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AFTER THE DISASTER: A Tale of Two Parents

by linzy bruno
9/03/2022 / Short Stories

PRELUDE—

I hope you will keep in mind that none of us can perfectly know everything that will happen and the order of things, as to the timeline of events, particularly the order of things after the Rapture.

Also hopefully, for those who find themselves stuck here after the fact; this will be informative regarding God being the ONE Who took the Christians and little children to Heaven. IT WAS NOT an alien invasion; where aliens snatched them all up and took them away in their spaceship.

And for those who read now, while we are in this present Age, I hope to reveal this vital truth to prevent them from having to go through the tribulation, but even more to keep them from having to watch their children vanish before their eyes. Also to help them remain as calm as possible when they see this world coming apart at the seams, because all these things must happen first, BUT THEN--HE IS COMING!

AND, please excuse my language—Considering that all of the characters of this story start off as unbelievers, I hope all readers understand that their actions and dialogue simply had to reflect that fact…..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

‘Instead of making love, we’re up all night fighting,’ Lily thought, as she dragged her tired body into her baby’s room. “Hey Don, bring that diaper I left on the couch!” She screeched, out of nowhere from the rocking chair.

“Gimme a second, will ya,” he grumbled in reply, as he strolled casually over to the couch.

“Whadaya need it for anyway!?” He hollered back, in a nasty tone of voice, as he sauntered toward the nursery.

“Just please bring it in here! I need it for the baby’s feeding,” she replied, in great agitation.

But then, exactly at that moment, just when Don stretched out his arm to hand her the diaper, there was an ominous, loud sound, that seemed to shake the whole house and they both watched in horror as their little daughter, baby Melissa Ann, with her stunning blue eyes and the beginnings of gorgeous strawberry blonde hair, out of nowhere, for no apparent reason and definitely no apparent cause, suddenly…… vanished! And to add even more to the peculiar scenario, the sky went dark at the sound of deafening thunder and powerful lightning and remained that way for three straight, nerve-bending hours. And then, at the start of hour number two, something else devastated the planet.

“Don did you hear that?” Lily asked Don, as she quivered, as her knees knocked together hard.

“Sounds like some sort of distant booming,” he replied; contorting his face.

“Oh my God Don, listen…..that's not booming, that’s bombing!”

Lily let out a scream that was louder and more sorrowful than Don had ever heard throughout their short marriage, (that only came about due to her surprise pregnancy.)

She rocked back and forth, crying profusely, with only Melissa’s receiving blanket still in her hands. “I didn’t even get a chance to nurse her! She just vanished at that loud sound we just heard!” She suddenly hollered so loud it hurt her throat, which in turn, turned her to whimpers.

“NO! NO! NO it can’t be. It’s impossible…. There is NO WAY.....there IS no WAY!.....How… could this….. hap-pen,” Don continued to shriek in horror and disbelief, as he leaned up against the wall and slid down to the floor; falling into a heap in the corner.

Then these young parents cried for so many hours, they didn’t even know what time it was or the last time they had anything to eat.

Finally around six that evening, Don switched on the TV to see what they might report on the nightly news, while Lily went into the bathroom to wash her face and put warm compresses on her aching breasts.

“Around eight this morning, there was a blast so loud, it reportedly was heard all over the world. Since then, we have been bombarded with reports on children and Christian teens and adults, but only Christians…. suddenly and for no apparent reason have disappeared. It is also suspected by NASA, the UN and the CIA that all of these people, and we are talking millions……. have been taken due to an alien invasion. At the moment that is literally all we know. But the other breaking story is that China has used its nuclear powers to bomb America and Iran and Russia are preparing their armies to do the same. It is suspected that China took advantage of the worldwide, unexplainable darkening of the sky that lasted from eight until eleven this morning. Everyone must find shelter and remain there until further notice. That also means, do not expect stores, banks and all other establishments to be open for business until further notice.”

“But with wars waging out our front doors, it’s too dangerous to go out anyway, as you said Phil," remarked a second reporter. “Everyone must find suitable shelter and remain there until further notice by order of the President.”

As the report concluded, Don began to run around the house; locking windows and doors and getting his rifle ready for action. Next he crouched down behind the couch; his nostrils flaring as he screamed for Lily to come out of the bathroom.

“Lily we’re being bombed! We are at war! Come ere’!”

Lily came running in the living room; her heart pounding in fear. “What!” she screamed. “Running around locking doors and windows isn’t going to help in any sort of war situation!”

“How did you even know what I just did; you were in the bathroom!” He retorted.

“Whadaya mean? I could hear you!”

“Don’t you get it? Is there something wrong in that brain of yours, he said; poking her on the side of the head, with his finger. WE ARE AT WAR! They just said it on the news….The sky goes dark, right when our baby disappears, there’s the loudest thunder and lightning happening at the same time that I have EVER heard…..AND the skies going dark for no apparent reason at eight in the morning! SO what do you expect atta me at a f**ked up time like this?” He reasoned angrily.

“I just want our lives back! I want our baby back!” He screamed; falling to the floor in despair. With his gun in one hand and a flashlight in the other, he drew his knees to his chest and sobbed.

“Oh my GOD! OH MY GOD! Oh my God…….” Lily curled up on the couch and pulled the throw lying over it, over her shoulders. She put her arms around herself and rocked back and forth; still clutching the compresses, with a far-away look in her eyes and tears gushing down her cheeks.

“If this is true then……there’s nothing we can do to get her back! Oh poor little Melissa! What if they hurt H….E…..R,” Don stammered; choking on tears.

“Oh what will we do without her? It’s like our baby is dead…..She may as well be dead! I can’t believe this SHIT!” Lily responded in horror; kicking her feet and covering her face with a throw pillow. “F**! God D**N IT! I just want to die right NOW!”

“Yes I know God D**N IT! BUT don’t say Melissa might be DEAD!” Don screamed, as he arched his head up to the ceiling. “We have to find out who else we know is going through this. Get out your phone……we’ll go on Facebook or Meta….or, whatever the f**kin’ hell they call it!”

Don anxiously paced back and forth, as he waited for any news from family, friends or the media.

“Oh MAN, holy shit, it’s all over the place!” Lily shrieked; shoving her phone in Don’s face.

There were posts from several from their neighbors. All of them had also witnessed their young children suddenly vanish or found out soon after the fact and they all displayed their devastation and grief. But it didn’t make Don and Lily feel any less alone or heartbroken. In fact, they sunk deeper into depression and horror, deep into the night. Mostly, they just stared into space, as they sat in the living room, with no real desire or ability for nourishment or rest.

By the next morning, Lily’s breasts were aching even more, with now after several missed feedings. She felt with her hands massive hard lumps, which she knew were due to the clogging of her milk ducts, which only made her misery heighten, her depression deepen and her exhaustion hit a new level.

“Don, I can’t stand this pain anymore…….”ohhhhhhhhh,” she moaned. And at the same time, began to wonder if they were somehow being punished for all the things that, even in such a short marriage, they had done wrong to one another; the lies, the manipulation, the jealousy. She let her mind take a short trip down memory lane. Recalling how she’d lied to get what she wanted from her husband due to her sense of entitlement, began to weigh her down with remorse, as she grieved for her lost infant daughter; in great pain in her body, as well as all of her soul.

With no appetite, she laid down to try and get some sleep, with her arms wrapped around freshly warmed compresses, but just then, Don came into the bedroom to make a discouraging announcement.

“Well you won’t believe this! The internet just went down…..probably some sort of glitch that happened with the invasion, so it may not come back for quite a while!”

“Oh MY GOD! What else can go wrong!” Lily screamed, as she rolled over in bed and pulled the covers up higher around her neck. She tried to rest, but was tortured in her mind to the point she thought she would lose her mind.

Then Don, regardless of their marital problems, struck with compassion for his wife, crawled into bed with her. They held each other and wept until they finally got so depleted and exhausted that they fell into a light, but restless sleep. When they woke a few hours later, they suddenly began to feel the pangs of hunger.

“I’ll make us something to eat,” Lily said, in a weak voice, as she started to get up.

She went into the kitchen. There was a little bit of left overs in the fridge and a decent amount of canned goods in the pantry. Everything seemed as she’d left it, but as she pulled open the silverware drawer, she was struck by a distinct evil presence. She began to look around the room nervously. Then she heard someone saying, “We are coming for you too,” in a soft, but ominous whisper. Knowing, it wasn’t her imagination, she dropped what she was doing and ran out of the room in a panic.

“Don! Don! She screamed, as she ran back into the living room. “I don’t think I should be in the kitchen right now,” she said; wanting to explain her behavior.

“Why, what’s wrong NOW?”

“Well I know you’ll think I’m crazy, but I just heard an eerie voice speaking to me in the kitchen.”

“Are f**king kidding?”

“I wish I was....it said “We are coming for you too…..Don I think I may be losing my mind!”

“No, no…….something is going on here and we just gotta figure out what it is!”

“Whadaya mean? We already know remember, it was an alien invasion that took all the Christians and all the little children,” she replied.

“Well…..Yes I know that’s what they are saying, but I’ve got a feeling there is something they’re not telling us……Perhaps they are even lying about this so-called invasion! But then again, maybe that’s why you heard that strange voice……Maybe we should have a little something to eat, maybe it’ll help us think better or something,” Don said; walking toward the door.

“Okay,” Lily replied and began following him to the kitchen, even though she was quite frightened, but suddenly struck by a different sort of feeling. “Ya know Don, I’m starting to feel pretty grateful that I’m NOT alone right about now,” she said; gazing at him in a way she hadn’t in months.

“I know how ya feel,” he replied; stroking her hair.

Lily began making them a small breakfast, as the sun was setting. Then they both sat down at the table. They took a moment and just stared into each other’s eyes. After they ate, they went into the bedroom and fell into bed while kissing ever so gently and started more passionately kissing. Then suddenly, at the corner of her eye, Lily thought she saw a ghostly-looking figure floating across the bedroom floor. “Ahhh!” she screamed; jumping out of bed.

“WHAT? What’s wrong?” Don asked; completely stunned.

“Oh it’s nothing…. I’m just going crazy that’s all! I swear to you Don I just saw a ghost. No joke, a real ghost! I only wish you’d seen it too!”

Actually, now that you mention it, I did see something move in the corner of my eye,” he replied.

“So now we have ghosts! Just great!”

But what Lily didn’t know is that this was a demon. Ghosts are actually demons in disguise; masquerading as ghosts to keep those who see them in the dark as to the truth. Because if we think ghosts are real, we will fail to understand the truth of the afterlife…

Then suddenly they were stunned once again. With no human being anywhere near it, the bedroom door suddenly slammed shut and they heard the facet and the shower in the bathroom turn on all by themselves!

“Okay, that’s it. I’m packing my bags and going to my mother’s!” Lily shouted in great fear; with one arm around her breasts.

“Well wait for me….I’m going too!” Shouted Don, as he rushed to the closet.

They both grabbed their suitcases and began frantically throwing their clothes and toiletries into them.

“Come on! Hurry Don,” Lily yelled, as she started throwing things into his suitcase.

Then they ran outside to discover their car was missing!

“It must have gotten stolen!” Don shouted, as the two of them looked around and saw people that looked like they were in a trance, and criminals running around committing theft after theft with no police anywhere in sight! Whadaya they think, that just because the President said to stay home that criminals would listen?!”

“It’s okay, Lil take my hand and we’ll just walk,” Don told his wife. “Ya know, we should also stop by all the neighbor’s homes and see if the same thing happened with their kids…..Let’s see who on our street here are parents? Oh yeah, there’s the single mom and that gay couple, Brian and Shawn, but that’s all I’m aware of.”

“Yeah same here…..well we can start there anyway.”

Then they started walking slowly and looking around constantly. They headed for Lily’s mother’s house around four or five miles down the road. On their way, they stopped at the two houses in which they knew there were small children; knowing they were in defiance of the President’s command, but not at all worried.

The first house they came to was that of Chelsey Stagner; a single mom of two, who’d never been married. “It looks like she’s home,” Don announced, as they approached the front door.

Chelsey came to the door, after they had knocked several times; thinking they would give up if she took even one more second.

“Oh Chelsey, we are so sorry to bother you,” Don began explaining. “Our baby daughter disappeared at that incredibly loud sound that I’m sure you heard….”

“Oh my God, I know…..Here come in and sit down…..”

“So you lost your….. kids….. too?” Lily cautiously inquired.

“YES! My beautiful little boy Madison, he was only three and there’s my adorable baby girl, Tara,” Chelsey replied; screaming into a throw pillow from the couch.

“Oh my God….I’m so sorry. We lost our little girl, Melissa, she was approaching six weeks,” Lily replied. “Were you breast feeding? Mine are killing me…..I guess my milk is drying up. I had no idea it would be so painful.”

“Well not anymore. I went through that a few months ago. And I’m sorry for you too Lily…..Maybe all of us moms…..or should I say former moms, can get together sometime” she said; her voice slightly cracking. “We should support each other.”

“Yeah RIGHT. Exactly,” Lily replied, in a weak voice.

“Okay,” Don said, with tears in his eyes. “We should probably go. We just wanted to come by and make sure you’re okay and to see if this terrible thing happened to anyone else in the neighborhood.”

“Yes and thank you. I appreciate it,” Chesley replied; opening the front door for them.

“Uhhh….Do you guys really believe it was aliens who took them?”

“Oh you heard that too huh? …….Well, we have our doubts,” Don replied; looking over at Lily.

“Yeah same here…..Hey if you find anything out will you let me know and I’ll do the same?”

“Yes of course. We’ll keep in touch,” Lily said, as Chelsey closed the door. But she opened it right back up again.

“Hey……I couldn’t help but notice your car’s not in the driveway. Did something happen to it?”

“Well yeah….It was stolen,” Lily replied; lowering her head in sadness.

“Oh NO! Well hey…..If you ever need a ride anywhere, just let me know…..although I guess maybe that would be considered against the law,” She sneered.

“Yeah, well thanks away,” Lily replied.

“Wow! That was hard,” Don remarked as soon as the door closed.

“Yes it was indeed. Where to now?”

“Let’s go see Brian and Shawn. There right over there on the hill,” Don replied.

“It doesn’t look like they’re home,” Lily exclaimed.

“Well let’s knock anyway. We can’t be sure,” he replied.

“Oh hi Lily, Don. Won’t you come in,” said Shawn; further opening the door.

“I guess you know why we’re here,” Don remarked.

“So you guys lost your baby daughter?” Shawn inquired.
“Yes….Our beautiful little Melissa. And you guys lost little J.Z.?”

“Y-e-a-h,” Brian said in a weak voice.

“You look exhausted,” Lily noted with concern.

“I haven’t been able to sleep since it happened.”

“Well let me make you something…..A cup of tea perhaps?” Lily suggested.

“Oh you are so nice. Let us both go into the kitchen and see what we’ve got.”

“Here you are Brian,” Lily said; placing the cup of tea in front of him, but I think Don and I should get going. We are on our way into town. Our car was stolen yesterday.”

“OH MY GOD! So was mine!” Brian shrieked.

“Well mine’s in the shop, I tried to fix it myself, but I’m not that good, so hopefully that’ll still be there when I catch a ride tomorrow to pick it up,” Shawn interjected. Everyone giggled quietly, even though none of them thought it was funny.

“Oh that’s why we didn’t see your cars outside! Oh I’m so sorry!”
“And we for you too,” Brian replied, as they shared a long embrace.

“Why do you think both of us had our cars stolen at the same time?”

“Because there are no more cops on the streets these days,” Don replied.

“Yeah or anywhere else,” Brian added.

“Car theft has become an increasing problem around here, well probably most of the country.”

“Yeah unfortunately. Either the whole car or the catalytic converter…….It all started with the ridiculous defund the police gimmick and all those soft-on-crime policies they came up with!”

“I know! Well you guys take it easy. Get some rest,” Lily said, as she and Don were leaving.

As they continued walking, each of them were thinking the exact same thing. How would they and the other parents get through this?

“I’m impressed with how stable Chelsey seems through all this,” she remarked, as they quickly walked, while closely watching everyone they saw on the street for signs of criminal activity. “It’s beginning to rain, so maybe the criminals will stay home! They walked for around fifteen more minutes, with only their sweatshirt jacket hoods over their heads and finally arrived at Lily’s mother’s house.

As soon as they went inside, Lily ran immediately into the bathroom, while Don greeted Lily’s mom and sat down at the dining table; dripping rain water all over the floor.

“Sorry for this. Lily wanted to come and see you and make sure you’re okay,” Don explained.

“Did you hear what happened to millions of people Monday?” Lily’s mother timidly inquired.

But just as Don started to answer her there was a sudden, ear-splitting boom that hit the house. It was a lightning strike, and when Don looked back to where Lily’s mother was sitting and saw a tree falling through the house and on top of his mother-in-law; killing her instantly.

“What? OH NO!” Don ran to find Lily coming out of the bathroom.

“F**k! Oh my God Don! What are we gonna do!? You know what? God damn you Don! Why did you have us walk all the way into town in the firkin’ rain only to come here and see my mother get killed!?”

“As I recall, it was all your idea! Besides I was only trying to help….I just figured it was better than hanging out with ghosts. At least I TRIED. GOD!” He screamed back at her. Besides how is it my fault that lightning just struck your mother’s house!”

“Oh just shut up!” She retorted.

Then Lily frantically tried contacting 911, but couldn’t get through. "The lines must be down or something," she declared.

With nothing left to do but get wet and shiver from incoming rain, they decided to leave as soon as the rain let up a bit. So, hanging their heads low, they began heading home in silence. This time, not keeping a sharp eye on what was going on around them.

Then, when they were only a few yards away from their house, someone in dark clothes came running past Lily and tried to grab her purse! She clutched it as hard as she could and ran the rest of the way home; leaving Don far behind.

“Hey wait for me!” He shouted; quickly running to catch up with her.

They entered their home cautiously; looking around wildly, as they crept up the stairs to their bedroom.

“I HATE THIS WORLD!” Don shouted, as he threw himself on the bed.

“Me too! AND NOW MY MOTHER IS DEAD!! Lily screamed.

“I can’t believe it either!” Don shouted. “AND I MISS MELISSA! What are we gonna do Lily?”

“Don’t ask me! What the f**k do I know! My f**king mother just DIED!”

“Don’t you holler at me! You little Bitch,” he said with a sneer, as he grabbed her arm

“Don’t call me a bitch,” Lily cried; pulling her arm from his grasp.

At that, Don grabbed his pillow and went down to the couch for the night.

The sun was peeking over the horizon, as Lily cautiously stepped into the bathroom to get make up a fresh compress. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw something behind the shower curtain. Then she laid down on the bed and wept for several hours; wondering why she did such a stupid thing like attacking her husband at a time like this. But somehow she just couldn’t get herself to apologize. She felt her heart swelling with anger and great sadness. She thought about Melissa; remembering her adorable face and sparkling eyes and she wept until her whole face swelled, so much so that her eyes became almost completely shut.

She went downstairs; feeling like she was starving after such a grueling night.

"Well at least I’m not seeing any ghosts," she mumbled, as she opened the refrigerator for a yogurt. ‘Well at least we still have a little bit of food. I don’t know what we’ll do to get more though,’ she thought.

She finished her snack and dragged herself back upstairs to lay back down with her compresses.

Then, at nine-o-five that morning, her phone rang.

“Hi Lily?”

“Whose this?”

“It’s Chelsey. I would take you to the store, but I just found out there’s no stores open! I guess we have to just make do with the food we have and hope it lasts,” she declared in horror.

“I know;” Lily cried softly. “Plus, we went to see my mother last night and this tree came in cuz it was hit by lightning and well…..my mother was killed!”

“Oh MY GOD!.....OH MY GOD! Lily I’m so sorry!”

“Thanks,” Lily replied, in a weak voice.

At a time like this……Well it makes you wonder,” Chelsey replied.

“What?” Lily asked, not even sure if she cared about the answer.

“What I mean is I’ve been thinking a lot since this happened and I think it was God who did this…..not the war exactly, but the kids. I don’t think it was aliens, I think it was God. They said on the news that aliens took all the Christians and little kids and babies. Don’t you think that since it was only believers in God and the innocent that it could have been GOD? I mean, look at all the terrible things going on! Maybe there is a God and maybe we should be taking Him seriously!…..I think I should just come out and admit it………I’m a Christian. There I said it. I’m a Christian!” Chelsey happily declared.

“Oh…….oh. Wow, I see. You know what though I think I should get off the phone, yeah….I’ll talk to ya later okay?”

“Yeah sure Lily,” Chelsey replied; hanging up.

Lily went to find Don still curled up in a ball on the floor.

She laid down at his side and wrapped her arms around him.

He grabbed her hand and continued sobbing.

At that, Lily cried harder than she ever cried in her life. Two hours passed with the two of them on the floor in great despair.

But then Lily sat up and tugged on Don’t sleeve. “I have to talk to you Don. Sit up,” she begged, as she continued pulling.

“Okay. I’ll sit up. Stop yanking on me,” he mumbled, as he sat up on the floor and stared at her in confusion. “What is it?”

“Well, I just talked to Chesley and she was talking about God. She thinks it was Him, not aliens who took all the kids and babies and believers. And that would explain why it was only the innocent ones that vanished.”

“What do you mean innocent ones?”

“In God’s Eyes, I guess……..Listen I sure as f**k don’t know! I’m just asking you if you think it’s possible,” she explained.

“I don’t know!” He screamed and ran to the bedroom and threw himself on the bed. Then Lily did the same. They both fell into a deep sleep and didn’t get out of bed until morning.

Lily’s eyes opened at sunrise. At the sight of her husband lying there sleeping, she recalled the events of the previous day, and filled with compassion for him, for herself, their beautiful little baby girl and even for the whole world. ‘This is all so unbelievable…..losing our baby, the world at war. We can’t even get any food,’ she thought. ‘But Don and I…..we are all we have left! We shouldn’t be at each other’s throats. We must stick together if we are going to survive! I shouldn’t be picking fights with him’ she suddenly realized.

Just then, Don opened his eyes and reached out his hand to her. She curled up next to him and they just held each other for about an hour.

“I think I’ll go to the kitchen and see what we have to eat. I promise to ration what we have though,” she told him; trying to muster a smile.

“I think you’re right Lily,” he told her when she returned.

“Oh yeah? Right about what?” She inquired.

“I think it could have been God. I mean I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it does make sense. Maybe we should try looking into the Bible and seeing what we can find out about this stuff…..I mean what all is going on…..”

At that Lily went to the closest to retrieve a Bible she believed was pushed far to the back of the closet shelf. “It doesn’t seem to be here,” she informed him after a thorough search.

“Man! Things just keep looking worse and worse!” Don declared.

“We’ll be okay. We can look up verses on our phones…….Honey…..I do want to apologize for being so nasty,” she confessed.

“Hey, I’ve been pretty jerky myself,” he replied; trying to smile as much as possible.

“And what about seeing strange things? I mean have you seen anything unusual around here lately?”

“Not myself, only what you’ve told me about,” he replied.

“Why is it I have to then? I could swear there was a shadow behind the shower curtain yesterday morning. I don’t know if it’s happening because our house is haunted or because of all the stress, I mean maybe all of this is in my head” Lily said; starting to scream into her hands.

“It’s okay,” Don told her; stroking her hair. “I’ll protect you.”

“That’s nice, but you do realize that there’s nothing we’re gonna do to keep safe from something like that,” Lily added; trying to smile.

“So I guess the best thing is to try not to worry bout’ it,” he reasoned.

“I don’t know if I believe in ghosts anyway and I’m definitely suspicious about the so-called alien invasion…..You know it was Chelsey who told me that she thinks it was God who took everybody and that He did it for a good reason,” she replied.

“Yes you told me.....Well I never believed in Him before, but now with all this……obviously I know nothing!” Don replied with a sincere, but somber smile.

“You know what? Chelsey could be right,” Lily continued……

Several months passed with Lily and Don just barely getting enough to eat, especially since Don and the others at the Investment Firm were let go; being there was no longer a need for such services, with the economy in free fall and unemployment becoming the norm. Hunger was increasingly becoming a familiar sensation, with ever increasing pain. Chelsey was the only neighbor who checked on them regularly and repeatedly mentioned the Name of Jesus. Eventually, she got up the courage to ask them to come to her underground church meeting at one of the neighbors’ homes.

“We would enjoy that Chesley thank you,” Lily had replied to the invitation.

“Isn’t that right Don?” she had asked, giving him a look he recognized as ‘please go along with me on this.’

“Sure…..Why not? I mean I have no idea how I feel, but sitting in a church environment would be a good test, even if it is just a house,” he replied.

Quite soon afterward, Lily and Don became saved, born-again believers in Christ Jesus! And the day inevitably came when food and any ability to acquire it had run its course.

“Oh MY GOD IN Heaven! What will become of us now with no food!” Lily wept into her pillow, with her stomach aching in pain from emptiness. Suddenly she was struck by something in the corner of her eye. She quickly sat up and could not believe her eyes. Food was falling down from Heaven right through the ceiling!

“DON! COME IN HERE!” she shrieked.

“What is it Lil…..I have this awful headache, my stomach hurts and I’m exhausted,” he exclaimed, with one hand over his stomach and the other on his forehead and all hunched over.

“JUST LOOK! UP AT THE CEILING DON!”

Don looked up and almost fainted at the sight of trays of delicious looking food on the ceiling; slowly floating down within their reach.

Then both of them fell to their knees and profusely thanked their GOD for HIS Provisions! And began to eat the best tasting food they’d ever had.

“We’re not gonna starve after all!” They both exclaimed in great joy and celebration.

After they’d finished eating, they laid down to rest on the couch; chatting softly amid candle light; knowing that the worst was yet to come, but felt they were getting prepared for it. Several more months passed and more of the neighbors and even other friends filled their house for the first service they would hold in their home for the underground church……..

Several years passed with much turmoil and danger, particularly for Christians, but Don and Lily stayed faithful and continued hosting church services.

(Will continue upon following a brief explanation…..Also Please note, the plot is now at the midpoint of the tribulation, three and a half years in.)

Story Break

(Also, at this time, the Antichrist emerges and forces everyone, even the elite to take his mark, but Lily and Don refuse and God continues to provide manna and whatever else they need.

Please also note: there is another three and a half years before the final scene will actually occur, however, the timeline for the beheading of believers was pushed up for the sake of this short, fictional account of the seven year tribulation.)

……. On one such occasion, right when one of the members was going to open up about their family’s experience through the disaster, a swarm of National Guard officers burst into the house and grabbed them all and threw them into a van and drove them many miles out of town to a camp they had prepared to set up for the beheading of believers!

“Christianity has been outlawed! Where have you guys been? Think you can just disregard the law huh?” A nasty guard grumbled, as he struck some people across the face; while kicking another believing man, who happened to be close enough to his side.

Don, Lily and the other parents, one of them being Chelsey, slowly climbed out of the van; the officers grabbing one of their arms and pulling them toward the guillotines.

Lots of other people were also there, hundreds, maybe thousands; all new believers in Christ Jesus. Thus, there was a long line of men and women and teenagers having to stand there and wait their turn to be killed. Chelsey was too far down the line for them to see.

Don and Lily looked around frightfully at the horror of the scene. They witnessed a woman being scratched lightly, but repeatedly in the face with a pocket knife. There were also people who seemed to be spectators; just standing around watching…..

“They’re probably with the authorities,” Don heard someone say.

“I now realize that that ghost I saw and those other things that happened was not because of some strange phenomenon…….all of those sightings and those types of things are really demons in disguise as aliens, ghosts and anything supernatural. And it’s no coincidence that it all suddenly stopped right when we gave our lives to the LORD…….I can’t believe this is happening, but after talking to Chelsey, it does make sense. Hey, do you see her anywhere?”

“Actually no I don’t, but she must be here. She was there when they grabbed us from the house. And as for God.....He will not leave us nor forsake us and we will be soon standing before HIM,” Don declared, with a faint, but enthusiastic smile.

“Yeah!……Honey, this is worse than our worst nightmares. At least it will be quick. We won’t suffer and HEY, we’ll be reunited with our sweet little Melissa Ann,” she told him; falling into his arms and sobbed quietly.

Then Don gently lifted up her head with his finger on her chin. He gazed into her tear-filled eyes and said, “This is happening because of God. And I’m pretty sure that His ultimate reason is ridding the world of evil.”

Lily nodded her head. “That’s what Chelsey said…. that she thought it was God and that He had a good reason. I know she’s here somewhere.”

“Yeah” answered Don; looking around. “Perhaps we should say a prayer for her,” he added.

She took his hand in hers and put her head down and silently prayed for Chelsey, for all the rest of the neighborhood, the world at large and to see their baby as soon as they get to Heaven.

Then she and Don held their hands together so tightly it hurt, as they slowly made their way up the line and ever closer to the demise of their bodies.

Then as if they had planned it, they both began to look around at the others standing in the line; searching their facial expressions and other non-verbal signals that would reveal their spiritual condition.

“It’s impossible to tell what’s going on in their minds,” Lily remarked.

“Yeah, it’s pretty hard to tell with everyone so overcome with the grief of their own impending demise…..Everyone looks pretty much the same; horrified,” Don replied.

“Well then perhaps we should address them all at the same time. They need to hear about Jesus” Lily suggested.

“We can’t! We’re not even really supposed to be talking, if we start yelling, they’ll probably put a gag in our mouths and tie our hands behind our backs…..and it would be even worse if they knew we were talking about that,” Don tried to reply as softly as possible.

“Oh yeah. Well maybe we can whisper then.”

“Well I don’t know,” her husband replied. They debated the rest of their time in the line; scared beyond words of the outcome of their actions. If they were to get caught scheming or even just talking, the authorities would naturally assume they were planning an overthrow.

“I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do, but I do wanna say something important to you, my dear wife,” Don began. “I hope you know how much I love you and I just hope that you can forgive me for all the jerky things I’ve done."

“Of course I do and I just hope you can forgive me as well,” she replied.

“It’s all good,” he told her, with a loving smile and tears streaming down his cheeks. Then he clutched her hand; trying not to squeeze too hard, as they found themselves at the head of the line. They cried one last time, as the authorities used a club to violently separate their hands and then grabbed their arms and pulled them toward two of the guillotines………

BUT THEN, in only a moment, they found themselves, still hand in hand; standing before the LORD JESUS and He had little baby Melissa in His Arms!

They both fell to their knees and worshipped Him Who had rescued them from evil and basked in joy eternally with the Lord their God before their very eyes….forever and ever…..

Scriptural References:

Revelation 13:17 & all of Matthew 24

Revelation 3:10
Luke 21:36
Hebrews 2:3

Matthew 24:13
Matthew 27:52-53
Psalm 90:10
Revelation 4:1
Jude 14 & 18
Hebrews 9:27-28
Titus 2:13
2Timothy 4:8
John 14:2-3
1John 2:28

Luke 12:37-40
Joel 2:11
James 5:9
Philippians 4:5
Revelation 1:7, 3:11, 22:10 & 12,
Matthew 24:42-44
Hebrews 10:24-25
Mark 13:32-37

VERSES THAT DEPICT THE EVENT

1Thessalonians 4:13-18
1Corinthians 15:51-54

"NOT APPOINTED TO WRATH" VERSES

Romans 5:8-9
1Thessalonians 1:10
1Thessalonians 5:9

OTHER VERSES THAT POINT TO THE RAPTURE

Luke 17:31-40

(Rev.19:7-9 & 21:2 and 2Cor.11:2)

EXAMPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT RAPTURES examples: Translations

Enoch--Hebrews 11:5
Elijah-- 2Kings 2:11
Phillip--Acts 8:39

Linzy has been writing for many years; seriously since her 3 kids were still young and inspirational. She has taken 2 courses in Bible studies and completed "Four Soils" Bible study course in a 26-month period; earning her certification in Bible Counselling.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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