Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the characters, which are all made up.

Aden walked out of the bathroom after getting ready for bed, Isaac (his little 5 year old brother) following close behind. They headed towards Mom and Dad's room to say goodnight before heading off to bed. Isaac rubbed his grey eyes, feeling like he would collapse if he walked any longer.

They opened their parent's door a notch to see their mom, Amy, reading her bible, and their dad, Brian, reading the Reader's Digest. Amy looked up to see the two boys standing there. She smiled warmly, and set down her bible.

"You can come in," she said, sitting up now.

Aden and Isaac filed into the room and sat at the end of the bed next to their mom.

She gathered them close and said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," they replied, then going over to the other side of the bed to repeat the process with their dad.

Isaac ran back to Aden's room, which was also his, to get in bed. Aden began to follow, but his mom began to talk.

"Aden, are you coming to church tomorrow?" she asked, a concerned look on her face.

Aden looked apprehensive. He looked to the side, wanting to look anywhere but his mom's pleading eyes.

"I…I don't know," he answered. He heard his mother sigh.

He looked back at her. Now, she was looking directly in his eyes.

"Just make sure you decide by the time we leave tomorrow, otherwise all the plans for the fellowship after service will have to be rearranged," she reminded him.

"OK," he answered, "I love you, goodnight."

His mom looked at him lovingly. "I love you too, Aden."

He left the room, not noticing the tears in him mom's eyes. The minute she heard his door close, she shifted into a kneeling position on the edge of her bed, and began praying.

"Lord, please help Aden. I know he's so close, but he's just too stubborn. Please just give him a change of heart before it's too late, and embrace him in your loving arms. Amen."

Amy, her face tear-stained now, got back into bed. She felt her husband's arms embrace her. She smiled and closed her eyes.

Aden peeled back his covers and lay down in bed. He then pulled his covers over himself, and turned on his CD player. He soon found himself drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

Amy had hardly been asleep for 5 minutes, when suddenly she heard something that she thought made the house shake.

"COME UP HERE!"

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel..."

She hardly had any time to move before she heard a loud trumpet blast.

"and with the trumpet call of God. First all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves."

She suddenly felt transported out of her bed, and was soon going through the ceiling of her room.

"Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on Earth will be caught up.."

In a matter of minutes she was far above the city. She had left her clothes on her bed, but she didn't fell naked at all. Was this a dream? She looked around for Brian and he appeared right beside her. No, it wasn't a dream. She was going to see Jesus soon!

Isaac suddenly appeared right next to her. She was disappointed to see that Aden was not with him. She prayed that he would be able to face the hard times ahead.

"Is this it, Mommy?" he asked, "what the pastor was talking about at church?"

She nodded, as they rose even higher, the clouds beneath them now.

"..in the clouds…"

Amy wondered where Pastor Charles was, and he soon came into view. She waved at him, he smiled back at her. He didn't come over to meet them though, as he was busy with what looked like a reunion of his whole family. She also noticed the Kawoski family having a similar reunion, but was yet disappointed again to see that Ashley was not among them. "At least Aden will have someone he knows," she thought.

"Where are Grandpa and Gramma?" Isaac asked, remembering a passage that the pastor had recited saying that dead Christians will come back to life. Right as he finished saying that, they appeared right beside him. He hugged them as they patted him on the back.

Amy looked up to see a bright shining light. It was Jesus! He smiled at her, and she involuntarily bowed down. "Get up," he commanded, smiling warmly, "there is no need to bow."

And the entire throng ascended yet again, this time to a place that is not confined to the small planet that is Earth

"…to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17"