Fiction - Week 19 - A Fiasco in the Restaurant.

All the characters in this story are fictitious and bear no resemblance to any person, living or dead.

A story based on Biblical truth.

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At a police station in Central London, the officers stood in fear around the lounge table. Clive, the officer who at first laughed at Robert Jones' autism from the cell viewing slot, then suffered a horrible taste in his mouth after turning on the tap, spoke up.

The water tasted ghastly, and its toxicity is certainly fatal. How could a meteorite that struck the Euphrates, thousands of miles away, affect our supplies so effectively?

I think it could be supernatural. Ted replied. There is no physical connection between a river in the Middle East and here in Britain, not to mention the English Channel in between. Yet, our supplies are affected.

Supernatural? Hah! Bill exclaimed, banging his fist on the table. If old Cali hears you talking like that, he'll have us all thrown into the fiery furnace! 

We are all doomed! Ted replied. With no drinkable freshwater available, we can't drink, cook, or wash ourselves. Its only use is to flush the toilet.

I have an idea. Clive chipped in. Why not go out and buy some bottled water? After all. A bottle is a sealed container. How could the contamination affect them?

You're the one with the brains! Bill responded. Anyone up for it?

Clive and Ted left the lounge and exited the station with a couple of sacks. Along the street, they saw a grocery store which was still in business despite the street being thin on traffic and pedestrians. However, they saw nobody inside. But as they approached the scanner at the door, it read the tiny chips each officer had, and the barriers opened.

The two officers rummaged through the shelves, and on one of them was some bottled water. Clive then entered the storage room at the back of the shop. There were several crates of bottled water and some unspoilt food. The two police officers disregarded the law and began to fill their sacks. Then they took a crate of water and hauled everything back to the station. They wondered where the shop owner was. Unknown to them, upstairs in the living room, a lifeless body lay on the sofa. A glass half full of water stood nearby, and flies began to buzz around his forehead, which bore the Clover Leaf mark.

The officers found some bottled water.

We brought back some stuff! Ted announced. Not only to feed us but the prisoners too.

Stuff the prisoners! Bill exclaimed. Why feed them and let ourselves go hungry? I tell you what. The bottled water. Pour out a cup and make them drink. If any drop dead, at least we don't have to execute them.

A great idea. Clive replied. Why not start at cell 8? That arrogant student and his black girlfriend. I'd love to hear her squeal! Are there four in that cell?

No, just three. It was from that cell we killed our first victim. Ted answered.

A bottle was removed from the crate, and three glasses were filled. Then they went to Cell 8 and offered a glass of water to each of us.

Drink! And that's an order! Bill commanded.

As we looked and hesitated, Bill shouted all the louder. DRINK!

We all sipped. Then the sipping turned into full drinking. The water's fine. I said.

Bill and Clive left, but Ted remained behind. Of all the officers, Ted was the least hostile to the prisoners and more inquisitive.

Why do you think all the water from the main supply is toxic while the bottled water remains unaffected? After all, the meteorite struck the Euphrates, thousands of miles away. We are an island nation separated from the Continent. Oddly, our supplies are toxic, but these bottles are drinkable.

Peter answered, I believe that every dark cloud has a silver lining. God in Heaven is now judging this planet, yet amidst the devastation, there is a hint of his mercy. As Peter wrote in his letter, the Lord is patient, not willing that anyone perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hence, God has allowed some water to remain sweet, so your lives are spared.

Repentance. Ted repeated the word. Does that mean feeling sorry for sin or turning from sin to be saved?

No. Peter answered. Repentance in this context means to change your mind from honouring Caligula to believing in Jesus Christ, his Death, Burial, and his Resurrection on the third day after his crucifixion, for your salvation. During these days of tribulation, God is still offering mercy between his judgments.

TED! Bill's voice echoed through the corridor.

The officer lowered his voice and said, I will pretend I never heard that. If my mates find out that I have been concurring with you, I'll be in big trouble, possibly costing my life. I must go.

                                                                 12.

Waterloo Station is not only the terminus of the lines serving the southwest region of England, but a hub of several lines. Waterloo East is a through station on the Southeast main line out of Charing Cross terminus on the North Bank, and it serves mainly Kent. On the Underground, three lines pass through: the Northern, Bakerloo, and Jubilee lines, all linking the South Bank areas to the central city, north of the Thames. 

But since the recent disaster in our oceans and on our freshwater supplies, all the trains have stopped running. With no drinkable water, many are suffering from hunger and thirst, while others have died after swallowing a mouthful of toxic water. Lately, London has become infested with looters who, at first, ignored the plentiful supply of bottled water, believing it could be fatal if consumed.

I, George Bolton, will continue to narrate about my old college mate, Phil Banks, who is now stranded in London. He has taken refuge deep underground on the Northern Line platform. Here, he wasn't alone. He saw others who had the same idea. He also saw that these people weren't followers of Gaius Caligula. None of them bore the Mark, and all spoke of their faith in Jesus Christ. Stacked along the platform were crates of bottled water and food. How they managed to get these supplies down here is anyone's guess.

Phil found refuge at Waterloo Underground station.

But Phil's loyalty to Caligula has waned. The main contributor to his change of mind was Emily, whom he knew was imprisoned with Peter, George, and (as he thought), Robert in a holding cell at an undisclosed police station somewhere in London. While he lived with the group in Egham, Emily showed him a motherly love nobody in his own family ever showed. He knew that she was grieving over her lost son, Richard. In place of her son, her affection was poured out on him, a student of Politics at Royal Holloway, whose childhood was a victim of bullying from a relative, his mother's brother, who was an icon of religious hypocrisy and sadism. Contrary to his own belief, his loyalty to Caligula was more of a kick in his uncle's teeth than any real political conviction.

A young man, about Phil's age, sat with a cooking pot heated by a camping stove in front of him. As Phil approached, he looked up and invited Phil to join him.

My name is Tom. He said. Tom Lawrence. I'm from the University of London. I was staying at my apartment until an earthquake hit London some time ago. Our apartment building was damaged, and I believe it's now condemned. Homeless, I settled here.

Phil asked, What has happened to you? Do you have the Mark?

Can you see any mark on me? Tom asked.

Er, no. Phil answered, looking at his hand and his forehead.

Phil flushed as he felt his own hand itch under the glove. He had found a new friend, and he no longer wanted to hide under deception. He wanted to test to make sure.

Tom, please don't be offended, but I was a sworn atheist, and I really thought that Cali would bring world peace. He was assassinated in Rome, and after he regained his life, we all wondered about him. I really thought that he would bring peace and prosperity. So far, he has failed, and failed badly. I accepted his mark. I am now regretting making that mistake.

Phil peeled off his glove from his right hand and showed the Clover Leaf tattoo. He felt it itching, and he started to scratch. Suddenly, something came out of his skin in the middle, and he subconsciously flicked it away. The wound began to bleed.

Phil realised that the tiny microchip had surfaced. As he swiped it away, it flew across the platform and onto the railway tracks below, and he lost it forever.

That was the microchip! Phil exclaimed. It's gone. Gone forever. Everyone who receives the Mark remains condemned. But I have felt deluded by Cali's string of failures, and I don't feel loyal to him anymore. Tom! Is there any hope I could still be reconciled to God after everything I have done?

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To be Continued.

Fiction - Week 18 - A Fiasco in a Restaurant.

 All the characters in this story are fictitious and bear no resemblance to any person, living or dead.

A story based on Biblical truth.

=================================================================

The noise of the gunshot in the interrogation room vibrated through the entire police station. Emily shrieked, knowing full well that the autistic marine biology student, with a special fascination for coral reefs, was no longer with us. He was shot dead. Shot dead for refusing to take the Mark of Gaius Caligula. All the remaining saints envied the deceased Robert Jones. He is now in Heaven, receiving special glory from the Lord enthroned, and reunited with his family in a place too glorious to imagine. For a while, Emily wept, tears rolling down her cheeks and dripping off her chin. 

Robert, oh Robert, our poor beloved brother! Rest in peace!  Emily muttered as she dried her cheeks.

While Emily continued her grief, everyone in the holding cells knew their fate. A choice between walking out of here into freedom or facing execution. Robert's execution was by gunshot, although we don't know where he was shot. Yet, in the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, a prophecy foretelling that the saints in this time of human history will be beheaded. In modern language, it means decapitated. I turned to Peter.

Where does it say we are likely to face decapitation? I asked.

While still at the church in Egham, Peter packed the group's Bible into his shoulder bag as he was led out to the waiting military van. As such, he turned to it as he sat in our cell.

It's in Revelation 20:4, which reads, "Then I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

Emily, after her sobbing had subsided and she had regained control, asked, This glory which you described so well, do you think Robert is now enjoying it? And do you believe that we too will partake in it?

Yes, most certainly, on both questions. Peter answered. It doesn't matter how we die, as long as we persist in our refusal to take the Mark. We could die as Robert did, or we could face a firing squad, or even a literal guillotine installed. The last two would most likely happen in the central courtyard found in many of these public facilities.  

A guillotine like this one may be erected in London.

I began to feel anger build. My attention turned from Robert to Phil, my former college mate. I then realised that I hadn't seen him anywhere around the police station. Then I remembered him walking away as we were all led into the station cells. I thought that he might head straight back to Egham. But I later learned that he spent a couple of nights at a hotel before arriving at Waterloo, after hearing of a sudden disruption on the railways caused by the two meteorites. 

However, when he left, he didn't look that happy either. Rather, I wondered whether he was reluctant to betray us. Emily became dear to him because her motherly attitude led him to question the divinity of Gaius Caligula and wonder whether the Gospel was true, as he remained with the rest of the group in Egham.

While I was thinking of Phil, he was already making his way on foot across London. However, because of the judgments falling on the planet, he found the city deserted. The streets were quiet, with little traffic flow. He passed a grocery store which had closed down. Looters had already smashed the front window and raided the shelves. However, there was a crate of bottled water that was left untouched. At first, he wondered why the bottles remained intact. Then he remembered hearing about the meteorite smashing into the Euphrates River and turning all freshwater bitter. As Peter, Emily and I were aware, many had died after drinking to quench their thirst.

Phil held a full bottle in his gloved hand and opened it. Surely, a meteorite falling thousands of miles away couldn't affect water in a sealed bottle, where no contamination could reach it. He lifted it to his mouth and took a small sip. It tasted normal. Relieved, he drank the whole bottle empty. Was the UK exempt from the judgment? He wasn't sure.

There was some food left behind by previous looters, and he helped himself with what he could find. He looked at the scanner and the closed barrier just inside the door. He smirked. So this was Caligula's method of exerting world control! At the end of the day, his bright idea couldn't keep the looters out, and even if his own Clover's Leaf activated the scanner and opened the barriers. The mechanism had lost its purpose.

He remained in the derelict shop for a while. He took off his glove and looked at the intertwining three sixes on the back of his hand. This world leader who promised world peace and prosperity! How successful was his global program? True, he performed a fascinating miracle while he was in Rome by coming back to life after he was assassinated. Most of the world wondered about the miracle. But bringing world peace? Indeed, he had success for the first three years. Then Russia's President, along with his Arab allies, shattered the peace program with his attempted invasion of Jerusalem. One reason was to rebuild Russia's failing economy. The other was to avenge the Jews for approving the destruction of their sacred Dome of the Rock.

Afterwards, Caligula couldn't restore world peace. His "fishbone in his throat" was the 860,000 Jews who fled Jerusalem and its surrounding Judean towns to seek refuge in the area of Petra in southern Jordan. Furthermore, the earth literally opened up to swallow the entire army as they drew close to executing those Jews. Now, this world leader is pacing around his Jerusalem headquarters like a headless chicken. 

As Phil sat in the shop and meditated, he saw that both the Jews, who, according to Peter's studies, could be as many as eight million, a third of world Jewry, refused to believe in Caligula or accept his Mark. Then there were "the Haters". The mission carried out by the 144,000 Jews across the globe has produced millions of converts. All these people, both Jews and non-Jews, are a bane to Gaius Caligula. See how catastrophic a failure he already is; he has set his armies to hunt down and execute anyone who isn't bearing his Mark. So much for his peace program!

Hence, his own betrayal of his new friends. The motherly Emily, the knowledgeable Peter, and his college mate George. He also remembered the brilliant but autistic marine life student, Robert Jones. Phil wondered how he was doing at that police station.

Phil raided and sat, meditating in a derelict London shop.

With his devotion to Gaius Caligula already wavering, and more doubt about his divinity growing, Phil arrived at Waterloo Station. It was quiet and almost deserted, except for a couple of looters smashing the front window of the Tesco Express grocery store and entering to pillage anything of value from the shelves.

He kept himself distant from the looters. However, he quickly saw why the station was otherwise so quiet. A few days earlier, trains were still running. But since the devastation, no trains were running. Indeed, trains were standing at some platforms. But all looked abandoned, with no sign of any departure announcements. The entrance to the underground was partly open, as if the gate was suddenly abandoned while in the process of opening or closing. Access to the underground could be advantageous. Phil knew that he was stranded in London. He couldn't return to Egham to collect his laptop from the abandoned church, nor return to his college apartment. He didn't trust anyone at the police station to drive him home either.

Phil approached the entrance to the underground, or "the tube", as affectionately known. There were three tube lines: the Northern, the Bakerloo, and the Jubilee. He remembered Peter during one of his Bible studies. The judgment on the oceans and freshwater had already occurred with devastating results. He remembered two more catastrophes still to come: searing heat and universal darkness. The searing heat from the sun was the more terrifying. It might be this disaster when people will cry to the caves and mountains, Fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb! Not that anyone would address God as a lamb, but its significance was enough. Jesus, the little lamb taught to the first-graders, meek and mild, has metamorphosed into a roaring lion.

Literally, everyone out and about who is caught in the searing heat will be roasted to death! This is where the underground platform would be useful. He has a better chance of survival several metres underground.

The escalator, which was no longer moving, became stairs into the ticket office below. Amazingly, the microchip in his right hand activated the barrier, giving him access to the platforms. When he saw that the Northern Line ran beneath the other two, he decided to make the northbound platform his temporary home.

He arrived at the platform. To his surprise, he saw other people squatting there. Phil looked at them casually without making any attempt to examine them too obviously. None of them had the Mark either on their foreheads or on their right hand, even if the latter was difficult to see, as some hid their hands in their pockets. Phil has stumbled upon another group of "Haters". With doubts about Caligula already festering in his mind, he greeted the group with friendliness rather than showing hostility. However, he made sure that his own Mark, which he was beginning to regret, was well hidden by the antiseptic glove.

Back at the police station, the prisoners rested in their cells. After the execution of Robert Jones, there was no more drama for now. In the staff lounge, one of the officers went to the kitchen to make tea for the rest of the crew. He turned on the tap and allowed a drop of water onto his palm. He then licked it, then immediately spat into the sink. The burning bitterness caused him to cough and spit in panic. There was no other source of water he could use to rinse his mouth. Instead, he had to bear the discomfort and warn the others.

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To be Continued.

Fiction - Week 17 - A Fiasco in a Restaurant.

All the characters in this story are fictitious and bear no resemblance to any person, living or dead.

A story based on Biblical truth.

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                                                                11

Robert Jones mulled through his thoughts as he, along with the rest of the group who hid away at St John the Baptist Church in Egham, settled in the military van that would escort them all to an interrogation unit somewhere in London.

He was the eldest of four siblings. The other two brothers and a sister were still at school when they vanished with their parents. To me, the whole family was similar to the Padula family. With them, both the parents and their only child, Roger, were taken to Heaven. But with the Joneses, Robert wasn't committed to believing in Jesus Christ by the time he entered Oxford University to study Marine Biology. Instead, he took a gap year after leaving school with a stack of A* Levels that made him eligible for a place at Oxford. Like the rest of us, Robert, whose family home was in the neighbouring town of Staines, was welcomed into our group a couple of weeks after the Rapture.

As I sat directly opposite him, I could almost read his thoughts. Most likely, he was reminiscing about his gap year. This was the topic of his testimony before he finally believed in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to take away his sins, after listening to the three Jewish witnesses of the 144,000 who stayed with us for a short while.

He always insisted on being addressed by his proper name, as he hated the name Bob. Apparently, he has Asperger's Syndrome, nowadays known as "on the spectrum". This high-end form of autism is often found among those with a high IQ and who hold high educational qualifications. I knew him to be a loner, and before joining us, he had very few friends, if any.

But he told us all about his travels as a lone backpacker long before the Rapture. He visited only one country, Australia, and volunteered on the Great Barrier Reef. This tied in well with his academic career at Oxford. He was enthusiastic about coral conservation, as ocean warming has caused many corals to bleach and die, and the Great Barrier Reef has been affected.

Robert Jones loved the Great Barrier Reef.

I tried to reassure him. Robert, hang on to your faith. We need to endure. But if we win the victory through faith in Christ, we will be in a much better place than even the healthiest coral reef. You will be reunited with the rest of your family. Their joy will be beyond words!

Robert looked up, but his eyes didn't meet mine. How did you know what I was thinking? He asked.

I know you well enough. I answered.

I looked around the van. I was among good people, all of them believers in Christ. Although we were all handcuffed, the army guards weren't. Instead, each displayed a clover-leaf-shaped mark on their foreheads. However, some were puffed up and sore, and I could see how uncomfortable they felt. This made me wonder whether they were really devoted to Gaius Caligula, or whether they took the Mark merely to save their own skins.

As for Robert Jones, I felt that it was unfair to lump Asperger's with Autism; many of the latter often have learning disabilities. During my studies of genetics, I have found that Asperger's is quite different to autism in the more severe sense. Asperger's affects mostly men; many are highly intelligent and well-educated. Some, like Robert here, know how to communicate to the outside world like any student with brains. But they tend to remain silent in a social setting, such as in a pub or restaurant, unless the group conversation turns to a subject of his special interest. In Robert's case, it's marine life, with coral reefs a speciality. If someone mentions coral reefs, he would talk for hours if left unchecked.

But as the van journeyed on, I saw that the most infuriating person on this trip was Phil Banks, a former college mate, and one with whom we shared many things. He was the modern-day Judas Iscariot who mixed freely with us at Egham, even letting us use his laptop, while all along, he was sucking up to his paymasters, Caligula's officials.

However, he didn't celebrate his betrayal. Instead, there was a level of reluctance. There was even a hint that his full-hearted devotion to the world leader was beginning to waver. But there was no turning back, and he knew it. The Mark on his right hand, covered by an antiseptic glove, sealed his fate.

Once in town, the van drew up outside a police station. The whole group was then assigned a cell. But to some relief, no single occupancy. Instead, in a row of eight, there were three remaining vacant cells, each ready to accommodate four inmates. I will be sharing ours with Peter, Emily, and Robert. However, the voices I was hearing indicated that our group weren't alone in the station. There were more prisoners, most likely Christian believers who also refused to take the Mark.

Robert's autism was confirmed not by any confession but by rocking back and forth while he was sitting on the bench. He began to recite, Jesus is my Lord and Saviour. Caligula is not God, over and over again. I was astonished at how this highly intelligent, well-educated person could be reduced to such a state when under distress. I felt my heart go out to him, and I watched Emily approach to sit next to him and try to calm him.

An official peered through the door's viewing slot and, seeing Robert in that state, walked away laughing to himself. Peter then pulled out a mobile phone tablet, which he had charged at the church shortly before his arrest. A text displayed the latest news. It read,

Two massive meteors, possibly asteroids, crashed onto our planet. One fell into the Indian Ocean, and it looks like all marine life was wiped out by the impact. The other fell into the River Euphrates, making all the freshwater across Asia undrinkable. This will cause a worldwide panic. Not only will people die of thirst but of hunger too. Without drinking water, cooking food will become an impossibility. Reports are coming in that the impact has caused the water to taste a burning bitterness. Furthermore, the bitter taste in our freshwater sources appears to spread outside Asia into Europe, and America is also concerned.

Peter read the news aloud, and when Robert heard about the destruction of all marine life, his face began to crumple as tears were shed.

Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Lord, he recited as he rocked back and forth. Emily placed her arm around him, and he rested his head on her chest.

We weren't the only ones who read about the two judgments. The news spread like wildfire through the station. In the boardroom, panic was felt among the suited officers. One of them got up and began to pace back and forth along the length of the room.

These disasters are caused by those who refuse to bow to Caligula and take his mark! He said loudly.

All agreed. Then another said, Indeed, these are so-called 'Christians', better known as Haters for not accepting Caligula's world peace program. These haters must no longer impede progress! We will give each one here a choice. Take the Mark or be killed on the spot. There will be no middle ground. Look! The earth is being destroyed by one catastrophe after another. If these haters of World Peace survive, then the rest of us won't.

Who will be the first? Another asked.

Another replied, A short while ago, while I was checking each cell, in cell 8, there was this lad, rocking back and forth. I think he was weeping over the demise of marine life. I'm pretty sure he's autistic. He looks to be the easiest one to persuade. Let's do him first. If he accepts the Mark, he will go free. If not...

Three of the officers made their way to cell 8, where Robert, Peter, Emily and I were confined. The door opened, and Robert was seized. They led him into the interrogation room. In it was a table with some chairs. On the table, as if deliberately placed in full view, was a shotgun and a pair of pliers.

The group were led into police cells.

The officer then spoke. Mr Robert Jones, autistic but with a sound, intelligent mind and body. Will you now accept the Clover Leaf, the symbol of loyalty to our God and saviour, Gaius Caligula, who has promised world peace and prosperity, and who will deliver our planet from the catastrophes inflicting it?

NO, NEVER! Robert exclaimed. Jesus Christ, who was crucified for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day, is the only one who will give eternal life. Jesus Christ is the true God, the Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity who created the heavens, the earth and all life. To Jesus I will believe. No! Caligula is not God, and I will never, never be loyal to him!

In a panic, Robert began to run around the room like a frightened domestic cat before one of the officers caught him and held him under restraint.

While Robert was held under restraint, the officer replied, Listen, if you take the Mark, either on your forehead or right hand, we will set you free. You will walk out of here, and every scanner at the door of every shop will pass you through, and you can buy and eat to your heart's content. What do you think? Be wise, take the Mark, and walk free. 

No, never! Robert insisted.

Are you sure you don't want the Mark and your freedom? The interrogator asked.

Absolutely sure! Robert answered as his face began to look angelic. This startled the officer, who picked up the pliers and crushed one of Robert's fingers.

AARGH! Robert yelled. 

Will you take the Mark of Gaius Caligula and go free?

(Gasp) No, not ever!

This is your last chance! Take the Mark! The officer ordered.

No, I won't!

Well, you've asked for it. The officer said. This is your final, last chance.

Jesus is my Saviour, Lord and King! He lives forever! Just wait and see. Caligula will get his comeuppance from the Lord himself when he returns. I'll never take Caligula's Mark.

The interrogator shook his head with some regret. He then turned to his companion and whispered something. His companion nodded. The interrogator picked up the shotgun and held it in front of Robert's eyes.

Will you take the Mark?

Shoot me dead if you want. I'll go to be with the Lord and my family. But you will never change my mind. The student stood firm.

The officer placed the barrel of the shotgun on Robert's temple and fired. His head exploded as the bullet passed through, and his body slumped.

Among the twelve who hid away at the Church of John the Baptist in Egham for the last 3.5 years, the system has claimed its first martyr.

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To be Continued.