“Yes.” She rose, forcing down her fear, her disgust.
Thomas looked up at the statue. “It’s Aali,” he said with wonder. “Or a hologram of him, just like the one in Jerusalem.” He blew out a whistle and shook his head. “Looks much more ominous in person.”
“It’s so real…” Brianna added. “He looks so real.”
Aaron merely stared at it, not an ounce of emotion tainting his expression.
“It’s the statue everyone must bow to,” Tori said. “From the book of Revelation.”
Which made her want to run as far away from it as possible.
Go a little farther…
Against everything within her, Tori obeyed.
Brianna grabbed her arm, stopping her. “Shouldn’t we stay away from it?”
“I agree!” Aaron held onto Sara, who seemed to be having trouble standing. “This is insane.”
Even Thomas looked at her with skepticism.
“Just a bit closer,” Tori said, her eyes fixed on Sara, who seemed calm, almost euphoric from only moments before. “What’s wrong with her?”
Aaron continued to hold her up. “She’s fine. Better now.”
“What did you do?” Tori started for him, anger simmering in her gut, but the statue of Aali spoke again, this time drowning out her thoughts and stealing her breath.
“Come, children. Taste and see what I offer is good. Eternal life!”
Thomas stood in her way. “Come on, Tori. Let’s get this over with. Go have your look and then let’s ditch this city. I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Oh, really? A bad feeling?” She hated the sarcasm in her voice, but her anger got the best of her. “This is your world government’s plan to enslave mankind and send them all to hell. And you call it a bad feeling?”
Jerking from his touch, she forged down Peachtree Street, crowded with cars and people, drones and cyborgs, finally turning another corner, where they had a clearer vision of the monstrosity.
Mobs of people congregated at the foot of the statue around an NWU Medical Processing Center. Bands of troops assisted each person who came forward to bow before the statue. As soon as they did, they were led to stand in another line that entered the medical center where they would, no doubt, receive the Mark of the Beast. Of course they didn’t know it was the Mark of the Beast. They thought it was a vaccine/Quantum tattoo that would not only cure all their diseases but give them eternal life. Not to mention enable them to buy and sell so they wouldn’t starve.
What an evil, evil deception! She wanted to shout, to warn the crowd about to make the worst decision of their lives. Unavoidable tears spilled down her cheeks. There were so many of them…so many willingly lining up to receive something that would sentence them to hell for all eternity.
A loud clap of thunder rumbled, causing everyone to look up. A bright flash sped across the sky from east to west—like lightning, but slower and much, much brighter—even as a voice shouted so loudly Tori covered her ears.
“If any man worship the Beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the Beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
The voice ceased, leaving behind an ominous echo as everyone continued to stare above in silence. One man broke from one of the lines in and raced away. The troops were on him in seconds, dragging him to a separate building beside the medical one.
“They’ll kill him,” Tori mumbled, still stunned by the voice from heaven.
The statue of Aali raised his fist in the air. “Pay no attention to our enemy. He causes fear. He wants you dead. Look what happened to that poor soul who listened to him.” He gestured to the building where the man had been dragged. But soon, a smile—a malignant smile—wiped away the hologram’s rage. “Now, who wishes to live forever?”
And just like that, the mob cheered, ignoring God’s warning.
The line started moving again.
“I don’t get it,” Thomas said. “This is in your book?”
“Yep. Including the angel shouting his warning above us.”
“Angel, eh?” Thomas glanced up again.
