Curtain Fall: Second Edition, Disaster, Preparedness, Survival, Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 1) (32 page)

Pete laughed and they shared another chuckle at Mark’s expense. Indeed, Mark had the biggest private arms collection of anyone he knew. The collection ranged from twenty-two to fifty-caliber. Mark also possessed federal tax stamps for multiple automatic weapons and sound suppressors.

Mark would never admit it, but John knew he owned enough weapons to outfit an entire infantry platoon. Every time they went hunting or shooting, Mark showed up withwhat he called, “a new toy.” In fact, his firearm collection was the envy of John and Pete, but that didn’t stop them from poking fun at him for it.

“Well, I gotta go,” said Pete. “You take care of yourself, brother. And seriously, don’t be surprised if you see me parked in your driveway one morning.”

“You too, Pete, and I won’t. You’re welcome to come up here at any time. I’m serious about needing your help. I think we’re in for a very long survival period.”

“I’ll keep that in mind when I pack. Talk to you later.”

“Same here. And our best to Bonnie and the boys,” said John, and he ended the conversation.

John slipped the phone into a shirt pocket and went to find Jenna. She was sitting in the living room, half reading from the native plant and herb book that occupied her the previous night. “How’d Pete take to your email warning?” she asked when John approached. Hers wasn’t a teasing tone, but it was playful, as if she knew the first part of the conversation was tense for him.

“Did you hear any of the conversation?” asked John, as he reclined next to her.

“Most of your half, I think, because you talk loud. But I heard some of Pete’s in the kitchen. I take it he wasn’t thrilled with the message,” said Jenna, as she snuggled up next to John.

John sighed heavily and said, “I don’t blame him for being skeptical, but I was honest with him. I can’t decide for him . . . but he did say he bought some food.”

“I know you’re good friends and all, but I was surprised to hear you offer up our home.”

“I wouldn’t say it was an offer as much as a request for reinforcements. One of the things about this disaster, it’s gonna tax us in many ways,” said John.

“What do you mean?” asked Jenna.

“I mean, we won’t be able to stay on top of everything without help. Having Pete and Bonnie here would make a big difference. Think about all the cooking, cleaning, food prep, sanitation, security . . .”

Jenna touched John’s arm and said, “I get it. Security in numbers, and all that.”

“That’s a big part of it, yes. There is security in numbers, but Pete will bring tactical support as well. I really think we’re gonna need his help when people go all zombie on us,” finished John.

“Zombie? Really?” asked Jenna, with a tilt of her head.

“It’s Adam’s words, not mine,” said John.

“Please tell me you haven’t been filling his head with all that doom and gloom stuff,” moaned Jenna.

“It’s not like I was making anything up.”

“It is if it hasn’t happened yet,” replied Jenna.

“That’s the problem with where we are as a country. Because we’ve never experienced a big disaster, one isn’t going to happen. All I told Adam was that . . . there will come a time when we’ll have to be very careful about how we’re living. If we’re the only house on the street with food, water, and electricity, we’re going to attract attention. I just told him we’ll have to be careful,” replied John.

“And how did zombies enter into the conversation?” asked Jenna.

John clicked his tongue and looked away. Jenna gently grabbed his chin in her hand and turned him to face her. “John, how did zombies come up?”

“Adam brought it up.”

“But in what context? Are you saying you had nothing to do with setting the stage?”

“I’m not saying that, but you need to understand the reference. It wasn’t direct . . . more like a reference to desperate behavior and mob mentality,” said John.

“And you told him zombies would come here?”

“I told him zombies are already living around us . . . that the disaster will bring them out,” said John.

“I think that was a little irresponsible on your part,” chided Jenna.

“I knew you would, but I’d rather Adam think about the implications of survival in terms that he can identify with. It was the best way to drive the point home,” concluded John.

“Hmmm,” replied Jenna. “Will you promise not to say those things to Abby? I don’t think she’ll take to it well,” replied Jenna.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” said John. “But it’s important to understand the potential threats we’ll face with the disaster, Jenna. This is going to be unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before. It’s why having Pete and Bonnie up here will make all the difference. You ready to move to the bedroom?”

John stood and gave Jenna a hand to her feet. He embraced her and whispered, “I think the kids were listening to our conversation.”

Jenna pulled away and yelled, “Abby?”

They heard the scampering of feet from above, but no one answered. John chuckled and said, “Her and Adam are gonna talk anyway. I can hold another family meeting if you want?” asked John.

Jenna grabbed John’s hand and quietly led him into the bedroom. She closed the door with her hip and said, “No. You’re right. Adam will fill her in enough.”

“Since we’ve got some privacy now, I wanted to tell you about a dream I had last night.”

“You had another dream?” asked Jenna.

John nodded and said, “It was like a continuation of the one I had in oh-eight.”

“The one in the alley . . . with the ash?”

“That’s the one. But this one was a little different,” said John, as he moved Jenna to the bed. They sat next to each other on the edge and John recounted the entire dream. He didn’t need his written record of the dream because it was still very fresh in his head. In fact the first dream, the one he had in 2008, was still fresh in his head.

John began telling Jenna about his recent version of the alley dream, and he was grateful she listened intently – that she was taking him and his dreams seriously. Or at least more seriously than before.

When John finished, Jenna studied him intently for a moment and asked, “What do you think it all means? And what about the little boy?”

John left out the part about the little boy calling him, “Papa.” He wasn’t quite sure how to explain that element of the dream, so he decided to focus on what he thought he did understand. “Well, I think the key to understanding the dream was with the staff. At first I thought it represented strength, or some kind of power, but later, as I was looking at the food we bought, I realized it represented our preparedness.”

“Our preparedness?” asked Jenna.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s what it represents. When I lifted the staff, it stopped the ash from falling on me. The same with the curtain.”

“But you said the curtain forced the staff to the floor.”

“It did,” said John, “but that represented the part about me not being able to help everyone. We don’t have enough food to help everyone on the street, let alone in the neighborhood. That’s what the little boy said, the one who was with me on the stage.”

Jenna nodded and said, “It makes sense . . . strangely. It does make sense.”

“My wanting to warn everyone was really bothering me, but the dream helped me with that, too,” continued John. “There’s not enough time for everyone to prepare for the disaster. If they’re not already
prepared, it’s pretty much too late. It’s as if God’s judgment is upon us, or something like that.”

John fell back onto the bed and covered his eyes with his forearm. Jenna reclined next to him and put a hand on his chest. “What do you make of the little boy?” she asked.

“A spiritual guide, maybe. I don’t know. I’ve never experienced anything like that before.”

“I know you’re troubled by all this, but I also know you’re strong. I’m very grateful for everything you did to prepare us for the disaster, John. And I love you. Why don’t you go shower and get ready for bed. You’re tired, and you need your rest. I think you’ve done enough for one day,” said Jenna as she moved John’s arm to look him in the eyes.

“I love you too. And you’re right, I am tired. I’ll shower, then check my email and turn in for the night.” John sat up and asked, “Do you have any idea what your love and support means to me?”

“Oh? And here I thought you just loved me for my body,” teased Jenna.

“Well, I do love you for that . . .”

Jenna punched John on the shoulder and said, “Go, before you dig yourself into a hole, mister.”

J
ohn turned in place and saw that he was standing in a field of tall green grass. The rising sun was low in the sky, behind him and to the left. And though it was shrouded by a thin band of wispy clouds, it cast his shadow out clearly, and many times his true length. He wondered where he was, and realized he was in another dream, another night vision.

To his right, and off into the near distance, he saw a collection of buildings. The composition of the town resembled that of any random small farming town he had seen while driving across America, except the town before him seemed oddly deserted, as if it was staged. No activity of any kind could be seen or heard.

A sudden and stiff breeze bent the tall grass around him, and stirred the dark leaves of a mature oak tree that stood less than a stone’s throw from him. It was the only tree in the field, and John was surprised that he didn’t notice it earlier so grand was its presence. The tree seemed to call for him, mildly and invitingly, beckoning him to enjoy its comfort and security, its life-giving light.

But John had no desire to move. He was at peace with where he stood, content and satisfied, and unwilling to forsake those feelings for others less sure. He looked down and saw that he was wearing a long white robe, like those seen in bible movies. The robe’s material resembled something like cotton, but it was thickly woven like wool. The deep low cut, v-neck collar of the robe exposed John’s chest to just below his sternum, but like everything around him, he was content and unconcerned.

His hand went to the thick gold chain that hung around his neck, and on the chain were three golden keys. They were thick and long, and should have pulled heavily against his neck, but they were light, even to his touch. Each key was of a slightly different shape and size, but they resembled those of antique design, as if they were meant to open large, grand and heavy doors.

A second shadow stretched out next to him, and he turned to see a small boy standing with him. It was the same small boy he had seen and talked with in the previous dream. The boy resembled Adam when he was about eight years old, but with a slightly different appearance. His eye color was slightly lighter, and his cheeks a little fuller. Still, the boy’s resemblance to Adam was enough for John to ask, more with curiosity than concern, “Adam?”

“Hi, papa. No. I’m Eli. Adam is my da.”

“You’re my . . . grandson?” asked John with surprise and joy.

Eli smiled with a nod, and then reached out for John’s hand. John accepted Eli’s hand, and the young boy began to lead John toward the tree. John marveled at the feeling of truth that emanated from his grandson’s hand, but even the boy’s voice, in fact his very presence, rang entirely of love. John knew the boy was Adam’s unborn son, which was incredible, but it was somehow less significant than the light and truth that radiated from him.

“Why am I here, Eli?” asked John, when they stopped near the tree.

“You are here to witness the beginning of the end,” replied Eli, and he turned to look toward the distant town.

John matched Eli’s gaze, and the ground began to shake violently beneath his feet. A large crack appeared in the earth, and the green field split open before him. Steam and smoke rose up from the crack, and when it cleared, John beheld a vast multitude of people staring up at him from the depths of the crack.

When the multitude looked up and saw John, they began to wail and moan loudly. They cried and wailed for his help. And though John didn’t fully understand the depths of their despair, he knew there was
nothing he could do to help them. They were in a place he could not go to rescue them from. “Who are those people?” asked John with sadness.

“They are those who denied the truth, and turned their backs to the Son of God,” responded Eli. Then the boy pointed a finger and said, “Look.”

John looked and saw, far off on the horizon, a large and ominous storm. Brilliant flashes of chained lightning reached to the ground from thousands of feet in the air, or traveled along the entire length of the storm’s approaching front. Though the booms and crashes of the lightning were faint, the intensity of the storm was undeniable.

John had never before seen such a grand and terrible storm, and he stood mesmerized by the living energy it displayed. The storm began to grow in scope and intensity, and John realized it was approaching them at great speed. And as the storm approached, it began to resemble a large gray wall, or even a giant wave. The leading surface of the wall roiled with rapidly moving currents and eddies of gray that resembled a fast moving river. Lightning continued to flash and arc across the front, but John was not afraid as it threatened to envelope him.