Escaping the Cataclysm

by Keith Robinson

Just as Jeffrey was about to open the door to the room, Noah spoke up once more, his voice infected with foreboding. “I warn you, my friends. Do not let the sons of God learn of your machine. For if they do, they will surely take it from you to use for their own twisted purposes.”

  Throwing one last glance over his shoulder at their host, Jeffrey nodded, and then entered the sleeping quarters. Although he immediately lay down on the bed, sleep eluded him for hours as his mind wrestled with all that they had learned.

  When sleep did finally overtake him, his dreams were fraught with disturbing images of giants and half-human beasts…

  12

  Memories and Premonitions

  While Mack, Noah, and Japheth discussed plans for the next day, the rest of Noah’s family had gone to check on the animals and to douse many of the lanterns that lit the interior of the ship. Rebecca volunteered to go along to help with the chores, as she was glad for the opportunity to be of use. Although she couldn’t speak their language, she simply mimicked Eema’s actions and, before long, became quite adept at dimming the lanterns, checking the quantities of food and water, and shoveling waste into the gutters.

  When Rebecca and the others returned from their chores, they found Noah and Japheth leaning over Mack, who was hunched over and crying softly. Immediately concerned, Rebecca went to her friend and put her hand around his shoulders. At her touch, he looked up at her with a smile on his face.

  “Becky, you were right,” Mack said softly. “I…I should have seen it long before now. I guess I just…just never gave it much thought. But now…I believe!”

  Overwhelmed by emotion, Rebecca felt tears of joy moisten her cheeks as a broad smile spread across her face. “I’m so glad!” Pulling him into a tight embrace, she laughed and buried her face in his curly black hair. Leaning back to hold him at arm’s length, she stared deeply into his strange, greenish-blue eyes. “What made you change your mind?”

  Mack chuckled. “What hasn’t happened to help me change my mind? Everything that we’ve experienced—the dinosaurs, the Tower of Babel, the Ark—has forced me to reevaluate what I believe. It just got to the point that I couldn’t deny it anymore. When it came to religion, it wasn’t that I rejected it, I just…never gave it much thought. Now, after all we’ve been through, I’d have to be dumber than a Gamorrean to not see it.”

  Rebecca raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Well, I don’t know much about the intelligence levels of Gamorreans, but if they’re as thick in the head as a couple of men I know, then they must be pretty slow indeed.”

  Mack grinned. “Yeah, well don’t give up hope on them. They may be slow, but Jeffrey and Jerome are bound to come around. There’s too much evidence.”

  “I sure hope you’re right,” Rebecca said with a sigh. “I just hope they don’t wait too long. Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

  “Actually, that’s one of the things that really pushed me to make a decision tonight,” Mack commented. “The more I talked to Noah about that city and what we’re likely to face tomorrow, I decided that if there is a real God, I want Him on my side!”

  Rebecca smiled at him warmly. “You made the right decision. Welcome to the family.”

  At her words, fresh tears filled his eyes. Dropping his gaze to stare at the floor, he spoke softly. “You don’t know what that means to me.” Wiping the tears away, he looked back at Rebecca. “I don’t think I’ve ever told this to anyone, but…I’ve never really had a family. I never knew my father. He took off as soon as he found out my mom was pregnant with me. And she was messed up with drugs and stuff most of the time. I locked myself in my room so that I wouldn’t have to be around her and her latest boyfriend.”

  Waves of compassion washed over Rebecca as she listened intently. In her mind, she imagined Mack as a boy, his curly hair dangling in front of his chubby little face; his eyes haunted by abandonment. After a moment, he continued, his expression vacant, as if reliving his past pain. “I basically raised myself. I watched hour after hour of TV, particularly the Sci-Fi/Fantasy channel. I especially loved the crazy languages that the aliens, or the elves, or the other fantastic beings would speak. Eventually, I hooked up with some other outcasts at school who were into the same stuff. Nathan and Kayley were bilingual, and they taught me to speak some Spanish and German. Then, we decided to learn Elvish and Klingon, so that we could talk to each other privately when others were around. After awhile, we even made up our own language. Sure, we were geeks, but we had each other. We were our own kind of family.”

  A wistful look spread across Mack’s face. “Eventually, we grew up and went our own ways. Although I didn’t have such great grades, I seemed to have a knack for languages and ended up getting a scholarship to college. I messed up quite a bit, and did a lot of stuff I regret. But no matter what I did, there was always something missing in my life. I never would have admitted it, and I probably didn’t even recognize it myself, but I think what I was looking for more than anything was a family. I wished, just for once, that my mother would tell me how proud she was.”

  Losing his battle to control his emotions, Mack began to weep softly. Pulling him closer, Rebecca hugged him and began to stroke his hair. Taking in a shuddering breath, Mack let it out with a sigh. With his head buried against her shoulder, Rebecca had to strain to hear his next sentence. “I even used to dream that a man would knock on my door. When I opened it, he would introduce himself and tell me that he…that he was my father.” Leaning back, Mack continued speaking; his voice quivered as he struggled to contain his emotions. “Then, he would grab me in his big, strong arms and say, ‘You’ve done good, boy. I’m so proud to know that my son is a college graduate!’ Instead, all I got was a policeman standing at my door and telling me that my mother had died of alcohol poisoning. Instead of my dream of gaining a father, I got news that I was officially an orphan.”

  Several minutes passed in silence as Rebecca comforted her friend and prayed. Finally, he sat up and stared at the floor again, his eyes red and puffy. “Sorry. I don’t know what—”

  Rebecca held up a hand, stopping him mid-sentence. “You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” Grabbing his hands in both of hers, she leaned toward him until their faces were mere inches apart. “Now, listen to me, Mack Nielson. The Bible says that when we accept Christ as our Savior, we are adopted into His family. So you are no longer an orphan. You are the son of the King of Kings. You will never be alone again.”

  As Rebecca’s words worked their way through Mack’s mind and into his spirit, she could trace their progress through the strain of emotions that crossed his features. His initial embarrassment was replaced by confusion, followed rapidly by unworthiness, gratitude, and then joy. His face lit with excitement; he smiled broadly. “Yeah…never alone. And a son of the King. I guess that makes me a prince!”

  Overcome by her own emotions, Rebecca simply nodded. A moment later, movement to her right caused her to look up to see that during her conversation with Mack, Eema, her three sons, and their wives had gathered in the center of the room beneath the shaft that opened to the night air. Noah, who had moved up to stand next to Mack, laid a hand on his shoulder and began to speak.

  “He wants to know if we would join his family in their evening worship,” Mack translated.

  “Please tell him that we would be honored,” Rebecca replied as she and Mack rose from where they were seated on the floor. Taking Mack’s hand in hers, they followed Noah toward the center of the room and took their place in the circle.

  Lifting his hands into the air, Noah began to pray. Although Rebecca could not understand his words, the now familiar sense of peace settled over her as he spoke. As if prompted by some unseen hand, Rebecca, Mack, and the rest of Noah’s family all lifted their hands toward the night sky above them.

  All sense of time vanished as they worshiped. Lost in adulation, Rebecca suddenly felt a change in the presence surrounding them. Fleeting images began to appear before her, as clear as if sh
e were looking at them with her physical eyes. The first image filled her with both joy and concern, for she saw Dr. Eisenberg leaning back against some pillows on a bed, his expression peaceful and his eyes alert. However, as she watched, fear flashed across his features. Dark figures rushed toward him as he struggled to get out of bed, pain suddenly spreading across his face.

  Doc! Doc, no! Rebecca screamed in her mind. As quickly as the image appeared, it was replaced by another.

  Akwen and Lisa sat huddled together in a dark corner, their backs leaning up against a wall of stone with their knees drawn up to their chest. Lisa had one arm around her companion, who simply stared blankly ahead, her expression devoid of emotion even as tears cut wide paths through the dust and grime that covered her face.

  Father, what is happening? Rebecca asked. Why are you showing me these—

  Before she could finish her thought, yet another image invaded her mind. Mack was sobbing uncontrollably on the stone floor of a room that somehow looked vaguely familiar. Several feet away, she could see the form of a man who appeared to have his arms bound above his head, his body stretched to its limit. Then, as the image focused in on the man’s face, the sight caused Rebecca’s heart to nearly break with anguish. Although his face was bloodied and swollen, she could still recognize the strong cheekbones and handsome features that she had once caressed with affection. Powerless to help him, Rebecca merely watched in horror as his face contorted in agony.

  Jeffrey! NOOOO!

  Instantly, the images vanished, leaving her broken and afraid. For what seemed like an eternity, Rebecca stood silent and still, her emotions running out of control until she could no longer feel anything. Then, as if soothing a deep cut, the powerful sense of peace returned and drained away the pain caused by the visions, renewing her spirit. Drinking in the calm assurance, her weeping eased and eventually ceased.

  “Rebecca…Rebecca, are you okay?”

  Coming to her senses, she saw Mack standing in front of her, a concerned expression on his face.

  “Man, you really gave me a scare,” Mack said as he let out a slow breath. “One minute you were standing there with your hands raised, and the next thing I know…you totally zoned out and you had this…weird look on your face.”

  Still shaken by the visions, Rebecca had a hard time comprehending his words. Seeing Noah and his family still standing around her, she attempted a smile of reassurance. Should I tell them about the visions? she wondered. Then, just as clearly as if it had been uttered by an audible voice, she knew the answer. No. Mack is worried enough as it is and his faith is new. And I can’t talk to Noah without going through Mack. Lord, you gave these visions to me. They are my burden to bear. Help us. You know what’s coming. Protect us. Prepare us. And more than anything, don’t let my friends die without knowing you.

  Her face dour, Rebecca turned toward her friend. “Please thank Noah and his family once again for their kindness, and ask them to pray for us.”

  As he studied her face, Mack became serious. “Something happened a moment ago. You didn’t just zone out, did you?”

  “No, I didn’t,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “God was…God wants us to pray. We must be ready for tomorrow, and the best way to do that is to pray.”

  Nodding solemnly, Mack began to translate Rebecca’s request. Kneeling down on the wooden floor, Rebecca bowed her head and began to converse with her Lord. A moment later, nine other pairs of knees joined hers.

  Huddled close together, Rebecca, Mack, Noah, and his family all bombarded heaven for the next hour. The burden to pray was so strong, that even when she had bid the others good night and retired to her bed, she continued to lie awake and pray. For she knew that her life, the lives of her friends, and even their eternal destinies hung in the balance.

  13

  Farewells

  As the first few rays of the rising sun set about their task of chasing away night’s darkness, a gentle hand on her shoulder roused Rebecca from sleep. Turning toward her visitor, she saw Mack crouched next to her bed, his curly hair looking even more unkempt than usual.

  “Sorry to wake you, but Jeffrey and the others want to get going as soon as possible,” he said softly. “Noah says it should be safe in about another twenty minutes. Eema and the other women are making breakfast.”

  Rebecca sat up and ran her hands through her own tangled web of hair. “Thanks for waking me,” she replied, her voice sounding scratchy and dry. “I’ll be out in a moment.”

  Nodding in acknowledgment, Mack stood and retreated out of the darkened room. Kneading the muscles in her neck with her right hand, Rebecca’s thoughts returned to the visions from the night before. The memory of the images had a stimulating effect on her mind, causing all drowsiness to immediately disappear. Closing her eyes once more, Rebecca reiterated the previous evening’s prayers. As before, she felt the comforting presence of God rest upon her. Thank you, Lord. I trust you and know that you’ll see us through.

  Despite the disturbing uncertainty of what might lie ahead, Rebecca was somewhat surprised to find that she had slept soundly and felt completely rested. She wondered briefly if it was due to the oxygen-rich air that filtered down through the opening hatch of the Ark, or from the overpowering peace that dwelled within the ship. Either way, she was thankful for the energy that she knew she would need.

  Pouring some water into the bowl sitting on the small table near the bed, she freshened up as best she could. Thankful for the soft nightgown that Japheth’s wife had loaned her, she turned toward the chair on which she had placed her ripped jeans and dirty t-shirt the night before. To her surprise, she found that while she slept, her clothes had been washed, dried, and folded. Thanking God for the thoughtfulness of Noah’s family, she dressed quickly.

  Crossing to the wooden door at the end of the room, she opened it and stepped out into the common area. Immediately, the pleasant aroma of freshly baked bread assailed her, causing her stomach to growl and her mouth to water in anticipation.

  Upon seeing Rebecca enter the room, Eema greeted her with a smile and motioned for her to sit on the cushions. Jeffrey, Jerome, Mack, and Goliath were already seated and appeared to be discussing with Noah a map that was spread out on the floor before them while the final preparations for breakfast were made.

  As Rebecca approached the circle, Noah stood and bowed his head slightly in respect. Noticing that the others did not stand or hardly even acknowledge her presence, Noah raised his eyebrows questioningly and spoke in a firm voice. Embarrassed, Mack translated as he stood. “It is our custom to show honor to our women by standing while they are seated. Although this may seem odd to you, I would respectfully request that you honor this tradition while you are my guests.”

  The men quickly rose to their feet at their host’s admonition. Unaccustomed to such attention, Rebecca was both honored and self-conscious. Thanking Noah, she quickly sat down. When the others were seated once more, they resumed their conversation. As they spoke, Jerome turned to her and began to fill her in on what she had missed.

  “Good mornin’. Nice of you to join us,” he said lightheartedly. Becoming suddenly more serious, he added, “Noah just finished showing us a map of the city, the best way to get to Arngrim’s shop, and what sections of the city to avoid. As Noah stated before, the shop lies near the heart of the city and reaching it in one piece is going to be tricky. Noah suggests we hire a couple of bodyguards to take us.”

  Rebecca frowned at the suggestion. “And how are we going to pay for that? Somehow I don’t think they’ll accept my Visa card.”

  Jerome grinned slightly despite the seriousness of their conversation. “Noah said that he had some currency hidden down in the cellar of his house. Even though the house is burned to a crisp, he said that the cellar should still be intact. He’ll get us the money before we leave.”

  Apologizing for breaking up the conversations, Eema politely announced that breakfast was finally ready. Rolling up the map, Noah plac
ed it on a shelf against the wall as Shem’s wife pulled a string attached to a series of bells placed strategically throughout the ship. By the time the table was completely set, Noah’s three sons had returned from their errands.

  Once everyone had gathered around in the circle, Noah offered thanks to God as he had done the evening before, then broke the first loaf of bread and invited everyone to begin eating. Although the visitors were thoroughly enjoying the meal, a sense of urgency was constantly prevalent, causing them to eat with relative haste. Wishing that they had visited under better circumstances, Rebecca was nevertheless in agreement when Jeffrey pushed his plate aside and called for the others to prepare to leave.

  “The sun is almost up,” he said. “We need to finish and get moving.”

  As if wanting to show his willingness to depart at that very instant, Goliath swallowed his last bite and stood. A few moments later, Jeffrey, Jerome, and Mack finished their own breakfast and followed suit, thanking their guests as they stood.

  Conflicting emotions warred within Rebecca. She longed to return to Dr. Eisenberg, knowing that each minute of delay could bring him closer to death, providing he even survived the night. However, the images from her vision were still fresh, reminding her that great danger lay ahead for all of her friends. If only they could freeze time and remain in this place of safety—of peace—among friends. Gently, like a feather brushing against her cheek, a simple phrase passed through her mind, almost as if it had been spoken audibly. Fear not, for I am with you.

  Closing her eyes, Rebecca bowed her head. Yes, Lord. I place my life, and all of our lives, into your hands. Protect us. Despite the uncertainty of their future, she felt her confidence grow. Ready to face whatever might come, she stood up to join the others.

  It appeared to Rebecca that their hosts also seemed reluctant to have their guests leave. However, knowing full well the gravity of the situation, Noah didn’t wish to delay them. As the Patriarch stood, he motioned to the rest of his family, who immediately cleared the floor and began to gather up bundles of cloth and other materials. Confused by their actions, the visitors watched in silence. After a few moments, Noah’s family lined up in front of Rebecca and the others, their arms laden with bundles of leather and cloth.