Antonio left the room.
- - -* * *- - -
‘Thousands have lost their lives in a recent spate of suicides. Businessmen worldwide have thrown themselves off buildings, or slit their wrists. Some have murdered entire families before killing themselves. The death toll is climbing as fast as the economy is falling, and there is no indication of when the economy will be restored back to its original state. Watch GMN tonight as we speak to economist, John Silverton about the future of our economy.’
‘There is no future for the economy,’ Trevor said and leaned back deeper into the sofa.
‘I don’t know,’ Sumen said. ‘I think that in about two years, the economy could be back to normal.’
‘Normal,’ Trevor echoed. ‘Normal as in cash, or normal as in the plastic card?’
Sumen frowned.
‘Or normal as in the Shield?’
‘I would think normal as in the Shield,’ Sumen said after some thought.
Trevor weighed Sumen’s answer. He wondered if all his praying outweighed Sumen’s freedom of choice. He wondered about the really difficult choices that might still lie ahead.
‘In international news,’ GMN continued. ‘Sovereign Emperor Victor Yoshe has requested world leaders to join him and his armies in eradicating the terrorists once and for all. Lord Yoshe stated in the meeting that he knows the whereabouts of the group responsible for the death and destruction in Al Jalil. Men, women, and children from all over the world are called to join the ranks of Lord Yoshe’s army in Megiddo. Global emigration laws have been suspended until the war is over, and anyone joining the war will be accepted as European Empire citizens. Lord Yoshe firmly believes that this will be the final onslaught against what he calls “the enemy plague,” and also that world peace is finally within reach.’
‘See what they’re calling you?’ Sumen said and nudged Trevor. ‘A plague.’
‘Sticks and stones,’ Trevor said. ‘I used to work at an Internet Helpdesk. Trust me; I’ve been called much worse things before.’
‘Doesn’t it get you
just a little worked up?’ Sumen asked. ‘You must have great self-control.’
‘One of the fruits of being a Christian,’ Trevor said. He suddenly missed Norman. That was exactly the type of thing that Norman would have said. And, not so long ago, it would have given Trevor the perfect excuse to avoid his brother for a couple of months.
‘And blowing up cities?’ Sumen asked. ‘Is that a ‘fruit’ too, or a bonus?’
‘How can you know for sure that it had indeed been Christians that blew up Al Jalil? Do you believe everything you hear and see on GMN?’
‘No, but they do have convincing evidence.’
‘The same sort of ‘evidence’ that claimed Lee Harvey Oswald was a lone gunman?’
‘You don’t think that he was alone?’
‘I’m not even sure if he even was involved to begin with.’
‘Wait a minute...are you telling me that you don’t believe he shot John F. Kennedy?’
‘Not any more than I believe that a bearded Bedouin was responsible for the nine-eleven attacks way back when.’
‘So you’re a conspiracy theorist?’ Sumen said and smiled. ‘Odd. You didn’t strike me as one.’
‘Just a hardened sceptic.’ He paused. ‘Let’s just say that I have an open mind, and don’t always swallow the garbage that the government spoon feeds the masses through the media.’
‘And yet you believe in a myth that’s thousands of years old?’
Trevor knew where this conversation was headed. He had used the same reasoning to trap many Christian evangelists before. His heart sank as he realized the futility of his efforts, but he knew that if God could open his heart and eyes; that He could make anyone see. Eventually he spoke again. ‘In time...you will see that it’s not a myth. I only pray that it’s not too late by then.’
The GMN News Reader interrupted any potential comeback that Sumen might have had. ‘The lack of rain in Israel over the last two years has resulted in something never before witnessed in the history of mankind. The Euphrates River has dried up, leaving a scorched chasm where strong water once flowed. Sovereign Emperor, Lord Yoshe has claimed that this is indeed good news, since his armies are now able to march from their current location to unite with other armies in the plains of Megiddo. From there he will lead his people into battle against the Christian terrorists.’
Trevor knew that the end was drawing near, and it made him nervous and uncomfortable. It was like watching something bad happening, and being powerless to do anything about it.
Please let him see before the end, Trevor pleaded. Please save Sumen.
- - -* * *- - -
The Canada massacre was almost more than Ryan could handle. He had never witnessed the relentless torturing and killing of so many men, women, and children in his entire life. People were covered in tar and burned on pikes to light up the path of destruction that the Imperial Soldiers left in their wake. There was no escape.
‘Would you like another drink, sir?’ the flight attendant interrupted Ryan’s train of thought.
You will die too, you know, Ryan thought as he forced a smile. ‘That would be great,’ he said instead. ‘Thanks.’
She poured him another whiskey and also attempted a smile before pushing her trolley down the aisle to the next row of seats. The wart and boil plague didn’t touch her yet because she was a recent convert. It would be a few weeks before the itching would begin.
What is this world coming to, Ryan thought as he stared out of the window. Down below, the Earth seemed so tranquil and untouched. It was difficult to think that there were no more fresh water springs or oceans. They had all been replaced with what scientists claimed was blood. He had seen his fair share in Canada. The blood literally flowed through the streets like red rivers.
Millions of people were dying because of plagues, hunger, and thirst; and millions more from the slaughter-hungry Imperial Soldiers. Sickness spread amongst those who resorted to drinking the blood rather than risk dying from dehydration. It was only a matter of time before they all met the same fate.
Moral standards crashed along with the economy, and people became so self obsessed that they would kill anyone who remotely threatened their comfort zones. Human sacrifices were made in the Temples of Yoshe scattered throughout the world and, in many countries in the Empire, thousands of people were killed for not praying to Victor’s many statues.
This world has become nothing but one big freak show, Ryan thought as he downed his whiskey. Is there a way out? Is there a being more superior to Victor? If so, make yourself heard or seen before it’s too late.
- - -* * *- - -
‘I don’t want to go, Samuel.’
‘We have to. Lord Yoshe has commanded all world leaders to go. There are no exceptions.’
‘I don’t want you to go,’ Samuel’s wife said and mindlessly shoved her food around in her plate. She didn’t want to look her husband in the eye. She couldn’t. She understood that he had to go, but she wanted to be his priority.
‘I have no choice, Susan,’ he told his wife. ‘Not me, at least.’
‘Can’t we just disappear, like the others?’
‘They are cowards,’ Samuel said and slammed his glass down on the table. ‘Lord Yoshe will hunt them down and torture them in unimaginable ways. Do you want that?’
Susan remained quiet.
‘Do you want that?’
She didn’t look up. ‘No.’
‘Neither do I,’ he said. ‘I would rather go and command an army, and then come back and spend the rest of my days here with you. Wouldn’t that be better than hiding in some cave somewhere, eating sticks and mud?’
She nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek. ‘If you love me,’ she said after scraping her food some more, ‘you will not leave.’
‘And if you love me,’ he said and stood up from the table, ‘you wouldn’t expect me to stay.’
‘I do love you,’ she said and started weeping.
‘I will be in my study,’ he said as he turned to leave. ‘Do not disturb me.’
- - -* * *- - -
Samuel entered his study and sat down in a handcrafted Rosewood chair. He switched on the computer and while it booted up, poured himself a drink. Perhaps Susan had a valid point. He still loved her, but since the alien attacks a little over six years ago, he didn’t care about her like he used to.
Samuel had become his own priority, and had noticed that it had been the same with everyone else. Memories flooded his mind as he remembered all the good times the two of them had together. He put down his drink and started typing an email addressed to one of Victor’s secretaries:
Dear Penny,
Please inform Sovereign Emperor, Lord Yoshe that I will not be able to join him in his crusade to rid the world of the terrorist menace.
He stared at the sentence for a while and decided that he would go through with it and send the letter. Samuel wanted to get away from everything just as much as he wanted the Christian terrorists out of the picture. A movement in the corner of the room caught his attention and he looked up. At first he couldn’t see anything but, as his eyes adjusted to the lighting of the room, he became vaguely aware of a figure standing there, observing him.
‘Is anyone there?’ he asked, thinking that it could be the dim lights playing tricks on his eyes. ‘Show yourself.’
The figure moved forward from the darkness as if floating on air, and stopped at the edge of his desk. It was a cloaked figure, so Samuel couldn’t see features like a face or feet, but he could see the hands. They weren’t hands. They were claws.
‘Who...who are you?’ Samuel asked.
‘I am The Gatherer,’ the cloaked figure hissed in a coarse whisper. ‘I have come to collect you for the journey.’
‘The journey?’ Samuel asked. ‘Where to?’
‘To Israel; to join Lord Yoshe’s army.’
‘You can go back to Lord Yoshe and tell him that I’m not coming.’
‘Oh, but you are,’ the
figure hissed. ‘You know very well where your loyalty liesss.’
‘I want to stay here with my wife. She is pregnant, and I do not want to leave her here alone.’
‘You dare defy God?’ the figure asked and started breathing in heavy wheezes.
‘No...’ Samuel said. ‘It’s just...my wife will never forgive me if I went.’
‘Then you will just have to make her understand...one way or another...’
Samuel thought about his wife. He thought about the coming baby. He wanted to be there for them, especially for the birth. But the hooded figure was right. He had sworn an oath to Victor, and his God did have priority over his wife.
‘Okay,’ he finally said. ‘I will do it.’
- - -* * *- - -
‘Thousands of people are flocking to Israel daily to join Sovereign Emperor Yoshe’s army. Cities appear barren and empty as entire communities abandon their once comfortable lifestyles for one of bunkers and desert sand. Many without Shields have come out of hiding to join Lord Yoshe’s side; and swore their allegiance to him as they received their Shields and immunity.
‘Bounty hunters have doubled their efforts to seek those without Shields. This has come shortly after Lord Yoshe announced that the reward for turning in a terrorist that converts will be trebled.
‘As many people that join the ranks of Lord Yoshe’s army, just as many are dying of dehydration, starvation, plagues, and other illnesses. The bodies are piling up as the soldiers are gathering. Great masses of soldiers from China and Russia have already marched across the dry Euphrates to join Lord Yoshe’s army. So far the enemy has only responded with a few random guerrilla attacks at certain base camps.