An Unholy Redemption Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

“It’s time for my speech,” the General pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and switched on the microphone.

“My beloved friends and fellow countrymen, I stand before you today not only as a leader of a great country, but as a man destined to be at the right hand of God. We have all seen the suffering of man, we have all seen the evil of man, we have all seen men rape and steal nature’s beautiful gift to us, mother Earth. So much so that Mother Earth has been brought to her knees. My friends, let me tell you that this has not gone unnoticed. God has witnessed such scenes and is not pleased. You might ask yourself how I know this, so I will tell you. God has seen fit to send me an angel, an angel of great splendour and beauty. This messenger told me that God will no longer tolerate such actions in the beloved home made for us. I was then told that it is my duty to unleash a holy fire on Earth to once and for all cleanse and eradicate the evil of man. My actions will clean the Earth of all the hate and contempt installed in the men in the West. Unfortunately, these actions will come at a price, the price which I hope your fidelity will keep steadfast at our last and finest hour. No doubt the West will retaliate, causing the death of us and our loved ones, but let me assure you that there is no better honour to receive than that of dying while doing God’s work. Believe me my countrymen, today we will be sitting in Paradise, a Paradise where we will join past loved ones who have gone before. We will take our loved ones with us today and we will sit in the love and comfort of the Most High. So now it is time, I give you leave if you wish to go and be with your families. You have my love and respect and go with your heads held high. I will see you soon. Those who wish to remain here by my side please do and we will ascend on high together. God be with you all.”

He switched off the microphone in the office above where the scientists had been working and watched through the glass window as some of the men left through the exit doors while others knelt on the floor to start to pray.

“So my Captain the time has come, are you ready to be reunited with your family once more?”

“Yes General, my very soul aches for it. I have for so long wanted to see their faces once more and be held once again in my mother’s arms. So how do you feel knowing you are going to be seated at the right hand of God?”

“Strange, and yet I think I have always known that something as special as this would happen to me and be my destiny.”

“What will you say to God?”

“That I don’t know. I expect I’ll thank God for allowing me the opportunity to do a great work on Earth. Sometimes my friend,” he put his hands on the captain’s shoulders, “words are not enough. Being in the same presence and power of God would be my reward. To share that knowledge of God is all I need to know. What time is it?”

“It is five minutes to midday.”

“Then let us begin.”

The captain lifted the black briefcase attached to his wrist onto the table in front of him. He turned a combination lock and clicked the case open. Inside was a metal cylinder tube with a keyhole at each end. The General removed the tube and placed it on the table. He took the red key from around his neck and instructed the captain to do the same. They both entered their keys to their respective holes and turned them. The lid on the metal cylinder sprung open to reveal a piece of paper neatly rolled like a scroll lying at the bottom. The general removed it. “Here my friend is a six digit launch code. I can’t tell you how long I had been waiting for this moment.” The general unrolled a scroll to reveal the number 798666 written in red ink. They both turned to see the clock: it was now three minutes to twelve. They stepped forward to the computer panel and the hidden red button.

“Remember we put the keys in and turn together to the left. The computer will then ask for the launch code. After keying in the numbers, we turn the keys to the right and that will then release the button. Is that clear?”

“Yes General, very clear.” The general could see his Captain’s hands were shaking.

“God is with you my friend,” he said and put his hand on the Captain’s to reassure him.

“Thank you, General.”

“Ready?”

“I am ready.”

They both entered the keys and turned them to the left. The computer screen flashed in front of them prompting them to enter the six figure launch code. General Silas carefully typed in the number. More writing appeared on the screen asking them if they were sure they wanted to launch. If the answer was yes, they had to retype the six numbers and confirm the launch code. The General did as instructed and the launch code was initiated. They both then turned their keys to the right and the metal casing imprisoning the button glided down into the computer panel and the red button slowly emerged from its hiding place. “General, it has been an honour and a pleasure to be here with you today.”

“You too, my friend.” They both once again turned to the clock. The second hand was approaching twenty seconds to midday.

“God be with you captain, I will see you again in Paradise.”

“God be with you too, General.”

The tiny hand on the clock made its way to noon and in the General slowly counted down: “8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Then with the click of the hour hand the General slammed his hand down on the button. The computer screen flashed up in red: “Missiles launched.” The roar from the rocket engines firing up made the building they were standing in shake on its foundations. The two soldiers watched, as missile after missile launched into the blue sky towards the heavens. The Captain took hold of his family photo and held it against his chest and whispered, “Soon my family, very soon.”

 

Back at the house, Lucifer stood calling for Mary in the back garden. “Mary, come quick, it’s time for me to go.” Mary rushed out the kitchen door, the clock on the wall was showing a little after 8am.

“What is it?”

“I needed to say goodbye again.”

“Where do you have to go and what you have to do?”

“I have to go make my peace with God and then finally I can go home.”

“Will death be painful? Will we see each other again?”

“So many questions. All I can tell you is that it won’t be painful because you, John, David and Ruth will remain together no matter what.” Lucifer looked at all of them watching from inside. He lifted his hand for them to join him outside, one by one they came outside to where they were standing.

“It is time for me to go, my friends. I want to thank you again for what you have done…” As Lucifer spoke, a scream came from next door. Then more and more screams started sounding outside in the streets.

“What is all the noise about?” Ruth ran back indoors and ran down the corridor to open the front door to see what was going on.

“It’s coming,” Lucifer said ominously, “it is time for you to prepare yourselves. Now I must fly.” Ruth ran back into the garden to join them just before Lucifer took flight.

“It’s true, the end is coming, General Silas has launched his nuclear missiles and they are heading this way. Our government has retaliated and launched their missiles. Grace from next door said that the reporter on the television has told everybody to prepare for the worst. David hold me.” Ruth threw herself at David wrapping her arms around him.

“I must fly now and go make my peace. God be with you.”

“Oh Lucifer,” Mary took hold of him and put her head on his fiery chest, “I will pray for you and you will be the last person I speak about in my prayers.”

“Mary, you will be the last picture in my mind as I meet my fate.”

“Come on Mary.” John gently pulled her away from Lucifer into his arms. “Goodbye Luther, I think we will all sit out here together to see last moments alive in the radiance of the sun.”

Lucifer let out an almighty roar and, as he channelled his energy, the red colour around him started to pulsate quicker and brighter.

“Do not forget, take my love,” Mary put her hand on his chest causing a blue colour to enter him,  spreading until he was shining a beautiful purple. He bowed his head, spread his wings, took one last look at them then took flight, almost knocking over his friends with a blast of air. As he flew higher and higher, his body began to grow. His wings expanded behind him. Soon Mary and her family were just like small dots as Lucifer’s flight gained momentum. With a cold morning air whistling in his ears, he was thinking about what the end of the scripture had told him. It had instructed him to fly to the exact centre between heaven and earth and the exact centre between east and west. It went on to say that is where he would meet his death. He looked down at his body. Covered in the black coat, the purple still radiated all around him this. Soon, he thought, there would be nothing of this left. The very body that had initially imprisoned him would soon be ashes.

“Lucifer.” Lucifer looked up to where the voice sounded.

“I call upon you to make your choice. Fly here now and consider your decision.”

Lucifer immediately recognised the voice of the Most High. On approaching the point within the centre, he started to see something shine down from above and as he got closer he recognised what he was seeing. From a break in the clouds, his sword started to descend. It shone in all its glory, the red rubies in the handle were electrifying and the metallic surface radiated from the light of the sun.

“Animositas! Come to me, I have missed you,” Lucifer shouted.

He held out his hand and flew even faster to be reunited with his trusty blade. Closer and closer he flew until the coming together of hand and sword sent a white flashing light into the heavens, opening the clouds above him. Then there was a silence. Hovering in the morning sky, Lucifer held his sword close to his chest until the silence was broken by a movement in the clouds above. He watched as the angels led by Michael descended from the parting in the sky. One by one, they surrounded him on either side.

“Hello Lucifer, welcome back. It’s good to see you in your new light.”

“Thank you Michael. It’s good to see you again and it’s even better to see you without having the wish to destroy you.” Once all the angels had descended, they all hovered in position with their heads bowed, then there was a silence that covered the sky.

“Lucifer, I, the Most High,” the silence was broken by the voice of God, “and the brethren here have come to witness the end of time. We have come here to see my will on Earth be done. It is time to make your choice, Lucifer. In your hand you have the sword which is claimed to be alive. I now give you back your power and free will to do as you wish. You can use the sword to wipe out all man on earth or you can choose to save them. Whatever your choice you will lose the body you possess and return to our heavenly home.”

On hearing the words of the Most High, Lucifer pulled the sword closer to his chest and closed his eyes and began to contemplate. He had now been granted his wish to return to his angelic status. He also now had the power to choose man’s fate. Whatever he decided he would still be returning home. Would it be better to return home as the new Lucifer with a clear conscience or as the old Lucifer covered in blood of man? As he was thinking, he started to hear a strange noise. It started off like a high-pitched scream then the sound became recognisable: it was the sound of Angela’s voice, the girl he had saved at the orphanage.

“Lucifer if you can hear me. Once before you made your choice and chose to save me, do you remember the feeling you felt? It was not a feeling of pain but a feeling of love, I know that you now know what love is and I know now you will make the right choice.”

Then another voice began.

“Lucifer, if you can hear me, it is me Mary. I am praying for you. I hold your new name in my heart and my mind, I hope we will see each other again my love.”

“Lucifer,” the Most High’s voice sounded aloud, “you have to decide.”

“Why must it be me? I am not questioning your decision Most High, but I just don’t understand.”

“All will be explained after you have made your choice.”

Lucifer looked around at all the other angels who are now holding each other’s hands in a circle with Lucifer in the centre.

“Lucifer, see what approaches.”

Lucifer turned to the east and then to the west. On both horizons he could see the metallic surface of the nuclear warheads getting closer. The roar of their fire deafened his ears as they got closer and closer. In one final thought, he remembered the people in the east who he had originally loved so much. So long now he had sought revenge for them, but was this what they wanted? He had been their leader who had loved and respected them. Did they want to see him turn into something so horrible? The answer came to him within an instant. He realised he was not fighting to avenge them. He was fighting the weakness in himself for letting this happen to his people. His eyes flashed open.

“My choice is made.”

He held out his sword and started to fly to the exact centre between heaven and earth and between east and west. On approaching the centre his speed gathered momentum. In the blur of his speed, he saw all the faces of his tribe from the east; they were all smiling at him and sending him so much love. This love made his flight get even faster, closer and closer he approached that perfect point. From his chest, a beautiful white light started to radiate. It was the light he had received from the Most High when he and Mary were in the lion’s cage. This light grew brighter and brighter and as it did, it reflected on the missiles causing them to change direction and head straight towards him. The other angels watched with a mixture of sadness and joy as the inevitable was soon to come to pass. The light from above grew brighter, then with one final flap of his wings he held out his sword in front of him and closed his eyes.

“In the name of God,” he screamed, “I was Lucifer now I am no more. In time people will come to know my true name.”

There was a brief silence which seemed to last for a lifetime then an almighty explosion erupted. The fire in the light from the explosion ripped through the sky and headed towards the Earth. The inhabitants of the Earth cried out in fear as the approaching fireball got closer and closer, Jeremiah and the other brothers were watching from Daniel’s house, Mary, David, John and Ruth held each other tight. General Silas and the captain were watching from the launch area. The General held out his chest to bravely accept his fate and the Captain held his photo against his heart. The flames engulfed the entire planet, but instead of the flames killing people, they danced around them like a warm blanket in a loving glow. The sound of a roaring fire sounded in their ears but the flames comforted them rather than hurting them. In one moment, the fire entered the hearts of man, making everyone fall to their knees. Every evil thought the men had conceived was abolished from their minds and memory. Every evil man and woman now had no perception of evil anymore. All the hurt, both physical and emotional, that had been exercised on man by man was now healed. The darkness in man’s mind was now being eradicated to give way to a new light and a new love. As this light and love grew in man’s mind and hearts, the angels above began to weep. Their tears fell to the earth like raindrops extinguishing the fire all around the world. The light from the explosion faded and out of its centre fell a black figure. The wings were not moving and the body fell next to his sword downwards to earth. Faster and faster it fell, falling lifeless until it and the sword hit the Earth, sending an enormous boom around the world, like the Earth’s new heartbeat.

“It is done,” Jeremiah said and took hold of his chest. He closed his eyes and breathed his last breath. Angela was crying as she looked out of her window holding her doll. Mary, John, David and Ruth looked towards the heavens. All of them now could see a new light in the sky shining down upon them. From a hole in the ground in the desert, Michael appeared with Lucifer lying lifeless in his arms. As he ascended towards the light above, Lucifer’s body began to burn away into ashes. Michael lovingly looked down as Lucifer’s face began to fade and floated away into the wind.

“You did well, my brother,” said the voice of the Most High. The light behind Michael faded as the opening in the clouds closed as he entered heaven. The people of the world now began to weep as they fell to the ground on their knees praising and thanking God for their lives and salvation, for the start of another day and the new dawn of man.