Rapture r-1

by Phillip W. Simpson

  They’d crossed over Lake Mead the day previously. The water levels were extremely low and they’d easily found a shallow part covered by sluggish grey ash foam. The water was dirty and disgusting, coming up to the flanks of the horses. Sam had to wade through it with his swords above his head. Afterwards, Grace had spoken endlessly about needing a bath. Sam didn’t blame her, but at least she hadn’t had to get into the water like him.

  They passed the town of Meadview without incident. Even from a distance, it looked deserted. With his excellent night vision, Sam could see that there wasn’t even any traffic and the roads looked strangely clear.

  They hugged the shore of Lake Mead, just inside the state border. The map told them that it marked the boundary between Arizona and Nevada. Las Vegas wasn’t far away. They kept following the Lake, despite the smell that was rising from it. It smelt of rot and decay. Corruption.

  After a day, they’d all had enough of the smell. Eventually, they discovered a road and with an unspoken agreement, started following it. They hadn’t seen a single soul and the road was completely empty, leading them up a ridge line where it intersected with a state highway. The sign informed them that Vegas was only twenty miles away.

  Sam began to get nervous. He really didn’t know what to expect when they reached the city. Big Tom had told them that there was a semblance of order there. He’d been in contact with groups of survivors who said that the city was functioning almost normally.

  Something about this seemed strange to Sam. Why would Vegas be immune to the effects of the Tribulation? How were they coping with the nightly invasion of demons? When he’d studied the route he was to take to get to Los Angeles, Sam had done some research into Vegas. It had a large number of churches. Surely, more churches meant more demons?

  Big Tom had also told him that the roads were meant to be clear. Hopefully, he and the others could beg or borrow a car to take them to Los Angeles — providing of course, they could find some gas for the tank.

  Los Angeles. His ultimate destination. Sam had been trying not to think about it. He didn’t know what he was going to do when he got there. How was he meant to find the Antichrist? Just walk down the street and say ‘Hello. Excuse me, but could you please point me in the direction of the son of the Devil? I want to kill him.’ It all seemed rather far-fetched.

  They crossed over the border and into Nevada. Beneath them was Boulder City, lying on the outskirts of Vegas. Like every other town they had seen recently, it was deserted. The contrast between the lifeless, lightless Boulder City and what lay on the horizon however, was emphasized by the dark night.

  It was Vegas, glowing like a jewel. Every light in the city seemed to be on. An oasis of light in the otherwise dark countryside. No-one spoke a word as they walked towards it, captivated by the thought of civilisation.

  The bright lights of Vegas beckoned.

  10

  JACOB’S LADDER

  7 WEEKS EARLIER

  “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

  1 Corinthians, 15:52

  The sounds of laughter carried easily on the still night air within Devil’s Garden. The full moon illuminated the clearing where the group of teenagers sat around a small fire, their happy, smiling faces glowing in the warm light.

  Sam sat a small distance away, perched atop a rock spire above them, the shadow from another spire effectively concealing him. Watching, listening and feeling decidedly miserable. Amongst the group were Aimi and her friends from the cheerleading squad. Joshua and some of his team mates, most of whom Sam recognized, were sitting amongst them.

  He desperately wanted to go down there and join them but knew that he wouldn’t be welcome. Aimi would want him there, he told himself, but as for the others …. Even Joshua was now slightly cool towards him after the incident at the football game. Sam had tried to patch things up with him, even venturing to Father Rainey’s house, but he could tell that the other boy was slightly wary of him now.

  It was a pity and something he deeply regretted. He’d explained to Joshua what had happened that night and the other boy appeared to accept the explanation but he knew that something had changed between them. He’d ruined the only opportunity he probably would to have a male friend.

  Now, watching as the other teenagers enjoyed each other’s company, only made him feel worse. He was different. He was an outcast and always would be one.

  As usual, his eyes were drawn to Aimi, watching enviously as she effortlessly interacted with the others. She was at the centre of things as usual, with the other boys — including Joshua — all vying for her attention. Sam kept a firm handle on his emotions; he certainly didn’t want a repeat performance of his appalling behaviour months earlier.

  Aimi looked stunning. Radiant, her physical presence acting as a magnet on him. Her sixteenth birthday was only a month away and already Sam was wracking his brains for something to buy her. Not that he had any money but he was sure Hikari would provide him with some funds if he told him what it was for.

  It made him think of his birthday celebrations two weeks earlier. The date of his birth was unknown so Hikari had made an educated guess and stuck with it all his life. He was eighteen now apparently, which made him feel a little depressed. In his eighteen years, he didn’t really feel like he’d done much. Sure, he was probably one of the most highly trained fighters in the world, but it didn’t really give him as much satisfaction as it once did.

  Aimi, on the other hand, had accomplished a great deal. She still excelled academically and at sport so when the time came, she would have her pick of colleges. They’d even been talk of scholarships.

  Somehow, they never discussed the fact that there was a very real possibility that Aimi would never get to college. According to Hikari and Father Rainey, the Rapture was close. If that was the case, Sam had to wonder what the point of all her hard work was. Why strive for something that you’d never see to its conclusion? Sam knew it was a negative thought but couldn’t help himself. He was just in that frame of mind.

  He suspected that Aimi and Hikari carried on like normal for his sake. They didn’t want to remind him that they were shortly going to be gone from his life. Besides, he knew that Aimi just liked excelling for its own sake. It gave her pleasure and that’s just the way she was. Just as he had a tendency to be more negative.

  His love for her had grown to an extraordinary extent. Now he couldn’t bear to be away from her. When she was at school, he always eagerly awaited her return although tried not to show it. Unlike her, he didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve. She appeared to feel the same way but Sam was never sure, always feeling slightly insecure and reluctant to express exactly how he felt. Some days, he felt so miserable he wondered what the point of it all was. Why was he involving himself emotionally in a woman he could never be with? He wondered if she felt the same.

  It was a constant source of surprise to him that she had never gone out with another boy, not even on a date and, as far as he knew, not even been kissed. It did make him feel more relaxed, just as the thought of her kissing someone else inflamed him with jealous rage. He supposed he couldn’t blame her if she did — but he wouldn’t like to be the other guy.

  She was quite something, though. Generous, loving and affectionate. She would often hug him and kiss him on the cheek and he was never quite sure how to respond. For his birthday she had painstakingly stained and re-lacquered the sheaths of his swords, presenting them with a shy smile and a quick peck on the lips. He had been astonished. It was the first time she had ever kissed him there.

  He wondered what Hikari made of all this. He seemed to give his approval and Sam had caught him smiling as he watched them interact with each other. Hikari viewed and treated him as a son, but Sam knew he didn’t think of his relationship with his daughter as inappropriate. If a relationship was what they had …

  From be
low, another wave of laughter rolled over him. It was Aimi’s, as usual, the sound delighting him. She was laughing at the antics of one of the boys. Sam recognized him. He thought his name was Jake.

  Jake was currently larking about. He was at the foot of another stone column near to where Sam hid. As the others laughed, Jake starting climbing it, getting egged on by the rest. The column was about fifteen feet high and eventually, with much scrambling, Jake reached the top. Nearby and unseen, Sam watched as the boy proceeded to dance on top of it. It was a silly thing to do; the fall could easily kill him. Below him, he could now hear the others trying to coax the boy back down, but he wasn’t hearing any of it, continuing to show off.

  Sam tensed and stood up, expecting the worse.

  Jake continued to jiggle about, laughing to himself. Suddenly, he lost his footing. Flailing his arms and yelling in abject terror, he began to topple backwards off the column. Sam didn’t think, didn’t hesitate. The gap between the two columns was easily ten feet wide. He darted forward and leapt, not sure that even he could make it without a run-up. The thought only occurred to him when he was flying through the air at twenty feet. Then he was down, crouching, one arm hooking onto the side of the column while the other snaked out, grabbing the other boy by the ankle.

  Jake’s eyes were wide, his shock at his sudden rescue competing with his fear. He fell backwards but Sam was ready for the weight and braced himself. Jake was left dangling headfirst, ten feet above the ground.

  Releasing his grip on the rock, Sam hoisted the boy up with both arms. He set him down next to him. Jake stared at him, his mouth open but unable to speak.

  “I think you better get down,” Sam told him.

  Jake nodded mutely and began to climb down slowly and nervously. Sam looked over the edge. The other teenagers were standing around in stunned silence. His eyes sought out Aimi’s.

  She smiled at him and his heart soared.

  Later, the others gone, Aimi waited for him at the foot of the column. Her friends hadn’t stayed for long after Jake’s brush with death, and even though Sam had saved Jake’s life, most of them cast fearful looks in his direction where he still perched amongst the shadows. They urged her to come with them but she assured them she would be alright.

  Sam didn’t bother climbing down; he simply jumped, landing right in front of her, his legs bent. He straightened up and she rushed at him, embracing him tightly. Her head nestled into the crook of his neck and he felt a rush of emotion and excitement.

  “Thank you,” she said. “I know Jake didn’t say it, but I’m sure he wanted to.”

  Sam said nothing, content just to hold her.

  “It was a brave thing to do. I couldn’t believe it when I saw you leap across that gap. I don’t think anyone else could’ve done it.” She looked up and placed the palm of her hand gently on his cheek. “You are a good man, Sam. You didn’t even think about your own safety but I wouldn’t have expected anything less from you. That’s why I love you so much.”

  With that, she stretched up on her toes and kissed him full on the lips. At first, Sam didn’t respond but when the pressure became more eager, he kissed her back. Time seemed to fold up upon itself. It seemed to go on for ever and Sam wished it would never end. Of their own volition, his arms snaked around her back. He lifted her off the ground as they continued to kiss. He had never been so happy. Finally, he knew without a doubt that Aimi loved him.

  Eventually, their lips parted. He set her down on the ground but held on to her, unwilling to let her go. She rested her head against his chest.

  “I meant what I said,” she said. “I love you, Sam. I love you so much.”

  The words were like soothing balm on his soul. He felt like he was about to explode with happiness, his heart was so full of love for her.

  “I love you, too,” he said. “More than you know.”

  “Oh, I know,” she said, tilting her head upwards and smiling at him again. They kissed once more and this time, it really did feel like it would go on forever.

  Much later, they walked hand in hand in the moonlight back to Jacob’s Ladder.

  When it came, it came suddenly. It took his breath away and left him in stunned awe and wonderment for many minutes.

  It was late afternoon. He was out in Devil’s Garden, practising, chopping down poles with his blades. There were ten of them, each one embedded about a foot in the ground and evenly spaced around him.

  He sucked in a lung full of air and then lunged, using the whirlwind attack that had taken him almost six months to perfect. Within three seconds, all ten poles were lying neatly sliced on the ground. Sam had hardly appeared to move. He wasn’t even breathing heavily.

  And then it happened.

  The Rapture.

  The sky was suddenly awash with light, the clouds pushed aside as if by the breath of God. A million rays of light beamed down from the heavens, seeking out and lifting up the faithful. Sam knew that he would not be one of them, but yet a part of him still held out some hope that he would be. Perhaps he would be taken up to Heaven with Aimi, Hikari and the rest. Even if it was by mistake; even if somehow one of the beams hit him accidentally and he would be transported to join them … In the direction of Jacob’s Ladder, he saw many of the beams lancing down to Earth. None fell around him. Not even close.

  Still, Sam experienced a presence that filled him with joy, and he knew with complete certainty what was happening. He closed his eyes and basked in the glorious feeling, aware of the image of Christ in his head. Jesus was smiling at him. And it was wonderful.

  He couldn’t have said how long it went on for, but as suddenly as it began, it was gone, leaving him with such a feeling of loss that he would have wept if he could. He sank to his knees, completely shattered by the feeling of abandonment and despair. ‘Aimi …’ he started to whisper, but as he heard a crack of thunder, Sam looked up. Already, dark clouds were massing above him. The Tribulation was beginning.

  Beneath him, the ground shook. An earthquake. The rocks around him trembled and then shook ferociously. A nearby rock spire tumbled ponderously to the ground, accompanied by a terrible roar. If he hadn’t already been on his knees, the earthquake would have thrown him there.

  He knew he couldn’t stay here. It wasn’t safe — but that wasn’t his most important consideration.

  He wanted to see her one last time. To say goodbye properly. To tell her one more time that her loved her. He had to try, even though his heart and the rational part of his mind were telling him it was too late.

  He leapt up and found himself sprinting, running faster than he ever had in his life.

  And then the sky began to rain fire.

  When he got back to Jacob’s Ladder, many of the buildings were ablaze. The few people he saw were staggering about in shock, making no effort to put them out. Main Street was littered with empty cars, their occupants all taken by the Rapture, their clothes left empty on the car seats and sidewalk. His own clothes were smoking after being hit by several burning fragments but he simply ignored it, hardly registering the blistering pain.

  Sam knew that the eight hundred odd residents of his town were mostly devout. He’d surreptitiously followed Aimi and Hikari to church on a number of occasions and he’d seen that the small church was almost overflowing with devotees. Standing room only. In fact, Father Rainey had spoken of building a new, bigger church, although Sam wondered why he was bothering. Hikari was even on the fund raising committee for it.

  Despite an urge to help the few people he encountered, he didn’t have time. He raced to his house. It seemed to have been spared the worst. The earthquake had hardly touched it although something on the roof appeared to be smouldering. The front door was ajar and he stormed in, shouting wildly. There was no answer. He raced up the stairs, darting into each room, impossible hope pounding in his chest. All empty. Downstairs was the same. The dining room table was already set for the evening meal. In the kitchen, many of the cupboard doors were open, so
me of their contents lying smashed on the floor.

  Of Hikari and Aimi there was no sign. They were gone. Gone forever.

  With heavy steps, he returned upstairs and sat down on the floor of Aimi’s room. Her summer dress was still on the bed. She must have been sitting on it at the time. He touched them gently, reverently, smelling the perfume that still lingered.

  He felt something trickle down his face and he wiped it away irritably. When he looked at the back of his hand, he found trails of red. He had never cried in his life; in fact, he could not cry with no tear ducts. But now, at last, he was. He was crying tears of blood. For her.

  He sank to his knees, absolutely full of despair and sadness. For a long time, droplets of blood continued to fall into his lap.

  Sometime later, he roused himself and went downstairs. He sat at the table staring despondently at the three settings, the feeling of loss so strong he thought he could taste it. He served himself the last meal Aimi had prepared and ate it in cold silence, more as something to do than from any feeling of hunger. She had made him his favourite food, but now it tasted of ash, almost as if the dust falling from the sky had got into the dish.

  Later still, he found himself sitting on the couch in the lounge, not quite sure how he got there. He couldn’t remember moving. He sat there for what could have been hours, so still that someone entering the house at that time might have mistaken him for a statue.

  Eventually, he shook himself like a dog removing excess water from its coat and stood. And then he began to scream. His scream was more of a roar, pouring out of him in a great torrent. Screaming for his loss, venting his pain. He kept going until he was completely out of breath and then he began again. After some time, he was spent and collapsed back onto the couch.