Chapter Six: Seeking Help

A/N: Sorry about the delay in getting this chapter out but lets of things have been going on. The summer's flown by so quickly and between working, summer school, worship band, and trying to get my application done for my missions trip I've lost track of my writing. Let me know what you think of the update. The chapters will hopefully start getting longer. R/R!

"For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." Matthew 17:20

Mark was just closing up the office again as Peggy walked in.

"Can you help me?" She asked. She had recognized him as the one who knew Jessica.

"I can try. What is it you need?"
            "My name's Peggy and I am a friend of Jessica Hansen. She gave me this letter." Peggy held up the piece of paper. "I want to know more. Is it too late for those left on Earth?"

Mark smiled at indicated for Peggy to have a seat on the cushioned bench in the hall.

"Now then, you asked if it is too late. No, Peggy, it's not. Just because God took his children away doesn't mean He still doesn't want us to embrace him and accept his son as our Savior. In fact, the rapture truly opened many eyes to Him now. This is our second chance, if you choose to accept it." They talked for hours, each giving their own stories of their lives. Mark told about how he was raised in a Christian home, but after his wife and newborn child's deaths. He explained that even though he pushed God away, God never gave up on him. When the disappearances happened, he knew what had happened, even if at first he didn't want to believe it. Mark told about finding the letter, which is proving to many that Jesus did come and rapture his church.

Peggy told of how she was raised in a divorced family that never chose a religion. She got into the New Age a few years ago after reading an article on them. "It was just something to believe in; I never really thought about why I believed it." She told about seeing the man on her doorstep disappear and about her and Laura's conversation in the car, which led her back to the church.

"So, Peggy, what do you believe in now that this has all happened?"

Peggy thought for a moment "I believe that Jesus came and raptured His church."

Mark led Peggy to accept Christ as her Savior and then embraced her. "Welcome to the family, sister."

…………………..

The cleanup crews were already starting and were digging through one of the major accident sites off of I-55. "Another disappearance." A man grumbled as he finally made it through some of the wreckage.

"We got a body here!" another man called from an adjacent car. They shined their lights into the dim interior of a badly destroyed car.

"Military guy… check his tags."

The closer man searched the shirt and pulled out the dog tags. "Sergeant Kyle Ward. Poor guy hope we can get a hold of his family."

…………………

After hours on the road, Laura finally made it to her apartment complex. Hurrying up the stairs, she threw open the door.

"Kyle? Are you here?" There was no answer. Throwing her bag on the couch, she noticed that there were two new messages on the machine. Praying that they'd be from Kyle, she hit the button. It was a recorded message for everyone to either phone in or update by Internet if they were accounted for. She jotted down the webpage and clicked open her laptop.

Scanning, the database she updated her own name from unknown to accounted for. Scanning the list, she found her parents names under those who disappeared. Unfortunately, she also found Kyle's name.

"Oh, God, please no!" She cried out as tears streamed down her face. He was under the deceased list.

She fell to her knees and starting ranting at God. "Why God? Why'd you have to take everyone I love from me? What kind of loving God is that? Since you're so all powerful, bring them back! I'll believe then, God. Bring my family back and I'll believe!" She stopped; only the sounds of her sobs were heard as she waited for the miracle that would never come.

"How am I supposed to believe? Where were you, God? Where were you when my brother died? Where were you when grandpa died? Where were you as I lay in bed night after night crying myself to sleep? You were never there for me; how am I supposed to accept you when you never stopped the pain?" she whispered softly. Eventually, she walked to her room and fell asleep on the bed.

………………….

Back in Europe, Nicolae smiled to himself. Soon his whole new plan would fall exactly into place. The vanishings couldn't have happened at a better time and Jessica Hansen would be the perfect addition to his new staff. Who better to have representing him then the world's leading lawyer? With the right moves, Nicolae knew she'd be on the first plane out of Chicago by the end of the week.