by John Price
Gary snapped off the television, saying, "Folks, that may be the last television any of us may ever see….It’s time to go….Get the kids. I heard your calls, Scott, to some of the small group guys. Are they heading to the school?....Let’s load up our cars and get over to the school….before we can’t."
35
Air Force One –Over Oklahoma
"The king of Babylon has heard reports about them, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor." (Jeremiah 50:43)
The President’s Chief of Staff had reluctantly agreed to fly to California for the fund raiser. He generally preferred to stay in DC, usually spending fifteen to sixteen hours per day at his desk in the White House. The President, though, had insisted that he accompany him, as his Chief of Staff was formerly the Mayor of Los Angeles and thus could be expected to help raise significant funds at the event.
The President generally excluded staff members from his airborne office while flying, unless they had a reason that the President concluded justified their sharing his expansive office space. Nevertheless, the President’s Chief of Staff knocked on the cabin door and entered the office. His face was drained of color. His hands were visibly shaking as he held a print out from the plane’s communication system.
"Yeah, Carlisle, what have we learned about Los Angeles? It was a nuke, wasn’t it? You look terrible, Carlisle, what have we learned? You better sit down before you fall down. We’ll make it through this. We’ll find out who nuked LA and Vegas, then we’ll nuke ‘em back. But before you tell me what you know, I want to know….where are we going? I need to be on the ground. Who knows what they may plan to do to Air Force One?"
"Mister President, Nellis Air Force Base isn’t available due to the nuking of Las Vegas. We’re headed to Vance Air Force Base, in Oklahoma….But you need to know what the Penta…."
"Where is that? Where in Oklahoma? I don’t want to land in some hayseed…."
"STOP, sir….uhh, Vance AFB is in Enid, Oklahoma, sir. It’s the furthest installation from the cities that are gone. What I haven’t been able to tell you yet is that it now appears that ten cities have been nuked. Gone. Destroyed. DC, New York, Atlanta, Houston, With radiation fallout we have to be careful not to fly into radiation nor land you in an area that will be overblown by fallout."
"Did you just say DC? The Capitol? Nuked?"
"We’re toast!….It’s over….Over. The total count now appears to be fifteen nuclear devices detonated in those ten cities. Mister President, this could be the end of America."
"DC?.... You did say DC? Is that confirmed?....What’s our level of confidence in….?"
"It looks like they used three nukes on DC, so there’s no way that anyone could…."
"Oh, no….I can’t….I….At least the wife and kids were gone from the White House. Have the guys in front patch me through to Air Force Two. She should be half-way to Paris by now. I want to tell her I’m alright and make plans for…."
If possible, the Chief of Staff looked even worse than when he walked into the airborne office. "Mister President….I truly regret….being the one to have to inform you….but….but…."
"But what? What is it? My family’s plane wasn’t…."
"The First Lady and the kids didn’t take off when they were supposed to….She delayed the departure….It had something to do with adding some more staff to the flight to France….and they couldn’t get ready in time….and…."
"WHAT?....What are you saying? My family is….are you saying they’re dead? They didn’t get out of DC? They’re dead?" The President’s head fell into his hands. He pitched forward in his chair, his knees hitting the floor. Tears streamed down his face, his hands now hanging limply at his sides.
"I’m so sorry, sir. The Secret Service last showed the First Lady and the kids in transit to Andrews AFB at the time of the detonations. Their limo was on South Capitol Street bridge when the nukes went off….The communications center confirmed with NORAD. There could not possibly be any survivors in metropolitan DC. It’s a smoldering cauldron of fire and radiation, sir. No buildings left. Just ashes, and burning, and some limestone blocks, not many. DC is gone."
NO….NO….It can’t be happening....NOOOOO!!" The President arms were wrapped around his body. He was rocking back and forth. Excruciating pain spread across his face. "WHAT HAVE I DONE?....WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
36
Lake Sammamish State Park, Washington
On the morning of The Day, Pastor Kirkland was enjoying reading a book on a bench alongside Lake Sammamish, the state park of the same name. He had just finished a dramatic chapter in the novel he was enjoying. He closed the book and looked west across the wooded lake front. Without warning, the sky west of the lake flashed from an azure blue to a brilliant white. The flash only lasted a brief time, but it was so intense that the Pastor was temporarily blinded. He rubbed his eyes, hoping to clear his failed vision. Blinking. Blinking. Finally, he could make out his surroundings, though his forehead hurt as if he had banged it on a wall. What was that, he wondered? Some kind of explosion? Just as the thought passed his mind, he heard a roaring, rumbling sound, not unlike the loudest thunderclap he had ever heard. Just as the sound began to subside, the trees across the lake bent sharply down, towards him and away from the source of the light and sound. The wind pushing the trees down was so strong that several small and medium sized trees snapped off, landing in the lake.
As the hot wind grew in intensity it blew the book out of the Pastor’s hands and knocked him back over his bench, hitting his back and head hard on the cement pathway. Pastor Kirkland briefly lost consciousness. When he came to he had no idea how long he had been in darkness. All he knew was that his head was throbbing. He tried to sit up, grabbing the back of the bench, the legs of which were anchored in the park’s concrete path. He again rubbed his eyes and his head. He looked around in the park. The lake was littered with broken trees and limbs. The sky over Seattle, west of the broken tree line, was glowing a peculiar orange-rose color. Again, he asked himself, what in the world has happened? He didn’t have a clue, as he’d never seen or experienced anything like this before.
Grabbing the bench, he moved around it and sat down. It hit him that all five of his senses had been assaulted in a matter of just seconds. Sight and sound were first. Overwhelmingly. Now he could smell what seemed to be dirt, or sand, and looked like flakes. As he parted his lips, whatever was in the air, now almost visible to him, touched his tongue, tasting just like it smelled. As he sat trying to collect his thoughts, he felt something and looked down at his bare forearms. They were coated by the dusty flakes floating through the air. The longer he looked down at his arms it seemed that they were accumulating layers of the particulate matter. He brushed his hand across the top of his head and saw that he had knocked loose some of the same dusty material. He watched the particles float from his hair down onto his pant legs and shoes. What is this, he wondered? If the Pastor had possessed a Geiger counter he would have learned that his body was being massively irradiated by the fallout from downtown Seattle.
III
AFTER
THE
DAY
"For the Lord’s purposes against Babylon stand – to lay waste the land of Babylon." (Jeremiah 51:29)
"I will kindle a fire in her towns that will consume all who are around her." (Jeremiah 50:32)
"Daughter of the Babylonians; no more will you be called queen of kingdoms." (Isaiah 47:5)
"Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!" (Revelation 18:2)
"The Commission believes that unless the world community acts decisively and with great urgency, it is more likely than not that a weapon of mass destruction will be used in a terrorist attack somewhere in the world…In our judgment America’s margin of safety is shrinking, not growing." (World at Risk–The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, appointed by the United States Congress, December, 2008).<
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37
London, England
LONDON (IRN News Network) --- Al Qaeda today confirmed in a videotaped statement aired on al Jazeera television that, along with Russia and Iran and others, it was responsible for the detonation of multiple nuclear weapons in America the day before yesterday. Though the exact number of nuclear devices was not disclosed in the statement, most British military experts now believe that the number was between 10 and 15, apparently of varying kilotonage. It is believed at least two major cities, Washington, D. C. and New York City, were hit by more than one detonation. The death count of the surprise attack is as yet unknown, but expected to be in the several tens of millions. If confirmed, the attack on the world’s leading military power would easily be the largest loss of life in one day in history. The al Qaeda spokesman claimed in the broadcast statement that "America, as we first warned in 2006, is destroyed, and will never again persecute Muslims".
British military sources said that it was still too early to determine the full extent of the deaths in the cities hit by the nuclear weapons detonated in what appears to have been a coordinated attack, with the weapons exploding within seconds of each other. There has been no immediate armed response from what remained of the American military, possibly complicated by the inability to target the location of al Qaeda operatives. The electromagnetic effect of some of the nuclear explosions knocked out most communication with America, the effect of which is continuing. For those areas of the States in which communication is still possible, a disturbing picture has quickly emerged of highways clogged with Americans seeking to flee from areas detonated under obviously apparent mushroom clouds. It was reported that medical facilities near blast sites were quickly overrun by blast and radiation burn victims.
No official statement has yet been released by the U.S. government, most of the officials of which appeared not to have survived the three known nuclear devices which destroyed Washington, D.C., the seat of the American government. It is anticipated that a statement will soon be made from a ranking U.S. official who did survive the attacks. Some isolated media reports received here have said that most surviving petrol outlets have been drained of their supplies and that food markets’ shelves were quickly emptied. With winter approaching, some unnamed sources in Her Majesty’s government suggested that significant numbers of Americans may die in the next few months from the radiation effects from nuclear weapons, and also as a result of lack of food resulting from a paucity of petrol and any meaningful way of paying food suppliers. The sources also cited early reports of what may be widespread violence by those seeking to obtain remaining food supplies and petrol.
Her Majesty, who had earlier expressed her shock and dismay at the news from America, is expected to make a televised statement by week’s end. Her spokesman, on background, indicated that Her Majesty will respond to published statements by Jihadists that Britain, and other European nations, would suffer a similar fate as America if the star and crescent aren’t flying over government offices by year’s end. Her Majesty’s troops, as was earlier reported, are on full alert. A full shut down of British ports has been ordered, on a temporary basis. The House of Commons convened in executive session late today. No reports have thus far emerged as to actions taken, nor statements made, in the closed door meeting. Some M.P.s called publically today for Her Majesty’s government to immediately vacate London and its environs. No decision has been made on their suggestions, according to government spokespersons, who asked not to be identified.
Reginald Sloane, press spokesperson for the Archbishop of Canterbury, suggested to reporters in a hastily called news conference that the Archbishop would have no problem with a Muslim "presence" at No.10 Downing Street, even if that eventually meant a PM of Islamic beliefs. Sloane dismissed as "rubbish" claims by columnists and others that the attacks on America had been prophesied in certain Biblical verses. Reports had circulated for some time before the attacks that many hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of American Christians, and American Jews, had emigrated from the U.S., apparently relying on what they claimed were scriptural warnings about the future destruction in the "end times" of a rich and powerful nation. Leaders of the emigration had earlier expressed concern about America’s refusal to support Israel should it be attacked by a coalition of nations led by Russia and Iran. Readers may consult news archives for more historical details on the outcome of the invasion of Israel.
Leaders of leading British charitable organizations who were contacted today expressed their sorrow at the attacks, and indicated that they are beginning to collect medical supplies and food for transport to America, if suitable transportation can be arranged. Numerous international corporations, who have now lost most if not all of their ability to sell goods to the world’s leading consumer nation, expressed outrage and shock at the attacks on America. Some privately questioned their future economic viability, given the economic loss of their largest trading partner. One CEO, who refused to be identified for this article, suggested that the nations of the world reform and move the United Nations, whose headquarters and most of its staff were destroyed with the nuclear destruction of New York City, to Geneva, Switzerland, in order to deal with what he privately called ‘this incredible Islamic violence problem, before we’re all blown up’. No United Nations official was available for a comment on his suggestion.
38
The Harlan Robbins Farm
Crown Point, Indiana
Once Harlan and Dorothy Robbins realized that America had been hit with multiple nuclear detonations, their next thought was how the nuclear destruction of Chicago would affect them on their farm near State Road 2, just south of Crown Point, Indiana. The Robbins received most of their news from cable, with channels broadcast from South Bend and Lafayette. For several days after The Day they were able to receive television signals, that is, until their electric power finally went off. The diesel powered generators at the television stations didn’t help the Robbins any once they lost electricity at the farm. Dorothy had nagged Harlan for some time to buy a generator, but he never quite got around to it.
During the time that the Robbins were still able to watch the news they learned that Chicago’s nuke had been particularly devastating, one commentator guessing it as large as 50 kilotons. They saw helicopter footage of a totally destroyed downtown Chicago extending out past the Dan Ryan Expressway. Casualty estimates for Chicago alone were in the millions. The Robbins could hardly say a word most of the afternoon once they saw the horrific video on the noon news. Within 48 hours of the detonation, the Robbins knew from the newscasts which they could still receive that the winds which normally blew from the northwest, had not changed their course. The fallout from what used to be Chicago was nearing their part of northwest Indiana. The next morning Harlan decided that they needed to make plans.
"Dot, we’re only about forty-five miles from Chicago. Interstate 65 is just four miles east of us. Even though downtown Chicago is gone, there are still several million people around Chicago who must have lived, who knows how many? Those folks will eventually run out food. No food grower will want to try and ship their harvested crops into a nuclear zone. There’d be no assurance they could be paid, plus they’ll want to save their crops for themselves and their neighbors."
"Honey, doesn’t that mean that once they run out of food that they’ll start moving towards where the food is grown? Towards the farms in Wisconsin, and Illinois, and of course south, right here into Indiana?"
"Yup, Dot, that’s what I’ve been thinking. I’ve been doing a fair amount of praying and asking for wisdom."
"Me too, dear, but I had to confess my anger when I realized when I started praying that our shepherds, all those preachers we watch on TV, let us down. We don’t have seminary degrees, that’s for sure, but we agreed years ago that those verses about Babylon, the reborn Babylon, or whatever the exact name is, has to be the United States. Couldn’t be anyone else. But, we never heard any of our favorite TV p
reachers say anything about America facing the destruction that the Bible said would hit the new Babylon. Never. Why not?"
Harlan responded, "I don’t even recall anyone preaching about how God has been sending natural disasters to get our attention. Earthquakes, hurricanes, forest fires, floods, tornadoes, drought, worse than we’ve ever experienced before. What were they thinking? Why didn’t they warn us?"
"Once I got my anger confessed, I remembered what that fellow said that they interviewed from the South Bend Hospital on the news. He said that if we are in the fallout area, where the radiation from Chicago lands, that we will only have a few weeks or maybe months to live. The black rain he said would fall on us could start tonight, based on what the sky looks like. Honey, it’s quite likely that we won’t be alive very long, we may be with the Lord in just a few weeks."
Harlan scratched his head, looked at his wife and then said, "Dot, sweetie, we will be in heaven soon. Think about it. We’re in the fallout pattern, so give or take a few weeks, we’re dead from radiation poisoning. But, I’ve been thinking and praying about it. I think we will be gone well before the radiation takes us."
"You mean the mobs that will come out of the Chicago suburbs? The starving people? I’ve thought about them, of course. My heart goes out to them. They’ll be scared, and they’ll all be hungry and….very desperate. But, Harlan, what are we going to do when they come up on our front porch asking….maybe demanding….that we give them food?"
"The root cellar."
"Hunh? The old root cellar behind the milk house? We haven’t used that in years."