The Mark

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Durbin walked back over to the table, gathered his notes and headed back for the door. He glanced back down at the plate of muf fins and he grabbed one more. After all, he had a long day ahead of him and he would need a bit of sustenance later in the afternoon. As he left the conference room, Thomas's warning still rang in his ears. Nothing is going to get better. It's only going to get worse. "Only for you, buddy. Only for you."

May fifteen

Noa oah knew he was pushing it. His house had been emptied of any thing that would be useful to the compound. Most of his furniture was gone, but his appliances were still in place. When the compound hit capacity in its food storage units, Henry had started to store food in his basement. It was cool and dark down there, and the food would store nicely. He had volunteered his home, because it was fully paid off, thanks to an inheritance check he received after the death of his grandmother. When supplies got low, someone would have to make a run to Henry's house and transfer the food from the basement to the compound.

Other than food, Henry still had some clothes in his closet, a desk in his bedroom, with a twin-size bed, a set of towels, and a lamp. He was sleeping at the compound regularly now, ever since his mother and sister moved in two weeks ago. He was so relieved when they agreed to come and stay at the compound. They really didn't have any other options. But last night he stayed at his house. And today was Mark Up Day.

Charlie was pretty mad at him for staying in town, but as Henry weighed things, this would probably be the last safe day in town. To day all banking and merchant systems were changing over to the One World Denomination system. He filled his car with gas one final time the night before and made a last run to the grocery store. The new cash registers were pretty high-tech looking, and were still ac cepting dollars as of last night.

But today, everything would change.

Henry promised he would be back at the compound before lunch. Hitler had a press conference scheduled for noon again, and he wanted to see it. The cable at the compound was up and running, and Dave hoped that paying for three years of service in advance would ensure an information flow during their time of hiding. So the plan was to secure the house, pick up Anna, and head to the compound with plenty of time. He was now sporting one of the compound sup ply vans, which would be stored in the garage at the compound, so he didn't have to add time to account for the four-mile run through the dark tunnel.

Henry arrived at Anna's house by a quarter to ten. He had been dis appointed that she wouldn't leave sooner, but since her mother had refused to leave, Anna wanted to stay with her as long as she could. Her bed and dresser, as well as most of her clothes were already at the compound. She had spent the past two weeks at her mother's, but came home the night before to pack any final necessities.

Henry parked the van in the driveway and walked to the front door. Before he got there, it opened. Anna stepped out and closed the door behind her. She had an alarmed look on her face and Henry could tell she had been crying.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't do this." Tears streamed down Anna's cheeks and her voice cracked.

"Yes you can, Anna." Henry gave her an understanding smile. He already had this conversation with her multiple times and knew she was just struggling like everyone else to make the final move. "I know this is hard, but it's the right decision."

"No, Henry, you don't understand. I really can't do this. Everything has changed."

Henry hadn't seen her for two weeks and he missed her terribly. He had worried that spending a long period of time with her mother might cause her to change her mind, so he made sure he called every morning and every evening. They talked through what had happened each day, and he had no sense that she was faltering. He stepped closer and drew her into his arms. She was shivering and looked so frail.

"Anna, things are only going to get worse starting today. We've really got to"

Anna put her hands on his chest and pushed away from him. Her voice, still shaking, was more forceful than before. "You're not listen ing to me. I can't go. Something has happened and I have to stay."

Henry was confused. "What happened? What could possibly have

happened since I talked to you last night?"

Just then the door opened and a woman stood in the doorway, dressed in black slacks with an aqua sweater. She looked to be in her with dark, wavy hair, cropped in a stylish bob. Her makeup was smart but she did not wear a smile. Her face was unmistakably familiar.

"Mrs. Warners?" Henry addressed the woman.

"You may call me Sondra." She extended her hand but Henry never got around to taking it.

What Henry saw next nearly stopped his heart. Near the top of Son dra's hairline, just big enough to see, were three identical numbers.

Henry's eyes went from the numbers to Anna's eyes, which were

immediately filled with tears again.

"What's going on?" His voice was steady, though his heart was pounding.

Anna turned to her mother, wiping the streaming tears from her cheek. "Mom, I told you I would tell him. Please let me do this. Go back in the house and give me a few minutes."

"Very well. It was nice to finally meet you, though regrettably un der such difficult circumstances." Sondra Warners turned and went back in the house, closing

the

door behind her. Her coolness left a chill in its wake.

"When did she take the mark?".

"She had it when I arrived at her house two weeks ago." Anna con tinued to struggle as the tears kept coming. "She refuses to believe God would allow us to go through this persecution. And she says she refuses to live in a hole like an animal. She honestly believes this is going to blow over and we'll all just go on with life."

"Why didn't you tell me two weeks ago?" "Would it have made a difference?"

"But Anna, she knew not to take the mark!"

"I know, but her church said that God knows his children and a mark wouldn't change anything." "But she was warned, just like both of us. Anna, how could she do

this? Doesn't she understand that ...?" Henry's voice died away. The weight of Sondra's action hit Henry like a two-by-four to the face. He stopped midsentence and watched as Anna crumbled into his arms. Now he understood her desperation. The angel had said that taking the mark meant separation from God. Sondra had turned her back on God and chose to believe a lie. That choice would cost her eternity.

Moments passed and Anna once again pulled away. "I can't leave her now. I'll never be with her again if I leave now."

"She could have come to the compound. Why wouldn't she do that?"

"Mom loves the Lord, Henry. She really does. But she also loves her life. She didn't want to leave her home and friends. She is not convinced anything substantial will change. She needed the number to keep her life as she knows it. I didn't know she was going to do this. honest I didn't. I would have dragged her to the compound myself if I had known. But it's done, and I just can't leave her. Not yet. Please understand."

Henry reached up and held Anna's face with his hands. He looked deep into her eyes, searching for the words to say. "Anna, you can't stay. Your life is in danger."

"Mom can shop and pay for things. We transferred my bank ac count, or what's left of it, into hers before the system switched this morning. So, we're going to stay here for a bit and then go back to her house. She wants me to pack up and just move in with her until this is over."

"Until this is over. What does that mean. You know how this ends, right?"

Anna reached up and took his hands from her face. She stepped away from him and looked out across Memorial Park, which was across the street from her house. The trees were budding and every thing was greening in the warm May sun.

"I just need some time, Henry. What if she is right? What if you've got it wrong?" "Wrong? You've got to be kidding me!" Henry raised his voice, as

he walked in front of her, blocking her view of the park. "Prophecy is coming true right before your very eyes and you can't see it. That's what you're telling me." He held up his fingers as he counted the signs. "Hitler raised from the dead. Six-six-six on foreheads. Increased fam ine and wars. Nations aligning into a one-world government. None of this sets off an alarm in your head?"

"This is all new to me!" Anna yelled back. "Don't you remember, even my pastor didn't think we'd be here for this. So, maybe this is just a precursor or something. Maybe we'll be raptured any day. I... I just can't leave her. Not now... because if you're right, she's going to hell and this is the last time I'll see her!"

Henry and Anna stood, face-to-face. He knew she wasn't going to leave with him. Behind her, Sondra Warners stood in the dining room window, arms folded, waiting for her daughter to return. Henry looked at her, and then back to Anna.

"Can I talk with your mom?"

"No, Henry. You just have to go." The tears started again.

"Anna, you can still come. It's not safe for you. Without the mark, you'll be targeted and taken away to one of the training camps. Please, come with me."

Henry was desperate and a lump was forming in his throat. He saw a softness in Anna's eyes, but her words continued to reject his suggestions.

"I can come later if things get bad. But I can't leave her now." "Then I'll come back every week and ask you to come."

"What?"

"Every week I'll leave the compound and come find you." "Don't do that, Henry. It will be dangerous for you."

Henry put his hands to his head and squeezed it, trying to make

the ache that was growing go away. "Are you even listening to yourself? You know it will be danger ous, but you still insist on staying. You can't live out here any easier

than I can."

"Just go, Henry. If I change my mind, I will call your cell and leave a message. You can find me then. I won't even be here for very long." Anna turned her back on Henry and walked back to the front door

of her house.

"Don't do this, Anna!" Henry called out to her. "Don't stay here. Please. I love you and I want you with me."

She turned. He had never said that to her before. In desperation, he hoped it would change her mind. She reached up and wiped the tears from her face.

"I love you, too, Henry. Now, please leave." With that, she opened the front door, walked inside, and closed the door.

Henry watched as her mother turned away from the dining room window out of sight. He stood on the driveway and raised his hands in the air. Then they dropped to his side and he walked to the van.