The Unveiling, page 8
part #3 of Chaos Series
Devastating as those past tragedies were, it couldn’t compare to now. Whereas, for the most part, those past tragedies occurred in a single country or continent, this was global. There weren’t any pockets of death to speak of. Death was everywhere!
Countless millions of corpses littered the globe. Not a single country was spared this harsh, grotesque reality.
Since last Saturday, more people had died of heart attacks than in any previous 30-year period. After seeing so much death and destruction in one day, their hearts simply gave out on them—especially those who’d witnessed children and grandchildren suddenly vanish before their eyes.
Despite the cause of death, most everyone on the planet would attend at least one burial this week, setting yet another earth-shattering record.
Millions of bodies would never be found; especially those buried deep beneath collapsed buildings or those who were incinerated by fire. Hundreds of millions more would be cremated or buried in mass graves. There simply wasn’t enough room in cemeteries for everyone all at once.
Usually when a person laid down his or her life for their country, a decent burial became the responsibility of their government. That went without saying. But in a world suddenly full of hundreds of millions of civilian dead bodies, most of whom weren’t heroes by any stretch of the imagination—many were hardened criminals—whose responsibility was it to pick up the tab, so to speak, when 96 percent of the world lived in stark poverty before the disappearances?
How much worse off would they be in the coming weeks and months?
Thankfully, those who couldn’t afford a funeral weren’t denied one. In the end, the serious health risks accompanying leaving dead bodies out to rot in the open far outweighed the overwhelming expense of burying them. While many would have to settle for wooden caskets, the vast majority were destined for mass graves.
As was always the case, poorer countries were forced to seek financial assistance from more stable countries to help absorb the great expense of burying so many of their dead.
Were there any “stable” countries left to speak of?
Time would tell...
WITH HUNDREDS OF PLANES now airborne and thousands more being prepped for take-off, worldwide, everything was going smoothly on all fronts.
News cameras were out and about everywhere capturing it all. So far, so good! Even so, what was intended to boost President Danforth’s image globally was now hurting him in a very big way.
While most world leaders liked the idea initially—many even called it bold and brave—after having ample time to consult among themselves, the majority were outraged by the American President’s decision to restore travel without first consulting them, especially knowing the potential risks involved.
“How dare he go behind our backs like that!” hissed the Chancellor of Germany on world news television.
“I’m disappointed that the President of the United States of America would try solving the world’s problems all by himself,” said the Pope. “I thought it was agreed that we would all work together as a team? Where’s the unity in that?”
And on and on they went. The outcry was constant: “Salvador Romanero would never do such a thing!”
Salvador Romanero remained silent on the issue. With so many others speaking on his behalf, there was no need to say anything. They were doing it all for him.
What angered world leaders most was that they were once again forced against their will to follow America’s lead, even if the American President’s decision to restore air travel could have tragic consequences. They had no choice but to restore air travel within their borders as well.
How dare he!
President Danforth had no idea how deep the hatred would soon be toward him. His plan may have been timely, but it was selfish; done solely for personal gain. He should have at least consulted everyone else before attempting such a thing.
The limitless faith world leaders had placed in American Presidents over the years would soon be freely given to another man—a man President Danforth never even had the decency to mention in his speech the night before—Salvador Romanero.
13
BRIAN MULROONEY WATCHED THE replay footage of flight #1185 for the umpteenth time as he stood in line for coffee inside the Amtrak terminal in downtown Toledo, Ohio.
His trip began at 5 o’clock this morning, at the train station in Ann Arbor. Renate had dropped him off there. His bus, not train, left Michigan at 5:30 a.m., arriving in Toledo an hour later. His train to New York was scheduled to depart at 7:30 a.m.
After waiting in line at a coffee shop for more than 30 minutes, when it was finally Mulrooney’s turn to order, the coffee had already run out. Judging by what he saw on the owner’s face, the man had no idea if or when he would replenish his inventory.
Oh well, Brian thought, perhaps on the train.
Much like in Ann Arbor, the Toledo train station was a madhouse, mostly due to the overwhelming press coverage.
Reporters were anxious to interview anyone. But after witnessing so much tragedy, no one was in the mood to be interviewed on television or in the local newspapers. They just wanted to get to where they were going, so they could be reunited with family and friends.
Brian Mulrooney was in total agreement with this.
At 7:15 a.m. sharp, the doors opened. Brian was one of the first passengers to board the train.
At 7:28 a.m., the conductor shouted, “All aboard! Final call!”
Mulrooney wasn’t surprised that every seat on the train was taken. He was just thankful to have one of these precious seats for himself. Some passengers engaged in mild conversation, if only to calm their nerves, but most kept to themselves.
An unmistakable air of distrust hung thick in the air. The mood was strange, somber, especially knowing three of the cargo boxcars on this train were full of “occupied” coffins.
Welcome to the New World, Mulrooney thought, looking out the train window. It felt nothing like past Thanksgivings.
As the wheels started turning ever so slowly, Brian used this time to evaluate many things in his life. Prior to the Phenomenon, life tended to get crazy at times but, all in all, the moderately successful hotel manager thought he had everything under control.
Just last week Mulrooney was planning to purchase an engagement ring for Renate. It was the natural next step for someone who thought he had his priorities straight in life. He wasn’t so sure of anything anymore. All he knew was that he was on a mission: to find the Truth no matter what it took.
It sounded selfish, he knew, but in a world now trembling beneath his feet, putting a ring on his girlfriend’s finger suddenly seemed futile. Did Planet Earth even have a future? Brian couldn’t answer the question. But if it did, he wanted to make sure his feet were planted on solid ground before making any significant life decisions, including marriage.
If Mulrooney needed more proof that his world had been turned completely upside down, all he had to do was look inside his suitcase. For the first time ever, there was a Bible stuffed inside. Even so, he was too chicken to pluck it out and start reading it in front of others on the bus ride to Toledo.
To his credit, he did try searching the Scriptures using his cell phone. But with WiFi service spotty at best, and the small print hurting his eyes too much, he stopped reading and powered down his phone. Even in this age of mind-numbing technology, Mulrooney still preferred reading books in print, where he could highlight key parts that spoke to him, much like Justin had done in the Bible that was left for him.
Despite the mild anxiety he felt by the prospect of reading the Word of God in front of others, he had every intention of doing just that on the train. To help combat his growing discomfort, Brian purchased a Sports Illustrated magazine at the Amtrak station in Ann Arbor.
This way, when someone walked by, he would cover his Bible with the magazine until they passed. It was wimpy, he knew, but that’s where he was right now.
Having a private room on the train would have allowed him to read the Bible all the way through to New York, with no distractions from others. He wondered how much they were charging for first-class tickets?
Whatever the price, it was too rich for his blood. He was just grateful to have any seat on this train. Coach class was more than good enough for Brian Mulrooney.
With his assets temporarily frozen, had it not been for the few thousand dollars he had socked away in his bedroom top drawer—for the engagement ring he planned to purchase for Renate—he would still be in Ann Arbor.
Once the train pulled outside the city limits and was moving at full cruising speed, Mulrooney walked and, at times, stumbled through four passenger cars, en route to the dining car for a bite to eat. It was difficult at times when the train swayed back and forth like a ferry boat, but his heavy steps were nevertheless sure.
He wasn’t surprised to find the dining car packed with passengers. Being alone, he was able to obtain a seat at the counter. He ordered coffee which, thankfully they had, orange juice, bacon, eggs, and a toasted bagel.
Waiting for his food, Mulrooney looked out at the landscape passing him by at near-blinding speed. Due to the falling temperatures created by the temporary blockage of the sun in so many areas, the moment the vigil ended in the South Pacific, snow started falling throughout much of the northern United States and all of Canada. They said it was like this for much of the world.
Mulrooney wondered how in the world Romanero had pulled it off? He could only shake his head and wonder again if he was the Antichrist of the Bible.
At any rate, the snow looked soothingly beautiful. It lent a Norman Rockwell appeal to the upcoming holiday season. Which would have been just great had they been able to restore power with the flick of a switch.
But that simply wasn’t the case. With no power, much of the country looked like it had been transported back to the 1800's. Candles were burning, shedding the only light most residents could draw upon, save for flashlights, firelight and sunlight.
Smoke rose up from fireplace chimneys everywhere, providing the only source of household heat. Those fortunate to have kerosene heaters used them sparingly. Once the kerosene ran out, who knew when they would be able to obtain more?
Many had been without electricity all week, especially in rural areas, with no timetable as to when power might be restored to their communities. Many were told six months could pass before power was finally back on. Perhaps even longer than that...
Many of the creature comforts humanity had grown used to—had been all but addicted to—were suddenly obsolete. If restored, they would never be taken for granted again.
But man-made creature comforts were no longer of interest to Brian Mulrooney. At least not now. All that mattered to him was reading and studying the Word of God. Nothing more.
If Justin Schroeder was right, salvation had nothing to do with church membership—regardless of denomination—or how good a person claimed to be. Those who thought they could somehow earn their salvation had no understanding of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It pained Mulrooney to admit he was part of that unfortunate group. According to Justin, no church—including the Catholic Church—could offer eternal assurance to any of its followers. It all came down to God’s love and His amazing grace, which was fully manifested on a bloody cross 2,000 years ago, nothing more.
If Justin was right, how in the world would he tell his parents that the vast sum of money spent on his Catholic education had apparently gone to waste? After all, with so many years in the Catholic system, Brian never learned a surefire way to qualify for Heaven when his time on Earth came to an end.
If anything, he was taught there were many variables. For all he knew, as long as he remained within the good graces of the Catholic Church, and he didn’t kill anyone or rob a bank, he was all but assured of seeing the Pearly Gates someday.
He now had serious doubts about it all...
After breakfast, Mulrooney returned to his seat to find the man next to him snoring away. He took this as a good sign.
He opened his Bible and had the sudden urge to read it all the way through, from cover to cover. Though he’d already read the first few chapters of Genesis the other day, he started again in chapter one.
The more he read it, the more he understood why it had so transformed his departed friend, Justin Schroeder.
As the locomotive swayed and clacked and inched closer and closer to Manhattan, New York, passing the landscape at near-blinding speed, Brian Mulrooney felt himself inching closer and closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.
14
CHARLES CALLOWAY WAS BACK inside his luxury suite, after just parting company with fellow colleague, Santana Jiles, and Jiles’ nephew, Estevan Valdez. After the three of them had lunch together, Estevan drove his uncle to Penn Station, where he boarded his train back to Atlanta.
Charles could have taken a train home like many of his Cell-U-Loss colleagues had done, but he decided to wait until he could get a flight home. Unlike most people, Calloway wasn’t afraid to fly. What happened last week was supernatural and had nothing to do with pilot error or aircraft malfunction.
What he did fear, however, was what he would find—wouldn’t find, rather—once he returned to the Sunshine State. Part of him wished he could remain at the Waldorf-Astoria forever.
Just leaving his suite was a challenge in itself. Even if just going down to the lobby, he felt this tightening in his chest. But when holed up in his room studying the Word of God, he felt completely cut off from the rest of the world.
And since his company was picking up the tab for this extended stay of sorts— including all meals—his decision to remain in New York for the time being was a no-brainer.
Calloway changed the bandage atop his right eye from the gash he sustained in the backseat of Tamika Moseley’s taxicab last Saturday. It was healing nicely; one less thing to worry about.
He logged onto www.lsarglobal.org and clicked on chapter one of the Book of Revelation. This was his fourth time reading this prophetic Book since the Rapture. It was starting to sink in more and more. Having it dictated to him as he read along in the Bible opened his eyes all the more, especially since the narrator expounded on each chapter after reading it.
This voice was different than the deep booming voice Charles heard earlier. Said he, “Chapter one is fairly easy to understand. The first five words alone, ‘The revelation of Jesus Christ’ make it crystal clear as to Whom, not what, is the revelation of this Book. The disciple John, who walked with Jesus in the flesh, was chosen to receive God’s revelation while exiled on the island of Patmos at around 95 A.D., because of the Word of God, and for his testimony.
“On the Lord’s Day, John was taken suddenly up in the spirit, when he heard a loud voice like a trumpet, which said, ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.’
“John turned to see who it was, and saw seven golden stars and seven golden lampstands, and Someone who was dressed in a robe that reached down to His feet, with a golden sash around His chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
“In His right hand he held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. It was the Lord Jesus!
“When John saw Him, he fell at His feet as though dead. Jesus placed His right hand on John and said, ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’ The seven stars in His right hand were the angels of the seven churches. The seven lamp stands were the seven churches of God.
“The fact that Jesus commanded John to write everything down and send it to the Seven Churches is proof positive that humanity was meant to read and understand the Book of Revelation. Though challenging at times, it wasn’t so full of deep mysteries that it couldn’t be interpreted like many had taught throughout the ages.
“Verse three clearly proves this point, ‘Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.’”
“Amen to that!” Charles Calloway clicked on chapter two, then three. The narrator explained how both were similarly connected, as the seven letters John wrote to the Seven Churches were recorded in these two chapters. Jesus condoned their good works and condemned their bad works.
When the narrator read Revelation 3:10-12—which was part of the letter written to the Church of Philadelphia—a cool chill shot through Calloways’ brain. “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the Earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of Heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.”
