Marks Choice

Chapter 1

Mark rolled over, looking for where the loud noise was coming from, to discover it was his alarm clock. Rubbing his face, he sat up on the edge of the bed, not wanting to get up and wishing he had not gone out the night before. Turning the alarm off, he sat there for a moment, gathering his thoughts with his head in his hands, busting from drinking a bit too much the night before. How had he managed to make it home? he pondered. Realizing he had an hour before he had to be at work, he got up and stumbled to the shower, hoping it would help him wake up and prepare for the day. After standing in the shower for what seemed like forever, he knew he would be running late. Wrapping a towel around himself and grabbing the aspirin out of the medicine cabinet, he made his way to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. Lucky for him, he had a nice little setup with a coffee maker that turned itself on. It took him a bit to remember to empty it and prepare it each morning before he left for work. Grabbing a coffee cup from the hanging shelf under his cabinet right above the coffee maker, he poured a cup of coffee and grabbed the milk from the fridge.

With this in hand, he made his way to the TV on the far side of the counter and turned it on. News in the morning is always a good way to get a fast idea of what was happening in the world while he was out. Going back to his room to gather his outfit for the day, knowing that he would have a tough time making it through the day with the way his head was feeling, he opted for a pair of lightweight khakis with a white dress shirt and no tie. After all, it was Friday, and Friday is a day for casual business. Once he finished dressing, he gathered his briefcase, which was sitting behind the door, and opened it long enough to put the bottle of aspirin in it, knowing he was most likely going to need more.

Mark grabbed his keys and headed for the door. Just as he grabbed the doorknob, a shock went through him, causing him to release the doorknob. It left him with a feeling that he had been struck. Stunned, he stopped himself from grabbing the knob again. Instead, he looked at it for a moment, afraid to touch it. The hesitation only allowed him a moment to think before he grabbed it again. This time, he used caution and slowly took the knob in hand. After grabbing a firm hold, he twisted it to open it without incident, leaving him shaking his head as if it had all been his imagination. He headed down the walkway, heading for his car, which was parked in the driveway. Fumbling with his keys to open the car door and get in and start his car, as he began backing out of the driveway, he noticed something odd in his window. Not being able to distinguish what it was, he stopped and looked closer, starting to get out of his vehicle but realizing he had no option but to press on to work. He decided it had to be his air conditioner kicking in and making the curtain move as it was blowing around as if a breeze were maneuvering it.

Once at work, Mark’s thoughts began to filter through the daily chore events. As per his usual, he had lunch at his favorite deli on the corner. Mark had a roast beef sandwich with onion, tomato, lettuce, banana peppers, and mustard toasted on wheat bread, a large bottle of water, and a bag of baked BBQ chips. The whole time he was having lunch, all he could do was think about the events of the morning; he would have to call an electrician, and he had not done so yet. Pulling out his cell phone, he pulled up his browser and searched for electricians, contacting the third one on the list. Speaking with the electrician, they concluded it may have been an issue due to either the doorbell having a short or the alarm system malfunctioning. Either way, he would be there that evening to see what the issue could be. Mark hung up after giving the electrician the address, and a time was set. Once finished with lunch, he went back to his office and completed his tasks for the day. He then left work and met the electrician at home, who was not able to find a reason for the shortage, which caused him to be shocked. The electrician stated that it was most likely just static shock. Mark accepted that with a hint of doubt. Mark had to accept it, as the electrician was not able to find any other reason for this incident.

Mark set down to watch TV for the evening, not sure if he was up for anything else. He picked up the remote and began searching through the guide; he was so tired of the shows that were on TV of late. He came across a show he would watch with his mother. It was, in fact, one of her favorites to view. Gone with the Wind was on, and it appeared to be about 3/4ths the way through it. He was content with watching it, as it made him feel like his mother was in the room. He did miss her; she had been his rock. She had provided him with plenty of room to grow and develop, guiding him without demanding anything of him.

Mark knew he had made many mistakes, but she was always there to help him see what had gone wrong and to question him as to what step he should have otherwise taken. He missed her, so he recalls that she was the one who was there when he rode his bike for the first time. His thoughts trailed off as he heard a noise from upstairs. He jumped up, not knowing what could be up there making that kind of noise. It sounded as if someone was jumping up and down on the steps.

Upon making it to the top of the stairs, he saw nothing that could be causing the noise. He did, though, find that the plant that sat at the top of the steps had been toppled. This may have been, in his estimation, what caused the racket. Mark was not positively sure he was up to dealing with a mess at this time of night, but he went on into the utility closet and grabbed the broom and dustpan. Mark toiled with picking up the planter and as much of the soil as he could save to cover the plant's roots; the rest he swept up and deposited in the trash. He was a bit upset, as he wanted to always keep the house as his mother had it, even though some plants were not to his liking, but they were to hers. He knew it had been 3 years since her death and that, yes, she had been 75 years of age. Losing her had just been more than he could deal with at times. After finishing his cleanup with a dust mop and a bit of spirit, Mark chose to grab a nightcap of Bourbon, which he drank down quickly and went on to bed.

The next morning, Mark awoke refreshed and ready to start the day after a shower, shave, and a cup of coffee, of course. He has been delighted with the new coffee flavor he has chosen as of late, caramel mocha. Yes, he thought it was a most delightful flavor. Upon finishing his cup of coffee, which he had enjoyed so much, he chose to fix an odd second cup. For some reason, the flavor flowed across his tongue in such a way as to cause him to crave the flavor for a bit longer. He then satisfied himself and placed his cup upside down in the sink after rinsing it out. Grabbing his jacket and briefcase, he headed out the door. He was walking toward his car when someone stepped in his path. He was immediately startled by someone he did not know. Looking up at the person, he could see it was a man about an inch taller than he was. The man’s eyes were different than any he had ever seen. They were a deeper blue than he had ever seen before, whether male or female. He looked closely, but they immediately changed from blue to green. taken aback by this, he also noticed that the man’s face had also changed. Not just the look but the whole shape and features of his face. Mark took a step back to take it all back in and was amazed when the man spoke.

His voice was so gentle and calming. “May I speak with you, sir?” He asked simply. Mark was rather surprised by the man’s countenance, but he replied, “I am currently on my way to work, but if it’s quick, then please go ahead.” The man then spoke with a voice filled with calm and serenity, if that were plausible. “Sir, you are experiencing some things that you cannot figure out, am I right?” Not knowing what he meant, Mark simply replied. “I am not sure what you are talking about.” The man turned and began to walk away from Mark toward the road, and that gave Mark the go-ahead to continue walking toward his car so that he could head to work. The man stopped, turned abruptly, and left. “Sir, if I may, you will have to decide for which side you will fight, and at that time, if you choose wisely, you shall have help with the situation you now face. If you have any doubts and no decision is made, you will find yourself in more trouble than you could ever imagine. Choose now if you can before it gets much worse.”

Mark was left standing by his car door, hand holding the handle, preparing to open it, when his attention was caught by something else moving. He looked in that direction to see the curtain move in the upstairs bedroom. He decided at once that it was the window over a vent, and the air must have kicked in, causing it to blow in the breeze. He turned in the direction the man was and found no sign of him, as if he had vanished. Mark shrugged it off and got into his car and began backing out of his driveway, only to be stopped by a car that was speeding down the road in connection to his driveway. He found that, more times than he liked, he had come close to getting hit coming out of his driveway. On more than one occasion, the neighborhood requested to have speed bumps put in the lane, but with no luck yet. Mark made it out of his driveway and began his trek to work. All the way to work, all Mark could think about was the man; it must have been his imagination; there is no way, and he knew there was no way that a person’s facial characteristics could change, at least not like that. A turn of the head yes, facial expressions yes, but the whole shape of the face never changed, and his eyes also changed color from blue to green. How could this be? There was no way he could fathom how to understand what had just occurred other than to say it was his imagination; after all, when he turned around, the man was gone with no trace as to the direction he went.

What did he mean? Mark wondered when he said, “Choose now if you can before it gets much worse!” That meant nothing to Mark. Choose now. All Mark could think was to choose, and as he approached work, he was still pondering the occurrences of the morning. Mark parked in the first parking spot he found closest to his entrance door to his office floor. Knowing that this was indeed a lucky break, he found himself walking a short distance of thirty feet to the entrance, and from there, his office was just down the hall. Once at his office door, he reached into his pocket for his keys, unlocked the door, walked in, and immediately shut it, knowing he would need a bit of time to himself before he started talking to his coworkers.

Chapter 2

Mark made it through the day with no major issues, and he retained his evening seat at the table to eat the meal he had prepared of BBQ chicken, broccoli, and homemade mac and cheese. He dearly loved this meal and would fix it at least once a week. Usually, he made enough to do three days, which he would freeze for the duration of the week. The one thing Mark could do was enjoy a good meal with a glass of red wine. This would prove to be the best meal yet, as he had remembered the secret ingredient for the chicken. The garlic butter had to be put in the pan with the chicken to ensure the same flavor that he enjoyed so well. Upon finishing his meal, he would again indulge himself in a little TV and a glass of Bourbon before retiring to bed for the night. Tomorrow was Saturday and proved to be full of activity and fun.

Mark and a few people from work were going to get together and go out Saturday night. They were to meet up at 5:30 p.m. at the local Chinese restaurant. Mark knew that for him to be able to have fun with his buddies, he was going to need a good night's sleep. He chose to finish watching The Wheel of Fortune and could not just leave it in mid-puzzle. He had to see who the winner was. Mark thought it funny how there were so many OCDs in the world; some could not deal with a dirty house, dirty dishes, dirty cars, or dirty hands. He was fine with all that; he just had to finish watching a show or reading a book that he began. He remembered reading White Fang before he could sleep. That was one rough book he recalled. Who in their right mind would have tried to tame, let alone abuse, a creature such as that? This he had not known, but he did know it was something he would never have attempted. He did not even like animals enough to want the tiniest one. Just then, his chair, which he had been lounging in, jolted forward, putting Mark in a straight sitting position. The drink he had just put in his mouth before his chair malfunctioned was now down his front, all over his face, and down two stripes of his back. It is amazing how one faulty chair that he knew he should have replaced years ago could cause this much messiness. Mark got up and went to the shower after he paused the Wheel of Fortune. He did not want to miss a moment of it, and with the wonderful technology of the day, he did not have to. He made the shower as hot as he could stand it, as he always did.

This did not prove to be an uneventful shower, for as Mark stepped into it, the water went from hot to cold and back again. There was no way he was going to be able to stand this shower if it was going to continually change in this matter. He stepped out and readjusted it before attempting to step back into it again. Once he stepped back into it, he was able to lather his hair up with his favorite shampoo, and the water once again turned ice-cold. It was at this time that he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He could see in the steam a shadowy figure. It was about his height, and he reached out to see if it was real. As he did, the water turned extremely hot again, and he was forced to step outside of the shower. His hair was now covered in white, frothy bubbles that were already making their way down his face and threatening his eyes. He began to whip the suds away from his forehead as well as he could to protect his eyes from the inevitable burn that the soap would cause. He knew he needed to rinse it off. Mark is sure what he thought he saw was just a play on his eyes due to the steam. He then put his hand back inside the shower to readjust the temperature again. He was able to get back in there and rinse the soap out of his hair, taking with it the Bourbon that he had worn.

Mark's eyes were wide open the whole time, as he was curious now if he had seen what he thought he had seen, but nothing else occurred during this time in the shower. Once he had finished, he stepped out with a towel in hand, drying his hair, when he felt a hand on his back and then a sharp pain. Mark felt as if he had been scratched. He reaches back but cannot reach the area where it has taken place. Not being able to feel the area, he went to the mirror and turned until he could see the sight. Mark could see nothing and decided it had to be yet again his imagination. After the events that had been occurring, Mark concluded that he needed to lay off the bourbon and wine. That is what it had to be. He told himself the alcohol had been doing some strange things to him of late. Mark continued to dry and dress, returning once again to his seat in front of the TV, this time with a glass of iced water.

Mark pressed the play button to start his Wheel of Fortune and reclaimed his favorite chair. This time, he remained set up so that he would not be faced again with wearing his drink. He had made it through most of it before he put his chair in a reclining position again. Put into a comfortable position and already tired and completely enthralled by his show, he dozed off, unaware that he had. He woke up around 3 a.m. and got up, deciding it was time to head to bed. He turned off his TV as he headed up the stairs to his room and his nice, comfy bed. Upon sitting on his bed, he was confronted with a light so bright that he was not able to see anything. His eyes were hurt by the light, and he was not able to look in any direction that did not shower him with the light. It was as if he were inside a light ball. He could hear a voice within the ball of light, and he thought he might be crazy as the voice was from everywhere at once but nowhere at the same time. Mark was sure he must be dreaming, and he began rubbing his arms as he felt a warmth that he had never felt before his eyes began to adjust to the light, allowing him the ability to look around in wonderment. Mark could see before him a creature of such beauty that he had known in an instant that he never wanted to be outside of its view. The feeling then changed from excitement and joy to dread and fear. The bright light passed, and a light of darkness took its place. Not knowing what to make of it, he crumpled on the floor. The feeling of fear and dread was overwhelming, and he could not stand up to it. He needed help but was not sure where to turn. All he could do was scream to the top of his lungs and hope that someplace, somewhere, someone would hear him. Mark, who had already collapsed and left screaming, had passed out, no longer able to combat the feelings overtaking him to his very core.

Mark awoke, looked around, and found he was lying on the floor in his bathroom. How this occurred, he had no idea. He faintly remembered going into his bedroom and sitting on his bed, then waking on, of all places, the bathroom floor. Apparently, he concluded he had been dreaming the entire incident. He must have dreamed it; there is no way it could have really happened. That would make sense in any way, shape, or form. I just do not see this occurring in this world. Even though Mark knew this was not feasible, he was still shaken by the experience. Mark had to get out; he knew this would be his key to recovering from whatever the dream was he had just had. He was very aware of the stress he had been experiencing lately and was positive that this was what had caused the issues.

Mark had known that no matter what his dream, his day would need to continue. Today was Sunday, his only day to do his house and yard work, and today was already proving to be a busy day. He knew he had to mow, run the weed eater, clean out the gutters, and make sure the lattice for the roses was solid, as it had been a year since he had checked it. With only one day to do this work, he would forgo church; after all, who would even miss him being there? Mark dressed in carpenter pants and a sleeveless T-shirt to afford him the ability to remain cool enough to do his work without burning up. With a pitcher of ice water prepared and a lidded glass so as to keep his water crisp and clean, he headed outside to begin his long day of work. Deciding to begin with the mowing, he headed straight for the storage shed where he kept his equipment. Upon opening the door, he could see his mower exactly where he left it two weeks ago, when he had last mowed. Mark reached for the mower handle and found himself holding a hand. The hand was of an unknown origin; it seemed to come out of nowhere and be attached to nothing. Trying to release it did no good, for as he tried to release his grip on it, he discovered he had no grip on it; it was in fact holding firm to him. Mark began pulling his hand away to escape its grasp. Fear had shot through Mark. He had no idea what was occurring or how to make it end. He felt a tug on his hand, and the next thing he knew, he was standing before a chair. The chair was empty, but he knew someone of great importance was sitting there.

He could see where someone had been sitting for a great deal of time. The chair was well-worn in the seat and in the areas where their hands would have rested. Around the chair, there was a fire that did not feel hot but seemed to serve as a reminder for some to be on guard and aware of what they were doing. What they do will either be their deliverance or their downfall. “Choose now who you will follow,” he heard a voice say. Looking around, he saw the same man who had once stood before him. “Who are you?” was all he could muster to get out. “You already know, if only you would open your heart and mind.” Mark collapsed to the floor, which was clear as glass but shone like a diamond when its facets were illuminated by a thousand streams of light. “If you choose not to believe, then why do you ask?” The one standing before him said, “Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?” Mark asked through tears. “Mark, you have to make your decision; once you do, you will know who I am and why I have come to you.” Once fully standing, Mark knew he was not able to make any kind of decision at this time due to not knowing what the decision was. “What decision am I to make?” “You have given me nothing to go on. I have no idea why you are doing this or if it’s all a dream.” Mark said it in a voice full of strength and fear. “You have nothing to fear here. Your only concern is your decision.” “For you see, Mark, you have been chosen since before time to do this. You must make your decision fast before it is too late. Do you wish to face a punishment so painful and dreadful as to face an eternity without knowing love or forgiveness? That is what you are facing, Mark.” “Don't think for one second that you are not part of all of this. You have extraordinarily little time left, which is why you were brought here. It is a day of preparation. We are preparing up here for what is coming—all that is about to transpire that has been written off. You have now seen both sides. Make your choice, Mark. Remember all you have seen and make your choice. Choose... before it is too late."

Chapter 3

Mark awoke in his shed beside his lawnmower. He pushed himself into a sitting position. Shaking his head full of curiosity over what is occurring. He had not drunk a drop other than water. It was time for him to tell himself to seek a doctor. He did not want to think there was something wrong with him, but at this stage, it was all he could think of. He had never heard of anyone in his family having any kind of mental illness, but then again, he also did not talk with many of his family members. For the most part, it had been a family in distress and degradation. He would check with his grandmother. He knew she would let him know if anyone had had issues in the past among the many family members. Mark chose to take a nap before he did any of the work. Knowing he probably would not get it all done, he would delegate some chores to a neighborhood handyman. He would not have the pleasure of doing the work himself, but it would be done. Mark went inside to take a nap. He entered his house with a strange feeling; he shivered as if someone had walked over his grave. Slowly, he walked into his living room, making his way for the stairs, when he felt something behind him. He turned to see nothing, but the feeling began to grow. He was not sure how he could make his way upstairs. Turning from his stairs, he made his way to his chair and chose to take his nap there. Settling in, he slowly closed his eyes while taking relaxing breaths. Just as suddenly as his eyes closed, they opened again, and he could see as clearly and with the same amount of mental continuity as he had when he first sat down in the chair. When he looked around, he chose to get up, knowing that he was not going to be able to go to sleep, and made his way to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. He would have his favorite sandwich to soothe his edginess. Once in the kitchen, he gathered all the ingredients he would need for the sandwich. Setting all the items on the counter, going to the bread box, and getting his sub rolls out. Mark knew this would make him feel better. When he turned around, he saw a shadow moving to the other room. As if he had missed seeing someone sneak in. He could feel a coldness beyond anything he had felt before. Mark put the bread on the counter with the rest of the ingredients and walked into the other room with a knife in hand that he had taken out of the butcher’s block that stood on the counter where he had placed the sandwich makings. Mark made his way slowly into the other room, where he had seen the shadow. He moved very slowly in front of him, his hand outstretched with the knife. The knife he could see shaking, knowing his nerves were a total mess with all that had been occurring, he knew he would call someone Monday morning to ensure he was not having a complete breakdown. As he stepped into the room, he saw the old man again. “Why are you here again? How did you get to my house? What do you want?” Mark was livid and threw his knife in the direction of the man, whom it targeted. The man fell to the ground, and without even thinking about it, Mark ran over to him, not sure what to expect. He kneeled down in front of the man and rolled him over. When he did, he saw the man’s eyes. They were as blue as the ocean waters and just as deep. Looking into his eyes, Mark lost all track of time. Now, child, you must see what awaits. The old man grabbed Mark’s face in both his hands and held him so that he could see into his eyes and only into his eyes. Mark was mesmerized; he continued to look like his eyes had changed from a blue color to one of fire, which brought on a fear beyond anything he had ever experienced. He closed his eyes, and immediately he was released.

Mark fell backward, as he was no longer being held by those hands. When he opened his eyes, he could see that his house was different. He got up and looked around; the knife was nowhere to be seen. He then jumped backward in complete surprise at what had just occurred. Turning, he made his way to the kitchen to see about getting a glass of something to settle his nerves. Making his way to the cabinet beside the fridge, he found his whiskey and his whiskey glass. Filling it to the top, he drank it down in two swallows. He then filled it up again. Little did he realize when he took the bottle and glass out that his cabinet looked a little worn. He looked around at the counter, knowing he had not moved his sandwich items. He only sawdust where it was not, and a small spider was moving across the counter. Quickly, he hit the spider with the side of his fist. Spiders were intolerable. Mark was unsure as to what to do next. He began walking toward the door to the backyard. He found the yard to be completely overgrown. Unable to make sense of it, he ran through the house to the front door to see if it was the same there. The grass was completely overgrown, and the lattice work that was enclosing the porch on both sides was degraded and appeared rotted. Even the air, if it were possible, seemed different, heavy, and smelled of death. Mark stepped off his porch and looked around to see many houses gone, and there was a machine there with a big metal ball on it standing beside his very house. He had no idea what was going on; he looked for his car and found it was gone. There was nothing in his driveway, and on his garage at the end of his driveway was written, DEMOLITION, in bright reddish orange. He stood there in complete shock as a car drove up his street and never even paid him any attention. He went back in, not sure what to do. Maybe he could find something on his TV that would make sense, but when he walked back, his house was empty and bare. There was no TV, no chairs, and no furniture of any kind. The fridge was gone. He ran to the stairs and ran right up to the second floor. He looked in all the rooms. There was nothing at all in any of the rooms; they were all empty and bare. In shock, he sat straight down, as if his legs were made of jelly. What had happened was all he could think of. Looking around, he felt as if he had been lost in time. He sat there all through the night until daylight broke through the window again. He could hear some commotion outside, so he gathered himself together long enough to step to the window and look out. Mark saw a group of men out there looking at an unrolled piece of paper. They were pointing to his house and the house beside it. There was a truck on the road with a huge bed on it to allow for the transport of rubble. Mark knew he had no time to waste; he had to leave for his safety. Mark quickly made his way out of the room, down the hall, and down the stairs. Mark made his way to the back of the house with the intent of exiting through the kitchen door and leaving through the back yard. As he made his way out the back, he saw the old man again. The old man was standing in the middle of the living room. “Where do you think you are going?” The old man asked. “I am getting out of here; they are tearing down my house. What did you do to me? Where am I?” Mark asked. “You are in the future; now you will see what awaits you if you choose wrong.” “Make your decision before it is too late,” he replied. Mark was floored; he had no idea what this man meant. “What do you mean to make my decision? What decision do I have to make?” tell me, so I can make it. Mark questioned. “You will know shortly after you step out that door," was his only reply. Then there was a bright flash of light. Mark paused only for a minute when he heard the loud noise, and the walls behind him were bulging inward. Mark ran for the kitchen door and was met with two men out there with black helmets on and guns in their hands. Mark stopped as soon as he saw them, only to find that someone had hit him over the head.

Mark awoke to find himself lying on a bed that looked like a hospital bed. He was not completely sure what had happened or where he was, but he had hopes that he would now be safe. Safe from the old man who followed him and drove him to the brink of insanity. Mark was sure if he spoke to anyone about seeing the old man or the other things, he would be labeled as insane. Just as Mark stood up, the door to his room opened. Literally lifted upward, and a man walked in; he wore white. With an exceedingly long shirt that had a cinch at the waist and a pair of white pants on his feet, he wore a pair of sandals. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail, held by what he could not tell. Mark asked. “Where am I?"

“You are in the ward.” The man replied.

“Why were you at that house?"

“Did you not see it was being torn down?” The man asked.

“Who are you?” Mark asked.

“Answer my questions first." The man stated:

He reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a diabetic medicine injector. “You need to rest. This injection will allow you to rest while we make the preparations for you.” The man stated this as he walked closer to Mark. Mark stepped back to move away from the man and avoid the injection. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way; you can decide.” The man stated this as he moved toward him. Mark tried to get up but found himself tethered at the wrists and ankles. He began to struggle. “Why do you fight something you can't win?” he heard from behind his head.

“Who's there?” Mark asked with a shaky voice.

“You know who it is; just listen and pay heed.” The voice said, and then Mark heard another sound—it was the sound of a hiss. He began to panic, not knowing if it was a snake behind him or something else as dangerous.

“The struggle will not help you; you need to decide which side you stand for." I heard the voice again. This time, it was a little different. The voice was one that he had known before. Mark had no idea where he knew the voice from, but he knew it, and he felt he had known it well. “Who are you?' Mark asked while looking around and trying to get a look at whoever it was. He only knew that he was afraid of what was occurring. What choice is it that everyone is after me to make, he thought? It must have been visible on his face for the voice to say, “Don't worry, Mark, we will not force you to make a decision. In fact, we want to help you relax a bit so you will feel more up to making any decisions. Here, let us get you up so you can move around a bit.” The voice said, “Would you like a drink or something to eat? Anything you could want, we have here, I am sure."

“I would like a drink to calm my nerves if you wouldn't mind,” Mark stated.

“Sure, we have some whiskey. I believe that is your drink of choice; correct me if I am wrong.” The voice said,

The man made his way over to the intercom system. He pressed the bigger button on it and had a bottle of whiskey brought in. He was taller than Mark and had dark hair that was in a ponytail that was tight to his neck. He was still wearing the white outfit he had on when Mark had first seen him. Oh, sweet whiskey Mark was ready for a drink. A woman dressed in white, much like what the man had on, brought in the bottle. She sat it down and turned to leave. The voice advised her to be ready for the next step. The next step, Mark thought,.

"What is the next step?” Mark asked after opening the whiskey and taking a big drink. He could feel it going down and knew it was a very warm, friendly feeling. “Oh, you shouldn't trouble yourself with that. You just work on feeling better and getting your strength back where you need it so you can go on with your life," the man said. Mark liked this man now; he was calming and kind. He was not trying to keep Mark in this room; he was sure. Mark would test that theory momentarily. Now he was perfectly happy sitting here, drinking his whiskey. Mark looked around the room; he saw no windows and only one door, and that was the one the whiskey came in through. Mark stood up from his seated position. The man was right by his side. Mark, hold on, and move slowly as you hit your head. Mark did not remember it that way now that he thought about it; he knew it did not occur that way. “What do you mean to hit my head? You had one of your people sneak up behind me and hit me.” Mark stated.

“I do apologize, but that isn't something I would do. I am a medical provider; why would I have someone hit over the head?” The man asked.

“If you didn't have it done, then how did I end up here?” Mark asked more confusedly than ever.

“You were brought in here with a head injury. They said you were at a house to be demolished, and you were on the porch, where the wrecking ball had already run through and caused part of the porch roof to collapse. You were under it.” The man said,

Mark shook his head. Maybe that happened; he was not sure now. He remembered being on the back porch, and he knew the ball was going through the other wall. How could it cause what he described? Oh well, why would he lie? Mark’s thoughts went in every direction. He would let it go, as he must have been confused by the hit. The man was right; how could he have done it? He was here when Mark woke up, but he was not at the house. Mark looked at him and replied, “Your right, I don't know where I got the idea that you could have done it if you weren't there.”

“No, I wasn't there; I have been here all along. In fact, I was working on another when you were brought in.” The man stated, He had a half-smile on his face. “Now let's get you lying back down so you can relax.” Mark laid back down and looked at the ceiling. One thing he noticed was that the ceiling was not as high as he thought it would be in a hospital. “You just close your eyes and relax; it won't be long now.” The man stated, “What won't be long?” Mark asked.

"There is nothing for you to worry about, Mark; we are about to make changes at our facility. You should see them for yourself.”

“Changes huh? So that is why I see the sheets hanging up, so the walls are covered. Mark replied.

Mark opened his eyes, looked, and found himself lying on the ground outside the house. Setting up, shaking his head, and feeling where he felt the blow earlier, he found a lump. When he looked around, he found some men standing there wearing contractor clothes. “Why are you here? What were you doing in there? Couldn't you see we were tearing it down?” The tallest of them asked. “I have no idea how I got in there. What happened to me?” Mark asked. “You were standing on the porch when the wrecking ball went through. You were very lucky that the only thing that hit you was a flying board.” The man again spoke.

“Yea, lucky!” Mark stated this while rubbing the back of his head and resting his forehead on his knees with his feet drawn up. The men helped him to his feet, making sure he was able to stand on his feet before releasing him to

Chapter 4

Mark took in a deep, shuttering breath; he knew who it was, and his thoughts began to flow back to him. It was the voice of the horrid one. The one whose fault it was is here now. He had forgotten, and it was at this time that he knew he had to make a choice: live or die. He would gladly die if it did any good. He then closed his eyes and called upon the only one who could save him. Mark realized he had been asleep. He was at the hospital, the same place he had been since the incident. The incident had taken so many people away from his life. No one believed it would occur. No one, not even him, thought there were some who said it was coming and that the rest should prepare. They were ready; they had already made their choice. Mark began to feel a warm feeling flowing down his face. It was a tear; he knew what he would have to do. He closed his eyes and then called upon the only one to come and save him. As he called the name, he could feel himself fading into this world.

Mark stood in his living room yet again. This time he remembered, and the old man stood there in front of him.

“David, there you are, old friend,” Mark said. “Yes, I have waited for you. Have you made your decision?” David asked. “Yes, David, I have chosen..." Mark began speaking just as he felt himself fading again.

“How could you? I made my choice. How could you take me away from that time?” Mark asked.

“Because your time for decisions has passed, and by not choosing, you have chosen. Now you are here with us, where you have been all along. See, once you enter my realm, you can never leave.” “You were given the opportunity to choose how many times. Mark how many times. The old man came to you more times than you could count, and you still kept on your way pretending he wasn't real, or maybe just maybe he was crazy.” “Well, no worries; now you are with us, and you will never leave again.” David said it with a strong laugh that sounded like a growl. Just as Mark opened his eyes, he saw the walls fall away to be replaced by bars. The bars were to hold him there till they came, and they were not friendly. I love a distant memory. There is no chance to go back and choose again. No chance was all Mark could think. “Here they come!!!!” he screamed. “Someone, anyone, help me! Don't let them hurt me.” Mark could only yell and scream as they hit him with whips. He could feel the whip rip through his skin. His back was on fire, his side hurt, and he was not sure where he was or what he had done to have to go through this. These people who were doing this to him were not people; they were monsters. They were so tall that he had to look up to see them. He jumped away from them to find another one, where he was headed. The room seemed bigger now, and he had three creatures in there with him. One was using a whip on him; the other was screaming, “No, no," as the third one ripped his fingers off his right hand. The whole time, it laughed. Once his fingers were gone, the creature would tear the flesh off his arm while laughing every time he screamed. He could feel the heat from the fire below. His cell was only barred, and if he tried to walk or run away from them, he would fall on his feet, unable to sustain himself on the bars. Much like the bars of a jail cell. Mark had made his decision by not deciding. Mark could hear them coming. He knew what to expect. It was a trick; he knew they were going to start again. Even if they stayed away long enough for him to go to sleep, it was the same thing every time he turned around; they were back, hurting him. Mark listened with intent, preparing himself for the worst. They passed his cell this time. He went to the corner of the cell and laid down, making sure to arrange it so his head could lie on the bar. He fell asleep. He was so drained after they tortured him, leaving him so exhausted that he only wanted to sleep. As soon as he would doze off, they would wake him with a hit or by dragging him out of bed. Mark woke up screaming; he had never felt like that before. He rolled out of bed as he tried to escape from the creatures. He picked himself off the floor and sat on the side of the bed, putting his hands on his face and trying to figure out what had just happened. He looked around, unsure of where he was—at home or in that cage. He got up and went into the bathroom to take a shower. He undressed and found bruises on his ankles and arms, as if the things he had dreamed about had happened. He stepped into the shower and could feel a sting on his back. What had just happened? He had no idea. All he knew for certain was that he was not sure he could ever sleep again. This had proven to be the strangest few weeks of his life. He did not know what was happening, and he was struggling to keep his wits about himself. He knew he needed to talk to someone. It was time to visit Pastor Tim. Mark knew Pastor Tim might have an answer for him as to what was occurring. He dressed with caution as there were marks on his back that still hurt, and he felt like he had been hit by a Mack truck. Mark was not sure how this had come to pass if he had been sleeping. He would ask Pastor Tim what he thought about the situation and see if anything could be done or if he thought that this was just me going crazy. Mark was at a complete loss; he had never experienced anything like this. When he finally got himself dressed and grabbed his keys to head out the door, he found that there were people outside. With all he had already been through, Mark was not sure he could deal with anything at this point. He closed his eyes, sweat breaking out on his brow, out of worry about what would occur when he closed the door back. He Slowly, with caution, he made his way to his car without looking at anyone. He was not going to risk it. Mark got in his car and looked only at where he was going to ensure he did not hit anyone heading out of his driveway. He was determined to make it where he was going. He was determined until he noticed they were looking into the sky. He looked up and could see nothing. What were they looking at? He thought he was finding himself too afraid to get out of the car or speak to anyone! He glimpsed, and what he saw was quite different; it made him pull his car to a stop, and without taking his eyes off the sky, he got out of his car. He chose the thought after he looked; that was his first thought. Just as he hit his knees, there was a great earthquake. The road bucked where he was, and he felt as if he were riding on waves. The sky quickly changed; it was as if a million brilliant lights filled it, and you could feel its warmth. When the ground had finally stopped moving and Mark was able to stand, he got to his feet and quickly looked at the sky; it was back to normal. He had never seen anything like that before. People were screaming and crying. One lady stood there holding her baby's blanket, and she quickly opened it up to have the baby's clothes fall out of the blanket onto the ground along with the pacifier. She began screaming, raising her hands to the sky, “Why, why didn't you take me too? Why did you leave me? I have not done anything wrong. I have done nothing wrong.” She began sobbing uncontrollably. Mark looked around, confused. Had he just witnessed the Lord in the skies and had the rapture just taken place? No, he thought that it was not supposed to happen till the end of the tribulation, which is what he had been taught. Mark was looking all around, and he realized the children in the neighborhood who had always been out playing in this warm weather were now gone, and a bicycle that a child had been on was now on its side laying in the road, and then Mark could see children’s clothes laying on it and beside it, as well as the tennis shoes, which were a little farther back. A basketball that had just been tossed into the net was now rolling down the street. Mark just then remembered his neighbor Randy, whom he had not spoken to in the last week. With all that has been going on, he completely forgot. He quickly ran back to his neighbor’s house. He remembered having many discussions with Randy, who said the rapture would occur and then there would be tribulations. Mark remembered giving him a chuckle and saying, “What makes you think the rapture will happen before the tribulation? We must be tested first and show God that we can stand firm, and don't forget, many don't believe it will happen at all, Randy.” Randy's words replayed in his head as he made his way up the stairs to Randy's door, where he began knocking. After a few moments and no answer, Mark turned the door handle to find the door opening easily. He called for Randy, but no reply came. He went into the house slowly, knowing if Randy caught him in there before he could announce himself, he would be beaned on the head with that cane Randy used to get around his house. Not Mark's idea of a great way to continue this day. Which has been filled with weirdness.

Mark made his way to the sitting room. This is where Randy would always sit to spend time with friends and family. He enjoyed this room, filled from one side to the other with pictures of Christ and bookshelves full of books to announce the good word Randy always said. The good word is that Jesus Christ was the savior of all mankind. Mark thought of the times he would listen and wonder why Jacob never believed in purgatory. How could anyone believe a loving God would put any of us, his creations, in hell? Mark and Jacob have had more than one discussion, and as he stood there in the room, he knew there would be more discussions on the matter. He chuckled as he moved to the living room and then to the bedroom, knocking on the bedroom door and calling out Randy's name. Mark made his way into Randy's bedroom slowly and timidly so as not to get whacked by that cane. Mark made his way to the foot of the bed; it looked like Randy was still in bed. Mark moved to the side of his bed, and he went to move the covers and realized there was no one in the bed. He pulled the covers back to see that no one was in the bed, only a pajama shirt, and he pulled them back farther to see that Randy’s clothes and his wedding ring lay on his pants leg as if he had placed them there himself.

Mark took a step backward, tripping over Randy's shoes and landing on the chair Randy kept by his bed. It is where he always sits to read his Bible before bed. The Bible is laid on the nightstand, which sits between the bed and the chair. Mark picked it up, looked at it, and opened it to the page where Randy had marked it. It was the book of John. He remembered the book of John. He remembered John 3:16 the most, as he was taught it when he was small and attending Sunday school. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Chapter 5

Mark decided to take the Bible; he had no idea what had occurred there, but it reminded him of what was termed the Rapture. If this was the case, then it would mean THE BOOK OF REVELATION was being reviled. Mark was sure he recalled hearing about it. He knew he had been attending church for years. Just as Mark stood up, pulling the Bible close to his chest, he knew he had no choice. Stopped in mid-thought, he ran as he felt the house shaking. He knew this was going to be bad, and he did not want to be in a house while it was occurring. He made it outside just in time to see his house collapse. upstairs was now inside the bottom floor. Mark made his way to his car. He knew he would need to find a safe location, and this town would not be it. He drove for what felt like days but was hours. He made his way to a family cabin, where he had been getting ready for his summer vacation. Going there was always a wonderful time for him. When he could rest and recharge his system. Mark had been going to this cabin ever since he was a little girl. Now here he was going to this cabin that he uses for protection and peace, and now here he must use it to study up and prepare for what is to come. Mark recalled the things his pastor had told him in the room when he was a child. Bible study now has a new meaning. Not just something to do on Sunday, but a necessary thing to live. Mark walked into the cabin and laid the Bible on the table, knowing he would need to rest a bit. It had, after all, been an exceptionally long day, and Mark had already dealt with all he could at this time. He could see colors coming from the outside. The sky looked to be full of colors. Mark knew that no matter how tired he was, he had to go outside to see what was occurring. He could see.

balls of fire going through the sky. He was not sure when one would hit him, so he stood ready, not sure if he should be still or run and hide. He ran inside quickly and grabbed a few things he knew he would need. Amazingly, he had collected the Bible and his camping bag, which he knew he kept full of survival gear. He had a mini fishing pole, a flashlight, cookware, a small wire rack, and two metal rods that were used to hold the small pot over a fire. A knife, compass, first aid kit, waterproof matches, water purifier tablets, a sleeping bag that was made from space blankets, and a mini pillow, to name a few items in the bag, were not lightweight at all. He used to take all the items out and wonder why he would need them, then he would just put them all back in, not sure why. He just had to keep it all in there. Now he was glad he had; while many others would have to battle to survive in the cities, he would be safe hiding in the country. The trees and animals were not something to scare him; he knew he could very easily make it in these woods. He had grown to play in them. He even knew where there was a small stream that contained some of the best trout. Not to mention the waterfall that leads to a great bass pool. With all the squirrels and the cave that he was sure contained many other species, he could use them for survival.

Mark had left his cabin and had headed out; he had all he needed on the off chance the cabin did not survive this. The one thing he knew was that he did not plan on being in there if one of those fireballs were to hit it. He knew this was from the Bible, and he knew this because he had read it, and he was taught it was there as well. He knew it was in the Book of Revelation. Mark was not sure how this was occurring. He did remember talking to many Christians who told him the rapture would occur and that if it happened on the Sabbath or in the winter, it would be a great tribulation, and he recalled laughing at them. Telling them they were crazy and that God would never do this to his children. He loved us all. Mark shook his head. He was having a hard time making sense of this. He had never heard of the rapture from his pastor. He then stopped walking and looked; he could see that the fireballs had stopped. Not knowing what to do, he turned back to the cabin. If it were there, he would go back and hope that it would be safe. He was no longer sure what to think. He was glad the noise of those balls screaming through the sky and the sound of them hitting had stopped. It was extremely loud, and it was all he could do to think of where he had heard of these things that had already come to pass. In retrospect, he realized he needed to know what was coming up next. Fireballs, the rapture, and the earthquake all in one day. Mark had turned back toward the cabin when he realized he forgot to grab his wind-up radio. Once he had collected the radio, he sat on the porch and was not sure which way to turn. Mark chose to sit on the porch in the chair made by his dad, and he pulled the bible from his backpack. He opened it to Revelation; this was the book that was for the end times. If he correctly remembered the rapture, the event, which he never believed in, was talked about. He began reading the book of Revelation from the beginning. Mark was amazed he had made it to Chapter 6 and understood why they said the rapture would occur there. He completely ignored it. He then turned to the back of the bible and looked up Rapture, so he could see where else it was in the bible. He then opened each book and verse, reading them and comparing them. First Revelation, then Matthew, then Thessalonians, and over to the Corinthians. As he set there, it turned to daylight.

Mark figured it would be calmer in the daytime, so he went inside to get some sleep.

He got up reluctantly and headed to the door to go in. He went to open the door when he heard a noise from behind him. He turned to see David there, stunned.

“Why are you here? Every time I see you, something occurs. What now burns my cabin?” David walked toward him, changing as he did. “Don't go in there,” David said.

Mark stood there, staring at him. “And why shouldn't I go into the cabin?”

“If you go in there, you will not make it out,” replied David. “I warned you to choose; you chose to not listen to me then, and now here you are.” “You were not meant for this, but with your stubbornness, you have made sure you went through it.” “You have to know you were meant to be there, not here."

“Where was I meant to be, David?” Mark questioned.

“You were meant to be taken with the others. You did not make the decision, as I had come to you to do many times. Humans, you were given free choice, and many times you use it to be rebellious. Because of your rebellion, you will be going through a time of tribulation, as spoken of in that book. Now I tell you what I am instructed to do: "DO NOT ENTER THAT CABIN." David Yelled.

Mark released the door handle and walked toward David, unsure as to what to do. “If I go into the cabin, what will happen? If you know me, you know I am not rebellious; I am in fact curious, and you know I need to see facts.” Mark stated.

“Curious, call it what you will; it is rebellion. Remember, even angels themselves have been known to rebel, and they were thrown from heaven. Guess where they are at this very time. Can you—do you really want to know? They are on this earth. I know you have an issue with trust, but in this case, you must trust me. I am here to assist you and others like you. You are not the only one left here. Many of you are. He came, and he died for you so that you would not be here. He did not intend for any of you to be here. He had hoped you all would watch for the signs and be ready for him when he came. You will have one final time to decide, and I am here to make sure you and the others have come to a full understanding of that decision. You know the Bible all but Revelation; it's time you got more familiar with it, and you need to leave this cabin and go to the cave you know of that is on the other side of the hill.” David remarked.

“David, my bag is in there; it has everything I will need,” Mark stated.

Just as Mark finished talking, David pointed to the floor of the porch beside Mark. “You mean that bag? Now grab it and go. In the cave, you will find everything else you need. You are to go there and just read and study the last book. Remember everything you already know and begin your decision-making process.” David stated.

Mark picked up the bag speechlessly and headed off the porch.

“One more thing: be aware of all around you and be ready at all times, and while we are now in the Tribulation, you will see more than just me. It is the time of the battle, the time spoken of in the book of Revelation.” David said this as he stepped off the porch and walked into nothingness.

Mark, who had been halted by David’s last words and was now amazed at what had just occurred, quickened his pace. He had no idea who David was for sure, but he had his opinions. He had no time to ponder the idea of who or what David was, but he knew he had to head out of there and get to the cave. He would do what he was instructed to do. His mind kept running, questioning, and trying to make sense of it all. He continued as he had been instructed, pausing and resting only long enough to eat an energy bar or take a drink. He was glad he had purchased those bars and bags of water. At the time, he had gotten it, thinking how foolish it was to spend the money on something he would probably never need. Now he thought back, thanking himself for getting the items.

Mark made his way to the cave without incident. By the time Mark made it there, it was dark, and he was exhausted. He took the light out of his bag, turned it on, and made his way into the cave. It had been his favorite place as a child whenever he and his family would visit the cabin. He could remember playing with other children up here, as there are other such cabins in the area. Mark could remember being at the cave as a kid when the parents were making it. There was a cliff hangover here, and the parents of the kids here in the cabin area would meet daily to work on it in the summer. They went so far as to set up rocks inside that the kids could lay on or sit on.

Chapter  6

He walked inside, and he could see the place was exactly as he remembered it. He shines his light around out of fear of snakes and other creatures. He found nothing there that would put any fear in him. Once he had made a place to lie down, he positioned his bag so that he could use it as a pillow.

Mark had gotten as comfortable as anyone can on a rock bed when he heard noises from outside. He could hear someone or something coming into the cave. He chose to hold still, going so far as to hold his breath, not knowing what or who was on their way into his area. He remembered what David had said about there being others like him and that the fallen angels were upon the earth with him.

He knew they were the angels who had rebelled against God, and he was not up to dealing with them. He got himself as close to his wall as he could; if he had been able to get himself inside the cave wall, he would have. He watched as someone climbed into the cave. This cave was set up so that you would have to climb up a little rock ledge to gain entrance.

It was another man who stepped inside. Mark tried to hold his breath, afraid of what would happen with everything he had already been through. "Hello,” came a male voice. “Hello, is anyone there?"

Mark remained silent; he was not going to risk it being another instant like he had already gone through, and he remembered what David had told him. “One more thing: be aware of all around you and be ready at all times, and while we are now in the Tribulation, you will see more than just me. It is the time of the battle, the time spoken of in the book of Revelation.” David’s words continued to play in his head as if on a loop.

“OK, now let me think. I remember there was a slap to the back of the cave that we could sit or lay on and another to the right," the man muttered.

Mark knew that he had to know this place, but how could he be one of the other cabin kids?

“Hello?” Mark asked

“Oh shoot,” who is there? How long have you been there? Where are you? The man asked in a panic-driven voice.

“I am Mark. My family has a cabin up here. Who are you?" Mark asked as he reached for his light. “Mark, as long as I live and breathe, it’s me, Jason. It was your dad and my dad who began the work on this place. It was amazing how they seemed to know we would need it. Jason stated.

Mark had his light in hand and turned it on. Just as he did, he and Jason heard another noise outside, much like the one Mark had heard when Jason had begun his entrance into the cave. He looked at Jason and watched in wonderment as to who it could be, just as he was about to back up and hide in the far edge of the cave, which, if he recalled, would still have a lip area where you could easily hide, obscuring all parties from view. Mark and Jason looked at each other, and then, just as they were about to move, there was another person. This person was someone who was familiar to Mark; it was David.

“David!” Mark exclaimed, happy to see it was him and not one of the others. “Glad to see me now, are you?” David remarked as he walked toward the two of them.

Jason, who did not know David, stepped backward. David paused long enough to look at him and then smiled. "Well, hello, Jason. How are you today? I was going to come to you later. You were not quite ready for my appearance.” “Wwwhooo are you?” Jason asked

“Why were you coming to see me later? How do you know who I am? I remember you; I came up here to get away from you.” Jacob stood there and looked between David and Mark. He would have bolted had David not been blocking the only way in or out. "Jacob, fear not, as I am not here to hurt you; I am here to help you.” You and Mark have a trip to make, and that trip will begin in the morning.” “For now, sleep; you are safe here in this cave."

“Where are we going?” David asked.

Jacob noticed Mark was calm while talking to the man. Mark turned to Jacob and said, “This is David; he is an angel from God. You see, the rapture has occurred, and we missed it. From what I have read, we will now have to survive the Tribulation, also called Jacob's Trouble or God's Wrath, and this time it will last 7 years.” Mark finished. We were left because we had not chosen Christ as our Lord and Savior. "I see you have been doing some studies.” David replied with a smile. “You now know why you were left and why I was coming to you before. You have made the decision to make Mark, and now it is not going to be as easy. Although we angels are here to help you, only you can make the choices. We can and will help guide you.” Mark then told David he had made his choice. “I have decided I will side with God, and I know Jesus died for me. I only wish I had made the decision earlier when you were coming to me before the rapture happened."

“Mark, we didn't want you left, but he couldn't hold off any longer. The hardest part is that you have free will, and we cannot make you do anything. Not even us, not even God himself. It was he who made you have your mind. He could not wait any longer for you all to decide. You saw what was happening up here earlier; that was only the beginning. It will get worse, and you need to go east as far as you can and then take a boat if need be, but get to Israel. When you are there, you are to look for Zacchaeus; he will know you and what must be done next. In fact, he is expecting you both, plus more. As you travel, you will feel more like yourself. Keep on guard, though, as there are also those who will try to get you to change your mind or get you finished before you make it where you need to be. Once in the safe zone, you will be looked after till the end. Jacob, you will be faced with many decisions along this path. Choose. Choose now before you face the ones who seek to destroy you. I know this road you are about to travel will not be easy, but keep your faith close and remember you will be tested.” David stated this as he looked between the two men.

Mark looked at Jacob and then walked back over to where he had been lying down. He turned and sat down, this time scrubbing his face with his hands. “So, you were not willing to decide either, huh? It looks like we both missed the boat, as they say."

“It seems that way. So, the rapture happened when? I have been up here trying to get away from that man, angel, or whatever he is. I was trying to work in my yard, and he came to me. When his face shifted and then back again. I chose to come up here to recover my thoughts. I was outside when I saw some fireballs going through the sky, and one took out my family cabin. That was when I headed this way. I figured I would stay here the night and then head back to my home in the city.” Jacob mused as he made his way to sit by Mark.

He sat there, slumped against the rock wall, not sure which way to go. Should he go with Mark, or should he go to the city? He asked himself in silence. Mark then looked at him and shook his head with a quiet laugh. “You have to realize you can't get away from this. But I cannot say anything; I fought it for as long as I could. I was at my house in the city when it happened. I was in my car when suddenly people just vanished. There were people standing outside, looking up at the sky. I was in a hurry to just get away from them. I just wish I had stopped and gotten out. I always believed in God, but I never really gave my soul to Christ.” Mark got up and began walking around. He turned and looked at Jacob. “I know if I had looked and seen him in the sky, I would have done so just then."

Jacob got up, not sure what to think or do. “What do you think is next?"

"Next, we work our way to California, and from there to Israel. I just wonder how hard this journey is going to be. The one thing I do know is that this is not going to be easy, not by a long shot. We can expect to find blocks in our path all along the way."

Jacob made his way back over to the wall seat and sat back down. He leaned forward and put his face in his hands. “How can we dare make it from here all the way to California without a car or help to get there? To do this on foot could take months, if not years."

“Well, what's it that matters so long as we make it there safely? Keep in mind that this is seven years of tribulations. We are going to need to take some time. We will need to find a way to get food along the way without money. The way I recall it, the Mark of the Beast is going to be here soon."

“Mark of the Beast?” Jacob looked at Mark. “What is the Mark of the Beast?"

“Yes, the Mark of the Beast. It is in the Bible. It is supposed to be a charga that people in times of tribulation will bear on their hands or foreheads to become a part of the family of the people who are left on earth. I would describe it as a way to join a community or network of people. Everyone who has it will also bear the same ending.” “They will all die a death of fire and will no longer exist at the end.”

Jacob jumped up. “How can you say that for sure? How do you know? These things you speak of are, well, just ramblings; you have no way to prove it."

Mark moved until he was standing right in front of Jacob. “These things, as you call them, are in the Bible. Don't you believe what the Bible says?"

“Well, how can we believe it all? It's a book of stories; a book was written by a man to make men afraid to make them do what the church wanted them to do.” Jacob stammered out.

Mark looked at him. "Oh, really, then where do you say all the people who vanished went?” “How do I even know anyone vanished? I have been up here for over a week and have had no contact with anyone but you,” Jacob stated.

Mark reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. "Here, take these and go see for yourself. My car is parked at the family cabin. You remember where it is.” Jacob nodded his head, taking the keys in hand. “The town is in turmoil; children are gone, and anyone who truly believed in Christ and what he did is gone.”

Jacob left the cave, and Mark was sure David would not be happy, but what could Mark do? He knew Jacob was not going to believe him; he had to see it for himself. Mark chose to go ahead and lay back down. He knew Jacob would either be back or not; either way, he would be rested and ready to leave come daylight. Mark was already seated on the rock when he heard a noise outside. He was sure it was Jacob.

Mark was not sure what to think when Jacob came running back into the cave. He was out of breath and did not quit running until he was at the back of the cave. When Mark turned to him and asked, “What are you running from?” “There is something out there. I was on my way to your car when I heard a noise in the woods. When I looked, I saw eyes. Man, they were not human eyes. They were weird,” Jacob said in a state of panic, unable to catch his breath. Jacob sat down, hands on his knees, leaning over, but making sure he kept his eyes on the opening. Mark looked at him with a serious face. "Well, remember, David did say to stay here for the night and then leave in the morning. Remember in the Bible that evil likes darkness and the holy and good like daylight? In the morning, I will drive you to town so you can see as we are on our way to California."

“I got to tell you, man, I don't know if I am going to California. I think I am going to just stay in town. If you do not care to drop me off at moms, so I can go in and check on her.” Jacob stated.

“Your choice, as David said, so I will not force you. I have a question, though: was not your mom a Christian? It seems I recall her reading the Bible and talking about how Christ had died for us and that we needed to accept him before it was too late.” David asked.

“Yes, she always talks about it. I was over there last weekend for dinner, and she prepared a lamb, and you know every time she fixes that, I get to hear how Christ was the Lamb of God, how he died for us, and how one day she would be gone. I remember her telling me not to worry because when she was gone, she would be back. I always chuckled and asked why you wanted to come back. Well, that always got me the same answer. 'Well, Jacob, she would say. 'Why wouldn't I want to come back when I am by Christ's side?' “Little does she know I love that discussion and the look in her eyes? I know my mom loves Christ, whether I believe it or not. When she talks to me like that, I know she cares and that she loves me. Of course, I can't let her know that."

“What are you going to think when you walk into her house and she's not there but her clothes, etcetera, are there?” Mark asked. “Jacob, I know you think I am crazy or whatever, but I am telling you, man, that thing she was telling you about, the rapture It really did occur.” “I don't believe it. The Bible is just a bunch of stories. Mom was really into it because she thought she was really going to be raptured away.” Jacob replied, now calmer and no longer looking at the cave entrance.

Jacob and Mark found them a place in the cave to lay down and rest. They left the lantern burning through the night.

Chapter 7

Mark woke repeatedly, looking around, hoping it was all just a dream. Unfortunately, each time he awoke, he found himself looking around at the cave. There was no noise outside, and he was sure David and his partners, or whatever they would be called, were protecting them here. He was happy to remain in the cave. Mark now understood what had been happening, although he was not happy that he had ignored it all. Daylight finally arrived, and they awoke to find David in the cave with them.

“Now your journey will begin. I understand, Jacob, that you were outside last night. How did that go for you?"

“It didn't go so well, as I am sure you well know,” Jacob said with a scoff.

“Were you not advised to stay in here till morning?” David asked with a smile on his face. “Why were you alarmed? I am not sure; you knew you would be protected. With that in mind, where were my brothers supposed to be?"

“Your brothers? So, I take it your brothers have red eyes?” Jacob asked in amazement. "Remember, not all of my brothers are on our side. Some have chosen their ways, and yes, they were also out there. This is their time. We cannot harm them unless they are directly affecting one of you."

“What are we to do? I mean, I know we are to go to California, but why do we have to make it to Israel to find Zacchaeus? Mark asked.

“Zacchaeus knows where you two need to go. He is ready to take all who can make it there to a safe place. There was a location prepared before you were created. Our Father in heaven knew you and others like you would be here and would need a place. This place will have everything you need. You must make it there, and you must make your decision before you are taken to this place. It is a city set in a treacherous location. It is tough to get to, but once you are there, you are safe and will be taken care of by others like me. They are my brothers. Now your journey begins, and I understand Jacob needs to go check on his mother and see that she is OK. Jacob, I do have to tell you that if you make the right choice, you will see her again. She is fine now. Gather your things and go. Remember to read your Bible and become more familiar with the words within it. The last book is the most important for you right now, but the whole book must be committed to memory. You also, from this point forward, need to remember that you will be tempted, tried, and tested. This is the time for the whole world to be tested. Look and watch so that you will be in the Book of Life. I and my brothers will be there at any time you need to call us.” David stated, and then he faded away. Jacob caught his breath and looked at me. “How on earth did that just happen? Where did he go?"

“Jacob, come on, let us gather our things and go like he stated; it will soon be dark, and I would rather not be up here. We can discuss what he said when we make it to the car. We have a bit of a walk to get to the car.” Mark replied.

“Yeah, OK.” was all Jacob could think to say as he helped Mark gather up the items in the cave that they would need. Mark grabbed the Bible and his backpack. Jacob grabbed the lantern. “No!” replied Mark. “In case someone else stops in here, they will need some light,” Mark stated as he headed toward the cave entrance. Jacob looked at him and then put it back down. The light was already out. Although it was still full of oil,

Mark and Jacob made their way to Mark's family cabin, where his car was parked. Jacob kept looking around. “Nervous?” Mark asked.

“No, not nervous, just watching because of what happened last night,” Jacob replied.

“I wouldn't be worried, as David would not have told us to head on out if it had been dangerous,” Mark replied calmly.

“Well, as I said, after what I saw last night, I am watching,” Jacob said with a sterner voice.

Partway to the cabin and car, Mark and Jacob stopped and rested on a tree that had fallen. Mark reached into his backpack and took out two energy bars and bottles of water. They sat there, eating and resting a bit before moving forward.

“Where does your mom live now?” Mark asked.

“She's on the other side of town in St. Luke's Condos. The ones next to her church, so she only has to walk outside and down the street.” Jacob said.

“Oh yeah, I remember that church; they were the ones who had the Sunday school in the basement," Mark replied.

“OK, well, enough time setting. Let us get back on our feet and make it to the car before it gets dark. We need to be on the road and at a location before dark.” Mark finished.

Mark stood up and put his backpack back on his back after putting the empty energy bar packages in the bag. They carried their water bottles, as they still had water in them.

They made it to the cabin to see that it was gone. You could see where it had stood. The car was parked far enough away from the cabin that it was not harmed by the fire. The cabin, thankfully, had been set far enough from any woods that it did not cause a forest fire. Mark took all this in, remembering how David had prevented him from going into the cabin.

“Oh wow, it’s gone!” That was all Jacob could say as he stood there, staring at the ground where the cabin had once been. The ground was scorched by the surrounding heat, but there had been no fire.

Mark and Jacob regained their composure and moved to get into the car while they still had some daylight.

Mark looked at Jacob, who was sitting in the passenger’s seat. “Since we are going to your mom's and you have the keys, how about you drive?" Mark chuckled.

“Oh, I do still have them, don't I? Yeah, I can drive,” Jacob replied.

Chapter Eight

Jacob made his way around the car and got in on the driver’s side, while Mark got in on the passenger’s side. “Oh yeah, this is the way to travel.” Mark snickered, looking at Jacob. OK, whenever you are ready. Jacob reached into his pocket and took out the keys. He then put them in the ignition, and the car leaped to life.

Jacob and Mark drove in silence for the most part. The only noise heard was the sound of tires hitting the road and the occasional grunt from Mark when Jacob would turn a curb. The belt was good enough to keep him from moving well most of the time. Mark awoke when Jacob turned left into the parking area of his mother’s place. “We are here,” Jacob said as he put the car into park and turned it off. Mark awoke to see they were in a parking lot. “Do you want me to go in with you? Or would you rather I wait out here so you can go in and visit with your mother?” Mark asked. Jacob looked at him and replied. “No, I would rather you come in with me. Besides, mom always liked you.” Mark nodded his head, and they both got out of the car. The two walked side by side toward the building when they were stopped by a police car. “Where are you two going, and why are you out and about? You know there is a quarantine in place. No one should be on the streets for the next week except for police patrols.” The officer spoke.

Jacob answered. “We just got into town, and we are here to check on my mother. We will leave once we know she is OK and head on our ways."

"See, you do.” The officer stated that he was handing them a piece of paper. Upon looking at it, Jacob could see it was a warning and a declaration that the police department was aware they were in the area and that they would need to report to the police officers if they were to remain. The officer drove out of the parking lot and headed down the street. Jacob and Mark looked at each other, and Jacob handed Mark the paper the officer had handed them. “That was odd. Why would we need to report to the police station if we were to choose to stay?” Jacob asked Mark.

"No idea, but I don't plan on finding out. Come on, let us go check on your mom, so we can get out of here.” Mark replied. They made their way to the building, and Mark followed Jacob as he made his way to the condo. Jacob knocked on his mother’s door with no reply from her. "Mom, are you there? Mom!” Jacob yelled with no reply yet. Mark then stepped up to the door and began knocking. He was also met with no reply from her. The condo across from hers opened its door. “She's gone. I have not heard or seen from her since the other day, when all those people vanished. I am sure aliens came and took them.” The neighbor spoke. The neighbor saw Jacob. “Hello, Jacob; I haven't seen you in a while. What have you been up to? Oh, sec, I have the extra key. She wanted me to hold it in case you ever showed up, and she was at church or the store. Come on in, and I will grab it for you.” The older man moved away from the door but left it open so that Jacob and Mark could follow him. When he got the key for Jacob and made his way back to them, they were looking out the window. The man handed Jacob the key, and they then made their way to Jacob's mother’s place. They used the key to gain entrance. Jacob looked all around the condo while Mark remained in the entryway inside the door. Jacob made his way to the bedroom, and there he found her bed, and on her bed were her clothes. They were lying there as if she had been praying and kneeling beside her bed. Her sleeves were laying on the side of the bed as if they had been on it and had slid off it. Jacob was at a loss for words. He only turned around and went into the living room, sat down on the chair, placed his face in his hands' arms on his knees, and began to sob. “It’s true; it was the rapture. You were not just spouting words. It’s true.” Jacob spoke in between sobs.

Mark went over in front of him and spoke. “Yes, it is true, just as David is an angel and will work to protect us, but we must make our choices, and he has given us a location to get to. Remember, we must make it to Israel so that we can be protected. I do not know about you, but I would rather not deal with the others. They would seek to get us to change our minds or not to make a choice. Do you believe that the rapture happened to admit that Christ came and died for us, died and rose again, and then returned again and claimed his own unto him?"

Jacob nodded his head. “Yes, I believe, and we must make it, but it’s almost night; we can't be out there in the night. We would be in the open area, and it would be dangerous, wouldn't it?"

David came in from the balcony. “Jacob and Mark, I take it you both have made your decision.” Both men nodded that they had. “Good. Now comes the hard part. You must make it there. Remember, you are not out of the woods yet. You will find great opposition, and testing will be placed upon you. No matter what, if you draw upon your knowledge of Christ, then remember that this will be seven years. Each mile you drive will bring new tests and challenges. Don't forget what you have come to know. Hold on to it. Hold firm.” Just as David finished his words of warning, he vanished. Mark and Jacob looked at each other in silence, wondering what they were going to be up against.

Be sure to catch the next book:

Testing has begun.