by Goodwin,Mark
“Sounds like a plan.” Everett pulled the wheel hard to take the next curve. The tires squealed.
“They’re picking up speed, also.” Kevin kept Everett briefed on the position of the Hummer so he could focus on the tight curves of the pavement.
Everett pushed the pedal all the way down as he came out of the curve and onto a short stretch of straight, even road. He hit the brakes going into the next curve then gunned the gas again. Suddenly, the truck pulled to the right, pushing Everett onto the shoulder. “Woe! There goes the power steering again.”
Kevin braced himself on the dashboard and the back of his seat. “I don’t think it’s the steering.”
Everett accelerated nervously, not feeling comfortable to drive at such high speeds when the steering was not working properly. “Why? What do you think it is?”
Kevin shook his head. “I’m not sure, but the Hummer swerved at almost the same time we did. Like they got hit by a wind gust, and the trees all shook, also.”
Everett looked at the trees before him. “I don’t think the wind is blowing.” Suddenly the wheels shifted again, but more violently, shaking the truck so bad that some of the wood on top of the cargo went rolling out of the bed of the truck, nearly sending Everett off the road. He had no choice but to hit the brakes.
Kevin held on tightly to the back of his seat. “They just went off the road. A huge crack just opened up in the pavement. We’re having an earthquake!”
“Are they still coming?” Everett asked.
“Yep, they’re pulling back on the road. Go, go, go!”
Everett hit the gas again, but kept it slow to deal with the earth moving beneath the truck. As he came around the next curve, he saw a massive landslide moving down from the cliff above. His instinct was to slam the brakes, but he knew this was his one chance to lose the Humvee. He pushed the pedal to the floor and gritted his teeth. “Hang on!”
Kevin saw the earth giving way in front of them and turned away.
Small pieces of dirt and rock hit the windshield from the left as the truck collided with a wave of debris, which was racing down the hillside. Suddenly, Everett was driving in a complete haze, unable to see the road. He took his foot off the gas, but kept moving forward, hoping he wouldn’t go over the cliff to his right.
Soon, the darkness faded and he could see the faint yellow lines which indicated the road. The pavement was still moving and large cracks were appearing, one after the other. Everett had to swerve into the other lane to avoid a vast chasm from where the road had given way and descended down the hill to his right.
“We lost them. You can slow down.” Kevin continued to watch behind them.
“I want to get as far as we can. I have a feeling we won’t make it all the way home.”
“Okay, but take it slow. We can always walk, even if we have to leave the supplies behind. But if you’re going too fast and go over the cliff, we’re done for.”
Everett took his foot off the gas and drove more cautiously as the earth continued to shake. As he came around the next curve, a large mass of trees, roots, rock, and mud blocked the road. The pavement disappeared under the mess as if the builders of the road had just given up at that very spot. It was as if there had never been any route through this particular stretch of the mountains. Everett drove to the edge of the solid mass of earth and stone, stopping just short of hitting it. “Do you think the comets could have triggered the quake?”
Kevin looked all around as if he were wondering where the next threat would appear from. “I don’t know, but the sky is falling in, the earth is giving way beneath us, and we’re being pursued by Satan’s henchmen. I guess this is officially an apocalyptic nightmare. We need to get our packs and keep moving.”
Everett nodded and began to open his door. Another tremor began to shake the earth once more, rocking the truck. Everett looked up to see more debris rushing down toward the vehicle. “Get out! Go!” He pushed Kevin out the open passenger’s side door and followed him. Everett sprinted behind Kevin, down the hillside, trying to outrun a wave of falling rocks and dirt. Everett hit a sleek spot and lost his footing. He fell back on his butt and slid for another five feet, stopping himself by grabbing a sapling. The earth quit shaking and Everett looked behind him. The landslide had also ceased.
Kevin walked over to Everett and helped him up. “Are you hurt?”
Everett’s adrenaline was still pumping. He was shaking like a leaf. He ran his hands along his legs and torso, finding no blood. “I don’t think so.”
“Okay, let’s get moving.” Kevin led the way back up the hill.
Everett’s legs were still shaking from the utter terror he’d just experienced, but he fought to keep up with Kevin. When they reached the truck, it had been moved into the other lane by the impact of a four-foot high boulder which had smashed into the driver’s side door. The windshield was shattered and the driver’s side door had been pushed all the way into the steering column. Everett took a moment to survey the damage, knowing that he would be dead, had he not moved out of the way before the giant rock collided with the vehicle. He crawled through the passenger’s side to retrieve his HK rifle and pack. He handed the AK to Kevin, along with his pack.
Kevin put his pack on and picked up his AK. “We’re probably going to be getting some aftershocks, so be ready.”
Everett put on his backpack and looked up at the sky just as another large fireball streamed overhead. “There goes another one. This isn’t over with yet.”
The two men began carefully climbing onto the hill of solidified mud, rock, and debris. It resembled a dam that a mammoth beaver might have built. The mountain of earth and rock that had slid onto the road was more than fifteen-feet high. As they approached the top, Everett could see that the landslide extended for roughly seventy yards. Anyone buried on the road below would never be found.
Kevin stayed low to the ground as he worked his way through the trees and roots sticking out of the mud. “How could such a colossal asteroid field get so close to earth without it being detected?”
Everett followed Kevin’s path. “The GR knew. They just didn’t bother to tell any of the rest of us. For all we know, the meteorites we’ve been seeing could be the remains of a larger comet. Perhaps they nuked a bigger asteroid that was on a collision course with earth. Whatever happened, you can bet they knew about it before hand. You saw the seismic isolators being put in the foundations of the new buildings in DC. Luz and his minions are reading Revelation like a playbook.”
Kevin kept moving. “Yeah. It’s hard to understand how they can put so much faith in the prophecies of the book and still think they have a chance at winning.”
“I suppose Luz looks at it from the standpoint of seeing how many souls he can drag down with him.”
“Yep. You’re probably right.” Kevin reached the end of the mud, rock, and tree roots and began to work his way down from the mound. “At any rate, all of this destruction is going to put a damper on Luz’s plans.”
Everett slung his rifle over his back so he could use both hands to hang onto roots and limbs sticking out of the mud as he descended the immense field of wreckage. “If we saw that many meteorites in the daylight, you can bet there were a lot more outside of the atmosphere. I guarantee Luz is missing a good number of his satellites. He’ll be confined to terrestrial communications and surveillance until he can get replacements into orbit.”
Once they reached the bottom of the mudslide they stopped to look for the road. Kevin took out his compass to check their general direction. He furrowed his brow as he looked toward the afternoon sun. “Something isn’t right.”
Everett looked down the hill in search of the place where they’d find the pavement. “What do you mean?”
“Look at my compass. If that’s west, the sun should be way over there, much closer to due west. It’s way off to the south, almost like you’d expect it to be for the winter solstice. Today is the spring equinox. That just isn’t right.”
Everett wasn’t that well versed in celestial navigation, but trusted what Kevin was telling him. “Could the earth has been shaken so bad that it moved the poles?”
Kevin looked at his compass again. “I guess that would explain it. Even if Luz has any satellites remaining, the GPS functionality won’t be worth a dime.”
Everett finally spotted an area where the trees were thinner. “I think that’s the road down there. Let’s check it out.”
The two men quickly worked their way down the hill and found the place where the pavement began. They walked quickly in the direction of their destination.
“Do you have any idea how far we are from the cave?” Everett asked.
Kevin shook his head. “We’ve been on this road twice. I’m not that familiar with the landmarks.”
“Not that the landmarks are still in the same place as they were an hour ago.” Everett joked.
“Yeah. And I don’t remember the roads being in this bad of a condition.” Kevin snorted. “Figuring the time it took us to get to Lloyds’ and the time we left, I’m guessing we’ve got about two or three miles to the cave. We should be able to make it in an hour or so. Of course, that’s assuming we don’t hit anymore major obstacles.”
While the pavement was more than adequate for foot traffic, the massive buckles, fissures and up-ended segments would make navigation by vehicle extremely tricky. The two men had to walk around several gapping crevices where the surrounding asphalt looked unstable.
The men concentrated on moving as quickly and safely as they could for the next half hour. Everett paused. “I smell smoke.”
Kevin nodded. “Yep. Forest fire. I bet one of those meteors started it.”
“Or there could be multiple fires, started by multiple comets.” Everett resumed walking, now with more determination. “Either way, we better get back to the cabin and hope we can clear out a large enough area to keep the fire from burning it.
“If it’s still there.” Kevin had just verbalized a fear that Everett did not want to confront just yet. If the cabin was in danger, that meant Courtney was in danger. There was nothing he could do to help her at the current time and he did not want to think about what might have happened to her in the quake.
Their steady, even pace turned into a light sprint as they made their way toward the cave, and ultimately the cabin. After twenty minutes more, they reached the location where the trail head was that led to the cave. As they looked down toward the stream, they saw the green truck.
Kevin pointed. “The girls are here.”
Everett raced down the hill to find Courtney sitting next to Sarah at the edge of the creek.
Courtney turned to see him and jumped up to run toward him, wrapping both arms around him as they collided. “You’re alive!”
Sarah sprinted to meet Kevin and embraced him, also. “We were so worried. The meteors, the quake.”
Everett kissed Courtney then looked at Sarah. “They may have saved our lives, actually.”
“How’s that?” Courtney inquired.
Everett told her of the GR Humvee that had been chasing them when the quake began and how the Hummer had most likely been buried in the landslide.
Kevin looked toward the truck. “We need to get back to the cabin. There’s a forest fire burning and it could be coming this way.”
The four of them rushed to the truck and began driving back in the direction of the cabin. Sarah drove the truck. The roads were in bad condition, and she couldn’t go faster than five miles per hour as she had to continually drive from side to side to negotiate through the cracks and crevices. They drove past Elijah’s house.
“I think we should stop and check on Elijah.” Courtney’s tone was insistent.
An ancient oak had fallen and was blocking Elijah’s drive, so Sarah pulled up to the edge of the downed branches. Courtney jumped out of the truck and ran to the house. Everett got out and followed her, with Sarah and Kevin close behind him.
Courtney knocked at the door and Elijah answered. “Is everyone all right?”
Courtney turned to look at the others walking up the drive. “Yeah. We’re all okay.”
Elijah lifted his hands to heaven, “Glory to God Almighty who has protected us from the perils of this judgement.”
“Yes, praise God.” Kevin approached the porch. “We smelled smoke when we were coming back, so there may be a fire coming. We’re going to go check the cabin and clear the trees back in case it’s coming this way.”
“What will you use?” Elijah asked.
“Axes and shovels. That’s what we have to work with,” Everett said.
“I’ve got a chainsaw.” Elijah smiled.
Everett’s eyes showed his joy. “Of course you do.”
Elijah put his finger in the air. Wait one moment for me. I’ll fetch it. We’ll get your place cleared out, and then come up here and see what needs to be cleared.”
Minutes later, the five of them were down the mountain, at the cabin. The structure was still standing, but Everett could see that the roofline was crooked. He walked up the stairs to the porch and was greeted by Danger.
“Cupcake! Come here.” Sarah knelt down to hug and kiss the animal when he ran to her.
Everett opened the door to see that everything that had been on a shelf was now on the floor. Broken glass laid all over the cabin. He walked carefully through and looked up into the loft. Sox peeked cautiously over the edge, and down at Everett, as if he suspected that Everett could have somehow been the cause of all the commotion. “Glad to see that you’re safe.”
The cat turned and sauntered off to go lie back down on the bed, no doubt. Everett went back outside with the others. “It’s a mess in there, but we’ll get it cleaned up. Everybody is still alive and that’s what counts.”
The next few hours were spent clearing trees in the immediate vicinity of the house. Next, they cleared the trees and brush around Elijah’s house until dark. When that was finished, everyone was completely exhausted, but inside, the homes still had to be straightened up somewhat before anyone could rest. The five of them worked to clean up the mess in Elijah’s house first then the old prophet assisted them in clearing the rubble from Everett’s cabin. Once finished, Everett washed up and went to sleep.
CHAPTER 13
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Revelation 8:1-6
The fires burned all through the mountains on the days following the great earthquake and the meteor shower, but by God’s grace, they never threatened the side of the mountain where Everett’s and Elijah’s homes were. Nevertheless, the thick blanket of smoke and ash was inescapable. A rain storm which lasted from Friday night through Saturday morning finally quelled the fires and provided them some respite from the ash and smoke.
The only information the group was able to gather was from the occasional ham operator in the area. None of the Global Republic’s affiliate stations were broadcasting.
The group had spent the week cleaning up the mess and making structural repairs to shore up the cabin, which had been severely shaken and left out of plumb, as well as unleveled.
For the most part, things were back in working order by the following Saturday. Everett and Kevin used a log, leaned at forty-five degrees, as a brace against one wall that seemed to have shifted more sinc
e the quake. The log was from one of the trees they’d cut the previous Saturday, when clearing the area around the cabin to prevent fire reaching their home. Once it was hammered into place with the sledge hammer, Everett would be finished with all he’d hoped to accomplish for the day.
Courtney came outside. “Don’t forget we’re supposed to be at Elijah’s for Passover dinner in an hour.”
“That’s right. Thanks for reminding us.” Everett leaned the sledge hammer up against the log.
Kevin pursed his lips. “I guess we won’t have time to drive down towards Woodstock. I wanted to see if the road was clear. This is the first day the smoke has been clear enough to drive on these busted up roads.”
“Yeah, me too. Let’s get cleaned up really quick and take a drive down the mountain.”
Both men rushed to get ready. When they told the girls of their plan, Courtney and Sarah insisted on riding along. The four of them got in the green truck. Kevin drove.
Everett sat in the passenger’s seat and tried the radio, once more as he kept hoping to find a station that had come back on the air. The rumors traveling across the local hams ranged from DC being completely destroyed to everything west of the San Andreas Fault being five feet under water. As he scanned the AM frequencies, suddenly he heard a faint signal. He hit the button once more and picked up a station. “I think we’ve got something. It must have just came back on line. I checked all the AM frequencies this morning!”
“. . . Puente Hills thrust fault completely leveled the city of Los Angeles when it was triggered by last week’s global mega quake.
Tsunami waves which hit the LA coast were not as high as the fifteen-foot wall of water which rushed the upper West Coast of North America, pushing up to five feet of water into the streets of Seattle and Vancouver, via the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Sea water also rushed up the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, devastating the city of Portland. The loss of life from the combined effect of the quake and tsunami in Santa Cruz, San Francisco, and Monterey is also thought to be near total.
