CHAPTER 11
Ryan reclined at his living room desk, resting his right hand on the right page of his Bible. He had purchased it that afternoon and had been reading it for hours--mostly the Book of Revelation. At the suggestion of Monica, he had also read the books of Daniel, Zechariah, Joel, and certain chapters in Isaiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, 1st Corinthians, and 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.
It’s all coming true, he thought. Or about to! The Rapture’s already happened, and the Tribulation’s about to start, I can see. He took a deep breath. It’s amazing how much of the Bible consists of prophecy! I never would have believed it.
Ryan shook his head as he rested one hand on the desk’s smooth surface and reached down with the other to scratch his thigh. It was scary to know all these terrible things were going to happen soon. Everything was so real, so urgent. He’d been praying and studying since he got back from Israel. He couldn’t believe how good it felt to be aware of God's everlasting love. Deep joy sprang out from--where, he didn't know.
Ryan ran a yellow highlighter over yet another Bible passage. When the ink didn’t come out as clearly as before, he chuckled slightly as he looked at the felt tip. He should have known he’d run out of ink sooner or later.
Before he could get up to replace the highlighter, someone pounded on his door. Ryan jumped. Whoever it was had to be in an awfully big hurry to see him, judging from the pounding.
Ryan made his way to the door. When he opened it, Kristen stood there. Her face was pale, and she leaned against the doorframe for support. Dozens of thoughts and emotions piled in his brain at once.
He’d forgotten to call her! She must be so worried! Yet what he saw before him went beyond worry. As she leaned against the doorframe, panting, terror etched her eyes. At that same moment, he realized just how his newfound faith would affect his relationship with Kristen.
He hurriedly shoved that thought from his mind. “Kristen! Are you all right?”
Kristen nodded. “Physically.” Her voice shook.
Ryan gently led her inside. Whatever could have happened to upset her so? he wondered.
“What's wrong?” he asked gently, setting her down on the couch. The mattress sagged underneath him as he sat down beside her.
Kristen stared at him for a moment. Her normally confident bluish-gray eyes were wide and fearful. Ryan had never seen her like this before. He tensed, wondering what could have happened that would do this to her.
Her fear started rubbing off on Ryan. Chills ran down the length of his spine. Something was wrong, very wrong. She shifted her gaze away from him and began studying her watch, twisting it in circles around her wrist.
For a long moment, Ryan wondered if she was upset at him for not calling, but such irritation wouldn’t produce this kind of fear, would it? Then, without warning, Kristen burst into tears.
Ryan put his arms around her. “Shh,” he said softly. “It’s all right, Kristen; whatever it is, it’s gonna be O.K.”
Her sobs didn't subside or stop. Ryan gently rocked her back and forth, praying silently that his attempts at comforting her would work. Kristen buried her face in his shoulder, weeping convulsively.
“Ryan,” she finally managed to say though her tears as she pulled away, wiping her eyes. “I found out something today...something important...and it’s just so scary...so awful...”
As her voice broke, Ryan's mind reeled. What had happened to her? What had she found out? Who had done this to her? At that last thought, he felt his temper rise. Someone was responsible for her fear! He struggled to keep from letting his sudden anger show.
She was so upset she didn't seem to notice. “Did you know...” she began, “...that our boss...” She paused for a moment. “...worships Satan?” She stared down at her lap as she spoke.
Ryan was alarmed. He’d learned that after becoming a believer. Discovering this as a vulnerable unbeliever had to have devastated her.
Suddenly, he realized something. Discovering this as an unbeliever--of course! Kristen was an unbeliever! Old doubts rose to the surface. How had she found out, anyway? Puccini wouldn’t have told her unless he had taken her into his confidence...
That was highly unlikely, he knew--her tumult of emotions made it clear that she'd found out by accident. Yet the thought rang in his mind. Kristen was an unbeliever! He needed to talk to her, tell her what he knew. But right now, she needed to talk to him.
“What?” he asked, the shock in his voice real. “How do you...what makes you...how did...” Ryan started at least three sentences, finishing none of them.
Kristen took a deep, shuddering breath. “I smelled marijuana in Puccini’s office, and after he left I started looking through his desk. I thought I might be able to find evidence of drug use. I’m not sure what I would have done if that was all I found...and I’m still not sure what I’m gonna do now.”
Ryan understood, and he couldn't put her through having to explain what happened next. “And you found some items that hinted at Satan worship.”
“Hinted?” exclaimed Kristen. “Ryan, there was a complete book of occultic practices in there! An actual how-to book on worshipping the devil! And some other objects I can’t describe to you, but the sight of that book clinched it for me.” She took a deep, shuddering breath and leaned her elbow on the couch’s left arm. With her right hand, she wiped her eyes. Ryan handed her a Kleenex; she nodded her thanks and dabbed her eyes.
As Kristen blew her nose, Ryan sat there, unsure what to say. He’d been expecting something like this, ever since his discussion with Monica on the plane. There would come a time, he knew, when Puccini would be indwelt by Satan, so it stood to reason that the man already worshiped the being. Ryan bit his lip--it was past time he told Kristen the truth. The whole truth. Silently, he prayed for guidance as to how to begin. The mattress sagged anew as he shifted position to face his colleague.
“Kristen,” he began, “there's something we have to talk about.”
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Richard tossed his pilot cap on the bed. “That’s not all.” He took a deep breath. “There’s a couple of nuts preaching on the Temple Mount. They started just the other day, while we were in Israel.” He shook his head.
Christina nodded. “I’ve been expecting that.” She gazed down at the bed as she spoke, twisting strands of hair around her index finger.
“And why is that?” Richard whirled to face her. “And don’t give me that religious garbage again!”
Narrowing her eyes, Christina pursed her lips and said nothing. She turned to face the window once more.
“I said, why is that?” Richard rushed toward her and grabbed her shoulders. He pivoted her to face him. “I asked you a question, Christina!”
Christina shrugged. “Yes, but you won’t like my answer.”
Richard turned her loose. “I was right. It’s that religious garbage again. You’re right, I won’t like your answer. I won’t ask you again.” His voice was ice-cold.
Without a word, Christina trudged out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Richard followed her, rage consuming his heart once more. This was too much!
“Christina, I’ve had it.” As he clenched his fists, he forced himself to keep his voice low instead of shouting. “You’ve become a religious fanatic, and I can’t stand it!” He shook her by the shoulders. “I won’t have any more of this! You hear me? I will not!”
“Stop it!” Christina covered her ears with her hands and scrooged her eyes shut. “I can’t stand it either, the way you constantly bully me and hassle me about my new faith! I’m not going to give it up, Richard, so please, just stop! I mean it!”
Richard raised his fist to strike her; she took a step backward and covered her face. “You--you--!” Despite his efforts, he started shouting. “You’re ruining our marriage with this--this--fanaticism! This worthless belief in a mythical God! I mean it, I’m not going to have it, Christina!”
Christina glared at him, her face beet-red. “Answer me this, Richard!” She took a deep breath, clenching and unclenching her fists. “If God is mythological, then how do you account for the fact that the prophecies in the Bible have just happened to come true?” She took another deep breath. “They have, you know! Every single one!”
Richard grabbed a newspaper and hurled it against the wall. Christina flinched as it slid to the floor. “Christina Daly, if you believe that, then those religious nuts have truly brainwashed you.” He seethed with rage. “You want our marriage to last, you’d better reconsider that stuff they fed you with, fast!”
Christina took two steps toward him, her eyes narrowed into tiny slits. “Listen to me, Richard. If you truly loved me as you said you did, you wouldn’t give me such a hard time about my new faith. It’s the only thing that’s getting me through this devastating time, so just shut up about it! I won’t talk to you about God and the Bible if you don’t want, but don’t tell me not to believe anymore! Because I won’t.”
Richard ground his teeth. “Very well. I’ll stop.” He took a deep breath as he glared at her. “This is it--our marriage is over! I’m going to pack my bags right now, and move out. You want to go out by yourself, be my guest--see if I care!” He kicked the couch. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer this week.” He turned and stormed out of the room.
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Kristen stared at Ryan. What did they need to talk about? Her mind swam with possibilities and questions. Yet she only let her eyes betray her confusion. She was the picture of calm in every other way. She pressed one hand on top of the other and took a deep breath. Ryan bit his lower lip and shifted position once more, clearly agitated.
“What about?” She forced herself to ask the question calmly, although her mind was whirring so fast she could barely get the words out of her mouth. Now was the time to think rationally, not give into emotion. “What do you need to tell me?” She tilted her head as she spoke.
Ryan took a deep breath, and began talking. “It’s this, Kristen. I’ve...well...I’ve mistrusted Puccini for quite some time. I’ve even gotten a hint or two that he’s downright evil. But I didn’t expect anything like this...until today.” He leaned against the back of the chair and pressed his fingers against the mattress underneath. “When we were returning from Israel.”
Kristen was confused. He’d suddenly started expecting to find out that his boss was a Satan-worshipper today? “Until today?” she echoed, hating doing it. She hated having to turn into a parrot in the middle of a fact-finding tour.
Ryan nodded. “You see...today, enroute from Israel, I learned the truth about Puccini. Just as you did, but not in such a direct way.”
Ryan was trying to explain, Kristen could see that. But he wasn't doing a very good job. Kristen could normally find something intelligent to say during every conversation, but she was lost with a capital L, so all she could think so say was, “Huh?” She gazed at him with a quizzical expression.
Ryan breathed a long sigh. “I learned that Puccini...” Tapping her hand on her lap, Kristen gave him an impatient look. “...is the Antichrist prophesied in the Bible.”
Now some things made sense, but other things were even more confusing. Her mom had always spouted off words like “Antichrist” and “end-times prophecy,” but then her mom had always been the religious type. And somehow she just couldn't see Ryan as being the religious type.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Kristen held her hand up. “Hold on. Last people I heard talking like that were the ones who disappeared, and the few religious nuts popping up here and there.”
Ryan smiled slightly. “Then I guess you haven’t heard about those guys at the Wailing Wall,” he said.
Kristen nodded. She’d heard of them--they’d suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the other day, preaching like crazy. Speaking out against Puccini and proclaiming Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. “I’ve heard of them,” she said. “Like I said, the religious nuts popping up here and there. I saw them on the news channel yesterday.”
Ryan shook his head; he was smiling, but his eyes were sad. Gazing down at his lap, he said, “Let's put it this way. Just today, I started agreeing wholeheartedly with those two at the wall.”
Kristen's eyes widened. No way! Ryan had turned into a religious nut right under her nose. Unbelievable! Then again, if those kooks at the wall were right about one thing, then maybe they were right about more than one thing and just didn't know when it was time to shut up.
“Ryan.” Her voice shook as she gaped at him. “Are you serious?”
Ryan nodded solemnly. “Yes,” he said softly. “Deathly serious.” He looked straight into her eyes.
Kristen shuddered. Ryan always avoided making references to death whenever possible. The fact that he willingly mentioned it now proved just how real this was to him. “Wow,” was all she could say. “Please tell me--how did you learn of this?”
Ryan paused. “An angel paid me a visit today.” He swallowed. “Monica, my senior flight attendant, is an angel of God. She told me everything.”
“What??!” Kristen gaped at him. "Are you kidding me?"
"No, I'm not. She really is an angel."
Kristen shook her head, disbelief etched on her face. Ryan sighed. For a long moment, he gazed at her as compassion welled up in him. “Kristen, listen to me. I know this is a lot for you to swallow, but let’s think about this rationally for just a moment here. Tell me, was there anyone you know personally; someone who was over the age of 10 and not--as you put it--a religious nut, that disappeared?”
The mattress sagged and creaked underneath, as Kristen shifted position so as to look away from Ryan. For a long moment, she pondered that. It was true. Of course, in some ways his explanation could line up with the whole alien abduction theory, but yet it was just too coincidental. “I get your point,” she said. “So basically there’s too much stuff they’re saying that’s proven correct for anything else to be right.”
“Exactly,” Ryan said. “And if the Christians were right about what was going to happen to them...” His voice trailed off.
Kristen finished for him. “Then their doctrine was probably correct too,” she said softly. She was beginning to get into this idea. And as scary as it was that her boss was probably the Antichrist, at least now she had a support system to fall back on now. “And you’re saying that an angel told you this.”
“Right.” Ryan nodded. “So now, all we have to do is research the Christian doctrine, and we’ll know exactly what's right about this whole thing. That’s what I’ve been doing since I got back. I bought a Bible at one of the local bookstores when we got back from our trip. I could take you to buy one, if you’d like, then we could study it together.”
“O.K.,” Kristen said. “Let’s find a bookstore so I can get one, then let’s get started.”
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As an enraged Richard stomped upstairs, Christina dissolved into a fit of sobs. She rushed out the front door and stumbled down the porch steps. The sunlight flooded into her eyes, hurting them, so she scrooged them shut. Leaning her forehead against a towering oak tree, she silently begged God to do something, fast.
“Please, God, save our marriage!” she whispered, amidst choked sobs. “Please, God, if You really love me as You say You do, don’t let Richard do this!” Convulsive sobs forced their way out of her throat, choking back the rest of what she had intended to pray. She banged her forehead against the tree trunk’s rough bark.
Behind her, Gloria and Andrew stood side by side. Andrew clenched Gloria’s hand and silently prayed. Please, God, don’t take Christina, he begged. Please save her life and her marriage! He gazed at the cloudless sky beseechingly. Next to him, Gloria bit her lower lip.
As the angel of death interceded for Christina and Richard in prayer, a man wearing a leather jacket sneaked up behind Christina, a revolver in his hand. He grabbed her, shoving the revolver into the back of her shoulder. Christina screamed in terror as the man spun her around.
END OF CHAPTER 11