A story based on Biblical truth.
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The atmospheric heat continued for some hours. Many died, literally roasted to death. Others found shelter in underground cellars, especially in London, where most Victorian townhouses had a cellar. Many had more than one cellar. Off the tiny kitchen, once in the basement servants' quarters, was a coal bunker. At the rear of the house, a row of basement wine cellars lay below street level. All these provided adequate shelter from the heat. A typical London residential street, such as St Georges Square in Pimlico, accommodated many people. Thousands more crammed the underground platforms in tube stations sprinkled around the capital, including the Bakerloo and Jubilee Line platforms at Waterloo.
The blistering heat wasn't confined to the UK, but was global, with the daylight half of the planet bearing the brunt. This included Europe, most of Asia, and also the Americas. However, in the Middle East, the heat was less intense, especially around Petra. Here, Jewish believers in Christ who refused to take the Mark hid in the Treasury itself, along with many caves and catacombs in sandstone cliffs and crags, dug by the Nabataeans around the time of Christ.
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| The Treasury, Petra. A place to shelter inside. |
In Jerusalem, Gaius Caligula and his officials sheltered in a war bunker. Despite his claims to divinity, he was completely helpless. He had no power to deal with the heat or attempt to save the lives of those caught in it. Even the famous Hezekiah's Tunnel, a water channel dug through solid limestone around 700 BC and located in the Kidron Valley south of the Temple Mount, was crowded with people sheltering from the heat. Meanwhile, vast areas of forests and fields with crops were also scorched, and all marine life and wildlife died.
And so, all this was in the news report Peter and I heard on the radio, which crackled back to life. We were safe in our cell, with the window opening sealed with a plywood panel. Police officers Bill and Greg were with us, and they had a radio. We listened to the latest news. Yet, the broadcast wasn't pristine. With the transmitter placed under a temporary shelter, the voice was accompanied by a whistling hum and crackling interference. But we still understood the message.
With the ongoing natural crisis, we had to move away from the outer-facing wall, as it was heating up. Worse, masonry retained its heat far longer than air. The Romans took advantage of this and built their walls with an underground hypocaust heating chamber, from which heat rose in flues built into the walls and heated the surrounding brickwork. Hence, the Laconicum, the dry sauna featured in many ancient bathhouses, was the source of the warmth.
I then asked Peter, Is it true that after this heat crisis, there will be universal darkness?
Peter took out the Bible we had with us, the same one I took from Padula's bedroom the day after the Rapture. I looked up to the officers. With the Clover-Leaf mark on their hands, I was expecting hostility and the book to be confiscated. But the two just sat there, as if they couldn't care less to take any action. Perhaps they didn't want Caligula to rule over every moment of their lives. However, were they aware that the tiny chip implanted under their skin sent a signal to Central Intelligence? That means senior officials could arrive at any time.
Peter opened the Bible to Revelation.
Yes, it says in Revelation 16:8-11 that the fourth angel pours out his bowl and the Earth is scorched. Then the fifth angel pours out his bowl, and darkness covers the Antichrist's kingdom. I try to explain it from a scientific angle. A solar gas cloud has hit us, and many were scorched alive by the heat. Everything, including all masonry and streets, is warming up. Rivers are beginning to dry up too, except at the estuaries where the sea flows in.
The Bible says that after this heating up, a darkness will follow. This is necessary to cool all the elements. But I don't believe that the sun will switch off like a light bulb, as some imagined. If that were to happen, then its gravitational force, which keeps all its planets in their orbits, would fade with the light, and all the planets would fly along their tangents into space.
To our surprise, it was Officer Gregory's curiosity that was aroused, and he asked, How could this be? The only cause for darkness to fall during the daytime is a solar eclipse, a very rare occasion around here. Besides, the moon is either full or gibbous. A solar eclipse can't happen now.
That is a good point. Peter answered. He was thinking about how he could answer in a scientific vein rather than quote Bible verses. Then he said, This is only a guess, but the possibility of a dense gas or particle cloud could pass between Venus and Earth. The cloud would have a very low gravitational pull, but dense enough to temporarily block out the Sun. As for Antichrist's kingdom, it is worldwide. However, the text indicates that the darkness will occur around midday. That's when the Sun is closest to being directly overhead over Jerusalem.
It's a good theory. Greg responded without showing any hostility. Bill sat next to him and said nothing. Could he too begin to see the light of the Scriptures?
But neither he nor Greg suggested executing us. The sadness over the recent death of Emily affected even the officers, even though Bill, Clive, and Ted were preparing to execute her. As I was thinking, Ted is now dead, shot by Clive for defending Emily. Clive is suspended. Now we have these two: Gregory, who was sitting next to Bill, and Gus, who is in another cell nearby, protected from the heat outside.
Across town, at Waterloo Underground station, Phil and Tom watched as more people, all in a state of panic, arrived and began to fill the platform. Phil wondered whether some would step off the platform to sit on the tracks. But nobody did. Although there were no trains running, the central rail could still be live. Even a slight touch would not only electrocute the victim, but fry him too. Even if the line was shut down, it could be turned back on without notice.
This is getting serious! Tom exclaimed. It wouldn't surprise me that not only are all the other platforms filling up, but the same is happening on all stations underground across the city. Even in this heat.
Tom checked his thermometer. The temperature was hovering around 40 degrees Celsius. Less than half the strength of a sauna, but hot enough to soak our clothing with sweat. Both Tom and Phil watched as others poured in and took up any space left on the long platform. He looked at the crowd. The vast majority were adults of both genders. The few children who were younger than five didn't have the Mark, as it was agreed among the medical world that carrying the chip under their tender skin would make them ill. However, Phil noticed a complete absence of young people averaging between six and sixteen years of age.
However, among the newcomers, some fell unconscious, and a few even died. All those who passed on had the Mark, as if their immune systems and bodily resistance were weakened by the presence of the microchip under their skin. Others, both alive and those who died, had a festering sore around the Clover Leaf mark, with pus leaking from the wound. The sight was quite horrendous. Yet, their deaths brought distress among all, believers and non-believers alike.
It wasn't long before teams were formed to carry the bodies out of the platform area. Not knowing where to put them, they piled them in the connecting corridors and near the escalators. Perhaps they thought that the sight of these bodies would deter others from coming in and overcrowding the platforms. Everyone was soaked with their own sweat as they worked, but each managed to pour some water over themselves. But even this tapered off, as the warm air was heating the bottled water.
How long will this go on? Phil asked in a panicking tone.
Come, let's pray. God is on our side if we believe in Jesus. Tom reassured.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE I AM SAVED! Phil shouted, attracting attention from those who were near. And you want to pray? Look at us. The world is on fire; we are stifling; the water is running out, and I have this mark. People are dying, left, right, and centre, and you ask me to PRAY? Phil emphasised the last word.
He felt an urge of anger pass through his emotions as he remembered his cruel uncle. He too had this "Let us pray" mantra, especially at the dinner table.
Tom turned to his friend with compassion and understanding. He remembered hearing Phil's story of his youth. He tightened his hand around Phil's wrist and spoke in a pleading tone.
Philip, please. Tom begged. I understand what you went through in your younger days. Your Uncle will stand before God and give an account. But for his eternal destiny, it's not for us to say or judge. But remember, Christ hung on that cross for six hours, from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon, according to Mark's Gospel.
Imagine being nailed to a wooden cross, your hands and feet screaming in pain. Yet you can't soothe your wounds, as you are immobile. Below, there is hardly a word of sympathy or consolation. Instead, the crowd looks up at you, shouting, mocking, teasing. Six hours! And you can't move a muscle to bring relief from the intense pain.
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| The Agony of the Cross. |
That was the sacrifice Jesus made for you. On the cross, he took all your sins upon himself and was punished as if HE committed those sins. In return, he gave you a receipt: eternal life.
At three in the afternoon, he cried his final word: TETELESTAI! It is finished. The payment for your sin is complete. We can now go free. No more condemnation!
Phil sat for a moment in silence, looking at the ground in front of him while Tom sat still and waited. Eventually, Phil said, Tom, you are right. Our sufferings are mild compared to Christ's. We'll pray together.
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To be Continued.
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