Roadies
Ranger Station
The trip took a toll on everyone. There wasn’t any movement until after nine-thirty the following morning. Seth unzipped his tent and poked his head out to see the morning view. The sun reflected off the tall trees surrounding the meadow. A light mist rose from the knee-high grass.
Seth stared for a moment. He tapped Megumi’s leg. “Hey, Megumi, you have to see this… This is California. Come look at it.” He heard her moving around inside.
Megumi crawled underneath Seth and poked her head out from the tent. Seth looked down and saw a smile grow across her face, but it quickly turned to concern. She looked up at Seth while pointing in the meadow.
Seth looked up to see a figure approaching in the distance. He grabbed his binoculars and gave a look. “No way… is that Randy?” He crawled from of the tent, and took another look to confirm. Randy waved. Seth handed the binoculars to Megumi and ran out to the middle of the meadow to meet him. He fell and rolled in the wet grass, letting out a little yell, but quickly popped back up and continued into the meadow. They hugged and shook hands.
“Good to see you Seth.”
Seth picked some of the grass off his arm. “I can’t believe you caught up to us.”
Randy took a deep breath and rubbed his neck. “It’s been a journey.”
“Are you alone?”
Randy pointed to the back of the meadow and waved. A group of people came from the trees. “I brought these people from West’s church.”
Seth rubbed his chin. “How did you do that? Not by yourself?”
Randy smiled. “Of course not.” He raised his right hand and made a circular motion. People stepped from the trees all around the meadow. Each person with a martial arts weapon.
“Whoa. Where did they come from? You’d think this was a movie.”
Randy cleared his throat. “We traveled all night. We need a day to recover.”
“No problem. We’ve taken some hits too.”
They started walking back to the ranger station. Seth asked. “How did you find us? How did you get through the roadblocks?”
Randy laughed. “Steward left a trail for us. It’s only children’s invisible ink, but he used a sponge marker and a spray bottle. If you wear the right glasses you can see everything. If not, you can’t tell anything is there.”
Seth snapped his fingers. “Ah! So that’s why the cop didn’t see anything on the overpass.”
“That’s right.” Randy walked up the steps to the ranger station. “That’s also how we knew you tore up Knight’s Landing. Steward spilled everywhere. He must have been pretty scared.”
One of Randy’s students tossed a small duffel bag onto the porch. Seth opened it, and dumped a pile of bloody bandanas.
Randy shook his head. “They were dumb enough to ask for money, and stupid enough to try and take it.”
Seth nodded toward the meadow. “And the woods leading here?”
Randy shrugged his shoulders. “Just as easy. You guys may have walked single file, but you might as well have left a dear trail. There were broken branches, a few slips and slides from loose footing, and a few people decided to pee on trees. Once we were back on the road we knew we had you, but we stayed in the trees to avoid being seen. It was easy to spot your tents across the meadow.”
They walked inside the ranger station. Randy reached into his shirt pocket. “Oh, Seth, I have something for you.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“Julio asked me to give you this.” Randy handed Seth a picture. “Man does he have good food… and we cleaned out the rest of his garage.”
Seth looked at the photo. “This was on Pier 39. Megumi still had pink in her hair. Andrew you look only about ten… Even Julio looks young and fit.”
Andrew leaned over and looked at the picture. “That was the day I dropped my corndog, but before I could pick it up a seagull swooped in and took it.”
Seth started to laugh. “Man I remember the look on your face. You didn’t know if you should cry, or get mad. Those were the days. There must have been over a hundred sea lions barking.”
Trent walked by and grabbed the photo. “Hey, I’ve been there. I love that place.”
Cruz and Jovel walked in the building. They were talking about the best way to manage the supplies.
“Hey Seth, mind if I see if this TV works?” Andrew turned on the television. “Man… The heaven commercial is still on.”
Seth turned to look, but the screen changed. “Not anymore, check it out.”
A formation of craft hovered over Jerusalem, and a clear bubble dropped from the center craft, dropping to a hundred feet above the dome. The camera zoomed in to a man inside the floating bubble. He stood on a green disc. “My children. . . You need not fear. You should know who I am. I have been watching you since the days when the Morning Stars sang together. That’s why I am sometimes called Morning Star. I am here to be your North Star, but that name is reserved for those who get past the dawn of this new age. Until then, Morning Star is better suited.”
Morning Star looked all around from his view above the city, holding his hands up for the camera. “You can see by the marks in my hands how I wish we didn’t have to live in the flesh. I am grieved. However, the plan of salvation is through the flesh. I will be the advocate for all those who meet with my priests and register for the rapture. I can’t tell you the exact moment we’ll leave. That’s why Father calls it the rapture, but I know my children will be ready. Will you be one of them? Will you help me reach your loved ones before the great throne judgment?”
Seth nudged Randy. “This guy is good. He really knows how to twist it up.”
The disc changed to a light orange, deepening as Morning Star spoke. “I encourage you to meet with my priests. Share your testimony with the world. We will be airing the best testimonials for all to see. Everyone who does not register during the next two months will be brought in for ten days of auditing. If the person doesn’t come around after ten days we will release them to the earth, where they will be left behind. I even had one of my prophets write some recent books about it. You should know what happens to those left behind.”
The bubble shot back up into the craft, and the television returned to the heaven infomercial.
Andrew turned to Seth. “Hey Seth, how do you know this guy is fake? I mean, what if he is the real deal?”
Seth shrugged his shoulders. “If he’s the real then deal we’re screwed. . . Just kidding. Listen, Christ comes at the seventh trump, and when he comes we’re all instantly changed back into our spiritual bodies. As long as you are in the flesh, it is impossible for Christ to have returned. Don’t ever forget that. Besides, the anti-Christ, or Satan, comes at the sixth trump. He comes before Christ returns.”
Trent turned to say something, but Bruce stomped in, right past everyone to Seth. “I heard our group just grew.”
Seth motioned toward Randy. “Bruce, this is Randy. He’s an old friend of mine. He’s friends with West and Steward too. They followed us from markings Steward left.”
Bruce looked, but refused to shake hands. “Nice to meet you.” He turned and marched outside. Seth nodded for Cruz to follow him.
*****
Cruz chased Bruce around the corner. Bruce kicked the dirt. “I told you we shouldn’t have brought them!”
Nico spit out a piece of grass, and turned to Bruce. “Listen man, I’ve had enough of you.”
Cruz tried to stop him. “Nico! Come on man, not now.”
Nico started toward Bruce. “He’s so self-righteous.”
Bruce rolled up his sleeves. “I don’t want to fight man, but I’ll hurt your little…”
Cruz stepped between Nico and Bruce. “Enough already!”
*****
Seth came around the corner to investigate the commotion. “Hey! Hey! What the? What is going on here?”
Cruz let go of them. “Nothing Seth. Nothing.”
Seth threw his arms in the air. “Come on guys. Didn’t you guys see the TV? That’s the battle ahead of us. And do you have any clue how hard it is going to be just to get back to Highway 80? After that we still have to clear the summit. If we’re fighting ourselves now, then we already lost. Listen. We can’t fight unless it’s to protect each other. Is that clear?”
Nico started to say something, but Cruz kicked his foot and answered instead. “Yes Seth, we’re cool.”
“Alright.” Seth started to turn and walk away.
Bruce clenched his fists, and blurted. “Do you think God will bless your trip if you have openly gay people in your group?”
Everyone stopped.
“Bruce!” Seth turned around and didn’t hear West walk around the corner behind him. “Listen. I don’t go to the same church as they do, but I also don’t go to the same church as you do. I think it’s becoming clear where we are in the Bible, and we are going to have to work together if we want to make it to our destination. I’m sorry if it bothers you, but I assure you that God is not going to zap us because West, Steward, and a few others are going our direction.”
West cleared his throat. “Is there a problem Seth?”
Seth jumped and turned. “West! Dude. No. Everything is fine. I want to talk to the group though. I think we need to clear the air about this. I want to make sure we’re all on the same page regarding this journey. It’s quickly becoming apparent this is biblical in nature.”
Everyone gathered in front of the porch. Seth stood by the front door and scrolled through his phone. He said. “I'm going to pull something from the Bible, but it's not going to be what some of you expect. So listen close. There is a story in the book of Luke about a woman who survived seven husbands. The custom was for a brother to marry, and she worked her way through the family. Well, the leaders of the church were trying to challenge Christ, so they asked Him which man she would be married to in heaven? After all she has seven choices. Let me tell you what He said?” Seth looked around to make sure everyone was listening. “He said the children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.”
He put the phone in his pocket. “Do you know why? Our spiritual body is not male or female.”
Bruce asked. “What are we then, Barbie dolls?”
“Come on Bruce. We are still us, but in our spiritual body. We will have relationships, and even family ties, but we don’t have to give and take in marriage because we don’t have to make any babies. The Father created all the souls long ago. Everybody’s soul is an eternal being. We don’t age from a physical standpoint. Procreation is for this time in the flesh.”
Andrew asked. “So we are all the same age?”
“More or less. Could you imagine what a one million year old person would look like if we aged? Listen, Jesus was in His early thirties during His ministry, and encounters with angels always feature young adults. Those are our examples. The spiritual body is mature, and doesn’t erode. In Luke Jesus told us it is now, during this world, that the children marry. That’s because procreation is how all the souls can come here over time, each starting with an innocent mind.”
Andrew scratched his head. “Why?”
“If we didn’t die then everyone ever born would still be here. You wouldn’t have to believe in God, you could go talk to Him directly. Do you follow me? Later in heaven we will all be together at the same time, and we will all be the same age. I’m sure we will have relationships, because that’s what people do, but we won’t be making babies. All souls already exist. Including those not here yet. We’re His children. Later we will inherit and populate the earth.”
Rick raised his hand. “I’m lost Seth. What does this have to do with being Gay?”
Seth rubbed his hands together. “Rick, Jesus was teaching male and female reproduction is for this world. It’s how we make our family tree, and it is how the plan of salvation is able to allow all souls to experience life in the flesh. Some souls are masculine, and others feminine. Some like chocolate and some hate ginger. When God puts the soul in each body, it isn’t always what we would want. That is a condition of the internal being, not sexual activity.”
Bruce shook his finger at Seth. “So, you’re saying people are born gay?”
“I definitely believe for the majority it is a defiant choice, and in those cases they are taking advantage of a condition that a minority truly experiences. There are numerous cases of children who are diagnosed with Gender Identification Disorder long before their sexual development. My opinion is for them the disorder is in the gender they received for this age, not their brain or soul. Part of our test here is to recognize who we are. Some tests are harder than others.”
A small hand rose from the crowd, catching Seth’s attention. “Yes, Danny.”
“But the Bible says…”
Seth cut him off. “The Bible says we are to behave a certain way. Each of us have plenty of behaviors that need adjusting, but I will cede this: there will be no inappropriate behavior in our camp, by anyone.”
“How are you going to stop that?” someone asked.
Seth looked around and opened his arms. “People. Our timeline is only a couple of months. We can do anything for a couple months. I’m not the one who put this team together, so it’s not my rules we’re going to fly by. We have to agree this is His team, and if we go forward as a team we are obligated to stay within the guidelines. Realistically, we have to put away our personal preferences. We have to don our Gospel Armor if we intend to make any progress.”
Amy stepped forward. “Don’t ever forget… West is the one who stopped and picked us up. God knows what those people might have done, or where we would be right now? But we’re here. We’re safe. And we owe it to West.”
Seth looked at Randy. “Sorry. I’m sure this is a little biblical for your taste, but everyone here studies the same book, so…”
Randy held his hand up to stop him. “It’s okay Seth. We’ve been training for this too. A little differently maybe, but you don’t have to apologize. Perhaps we’re heading into the great battle we used to always talk about?”
Seth smiled. “Thanks Randy.” He scanned the crowd. “Okay. Are we all on board with this? No PDA. That’s public, or private, displays of affection. Agreed?”
Everyone agreed.
“Great. Our relationship from today is as brothers and sisters. That means all of us. Those who can’t, or don’t want to adjust, can turn back now, or continue past Stampede off into the Nevada desert.”