The Prophetess

By Homer Bryan

This, the author's second book, is the result of an unusual dream as was the first book (Alien Grace). The dream was followed by much prayer and inspiration from God's Holy Spirit. The author feels compelled to acknowledge God in an effort to defer credit from himself to the One for whom it is due.

In a world turned upside down, pastors are censored, criticized and even arrested for refusal to recant the gospel message. In such a time as this, Pastor Christian becomes a man on the run. He attempts to continue pastoring his flock through this period of tribulation. He is curiously aided in this endeavor by a mysterious, elderly woman known only as the Prophetess.

The reader will find that "The Prophetess" defies easy categorization. Indeed, it is generously laced with humor, suspense, mystery and romance. The reader, as was the writer, will be caught off guard along with all the characters with the sole exception being the Prophetess.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Sep 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781489743312

Homer Bryan

The author is a retired high school educator. He served his country for three years in the army which included a tour of duty in Vietnam. He is a member of Loving Faith Fellowship in Church Hill, Tennessee. His wife, Brenda, and he have been married for fifty-two years. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

Book preview

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

Chapter 81

Chapter 82

Chapter 83

Chapter 84

Chapter 85

Chapter 86

Chapter 87

Chapter 88

Chapter 89

Chapter 90

Chapter 91

Chapter 92

Chapter 93

Chapter 94

Chapter 95

Chapter 96

Chapter 97

Chapter 98

Chapter 99

Chapter 100

Chapter 101

Chapter 102

Chapter 103

Chapter 104

Chapter 105

Chapter 106

Chapter 107

Chapter 108

Chapter 109

Chapter 110

Chapter 111

Chapter 112

Chapter 113

Chapter 114

Chapter 115

Chapter 116

Chapter 117

Chapter 118

Chapter 119

Chapter 120

Chapter 121

Chapter 122

Chapter 123

Chapter 124

Chapter 125

Chapter 126

Chapter 127

Chapter 128

Chapter 129

Chapter 130

Chapter 131

Chapter 132

Chapter 133

Chapter 134

Chapter 135

Chapter 136

Chapter 137

Chapter 138

Chapter 139

Chapter 140

Chapter 141

Chapter 142

Chapter 143

Chapter 1

Scene One

Cave Entrance

A PLAIN BUT intense looking woman that appeared to be of upper middle age stood just inside a cave. She was both renowned and renounced as a prophetess though she had rejected every offer of a stage.

She had been summonsed here by two beings, there, before her in the cave. One spoke for the two. To say he was evil is to say that hell is hot, or God is good. There was a putrid sense of evil that emanated from his being and filled the cave to the point of suffocation making it hard to breathe much less talk.

The only light filtered through the cave entrance and checked abruptly just inside. Some sort of plastic sounding strips, covered with moss, hung from above the cave opening.

The Prophetess, who was known by no other name, carried a container about the size and shape of an egg carton. There were slots or openings at the top on either end.

Also, she had not come alone, for a man and his wife stood to her right. The man towered at least a foot over his wife and the Prophetess, but he bowed his head uncomfortably due to the low ceiling. Dressed in a suit, he appeared out of place given the location. Indeed, he appeared as a preacher prepared to conduct a funeral service.

His wife, slouching to her husband’s right and slightly behind, was virtually paralyzed by the scene, the stench and the sense that a weighted blanket had descended on her. She wore a plain white dress though I would say it was more of an off white as opposed to a bright or pure white. Curiously, she stood slightly separated from her husband but showed no sign of reaching for or looking to him for protection or comfort.

The one who spoke for two appeared to be sitting on something, perhaps a rock. It was difficult to tell since his body collapsed in accordion-like layers around it. Most of his features were undetectable in the dark corner of the cave. One thing, though, his skin appeared somewhat jaundiced and scaly.

The other, a tall, thin, gaunt creature, stood like a post by his side. He had a wry smile on his face giving the appearance of a crafty magician that knew something that others didn’t.

The Prophetess began describing something that became visible as on an Imax screen. It began rising from what appeared to be the horizon. It was red and somewhat round but distorted. When the vocal entity heard that it was red, he became very excited and even bounced up and down slightly on his perch. The red man is coming! He exclaimed.

At this point, some black worm or snake-like creatures began to sliver from the container that the Prophetess carried. I thought it would take longer, she said. Quickly laying the container on the floor of the cave, she turned to the man and his wife and commanded, Run! you fools.

She and the man ran quickly outside, then turned, and looked back. The man’s wife stood just inside. Though she was turned toward her husband, her head was turned away. The black worms were rapidly tracking around her head. Surprisingly, she made no cry.

The man stepped forward to aide her, but the Prophetess grabbed his arm and proclaimed, No! You cannot kill them. They are not of this world.

In that moment, even as the Prophetess yet spoke, the mountain top and cave collapsed, like so much French pastry, before them and was swept away in a sudden but brief wind.

Scene 2

A makeshift army is camped out on a hillside. They are not readily visible from the air above nor the nearest roadway far below. The man from the cave is in command of the soldiers and he is walking toward his tent.

Another soldier intercepts him and proclaims, Captain Christian, sir, the Prophetess seems quite troubled about something, but she won’t say a word. I thought she might talk to you. She is making the men uneasy.

She cannot be trusted, anyway. I only keep her with us because the enemy would surely use her against us. Perhaps, it is best that she keeps quiet.

The soldier only continued to look at his captain as if waiting for a more acceptable response. As if he had been given no other alternative, the good captain finally shrugged his shoulders, sighed and marched off in the direction of the Prophetess’s tent.

He found her sitting just to the right of her tent in what appeared to be a children’s chair. The two front legs and two back legs alternated coming off the ground as she rocked back and forth. She was looking so intently ahead that the captain looked ahead of her to detect what had so captured her attention. He however saw nothing but the thin scrubby grass, weeds and underbrush that struggled to maintain a foothold on the rocky, parched mountain. He noted a very troubled look that accompanied the intensity of her stare.

Are you alright? He suddenly blurted out, more to change her demeanor than out of any concern for her wellbeing. She was, after all, the one who had brought those killer worms to the cave that had attacked his beloved wife.

Though he had used his most gruff, drill sergeant sounding voice, there was not the slightest alteration in her countenance. She continued the perpetual rocking sequence, and her expression was completely unchanged.

Stepping behind her, the captain grasped her chair and proceeded to drag chair and Prophetess as one into the tent beside her. After he released her, he, with obvious agitation in his voice, demanded again, Are you alright? Still, her expression continued as before, and she began her rocking motion once again.

Frustrated and out of patience, he turned and marched away, sweeping his hands toward her.

Once he was back outside the tent, he noticed that many of his men had gathered and were watching the show. He paused briefly and said, She’s out of it. Pay her no mind. He, then, swept both hands, again, back toward the tent and resumed his march toward his own.

Later that day, the Prophetess was seen back outside her tent, rocking and reckoning as before. The thing is, no one saw her come out and sit down. The tent had become the focus of attention among the soldiers, and it was inconceivable that she could exit it in broad daylight without drawing attention, but there she was.

Chapter 2

DAYS PASSED. SOLDIERS spent the time sharpening their knives, swords, machetes, hatchets and whatever they could find that might serve them as a weapon. Gun control had gotten to the point that only the military was permitted to own guns. These soldiers had assumed a defensive posture and were not part of the official military. Homes, vehicles and persons were searched without warrants; and, if a gun was found, violators were given indefinite jail time.

The president had declared martial law, and the military had taken over all law enforcement. Law officers, at all levels, were given the option of enlisting or resigning. There was widespread abuse of power, and many were forced to flee their homes, hiding in the countryside.

Cash had become a thing of the past, and no one could purchase or trade legally without an identification code tattooed or implanted on their person. Those in hiding had refused any such identification and, thus, were forced to survive off the land.

Farmers, even those with small garden plots, were forced to register and pay taxes on what they produced whether they sold produce or not. Many farmers had begun to raise marijuana because it was the only crop that could keep their account in the black. Small, isolated plots of fruits and vegetables were sometimes overlooked, especially if there were no houses nearby.

Ironically, pot choppers that were once used to locate illegal weed production were now used to locate these little oasis gardens and set traps for the rebels. When choppers had been seen in the area of a food source, Captain Christian ordered the garden or fruit trees stripped of edible produce and signs of human presence eradicated. They would, then, retreat to a backup location which they also had been monitoring.

These were perilous and unprecedented times in America. The land of the free was, now, only a memory. Values, once respected and revered were now challenged on every front. Tolerance evolved to anarchy, and this led to martial law. Initially, some called for law and order that was Bible based, but these were labeled as intolerant at best and bigots at worst. Now, there was a new call for law and order as determined by the President who had become more of a dictator with the military to back him.

As if the situation were not bad enough for Captain Christian and his followers, considerable dissension had risen in their ranks. One source of contention was whether to attack or remain in hiding. Many adopted an old sports motto - The best defense is a good offense, and they clamored for guerrilla warfare. In times when food was scarce, they reached consensus among the men, but the women tilted the balance toward reason.

Captain Christian, who was also their pastor, reminded them of Ephesians 6:12. If we attack to feed our families, we will be forced to kill and steal. These people are not our enemies. They are deceived by our real enemy. If we are attacked, we will defend ourselves and our families; but, for now, though we are hungry, we are alive and free. We will wait upon the Lord, our protector. It is certain that his coming is eminent.

One of the more restless voices of opposition could restrain himself no longer. We have heard that all our lives. This Revelation stuff, how can you be sure you are interpreting it correctly and that you are properly discerning the times.

So much has happened in our lifetime to fulfill the scriptures, Captain Christian answered. How can we deny that we are in the Tribulation period?

I seem to recall that Jesus said that no man would know when that hour comes, the man returned.

No, the captain countered, but just before he said that he explained that we would know the season and ‘when we shall see all these things, know that it is near even at the doors.’ (Matthew 24:38)

The man, frustrated, shut up and stormed off. No one knew the scriptures better than the captain, with the possible exception of the Prophetess, and she didn’t appear to be saying anything at the moment. Also, there was not a leader of the good captain’s stature among the dissenters.

A second, more passive means of dissent, had proven more effective in undermining the security and function of the group. Some individuals and a few families had deserted the encampment to return to society. No one knew if they had consented to the identification process or not or, even, if they had been permitted to. Perhaps they had been imprisoned as rebels or forced to lead the military to the rebel group. Each time someone left the group to return to society, Captain Christian ordered an evacuation. Suitable havens were not abundant, and they had recently returned to an earlier location.

The timing and selection of each location was chosen only after considerable scouting and surveillance. At their current location, there are several pear and apple trees, all bearing, but only a few of the apple trees are ready to pick. They are working hard to prepare several garden plots. They are hard to conceal as they require the sun light. One of the workers procured some lightweight camouflage to cover the plants and designed an ingenious method of covering and uncovering the plants in a matter of seconds.

A guard was posted at the highest point near the camp site and the lowest point below the camp site. Each had a turkey call. If a call sounded, the plants were covered and the whole camp was on alert. If a second call sounded, evacuation was ordered. Everyone was assigned a person or family to follow, and Captain Christian lead the way.

The Prophetess made her own way and seemed to know, before the call, when it was time to leave. When they reached their new location, she would already be there rocking away as if she was mocking the beat of a distant drummer. It was unnerving.

This was subsistence survival living, and it had become their way of life for some time now. Some pockets of resistance were not so resourceful, and they were easily eliminated.

Much credit was given to the good captain for his leadership ability and the empathy he displayed for his followers. Some, however, gave credit to the Prophetess though they had no idea how she pulled it off. It had gotten to the point that some would begin breaking camp when the chair and tent of the Prophetess disappeared.

Others suspected that the Prophetess was really a witch and, what powers she had, were of the devil. Whatever one thought of them, the Captain and the Prophetess could not have appeared more different. Politics is said to make strange bedfellows. War and religion, in these troubled times, promoted similar associations.

The group that followed them was, to a lesser extent, a reflection of these differences. Some, like the captain, seemed very conservative and quite mindful of the scriptures. They saw the signs of the times as indicative of the soon coming return of their Savior, Jesus Christ. Among those, some expected to be snatched away at any moment by him for their protection. The others expected to eventually become martyrs.

A hodgepodge of personalities gave credence to the Prophetess. Some had gone to her seeking counsel, but she consistently appeared unaware of their presence. One would think that they would have taken offense at this, and a few did. Most, however, dismissed her demeanor as deep meditation.

The majority fell somewhere between these two groups and vacillated, one way or the other, from time to time. These were not very spiritual, though some kept a Bible and perused it from time to time.

Mostly, the campers concerned themselves with survival and were thankful to be under the protection of Captain Christian and his armed men. It should be noted, however, that, of the two groups, the one that appeared to be gaining the most members was the one that kept the Prophetess under close surveillance.

Chapter 3

THOUGH THE CAPTAIN’S plan of departure had served them well for over a year, he was wise enough to realize that it needed some refinements. Thus, he called a meeting of several of his most trusted leaders. He had become increasingly frustrated with the Prophetess. Consequently, she was not invited.

After much discussion, a three-pronged maneuver was agreed upon. Upon leaving camp, one group, the most offensive minded among them, would make their way directly toward the new camp site. After about a mile or so, they would reach a creek crossing. Most of that group would wade the creek downstream to a point of rendezvous.

About fifty of the first group would continue their original course, crossing the creek and proceeding toward the new camp site. Every few yards a half dozen or so would veer off to the left and proceed to the rendezvous point. When the entire group had reassembled, they would attempt to outflank the pursuing military and attack them guerrilla style.

The other two prongs, made up of mostly women and children, would leave in a seemingly disorganized fashion on either side of the first. Each of these two were to meet at a point of concealment near the new camp site and remain there until the enemy had left the area, and it was deemed safe to occupy the new site.

It was a good plan. The military, should they decide to pursue, would almost certainly follow the largest, most organized group. It was thought that, at some point, they would become confused and turn back or send parties out in different directions to pick up the trail again. Thus divided, they would be easy prey for the guerrillas who were quite accustomed to the terrain.

It wouldn’t be long before the new plan had to be implemented. The president had solidified control of the major cities and had instructed his generals to move out into the countryside.

Food stores were to be confiscated and the more prolific farms and ranches were to be administered by a military garrison. If the landowners refused to take identification, they were arrested on the spot, and their property became government property. If they submitted to the government identification logo, they were permitted to keep a small portion of the fruits of their labors.

When word of the new policy reached the rural landowners, many of them evacuated with what they could manage to transport, and Captain Christian’s band began to swell. The new recruits brought seed, some livestock and their own farming and husbandry expertise. However, with each recruit came security concerns. Also, with so many mouths to feed, distribution disputes were inevitable.

Missionary scouts were sent out from camp almost daily in search for frightened refugees. The captain made it clear to each person or group that chose to join them that certain goods and utensils would become community property. Each was given a list of such items and compelled to sign the agreement. There were people in charge of hardware, livestock and food distribution.

A governing group was selected by democratic process. This group developed Bible-based laws and settled disputes. Captain Christian was the leader of each group, and he set the agenda for each meeting. Most disputes were settled by subgroups. The party or parties involved had the right to appeal to the main governing group, but Captain Christian set the agenda. If a party’s appeal was not placed on the agenda, as was usually the case, the ruling of the subgroup was allowed to stand.

Chapter 4

A FEW MONTHS, and there was considerable unrest. One disgruntled group held a meeting of their own. They chose a leader, Grady, and agreed to establish their own colony. Further, it was decided that they would request a meeting of the governing group to discuss conditions for separation.

Surprisingly, Captain Christian honored their request and gave their leader a spot on the agenda of the next scheduled meeting. When the meeting began, their leader was given five minutes to address their grievances and explain why they had chosen to secede. Though he ran over a bit, Captain Christian did not interrupt him.

When he concluded, Captain Christian thanked him for his forthrightness. Then he continued in a kind and conciliatory manner to explain that he had become aware that their own colony had become too large to operate efficiently and secretively. He cited the example of Abraham and Lot and their separation as recorded in Genesis thirteen of the Bible. Thus, the good Captain gave the departing group the right to choose the sanctuary that they felt would best meet their needs.

Grady selected the site that the community had been grooming for their next move. It was somewhat more exposed than their current location, but it provided easy access to the valley farms nearby.

It was Captain Christian’s desire that they part on the best of terms, so he instructed those in charge of hardware, livestock and food distribution to give them what they would need to help them get off to a good start. Though the overseers grumbled in response to this order, they complied.

When word spread of this new arrangement, and the others saw the store that the dissident group was preparing to take with them, the grumbling increased. Some of the grumblers decided to join the departing band. By the time they left there was near a third of the community numbered among those departing.

This did not seem to alarm the good Captain in the least. He was there to see them off. He embraced Grady and asked him to keep in touch. He even promised to come to his aide if needed. Grady promised to do the same.

It was thought by some that the Prophetess might depart, as well, since many of those leaving had begun to look to her for leadership. However, she continued to sit and rock, appearing to take no notice of what was occurring.

Several, of those departing, circled around Grady and began to urge him until he began to walk in the Prophetess’s direction. It was clear that he had no desire to fulfill their desires, nevertheless, he walked up to her and began to speak, Excuse me, mam. The Prophetess continued as before. He looked back at his prompters who continued to urge him by waving him forward. Thus, he explained to her what their intentions were, which she doubtless already knew, and invited her to join them. When she failed to even acknowledge him, he threw up his hands in exasperation and began to walk back toward his prompters. Having a second thought, he turned back and said, I’m sure you know the way, and if you decide to come you will always be welcome.

With that, he rejoined the group that had propelled him on his errand. They were obviously disappointed but seemed to know that he had done all that he could. Clearly, the Prophetess had a mind of her own and was nobody’s follower – nobody, at least, from this world.

Chapter 5

IN THE WEEKS ahead a courier was sent frequently from one group to another to keep apprised of the other’s welfare. Also, the separation had divided friends and families. Visits were frequent. A trickle continued to join the new group.

The original colony was well run and organized. There was a greater sense of security among them. New recruits picked up on this and were more prone to join them. Those who ran afoul of the justice system in place, however, often moved on to join the new colony.

From the start the new leader had his hands full. To Grady’s credit, he did attempt to put some laws in place and set up a plan of enforcement, but punishments were not rigorously or fairly applied. Thus, the new colony became more and more lawless. Feuds began to develop among families, and unwritten codes were enforced by vigilante methods.

Eventually, the more peaceful, law-abiding members began returning to the original colony. Others took refuge back with the original colony for fear of their lives.

As winter came on, and food became scarce, some members of the new colony began to venture out in search of new supplies. By February they became desperate to the point that they formed raiding parties to attack military farms and ranches.

Though the military was on stand down for the winter, this new uprising would not go unchallenged. The location of the new colony was pinpointed, and soon a formidable army was dispatched. The lawless colony put up little resistance, and it was over in a matter of minutes. Men women and children were marched back toward the military garrison nearly ten miles away. A squad of soldiers were left to escort them while the bulk of the force returned to their barracks, homes and warm beds.

The squad was thought to be more than adequate to guard the unarmed prisoners, some of which were under the influence of alcohol or drugs or both. Some were scantily clad. Indeed, they had been caught completely unaware amid their debauchery. The soldiers laughed and poked fun at them along the way. They were exulting and reveling in the relief of so easy a victory.

Captain Christian was alerted a short time after the unfortunate event. He rallied his soldiers and stood before them to address them.

The enemy has put it in the heart of the military to strike out at our brothers and sisters. We are their hope. Let us seek direction from God to determine the most prudent and effective course of action. He then led them in a prayer. After which, he seemed invigorated.

Captain Christian hurried to his tent to get his sword. Just as he was about to throw the flap back on his tent, the Prophetess appeared at his right side. He looked back at his fellow soldiers. They were disputing and, apparently, unaware that the Prophetess had approached him.

Jesus in the Clouds

Make haste, the Prophetess began, and go boldly into battle. The Lord your God is before you. At this, she gestured toward the setting sun. One very large cloud caught the sun’s rays and highlighted the shape of a solitary figure. His hair and robe were all flowing white and bright as one. A brilliant but brief rainbow shown above his head somewhat like a crown.

The captain turned and looked back toward the Prophetess, but she had vanished without a sound. He shook off his confusion, retrieved his sword; and, pointing his sword toward the sunset, he once again addressed his soldiers. Take heart, brothers, the Lord goes before us. He will surely grant us the victory.

Aware that his soldiers were not particularly gung-ho for battle, especially to save the necks of those who had rebelled against them, he was thankful for the Prophetess’s words and what she had shown him. Upon having their vision directed to the heavenly image, however, the small, poorly armed group took heart and began to shout and raise their weapons in the air.

A young man, about fifteen years old, then, stepped forward with a homemade flag. It was white with a rugged looking red cross in the center. There were slashes of red lightning bolts surrounding the cross in no particular pattern.

Stay with me, the captain commanded. You will lead us to our Lord and to victory.

A woman cried out in response, No! no! Please no, he is but a boy.

A man standing beside her with a proud look on his face grasped her shoulders and prevented her from running to him.

Yes, he is a boy, Captain Christian affirmed, but today he becomes a man.

Following the boy, the flag and their captain the small army marched off at double time into the fading light. The mother, father and the rest of the colony that remained behind watched as torches wound down the mountainside into the darker valley below.

Many of the ones that remained went to see if the Prophetess had gone with the army. There she was beside her tent rocking away. The fact that she continued seemingly unconcerned, was taken as a sign of assurance by some that everything would be alright. Others questioned that she was even aware of what had happened.

Well, I don’t believe she ever left her chair and came to see the soldiers off. That old hag doesn’t care about anything, one particularly annoyed woman exclaimed.

One of the cooks overheard as he passed by with a platter half full of corn and replied, "Oh, she left alright. I had just put this corn out when the meeting was called, and the platter was full. We all went to the meeting, and I was the first one back. I know she likes corn because I’ve laid a plate of food by her

every day at dinner time. I retrieve it when it’s time to start doing the dishes. Except for the corn, it mostly goes undisturbed.

Chapter 6

JUST BEFORE DARK, the military had stopped for a break. They made their prisoners secure and decided to build campfires and spend the night. For those unfamiliar with it, this was rough terrain to negotiate in the dark even with military grade flashlights. Also, they had plundered the rebels store of home brew and they were keen on sampling it. They also had their eyes on some of the prisoners. Their attire or lack thereof had helped stimulate that interest. The home brew would heighten it further.

After consuming several mason jars of the potent brew, they were prepared to bring their fantasies to life. They put mud in the eyes, ears and mouths of the undesirable ones and brought the others over by the campfire.

They began poking and prodding them with sticks, some of which had been taken from the campfire. Some of their clothes ignited. One unfortunate was doused with the elixir before he could roll on the ground and smother the flames. The other assailants rebuked his tormentor for wasting good booze.

The campfire and screams guided Captain Christian and his band directly to their quarry. The wails of the tortured prisoners served to cover their approach as well. They extinguished all torches, save one.

The military squad of government soldiers, generally called G-men, had feared no repercussions from their attack. Consequently, they had ignored proper procedures and had posted no guard.

This skirmish ended much as the one preceding it only with opposite results. No soldier found his gun. The ropes that had secured their prisoners were now used to tie their own hands behind their backs.

Captain Christian was too compassionate to kill the G-men though many of his own and especially those who had been tortured by them urged him to do just that. He reminded them that they were not their enemy.

They, as do all those who have not been born again, carry out the plans of Satan. If we treat them as they treated you, we play right into his hands. Jesus said we are to forgive them, pray for them and, even, love them.

Most of Captain Christian’s followers knew the teachings of Jesus that he shared, but they had never had to apply them to such extreme circumstances before. They even wondered if they were applicable to their current situation and the times in which they were living.

Captain Christian, however, was not just preaching to the choir. Ever the evangelist, he held out hope that his actions and words might set one or more of the G-men to thinking. He would leave the results in the capable hands of the Holy Spirit.

Captain Christian realized he had placed himself in a quandary. They could not afford to feed prisoners. Thus, they left them there with no food, weapons or flashlights. He did make one concession to those who had been tortured. He allowed them to smear mud in their tormentor’s eyes before they left them there. He reasoned that this would slow their return to the garrison a bit more and provide his group more time to prepare for the inevitable retaliation of the government forces.

When the former prisoners seemed to be enjoying it too much, he called for a return to camp. About a hundred yards away, he found a suitable spot to place a lookout to observe the G-men when daylight arrived.

The rest of the soldiers and the rescued group returned to camp. The former prisoners were given the option to stay and abide by the rules or strike out again on their own. Their leader had been burned to death, however, and the whole experience had caused them to lose their taste for rebellion. Indeed, they had acquired a keen appreciation for the structure and security that Captain Christian’s community provided.

There was much jubilation when they returned to camp. The people were of a mind to celebrate the rest of the night away. Captain Christian, however, raised his hand and, with the help of several of his most faithful leaders, managed to restore quiet.

He began, It is good to celebrate this victory, but let us remember that those whom we were able to defeat, by the grace of God, were celebrating as well. Let us post guards and celebrate by giving praise and thanksgiving to our God.

Guards were posted. Afterwards, there was jubilant praise and rejoicing. Several songs of praise were offered up by those who were accustomed to leading the singing. Others joined in as they recalled the words.

After a half hour or so, Captain Christian drew some of his counselors aside to rehearse their plan of evacuation; for, as he explained, it was certain that there would be retaliation. It was now quite late, and some were wanting to sleep in to be rested for the trip. The sight that they had selected was quite distant from their current location, they had argued.

That is all the more reason for us to begin preparing at first light, the captain reasoned. "Choppers may fill the skies at some point tomorrow. We must be well clear of this area by that time. I would rather leave early after only a short night’s sleep and take rest stops, as needed, than to sleep longer and set out on a forced march, driving them like cattle over rough terrain.

As usual, the captain’s was the voice of reason that won out. As news spread of the early morning departure, The revelry, reverent and otherwise, began to die down.

Chapter 7

WHEN DAYBREAK ARRIVED, there was no activity in the camp except for the change of guard and Captain Christian’s efforts to awaken his most faithful followers. At last, in desperation, he returned to his tent and retrieved one of the guns he had acquired from the G-men they had surprised. He pointed it toward the sky and fired. Several people woke up in a hurry and scurried from their tents. The captain proceeded to the far end of the camp site and fired again. The entire camp was now awake. Most began preparations to evacuate.

Another thing spurred them to begin their preparations despite their reluctance.

The prophetess is gone! someone shouted, tent, chair and all.

About three hours later, the person who had been left to keep watch on the G-men returned to camp and gave his report. He revealed that he last saw the G-men stumbling off toward the garrison. They had tried to untie each other, to no avail. Some were sick and vomiting and there were complaints of a terrible headache. Some of them had, however, managed to get enough mud from their eyes to lead the rest back toward the garrison.

The guard’s message, when it had circulated caused much grumbling, especially among the former rebels who had wanted to kill the G-men. There were those, though, that now appreciated the fact that the captain had insisted on departing as soon as possible. A renewed sense of urgency swept the camp, and, within the hour, their new evacuation plan was ready to be enacted.

Their new location was the farthest site that they had scouted and prepared. It was not a very suitable long-term spot for habitation, but it was, without a doubt, the most remote and secure location they had prepared. There was much criticizing all along the way.

Buoyed by their easy victory the night before, some of the soldiers were of a mind to fight and were not hesitant to say so. Their captain that had bade them be bold now appeared to be running scared at the first sign of victory.

Though all the different complaints failed to come directly to the captain’s ear, he was well aware of them. Now, standing well within a heavily forested valley on the fringe of a nearly impenetrable underbrush, he paused to address his reassembled flock.

A man you may have heard of was leading a large group of people out of slavery. The people began to murmur and complain much as many of you have. Their leader prayed to God and said, What shall I do unto this people? They be almost ready to stone me." (Exodus 17:4)

The Lord was patient with the children of Israel to a point, and used their trials to prove them, whether they would honor him or not. (Exodus 16:7) This leader, Moses, and Aaron spoke to the people and warned them that God had heard their murmurings and complaining. They then asked, What are we that ye murmur against us?

So now, I ask, what am I that you murmur and complain against me? Why do you tempt the Lord? (Exodus 17:2)

Our God is a patient God, but their continual murmuring and complaining eventually caused them to die in the desert without enjoying the blessings of the promised land.

At this point, the unmistakable sound of choppers began reverberating in the distance from where they had last camped. The Prophetess, who had appeared mid speech on the fringe of the densest undergrowth, now dissolved into it.

It was not as though she stepped or crawled or somehow made her way into it. There was not the slightest rustle of leaves or vines. Much as the last sparkles of a fireworks display are turned off by the smoke and clouds, she was visible to the point of standing out; and then, she was not.

The beams from the setting sun had filtered between clouds and had found her like a spotlight on a stage. There was no blending in or fading into the shade on either side of her. One instant your eyes were drawn to her, and the next, she was nowhere to be seen. One wondered if his eyes had played a trick on him until you saw the others around you looking with dismay in the same direction.

It was apparent that she had arrived before us and waited for us. It seemed she knew our precise destination before any of us, including the good Captain.

CC, as many of us called Captain Christian behind his back, followed her lead somewhat reluctantly. Again, it was not pride that made him hesitate but a blend of disgust and distrust. He had, to be fair, been praying about the repulsion he felt toward her and was trying to let it go, but it was tied to his distrust which he had made no attempt to dislodge. Loneliness had become his tent mate and bed pardner, and he blamed the Prophetess for the swap. He did his murmuring and complaining behind the flap of his tent and in the semisecret storehouses of his mind. The time would come when he would be confronted with the fact that he was not Moses, and he was as much guilty of judging and murmuring against God as the people he had just addressed.

Chapter 8

AS PASTOR/CAPTAIN CHRISTIAN waited patiently for the choppers to give up their search, his mind flashed back, as it so often did to the cave incident and the events that led up to it. It was all like a recurring nightmare.

The Prophetess had never explained why she had asked Pastor Christian to accompany her to the cave other than to request that he pray and fast. She had been a member of the rather large church where he was the pastor. I say she was a member though there was no special rite of membership. Pastor Christian was fond of saying that if anyone came once they were a visitor and if they came twice, they were a member. The Prophetess had not missed a service, and she had been coming for some time.

Pastor Christian had picked her out of the congregation one day in the middle of his sermon. Something about her caught his eye. Her dress was plain, neither stylish nor scandalous. It appeared to be somewhat soiled though he could not be sure. It was off white, perhaps faded, in color, and she wore the same dress to each service. She must have washed it between meetings, however, because people who sat near her never complained of any odor issues, and he had checked. He guessed that she was upper middle aged, perhaps sixty to seventy. Under normal conditions, his judgment in such matters would have been more precise. However, when it came to the Prophetess, normal conditions were abnormal.

To begin with, he never knew her name, nor did he ever meet anyone who knew any more about her than he. She was never present at any of the social functions of the church. She never allowed herself to get caught up in any meet and greet sessions prior to or after church.

It was suggested that she always left during closing prayer though no one had ever seen her do so. After closing prayer, however, her seat was always empty. And that’s another thing, her seat was always empty until she arrived just before service started. Seats were all occupied all around it, but no one ever sat in her seat. It was as though there was a reserved sign on it.

Maybe two minutes before the praise and worship leader stepped to the microphone, she walked by the ushers who had stopped trying to direct her to the balcony. She sat down, and you could set your clock by it, at precisely ten o’clock every Sunday morning. In fact, it became the cue to start the service. All eyes were fastened on her as she entered and sat down. It was eerie – the quietest time of the service. Everyone quit talking when she appeared except the occasional visitor that was not privy to the protocol. Even children that had remained with their parents strangely observed the moment of silence.

The praise and worship leader once broke the silence when she sensed that she might be starting a little bit late. She stepped to the microphone and said, Let’s see, then, looking toward the Prophetess’s seat, continued by saying, I see it must be time to start.

The congregation erupted into tension relieving laughter. The Prophetess, intense and focused as ever, continued looking straight ahead as if she was totally unaware of the situation. That was the first and last time that anyone on the platform, other than Pastor Christian, ever alluded to her either directly or indirectly.

The young praise and worship leader’s offhand remark was like a joke at a funeral service. It had broken tension, but it had violated established decorum causing an unsettling effect. The well planned and practiced praise and worship was anything but that. It faltered from the beginning and deteriorated rapidly thereafter. The young song leader left the stage abruptly in tears before completing the second song. She resigned and left the church shortly thereafter.

Though the Prophetess never spoke in the meetings, she somehow exerted a strong influence over them. Showing up at the pastor’s office from time to time, she conveyed a word from the Lord. On these occasions he tried to ascertain her name and where she lived. She gave him a look as if to say, You should know better than to ask, turned and walked out.

Many of the regular members pressed their pastor to find out more about her, but no one seemed to know anything for sure. One person thought that she was homeless because he had seen someone that looked like her in the section of the city where many of them staid. He, however, had not stopped nor even slowed down enough to be sure.

The messages that the Prophetess delivered to the pastor seemed, to him, to be spot on; and they inspired many of his sermons. They were the type that made the grace-based crowd uncomfortable to say the least. Pastor Christian acknowledged that salvation was obtained by grace through faith, but he stressed that there must be repentance and a born-again experience. For the first time, since the church had begun, there was an undercurrent of discontent.

Many of the members began to suspect that the Prophetess was a witch. They sensed that she wielded some type of spiritual power over the church, in general, and the pastor, specifically. The pastor’s wife began to suspect as much, as well. She trusted her husband and his strong faith, but she felt that he put too much stock in what he called the prophetic which he termed the prophetess’s messages.

Chapter 9

ONE FRIDAY NIGHT the pastor and his wife had stopped by the church around nine o’clock. He wanted to get a book from his study. As they were leaving the study, and he was reaching for the light switch, the Prophetess stepped before them.

They both jumped back; and Leah, his wife, screamed!

Oh, it’s you, Pastor Christian said.

I need you to do something for me, she began. I must go see someone tomorrow. Will you fast and pray and accompany me?

Pastor Christian agreed and asked if she was alright. She turned without a reply and walked out.

Do you need a ride, he shouted as an afterthought.

He, then, rushed to the parking lot. Theirs was the only car; and, though the parking lot was well lit, there was no sign of anyone.

Peculiar, he said.

Bless her heart, Leah said. That’s not like her. She seemed very troubled.

Yes, she did, he responded, and it’s not like her to ask for help either. Let’s pray right now.

The two of them walked to the altar and spent quite a bit of time in prayer. They later spent a restless night. Both had been struck by a sense of foreboding.

Pastor Christian spent the next day praying over the mysterious meeting scheduled for that evening and preparing for his next day’s sermon. As he had agreed, he fasted throughout the day, but he drank coffee and water.

Leah had not agreed to fast but felt she should follow her husband’s lead. She broke over in the afternoon and had some cheese crackers. She was a type 2 diabetic and felt that the crackers were a necessary precaution that God would understand.

When it was nearly time to go, Leah told her husband that she would be going with him.

I trust you with her, she said, but I don’t trust her with you.

Her husband tried to talk her out of going because he feared it might not be safe.

I have heard that she is homeless and lives in a dangerous section of town, he explained.

She was determined to go, however, and nothing he could say would change her mind. Had he known, then, what the night would entail, he would have insisted and overcome her determination for the first time in their married life.

They met the Prophetess at the church. She asked if they had been praying and fasting. Pastor Christian nodded his head.

The Prophetess, then, turned in Leah’s direction. Leah didn’t answer. She merely looked away.

The Prophetess looked back at her pastor and said, She should not have come, but there’s no time. Let’s go.

If Pastor Christian had understood the gravity of that statement, he would have tried to stop his wife from proceeding. He should have tried to stop her. He, now, repeated the thought. The thought that had crossed his mind so many times since then. How could he not chastise himself for his weak leadership in his marriage and as her pastor.

Had religion, Christianity, been so much an unreal game for him that he was oblivious to the perils that awaited him?

She should not have come! He chided himself once again with the Prophetess’s fateful words.

Why would he listen to her messages from the Lord and guide his sermons by them despite the unrest it caused and brush aside those five words? Five words of warning that, if he had heeded, could have prevented the tailspin his life had taken from that night onward. Why had he even agreed to accompany her on a mysterious meeting without requiring more details?

He had looked over at Leah with surprise when the Prophetess directed him outside of town. He was, at first, relieved that they were not going to the section of town that he had described to Leah as dangerous. He recalled how he had once again become anxious when the Prophetess had him pull off the road at the base of a mountain with no houses in sight. He had merely shrugged his shoulders when Leah looked questioningly in his direction as the Prophetess urged them on up a trail.

He had hesitated outside the cave and sensed that Leah had as well. He could have told the Prophetess that stood at the entrance of the cave beckoning him to enter that they would remain outside and pray.

This is as far as we go!

Why did these words that come to him so easily now not come to him then?

Instead, he had placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder to nudge her ahead like they were entering their favorite restaurant. For her part, she had rejected his gentlemanly gesture and drew back until he had entered.

Pastor Christian had returned to whispered prayer and bowed his head to clear the entrance. At this point he had entered the scene described at the beginning of our story.

Chapter 10

HUNKERED DOWN BENEATH the underbrush, much of what had precipitated their plight continued to replay itself in his mind. The most prominent replay was the cave scene. Despite reminding himself of Philippians 4:8, he could not get that scene out of his mind.

Indeed, as the Prophetess had foreseen, and the evil being had proclaimed, the red man had come. At least, what Pastor Christian deduced must be him, had come.

Out of the chaos that had become America, and the entire world for that matter, he had appeared on the scene. His hair, the most prominent feature about him, flowed red like ripples from a volcanic mountain top. His eyes, too, appeared to burn like they were the windows of hell itself.

He was captivating to see and to hear on whatever device you watched him. He was even more so in person. His hypnotic speeches caused many of, even the most traditional groups to join the ranks of his supporters.

Another selling point in his favor was the success he had in restoring order in some of the more volatile middle eastern nations. He initially expressed no desire to be a king or president or ruler of any type. He merely referred to himself as a diplomat. His one and only stated goal was world peace.

He had called for an end to all labels such as Communists, Capitalists, Muslims, Buddhist, Christian, Jew, English, Russian, American, Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Spanish etc. Speaking before a joint session of the House and Senate in Washington DC, he called for an end to partisan politics. Let there be no more Republican, Democrat or whatever Party. Let there be no more Catholic or Protestant, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian etc. Let us be one. Let us be human.

The humanity plea or speech, as it came to be called, was played over and over on screens throughout the country and world. It seemed every time you got online, Let us be one. Let us be human, popped up.

He even refused to be called by his name which is just as well because it was difficult, even for the media, to pronounce. He simply chose to be called human, a man of peace. The Man of Peace stuck in formal circles, but the Red Man or Red was more common, something that he only chuckled about and seemed, with which, to have no problem.

If I must be labeled by my appearance, he said, I’d say that’s pretty accurate.

When he appeared in public, he drew unprecedented crowds. Suffice it to say that the people loved him. What didn’t get a lot of press is that anyone who spoke a word against him was placing his life in jeopardy.

The few prominent voices that did arise, initially, fell victim to ridicule and quickly fell from favor or completely disappeared from the public sector. Pastors, some of the less prominent leaders in the modern society, were among the few who continued to sound a warning. Those with large television ministries either came out in support of the Man of Peace or their show was canceled.

Next, large churches in large cities were monitored. Restrictions were put in place that eventually led to the closure of most of them.

Though the city where Pastor Christian preached was not particularly large, he saw the handwriting on the wall, so to speak. He talked with several trusted pastors in large cities who had been ousted.

The Lose the Label campaign in schools had caused many of the young people to back away from attending church. Church attendance plummeted to an all-time low in America.

Many in the churches that had read and heard the warnings about end times and the Antichrist were alarmed but somewhat confused. The attack on pastors and the church didn’t seem to be coming from a figure they could call the Antichrist. The Red Man did not appear to be leading the movement at all. In fact, he had been shown kneeling and praying on many occasions.

When a reporter asked what he was praying for, the Red Man simply replied, World peace. When asked which God he prayed to, he glared at the reporter and said, "It’s questions like that which people use to put a label on me. Such labels divide us. Let us acknowledge and pursue our humanity and hunger for peace to unite us.

As in this case, the Red Man always appeared less sinister than those who confronted him. The pastors themselves many times suffered from the comparisons.

Most of them quit speaking against him from the pulpit, saying words to the effect that time would tell, and he would be exposed, one way or the other, eventually. Such a stance and such statements enabled them to escape some of the pressure they had been facing both within and without the church. Governing bodies of each denomination established similar guidelines or ignored the issue altogether, at least publicly.

Pastor Christian, spurred on by messages from the Lord delivered by the Prophetess was an exception to the rule. He continued to warn his congregation, ironically drawing many of his texts from the red sections of the scriptures.

This perceived obstinacy did not go unnoticed. At first, the losses he experienced were offset by new members. The trickle of new members, however, eventually dried up. Each Sunday it seemed there were fewer seats filled. The overflow room for late comers became a thing of the past.

The pressure from without increased, as well. The church was stripped of its nonprofit status and forced to submit to an audit by the IRS.

Pastor Christian had also been notified that a lawsuit had been filed against him for libel, slander and defamation of character. The lawsuit would be dropped, however, if he would agree to cease his current line of preaching and submit a retraction from the pulpit. The carrot of possibly reinstating the church’s tax-exempt status was also waved.

It was at this low point that the Prophetess had dropped by to see him.

Stay the course, and you will be rewarded, she had said.

He had known that he could not retract what God had given him to preach. He had been sitting there searching for other options and praying earnestly when the Prophetess appeared. Having received the Prophetess’s confirmation and direction, he responded by praying over his message for the next day.

Chapter 11

Pastor Christian’s Church

THAT FATEFUL SUNDAY morning members of the selected media outlets began showing up over an hour before service was scheduled to begin.

We have been told that you will be making an important announcement today, a member of the media told Pastor Christian. Is that so, and may we cover it?

Pastor Christian hesitated, but the thought came to him that the word would get out anyway, and the Lord might use this for the good of His kingdom. One thing was for sure, they wouldn’t be getting the story they expected. He nodded and asked if they would mind setting up in the A/V booth. There was not room for all of them, so the pews nearest the booth were roped off for their use as well.

As Pastor Christian began walking toward the platform, The Prophetess also entered the sanctuary and headed for her seat. When Pastor Christian reached the pulpit, the Prophetess had just sat down. As he began, all eyes, ears and cameras were at his disposal.

I have been asked, he began, to issue a retraction of the sermons I have been preaching of late. I understand that the sermons in question gave explanation to the warnings and prophecy given by Jesus as recorded primarily in Matthew’s gospel and the Revelation.

Jesus disciples asked him, ...what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world? His answer was as follows. Pastor Christian, then, read Matthew 24:4-51.

After pausing briefly after the reading to pray a silent prayer for strength, he continued. To the best of my knowledge, Jesus has never submitted a retraction of these words, and I certainly will not presume to submit one for Him.

To you, the faithful members of this body, I regret to inform you that church, as we have known it, will most likely not continue after today. If you desire a further explanation, I would be happy to speak to you individually at the conclusion of this service which will follow our closing prayer.

"Dear Lord, I thank you for the privilege you have given me