was the most difficult of times. Just as people were
burying one family member, another would come down with sickness.
Still
no word on where the disease came from, and scientists still didn't
have an answer as to how to cure the infection. Riots broke out in
many major cities across the world as food, water, power, and
sanitation services were disrupted from lack of qualified workers.
Despite assurances from the government that everything was under
control, the economy crashed, causing millions of layoffs.
Emergency
supplies, medical aid, and food were provided by local and national
government agencies, but many areas of the county were in desperate
need of help. Police used militarized force to try to keep order, but
some areas were too far gone. Armed thugs prowled the streets,
stealing food, money, supplies...whatever they could. Most cities
initiated a curfew at 9pm every night. Loudspeakers across each city
urged citizens to stay indoors. The National Guard policed most major
metropolitan areas, patrolling streets in armored Humvee's. Conflicts
between the National Guard and armed thugs often broke out into
bloody gun fights. Dead bodies littered the streets. Society was on
the fringe of collapse.
Pastor
Abrams tried to keep some semblance of sanity by offering meetings
every evening in his church. Whoever needed help, not just the
members of his congregation, but anyone that needed a shoulder to
lean on were welcomed with open arms.
After
a few weeks, the pastor received a call from channel 9 News. They
were doing a news story on the end of times, and wanted the input
from a minister to have a debate with a scientist about what exactly
was going on in the world. Channel 9 News wanted pastor Abrams to
argue the religious side of things, while the scientist would try to
offer a more logical explanation as to the nature of the disease that
was decimating the world's population.
With
a bit of hesitation, Pastor Abrams accepted the offer. If I can
provide some small comfort to someone out there...it will be worth
it, he thought.
That
night, the pastor studied his notes on Revelations, and tried to
think of answers to possible arguments the scientist might present
him with.
After
studying for nearly four hours, the pastor walked to his son's
bedroom and tucked him into bed. “Tomorrow's a big day, Isaac.
You're going to see your daddy on TV.”
Isaac
looked at his dad. The pastor appeared older, with weary eyes and
graying hair. In the distance, the boy could hear the muffled sound
of the community loudspeaker that was blaring a few blocks down the
street. “It is now 9pm, all citizens are required to be in
their homes. I repeat: for your protection, stay in your homes.”
“ Are
things going to get better, dad?” asked Isaac.
“ I
sure hope so, son.”
“ Why
is God doing this?”
The
pastor hesitated. He almost answered his son with scripture, but at
that moment he felt such a response was inappropriate. He put his
hand on his son's heart and said, “I don't know, son. I don't
know.”
That
night, the pastor had another dream. Seven archangels stood before
him, each with flaming swords pointed at his chest. One of the
archangels spoke in a commanding voice, “You are an abomination
to His glory.” The archangel raised his sword high into the
air, and slashed it downward toward the pastors head. The pastor
woke, drenched in sweat.
The
next day, pastor Abrams woke up early and made breakfast for Isaac.
Food was getting scarcer now, and no milk was available for cereal or
pancakes. He made his son toast and bacon, while he drank coffee and
went over his notes.
The
pastor made arrangements with a neighbor to take care of Isaac while
he was at the debate. After saying goodbye to his son, he got in his
car, looked at the directions he scribbled down on a piece of paper,
and drove to the news station.
*
* * * * * *
The
Devil reclined in his high-back leather chair and threw his feet up
on the mahogany
Thomas Jenner, Angeline Perkins