A Abba's Apocalypse (5 page)

              I suggest we go eat our daily meal. We make our way downstairs as I think how I must risk everything. I think about being caught and what the Demons will do to me. But, I feel the power of God touching me and quieting my impending fears. His spirit equips me with an arsenal of trust in the message found in the passages displayed at “T”. As we continue to the kitchen I’m given another weapon. My mind retrieves a verse my momma would say: “I can do all things, as long as God is with me.” I think now, “I can stand all things.” But, I realize there is one thing I can’t stand. It’s the thought of what will happen to Dave if something happens to me. 

              We make it to the kitchen. I tell Dave to take a seat. He

looks at the damaged door and repents of his action. I lift a trap door in the kitchen cupboard floor, where I hide supplies and trash, while telling Dave, “We need to fix that door today.” I pull out two packs of MRE (meals ready to eat). I tell him, “We’re going hungry tomorrow,” seeing these are the last of my MRE. Members of “T” only take enough supply of MRE to last a week. One reason is: this is the safest maximum amount a member can smuggle back home. Second, it is to preserve “T’s” supply in the event a member is captured. I tell Dave, “Today’s Friday, and I’m giving you my Saturday ration.” He thinks a second and gratefully acknowledges my gift. “Thanks Joey, I’m sorry for the trouble I’m causing you.” I reply, “We’re in this together brother.” His face draws up in reaction to what I just said. I see a tear begin forming and hanging just off the corner of his eye. His left arm forms a brace for his head on the table as his hand tries to hide his emotion. I guess he’s overwhelmed with the fact someone could still care about him in this despairing time. My coarse cactus coating blocks a tear from forming in my eye.

              We cautiously limit the sound we make opening the foil packets, and chew its contents quietly. I peal back the Velcro cover protecting my precious Army surplus watch revealing its 8:08 am. “Boy, I did sleep in.” I scold myself to the fact I’m always up at dawn. I wind it as my eyes look to Dave’s wrist. I wonder why he wears that useless quartz watch. All exposed electrical devices were “fried hard” about a year ago. That’s when “Trinity” started using nuclear weapons; three years after it promised everyone eternal world peace. It fed the world deceiving lies promising order, restoration, peace, and prosperity. This happened right after “Harpazô Day” and the Middle East attack on Israel.

              I remember hearing the news stating, “The Middle East is preparing for war.” Three different armored battle lines were forming to attack the tiny nation. There was also a Russian led armada sitting just off Jerusalem’s coast. These

band of countries were preparing to verge from all four

directions of the compass. Islamic Clerics believed the vanishings were a revelation to usher in their long awaited coming messiah. They proclaimed Israel’s destruction was the “linchpin” holding back fulfillment of prophecy. The major world powers chose sides escalating the threat of world destruction. Innocent Israel miraculously survived the perpetrators unscathed. Their attackers’ were left total devastated though. The remains of the war became choleric poison to the world economies. That’s when “Trinity” birthed. It promised protection, future prosperity, and (most importantly) food. All the chaos scared most sovereign countries into gladly surrendering their freedoms and pledging their alliance to “Trinity.” The “Pale Horse” of starvation soon forced more packs with this devil. It seemed like their only hope at that time. “Trinity” pledged to bring immediate salvation. It did in a way.

              “Trinity” played on their fears and stole their sovereignty. Its instrument was a token symbol contracting a final Middle East peace accord for seven years. This ended the threat of any war in the world for over three years. Their lying nature was soon revealed. “Trinity” started using its newly acquired arsenals by dropping nuclear bombs on non complying countries. This tactic was to demonstrate its power scaring the final sovereign’s in to submission. Some bombs were detonated in the air over these countries. These types of explosions cause an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP) burst which results in destroying any exposed electronically driven devices from ever operating again. It has something to do with the electrons going permanently “berserk” in the copper

components. That means anything electrical touched by the EMP blast was “fried hard.” “Trinity” used just one on us. My

fallen United States lives in the 1800s now.

              I guess Dave wears his useless watch to check time in a difference sense. It reminds him of a better time. I stare at Dave and silently pray, “God please pity us both.” My heart

sinks in my throat, but I know this time there is coming a

better time.

              I remove my small Bible from the supply chamber. I return to the table and open it to “Mathew.” Dave scoots close so he can read as I whisper, “Chapter seven.” I begin with, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find it....” These are the words I need for today. I say a prayer asking for divine guidance and protection for us this day. I order Dave to stay inside today and be quiet. He asks what I’m going to do. I tell him, “I’m going on a ‘seek and you will find’ mission.” Dave asks me, “When will you be back?” I grab the spare Bible and close the secret supply chamber. I subtly remove the chair securing my back door, then slowly open it. “Soon Dave, it should be by dark.” I exit the house cautiously running to my back fence. I climb over, then leap into the ally. I have no idea of where I’m going. I just feel my spirit tugging at me to just get going. I let my shoes choose the direction, and I let God reveal our mission.

              My head pans back and forth. I walk close to the fences lining the ally giving me some concealment. I am not as scared as I have been. It’s like someone is walking with me as I experience a peace I cannot explain. I reach the end of the ally and peer past the last fence rampart. I peek left, then right to find both coast are clear. I pull back, and then lean back on the fence to meditate. I think, “Which way Lord?” I wait and listen for a sign. I wait, and wait, but nothing happens. I am kind of angry being left so wide open without any way to defend my position. I whisper, “God, I need some help here. I’m risking everything. Please show me where to go and what to do.” Still nothing happens. Desperate, I decide to keep walking straight down to the next ally, and the next, until I get some kind of sign. I stop at the end of the third alley and peer

checking for LD. Quickly and quietly I robotically walk across the street. About 20 feet into the ally I stop and lean my back on the fence behind me. I listen to see if anyone noticed me crossing. I tremble slightly as I regain my composure.

              The stress of this constant maneuvering is beginning to

wear me down mentally. Time stands still as I notice a Blue Jay land on the adjacent fence. He sings this most wonderful soothing bird song. I am harmonically hypnotized in the moment. I forget this world and feel Heaven all over. He ends his song and freezes all his movement. I feel he senses something is coming. He jumps up and abruptly flies off. I decide maybe he’s the sign, so I follow him.

              Strangely, his flight path follows the direction of the alleyway system. It lands on the last fence of this ally and begins his beautiful beckoning song again. It seems inexplicably quiet today as I methodically approach his welcoming song. All of a sudden I see an LD appear at the end of this ally. I know he’s one; my spirit tastes its evil. I become a wood slat on this fence behind me hoping to become invisible. I silently pray, “Please Lord, protect me.” The LD seems to be hypnotized by the bird’s song. He strolls toward him, and then stops and stares into his eyes. Yet, this brave bird continues singing unafraid. The tempo of my heart races knowing he’s got to sense me. Only 20 feet of empty space separates me from certain doom. The bird leaps and flies to a tree branch at the beginning of the next ally. The LD’s trance is immediately broken and his head turns directly towards me. I stare into his dark eyes seeing only his empty tortured soul. I’m so focused I can read his “Trinity” brand in his forehead. The terror overpowers me as I stand frozen. He drips with a demonic presence. The Blue Jay again starts his song. My soul says, “Pray Joey,” as it reasons it’s impossible that he does not see me.

              Quietly, I mumble as my spirit cries, “Help me Lord. Send your Angel of protection.” I close my eyes tightly and wait to be slaughtered. The next thing I hear is a faint voice

say, “Job, Joey-Job.” I crack my left eye open a slither while my eye lid fights to remain shut. He’s gone? The Demon filled LD is gone! I shake the wooden slats supporting my exhausted body as I slide down to the ground whispering “It’s

a miracle.” My whole body begins screaming, “Thank you

Jesus”!

              I sit for several minutes silently praising my redeemer. I pry my pocket Bible out of my back pocket and fumble open to the pages in “Job.” My thumb flips through the chapter pages stopping at number 23. I feel in my spirit I should start reading here. I begin at verse 8. "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside.” I say to myself, “My God.” God gives me exactly what I need when I need it most. I know His invisible presence guides me towards His will.

              Amazingly, the Blue Bird has not moved from his tree branch. It’s still singing his harmonious beckoning song. I push along with purpose trusting I have God’s guidance and protection. I close in on this mysterious bird as he begins to stare at me. He continues his soothing message as I whisper to him “I’m naming you Flicker, because you flicker a little flame of hope in this miserable world.” He quirkily tilts his little head seemingly to say “Yes” in agreement to his new name. Flicker suddenly leaps and takes to flight once more. I follow him in and out of alley ways, and even across intersections unafraid. My spirit tells  me I am suppose to follow him wherever he might go. I make it to the street corner and turn towards the direction of Flicker’s whistling song.               Immediately, I see a herd of LD ushering what must be an Irreverent straight towards me. I watch Flicker abandon his post and alarmingly fly off. I chant silently, “I have God’s protection” while proceeding robotically and unemotionally

up the side of the street and into the jaws of this living hell.

              The closer they come the more my stomach churns. My spirit rebukes their vile presence. I begin to see the poor soul in their clutches. He screams in agony as they torture him. I

sense two LD are Demon possessed. These two restrain and

easily drag along their rather large captive. I can see from the distance that their eyes are red bottomless pits of darkness. I continue towards the herd acting like I am an LD. My spirit seems hid from their detection, but I try and maneuver as far away from them as possible without acting suspicious. I swerve to the right of the approaching mob and up to the remnant of the sidewalk. I fill my face with emptiness and walk with a purpose. My acting seems to be working and my fake forehead brand seems to have tricked them. They pay no attention to me, seeming more interested in torturing the poor soul in their merciless parade. I continue with my statuette solitary procession going in the opposite way.

              I see out of the corner of my eye several LD sprinkling broken glass in front, while the confined Irreverent is forced to walk barefoot every step of the way over it. I hear the glass crush and grind into his bones. The possessed laugh every time the Irreverent screams. The other LD march just behind; and are equally sided to the left and right. They fittingly look like pallbearers. My compassion battles inside me. I desperately want to help the battered man, but my spirit warns me to keep going. I pray God grant us courage and him mercy, as I march right past him. His benevolent spirit briefly commingles with mine. He shouts toward my direction, “Save my family!” The LD following him punches him into unconsciousness. One LD thinks the message was for him as he smirks, “‘Trinity’ is their only salvation.” I hear the top of this big man’s feet dragging away the broken glass while blood squirts out his gruesome trail. The shoes of the LD following him crunch up and down while slurping through the red sparkling goop. I now know today’s mission. Loud

moaning turns the corner suggesting his revival. His crying moves away as today fades back into its eerie silence.

              I weep inside my spirit, and then I put aside my compassion. I know I need to concentrate on what the big man asked. I pray, “Show me the way Lord.”  Magically, my little

Flicker appears. His song leads me along several more

alleyways to and abandon auto garage. My little friend sits atop a dusty fuel pump covered in webs. He stares and sings in my direction. I approach him while thinking how this would be an excellent place to hide. There’s no use for gas stations any more. The EMP blast ruined the unprotected electrical pumping system. And, there’s no way to deliver gas to this station anyways. I ask him, “Is there someone here?” He stops his song and jerks his head pointing it toward the stations entrance way.

              I cautiously tread through piles of aged leaves blocking the doorway. I lean my head in peeking at the empty shelves and wrappers of debris. I see no signs of life. I turn back to view my little friend for reassurance, but my little Flicker has flown off again. For some reason my eyes notice something I did not before. I see slightly dust covered footprints surround by a carpet of dust. They lead away from the garage bays. I figure the trail to be fairly fresh by the thin film of dust filling the shoe prints. I gingerly step inside to investigate and immediately force up a small wafting dust cloud. I swipe the choking mist out of my view while noticing a dim crying sound appear. It grows louder as I move toward the far side of the mechanic’s bay. As I step down into the leaves filling the chamber, I notice a pressed path leading back to a stack of boxes. I try moving them as the crying suddenly stops. They will not budge. I carefully direct my voice towards the stack saying, “I’m here to help you. I’m not EVIL; I’m Irreverent.”