A/N: I felt bad about waiting so long to update the last chapter, so I thought that I would give you another one. This is pretty much where things start getting good.

Chapter 11: The Last Winter

Days went by, and then weeks, and then months. The blazing colors of the fall turned brown, and the once dazzling trees became bare. A beautiful blanket of snow laid itself to rest over Lamb of God. Eventually, the lovely blanket of snow evaporated and all that was left was the dead brown grass and gray sky. Lizzie guessed that it was probably February, but she had no way of knowing for sure.

Kate was clearly showing by this point. She was due in about another two months or so.

After Lizzie made her promise to God last fall, she promptly dumped Derek. Lizzie also joined a small bible study and hung on to Sal's every last word. Lizzie learned to love Sal's lengthy prayers and three lectures a day. Lizzie's favorite day was Sunday, though. Lizzie loved to be quiet and alone without interruption more than anything else. Lizzie loved fasting, too. Meals seemed to be more of a distraction from reading the bible. Right after the service on Sunday mornings, she went up to her room, sat on her bed, facing the window, and read until it was too dark to see.

Lizzie never got a new roommate. Her group had been the last to arrive at Lamb of God, and she had a feeling they would stay the last group.

"The time has come," Sal said. It was another Sunday in the gray dankness of February. Sal was beginning yet another one of his lectures. "That's right." He looked into the faces of his congregation. "The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. REPENT!" The word shook the room. "And believe the good news. The kingdom of God is near. Just ask Mark. He wrote it in the first chapter, verse 15.

"Mark wasn't the only one who knew this, either. Matthew says in chapter ten, verse seven, 'As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near'.' And Luke chapter ten verse eleven states, 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' In Luke chapter 21, Jesus warns us of the signs to look for when the kingdom of God is approaching. Verse ten and 11 say, 'Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.'"

Sal was silent for a second. He looked around at the silent congregation, soaking in his every word. "I'm here to tell you, good people, that the day of the Lord draws nearer. God's chosen land of Israel battle with the nation of Pakistan. The great earthquake under God's ocean has caused a tsunami that has killed thousands in Thailand. The drought causing famine in Africa shows no sign of mercy as AIDS continues to destroy them as well. Terrorists continue to stir fear in hearts of many, as they have attacked London, Christians continue to be persecuted, and Pope John Paul II is dead." Sal was silent again.

Lizzie wanted Sal to go on. She hadn't heard a single current since eight months ago when she had arrived. Lizzie wanted to know how the pope died. Was he murdered? And what about the tsunami? And was the terrorist attack in London as bad or worse than the one on the twin towers? She wanted, no, she needed details.

"All we need is a sign from heaven. God is waiting. He is waiting for the right time to come, and that time is now," Sal continued. Lizzie felt a chill run down her spine. "That may mean today, or maybe tomorrow. Nobody knows for sure. First Thessalonians five verse on and two say, 'Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.' God has not given me an exact time or date, but he promised me that we will not see another winter before the kingdom of God is restored. So, brother and sisters, go with these words from the book of Revelation chapter 22 verses 20 and 21. 'He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with God's people, amen.'"

A hushed "amen" was murmured throughout the congregation. Lizzie got up in a daze, and then hurried to her room to read her bible.

Lizzie truly wanted to believe Sal, but something wasn't quite right. Lizzie had done everything she could to blindly follow Sal since last fall. She blocked all of her own opinions out of her head. Lizzie was just starting to get caught up in the life at Lamb of God when Sal preached that sermon.

Lizzie opened her bible to Luke 21. She had read it before and remembered that Luke had talked about end times. Lizzie smiled when she saw the passage titled "Signs of the End of the Age." She began to read, and stopped at verse eight. She read it again and again and again. The verse said, "Jesus replied: 'Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and 'The time is near.' So do not follow them."

Lizzie's heart pounded. She noticed that Sal was one of them, but something else was making her heart pound harder.

Lizzie thought about the scripture, amazed at how Sal could come up with so many verses in the Bible to prove his point. In fact, it seemed like Sal and Derek could use scripture to back up anything and everything they said.

Lizzie's heart did not stop pounding. She turned to her favorite story in Matthew. She carefully read chapter 4 verse one to 11, even though she had memorized it. It said:

Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.'

Jesus answered, 'It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every work that comes from the mouth of God.'

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 'If you are the Son of God,' he said, 'Throw yourself down, for it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will not strike you foot against a stone."

Jesus answered him, 'It is also written: 'So not put the Lord your God to the test."

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.'

Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."

Then the devil left him and angels came and attended him.

Suddenly, it all made sense to Lizzie. She realized why she was always doubting Sal and his rules. It was almost like she had subconsciously known why she was so interested in Matthew 4 all along. Anybody could use scripture. It didn't take a Christian to read something from the bible, memorize it, and throw it out where it fit their interests. Even the devil had used scripture to temp Jesus. No wonder she wasn't ever able to completely trust Sal. No wonder she had become obsessed with reading her bible. The bible was contradicting Sal.

Lizzie was excited about her discovery. It had driven her crazy since she first read Matthew four, but what next? Lizzie had never seen anybody leave Lamb of God before, but she wasn't even sure she wanted to leave. Lizzie almost doubted that her family even remembered her, and even if they did, why would they let her back in? Lizzie had rejected them, and they seemed to have every right to reject her now.

Lizzie sighed. She had never felt so confused before in her life.

A/N: I'm noticing a lot of hits on my story. Thirty-four on my last chapter, to be more exact, but I didn't have nearly that many reviews. I would love to hear what the other 32 of you are thinking as well. In fact, I accept unsigned reviews as well as signed reviews, so nobody has an excuse to not send me a review!