All Characters are fictitious and bear no resemblance to any person, whether living or deceased.
A Story based on Biblical truth.
=================================================================
With just the five of us left in this department at a London police station, officers Bill, Greg, and Gus let us out of Cell 8 to watch the live action on their lounge's wide-screen TV. During the weeks of our confinement, these officers developed a grudging respect for us. Peter Wilkins and I, George Bolton, were the remaining two out of 32 prisoners occupying all eight holding cells. Of that total number, only one prisoner was executed by one of these three officers. He was Robert Jones, an autistic student of marine biology. Another, Emily, died naturally while with us in Cell 8.
We sat and watched the screen. As I watched, I realised that the holding cells protected us from the hostile world outside. By refusing the Mark, we were safe from Caligula's agents. We were also protected from the scorching heat and the terrors of the universal darkness, and fresh, bottled water and food were stored here.
The live broadcast from Trafalgar Square was aired. We saw the massive crowd gazing at the French guillotine standing in front of Nelson's Column. The orator dressed as a Catholic priest gave his damning speech. During his speech, the TV camera panned on all twenty prisoners: fourteen men and six women. All of them were from our police station. Yet, we recognised none of them. Although their cells were in the same corridor, we weren't allowed to meet, let alone mix socially. The three officers feared a possible mutiny.
We saw on the TV that the crowd was getting excited and impatient. Many in that crowd were suffering the scorpion-sting pain, and watching the executions took their minds off the pain they were feeling, at least for the moment. It wasn't difficult to tell who was in pain and who wasn't, as not everyone was affected. Those in pain were fidgeting, and a fight could easily break out.
I then said, Peter, recently, we studied a chapter in Revelation, and John had a vision of grotesque creatures flying around and stinging everyone with the Mark. Do you think these beasts are literal?
 |
| The creatures of Revelation chapter nine. |
Peter responded, John, the author of Revelation, had visions. He saw visions of God, of Jesus Christ, of angels, the Devil, and his minions. And all this occurred around the first Century AD. Throughout human history, no one has ever seen God. Yet John did. If he saw God, he also saw those grotesque creatures.
Those creatures exist just as God exists. God is a spirit, and so are those creatures. But the whole spiritual world is invisible and intangible to us. Yet, we don't deny their existence.
I saw that the three officers momentarily turned their attention to Peter and listened to what he said. But neither of them reacted; they turned back to watch the TV after Peter finished.
At Trafalgar Square, the first prisoner was led to the guillotine. His head was lowered into the bracket and locked in place. The orator, dressed as a priest, gave a short speech.
Lesley McPherson, of sound mind and body, is guilty of defying our Lord and Saviour, Gaius Caligula, and refusing to accept the world peace and prosperity Gaius was offering, along with the Mark which sealed his loyalty.
The camera panned on McPherson's head, filling the screen, then retreated to show the whole apparatus. Suddenly, the knife was released. It fell under its own weight along the twin vertical rails, and cleanly severed the head from the shoulders as the blade sliced through the victim's neck.
A loud cheer reverberated through the crowd as McPherson's head rolled into a tray purposely placed there. The body was carted away before the next prisoner, Richard Williams, was escorted to the guillotine. The same speech was delivered, only with the second victim's name replacing the first. Again, the blade was released after it was lifted up, and the second victim's head rolled into the tray, already stained with the blood of the first.
OH MY GOD! I cried. How must all the others be feeling while watching one after another executed like that, for all to see? And knowing that your turn is getting closer until the final call. Yet, this is astonishing! Each one looks calm and peaceful. Surely, you would expect terror on their faces and attempts to run away, or even relent, begging to receive the Mark if their lives were spared. But no! Each one looks as if anticipating their own demise!
That is what faith in the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ does. It gives peace which is not only beyond understanding, but defies circumstances. Peter replied.
We all watched as one after another were beheaded. As the waiting line shortened, the cheers of the crowd grew louder, with many chanting DIE! DIE! DIE!
Eventually, all twenty were beheaded, with no leniency or reprieve given to the six women. Everyone was executed alike while the crowd loudly cheered.
The priest returned to the platform where he gave his former speech around two hours earlier.
This time next week, there will be another show of execution. We have up to thirty Haters detained at one of our Underground stations. The exit was made inaccessible. They can't escape. None have the Mark. Instead, all in that group believe in that condemned Jew who is supposed to have died two thousand years ago. We promise to perform a spectacular show. So come along and enjoy yourselves. May Gaius bless you all.
As the priest walked off the platform, down the few steps, and disappeared behind the stage, those in the crowd, feeling the pain, were still fidgeting. Suddenly, in one area of the large crowd, there seemed to be some scuffling.
A fight has broken out among the fidgeters! I exclaimed, as we all had our eyes fixed on the screen. The scuffle grew larger until, after a moment, quite a lot were fighting; even those without the pain got involved. Others began to spill away from the square and head in different directions. Some headed towards the entrance of Charing Cross Tube station, as both entrances were on the square itself. I suspect that, like at Waterloo, people have found refuge there as well. Two lines serve Charing Cross: the Bakerloo and Northern Lines, thus adequate enough to take a large number of refugees.
Those in pain like a scorpion sting vented their anger on the rest of the dispersing crowd, and many stayed behind to clash with different groups. Then a line of police carrying shields and water guns appeared as if already on standby, and with the powerful jets of water, the crowd dispersed, leaving those injured lying on the ground while groaning in pain from the beatings and kicks. However, one young man was stabbed, and by the time the police arrived where he lay, it was already too late.
16
Hidden in a bunker under the Old City of Jerusalem, Gaius Caligula and his assistant, the false prophet Elijah, were both beaming as the two watched on their widescreen TV the executions at Trafalgar Square in London. Not that London was the only venue. There were several other venues across Europe where Christian believers met their fate. But London was chosen at random. One of his agents entered the underground room and announced that it was now safe to step outside and receive the warmth of the Israeli sunshine.
Look at those crazy lot! Elijah exclaimed, laughing. The crowd is fighting among themselves! Yet, they meant to be loyal to us.
If they kill each other, Caligula answered, they would do the job for us. We need to keep the world population in check if we are to feed the rest of the people who are loyal to us. But those two preachers at the Wailing Wall! They have been there for well over three years, and are turning many away from believing in and following us. It's about time we rid the Earth of them!
We tried several times, but without success. Elijah responded.
 |
| Jews gather at the Wailing Wall to hear the two witnesses. |
One of the assistants who heard the conversation said, Those two are to be feared. Haven't you seen that if anyone says a word against them, he falls dead in their presence? Hundreds of opponents have died suddenly after insulting them. They are invincible! Do we know their names?
According to tradition, it's Moses and Elijah. The false prophet answered. No, not me. Elijah is just my stage name, not my real name. I mean the ancient Elijah.
Tradition says one is Moses! Caligula exclaimed. But if it's really him and we kill him, he would have died twice. The first time at Mt. Nebo in the ancient land of Edom, then again by us, thousands of years later. For a man to live and die twice is unknown in human history. But if I recall, one of Noah's ancestors who lived before the Deluge didn't die. He was taken alive to Heaven.
You really believe in the Bible's historicity. The assistant declared. I thought it was all nonsense!
Caligula coughed and spluttered, and his face turned red with trepidation. Well, it is nonsense. But it does answer why, if one of these witnesses is Enoch and the other Elijah, that would explain everything. Those were the only two men in the Bible who never died, but were taken alive to Heaven!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be Continued.
No comments:
Post a Comment