Post by dizzyjam on Oct 11, 2008 19:49:30 GMT -5
Back in the Spring of 2003 I wrote a short story. All my life I had been into end-time prophecy and such, so when I wrote this story I had just gone through a few years where I had been inundated with Fictional accounts of this very thing and more teaching and preaching from all sorts of viewpoints that would make the head to spin if it could.
In 2001 Desecration by LaHaye and Jenkins, Megiddo by 8x entertainment, and Legend Part III:I of the epic music trilogy by Saviour Machine all came out about the same time and 9/11 happened as well.
The Spring of 2003 I was able to visit the church of Joe Van Koevering just long enough to hear his two part message on "The Anti-Christ Revealed". In this message he gave a lot of evidence leading up to his revelation that the President of the Club of Rome, a certain Muslim named Hassan if I recall correctly, had all the earmarks to possibly be the Anti-Christ. A few weeks later I'm for a couple of hours or so one night typing and this story came out.
Hope you like it.
Advance warning though: It's intense and the title of it is named that way for a reason. Okay, venture if you dare.
THE MARTYRDOM OF CHRISTY
by David James
The explosion of the door as the soldiers burst through startles everyone in the room including to an even greater extent Christy who had been caught up with the peace of the moment even more than the others. The lead soldier barks orders to the others that wield rifles with laser scopes and other attachments that weren’t quite necessary for what they were doing.
“Daniels, there! Reeves, over there!” the lieutenant shouts and points one direction and then another to two of his top three men who get right to surrounding – as their commander had ordered – the small group of thirty-nine people that had been preparing together in secret. Bob Hill stands first to confront this intrusion that just two months ago would have been unthinkable to happen, let alone be government sanctioned.
A man who had reached his thirty-fifth birthday, Bob had been leading the group in prayer in his home and they were seeking an answer from God on how to proceed with what’s going on in the world. All of the countries had signed a document dividing the world into ten separate power zones with a leader to be in charge of each zone over a year and a half ago to help the world come closer to global unity and most believers saw this as tying into the prophecies mentioned in scripture, yet because of the way these prophecies had been taught from the United States of America church system, most of the pastors and ministers were confused as to why this was happening now while the Body of Christ was still on planet Earth and tended to not talk about that much anymore as they used to. Things were working out as the prophecies had predicted, but not in the order or quite the way the “prophecy experts” had predicted they would and those same “experts” had decided to spout out easy answers for different problems and not worry about something they didn’t understand and just didn’t know what to do about. Bob thought he knew and the answer didn’t sit well with him especially now when the answer was currently staring him in the face.
The lieutenant notices Bob standing up. “Are you the leader of this group?” Bob silently nods his head. No need to waste breath. Besides Bob is sure that the soldier already knew who to look for as the leader. Probably had the picture displayed on the Palm computer he was holding. The soldier starts with procedural drivel. “Are you aware that you are in violation of Universal Law #1, Section 18, Statement 3 which states, and I quote: ‘All religions will fall under the one religion of the Holy Empire of the World. All meetings of a religious nature must be approved by and be held accountable to the local county for the betterment of the local zone and for the good of all humanity in the Holy Empire of the World. Individuals and groups can still keep their own beliefs as long as no religious meeting can contradict the unity found in this one religion. Anyone not following this is in violation and guilty of treason if no repentance is found. Sentence shall be immediate removal by HEW officers on the scene.’ End quote. Do you deny this?”
Bob had noticed the features on the man’s face, and while the soldier was talking heard the slightly broken accent that betrayed his Middle Eastern roots. This must be one of the soldiers sent to this country’s soil when the U.S.A. was dissolved to become a part of what is now known worldwide as “The United Mexanada Zone”. Bob’s answer is simple. “No.”
The soldier accepts this without expression and without emotion. “I am now authorized to inform you that you are now given one chance to leave here and join the new order of the world’s system. You will need to register and receive the implant that shows up as a symbol on your skin to access your daily requirements.” He holds up his right hand revealing his palm that bears the six pointed Star of David three times with Islamic writing underneath demonstrating the union of religions that led the world to the system of unity it now had. “We have a service van set up outside to help you with this. If you do not leave for that, then you will not leave at all.”
Christy sits near to where Bob stands and begins shaking. She just can’t believe this is happening. She grew up in America where even if you didn’t exercise it, you always had the freedom to worship God anyway you wanted to – or for that matter whichever “God” you wanted to – and now this band of soldiers have interrupted their prayer group and are telling them they are in violation of the law just because they don’t believe the same thing that the new leader of the world does? And that they would die unless they chose to believe the way the new world leader did? It was beyond her level of comprehension.
For most people the ten zones turned out to be nothing more than remapping the world as each nation kept the laws and the public order they had always kept with new laws over the old ones that just added that sense of unity needed to keep the populace happy. Christy knew that Bob had been telling them over the past year that he believed what had been going on was the one world system prophesied in Revelation that would eventually give all authority to one man that would turn out to be one of the ten leaders governing the ten zones. When King Maddas of the “Babylonian Zone” was struck in his right eye by a dagger tossed down from the rafters of a huge auditorium the whole world mourned the Islamic leader who had finally found a peace with the nation of Israel for the Palestinian nation. A week later after immediate extensive surgery that required cutting open his skull where the opening of his right eye was and carefully removing the dagger which had lodged into his brain then both replacing parts of him they had to cut out as well as sealing his skull back using stem cell cloning technology, King Maddas walked out of the hospital to a plethora of cameras and reporters who showed the astonished world the man who had been fatally wounded yet had recovered completely even with a new cloned eye. This happened during the seventieth week after the world was separated into ten zones.
In the weeks after this Maddas conferred greatly with his nine colleagues on firming up the one world government they had founded. Shortly after this, before any official documents got signed, Maddas stepped down from his position of King of Babylon for reasons he stated were “personal and in no way reflects on the wonderful leadership of the other kings.” This shook the world greatly as he was such a great leader of unity and was preparing to take the world into the next step of unity. The new king conferred with the other nine kings to finish the work they had started with Maddas and they unanimously voted to give their authority to one man: Maddas. Maddas appeared shocked on camera when this was announced on world wide television and on live Internet streams during a banquet held in his honor. After conversations held during another week in which the world waited for news of its peace making leader yet again, Maddas appeared before the world as Lord Emperor of the Holy Empire of the World.
This was two months ago and a lot had changed since then. The new empire that Maddas and his other nine associates had created promised peace and freedom, but brought terror and death. The soldiers in the room with them now was a perfect demonstration of this.
Christy listens to the soldier as he moves his gun back and forth stopping to point it at each individual person that he can. “One last chance, don’t miss out. Make no mistake with what I am saying to you. You will die if you don’t leave now.”
To Christy’s astonishment she sees Joe Parks get up and leave. Before he gets past the lieutenant the soldier grabs Joe’s shoulder and smiling says, “Good choice, brother. We’ll get you set up with a nice apartment and whatever job you want. Anything that you need we’ll help provide and get you started in this new world.”
Joe just shrugs his shoulders. “I’ve got plenty and I’ll be glad to help whoever needs help. I’ve never felt anything with these folks anyway. It’s a load of hogwash. Nothing to die over.” Then he walks out the door into the sunlight.
Christy shakes her head and looks at Bob to see tears streaming down his face. Joe was one of the first three to start the group with Bob. Joe always gave a lot of money to his church and was always helping those in the group with anything they needed. Christy just can’t believe that Joe would desert them like that and can tell that Bob is shaken badly over it.
A Mexican woman raises her hand. “Senor?”
The soldier turns his head. “Yes?”
Lowering her chin and stepping forward a bit as she raises it back up she asks, “If I join your empire does it mean that my two boys can get a good education and grow up healthy and strong and never starve?”
The soldier chuckles a bit. “Of course. All children are guaranteed a complete education customized to their learning level. Also, you can be educated in whatever you desire funded completely by the government.”
Grinning, the Mexican woman grabs her two boys and moves out the door.
Bob sits down and puts his head in his hands. Carmelita was the most recent addition to their group and he hadn’t gotten to know her too well yet. He never found out if she truly believed. Now he knew. What a way to find out.
“There’s still time. Anyone else want to come forward?” The soldier says it like a minister making a final plea at alter call in an almost mocking tone.
A young woman in the back with a bulging stomach steps forward. “Will you be able to cure the AIDS going through my body and let my baby live a healthy life?”
The soldier laughs as he throws his head back. “I’ve been waiting all week for that one.” Still grinning he looks at her in the eye. “Just earlier this week they released the cure for AIDS after careful testing. My brother was so glad. Now he and his boyfriend are back together again planning their wedding.”
Smiling tentatively, she steps forward some more. Holding out his hand gallantly, the soldier helps her down. Another soldier helps her to go outside.
Christy sits frozen in shock wondering who else will leave. She doesn’t wait long. Two more people silently get up about the same time and walk outside. After about a minute of no one else getting up and leaving, the soldier speaks again.
“Well, so much for the faithful, eh? I guess all of you won’t be going to Heaven tonight after all? Okay, time to die.” He points his pistol at Bob. “You first.”
Christy’s heart tightens in a fist as Bob quietly rises to face his executioner. He walks down to stand in front of the soldier and makes a try for one last convert before passing on. “No matter what they told you, Jesus still…”
BANG!!!!
The arm holding the pistol flies up and discharges the pistol’s load into Bob’s skull before he can finish his sentence. Blood flows as Bob’s body slouches and hits the floor with a horrible wet sound.
The soldier looks at the remaining. “Awwww….I guess Jesus didn’t want to hear that.”
Gene Lee leaps to his feet and erupts, “Oh shoot! Aw, shoot! No, man. No! Your serious. Darn! This is serious. Aw, SHOOT!” He runs his hands through his hair as murmurs and cries go through the crowd.
Christy feels as if her heart had been ripped out. She had fallen in love with Bob and was sure that soon he would pop the question with her. Now, she wonders, Is there marriage in Heaven? Does this feeling matter there?
The soldier responds to Gene’s outburst. “You’re darn right I’m serious. You want to be next?”
“Heck, no! I want out! Will you still let me go sign up? DARN!! I don’t want to die.”
Grinning the soldier thinks, It always winds up this way. After the first killing, the faithful dwindle even more. No one wants to die. And for the fools that remain and actually think there’s life after this? Feces on them. The society is better off without them. Nodding to Gene he says, “Sure buddy. We’ll set you up,” then looking at those left he adds, “and anyone else that wishes to of course.” Eight more follow Gene, still cursing from what he just saw already running out the door.
The soldier executes five more before another one repents and goes outside to join society. After two more go outside and eleven more die all that is left are Christy and four others that had joined the group over the last two weeks. The lieutenant points his pistol at Christy.
The moment of truth.
Christy tries to move her muscles but finds out that she can’t. Her vision is filled with the pile of bodies stacked haphazardly in the corner of what was Bob’s living room. After each execution, two of the other soldiers pick up the dead body and move it away from what has become the area of execution.
The lieutenant indicates to two other soldiers. “She’s in shock. Bring her forward.”
The two obey and lift her up, bringing her forward with her knees bent and feet dragging the floor. Setting her in front of the lieutenant, she crumples down as if already dead.
Christy doesn’t understand why her body isn’t working and just wishes she was back at the field she used to run through as a child when she was growing up. Her grandfather owned a big piece of property in Texas that her daddy took her to all the time. She would run and play for hours with her sister Danielle. Danielle. Christy’s mind leaps toward the image of her sister. I wonder what happened to her. I haven’t seen her since she graduated college. I wonder if she ever accepted the Lord? (Unknown to Christy, Danielle waited outside for her in hopes that she would exit the building with her own mark already on her forehead and right palm) The soldier’s voice cuts through her thoughts on her sister.
“Pick her up and hold her steady. She obviously can’t support herself anymore, and we need to get a move on if we’re going to make our last Removal Appointment.” The two soldiers comply and pick her up. Following regulation, they keep her held up by holding onto the upper arm by the elbow of the side the individual soldier is standing on, standing as far away as the arm’s reach will allow.
“Look up at me.”
Strangely, Christy finds that she can look up. She sees the sadistic grin on the face of her executioner. Before he raises the barrel in front of her face she hears him make a comment to one of his men on the side. “You know, I hear that soon we’ll be beheading them instead of this idiotic bullet through the skull routine.”
She hears the man’s reply but doesn’t look his way. “Oh, yeah? A guillotine? That’ll take the fun out of it don’t you think? I mean the whole look ‘em in the eyes to see their death will be gone.”
The lieutenant shakes his head and raises the barrel to five inches in front of her face. She can feel the heat coming off of the barrel from the previous discharges even at that distance. “You Americans and Europeans with your limited imagination. We’ll be using swords as we’ve always done in the Middle East. Now it will be a worldwide practice. You’ll be training for it soon enough. Don’t worry. And when you make your first kill you will feel the joy of watching the expression on your victim’s face turn from pain, to shock, to horror, to nothing after your sword has sliced through the neck.” Turning back to Christy he says, “Any last comments?”
Christy thinks but nothing comes to mind. She hears her voice say, “Jesus is Lord,” but doesn’t remember telling it to say anything, nor even feel her lips moving.
“A pity. You’re so lovely, I would have made you a part of my father’s harem as one of my concubines. You would have joined your sister in great wealth.” A pause. “Now, you are nothing.”
A stab of pain goes through her emotions a moment before the bullet goes through her head. When the lieutenant pulls the trigger an image of a round object very briefly appears to her then nothing except brightness and peace.
End of Story
Told you it got intense. And it was titled that way for a reason. Outside of a few minor changes today and a few weeks ago what you see is exactly as written back in 2003. So it's still a first draft as far as I'm concerned. I'm curious as what you might think of it. Is it publishable? And if so, with who? Also, I realize it might step on some theological toes, so let me just say that I realize it's not neccessarily prophetically or Biblically sound in regards to the end-times and neither is most entertainment based on the Bible. There's always something to nitpick on even with the best out there. Remember what I said up top about all the things going through my mind when I wrote it. And even though I was at one time adverse to admit it, I've found there really are some valid takes on the prophetic scriptures outside of what has been popularized in the seventies and eighties. That could be a discussion for another thread though. Maybe I'll start one in the theological board. I'll anticipate some responses for this story though.............
In 2001 Desecration by LaHaye and Jenkins, Megiddo by 8x entertainment, and Legend Part III:I of the epic music trilogy by Saviour Machine all came out about the same time and 9/11 happened as well.
The Spring of 2003 I was able to visit the church of Joe Van Koevering just long enough to hear his two part message on "The Anti-Christ Revealed". In this message he gave a lot of evidence leading up to his revelation that the President of the Club of Rome, a certain Muslim named Hassan if I recall correctly, had all the earmarks to possibly be the Anti-Christ. A few weeks later I'm for a couple of hours or so one night typing and this story came out.
Hope you like it.
Advance warning though: It's intense and the title of it is named that way for a reason. Okay, venture if you dare.
THE MARTYRDOM OF CHRISTY
by David James
The explosion of the door as the soldiers burst through startles everyone in the room including to an even greater extent Christy who had been caught up with the peace of the moment even more than the others. The lead soldier barks orders to the others that wield rifles with laser scopes and other attachments that weren’t quite necessary for what they were doing.
“Daniels, there! Reeves, over there!” the lieutenant shouts and points one direction and then another to two of his top three men who get right to surrounding – as their commander had ordered – the small group of thirty-nine people that had been preparing together in secret. Bob Hill stands first to confront this intrusion that just two months ago would have been unthinkable to happen, let alone be government sanctioned.
A man who had reached his thirty-fifth birthday, Bob had been leading the group in prayer in his home and they were seeking an answer from God on how to proceed with what’s going on in the world. All of the countries had signed a document dividing the world into ten separate power zones with a leader to be in charge of each zone over a year and a half ago to help the world come closer to global unity and most believers saw this as tying into the prophecies mentioned in scripture, yet because of the way these prophecies had been taught from the United States of America church system, most of the pastors and ministers were confused as to why this was happening now while the Body of Christ was still on planet Earth and tended to not talk about that much anymore as they used to. Things were working out as the prophecies had predicted, but not in the order or quite the way the “prophecy experts” had predicted they would and those same “experts” had decided to spout out easy answers for different problems and not worry about something they didn’t understand and just didn’t know what to do about. Bob thought he knew and the answer didn’t sit well with him especially now when the answer was currently staring him in the face.
The lieutenant notices Bob standing up. “Are you the leader of this group?” Bob silently nods his head. No need to waste breath. Besides Bob is sure that the soldier already knew who to look for as the leader. Probably had the picture displayed on the Palm computer he was holding. The soldier starts with procedural drivel. “Are you aware that you are in violation of Universal Law #1, Section 18, Statement 3 which states, and I quote: ‘All religions will fall under the one religion of the Holy Empire of the World. All meetings of a religious nature must be approved by and be held accountable to the local county for the betterment of the local zone and for the good of all humanity in the Holy Empire of the World. Individuals and groups can still keep their own beliefs as long as no religious meeting can contradict the unity found in this one religion. Anyone not following this is in violation and guilty of treason if no repentance is found. Sentence shall be immediate removal by HEW officers on the scene.’ End quote. Do you deny this?”
Bob had noticed the features on the man’s face, and while the soldier was talking heard the slightly broken accent that betrayed his Middle Eastern roots. This must be one of the soldiers sent to this country’s soil when the U.S.A. was dissolved to become a part of what is now known worldwide as “The United Mexanada Zone”. Bob’s answer is simple. “No.”
The soldier accepts this without expression and without emotion. “I am now authorized to inform you that you are now given one chance to leave here and join the new order of the world’s system. You will need to register and receive the implant that shows up as a symbol on your skin to access your daily requirements.” He holds up his right hand revealing his palm that bears the six pointed Star of David three times with Islamic writing underneath demonstrating the union of religions that led the world to the system of unity it now had. “We have a service van set up outside to help you with this. If you do not leave for that, then you will not leave at all.”
Christy sits near to where Bob stands and begins shaking. She just can’t believe this is happening. She grew up in America where even if you didn’t exercise it, you always had the freedom to worship God anyway you wanted to – or for that matter whichever “God” you wanted to – and now this band of soldiers have interrupted their prayer group and are telling them they are in violation of the law just because they don’t believe the same thing that the new leader of the world does? And that they would die unless they chose to believe the way the new world leader did? It was beyond her level of comprehension.
For most people the ten zones turned out to be nothing more than remapping the world as each nation kept the laws and the public order they had always kept with new laws over the old ones that just added that sense of unity needed to keep the populace happy. Christy knew that Bob had been telling them over the past year that he believed what had been going on was the one world system prophesied in Revelation that would eventually give all authority to one man that would turn out to be one of the ten leaders governing the ten zones. When King Maddas of the “Babylonian Zone” was struck in his right eye by a dagger tossed down from the rafters of a huge auditorium the whole world mourned the Islamic leader who had finally found a peace with the nation of Israel for the Palestinian nation. A week later after immediate extensive surgery that required cutting open his skull where the opening of his right eye was and carefully removing the dagger which had lodged into his brain then both replacing parts of him they had to cut out as well as sealing his skull back using stem cell cloning technology, King Maddas walked out of the hospital to a plethora of cameras and reporters who showed the astonished world the man who had been fatally wounded yet had recovered completely even with a new cloned eye. This happened during the seventieth week after the world was separated into ten zones.
In the weeks after this Maddas conferred greatly with his nine colleagues on firming up the one world government they had founded. Shortly after this, before any official documents got signed, Maddas stepped down from his position of King of Babylon for reasons he stated were “personal and in no way reflects on the wonderful leadership of the other kings.” This shook the world greatly as he was such a great leader of unity and was preparing to take the world into the next step of unity. The new king conferred with the other nine kings to finish the work they had started with Maddas and they unanimously voted to give their authority to one man: Maddas. Maddas appeared shocked on camera when this was announced on world wide television and on live Internet streams during a banquet held in his honor. After conversations held during another week in which the world waited for news of its peace making leader yet again, Maddas appeared before the world as Lord Emperor of the Holy Empire of the World.
This was two months ago and a lot had changed since then. The new empire that Maddas and his other nine associates had created promised peace and freedom, but brought terror and death. The soldiers in the room with them now was a perfect demonstration of this.
Christy listens to the soldier as he moves his gun back and forth stopping to point it at each individual person that he can. “One last chance, don’t miss out. Make no mistake with what I am saying to you. You will die if you don’t leave now.”
To Christy’s astonishment she sees Joe Parks get up and leave. Before he gets past the lieutenant the soldier grabs Joe’s shoulder and smiling says, “Good choice, brother. We’ll get you set up with a nice apartment and whatever job you want. Anything that you need we’ll help provide and get you started in this new world.”
Joe just shrugs his shoulders. “I’ve got plenty and I’ll be glad to help whoever needs help. I’ve never felt anything with these folks anyway. It’s a load of hogwash. Nothing to die over.” Then he walks out the door into the sunlight.
Christy shakes her head and looks at Bob to see tears streaming down his face. Joe was one of the first three to start the group with Bob. Joe always gave a lot of money to his church and was always helping those in the group with anything they needed. Christy just can’t believe that Joe would desert them like that and can tell that Bob is shaken badly over it.
A Mexican woman raises her hand. “Senor?”
The soldier turns his head. “Yes?”
Lowering her chin and stepping forward a bit as she raises it back up she asks, “If I join your empire does it mean that my two boys can get a good education and grow up healthy and strong and never starve?”
The soldier chuckles a bit. “Of course. All children are guaranteed a complete education customized to their learning level. Also, you can be educated in whatever you desire funded completely by the government.”
Grinning, the Mexican woman grabs her two boys and moves out the door.
Bob sits down and puts his head in his hands. Carmelita was the most recent addition to their group and he hadn’t gotten to know her too well yet. He never found out if she truly believed. Now he knew. What a way to find out.
“There’s still time. Anyone else want to come forward?” The soldier says it like a minister making a final plea at alter call in an almost mocking tone.
A young woman in the back with a bulging stomach steps forward. “Will you be able to cure the AIDS going through my body and let my baby live a healthy life?”
The soldier laughs as he throws his head back. “I’ve been waiting all week for that one.” Still grinning he looks at her in the eye. “Just earlier this week they released the cure for AIDS after careful testing. My brother was so glad. Now he and his boyfriend are back together again planning their wedding.”
Smiling tentatively, she steps forward some more. Holding out his hand gallantly, the soldier helps her down. Another soldier helps her to go outside.
Christy sits frozen in shock wondering who else will leave. She doesn’t wait long. Two more people silently get up about the same time and walk outside. After about a minute of no one else getting up and leaving, the soldier speaks again.
“Well, so much for the faithful, eh? I guess all of you won’t be going to Heaven tonight after all? Okay, time to die.” He points his pistol at Bob. “You first.”
Christy’s heart tightens in a fist as Bob quietly rises to face his executioner. He walks down to stand in front of the soldier and makes a try for one last convert before passing on. “No matter what they told you, Jesus still…”
BANG!!!!
The arm holding the pistol flies up and discharges the pistol’s load into Bob’s skull before he can finish his sentence. Blood flows as Bob’s body slouches and hits the floor with a horrible wet sound.
The soldier looks at the remaining. “Awwww….I guess Jesus didn’t want to hear that.”
Gene Lee leaps to his feet and erupts, “Oh shoot! Aw, shoot! No, man. No! Your serious. Darn! This is serious. Aw, SHOOT!” He runs his hands through his hair as murmurs and cries go through the crowd.
Christy feels as if her heart had been ripped out. She had fallen in love with Bob and was sure that soon he would pop the question with her. Now, she wonders, Is there marriage in Heaven? Does this feeling matter there?
The soldier responds to Gene’s outburst. “You’re darn right I’m serious. You want to be next?”
“Heck, no! I want out! Will you still let me go sign up? DARN!! I don’t want to die.”
Grinning the soldier thinks, It always winds up this way. After the first killing, the faithful dwindle even more. No one wants to die. And for the fools that remain and actually think there’s life after this? Feces on them. The society is better off without them. Nodding to Gene he says, “Sure buddy. We’ll set you up,” then looking at those left he adds, “and anyone else that wishes to of course.” Eight more follow Gene, still cursing from what he just saw already running out the door.
The soldier executes five more before another one repents and goes outside to join society. After two more go outside and eleven more die all that is left are Christy and four others that had joined the group over the last two weeks. The lieutenant points his pistol at Christy.
The moment of truth.
Christy tries to move her muscles but finds out that she can’t. Her vision is filled with the pile of bodies stacked haphazardly in the corner of what was Bob’s living room. After each execution, two of the other soldiers pick up the dead body and move it away from what has become the area of execution.
The lieutenant indicates to two other soldiers. “She’s in shock. Bring her forward.”
The two obey and lift her up, bringing her forward with her knees bent and feet dragging the floor. Setting her in front of the lieutenant, she crumples down as if already dead.
Christy doesn’t understand why her body isn’t working and just wishes she was back at the field she used to run through as a child when she was growing up. Her grandfather owned a big piece of property in Texas that her daddy took her to all the time. She would run and play for hours with her sister Danielle. Danielle. Christy’s mind leaps toward the image of her sister. I wonder what happened to her. I haven’t seen her since she graduated college. I wonder if she ever accepted the Lord? (Unknown to Christy, Danielle waited outside for her in hopes that she would exit the building with her own mark already on her forehead and right palm) The soldier’s voice cuts through her thoughts on her sister.
“Pick her up and hold her steady. She obviously can’t support herself anymore, and we need to get a move on if we’re going to make our last Removal Appointment.” The two soldiers comply and pick her up. Following regulation, they keep her held up by holding onto the upper arm by the elbow of the side the individual soldier is standing on, standing as far away as the arm’s reach will allow.
“Look up at me.”
Strangely, Christy finds that she can look up. She sees the sadistic grin on the face of her executioner. Before he raises the barrel in front of her face she hears him make a comment to one of his men on the side. “You know, I hear that soon we’ll be beheading them instead of this idiotic bullet through the skull routine.”
She hears the man’s reply but doesn’t look his way. “Oh, yeah? A guillotine? That’ll take the fun out of it don’t you think? I mean the whole look ‘em in the eyes to see their death will be gone.”
The lieutenant shakes his head and raises the barrel to five inches in front of her face. She can feel the heat coming off of the barrel from the previous discharges even at that distance. “You Americans and Europeans with your limited imagination. We’ll be using swords as we’ve always done in the Middle East. Now it will be a worldwide practice. You’ll be training for it soon enough. Don’t worry. And when you make your first kill you will feel the joy of watching the expression on your victim’s face turn from pain, to shock, to horror, to nothing after your sword has sliced through the neck.” Turning back to Christy he says, “Any last comments?”
Christy thinks but nothing comes to mind. She hears her voice say, “Jesus is Lord,” but doesn’t remember telling it to say anything, nor even feel her lips moving.
“A pity. You’re so lovely, I would have made you a part of my father’s harem as one of my concubines. You would have joined your sister in great wealth.” A pause. “Now, you are nothing.”
A stab of pain goes through her emotions a moment before the bullet goes through her head. When the lieutenant pulls the trigger an image of a round object very briefly appears to her then nothing except brightness and peace.
End of Story
Told you it got intense. And it was titled that way for a reason. Outside of a few minor changes today and a few weeks ago what you see is exactly as written back in 2003. So it's still a first draft as far as I'm concerned. I'm curious as what you might think of it. Is it publishable? And if so, with who? Also, I realize it might step on some theological toes, so let me just say that I realize it's not neccessarily prophetically or Biblically sound in regards to the end-times and neither is most entertainment based on the Bible. There's always something to nitpick on even with the best out there. Remember what I said up top about all the things going through my mind when I wrote it. And even though I was at one time adverse to admit it, I've found there really are some valid takes on the prophetic scriptures outside of what has been popularized in the seventies and eighties. That could be a discussion for another thread though. Maybe I'll start one in the theological board. I'll anticipate some responses for this story though.............