The End Times

Grace sat on her small sofa; she smoothed out the wrinkles of her dress. This was her best outfit and had worn it only on holidays. The dark blue fabric was adorned only by one flower by her breast. She had dark auburn hair that was styled into a bun. No one else celebrated holidays now, at least not the religious part. They bought toys and jewelry when they should have been rejoicing Christ’s birth. Then on Easter instead of mourning, they bought candy and allowed their children to gorge themselves. Employees did not get work off for these days and the churches numbers had dwindled. Her place of worship was an hour drive away and that was on rocky ground. Her parents had raised her in the values and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican had fallen many years ago after evidence was found of their corruption. Not that the Vatican mattered to her. Her faith in God was the important part. Then he came and changed everything, this man called Charles Black.

From the moment Grace had seen this man on TV she had known he was the anti-Christ. His election was flawless and he had a way of speaking to people. He came across as nice and a little too perfect. The election came and he won with a record amount of votes. In his first term he had made tax cuts, helped create jobs and revitalized the health care industry. The people followed him blindly to their doom. He had a magnetic personality and was considered very handsome. Charles Black was tall, with chiseled features and eyes as blue as a clear sky. He was the youngest candidate and he was only forty-one still in his prime. Grace could have ignored all this, if not at the end of his first term that she understood what he truly was.

The war in the Middle East still raged on. When Grace was a child she remembered about two towers being blown up and the war that came after. That was forty years ago and the fighting in those countries had not stopped. Until Charles Black intervened and almost like magic on a seemingly normal Wednesday afternoon in a conference room, the fighting stopped. Treaties were signed all around and three years later that peace went on. Her parents had warned her that the anti-Christ would bring about peace in the Middle East. This man had accomplished that very deed and ever since Grace lived in fear when the tribulations would start. She hoped that she would be part of the chosen ones taken to heaven. Now she knew that would never come and her days on this earth were numbered. The shadow of death was looming over her. Every day was a blessing, but the end was drawing near.

Mr. Black was easily elected for a second term; after all his approval rating was the highest on record. This man had done what everyone thought was impossible and his words were smooth like milk and honey. Last year they started a program that made it possible to have an electronic chip inserted into your body. The argument for it was that everyone could be tracked with ease. Each chip would have its own assigned number and a massive computer system would store all the data. Parents flocked to get have their children injected with evil, comforted by the fact that they would never lose them. All criminals and anyone charged with a crime automatically had it done. The masses loved that one too knowing that child molesters, murderers and thieves could be tracked. In the last two months this voluntary program had been turned into a law. What the public didn’t know is that you had no choice. That was a frequent topic at church now, but the stories became scarier. The number of people showing up to church started dwindling.

Grace knew what that chip meant it was the anti-Christ marking the people with his number. She had put if off for so long and now her time had come. There was nowhere to run and Grace was too old to do that anyway.

There was a loud noise at the door. Someone was knocking on her door.

They were finally here.

“Grace Eastland, open the door.”

Grace could hear the door knob rattle.

“Mrs. Eastland open this door, we are here to take you to get your electronic chip. We have the right to break down this door if needed.”

She could hear them whispering, one asked if he thought she was at home. The answer was hard to hear, but the word yes was loud enough. On the coffee table in front of her was a small gun. Grace didn’t what know what type, but that didn’t matter.

Grace closed her eyes, humming church hymns under her breath. The only hope was that someone would perform her last rights before dying.

The door exploded inward, wood splinters flying in the air. Two officers dressed in swat gear ran in the room. They looked like demons sent from hell. Grace lifted the gun and pointed at them.

“Look she has a gun.”

“Lady, put the gun down. We don’t want to hurt you.”

Grace doesn’t have anything to say. The gun was not loaded, but they didn't know it. There was nothing she could do to make them stop. She pulled the hammer back and it created an audible click.

“Put it down or I will shoot!”

Grace lifted the gun and aimed it at the officers.

A loud bang filled the room and Grace’s shoulder exploded in pain. Her back hit the couch by the force of the bullet. The throbbing in her shoulder only lasted a moment. She can feel blood dripping down her back and then nothing at all. Her body became cold and breathing becomes difficult. Each inhale brought in a little less air and her chest tightened. She closed her eyes and for a moment heard loud trumpet calling out in the night. Then she took her last breath.







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