Jewel overheard the boys’ chatter. “That’s your cousin, Akira.”
“Ah-kee-rah,” The boys responded with each syllable.
“Wow.” They glanced at each other.
“How old is she?” They looked at Jewel for the answer.
“Yes. She’s six months old, I believe,” Jewel rose and nodded. She stood behind the boys and hugged their shoulders and drew them closer to her. Tavon felt her warmth.
“Yes, Momma, that’s right,” Sondrea nodded and raised her fingers. “The noise and shaking woke her up.”
“Wow, it’s been like a year since we saw Aunt Sondrea,” Javon added, his mouth dropped.
“Nah, she stopped by the house—that one time—when Mom and Dad were…” Tavon interjected, careful with his words because his mother might hear and start her wailing again.
Javon nodded in agreement, reading his brother’s facial cues.
“She’s such a beautiful little baby,” Tavon dropped his arms to his sides. His eyes widened.
“Agreed,” Javon added.
Roya stormed towards Sondrea. She reached for the child.
Sondrea backed up a couple steps. “Roya. What’s wrong?”
She held Akira in her arms and snuggled her closer to her side. Akira stared. Sondrea rocked her a little, in hopes to keep her calm.
“Let me hold her. Please?” Roya whispered, extending her arms.
“Okay.” Sondrea hesitated. She then released the child into Roya’s hands.
Roya’s eyes welled as she mumbled over the child.
“Mom, are you okay?” Joy raced to her side and glanced up at Akira. “Hi, Akira,” She shook Akira’s small hand gently. “Hi. Hi!”
Akira cooed.
“Selena,” Roya muttered. She repeated the name several times.
“Mom, that’s not Selena,” Joy said uncertainly.
Roya joyfully raised Akira above her chest, and Akira tutted, sounding like a light giggle. Roya smiled and rocked her side to side.
“Give me my baby back!” Sondrea raged.
“No, let me hold her a little longer,” Roya whined.
“I’m afraid you’ll hurt her!” She extended her arms for her child and Roya twisted her body for Sondrea to miss the reach.
“Look at what you did!” Sondrea shouted angrily.
“Just want to hold her.”
“Please, just hand her over to me.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Roya shook her head. She handed Akira back to Sondrea.
“Shaking a baby could—” Sondrea stuttered, unable to formulate her sentence. “It’s okay, baby,” she cooed as she held her to her heart and rubbed her head. “Aww Mommy’s baby didn’t even cry.”
“Sorry. I don’t. Know. What. Got. Into me,” Roya spoke indistinctly, “Selena…”
Joy held Roya. “Mom, Selena isn’t here. She’s gone forever,” she cried.
“Gone? Forever." Roya responded.
A stronger shaking began and continued for several seconds. People stood frozen. Some gasped. Some remained speechless in shock.
“We’re not in Cali, what’s making the earth shake?” Jewel cried as a man Roya didn’t recognize ran up behind Jewel to hug her tightly.
Roya glared at him and responded, “We know we’re not in Cali, Mom!”
“Are you suggesting tremors?” Isaiah asked.
Indistinct chatter buzzed among the people in the room. Tavon felt the urge to speak. A sizzling sensation tickled his tongue. He stuck it out to look at the tip. Javon also wiggled his tongue.
“You feel that, Bro?” Tavon asked inquisitively.
Javon matched the gaze of Tavon’s brown eyes with a nod.
Jewel stepped to the side. “I felt that.” She folded her arms over her chest. She hugged herself.
“I felt wind,” a psalmist cried.
“I felt drops on my forehead,” Another hollered.
“I never knew the ground could shake here,” Stuart said.
“Maybe we should check outside?”
“Why, Isaiah? After what we’ve been through?” Terry snapped.
“It could be someone out there setting bombs nearby to shake up the ground like that…or construction workers digging with a tractor,” Isaiah offered.
“Bombs? No!” His wife shouted in fright.
“Construction workers out here now!” Roya fussed.
“Micah,” Isaiah responded. “We should go see.”
“I don’t know if we should go,” She sounded terrified.
“We could’ve been followed.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I must go, and protect you and the others,” He reassured her.
“No.”
“I have to.”
“The last ones to come in were our sons with Stuart.” She tugged on his shirt.
She gripped tightly to pull him back to her. He broke loose and snagged Stuart to follow him. Terry joined them. She dropped her head.
The twin boys’ bodies quivered at the same time.
“What’s going on with my sons?” Roya screamed. She placed her hands over her face in fear.
Jewel stared too. “I don’t know.”
“Mom, are they okay? Tavon! Javon!” Joy yelled. She raced to them but Roya yanked on the back of her shirt and pulled her into her arms.
“Let them be,” Roya’s clear voice echoed over the room. She raised her hand, signaling others in the room to stop the chatter.
Stuart, Terry, and Isaiah stood still, never making it to the front door. Sondrea touched her chest while holding Akira in her arms.
“Jesus is shaking things up,” Tavon said once the room became silent.
“Literally?” someone asked. “Why?”
“We all felt that shaking,” a psalmist said.
“Yes.” A few responded.
“The time has come, for us to shape up.”
Sunny placed her hand on Javon’s shoulder. “What are you talking about, Jay?”
“Some of you believe you’ll receive the seal because you’ve attended church, served in a large capacity, or prayed. But you’re still living in your sinful ways,” Tavon interjected.
“This shaking up, literally, is because some of us are faking it like we’re making it?” Sondrea asked, rocking nervously.
Tavon stood still as words came eloquently from his lips. “Yes. Think you’re saved, and believe you’ll enter the kingdom of Heaven, but you will take the mark.”
He raised his hands over his head. “The Antichrist will stamp his mark in each individual with a—microchip—tracking device to keep tabs on the human race as the new Ruler of the Land.”
“This is crazy talk,” Micah said.
“Some of you are ready to take the mark, by choice, in an implanted microchip.”
“Non-sense,” Sondrea said.
“You’ll believe the falsehood that it’ll be easier. I’ve got news for you. That implanted chip will give the world leader a chance to offer you upgrades.”
“Seriously?” Sondrea shrugged.
“You’ll never have to work for anything again.”
“I like the idea of never having to work!” Sondrea blurted.
He continued, “And—a short time later, you’ll never pray again, with the exception of the day you’re ready to die, but can’t.”
“I’ll still pray if I’m forced to take the mark. I wouldn’t take it, even though I can, now,” Sunny yelled.
“Absolutely not,” agreed Roya.
“This is absurd.” Micah shouted.
“What kind of evil are we facing for the earth to shake?” Sondrea’s voice rose.
“I’ve seen evil face to face, and it’s not worth losing your life! Please listen to what they’re saying,” Roya sounded concerned for all of them.
“He’s the new improved Nero,” Tavon spoke. “He’s won the rest of the world. He’s working hard to get us.”
“Nero?” some asked.
“Who? Another man inquired.
&n
bsp; “Nero, who persecuted Christians. In the Lion’s Den for amusement,” Javon answered.
“World leader, is who.” Tavon responded to the din of questions.
“This time, it’ll be with the reality game show.” Javon chimed in.
Joshua spoke up. “That reality show is Riches for Life.”
“He’ll leave bodies in the streets to show who is ruler of this world.”
“Jesus! He can’t,” Micah gasped.
“He purposely plotted to capture Mom and Dad, to set the example, and start his war among believers.”
“No, it can’t be so,” Micah cried.
“When!”
“The clock has started now. That was a sign. A shaking.” Tavon shot a response.
“For the next three years and a half, he’ll openly steal or capture us, kill, and use strategic ways to destroy believers of Christ.”
“No!” Several people hollered. “Steal. Kill. Destroy?”
“He can’t,” Micah cried aloud.
“No way! This is America!” Ekiel shouted.
“Yes, he did that to me and my family,” Roya shot back.
“She’s right,” Stuart yelled. “A bunch of us saw the video first. Horrible.”
“He captured us while we were at a park. An outing,” Tears flowed from her eyes. “He killed my husband, Solomon!” She doubled over. She grabbed the front of her shirt, near her chest, and gripped it tightly. She slowly rose to a standing position. “He was the first example! You all know! You saw it!” She spun in a circle, pointing at everyone. “He put him on the bridge, crucifixion style, for all to witness and see!” Roya wailed.
Joy screamed and wailed loudly. “Oh, my dear Lord, help us!”
Tavon and Javon stood upright. The Angel Gabriel stood behind them. A light illuminated the room. They felt the Holy Spirit, both seeing a candle’s firelight over some of the people’s heads. They both blinked, shutting their eyes again, and opened them to see an angelic Alpha man with bulging muscles, warrior gear, and a spear in his right hand. His wings spread and rose to the ceiling. He had a translucent appearance, since they could see the face through his waist. He stood somewhere between eight to ten feet tall. They looked at each other, and smiled. Thankful for high ceilings.
Everyone’s attention turned as the front door opened. Isaiah, Terry, and Stuart crossed the threshold. They opened their mouths, and looked at each other. They couldn’t hear each other. They were mute.
Micah ran to Isaiah. “We’re glad you returned. You’re okay?”
Isaiah couldn’t speak. He gave her a nod.
“Dad. What. You can’t speak?” Ekiel placed his finger on his lip.
Isaiah shrugged. He shook his head. No.
Tavon’s mouth opened. He spoke the promises of God with boldness, “Digital Imprint. The 666 Chip in human bodies is one of the ways Satan will accomplish the appearance of being omnipresent.”
“What will stop him now?” Roya exclaimed in anger.
Javon finished, “He’ll punish those who won’t follow his way, his law, and his jurisdiction.”
“But…” Roya shouted as she waved her hands. “We didn’t break any laws! They killed Solomon before my very eyes. Our children were innocent beings—they’re dead! Tavon, was he right?”
“Who, Mom?”
“Les Blanche, when he told your dad and me that martial law had been ordered? Was he right?” she asked, turning her head to look at Terry and then Joshua.
Joshua shook his head.
“He lied. He lied and killed them anyway.” A lone tear escaped down Roya’s cheek. She swiped it away.
“Les Blanche followed orders from his superior,” Tavon said.
“Who is his superior?” a woman asked.
“Satan. Mom, Satan was upset you refused the chip when he offered it more than once.”
“No chip,” Roya agreed, shaking her head.
“Back then, you relocated to California to avoid your children taking the chip for school. When my younger brother and sister were born—you didn’t allow them to implant the chip.”
“Never,” She blurted, waving her hand frantically.
“New laws were passed to encourage many to take the chip. Now they’re adding chips to gas station cards, grocery store cards, and everywhere you shop, just to keep track of where you go,” Tavon explained.
“They’re right. I have chips in my credit cards! Just wave the chip.” Sondrea debated.
“We had a right to refuse,” Roya fired.
“Does this mean we are becoming a cashless society?” Ekiel spoke.
“We may find it easier not to use cash but like Tavon said, it’s the implanted chip in a willing body that they’re after!” Roya shot.
“He rose from greed and his gain as the political leader of the nations will dupe millions of the world’s people with his charisma and international leadership skills.”
“Tsk. Not me,” Sondrea raised her hand.
“Hope not.” Tavon said in response. “The beast will make a peace contract with Israel, but in the middle of it all, he’ll break his word and rescind the treaty.”
“What, 3 years is all we got?” someone shouted.
“Right at the brink of three and a half. Splitting the seven years,” Tavon answered.
“There are those he’ll hide in secret to create his devious plan—believers are vanishing![1]” Javon added.
Tavon jumped in, “There’ll be a religious leader imitating John the Baptist.
“What, John the Baptist? The one who got his head cut off?” a lady shouted in terror.
“Let them continue,” Isaiah Junior shot. He folded his arms, squinting his eyes.
“John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus Christ,” Tavon responded, nodding.
“The cousin of Jesus,” Javon added.
“This religious leader is Hadrianus, and the false prophet, which the Bible refers to as the beast out of the sea.” He paused. He cupped his chin and spoke confidently, “This is metaphorically used as the evil prophet coming out of the sea.”
“Just like John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, Hadrianus, prepares the way, cleansing them under the new world order.”
“Haven’t I heard that name before?” Sunny asked.
“Hadrianus has led the path for the so-called Messiah of the world, Salvator Lothar, who is already representing himself as a political ambassador and leader to the lost sheep.”
“We’ve seen Hadrianus. Les. On TV with you Isaiah,” Micah added. The others nodded in agreement.
“That’s it!” Sunny shouted and snapped her finger.
“What do you mean by lost sheep?” Sondrea questioned.
“That are those not seeking God, or believing God’s Word.” Javon answered.
“Really?” Sondrea quizzed.
“They listen to other people instead of God.” Javon added.
“Like a prophet? Televised preacher?”
“Depends.”
“They’re given the idea that the word “believe” saves them.”
“I do believe.” She touched her chest, where her heart is.
“You’ll be deceived by the imposter’s wonders, miracles, and undeniable powers![2]” Tavon answered boldly.
“Me?”
“There’s light at the end of this turmoil to come,” Javon said.
“I’ve already undergone turmoil!” Roya ranted.
“There’s hope for those who are spiritually dead.”
“Lost me again, nephew.”
“God has equipped two organizations: Ambassadors in Christ and Alliance Crusaders for Christ. AIC and ACC are preaching and teaching the Word of God to whosoever has an ear to hear,” Javon finished.
“Wow, that’s us. ACC,” Isaiah Junior spoke as Ekiel thrust his hand into Junior’s palm and followed up with a handshake.
“Yep. We got this!” Ekiel chimed in.
“Mom,” Tavon gazed at her. His eyes sparkled with an un
usual light. “Dad and you have ministered to many. Started the Storehouse of First Fruits. Continue to allow Jesus to lead you, order your steps, and you’ll do greatness in this trying time,” He cracked a toothy smile.
She raised her hands. She tilted her head back. She spoke in a raspy voice, “Jesus has promised me that you’ll be the two witnesses in this hour of need.”
“Yes.” They said.
“Before your father died, Jesus told him that you’ll be the prophets and speak the Word of God as if fire spewed from your mouths like you did just now!”
“Correct,” they chimed.
“My babes will share the promises of God,” she cried.
“Listen. Hear. Open your eyes to the Spirit realm. Do as the Lord Jesus commands,” Javon offered.
“The two witnesses are believed to be Elijah and Enoch!” the Psalmist shouted in response.
“Others say on the Mount with Jesus and the top three disciples present witnessed them to be Moses and Elijah,” someone yelled.
Isaiah, Joshua, and Isaiah Jr., and Ekiel nodded their heads in agreement.
“But other studies state the two witnesses are the Jews and Gentiles,” Tavon interjected.
“True,” Ekiel pounded his fist.
“Jesus loves us, Mommy. We’ll be fine,” Joy said to Roya.
Her eyes spoke with sincerity and care. “We’re covered with His light. We know His way. We know what to expect will come. Dad taught us.”
“Only from the babe’s mouth,” Roya said in a low voice.
“We didn’t expect this to happen to Daddy or Junior & Selena,” Joy said as she hugged Roya.
Tavon drew closer to Joy and Roya. Sunny walked towards them. Jewel followed. “There will be others who will experience such drastic life changes. Unexpected things will happen. Martyr. Everyone here. Ask yourselves. Who will remain standing for Jesus Christ during the pre-Tribulation events and signs?”
“Dad was only the beginning, and our brother and sister were also unjustly sacrificed to let us know they mean business!” Javon chimed.
“Jesus! Help us!” Many shouted in fright and fear.
“What could be worse than hanging Solomon on display?” Roya screamed. “Who will take him down and give him a proper burial?”
The room grew silent. No one answered her.
Tavon observed his mother as she dealt again with the trauma of her capture. His eyes glistened as he saw the uncontrollable tears roll down her cheeks. No one truly knew the inner pain she was suffering at this time.
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