CHAPTER 1

The cold, wet, wind slithers through the small gaps in the window frame. Her warm hand feels the knife like a slice of the cold air. "The glass is frigid," she thinks tapping her finger in rhythm.

"FIRE!" "FIRE!" "FIRE!"

She runs to the door.

"Burn, Baby, Burn"

She feels the heat from the fire.

Not everybody makes it.

She makes it out!

She lives.

A new parent and a new last name.

And, a new home.

Yes, a better, bigger home.

Not so cold....

Darkness ...

As she tells her story and the end is the beginning ...

CHAPTER 2

"Come on, David Michael, you are going with me," my mother tells me as she buttons my coat.

"Where are we going, Mommy?" I ask with a smile on my face.

"We are going to visit a friend and she has a daughter who is your age," she tells me.

A daughter, I have never played with a girl. My brother is older than me and he has friends that are always at the house. The brothers across the street are David and Michael. I heard talk that my brother named me after them. Oh, well ...

We drive for, maybe, fifteen minutes, and pull up to a really big old house. My mother helps me out of the car and I walk with her up to the large black door.

My mother rings the doorbell. I look around.

"Hi, Betty," a woman says greeting my mother.

"This is our son, David Michael," my mother proudly says.

"And this is Michelle," the lady introduces her daughter.

A glowing little girl awakes my eyes and emotions.

Amazing!

We enter the home and go up to Michelle's room to play.

I have found a playmate!

I am happy!

Michelle is fun!

I remember our visits.

I will never forget Michelle Freeze!

Happy with Michelle, at the age of three.

We never returned to the large old white house with the inviting black door.

Now the search is on to find a companion.

I need to fill the void.

CHAPTER 3

At three, I feel something is missing.

At sixty, I feel something is missing.

As stated before, I thought I had found my mate numerous times.

In the end, the same story is repeated.

Same story, different characters.

Perhaps it is me.

I know what I desire in a female companion.

Pretty, witty and cute.

OR ...

House, job and car.

The best is all six attributes.

I left out the God component. "Equally yoked," the Bible expresses in detail.

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...."

This is the key number one reciprocating expression that sets the foundation. And, this needs to be a pathway the significant other has already grasped.

Leading a mate to the truth ... and letting them into the reality that they are number two is a dark pathway. Without prior teaching and discipline they may see themselves as number one and have no desire to relinquish their dominance to God!

CHAPTER 4

The waking, last, absent thought of the day was all about her. She never became above God, but a parallel idol.

I created a lifelike sculpture of her and displayed it for all to see. Her spread wide, open inviting arms drawing in onlookers.

Is she my personification of the Messiah?

How can man put another above God?

Adolph Hitler was an extension of Satan, or a conduit of God, depending on one's viewpoint. Some believed Hitler was the way, truth and light and he, alone, was to lead the German people out of financial woes and into prosperity.

"Reject Jesus Christ or lose it!" The large man with the blood stained meat cleaver calls out to the shuffling line.

Two men grip. One man grabs the hand in a firm handshake the other man holds firm the shoulder, placing the wrist on a cutting board.

With a quick slice the hand is dismembered.

The flopping wrist is seared on a red hot plate of steel.

"Next," he calls out lifting the meat cleaver above his head.

The love of one's hand or the love of one's God....

A forthright, public decision for all to witness.

CHAPTER 5

"And the believers will be caught up!"

The Rapture....

"Across the country and around the world people have vanished," the newscaster announces as multitudes gather to watch and listen.

Our world is in chaos.

Alien abduction ...

A vanishing mystery ...

A plague that consumes living tissue ...

All have an opinion, especially the church ... which assumes no responsibility.

Economic collapse paralyzes planet Earth.

Government leaders and religious leaders combine forces to help stabilize the mass chaos.

The Antichrist rises to power!

Some follow the Antichrist, some question.

The mark of the beast is implemented to distinguish the followers of the Antichrist.

The mark is needed for buying, selling, or transporting all, anything and everything.

Followers ban together and scrounge for food and a simple place to briefly rest.

Armageddon nears.

CHAPTER 6

"It was the rapture I tell you," I state nodding my head.

"If you are so sure, then how come you were left," she snaps back with her sarcastic charm.

I know all of this is wrong. I know she is lost ... why did I decide to check on her after everyone vanished? I knew she would not be taken. I knew this for a fact! Again, I feel sorry for the damsel in distress and I get sucked into madness and insanity. The world is lost, and I am, too.

I have again taken up with a nonbeliever.

What kind of hypocrite am I?

Remember, I was left, too!

This is my punishment.

Eternal Damnation.

"Check the door locks, the wanderers are out," she says reminding me of what I know and another reason I am here.

After the rapture, looting became the national pastime. Living in the downtown, the street people seized my townhouse the third day. Those with guns lasted at the most five days.

My bow and eight arrows did come in handy, and, maybe, gave me six more hours. I hit four and missed four. The hits just got them really pissed off and I am lucky I escaped.

I am sure whoever is there now is enjoying the remnants of what was left.

The city has gone to Hell!

The county has gone to Hell!

The state has gone to Hell!

The United States has gone to Hell!

Our Earth is Hell!

CHAPTER 7

"We must join together for the betterment of mankind."

"United we are one."

"I am the chosen one ... I am the one God spoke of ... I am the anointed one ... I will deliver you from darkness ..."

"United we are one."

"United we are one."

"United we are one."

Order and prophesy begin for those left behind.

Government and religion, who once prided themselves on the separation of church and state, become one.

I think back on Hitler, Gestapo, Jews and the Holocaust that was a preview of what was to transpire in the near future.

Yes, this is the end of time and I got sucked into it. And I can only blame myself for not standing my ground and not keeping my faith.

I believe in the Lord.

Just, not living for the Lord.

Out of the time, will, and place of God.

Left!

CHAPTER 8

I see the future and it is bleak. All of this insanity will only become worse.

Nothing I can do about it now, I made bad choices!

"We need to go to the grocery store," she calls out.

"Sure," I reply leaning over.

Her smiles cease. Anger grows daily.

The grocery store is crowded and the shelves are empty.

We grab what we can find and place the essentials in the shopping cart.

In the past, I would leave my cart and wander around searching. Now, people will pilfer items in the cart right in front of you.

What I took for granted in the past is a now a luxury!

We fill the shopping cart to the brim of the wire cage and make our way to checkout.

CASH AND DEBIT ONLY

I hold on to my cash and use my debit card. I know the next time I see this sign it will say CASH ONLY.

$546.97 ... and nothing exciting, or fun. The days of the fun grocery store experience have come to an end and the prices will continue to rise.

Wanderers are out in force as we exit the store. The constant begging has extended from the downtown area.

Give a few cans away and it makes them happy.

"You don't need to be giving the food away," she screeches out with venomous anger.

Best not to say anything and head back to her house. I still have half a tank of gas ... might as well fill up.

I wait in a gas line the first of the week. Anger is everywhere.

Why did I not see what was to come?

I need to figure out and see if I can get to Jekyll Island.

Need to get away from here before it's too late.

Should I take her ...?

She helped get me on this path.

I feel sorry for her.

Back to the desperation issues I have.

And, where did my issues get me?

BAM!

Something hits the side of the car.

"GOD ******," she screams out.

"You need to do something!"

"Look, they want us to stop and they will steal everything we have," I quickly reply back.

"Well F*** them," she blurts out looking back at them.

I get sucked into people, then need to run. This is not my first rodeo!

I hope it's my last!

We arrive and unload the groceries.

In the beginning, I was attracted to her beautiful smile. Nothing but an angry frown and dismal demeanor radiates from her lifeless face.

Man, does she drag me down. It was a mistake coming back.

If you leave once, you will leave again.

LEAVE!

I need to shake the dust off my feet and run!

CHAPTER 9

"Let's get in the hot tub," she suggests with a faint, inviting smile.

"Sure," I reply grabbing up my swimsuit.

"Great," she replies.

From one extreme to the other, just like Jekyll and Hyde!

Oh, yeah ... Jekyll Island.

Maybe I can break the news to her in the hot tub.

Yep, that's my plan. Head to Jekyll Island.

"I was thinking. ... maybe we need to go to Jekyll Island?" she asks after five minutes in the warm hot tub.

Now she is acting normal ... maybe reality has set in. I have seen this before. Good old me ... life springs eternal.

The first time I have relaxed in a number of days. Might take her with me ... let me think about this and watch her the rest of the day. She is appreciating me, I know it.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I yell out to a wanderer I see in the side yard peering around.

He sees us and flees. He will be back, and he will bring more with him. It is only a matter of time.

Out of the blue, she leans over and kisses me.

Yep, getting better!

"I think we should leave for Jekyll Island. It's only a matter of time before the wanderers take the house, and the city, for that matter," I inform her.

"I suggest we leave now!" she informs me and slightly rolls her eyes ...

CHAPTER 10

All packed up and headed to the safety and security of beautiful Jekyll Island.

Everything is good between us. Oh, yeah!

"Full tank of gas, truckload of food, and, we are on the way," I sing out.

"Yeah," she silently replies not reflecting my enthusiasm.

Once we get there, everything will be great.

Good, we are getting out now. Travel will be prohibited and fuel will become scarce. Another few days and we would not have made it out, I'm certain!

"Looks like traffic up ahead," I say looking around, then over at her.

"God D*****," she lets forth.

Best should have said nothing!

Silence.

"I need to stop at the next rest stop," she informs me in a pleasant tone.

I see a rest stop ahead and take the exit.

I sit in the car, silent.

She returns and says nothing.

This may not have been such a good idea ...

Between traffic and wrecks the five hour trip takes seven hours.

A long seven hours.

We pass security on Jekyll Island with no problems. An electronic pass makes all the difference. Done.

She is like a yoyo. One minute up, the next minute ... way down.

We unpack the truck and put everything up.

I think back on my recurring thought over the years, "Better to be by one's self than to be in the midst of craziness."

"Let's go walk out to the beach," she suggests.

Cautiously, I walk with her. It is a beautiful, clear night. The moonless sky is black and the stars and planets shine.

"The sky is beautiful," she says grasping my hand as we lean into each other and kiss for just a moment.

A shooting star goes by.

"Make a wish and don't tell," she calls out.

"Sure," I reply watching the star quickly fade away into the dark, black sky.

We kiss again.

This time, longer.

We return to the villa and open a bottle of Riesling.

The wine calms us both down.

We laugh at the Rapture experience.

We are fine.

We are safe.

We go to bed feeling at peace and happy.

I wake in the night. I feel anxious. I know she will turn on me again.

Don't ruffle the feathers.

Don't ruffle the feathers.

Don't ruffle the feathers.

Why do I cow tale to her?

If she is happy, then I am happy.

I might as well get back to sleep. This is not working. I will deal with it in the morning.

CHAPTER 11

Finally, time to get up. I did not sleep well.

I wonder if she is awake.

Don't want to take the chance and wake her.

A little longer ...

"I'm going to take a bath," she says getting out of the bed.

"Ok," I reply.

"I'm going to walk down and get some coffee. Do you need anything?" I ask.

"No," she replies in a civil tone.

"Come on, Rufus," I call out as he jumps off the bed.

"Freedom," I think as I close the door behind me.

I am in constant tension awaiting her next explosion.

She has nothing good to say about anything or anybody.

She has a negative comment, then, poof, she turns beautiful and comforting. I feel like a nervous wreck around her.

"Come on, Rufus," I say opening the door to the office reception area.

Good, coffee!

"Good morning, David. Hi, Rufus. How are both of you today?" Renee asks while giving Rufus a dog biscuit.

"If I felt any better ... I would think I had a twin," I say laughing.

"Help yourself to some coffee," she says with an inviting tone.

"Don't mind if I do," I reply with a smile.

"Many around here vanish?" I ask.

"Some," she replies putting her head down.

"I'll talk to you later," I say leaving with my coffee.

The haunting thought that the rapture occurred and I was left. I heard that 300 million vanished ... who knows? Nothing I can do about it now!

Might as well head on back to the villa.

"Come on, Rufus," I say slightly tugging on his leash.

CHAPTER 12

"We're back," I announce as I unlock and open the door.

"I made breakfast," I hear a happy tone in her voice.

"Great! When we finish let's walk on the beach and see what we can find," I suggest.

Depending on the company, I pray, or do not pray, over the meal.

She is definitely a no pray girl!

I remember Dad taking us to dinner a couple of months ago. He asked me to pray over the meal at a restaurant. She became enraged that evening when she brought it up. This was a red flag that should have shaken me. To whom was I going to tell this story?

Dad's gone ... his faith did not falter. He vanished away and I was left.

I see all this good in her. I know she is a good person. I know I can help her. Well, it's too late now. Imagine hoping for conversion during tribulation?

I need to be concerned about my soul!

I prayed with some that ... I don't know ... all of this is so confusing. Who actually were Christian's and who were putting on an act? Guess those taken up!

"Ready to walk on the beach?" she asks.

"Sure," I reply.

I wonder when she will explode. And, out of the blue, she starts cursing, or making bizarre statements. Constantly on pins and needles! This is insane!

"I packed up some snacks to take with us," she tells me with a sweet sincere disposition.

"That was certainly nice of you," I say hoping to reassure her of the good deed.

The weather is perfect.

The water and sky are blue.

We find many species of sea life and their remains.

I notice she is distant and walks ahead and looks on her own.

No pictures? She is very self-absorbed in her thoughts.

Alone ...

Both of us ...

CHAPTER 13

"Let's go for a drive and get something to eat," I suggest.

"Ok," she quickly answers.

I decide to ride down some streets I had never been down.

"I use to live in that house for a year and a half and had a lesbian relationship," she tells me not skipping a beat.

I have become use to these out of the blue, random statements, and never respond.

Just crazy stuff, vulgar comments.

We go to a restaurant and the story repeats itself. Bad restaurant, bad food and bad server are the discussion points of conversation.