(5) A Shout & A Blast

It had been just a few years since the great escape from the city. The time, times & half a time (which no church could agree on how long that was supposed to be. Least was three & a half years & at most, seven years but no one could know the final hour.) foretold was the most trying time Earth had ever seen. Most of mankind had accepted the chip & it was disheartening to see so many eternally lost.

Mark knew that the prophetic time would have to be cut short or there would be no one at all saved in the end. He had acquired quite a flock by now & they resorted to living secretly in groups deep within the mountains. Each group kept to themselves while Mark moved among them, sometimes to bring food, both physical & spiritual, sometimes introducing a new member. He had met several others from the one hundred forty-four thousand. Each Shepherd, as their followers had come to call them, had a silvery cloak just like Mark's.

By now, even hiding in the mountains was becoming difficult & often, a Shepherd would lose a group to the Order. Mostly they were killed on sight while the Shepherd was dragged away for interrogation. Mark had narrowly missed being caught on more than one occasion but even he himself had lost a few groups. Even if it was temporary, for they would all be reunited soon, it was still hard to see them gunned down like animals. Dianne had been in one of the groups that was recently irradiated. Mark could do nothing but look forward to the grand & glorious day.

Mark stood at the top of the cliff, looking down several thousand feet to the ocean below. The ocean. They were in the Rockies of what used to be Canada. The faults from Alaska running all the way down beyond California had all erupted at once, plunging the entire western seaboard into a salty mass grave. The tsunamis from that catastrophe had beaten against the mighty peaks of the Rockies & a few of them had given way. Where Mark stood had been under three feet of seawater for a day before the waves rolled back & sunk into the ocean, taking a few more tons of boulders with them, but the majority had withstood the pounding.

"Is He coming?"

Mark turned to the voice behind him. "Very soon."

"I thought you were watching Him descend."

"This is an excellent place for a viewpoint," Mark half smiled. "Don't worry, Vienna. When He comes, every eye shall see Him."

"My church I used to go to taught about the secret Rapture," Vienna said. "Why didn't that happen?"

Mark waved his hand. "Those words aren't in scripture & most Rapturists rely heavily on the Old Testament. A lot of that is obsolete apart from what was carried over into the New Testament. The Boss Himself says in Mathew 24 that all these things must come to pass first & then immediately after will the end come. Besides, we aren't supposed to know the final day or the hour. Only the time of sorrows. A Rapture would tell us the exact day & hour of the glorious appearing."

"I've never thought of that," said Vienna. She sat down, dangling her legs over the edge. "I wonder where it comes from?"

"Partly misunderstood, partly fear," said Mark. "None of us want to be here with the New World Order. There are people out there being beheaded for not accepting the ways of the Order. Shepherds are losing groups even up in the mountains. Death is nothing to fear if you are saved under the Boss's grace, yet it is in our nature to resist dying."

"Death is fine," Vienna said. "It's the dying that isn't. I know back in Europe, people are being burned or crucified. I prefer the American way."

"America? It doesn't exist anymore."

"I mean the continent," Vienna said. "It is still called the North American continent. The guillotines are quick at least."

"This is true," Mark admitted. Vienna stood up & moved away from the cliff. She was about to say something more but rapid gunfire made them both jump & look around. "Vienna, the Order is here! RUN!"

Vienna took off for the trees but immediately backed out & ended up close to Mark again. A few survivors of the group that had been killed were pushed out towards the cliff, several gunmen followed behind.

One of the soldiers moved away from the others & headed straight for Mark. "Are you Mark Gordon?" Mark glanced over the others before nodding. "We've been after you for a while," the soldier went on. "We've pulled your records from all the way back in the 80's. Where's the other one?" After a short silence, the soldier shot one of the men in the group. Mark closed his eyes for a moment, hearing the thud as the body hit the ground. "Where is Jonathan Smith?"

Mark raised his hand above his head, pointing to the sky. "He's gone."

"You'll forgive me if I don't believe that," the soldier shot another. The victim fell back over the cliff to plunge into the ocean far below.

"Killing them won't make a difference," Mark began. "We live way out here in the mountains. We leave you alone. Why can't you leave us alone?"

"Because an enemy of the Order is an enemy of God."

"How so?"

The soldier looked around. "You people think you have the right way? Why does your God let you suffer & die? Why do you cower up here like animals when you could have a good home, food, water, anything you want? The true God is out there. If you are against us, you are against the whole universe."

"Both sides take casualties in a war," said Mark. "The difference is, you can't kill us, only destroy our bodies. We will return. Why does your God ask you to go around killing innocent people who have done nothing against your Order except choose to live without it? Isn't one of the commandments against killing? Why do you waste your life hunting us, doing things you wouldn't have done even a few short years ago? Your God demands much yet offers little. The Boss though, demands little yet offers much. He only has ten demands, one of which is to not murder people. We keep all ten, for only those who have the faith of the Boss & keep His commandments in the end shall be saved."

"We only need one new commandment," The soldier said. "Pray to our World Leader to protect us from the likes of you."

"Sounds like a chore. You have no life of your own," Mark said. "You spend it trying to please the Order but have nothing for yourself. You kill, lie, steal our lives. Do you even rest the seventh day? What commandment do you keep? None! Where is your reward for it? When will you get to live your own life? We have eternal life & our reward is greater than even we can imagine."

"Oh yeah? Then where is it?" The soldier scoffed.

Again, Mark pointed upwards. "Oh it's coming. In fact, it's almost here. We all have treasures beyond measure stored up waiting in a city of gold. Your city is granite & will crumble."

Annoyed, the soldier shot another. "Stuff like that doesn't exist. The riches are here now yet you stubborn fools refuse to claim them. You're coming with us. I hear a rumor that you Shepherds think you can't die. Let me tell you now, I will be damned happy to try killing you & when you do finally die, you will know that you were wrong. No one lives forever."

"The Boss does."

The soldier gunned down half the group. "Enough. Now come with us."

Mark stepped back, towards the edge of the cliff. "Let them go. Just this once. If you do, I will come quietly."

"Mark no," Vienna pleaded. "You know what he will do to—" One of the other gunners shot her & she fell down at Mark's feet.

Mark took another step back. He was almost close enough to step off. He looked at what was left of his group. "Leave," He spoke so low, he nearly just mouthed the word.

"Mark look out!" One man from the group pointed at the cliff.

"It's ok Jason," Mark clasped his hands crossed over his chest. "I can fly." Jason shook his head as Mark put another foot back, now stepping into the air. "Believe!" Mark said. Jason looked scared, but nodded shortly. Mark stepped off.

Every soldier ran to the top of the cliff to look over & watch Mark fall to his death. No one could survive that drop. What was left of the group took advantage of the moment & fled into the forest. They ran down to a small plateau where they had a good view of Mark falling head first. He still had his hands clasped to his chest & seemed to calmly accept his fate.

Suddenly the heavens ripped open & a ray of bright light shone down over Mark as he fell. Like a bolt of lightening, something dropped from the skies & dived. It was a being of light that seemed to have four wings. It slowed under Mark, twisting up to catch him & then flew upwards, pulling him along. They crashed into the next peak, out of sight.

"Let's go!" Jason turned & ran back into the forest, leading the others away.

"But Jason, what about Mark?" One woman asked.

"If the Shepherd says to leave, we leave!" Jason grabbed her hand & pulled her along to disappear the hidden folds of the mountains.

Mark rolled along the ground, coming to a stop under a tree. He shook himself & looked around. Jonathan was just picking himself up, shaking his wings & smoothing back some feathers. Mark slowly stood up. "What took you so long?"

"I didn't think you'd actually do that!" Jonathan half-glared, half-laughed.

Mark rolled his eyes. "It got the rest of my people out of there at least."

"It also saved someone," said Jonathan. "One of those younger soldiers was being initiated & was to get the chip tonight. He has now fled to join your people."

"I need to get back to them," said Mark. "Can you bring me there?"

Jonathan looked to the sky. "The Boss has a little assignment for you first. I'll take you to your cabin so you can drive the car into the city."

"The city?" Mark repeated. "That is the last place a Shepherd should be."

"Unless they are needed there," said Jonathan.

"Why can't you just take me to the city?"

"The assignment isn't there yet," said Jonathan. "Come, we don't have much time." He grabbed Mark's hand & the next thing Mark saw was his old cabin home. The silver car was still covered, parked under a lean-to roof.

Mark looked down the dirt road. Going back to the cities would mean a great risk of being captured. Why did the Boss want him there? All who had chosen His path had fled to the mountains, never to return. He uncovered the car & got in. He drove down the mountain road, finally hitting pavement about three hours later. The civilisation of the New World Order was soon apparent as he drove closer towards a great city. On the outskirts were a few homes, each with an automatic gate that would open with a chip. Mark saw people just hold up their hands & the gates would read them & swing open. Anyone who had joined the Order was given a house & some wealth.

The road changed to a long stretch between the farms & the city gates. Mark suddenly screeched to a stop. Just before entering the city, there were two large platforms on either side of the road, each with several rows of guillotines. Mark could see the blades on the front ones. They were darkened & rusted from use, a true testament to what the Order stood for.

Mark started driving again, expecting to be caught at the gates, but it was Jonathan who was on guard. He rolled down the window & Jonathan leaned in on the frame. "Just head straight on the main road. They still do road checks inside the city. It's been a while since they've caught anyone driving in because few would drive by those weapons."

"Cute Jonathan," Mark grumbled.

"Hurry, there isn't much time," Jonathan said after a laugh. "Your assignment has recently arrived."

Mark drove onward. At the first road check he came across, he slowed to a stop & expected to see Jonathan again. But instead, Order guards were waiting for him. He was dragged out of the car & after being quickly scanned for a microchip, he was hauled off when they discovered he had none.

"Look at this," One guard held up an edge of the cloak. "We've got a Shepherd!"

"Ohh do I have plans for you!" Their leader exclaimed with glee as he shoved Mark into the back of his truck & locked him inside.

Mark went quietly. He wasn't worried, expecting Jonathan to show up somewhere. He thought of how Jonathan had twice mentioned there wasn't much time & wondered what he meant by it. After what seemed like an hour, the truck stopped. Mark waited until the locked clicked back & the door opened. He stepped out easily without having to be told. A quick glance around told him that Jonathan still wasn't there but Mark was still nonplussed. The angel would be somewhere & most likely show up at the last possible second.

Despite his compliance, Mark was led rather roughly into a building. He was brought down some stairs & then tossed into a room with no windows. At the center of it was a chair. Mark dropped into it.

"I like how easy you are to deal with," said his handler. "Hopefully that will mean I can make you talk sooner." He clicked a button on a remote in his hand & the chair grabbed Mark, strapping him in. "Now," the guard went on. "I've been wanting to catch one of you Shepherds for over a year now. What's your name?"

Mark shrugged. "Mark Gordon."

The guard stared. "Of all Shepherds to get, I wind up with you? Everyone was hoping to get you but I'm the lucky man. You're quite famous you know."

"I'm just an ex-cop, nothing more."

"Oh but a whole lot more," The guard said. "You have quite a following of insurgents, more so than most Shepherds. Even other Shepherds speak about you since you've been gathering followers the longest."

"I started the same time as anyone else."

"Oh but you've been going on for longer," The guard disagreed. "You & that other one, Jonathan Smith."

"Jon's not a Shepherd," Mark muttered. "He's an angel."

"An angel. Really?" The guard pushed another button on his remote. Mark felt a volt of pain go through him & realized suddenly that the chair was designed to torture its occupants. The guard switched it off. "Where's your angel now to save you?" He mocked, turning the chair on once more, stronger than before. Mark gritted his teeth against it, focusing on the stuff that he had to help block it out. "Oh he still isn't coming."

"There will be scoffers," Mark quoted allowed to himself.

"You would think if he was an angel, he would come save you," The guard teased. "Where is he now? Where is your Boss?"

"Believe me, you don't want to know," Mark replied after catching his breath. "I'd hate to be you when you meet with either of them."

"Sounds vindictive," The guard said. "Your God coming to get me? I'm going to burn in hell for all of eternity?"

"No on both accounts," said Mark.

The guard blinked. "What do you mean? Isn't He the One who will cast all into eternal torment?"

"The Boss does not 'come to get' anyone," Mark began. "He only comes to rescue His sheep from this place. The rest are left to their own devices. Without Him there is no life. There is also no eternal torment. You won't find that phrase in the ancient scrolls. Modern Bibles, maybe. I don't know. But there is no such thing. The ashen remains of Sodom & her four sister cities are proof of that & Malachi says that the saints will walk onto the new Earth with the ashes being under their feet. So while there is a fire, it is not eternal torment. The wages of sin is death. It is your choice whether you want to live or die."

"Honestly who even wants to live forever?" The guard scoffed. "Live your life to the fullest, then just rest."

"You just proved my point."

"Whatever you say," The guard replied. "Now, you are going to give me the locations of all the little flocks out there that you know of."

"Good luck with that."

"Oh believe me, you will," said the guard. "You will be begging for death before tonight is over but I will only give it once I get what I want from you. Now," He pressed his remote again. "Start talking!"

Mark was kept in the chair for hours but he never gave in. He would silently use the stuff to block out as much pain as possible & was able to withstand the interrogation. His handler was becoming more frustrated & angry with him as time went on. He finally gave up & tossed the remote aside.

"You are exhausting!" The guard complained. Mark just smiled. The guard glared at him. "This isn't over."

The guard dragged Mark out of the room, down two more stairwells, then into an underground lined with cells. A few others were already in three of the cells by the door. Mark was thrown into the middle one where two other younger men were sitting.

"I will be back for you in an hour, so get comfy while you can!" The guard slammed the door & stormed away.

One of the younger men locked in with Mark stood up & grabbed the edge of the silvery cloak. "Are you a Shepherd?" Mark nodded. "I've heard about your type. I'm Derek," he said, looking around. "These people are part of my group. We tried to attack some of the guards who were out on a hunt but we got caught."

Mark remembered that some people who resisted the Order were still not walking in the way of truth & light. Rebels like these would sell Shepherds & their groups to the Order in exchange for handouts & freedoms that were rarely ever given. They could be just as dangerous to the saints as the Order was.

"They want to chip us tomorrow," Derek went on.

"Don't accept it," Mark suddenly understood why he was needed here so quickly.

"We don't have a choice," Derek said. "It's either that or the guillotine! There is one in here with us. Right down the hall. It's a large black one. They showed it to us before throwing us in here so we could think it over."

"It's nothing," said Mark. "You won't even know it happened & your next conscious thought is with the Boss."

"The Boss?" Derek laughed. "Tell me all about this Boss of yours." He had no idea what he was getting into when he asked that. Mark did tell him everything, even pulling out the feather he always kept under his cloak. Derek & his team passed it around.

The door to the cell with Mark was opened & two guards stepped in. "We are going to chip you right now," said one, glancing quickly at Mark who understood. The Order was nervous about having a Shepherd in with some potential members. "Let's go."

"Derek!" Mark whispered. They locked eyes but Mark shook his head quickly.

Derek's people all looked to him & Mark knew they would make whatever choice Derek did. Derek looked around at his team spread out in three cells, then back at the guards. "No," he said as he stepped back next to Mark's side.

Dead silence followed that one simple word. Both guards look stunned. Mark wanted to laugh, knowing a great victory had just been won, but he remained silent. The guards looked at Mark as if it were all his fault, which it was really. They were too late. That one hour had lost them almost a dozen members, now won for the Boss.

"You!" One guard finally moved, grabbing Mark by the collar. "What evil spell did you cast on them?"

"More like removing one," Mark said with a slight huff.

This angered both guards. They dragged Mark out. One took hold of him & pulled him down the hall to two great sliding doors while the other went to call for more soldiers. Mark was led into the large square room with four stone walls & saw the large shining black guillotine with a new blade ready & waiting. Mark was forced to his knees as Derek & his group were dragged passed. Each cast a nervous glance at Mark who could only nod silent encouragement. He, as well as Derek, was forced to watch the beheading of all of them.

"You like this don't you?" One guard taunted Mark.

"Of course not," Mark said. "You are the ones enjoying it. I only find pleasure in what comes after."

"These deaths are your fault."

"I'm not the one wielding the blade!" Mark retorted as Derek was at last put to the blade.

"See you soon Mark!" Derek spoke his final words of the mortal life.

"Yes, we will meet soon," Mark said to himself.

"Sooner than you think!" The guard hauled Mark up & threw him at the base of the guillotine that was now covered in fresh blood. "I've had it with you. It's time for the great Shepherd Mark Gordon to face reality!"

"Only the Boss is the great Shepherd."

"Enough of your words!" The guard shoved Mark under the blade & pulled the lever.

Mark lay on his back so he could see the blade sliding towards his neck. It hit his throat, then poured over on either side like water. Blood & water now drenched the ground just like it had almost two thousand years ago. Mark sighed heavily as the guard shrieked.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE BLADE?!"

Mark sat up. "You can't kill Shepherds!"

Something in the guard snapped. It was as if a demon possessed him. He went mad with rage & took it out on Mark. For the first time in his life, Mark did not fight back. He took it quietly, using the stuff to heal a bit whenever he had a moment. Mark suffered several broken bones from that beating, as well as cracked ribs & a collapsed lung. He was dragged off & thrown into the cell once more. He lay half dead on the floor, focusing hard on healing. Despite the pain & the threat of more interrogation—torture—later, Mark finally relaxed. He figured that Jonathan would come get him out soon now that the assignment was done. It was worth it. He had saved several people by coming here. Now it was time to go home & he knew Jonathan would be sent soon enough. He fell asleep as his body healed as if on fast forward.

In his dream, he saw a large black cloud in the night sky, ringed with light. It was full of thunder & lightening. A voice from the cloud slammed into the Earth. "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, let My people go!"

Mark woke up suddenly & was in the process of wondering why he was dreaming of Old Testament news when suddenly, there was a loud blast of a shofar & the walls of his cell gave way & he was in fact, looking up at the night sky...& there was the great cloud, rolling over itself as if it was made by living creatures. Mark walked out onto the ground. Others were slowly making their way forward, staring in awe. Along the way, Mark passed by some people who were cowering in fear.

Mark stopped walking as he continued to look upwards. The dark cloud was becoming brighter & brighter. A crack in the ground split open right under him, causing Mark to momentarily cast his eyes to Earth. "Ohh!" Mark yelped, jumping aside before he fell into the gorge. Several people rose out of it! Mark shook his head & looked around. People were rising out of the ground all over the place. Even though he wasn't close, his eyes still looked ahead & he could see the ocean disgorging shipwrecks & people were rising into the air right from the waves. Mark waited as the dead rose first, then those who were alive & remained were suddenly caught up to meet the Boss in the air.

"Halleluiah! Jehovah!" The people shouted.

The cloud was made of angels, now glowing brighter as the saints were called in. Mark was suddenly young again as was everyone around him. He found friends & family. He met Derek & his team. Vienna was there as well as those of his group who had been killed earlier that very day. Jason & the rest of them were also there.

Mark looked around at the great golden city of New Jerusalem. It was beyond what he could ever have imagined. He strolled through the streets with friends & family. In the center, the angels clustered around the Boss & Jonathan waved at Mark. Everyone sat down to the home-coming feast & at last, the Boss Himself raised his glass which Gabriel had just filled with new wine. Afterwards, everyone went to explore the city & be reunited with loved ones.

Mark found his wife who had died of cancer many years ago. She was now healed & vibrant. She stood under the Tree Of Life with another woman.

"Linda, is that you?"

"Mark?" Linda Blackwell looked him over. "Nice to see you again, in your OWN body this time!" They shared a sheepish grin. In the mortal world, their souls had switched bodies for a short time, teaching both of them a valuable lesson of respect.

Mark found Jonathan with Jane by a gold fountain that siphoned water from the River Of Life flowing through the city. "Well Kemo Sabe," He was still looking around, gaping. "It is finally finished!"

"Almost," said Jonathan. "We will reign for a thousand years, before Armageddon, then everything will be created anew."

At the end of the thousand years, the rift between the saints & the fallen was once more closed & the two groups clashed with each other. Lucifer & Michael battled it out while angels, holy & unholy, fought with each other. Not a single holy angel was injured or killed but the demons were driven back, away from the golden city. Jonathan was even allowed to dispatch the demon who had hurt Mark in the guillotine chamber & at last, after a thousand years, his temper was made into a righteous anger as he avenged Mark's torment.

As Lucifer & his followers were driven back, the pearly gates snapped shut, locking them out & the saved in. New Jerusalem rose into the air & Mark finally fully understood hellfire. It wasn't that Jehovah was being vindictive, raining down torment. It was because the lost did not want to be saved. They only wanted to steal the rewards but reject the gifts, so the Boss pulled away in sorrow just as they asked him to but without Him, there was no life. The hell & brimstone backfired onto Lucifer, consuming all who were with him, just as he had been told would happen, but neither he nor his followers had heeded the warnings. At the same time, it vindicated all the wrongs done to the saved humans, to the remaining angels who had lost friends with Lucifer's rebellion & even to the Boss Himself.

The renewed Earth, created out of the ashes like a phoenix, had no more scars. All the pollution of mortal humanity both on Earth as well as in the space around it was gone. Pangea was back. The plants & animals that had been extinct were all recreated. The planet was full of life & peace. Everyone could fly to worlds unknown with just a thought, meeting aliens that had never fallen & were now visible to the redeemed.

The redeemed were those who had walked the highway to heaven & endured right to the end.

~The end

(AN: Borrowed a scene from Final Fantasy X.)