Read A Abba's Apocalypse Online
Authors: Charles E. Butler
We continue along the water’s edge while I watch our reflection in the water. With our undershirts pulled up we look like French Legionaries. I sigh out a single laugh, as we move away for the oasis resort near the beach. Paul finally makes a “funny” and asks, “I wonder if that thing has any fish in it?” I tell him, “Next time we’ll bring our poles and find out together.” I then remark, “Like my poppa use to say; ‘ten million comedians are out of work, and you’re applying for
the job’.” We continue on.
I figure we’ve covered over a mile and we now can plainly see our objective. Both Paul and my spirit grow more excited every step closer we get. Paul makes a comment without being very thoughtful. “I can’t wait to see our family.” Poor Mark’s steps slow as his head grows heavier and heavier. I tell Mark the Irreverent ahead are his new family too. That doesn’t seem to help boost his confidence one tiny bit. We continue on quietly the rest of the journey.
Repeated blinking from the “watchman” signals us we are in his sights. I shine my blade back to confirm reception of his message. The blinking stops as we step on, what I believe use to be, the edge of the property. It’s about the same distance, but there is absolutely no sign of foliage. There’ just tons and tons of pristine dirt marking the indistinguishable boundaries now.
I wrap my arm around Mark to assist him towards the building. Suddenly, I see distant movement approaching the building from all sides. I am astonished to see what is happening. Each of the teams is returning from each of the remaining four winds. I stare off in the distance to see their trails pointing like the arms of a compass towards “Hope.” Paul again claims God for himself, as I rather thank Him instead. I whisper just loud enough for us to hear, “Come to me my children,” while feeling a great satisfaction for their safe and miraculous arrival. I see each team waving their arms welcoming home one another. I turn in the moment towards Paul and whisper, “That’s miracle two.” The only person not cheerful is Mark. I think he feels he’s lost his family forever. Being around this welcoming committee just reminds him even more.
I see Amanda’s group approaching as we make it to the entrance way of the old store. The odd thing is she has a string of people following behind her black “Hello Kitty” backpack. I count one, two, and... nine all together. This means we have
seven new members. I notice four are wearing Army fatigue
uniforms. I make out Doug’s face from among the group,
and then wave my far off “Hello” to them. Amanda, Jerry, and Doug recognize me, and return their congratulations with a conquering wave of their own. I stare as they surf down the dust bitten dune while I hold my arms wide open. Their leader Amanda yells down to me, “I brought you some new customers!” I scream back, “Well, we’re open for business!”
I start adding two and two together as I see two fairly young men assisting this weary lady in between them. I think maybe it was Doug that showed up at Mark’s that day, and what I am looking at is miracle number three. I turn towards Mark’s hung head and ask him, “What was your honey wearing the last time you saw her?” He immediately looks up at me, knowing that is a strange question to ask him; unless! I just point to the “lineup” and ask him, “Can you identify any of these criminals?” He falls to his knees and screams, as every doubt in his body to the existence of God explodes out of him. He holds his arms open as widely as humanly possible, as I watch the flood of tears profusely pour out of him. I lean down as three lost sheep charge his position. I softly whisper into Mark’s ear, “There’s your answer, and your miracle. Remember your promise to God.” He nods his head rapidly and violently up and down. I move off to the side avoiding the impending tackle, as six worried outstretched arms prepare to “close line” the joyous man. I think to myself, Mark looks like he scored on a “Hail Mary” catch. I briefly look over at Paul, and then up to Heaven. “Thank you God. I love you.”
For some reason, I feel and think He winked down at me.
Amanda runs to wrap her loving arms around me. The combination of our dust and the impact makes me think she’s trying on makeup. I smile and she smiles. I cough and she coughs, under the influence of the powder puff impact. “Awe, what the heck,” I tell her. I pick her up and spin her around, making a cyclone of dust. She just laughs, and then
coughs, and then she just laughs some more. I set her down and pat the top of her head, as she stares over to see the family
reunion going on. I tell her, “Good job girly.” We both watch as Mark tries to get up, but he is immediately tackled all over again. Part of me must have somehow rubbed off on Amanda in the impact as she cynically comments, “You mean we weren’t invited?” I tell her, “Well, you aren’t dressed for the occasion anyways.” I want to tell her about Jimmy, but decide instead to tell her, “I have a present to give you later.”
Doug swings around from behind Amanda with his outstretched arm, beckoning with a welcoming hand shake. I time my assault, and stick out my hand at the exact correct moment to join his. I stop him with my shaking arm, and tell him, “Hi Doug, glad you could join us.” He tips his green ball cap up while saying, “The feeling’s mutual.” We all reflect in our huddle as we watch the tender “family moment” going on below us. The other two teams connect and greet each other as they meet at the far end of the building.
A flood of “well wishers” come out of the building and offer their assistance to the arriving parties. My eyes run the length of the building looking for signs of damage before I’m overtaken by the approaching crowd. I don’t see one crack or one block moved out of place. I know I’m looking at the miraculous, and feeling the Almighty’s presence. Ken yells down from on top the building, “Welcome home Joey!” I wave back while waiting for the rest of the returning tribes.
Dave and Randy are the next set to reach my welcoming embrace. Dave tells me, “You won’t believe all that has happened to us the last three days.” Randy just nods his head in agreement to Dave’s comment. I reply, “I want to hear all about it, but it will have to wait till later.” Right behind them is Scotty and Moses, and several other new members they must have rescued. I shake hands and invite them all to go inside while passing them off to the “welcoming committee.” I pat each passing back while offering my rotating handshake. I tell the passing precession, “Just ignore the dust,” I’m creating with every up and down shake of my arm.
My eyes drift back to Mark as he herds his flock my
way. As he approaches, he introduces each of his family members. He requests, “Me and my family all want to know more about God.” I wave Paul over while stating, “This is the man that can help instruct you best. He will show you how to have an eternal relationship with our creator.” Paul whisks them away to the security of the inside. I hear him offer the family a meal and a chance to clean up first. They feel the holy urgency to take care of business first as Mark asks Paul, “How can we be saved?” I give Paul the “thumbs up” as they turn the corner and head inside. Paul returns the sign with his added smile of approval right before disappearing through the building’s entranceway. Both of us know we are adding four more soldiers of Christ to our army, and four more eternal family members to God’s eternal treasure chest.
I now stand alone outside and reflect on all that has happened these last several years; especially these last days. My mind remembers that kitchen hutch with those piles of broken pieces. Each pile was a special someone, a special memory, and a very special time. I use to tell my niece when she was growing up, “I can fix anything; except broken hearts. Only God can fix them.” Now, I don’t even try. I just consider myself the oarsman that steers the lost towards “The Star of The Morning.” For, this is my mission, and this is my new life.
Hell is coming on earth as the “clock of last chances” ticks down. I feel the finger of God ready to break another seal that’s holding back the terror of wrath. I can hear the swirling bowls of judgments’ that are ready to spill over their sides.
I am not scared anymore, because I am not alone. I have His promise that I will take with me; and I will bring the message of the cross across this desert to those desolate. I feel fully satisfied in this moment, even though I face perilous times ahead of me. But, in this moment, “All the world is right!”
This is not the end!
PS: I once heard this story of an elderly Christian lady asking her pastor to honor her last request. “When my time comes, I want to be buried with a fork in my hand.” The pastor scratched his head, chuckled, and then asked “Why the heck would you want that to be everyone’s last memory of you?” She replied, “You see; in the last sixty years I have never missed a ‘potluck’ church social diner. At every one of them someone would come yelling out of the kitchen right before we’d finish eating the main course, ‘Hold on to your fork, because the best is yet to come’!”
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Dungeon of Damnation
Chapter 2: The Chamber’s Secret
Chapter 4: The Strength of David
Chapter 12: Star of the Morning