Season 2, Episode 1: Back to School
THE RESISTANCE
Paul Karoski
Bill Parker, 42
Eddie Exton, 27
Kade Gordonhurst, 23
Rohit Sharma, 21
Sandy Comstock, 25
Zoey Harper, 20
Sylvester Coddmyer, 36
Larry Levine, 39
Tony Cataldo, 23
UNDECIDED
Ben Parker, 12
Marlene Kingston
Josh Grant, 24
Joyce Dancer, 23
Pete Alessandra, 29
Perry Warden, 30
String Becker, 33
Hiram Calhoun
Ernie Wainwright
Lawrence Klebold
Brock Stag
Howard Fasano
THE ENEMIES
Nicolae Carpathia, 33
Bill's POV
Bill Parker was flying a plane to Texas, doing his usual duties. It had been more than a month since the disappearances. One month since he had lost his beloved wife, Allison. Bill felt some tears when he thought about her memory and presence. He had learned a hard lesson during that month since the disappearances. He felt like he had been punished enough. The deaths of Sally Graves and Gordon Bernall from Flight 248 only desolated his mood even further. Both Sally and Gordon had committed suicide. Paul Karoski, the pastor that had been teaching Bill and the other passengers from Flight 248 about the events that would take place, started a group called the Resistance. The ten believers were all members of the Resistance. They all seemed to have their own unique stories to tell. For instance, Tony Cataldo survived a shooting in a grocery store unharmed. Sandy Comstock saw Nicolae Carpathia murder seven people in the United Nations building, then saw him convince everyone except for Sandy that he hadn't done it.
There was no question in Bill's mind now that Carpathia had to be the Antichrist. With the amount of support he had gotten in the media since the disappearances, Bill knew that opposing him publicly would be a bold choice. He had to wonder if Paul would end up doing that. No doubt anyone associated with Carpathia would be eager to silence his critics and anyone with the audacity to stand up to him. Bill knew that the days to come would not be looking good. The ten members of the Resistance had already witnessed and seen the outcomes of numerous deaths, and the Tribulation period hadn't officially even started yet.
"So, when does the Tribulation officially begin?", Bill had asked Paul during one meeting.
"The Antichrist, whom we can all agree is Nicolae Carpathia, has to sign some sort of a treaty with Israel", Paul said. "This treaty will be broken at some point and Carpathia will turn against Israel and the Jews."
The future work of the Resistance would clearly be cut out for them. Bill knew the events in the future were simultaneously frightening and exciting.
Bill thought about his son, Ben. Ben had found Allison's clothes after the Rapture and seemed devastated and aghast by what he had seen. Bill tried to talk to his son about God and Jesus, but Ben had chosen not to engage in any discussions related to the subject.
One day, however, Ben had asked Bill to meet him in the living room.
"What is it you need, son?", Bill asked Ben.
"Dad", Ben began. "I'm ready. I've thought about it for some time, and I want to give my life to God. I want to become a Christian. Mom wanted us to believe her for years, and I think it's time I finally act upon it."
"Do you want me to pray with you?", Bill asked.
"I need to do this by myself", Ben said.
Ben took a deep breath and bowed his head.
"God, I know I should have responded to the message about Christ sooner, but I didn't. I want to believe in you and your son, Jesus. I believe he gave his life on the cross for my sins and I believe he rose from the dead. I want to believe, the same exact way my mom did. I want to be a believer. I want to live for you for the rest of my days."
After Ben finished praying, Bill hugged him tightly.
"I'm so glad you finally believed", Bill said.
"Dad, I also want to join that group you and the others from that church were talking about."
"The Resistance?", Bill asked.
"Yes. Can I join?"
Bill smiled. "You sure can. Welcome to the Resistance. I'll call Paul right now."
Ben's POV
Ben Parker felt so happy and ecstatic as Bill drove him to New Hope Village Church. He felt excited that he was now a member of the Resistance.
Bill led Ben inside the church. There, Ben saw that Paul Karoski was sitting at a desk with the other members of the Resistance.
"I would like you all to meet my son, Ben", Bill said.
"Hello", Ben said politely, waving his hand at them.
The members of the Resistance greeted him enthusiastically.
"The newest member of the Resistance", Paul said. "And the first non-original member of the Resistance as well. Welcome."
"So, there's nothing else I have to do to join?", Ben asked.
"Nothing else", Paul said. "All believers are welcome to join the Resistance. I must warn you, though, it will be quite dangerous. Nicolae Carpathia is already at work trying to gain the support of the whole world."
"I want to know everything about this", Ben said. "Please, teach me."
"Sure", Paul said. "With pleasure."
Bill's POV
Two days later, Bill was sitting in front of the television. The news reporter was discussing about school being opened again in one week. Bill had to wonder what school would be like for Ben and the other students that had been left behind at the Rapture.
"Are you excited to go back to Lincoln Junior High School?", Bill asked Ben.
"Not really", Ben said. "It's school. There's nothing interesting or exciting about that. Still, I should enjoy my days in middle school while I can."
Bill smiled. But his pleasant mood changed when the news reporter said, "The name of Lincoln Junior High School will be changed. It will now be called Global Community Middle School."
Ben frowned. "What was wrong with the previous name?"
"I'm sure Carpathia is involved with this, somehow", Bill said. "Why would they suddenly change the name of a middle school all of a sudden, without warning? And why that particular name?"
But the news reporter wasn't finished yet.
"Also, the name of Prospect High School will be changed. It will now be called Nicolae Carpathia High School."
Bill and Ben were now both convinced that Nicolae Carpathia was involved with this for sure. The evidence was too obvious.
"I knew people would be deceived and fooled", Bill said. "But to already start naming schools after Carpathia? It amazes me."
"We should call Paul and ask him for his opinion about this", Ben said.
Rohit's POV
Rohit Sharma was in his apartment, amazed by all the changes that had occurred in his life during the last month. He had been on Flight 248 when the Rapture occurred and got into a fight with Tony Cataldo. He became a Christian, and his father and brother disowned him. Rohit had seen Nicolae Carpathia gain popular support and fame during such a short time. Rohit and the nine other believers in that church started The Resistance. Bill's son Ben became the eleventh member of the Resistance. Rohit knew that they would need to get as many people on their side as possible. With people being amazed by Carpathia and seemingly venerating him, Rohit was sure things would only get more dangerous for him and the other members of the Resistance.
Rohit was watching the news and it didn't surprise him that Prospect High School had become Nicolae Carpathia High School. This would be the first steps to Carpathia eventually taking over the whole world.
It was not a pleasant sight to watch. Rohit was feeling slightly nervous. He already knew that events would only get worse, but seeing the changes and transitions with his own eyes only made him feel more nervous and trepidatious.
Rohit wished he could talk to his father or brother about his feelings of anxiety regarding the situation. Now that he had been disowned, the only people he could talk to were his new family, the other members of the Resistance. They could offer him comfort and support, just like they would have done with any other member of the Resistance. Still, it felt strange to not be able to confide in his biological family members about his problems.
A small price to pay for believing in Jesus, Rohit thought. All relationships are meant to be temporary, anyway.
Rohit had to wonder what kind of a treaty would occur between Carpathia and Israel. He was sure that there would not be pure intentions behind that treaty. Sandy Comstock's story about what had occurred in the United Nations building only seemed to prove that sentiment.
What a horrendous event Sandy had experienced. Rohit didn't know how Sandy was feeling. To have to witness seven people being murdered, then have to see the murderer be able to get away with it without anyone else even knowing he committed this horrendous act, would have been traumatizing for anyone. But Rohit knew Sandy was strong. Even though Rohit only knew him for one month, he knew Sandy would get through this trial. God would take care of Sandy, he was sure of it.
Rohit checked every news article about Carpathia's activities involving the United Nations. Like the other members of the Resistance, Rohit wanted to prepare himself when Carpathia decided to sign that treaty with Israel. It would be both exciting and terrifying. Death and destruction would be on the way. The Resistance would have to remain diligent and discreet. Any wrong moves, mistakes, or blunders from any of them could prove to be detrimental.
Sandy's POV
Sandy Comstock was still in utter disbelief after the horrifying events in the United Nations building. He was revolted by Carpathia's actions. He had killed Marius Balan and six other people in that building. Two of the people that died in that building were fellow writers from Global Weekly. Sandy was disgusted by Carpathia pretending to be sympathetic and remorseful for all the deaths that occurred in that room. It made him want to vomit.
Sandy felt relieved that he had become a believer before he arrived at the United Nations building. Otherwise, he could have been brainwashed just like every other person in that room. Just like Joyce Dancer and Hiram Calhoun were.
Sandy knew he should probably call Joyce and ask her about her well-being, but he was too upset and too distraught over what he had witnessed in New York. Why shouldn't he be? Sandy was still feeling guilty about the death of Howard Hillside. Even though Sandy was not close with Howard, he knew the latter did not deserve to die in the manner that he did. Sandy had spoken to Howard on the plane to New York. He didn't tell the older man about his beliefs in God and Jesus. Now he wished he had. He was filled with regret for not telling him anything about Christianity. If he had, Howard might not have died. And even if he did die, he would have gone straight to heaven. Well, too late for that now.
Sandy knew that at the end of the day, everyone could only be held accountable for their own selves. Everyone had to make their own choices, regardless of whether they were bad or good. Everyone was entitled to their own opinion, but they also had to realize that their opinions and choices had consequences. Sometimes those consequences could be fatal.
Sandy's cell phone rang. He answered it.
"Hello?"
"Sandy, it's me. Rohit."
"Hello, Rohit. What's up?"
"I hope you're doing okay. After what you experienced in New York, I can't imagine how you're feeling."
"I have mixed feelings about Carpathia's bloodlust, man. I feel angry that I thought he was decent at all. I also feel as afraid as a child after seeing bullets kill people around me, right in front of my own eyes."
"That's terrible, bro. This just shows how much devastation is in store for members of the Resistance and the entire world in general."
"I also feel sorrow and guilt for Howard Hillside, who was the last victim that night. I spoke with Howard on the plane. But I never told him about God, Jesus, or Christianity. I never said anything about my beliefs. But it seemed like Howard was a supporter of Carpathia. Now he's dead, and I feel responsible for what had happened to him. I feel like a coward."
"Sandy, listen to me. You're not a coward. This is not your fault. Even if you told Howard about God and about Christianity, do you really think he would have believed? Do you really think he would have made a last-minute conversion to Christ before he died? Be realistic. That wouldn't have happened. Howard was responsible for his own actions, just like I'm responsible for what happens to me and you're responsible for what happens to you."
"Thank you, Rohit", Sandy said. He knew Rohit was trying to make him feel better, but he still felt terrible.
"No problem. I can understand the mentality you're feeling. My family, for instance…"
Rohit then stopped speaking for a minute.
"I wish I could help you", Sandy said. "It must be terrible when your remaining family members turn against you because of your beliefs."
"Call me crazy or whatever", Rohit said. "But I'm praying for them to become believers. Make no mistake, I'm really angry at my father and my brother for what they did. But if they become believers, at least we could work together."
"Oddly enough, I was reading a verse in the Bible about families being divided because of Jesus", Sandy said. "I was reading Luke 12. It says that families would be divided because of him. Son against father and father against son. Something like that."
"I can't say it's too surprising", Rohit said. "When people grow up in a household with certain religious customs, very rarely do they ever admit how wrong it is. I just wish that God could at least support people like that by having some supernatural force offer them comfort."
"I feel the same way. Hopefully God will be with his faithful followers every step of the way during this time period."
Jimmie
Five days later…
Jimmie Todd was sixteen years old. He was in his eleventh-grade year at Prospect High School when the vanishings occurred. Jimmie had lost every member of his family except for Ervie Todd, his younger brother. Ervie was fourteen years old.
Jimmie wasn't sure how he felt about the disappearances and the theories and beliefs behind them. He wasn't a Christian, and neither was his brother. He wasn't ready to make a commitment. He needed time to think before making any sort of conversion. It was too much to think about, too much to process.
Jimmie's parents had talked about Jesus returning for his followers to him and Ervie. Jimmie and Ervie had attended church several times, but neither of them wanted any part of it. It seemed so dumb and pointless. It sounded so boring and torturous.
Jimmie had thought about going to New Hope Village Church several times since the disappearances, but got afraid and backed out each time. He knew eventually he would have to go in that building and talk to someone that could help him. He had so many mixed emotions. Jimmie had seen Nicolae Carpathia give several speeches but he suspected that the latter wasn't trustworthy. The fact that the name of Prospect High School had been changed to Nicolae Carpathia High School only seemed to confirm this.
"I wonder how many teachers and students vanished during the disappearances", Ervie said.
"A lot of them probably did", Jimmie said. "Maybe an immense amount. It's going to be weird walking through those halls during the first day back."
Only two days left until Jimmie and Ervie returned to school. Normally something like this would have excited Jimmie, but he had mixed emotions. There was no doubt many students at that school would be wondering what had happened to those that had disappeared. Jimmie decided that he had to go to New Hope Village Church someday after going to school and find out if the theories about God's intervention had any relevance. That didn't mean he was making a decision. He just wanted to listen to the Christian viewpoint.
Jimmie wondered if Ervie felt the same way.
"Ervie, you wouldn't mind coming to New Hope Village Church with me this weekend? We need to talk to someone about the disappearances that happened last month."
"Sure, I'll come", Ervie said.
"I know we went to that church in Arlington Heights a few times, but this other church might have the answers we need. I just want to hear them out. Listen to their side of the story, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah", Ervie said.
Jimmie watched as Ervie's lips quivered.
"I miss Mom and Dad", Ervie said.
"I miss them too", Jimmie said. "But we cannot lose focus on our plans. We need to watch everyone carefully when we go back to school."
Axel
One day later…
Axel Cummings was sixteen years old. Both of his parents were Christians and had been raptured. Axel really wasn't sure if the Christian lifestyle was the correct path. He wasn't sure what to believe at that moment. There seemed to be so many theories about why the disappearances had occurred, and he wasn't sure which was the correct decision to make.
Axel had gone to church several times, but it wasn't something that he had cared about. In fact, he almost hated the services and anything related to religion. It just seemed weird and annoying.
Axel prepared himself to return to Nicolae Carpathia High School. He didn't know what to think about in this situation. He knew something strange was happening when a high school was already being named after a Romanian president that no one even knew about more than one month earlier.
Axel had to admit that Prospect High school seemed like a better name, even though the name just represented the town the school was occupied in. Axel wondered how many students and teachers from the school had vanished. Axel had heard about the death of Jack Mazzeo, who had been killed in a shooting spree at a grocery store in Mount Prospect. Axel wasn't close with Jack, but he knew that the latter didn't deserve to die in the manner that he did.
Axel had to wonder if he could contact a church near his house and find someone there that could offer him some help. Maybe someone at that church would give him the answers he needed to understand what had happened. He had a feeling that things would be unpleasant at Nicolae Carpathia High School.
Daphne
Daphne Waltonen was sixteen years old. Her father had vanished in the worldwide disappearances and her mother had been killed in an accident as a result of the disappearances. Daphne hadn't really made any decisions regarding God, Jesus, or Christianity. She was still filled with grief and heartbreak.
Daphne wasn't sure what to believe. She needed time to think. Thinking about her mother and mourning over her was certainly stressful enough. Did she deserve any of this? Why did she have to suffer so much? Did God love causing others pain for no reason?
Despite Daphne's mourning and sorrow, she was curious to see how many students and teachers had vanished. Who would be left? Who could she talk to about how she was feeling?
Daphne decided that she would find a church in Mount Prospect that might be able to help her. She could only hope.
Theodore
Theodore Sobel was sixteen years old. He would be resuming his eleventh-grade year at Nicolae Carpathia High School. Although Prospect High School seemed like a better title. Theodore had been on the honor roll every year since he was in sixth grade. He was hoping to keep that streak going prior to the Rapture. Now that the world had changed unexpectedly, Theodore wasn't sure what he would do now.
His parents had both been raptured. Theodore had no interest in their Christian beliefs prior to the Rapture. Now, he was considering the possibility that they had been right. He wasn't going to convert to Christianity right away. But he had so many conflicting thoughts about what he would do next.
Theodore decided his best plan of action would be to simply go to school and check everything out. Maybe during the weekend, he would go to New Hope Village Church and see if someone could help him.
Theodore laid down on his bed. Tomorrow would be an unusual day for sure. Of course, everything that had happened since the disappearances seemed unusual.
Matt
Matt Lowe was fifteen years old. He had been a sophomore at Prospect High School when the disappearances occurred. He had been stunned by the events that occurred that day. He had been inside his home, sleeping. When he had woken up, he saw people screaming and crying on the street. He realized at that point that something terrible had occurred. He saw clothes of people that has vanished on the road. Matt ran to his mother's bedroom and found her clothes on the bed. Matt's father, Alfred Lowe, had been left behind.
So far, Alfred Lowe had refused to speak about any speculation on what was behind the disappearances. Matt was pretty sure he knew. He couldn't admit that he felt that way, though. Matt didn't want to anger his father. Losing his mother had been hard enough.
So, Matt just minded his own business and looked forward for school. Hopefully, he could go to New Hope Village Church and speak to someone there during the weekend.
So, Matt went to sleep.
Ben's POV
One day later…
It was time for school.
Ben wondered what Global Community Middle School would be like. There was no doubt that there would be many changes occurring in the school because of what happened.
Bill drove his son to Global Community Middle School. Ben looked at the building, which had been painted in a different color. The school sign had been replaced. Ben could see GLOBAL COMMUNITY MIDDLE SCHOOL written in bold and uppercase letters.
This didn't look good.
Ben could see other middle school students walking towards the building, although not that many. Ben knew this had to be because God had taken most of the children under the age of twelve to heaven. It made sense. Small children, babies, and toddlers were innocent enough to be spared from any destruction. Of course, that didn't mean those children were completely safe. The world had become even more dangerous because of the disappearances. Bill had told Ben about Sally Graves committing suicide and about Bill finding her body. Tony had told Ben about surviving the shooting in the grocery store caused by Silas Tysens, in which six people lost their lives. It seemed like people would be facing disaster every day during this Tribulation period. Granted, before the disappearances, people died every day, but this time period seemed to reinforce that mentality even more painfully.
As Ben and Bill exited the car, the pilot hugged his son.
"Stay safe, Ben. Behave yourself."
"Yes, father", Ben said.
Ben walked into the doors of Global Community Middle School, not sure what he was going to do. He had to wonder if there were any other students in that school that were believers. He hoped he wasn't the only one. There had to be a few kids in this school that realized what had happened.
Ben walked into the auditorium and sat with the other sixth graders. He wondered what the principal of Global Community Middle School, Lance Shepard, would say in his speech.
Whatever he says won't take away the pain of what happened, Ben thought.
Ben watched as Mr. Shepard walked to the microphone.
"Greetings, students and staff of Global Community Middle School", Mr. Shepard said in a booming voice. "It is a pleasure to see all of you after the events that rocked our world."
Ben wondered if any of the students in that room had managed to not be impressed by Carpathia. Bill himself thought the man seemed so compassionate, until he had become a believer and heard about what Carpathia had done in New York. It was a miracle that Sandy managed to survive.
"I am happy to announce that Nicolae Carpathia rose to the challenge to help those of us that are still here. That is one of the reasons why our school is now Global Community Middle School."
Most of the students applauded eagerly at the news. Bill knew that this was not good. It seemed like these children had already been manipulated by Carpathia.
Jimmie's POV
Jimmie Todd sat in the back of the auditorium with the other eleventh graders. Ervie was sitting in the front with the other ninth graders. Jimmie glanced over at Gage Snider, another eleventh grader at the school. He was smiling for some unknown reason.
Ervie
Ervie Todd sat in his seat, waiting for the principal of the school, Pavle Lepper, to give some kind of a speech. Maybe he could offer some words of advice. It didn't hurt to listen.
Ervie missed his parents badly. He knew that he should have listened closer to what they had believed in. Perhaps then he wouldn't be having to worry about what he would be faced with right now.
Jimmie's POV
Jimmie watched as Mr. Lepper approached the podium. He didn't know what the man could say that was so riveting that it would take everyone's minds off what had happened last month.
"Hello, students and faculty of Nicolae Carpathia High School. As you all probably know, our mascot is now the Nicolae Carpathia High School doves."
Some of the students booed after hearing this. Jimmie wasn't surprised by this. A dove seemed like a weak mascot. Jimmie couldn't recall any high school or middle school that had chosen a dove to be the mascot. It seemed almost laughable. Almost.
However, most of the other students cheered when they heard this. It seemed they were very supportive of Carpathia.
This could be bad, Jimmie thought. Maybe it would be best if I kept my mouth shut about my concerns.
Mr. Lepper seemed to feel the same way.
"While I am thankful that you are all here, I feel like I need to address several matters. The first is that there is this theory that has spread worldwide about the origin of the disappearances. There are many religious folks who claim that God was behind the disappearances."
A lot of murmuring broke out in the auditorium. It didn't seem like most of these kids believed in God or Christianity. Jimmie suddenly felt so nervous and alone.
Mr. Lepper continued speaking. "Personally, I do not believe in any of those theories. I do not think for one second any of them are true. I believe everyone is entitled to have their own opinion. However, I am not supportive of proselytizing. Let everyone believe in whatever they want to believe. I will not tolerate, under any circumstance, any conversions to any religion or discussions in any supreme deity. That is up for everyone to decide for themselves, individually. If anyone violates this rule and is caught talking about God, they will be punished severely."
There was no doubt in Jimmie's mind that Mr. Lepper was serious in his demands and warnings.
"If we can refuse to engage ourselves in such discussions, we might have a pleasant relationship and get along. Now teachers will start passing out your schedules."
Jimmie waited until he got his schedule. He had four classes that day. Lunch would be before his last class.
Daphne's POV
Daphne Waltonen looked at her schedule for a brief second, then rose out of her seat and headed to her first class. She was supposed to be heading towards her global history class. All of a sudden her schedule slipped from her hands on the floor. A boy that was in the same grade as she was picked it up.
"Hello, I think you dropped this", the boy politely said as he gave her the schedule.
"Thank you", Daphne said as she gave him a small smile.
"Sorry, I don't think we've properly met before", the boy said. "My name is Axel Cummings."
Axel offered Daphne his hand.
Daphne accepted the handshake.
"Daphne Waltonen."
"So, what class are you going to right now?", Axel asked.
"I'm going to global history on the third floor. With Beatrice Habel."
"I got that class too", Axel said, smiling. "Maybe we could go together."
"Sure", Daphne said.
Axel and Daphne walked together towards their class. Daphne wondered how she had never talked to this boy before. Even though she had seen him on several occasions back when the school was known as Prospect High School, she never had the chance to engage in a conversation with him.
"Did you lose any family in the disappearances?", Axel asked her.
Daphne looked away.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"
"No, it isn't your fault", Daphne said.
"If it makes you feel better, I can tell you what happened to me", Axel said. "Both of my parents were taken in the disappearances. I've gone to church a few times, but my parents were committed to their beliefs. I know it's risky talking about it right now in this school, but I wanted to talk to someone about how I was feeling."
Daphne said nothing, merely walking along with Axel.
"Then I found out that a senior student named Jack Mazzeo was killed, and that was shocking."
"It seems like the world has become even more dangerous", Daphne said.
"It sure seems that way", Axel said. "I don't mean to sound frightening, but I need answers, and I want to know what I should do."
Axel and Daphne both reached the classroom.
"Well, it was nice talking to you", Axel said. "See you around."
As Axel took his seat, Daphne had to wonder what she thought about him. He had seemed polite based on their first conversation with each other.
And he was good-looking.
Daphne knew she couldn't think that way now. The last thing she needed was romance. The world had become too dangerous for anything petty like that to be considered.
So, Daphne took her seat and waited for Beatrice Habel to start speaking.
Jimmie's POV
Jimmie Todd was in psychology class, still trying to keep his eyes open for anything unusual that might be occurring at that very moment. He felt anxiety as he looked at the other students in that classroom. He wasn't sure how to react.
The psychology teacher in that classroom was Nigel Drysdale. He was stern, but he seemed to care passionately about teaching.
"Settle down, everyone", Mr. Drysdale said. "You heard what Principal Lepper said. There will be no discussions about God or anything related to religion. He expects full obedience and compliance from the entire Nicolae Carpathia High community."
Jimmie then raised a hand.
Mr. Drysdale looked at him.
"Yes, Mr. Todd?"
"If everyone at this school is concerned about what happened, doesn't that mean we should discuss the situation? This seems to be quite serious."
"Mr. Todd, if the principal wants us to obey an order, he must believe that it is for a good reason."
"But what is so bad or terrible about religion?", Jimmie asked. "Shouldn't we at least give people who believe in Christianity the benefit of the doubt?"
"Mr. Todd, religion has destroyed the entire world. People have lost their lives in international wars and attempted genocide because of it. Personally, I think religion is ludicrous and silly. It's worthless."
Jimmie decided not to speak any further about his concerns. He didn't want to arouse any suspicion.
Matt's POV
Matt was in English class, wondering what his plan of action would be. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about the Christianity problem, but he decided it would be best to wait until the weekend.
Ben's POV
Ben was in science class, watching his teacher talk about global warming. It was seemingly clear that everyone at Global Community Middle School was trying to avoid the discussions about the Christian rapture. Ben suspected that things would only get more dangerous.
Axel's POV
Axel Cummings headed to lunch. He had listened to Beatrice Habel talk about the government in 15th century France. He had seen Miss Habel briefly discuss the disappearances. But then she told everyone not to mention the disappearances or any speculation on what could have caused it.
Axel then spotted Daphne Waltonen sitting at one of the tables in the lunchroom. Axel wasn't sure what he thought about her. She seemed to be friendly. Axel had tried to be polite. He would need to make as many alliances as possible if he ever decided to become a believer.
"Hello, Daphne", Axel said. "Do you mind if I sit here?"
"You can sit there", Daphne said. "Go ahead."
Axel sat down. "I have to admit, I feel slightly nervous. About the possibility of becoming a believer."
Daphne said nothing. She simply looked at her food.
"I don't want to make any mistakes. But I don't want to end up dying and getting sent to hell. I think about Jack Mazzeo. I have to wonder, what if that was me? What if I had been killed at that grocery store instead? It shows how short life really can be."
Daphne then said, "I'm thinking of going to a church in Mount Prospect. Maybe someone there could help me. That doesn't mean I'm becoming a Christian."
"Everyone is free to make their own choices", Axel said. "But our time is indeed limited."
Just then someone said, "You know, there's this church called New Hope Village Church. I was thinking of heading there this weekend."
Axel and Daphne both turned around to see who said that. It was a boy in their grade.
"Sorry", the boy said. "I didn't properly introduce myself. My name is Jimmie Todd."
"You want to sit with us?", Axel asked.
"Sure", Jimmie said.
The three of them then resumed their conversation.
"My brother, Ervie, and I were both left behind", Jimmie said. "Ervie is in ninth grade. My parents were both taken in the disappearances."
"So were mine", Axel said.
"My father was taken", Daphne said.
Axel then looked around to make sure no teachers were present.
"It's probably for the best if we don't mention anything about this until after school. We could meet at my house. I'll text you guys my address."
Bill's POV
Bill drove to Global Community Middle School and picked up his son.
"How was school?", Bill asked Ben.
"Nothing special or interesting", Ben said. "The principal, Mr. Shepard, told us not to talk about anything related to God or what caused the disappearances."
"Just as I suspected", Bill said. "You did a good job, Ben."
Larry's POV
Larry Levine was watching television the following morning. He turned on the news, waiting to see if anything interesting would occur.
Larry was watching as Rudy Calhoun was in Illinois, giving a speech.
Hiram's POV
Hiram Calhoun was watching his brother from the crowd in Illinois, clearly filled with pride. He only wished that Carpathia could be there to see what was happening.
Larry's POV
Larry was watching President Calhoun talking. Larry had nothing against the man personally, but he wasn't really fond of watching long speeches. They seemed mundane.
All of a sudden, a loud bang seemed to have occurred in the room. It was the blast of a bullet. Larry saw that a gunshot wound had struck the president in the head. Blood spilled on to the ground. The president fell on the ground. It was obvious he was dead.
Larry wondered where the secret service was. Something was not right about how this had occurred.
Hiram's POV
For a moment Hiram just sat in his seat, not sure what was happening. But then people started screaming.
"The president has been shot! Someone help him!"
But Hiram watched as Pike Jennings, the vice president, ran to Rudy's body and checked his pulse.
Jennings then looked at the crowd and at the camera recording the entire scene.
"He's dead."
IN MEMORIAM
Rudy Calhoun