THE DAY: A Novel of America in the Last Days (The End of America Series)

by John Price

  "Because of the meltdowns?"

  "Because of the meltdowns and the radiation which has spread to every area of the nation. We are picking up increasing amounts of latent radiation in the jet stream here in the UK, as you may have heard. Incidentally, Rab, now that I have officially resigned as Chairman of the Office for Nuclear Regulation, I can confirm that all sixteen of the UK’s reactors will be offline and eventually closed down within the next year, just as fast as they can be safely terminated as power sources."

  "Well, breaking news here on the BBC. But Mister Chairman, what will that do to the UK’s electric grid requirements? How can we survive without nuclear…."

  "No, the question is how could we survive with nuclear power. The experience of the Yanks confirms that there are better ways to boil water and make electricity than nuclear radiation. We will suffer a great deal in the days ahead, not quite going back to the middle ages, though for many it will seem like it. We’ll all….humph….we’ll just have to soldier on."

  "Mister Chairman, thanks so much for joining us this evening, any parting words in the last few seconds?"

  "Yes….actually. I’m not a religious man, certainly. But recently a nephew of mine, one of the funda….evangel….you know….a Bible believer. He showed me some verses. I don’t know if I’m allowed to do this….now….that is….and I not yet sure as to what I believe, mind you….but…well, here…. I brought along a verse. Written by a chap named Jeremiah….let’s see….50:40….whatever that means. It says ‘As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighboring towns, declares the Lord, so no one will live there; no man will dwell in it’…"

  The studio floor director tried to get the attention of the show’s hosts, moving his hand across his throat in the universal cut sign, trying to terminate the guest’s comments, but neither host was looking in his direction. The guest continued, "My nephew says this is in reference to America, which he says was the Daughter of Babylon, or maybe the Son….I’m not sure. I don’t know how Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed….or even if they were….but it sounds very much like nuclear radiation, since the neighboring towns, and their crops, were also affected. And the verses described darkened skin and stick-like legs and arms after the destruction….which sounds like radiation effects….But I will say that with the eighty nuclear core meltdowns across the pond I can easily see a totally devoid America, no population at all, none. Within just a few months. Humans can’t tolerate that much radiation, not for very long anyway."

  "With that parting note, Mister Chairman, thank you for being with us. Jala, will you close us out?"

  Jala looked up at camera one through the narrow slit in her Burkha. "That’s all the time we have tonight on WORLD IN REVIEW. Thanks to our distinguished guests and to our producers from Al Jazeera network. Allahu Akbar, Barakallah and good night."

  The camera zeroed in on the large BBC Letters on the studio wall behind Rab and Jala. The letters were in two languages, British and Arabic. On the screen then appeared the slide which now ended all BBC programs:

  THIS BBC/Al JAZEERA PROGRAM APPROVED BY

  IMAM MAHDULA BAZARDI

  Government Appointed Censor

  The Islamic Republic of Great Britain

  and Northern Ireland

  69

  Carrasco Community Church

  Carrasco, Uruguay

  The Church had a problem. It now had more people attending the Sunday service than it had folding chairs to hold them. In just over a year attendance had grown to a hundred and thirty. To commemorate the Church’s first year anniversary Pastor Jack Madison asked members to bring to the Sunday service stories of how they had seen God at work in their new home country.

  After several spirited worship songs Pastor Jack Madison stood to lead the congregation in prayer. "Father, we do worship You….in spirit and in truth. Thank you for all that you are, a great and magnificent God. Thank you for bringing us here today to worship. Thank you for bringing us to Uruguay for Your good purposes. We don’t take lightly Your guiding hand in bringing each one of us out of our home country. Use us here for Your good purposes. Open our eyes and ears as we see and hear the many ways in which You have been working through us in this pleasant land. In Jesus name we pray, amen."

  Pastor Jack began their time by covering the Biblical imperative to share His Word with the world. He then opened up the service by asking those present to share their ministry experiences. A perky, smiling lady seated on the front row in the Church’s storefront location quickly shot up her hand. "Yes, Sally, I thought you might be the first to share."

  "Oh, Pastor, I’ve told this story to many here, but not everybody has heard how God worked….right here….in Uruguay. Several us here are involved in our Saturday morning kids club over in the park, two blocks from la Rambla. At first we just had four or five kids, but the word spread and now we play games, share Bible stories and give free rice and beans to nearly a hundred children….each Saturday. The first miracle I would like to share is that several of the Uruguayan kids have prayed to receive Christ. They’ll be in the kingdom….They will…."

  The congregation broke into applause interrupting Sally’s narrative. Smiling back, she waited, then went on, "The second miracle that we’ve seen happened two weeks ago. We encourage the parents of the kids to bring them to the park where we play games and share the gospel. I noticed a shy young woman who had been there only once before, with her son, Juan, a cute ten year old. I could tell that she wanted to talk. My Española is un poco, but we were able to communicate, between us, in Spanglish.

  "She had quite a story to tell. Her son had taken home the weekly small bags of rice and bean that we pass out each week. She had been out of work and had exhausted their supply of food. She told me that she had started to despair, in Spanish, desesperacion. Then she remembered that her son had brought the rice and beans home, which he had in his room. She cooked the rice and beans. They ate from the bowl each day. And the next day. And the next. And the next and the next. And the next, for the whole week. Get this. She asked me what we put in the rice and beans so that they never get used up?....Sorry….whenever I tell this I tear up….at God’s goodness. Her story reminded me of Corrie Ten Boom’s World War II concentration camp miracle when God kept Corrie and her sister’s small vitamin bottle from ever going empty. What a God we have!"

  After the chorus of amens, praise and applause finally died down, Pastor Jack said, "Allie and I know that most of you in this room have become involved in ministries of various types. We’ve see great things happen in the Helpful Hope ministry to reach out to young girls in Montevideo who have been caught up into prostitution, to rescue them before they are swept up into sexual trafficking. Our Church has three Bible studies. One for men, another for women and a third for couples, which my Mom hosts and my Dad teaches. The men have a monthly prayer breakfast and the women, being better at organizing, have a whole range of luncheons and teas, and I don’t know what else….too much for a mere man to understand," Pastor Jack said with a big grin. Allison was widely respected in the Church for her ability to organize.

  "Our children’s ministry teaches a whole roomful of our children and some from Uruguay each Sunday morning. I could go and on. We have actively sought God’s will in what He would have us to do, and we’re doing our best to obey and do what we are shown. Before we sing a concluding worship psalm, I’ve held off on asking Brad to share with us his family’s miracle from last month. Many have heard, but even if you have, we can all hear it again, and again be blessed. Brad."

  Brad, stood, all six foot two inches, with his surfer haircut and tats from his life before Christ. He started to speak, but realized that he had to get control of his emotions first. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t talk. He knew if he did he would weep. The Pastor sensed the problem, walked over and put his arm up and around Brad’s broad shoulders. "Let’s pray for Brad. Lord, you did a great miracle in Brad’s family. We ask that you allow Brad to gain contr
ol of his understandably strong emotions so that he can share with us what You did in his son’s life. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen."

  Brad wiped his face, gripped his hands together and softly said, "God saved my son…..You all know our little boy, Joshua….he’s now about two and a half. Not long ago….about a month now I think……………..Little Josh was….Well, let me start at the beginning. My wife, Sarah….you all know Sarah I think. She had to run to the store to pick up some things for the women’s luncheon here at the Church. She told me to watch the boys. You know….we have three young boys. Well, the ten year old and the six year old were playing with Josh, out by the pool. I heard the phone ring in the kitchen, and I told the two oldest boys to watch Josh….that I would be right back.

  "Well….the call took longer than I expected. A friend had a problem and needed some advice….Well….while I was talking………….After a few minutes……I noticed that the two oldest boys were wrestling in the family room, but I didn’t see Josh. I told my friend that I had to go, I hung up and I ran out to the pool……..And there was Josh……….Floating face down in the water……

  "I jumped in and grabbed Josh. I pulled him out of the pool and immediately noticed that he was….blue….his face and arms and legs were just….blue….almost grayish in color…..I knew that Josh was dead…………..He must have been without oxygen for…..I don’t know how long……I carried him out into the front yard….some of you know our neighborhood….and I started screaming for help…..for somebody to please help us. The neighbors on both sides and across the street were all home….They heard me and ran over….One said ‘Brad you know CPR….have you tried to….’ As soon as he said that I instantly remembered that I used to teach CPR at the Y back home. I had just blanked it from my mind in my panic over seeing my dead son.

  "I went right to work on Josh. I worked on him for I don’t know how long, but he just got more blue…..not a breath….nothing. Josh was dead. No pulse. No Breath. Dead. My neighbor across the street is a nurse and a great prayer warrior. She’s here so I won’t embarrass her…. she asked me not to, but what she did was get down on her knees in my yard next to Joshua. She put her hands on his little cold body and she prayed….Oh, how she prayed….I’ve never heard such fervent praying. She approached the throne of God in a gentle, loving way just asking Him to glorify Himself by restoring life into Joshua’s dead body….I don’t know how long she prayed….joined by everyone standing in our yard.

  "I prayed, but I knew that Josh was dead, that my negligence….had….killed Josh, so my faith that God would save Josh was not at a high level….just to be honest with you….If the miracle depended on my faith….which it didn’t….it would have never happened. But……….God is good…….all the time……as Pastor Jack frequently reminds us. If Josh had gone on to heaven, God would still be good. I understand that….but in this case He saw fit to answer my sweet neighbor’s fervent, effective prayers which availeth much. Josh coughed. HE COUGHED. Praise the Lord, he coughed….Then he breathed….. His color came back within just a short time and he looked at us and….he….smiled.

  "The nurse insisted that we take Josh to the hospital. She was very worried that oxygen deprivation would result in serious brain damage and mental or physical disability. We rushed him to the hospital where they tested Joshua for almost two hours. When we took him in and they heard how long he had been….well, they all had that real concerned look that’s hard to hide. My faith again hit bottom….Josh was alive….But would he be a vegetable….Would he be permanently disabled because I couldn’t do my job and watch him?

  "The doctor came out to us. As he walked up I expected the worst news, but I was wrong. He said that he couldn’t explain it, but Joshua had no evidence of any mental or physical damage, at all. None. He said Josh was a normal healthy, precocious little boy….and that we should take our precious gift from God home and just love on him….And also buy him some chocolate ice cream which he had begging for………..Well, Church….that’s my Uruguay miracle. Praise the Lord."

  Brad was quickly surrounded by the tearful congregation as they patted his back, shook his hand and praised the Lord with him. Pastor Jack wiped the tears from his face and dismissed the service in thankful prayer for His mighty works using Americans He had transplanted overseas.

  70

  Bluemont Gardens

  Mountain Brook, Alabama

  Death took his time. Along with Snake Head, Death watched building six for three more days and nights. Though they never did see any of the adult women, for obvious security reasons, they did spot two of the teen-aged girls who carried in buckets of water from a nearby stream early each morning. Apparently fetching water was considered to be women’s work. Young women’s work. Death liked what he saw. Snake Head told Death that the pony-tailed blonde was his. Death smiled.

  At 10 AM, a time during which none of the inhabitants of building six had previously been seen outside of the building, Death sent in a two man team with a large two inch auger and hand drill found in a barn they had previously rifled. The team also carried a two and a half gallon red plastic gasoline container, with rare combustible petroleum sloshing inside. The team walked slowly and carefully into the first apartment they came to on the first floor. The hole was slowly and quietly drilled through. So far so good they thought, as no discernible noise of discovery was heard from below or from the hall leading to the basement stairs. They screwed the yellow spout on the end of the gasoline container and undid the air escape hole on the other end. Lifting the container gingerly, they stuck the spout into the newly-drilled hole. They pushed in on the sides of the container to make it flow rapidly down into the basement below. After about half of the gasoline had been poured into the basement a long wooden match was struck and dropped down into the hole. With a loud WHOOSH a lick of flame shot up through the hole, confirming that the gasoline and the match had met.

  The two men ran from the apartment building out onto the adjoining parking lot, waving their thumbs up signal of success to Death and the men who were stationed just outside the door of building six. Immediately after, the first fleeing inhabitant ran from the building, followed by three more, then a steady stream of men, women, teens and smaller children. Though most did not appear to be hurt by the explosion and fire, a few were aflame, and rolled on the ground to extinguish their burning clothing. All were coughing and wheezing at the effects of the gasoline and ensuing fire. As each man or male teen holding firearms emerged from the building, Death and Snake Head’s men, standing hidden next to the exit door, slammed them to the ground, seizing their weapons. Within less than a minute all seventy one people were out of their hiding place, coughing and trying to clear their lungs. Each looked haggard and emaciated, as if they could not lose another pound without expiring. Knowing the approximate number of people he would be dealing with, Death had brought all but five of his men for the operation, with those remaining guarding their school hideaway.

  Snake Head’s job was to separate the captives into manageable groups. Using their rifles as prods, Snake Head and his tattooed, armed marauders waded into the collected and now un-armed crowd, most standing, but some sitting or lying on the pavement. Snake quickly pulled the younger women and female teens to the side. He then separated the male teens into a second group, a few feet away. He forced both groups to sit on the parking lot pavement. He nodded to ten of his armed men who herded the older women and the younger children into a group and out of the parking lot. Darrell Wright, wiping blackened soot from his face, shouted at the men, "Hey, where are you taking them? You can’t…."

  Death was ready for the outburst. He used the butt of his AR-15 to smash Darrell in the back of the head and neck, splaying him unconscious onto the ground. The group of younger women and female teens broke into tears, sobbing and pleading for him not to hurt Darrell any further. Death snarled back, "If I had wanted to kill him I woulda just shot him. So shut up. Shut up! We just trying to help ya out here. Look at
ya selves, ya’re starving. Look at us, we ain’t fat, but we eat at least one good meal a day, sometimes more. Y’all look like ya haven’t eaten in days. We here to have ya join up with us. We’ll be sure that ya eat a lot better than ya have been, by the way y’all look. But, ya gotta shut up. We got work to do."

  By now the older women and children were gone from the parking lot. Snake nodded at another ten of their men who circled the men into a group. There was some mild pushing and shoving back, but no one wanted to be rifle butted in the back of the head, so for the most part they stayed quiet, waiting to see what would happen next. They were prepared, each of them to fight, if the opportunity presented itself. The nineteen men, absent Darrell who was still splayed on the pavement, were marched at rifle point out of the area. Death’s plan was to take them to building twelve, which was on the other side of the apartment complex.

  With the men gone, along with the older women and children, that left two groups now sitting in the parking lot. The younger women and the female teens were quietly sobbing. The male teens, seated a few feet away were not visibly crying, but were obviously shaken by what was happening. Death waited a few minutes to let it all sink in, as he had earlier told his men, for better crowd control. Death rolled a cigarette, lit it and walked over to Snake Head, who was studying the group of twenty three young women. "Snake, whatcha think?"

  Snake Head couldn’t take his eyes off of the women, replying to Death from the side of his mouth, but not loud enough that they could hear, "Yummy. Pony-tail is mine. You pick yours, then we’d best get out here so the boys can….clean….up. Know what I mean?"

  Death leered at the thirtyish redhead sitting with her arm around a teen whose hair matched hers. Death whispered to Snake Head, "I’ll take the two carrot tops. Both of ‘em….Now, let’s scat. We got a long walk back to the school. The boys won’t shoot the men in building twelve until we’re out of earshot. Don’t wanta start no rebellion from the teen boys. They be our only shooter recruits, so we gotta convince ‘em later that we sent their dads and the older moms, and the kids a course, to another camp. Better food and treatment at the other camp, dont'cha know? Over time, we can convince some of the teen guys to join us….or die. Simple choice."