From Whence They Came

by Thomas Zman

  After some time, from the midst of the sunshine, there begat darkness; a cloud was forming. It widened into a tempest and moved across the sky to finally settle upon the Seven Temples. The people of the Gardens fell to their knees and proclaimed through loud prayer: “Tribulation Come! Tribulation Come!” they resounded repeatedly. Then afar off was answered the call: It being a great wind accompanied by lightning and thunder. The ground began to quiver, then shake violently. The masses silenced their supplications and huddled in fear. I trembled, as did the earth; I held my family in my arms and buried my face. None dared look upon the Holy Wonder as a great violence consumed the Gardens . . . . .

  * * * *

  “Father, is it over?” asked Joshua, after a long while.

  “No, my son. For all, it is the New Beginning!”

  Raising myself to stand, as others around us were doing, I helped my family to their feet and also those nearest to me. I looked to the skies and beheld they were no longer the depths of the ocean, but the steps to Heaven. In the distance across the clouds there lie a great wall of jasper and a magnificent gate, connecting to it a long celestial stairway. The wall stretched infinitely in both directions and towered to staggering heights. I turned my attention back to where we stood, back to the Gardens, to the Temples -- which were no longer -- all transformed were they to a grassy plateau high atop a mountain. There too was a speckling of shoulder-height rock protrusions; and all around us were people gathered by the thousands.

  There came a change over the gathered, the multitudes, as the Choirs of Heaven began to sing. Attention drew skyward wherefrom there appeared a golden beam arching down – though none could look directly upon its source of splendor. The bridge of light sparkled and appeared moving, as does a river flow. The masses parted where the light touched the ground, where the Temples had been. And not a word was spoken.

  It was afar off from whence He came. And He was about half way down the golden arch when the crowds first beheld Him. The fanfare of heavenly harmonies seemingly floated Him down to us in an aura of glory, and all our breaths were momentarily lost, though quickly found again. He came unattended. His hands were lifted high to the masses who had begun to rejoice at the sight of Him and there was heard a mighty voice proclaiming Him above all else:

  “Behold! The Son of God is Come! Halleluiah, Halleluiah!”

  The adoring crowds moved back to allow Him in their midst. And when His feet touched the ground people fell to kiss them. And He blessed them. His face had aged none from the understanding atonement it was two thousand years hence. His hair was dark and straightly combed shoulder length. His head crowned by a golden halo. His eyes were comforting and saw only the good in man; and when He looked upon the masses, a deep emotion swept through every soul. His beard was as it had been – and how men in His day had proudly worn it – short as a purist’s, wise in cut. He was robed in the finest of white linen with tassels at the sleeves. And on His hands were born the marks of suffering, though He showed them not for He needed no proving amongst the masses.

  Jesus drew unto him the worshippers who struggled to touch his Holiness. The closest to the Messiah fell in praise to kiss his hands, his sandals, or hold his robes to their weeping faces. Many tried but could not get close enough because of the crowds, yet were not disheartened. For Christ moved slowly amongst the people, and all who beheld Him with reverence were saved!

  He came upon our Joshua and blessed the boy as He blessed all the children; and our son was deeply moved, filled by the Holy Spirit. April reached out and touched His garments; yet I withheld. He spoke unto all with a voice of confidence, speaking of the City we would all soon enter. And he proclaimed grace upon everyone.

  “Amen!” cried the people, for they had found Salvation in His presence.

  I gazed upon the Messiah with devout reverence, and felt moved by emotion. I was especially touched by his blessing upon our son; but inside of me there persisted a notion, if you will. For not far from our standing I espied a large boulder that rose above all around it. I told April that I should climb it in an attempt to better see the Savior as he greeted and moved amidst the masses.

  A worried look crossed her face.

  Once I had mounted the rock it became increasingly evident that the crowd before us was indeed the entirety of the twelve subterranean cities. Lo, I beheld a marvelous view all round; the sun shining unhindered down upon the great mount, upon the heavenly walls of jasper. Us up here in glory, while heavy clouds obscured all that which lay down below.

  A voice again from above sang out a placid tempo, liquid as free running streams, and the masses accompanied it. I heard the words, but could not feel them; I never recall having ever heard such words. Yet all those beneath me knew them. They sang with great reverence, and all were chaste, for they proclaimed their love of the Messiah.

  Alas, as the chorus arose, I slipped my footing and toppled from the rock, sliding down and landing at the feet of those around. There was no notice of me, for all eyes were upon the Messiah. Alas, there was no pain; just a passing into another awareness. I arose as spirit and the multitudes passed through me, none having any knowledge of my presence. I attempted no conversation, my faculties having become quite dulled.

  It then happened upon me that I must find my way back to my family. All sense of direction had been lost since I could no longer see the great walls of jasper or the sun with its golden arch. The masses continued their praise of the Messiah, thanking the Heavens for sending Him. He was now far from me in another part of the crowd, and as I began to walk there came from above peals of thunder and the voice of angles.

  One great white angel glided numinously through the skies, trailing large wings across his back. He held the eternal gospel in one hand and with the other gestured great affirmance as he called out, “Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of water!”

  When the angel had passed there came a second, over and around the chosen. I listened to his words while progressing ever forward through the figures before me. I heard the small familiar voice crying, “Daddy? Daddy, where are you?”

  “Joshua,” I answered aloud. But he could not hear me and continued to cry.

  “April!” I called. “Wait for me and we shall go together.”

  They could not hear my cries, but I could theirs’; sobbing’s and concerns vivid in my mind. I felt the bond between us slipping. I followed their sorrows through the crowds. I kept calling their names, but finally heard from them no more. The masses were moving, and they with them: A great movement, all-flowing as the gates of Heaven had opened and was now welcoming the chosen.

  There was no stretching forth of a hand inviting me to come. I cried for my family. The emptiness of their loss filled me with anger I thought not possible at a time such as this. Then another angel flew above shouting a third heed, the words of which I took heavy to my heart. In reflection I knew I had led myself astray and conducted myself wrongly in my days; that my exalted rationales and selfishness was indeed my following of the proverbial beast. I continued to mull over my transgressions as I stood at the edge of the great mount and watched the splendor of heaven fade from view.

  And so the Good Shepherd had gathered before him the chosen and delivered them unto Salvation. The purpose of the Sanctification had come to pass and the Scriptures fulfilled. I stood alone on the mount overlooking the world. I cried for my family, but no tears would come. There were others like me, littered about, though none of us spoke. Then there came forth the final series, a multitude of angels who descended upon the earth. And it was with them that . . .

  . . . I am delivered down unto the earth, upon what is left of it. There is blackness and smoldering destruction; sickness as the last of human kind awaits death. I am deposited in a dark, barren area. There is only a gray choking haze to blanket me . . . time begins to slip backwards – and I with it . . .

  Epilogue


  It is several months after the mysterious vanishing of the Valithor. Lieutenant Steve Coleman is found wandering the desert southwest after a violent thunderstorm. He is taken to a hospital where he remembers nothing of his past and is no longer the same man as he once was. Steve recovers and ends up spending a short while in a shelter while taking a job as a cook in one of the area’s local establishments. It is while working there that he meets the recently widowed Jean.

  There is never found any wreckage of the Valithor, nor its pilots Captain Frank Tober and Lieutenant Steve Coleman. The mission categorized a failure. However, the memoirs Steve compiled are mysteriously transcended and edited to book form, wherefrom they eventually find their way to print.