The Mark

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Mom, he hasn't been arrested. People are frightened by what they saw. And the FWP came out with a statement in full support of Hitler." Anna sat quietly and turned up the volume on the television. Within an hour, her mother heard everything Anna had explained to her. The two sat watching as the sun set outside and the room dark ened. Finally Anna stood.

"Mom, there is a meeting at my church tonight. My pastor is going to answer questions about this whole thing. I got an e-mail this after noon. I think I'm going to drive back for it. Will you be all right if I go?"

"Sure, dear, but you'll miss my friends," her mother replied, tilting her head as if to ask her to change her mind. Anna really didn't want to miss this meeting, so she waited and hoped her mom wouldn't lay on a guilt trip. "Oh, well, fine then. Drive safely and let me know what he says." She reached again for Anna's hands, and Anna thought her mother's fingers were chilly. "If I don't see you before the rapture, I'll see you in heaven." There was a peace in her mother's eyes and Anna

knew her mother wasn't joking. She threw her arms around her mother's neck and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Mom, do you really think that might happen?"

Returning the hug, her mother answered, "Yes, the rapture is right around the corner. Don't be afraid, but be excited. God's Word is true and He loves His children. He's coming for us soon."

Anna gathered her clothes and gave her mother one last hug before leaving the house. A part of her wanted to pack her mother up, too, and take her along, but she knew that was overreacting. The thought of the rapture was so exciting that Anna left her mother's house with a smile on her face and hope in her heart. She tried to call Henry on his cell but it went straight to his voice mail. She called his home phone with the same results. After the beep, Anna left her message. "Hi, Henry. I see on my phone that you've been trying to call me. I am heading back to Creston tonight. There's a meeting at eight at my church. I really can't believe this is happening it's so exciting! I will call you in the morning, okay? Bye."

She flipped her phone shut and took a deep breath. What a crazy day, she thought to herself as she merged onto the highway. The rapture could happen at any moment, I'm leaving my mother

at her house, I can't get ahold of Henry, and I'm running late for the

meeting. What could happen next? Then a thought occurred to her and Anna looked up at the clear, starry sky.

Didn't Henry say something about the stars and Jesus' return? With one eye on the sky and one on the road, she increased her speed and prayed that the highway patrolmen had other things on their minds tonight.

March

Noal oah lay in his bed until the clock read 6:03. He had been awake for an hour and finally decided it was time to give up on sleep and get showered. Before he went to bed he had made a list of everyone he needed to talk with and added to it periodically through the night. He would start with a seven o'clock call to his mother and then plan to knock on Anna's door by eight. Technically she was still on vacation and he would call in and take the day off. Though tax season was in full bloom, he could get away for a day without too much trouble, and he would be quitting soon anyway.

The incredible transformation of Magorum was still the talk of the news shows and overnight the president and vice president, as well as congress, came out with statements in support of joining the FWP and marking up. Henry shook his head in disbelief as he poured himself a cup of coffee and watched CNN in his kitchen.

He glanced down at his watch. 6:37. He knew this was going to be a long day. Then he heard the sound of a car pulling into his driveway and the engine shut off. He made his way down his front hall to the door, glancing out the window in the living room. Anna got out of her car and headed up the sidewalk to his front door. They reached it at the same time and before she could knock, he had it open.

"Good morning! I didn't know you could get up before ten on va cation." Henry stepped back as Anna stepped into his foyer. "Ten. Yeah right. I'm just glad you're up and going." She unzipped

her jacket and took it off, handing it to Henry. As he hung it in the front hall closet he said, "Come on, I've got coffee in the kitchen."

"Henry, is this really happening?" She grabbed his arm and he stopped and turned to look at her. Her eyes were bloodshot and she had dark circles under them. She looked exhausted and Henry took both of her hands in his.

"Did you sleep last night?" "Barely. You?"

"The same. You just look so tired. And yes, this is really happening." Despite her upbeat message on his answering machine, Anna's eyes now communicated fear and Henry pulled her to himself and wrapped his arms around her. She returned the embrace and they stood quietly in the hallway, just outside of the kitchen. Henry could hear CNN's anchor droning on, the word "Hitler" interspersed throughout his commentary. The moment was surreal. Henry pulled away and led Anna into the kitchen. She sat at the

table as he poured her a cup of coffee. "What did they say at your church last night?" He handed the cup to her and went to the fridge for creamer.

"It's good black," she said. "There were a lot of people there and a whole lot more confusion. No matter what Reverend Blackmore said, people would call out more questions or comments and it wasn't very organized."

"Did he tell your congregation not to take Hitler's mark?" "Yes, he did say that." Henry breathed out a sigh of relief. "That's really important, Anna.

I'm glad he said that." "He said the church leaders needed more time to figure out just exactly what to do. Most of them feel that things in Israel are going

kristen wisen

to get pretty bad, but they all agree it is just a matter of time-maybe even just days before Jesus' return."

Henry reached up and scratched his head. He wanted to be careful with his words and his tone. "Why do they think that?"

"Well, Reverend Blackmore said that he had always been taught, and truly believed himself, that Christians would not be around to see what we saw yesterday, but since yesterday seems to be the fulfill ment of Daniel's prophecy, we must be at the half way point of the tribulation. He is still confident that we aren't going to go through the wrath of God so the rapture is probably going to be a midtrib rap ture. Since Hitler put a date on the time to get a mark and an idol in your home-May fifteen-then we're going to be gone by then."

Henry thought Anna's tired eyes searched for agreement, but he couldn't agree with something he knew wasn't true. "He is right about the wrath of God. We looked at that together.

Do you remember?" Anna nodded and Henry carefully continued.

"But before God's wrath comes, Anna, the Antichrist is going to bring a terrible persecution upon the world. I think that starts on the fifteenth. And I'm pretty sure we're still here for that. Christ told his dis ciples to hide when the Antichrist begins this persecution, and I think that's what we should do."

"In your bunker?" Henry didn't detect sarcasm. She was sincere. "Yes, I prefer to call it a compound, but yeah, in my bunker."

Anna stood and walked to the window above the kitchen sink. As she looked out across his backyard, Henry wondered what she was thinking so he asked.

"This is just all so unbelievable," she started. "I have a million ques tions running through my mind. What about my job? My mother? My church?" She turned from the window and looked at Henry. "How much room is there in the compound? How long will we be down there? What do I bring? Is it really going to get bad here? It may not be a big deal here in Creston."

"I understand how you feel, Anna. I hope it isn't a big deal here, but Satan has a very short timeline to kill believers before the return of Christ. I doubt he's just going to focus on the Middle East and leave whole continents alone, Christ said to hide and I think we have to obey

Anna walked back to the table and picked up her empty cup. "I just don't know that I have the same kind of faith you do, Henry. It just seems so drastic to just up and disappear. And there are so many good people here. What about them?" She went back to the sink and rinsed out the cup.

"We can only do so much, Anna. But everyone has a couple of months here to figure something out. To wake up and be overcomers."

As if on cue, the phone rang. Henry got up from the kitchen table

and answered it.

"Hey, it's Charlie. Did you ever get ahold of Anna?"

"She's here right now. Can I call you back?"

"I'm having lunch with a friend from high school but I'll touch base with you this afternoon. One quick question?"

"Go ahead." Henry watched as Anna walked out of the kitchen. "When are you quitting your job?"

"I haven't decided yet but I want to liquidate as much cash as I can for supplies right now and I was thinking of trying to sell my house for, say, half price for extra cash. Listen, I've got to go. We'll talk later, okay?"

"All right."

Henry hung up the phone and went into the hall. Anna had put her coat on and was waiting by the door.

"Are you going to be all right?" He reached up and tucked one of her curls behind her ear.

"Yeah, I really think I need to sleep. I am going back to my mom's and I'll be home on Sunday. Let's have dinner Sunday night."

"Call me when you get back into town." Henry leaned forward and awkwardly gave her a kiss on the cheek. That made her smile, the first one he had seen all morning.

"The timing really stinks, doesn't it?" She paused, still smiling. "A part of me just wants to run off and hide with you, but another part doesn't believe this is really happening."

"I know. But I'm here and I'm going to help you through this. You're not alone. I know this is frightening, but God hasn't aban doned us, He'll help us through this."

Anna's tired eyes asked for a kiss, a real one, and Henry obliged. As he shut the door of his house, Henry agreed with Anna. The timing really did stink.

Every question was answered in one fell swoop. Every detail fell into place. In one whirling, swirling motion, that merely took but a few seconds, her whole life changed.

And for the better.

Elise had been in the temple when her boss became the first man ever resurrected from the dead to lead the world in unity and peace. He had made sure she was near the front of the crowd. Women around her fainted and men fell to their knees. But Elise just stood and watched. As he exited the temple, he stopped and locked his eyes on hers. She could feel her heart race and her knees weaken, but not from fear. There was a power in the room flowing from this man like she had never felt before. She returned his stare and curled up the corners of her mouth. He nodded and moved on. And it was at that moment she understood.

She knew he was meant for something more. She knew he had a drive and passion from a deep, hidden source. The vision he shared with her had been his past, and now she understood that a man who had been to hell and back had the motivation to accomplish the goal set before him. He had no intention of returning there.