An Unholy Redemption Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

 

The clock provided the only sound resonating through the dark room where General Silas lay asleep. In his deep slumber, he wasn’t aware of what was happening above his head.

“General, General,” a gentle voice spoke from above, “Come on, wake up. It’s time.” General Silas eventually opened his eyes to see Michael’s face looking down on him.

“What!” he shrieked. “Who … who are you? Get away. ” He sat bolt upright and shielded his face with his arms and hands.

“Don’t be afraid. I am not here to harm you, do you not recognise me?” Terrified, he turned to see the face again, peering through the darkness. His eyes widened as he recognised the face before him.

“I remember you, but how can this be? You’re the reporter who asked me that question about doing God’s work, aren’t you? But where’s your body? Are you a ghost? I must be going mad.” He shielded his eyes again.

“I will answer your questions, but first you have to look at me.” Shaking with fear, he lowered his arms and looked at the face glowing in the dark. “Do not be afraid, I am the Archangel Michael. I came to you before in human form because I did not want to frighten you. Now I appear to you in my true form to give you a message from the Most High.”

“I don’t believe it. I must be dreaming, am I still asleep? Why would God want to give me a message?”

“You are not asleep and this is a very real. The time has come for you to answer your calling and do God’s work and prove how much you love the Most High. Do you remember telling me at the news conference that you would do God’s work even if it meant the death and destruction of you and your people?”

“Yes, I remember, but I thought I was talking to a reporter not a messenger from God.”

“So you are telling me you did not mean it?”

“No … no, on the contrary if this is real, I will certainly do God’s work. It is just that I’m a little confused about what’s going on. Why would God choose me?”

“God is very pleased with the devotions you have performed daily. Your prayers and actions have been observed from above. That is the reason why you have been chosen, because God sees what is in the hearts and minds of men, especially yours.”

“If God knows what’s in my heart and mind, then you must know what I already want.” “Yes, precisely. You see what you want, think and feel are all what God intended you to feel. This was done for you to be able to carry out the great work which is intended for you and mankind.”

“Tell me what to do and I will do it without question.”

“God is very displeased with the way men have been treating each other. Even though free will was issued to man, God did not expect man to become so full of hate and act in such an evil and violent manner. As men have been given free will, God cannot intervene personally, so it was decided that a mortal would do God’s work on earth to act as an avatar of his wrath.” General Silas’ body began tingling with excitement at the prospect of doing God’s bidding. “What do I have to do?” he asked eagerly. “God wants you to instigate a war with the West and cause the inevitable; a nuclear war among nations.”

“What! A nuclear war? Are you telling me God wants me to start Armageddon?”

“Exactly. God wants the message to be loud and clear, a message to remind men that the faith and the word of God have been ignored far too long.”

“If God sees in my heart, then it is known that I am the right man for the job. I will accept God’s mission and I feel very honoured to have been chosen. I myself have also seen what man is doing to man and nothing would satisfy me more than to destroy the disease of mankind in a glorious martyr’s death. I will fulfil my destiny and finally sit in the Most High’s presence and be rewarded for my work and obedience. Michael, when do I start?”

“Soon Silas. I will visit you on the eve of a great dawn when men will die and be reunited with their one and only true God. Speak of this to no one until I return. God bless you, Silas.”

“No God bless you, Michael. And thank God for the great reliance that is placed in me. I will not let the Most High down.”

“I know you won’t, Silas.” In a flash Michael had disappeared and the General’s room was filled with darkness once again. Only the sound of the ticking clock in the distance could be heard. Right, he thought, no time like the present. He got up out of bed and summoned his guard.

“Get me the Captain at once and tell him to meet me in my office immediately”

“Yes, General.” In an instant the guard was off to find and wake the Captain.

 

Far in the West, Ruth and David had arrived at the hospital. “I can’t believe it. Let me look at you.” Ruth had tears in her eyes and was holding John at arm’s length, looking him up and down to see his new rejuvenated state. “You look so well and you have that great smile back again.”

“It’s a miracle John. Welcome back.” David held out his hand and firmly shook John’s.

“Thanks David, I feel great. Have you heard my new name? I’m being hailed as miracle man.”

“Yes, all the nurses were talking about you as we arrived. Quite a celebrity now, aren’t we?”

“Great, the more people that know about God’s power and love, the easier it makes my job to spread the word of God.”

“I also have good news,” Mary said, as she entered the room “I spoke to the doctors this morning and they said it’s fine for John to return home today. Obviously he will have to come in for more tests, but in the meantime it’s safe for him to go home.”

“That is great news, Mary,” Ruth said as she hugged her sister. “When shall we leave then?”

“There’s no time like the present. I think I’ve got all of mine and John’s things together. Let’s get out of here.”

“What’s the hurry?” John interjected, turning to Ruth. “I think she’s eager to see Luther.”

“No John, I’ve just seen enough of hospitals to last me a lifetime. Besides you want to start your mission right?” She pushed John to the door and the rest of them followed. All four of them left the room and walked into the corridor. They couldn’t believe their eyes as they saw that the corridors were lined with nurses, doctors and patients, all pointing at John and whispering to one another. Mary hung her head in embarrassment. David and Ruth just smiled nervously at the people as they walked past. John, however, was smiling and greeting everyone with his head held high.

“Nice to meet you. Yes, I am the miracle man and please don’t forget to tell your friends about me.”

“Stop it John,” Mary was trying to pull John’s hand away from greeting anymore people.

“Mary, I’m afraid you are going to have to get used to all this attention because this is only the start of it. Just you wait and see.”

“I’m sorry John, but I’ve never liked people staring at me.”

“What? From where I’m standing, I’m the one getting all the attention and I’m loving it!” He started shaking more hands and even kissed a nurse as he walked by.

“I give up. Come on Ruth, let’s get out of here quick. Maybe then we can get him home and our lives back to some form of normality.”

“Okay Mary,” Ruth said. “David, you run ahead and get the car started.” David kissed her on the cheek and ran off ahead. “Mary, I agree with John, I don’t think our lives are going to ever be the same again.”

“Enjoy it, Mary. Soon the whole world will be seeing me and they will listen to what I have to tell them about God’s work.” They opened the main door of the hospital entrance and were blinded by an array of flashing lights. David was still trying to fight his way through the throngs of media.

“Is it true you were cured of cancer in one day?” asked one reporter.

“Why do they call you the miracle man?” asked another.

“Is this a sign from God?” The reporters were firing their questions at John who just smiling while holding his head high and bathing in his newfound fame.

“How could all of this have happened?” Mary shouted to her sister above the chaos and noise.

“Well I suppose one of the doctors or nurses must have contacted the press.”

“Come on John, let’s get out of here!” Mary and Ruth wrapped their arms around him and started to pull him through the gathering. To their relief, the crowd started to separate as David sounded his car horn and drove towards them.

“Hurry up and get in.” David stopped the car and opened the doors. Mary scrambled across the back seat, Ruth got in the front and John reluctantly got in next to Mary on the back seat. “Get out of the way!” David shouted to the reporters in front of the car whilst sounding his horn again.

“Wow, look at them all. God’s word will be around the world sooner than I thought.”

“At last.” David was relieved to see an opening which allowed him to put his foot on the accelerator. John had turned to look out of the back window where he noticed a reporter writing something on his pad. He looked at John and smiled.

“Yes, I will be seeing you soon too my friend,” John murmured.

“What was that John?” Mary asked puzzled.

“Nothing Mary, just thinking out loud.” He rested his head on the car window and looked out to the sun, then took him a deep breath and smiled. “Wake me up please Mary when we get home.” Then he gently closed his eyes.

 

General Silas’ Captain was making sure his uniform was correctly ironed, his buttons were shining and his beret was positioned correctly before knocking on the door. He was wondering what was so important for him to be summoned at such a late hour. Had he done something wrong? Well there is only one way to find out, he thought. Feeling satisfied everything was in order, he nervously knocked on the huge door in front of him. There was a brief silence, then he heard the general call. “Enter.” The captain opened the door to find the General pacing his chambers with a strange transported expression on his face.

“Come in Captain, thank you for coming so promptly. I have some important news. Would you like a drink? Please sit down.”

“Thank you,” the Captain took hold of the glass of whisky the General offered as he sat down. “I have summoned you here to ask something of you, something which will test your character, obedience and fidelity to me and our beloved country.”

“My General, you know that I am totally faithful and will do anything you ask of me.”

“Good, that’s what I thought. So I can take it that you’re with me when I tell you that we are going to start a nuclear war.” The Captain stopped drinking his whisky and looked at the general who sat stony faced behind his desk.

“Excuse me General, did you say a nuclear war?”

“Yes I did, the war of all wars.” The captain rested his glass on the General’s desk and nervously prepared himself to ask his next question.

“Forgive my reasoning General, but why?” The general gazed at his second in command, observing the puzzled look on his face.

“Before I will tell you why, I need to know that when the time comes you will push that button with me no matter what.”

“General, you know I will. You are like a father to me and took me under your wing when my whole family were killed in that bomb blast. Can I ask you something, General? Would this mean my own death?”

“It might do, that I can’t answer for sure. All I can say is that we have to play an important part in what God wants.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you believe in God? I mean do you really believe in God with all your heart and soul?”

“Well no not much since my whole family were wiped out, so if there is a God I don’t see this God as a loving one.”

“I understand you fully my friend but ask yourself this, what if everything happens for a reason? No matter how painful that reason might be at the time.”

“I’m sorry General, but I’m not sure I follow.”

“Well, let’s take the example of your family. They were all killed and taken away from you.

Why? I will tell you why this happened. So you could be here now with me and be my second-in command, the only one I can trust to launch the missiles with me.”

“But why would God be so sadistic? What reason would God have to ask you to wipe out the entire human race?”

“I will tell you something now and it is imperative you believe everything I say. I would hate you to think of me as a madman. Can I be assured you will not think that way of me?”

“Of course not, General.”

“Today, you my friend, you can call me Silas not General, okay? Do you remember the other day when I was giving the news conference and you thought I was talking to myself?”

“Yes, I remember trying to prompt you and asked you if you were all right.”

“That’s it, well I was talking to someone. I don’t know if it was a vision or if he was really there, but I was asked if I would do God’s work even if it meant forsaking my own life.”

“Who asked you Silas? Me and your bodyguards did not see anyone.”

The General paused for a second while looking at the young man in front of him and wondered if he would accept what he was about to tell him. “It was the Archangel Michael.” Again he paused, but the Captain sat calmly and focused on his every word and his eyes widened as he listened to Silas’ story. “Michael told me that God is very displeased with the human race, especially the way we are all killing, robbing, raping and destroying the very home that was made for us. God wants mankind to be taught a lesson and through me, a mortal with free will. God’s lessons will be learnt as I reveal God’s judgement on earth. God also instructed Michael to tell me that God sees what‘s in my heart and my actions have been observed from above. This is the reason why I have been chosen. Do you see now what I meant when I said about everything happening for a reason?” The General stopped speaking as he noticed the Captain’s eyes beginning to fill with tears.

“What’s the matter my friend?”

“It is just all these years I have hated God for what was done to me and my family, but if what you are saying is true, then I feel very humbled that I, along with you, have been chosen for such a task.”

“Come here, my friend.” The general removed himself from behind a desk and held his arms open. At once the Captain was on his feet and in his arms, sobbing. “That’s it, let it out. Now you see why you should feel honoured that your family were sacrificed in order for you to be driven into my arms and be by my side at the end of time. Then if we die we will be remembered for eternity and reunited with our loved ones in Paradise.”

“Forgive me Silas for my reaction, but I have built up so much hate and resentment in my heart all these years. I have forgotten to feel anything but somehow what you are saying feels right and makes perfect sense. It is true that I have missed my family so very much that I would do anything to be reunited with them.”

“That’s what I thought. Now dry your eyes soldier, have another glass of whisky and let us talk some more.”

“Thank you,” the Captain said and took hold of another glass of whisky from the general. “When do we begin?”

“That, I don’t know. Michael told me that he would visit me again on the eve of a new dawn, so for now let us raise our glasses and drink a toast to God, sacrificed families, our friendship and, most important all, the destiny of mankind and our part in it.”