Chapter 3

     Many people had been profoundly traumatized by the events of recent weeks especially by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake. The damage had been mostly structural and the injuries mainly superficial and minor with no loss of life.

     The dam had held and the huge crack was quickly repaired. Other earthquake damage had been surprisingly minimal given the magnitude of the earthquake. It had been a shocking experience nevertheless and many saw it as a warning from God Himself. Others however soon forgot the terror of the moment and went back to living their lives as before. Some citizens knew that they were indeed in a time of grace and the town's mainstream church leaders decided to bring forward their evangelization program.

     It was decided to go ahead with the 'commitment to Jesus' course that had been talked about for sometime and it was felt that there had never been a better time to hold it.

     Sue Jackson was a keen pro-lifer and active in her church and her community. She was a fearless lady and would always go that extra mile to help anyone in need. Needless to say it didn't take much effort on her pastor Steve Tyler's part to get her involved in the town's interdenominational commitment to Jesus course.

     Sue, Cynthia Washington and Sister Mary-Jo O'Connell an Irish Catholic nursing sister were involved as team leaders.

     Sue, Cynthia and Mary-Jo were ladies in a hurry and had gone to many organizations and businesses throughout the town to recruit people for the course. All three were well known in the town and ran a mother and baby rescue cell in the area. They had been at the receiving end of threats and assaults because of their pro-life stance. Cynthia's husband Gene, the soon to be chief of police, was powerless to stop his dynamic wife and gave in eventually and said no more. Sue's straight talking had earned her some enemies in town. She was not scared to speak out regardless of the consequences.

     Sam Elliott was only too pleased to let Sue come to speak to his ranch workers. She and Mary-Jo and Cynthia had already gone to the brewery and the lumber-mill and the power plant and a few more places on their recruitment drive.

     Fort Wayne had always traditionally been a God fearing town and most of its folks had a religious background. On the whole the three had been well received and were well pleased with the response from people that had heard them.

     Sam announced Sue's coming talk to his ranch hands at the staff meeting that morning telling them at the same time, that he was in no way insisting that they attended. He would never force anyone to be there he had said. He and his foreman Carl handed out the assignments of the day to his workers.

     "Ok guys! Sue Jackson is corning this morning to give her talk. You aren't being forced to come. Whatever you do y'all will be having an extra long coffee break mid morning. I don't want to hear anyone cursing and as Sue is my guest I expect y'all to treat her with the utmost courtesy. She is a nice lady and she has a good message. If you want to listen." Sam told them.

     "Ok, let's get the coffee finished and let's get busy! See y'all mid morning."

     Sam noticed a smirk from Lee Mitchell's face and noted it silently,

     One of the boys put on the television and without warning the guru came on.

     "Put that off son! I don't want him on anywhere on my premises.

     Either in books or magazines, t-shirts, hats or badges." Declared Sam.

     "Sorry Mister Elliott. I didn't realize it was the guru. I was watching to see if it was right enough about the papal election. There is a new pope apparently and he has already made his first broadcast." Explained Kevin a bright young man that Sam liked very much.

     "Oh so you guys have got one at last?" Sam asked with a chortle.

     "Gee Mr. Elliott he's African. The first black Pope."

     "Well now ain't that something and I thought they were going to have to elect Old Ron up the Main Street." Sam joked.

     Kevin switched the channels till they found the news channel and there it was. The College of Cardinals had elected a new Pope right enough.

     Kevin along with Sam's Catholic secretary Gina sat engrossed watching the news.

     They listened to everything from Vatican City with bated breaths. Sam laughed grabbed his newspaper and a coffee and went outside to sit in the sun for a few minutes. He switched on his own little radio to the country music channel but instead of country music he heard that fine hymn that he liked 'Majesty'. He sat back to listen wondering where this was coming from. All at once a voice interrupted the hymn and Sam looked up.

     "This is Radio Remnant calling. Sons and daughters of the Lord's remnant these are the times. Get ready to flee the great persecution. Don't worry brothers and sisters you are already signed with the seal of your God and you will be led to refuges and protected by the holy angels; the prayers of the martyrs are with you. Never fear! Christ has already won the victory. Whatever you do refuse the biochip or whatever they are calling it. Do not take the bodily implant either on your forehead or hand. If they should torture you and threaten you, still refuse it and great shall be your reward. Pray brothers and sisters for the true Pope Peter, as he will soon be in a death struggle with the cohorts of the anti-Christ who are even now trying to remove him and put an imposter in his place. They will come up with some excuse to get rid of the properly elected pope so as they can make the way for the reign of the false prophet. Don't listen to anything that the new regime tells you. They are from Satan and are part of the one world government. Look out for__"

     At this the broadcast was interrupted and the country music channel resumed. Sam wondered again if he was hearing things.

     Soon the ranch work got underway and the usual ranch routine continued with the day shift workers starting their particular tasks of the day.

     Charley and his co-worker Barry arrived to service some ranch vehicles.

     "Plenty of coffee going guys if you hurry." Shouted Sam.

     "Yeah could go one!" Muttered Charley.

     "Just black?" Sam asked, as he got ready to pour.

     "Why not? Everything else is black nowadays. We're getting an African-American chief of police and Barry here tells me that they are getting an African Pope so go ahead. I like to go with the current trend. So yes Sam. a black coffee would be nice. Barry here always takes it black anyway." Charley said chortling.

     "Hey Barry. How do you like your new Pope?" Sam asked half teasing him.

     "Oh gee Mister Elliott he is absolutely super. I heard his broadcast and he is just fantastic! He is a linguist and speaks many languages. He was born in Rwanda and has known terrible personal suffering and some of his relatives were murdered. He himself was even jailed at one time for the faith. He has suffered torture and beatings and was suffering from malnutrition at one time. He says that he is going to carry on the work of the previous Popes. Hey and he is a traditionalist and that has surprised all of us. They tell us that he is going to take the name of Peter after the first Pope. Nobody would likely be able to pronounce his African name anyway. We are all excited. He has told us already that the teachings of the guru are in conflict with the teachings of Jesus and the magisterium of the church and that everybody has to decide for Jesus now. He has come out strongly against the bodily implant and said it could be used by dictatorships to control people in every way. The new Pope has also said that the Lord God has given us particular freedoms of body, mind and spirit and we are to cherish these and worship only Jesus. He further urged us all to be ready to die for Jesus Christ if necessary. He has also called for penance, fasting and prayer. He is so cool Mr. Elliott." Barry told him.

     "Well now ain't that something and I thought they were going to have to elect Old Ron up the main street." Laughed Sam.

     Sam grabbed a coffee and went outside to read his newspaper for a few minutes before he got busy.

     The ranch routine soon got underway and Sam's younger sons and nephews were taken off to school.

     Charley Jackson and Barry went to the vehicle shed to service; more vehicles for Sam and got straight into the work. Afterwards Charley and Barry did some trial runs with various vehicles testing them and in some cases looking for other faults in them.

     When they had finished this Charley went off to find Sam.

     "I took your car a spin into town to see if that fault would show up. I'll have a another go later." He told Sam.

     "Gee Sam when I was coming through the main street there I stopped off for a soda and Old Ron was shouting about the new Pope."

     "Heck what was he saying?"

     "He was upsetting all the Catholic folks that were walking in Main Street saying that the new Pope was soon going to be murdered and be replaced by a false pope, an imposter who was one of the new regime's own people and actually nothing to do with the Catholic Church. Ron said that his ascension to the throne of Peter would not be in accordance to the traditions of the Catholic Church either. He would be the false prophet and in league with the anti-Christ."

     "Oh for goodness sake Charley don't mention this just now or Barry, Gina and Kevin will go spare." Urged Sam.

     "Sure boss. Heck maybe Old Ron is just peeved because he didn't get to be the first Baptist Pope. He's had his eye on that balcony at the Vatican for years." Joked Charley.

     Sam laughed and went off to work in the stables.

     Later Sue arrived at Sam's ranch. She had someone else with her.

     "Oh Sam I hope you don't mind but I brought Sister Mary-Jo with me. She had a day off and I thought she would be a good help."

     "Sure. No problem." Answered Sam.

     "Sam this is Sister Mary-Jo." Sue went on.

     "Mary-Jo this is Sam Elliott the ranch owner."

     "I have heard so many nice things about you Mr. Elliott and I remember you from the night of the earthquake."

     "Oh that sure was some scary episode." Sam said.

     "Just call me Sam, ma'am."

     "And just you call me Mary-Jo."

     This is my ranch manager Carl Harris and these are my sons Will and Sam Junior."

     They all shook hands.

     Hear you have a new boss?" Sam inquired.

     "Yes but I worry for him. These are bad times and he has inherited major difficulties in the church and in the world." Mary-Jo told Sam.

     "Come on up to the office and have some coffee or soda."

     Mary-Jo stopped to pat some of the horses and Sam was surprised that she seemed to be entirely comfortable with them.

     "What a lovely appaloosa." She declared.

     "Sister is a farmer's daughter. She was raised on a farm back home in Ireland."

     "Oh that explains it."

     "Yes and it wouldn't be the first time that I have delivered a foal or calf." She told Sam.

     "Gee I might just remember that and come get you to give a hand here." Laughed Sam.

     "Oh we'll need to have a long talk sometime." Mary-Jo went on.

     Sam led the ladies into his shift room and ushered them to a table. Carl brought coffee and sodas and the ladies took their seats. Just at that Charley entered the office and hugged his wife.

     "He must have known that there was coffee and cookies going." Joked Sue.

     Charley needed to use the phone to order a tractor part and Sam told him to go ahead.

     When he went into the office he spied something out of the office window. He looked out and then beckoned Sam into the office.

     "Charley?"

     Charley pointed in silence.

     Lee Mitchell was standing near Sue's car and speaking on his cell phone with one hand and taking a swig of something out of a liquor canister with the other. He appeared to be checking the number plate of Sue's car and speaking at the same time into his cell phone. Carl came in silently and saw what was happening. He said nothing but shot outside and stormed over to Mitchell.

     "I don't know why we keep him on the payroll. He's a real trouble maker and will do anything to get out of a work assignment." Sam told Charley.

     "I'd like to know why he was so interested in Sue's car for and who he was talking to. I don't want to upset the ladies but I would like to scare the pants off him." Charley said.

     "If I let him go he'd just beat up on that poor wife of his and the little girl- Nobody seems to be able to pin anything on him and his wife won't talk." Sam went on.

     "You ought to see the way the little girl turns up at the school. Half starved, poorly dressed and withdrawn. Cynthia Washington always makes sure the kid is fed and is continually onto the child protection services about the child's predicament. I know Cynthia has taken her away and bought shoes and clothing for her. Sue has sent clothes home to the kid's mom but I think he. Lee hits the roof and won't let her keep them." Charley told Sam.

     "Yeah and he comes in here wearing trendy gear and owns a top of the range motorbike and always seems to have plenty of money now. He's just bought a new sound system, a gigantic TV screen and a DVD player and a whole range of obnoxious DVDs to go with it." A young hand told Sam.

     Something twinged in Sam as he learned this and he thought back to what Old Ron had told him. He said nothing at that moment. "Hey c'mon let's go hear the girls."

     Sam and Charley went back to the ladies. Mary-Jo was deeply interested in the ranch work so Sam promised her a guided tour on her next day off.

     Meanwhile many of the ranch workers had opted to come to Sue's talk and the room was full. Lee Mitchell came in and sat down at the back and this really surprised Sam and the others. Everyone grabbed their coffees, sodas and teas and found a chair.

     Sue smiled as she looked around at everyone and thanked everyone for coming. Then she started to speak about the course. She explained the format and told them of the venues and who the course leaders were. She said that it was her opinion that they were in the last times and pointed out some of the signs. There was a lot of interest and everyone listened. There was also a good feedback. Then Lee Mitchell put up his hand.

     "Yes Lee."

     "What do y'all think of the guru?" He asked.

     "I think he is the man of perdition foretold in Holy Scriptures and talked about a great deal in the Book of Revelations." Sue answered. No more was said at that point. After the meeting Sue and Mary- Jo gave everyone little book markers and material about the course. As soon as Sue handed him the literature he took it and tore it up in front of her. There was a momentary silence and then Charley exploded and shot to his feet. Carl and Barry grabbed Charley and Sam seized hold of Lee by the collar and hauled him outside and away from Charley and the others.

     "I have a good mind to kick you loose boy! There was absolutely no reason for you to have done that to Mrs. Jackson. I told you that nobody needed to come to the meeting if they did not wish to do so. If you didn't want the literature you could have refused it or taken it and binned it out of her sight. What are you trying to do? Oh and I do smell liquor from you. I have a good mind to set Charley on you and let him beat you to a pulp but the big fellow is trying to reform and I'm not about to let him be arrested over a waster like you. Now get in there and apologize to Sue before Charley feeds you to the hogs or even worse the gators. Then you will go home and sober up. Kid this is your last warning. Y'all better get yourself to a 'step meeting', get on a program and do something about that drink problem. Go see Chris Harding, and tell him Sam your boss sent you and get yourself to AA, but don't come back in with liquor on you or in you, as you are jeopardizing the rest of my workers. You hear me?"

     "Yes sir."

     "Go do it."

     Sam hauled him back inside.

     "Uh! Sue this young man has something to say to you." Sam said as he prodded Lee.

     "Sorry ma'am."

     "Lee why don't you try finding the Lord?"

     "I have no need of your Lord."

     "These are difficult times and you will need to make a choice soon."

     "I have already made my choice and it ain't for your Jesus." Lee said.

     "What can I say?" Sue said.

     Lee turned to Sam.

     "Can I go?"

     "Yeah you sure can but I have the keys to your motor bike as you ain't about to kill my grandbabies, my kids, or anyone else's." Sam told him.

     At this Lee went into frenzy.

     "If you don't give me my darned keys now, then you can keep your damned ranch. I don't need to work here. Keep your religious talks and your Catholic nun and your commitment to Jesus talk. And hey lady!" He shouted addressing Mary-Jo.

     "Just wait till you see what they do to your Pope." Lee sneered.

     At this Barry and Charley went to jump at him.

     Sister Mary-Jo stayed their hands.

     "Lee before the end you will be crying on the Jesus that you have rejected to come help you."

     At this Lee threw back his head and laughed demoniacally.

     "We'll see who will be calling for help lady."

     "Ok that's it you are out of here." Sam said.

     "Get out of here before I throw you out." Sam was incensed.

     Carl! Give him what he is owed. Will go with him, as I don't want anyone to be alone in the same room as him. Y'all never know what type of accusations he could come up with to the Cattleman's Union."

     "In that case Boss we'll all go with Carl and Will." Kevin said.

     A few of the other angry workers agreed with this suggestion and said they would also join Will and Carl. Sam shrugged his shoulders and nodded to them.

     "Thanks guys!"

     Carl got up and beckoned Lee out of the room and the other workers followed.

     He was given his money and went as if to go down the road to the gate but suddenly he jumped in a pick-up that he knew would have the keys in the ignition and he drove off down the road towards the gate.

     Charley and Sam Junior went to follow him but Sam told them Just to let him go and phone the police. Carl went off to phone them.

     Eventually after all the excitement the workers all returned to their blotted tasks and got on with the work.

     Sam, Sue and Mary-Jo went for another coffee then both ladies left for town.

     Just as everything was getting back to normal a police patrol car came into courtyard. It was Sam's brother Zack and his partner Mark. They were in the area and came in response to the call Carl put out. Sam went out to meet them.

     "I think you guys know that I always have coffee round about now."

     Suddenly everyone stopped and listened spooked by the sound of the wind. It was abnormal sounding and strange and all three guys immediately looked for signs of unusual weather. When it didn't materialize Sam sat back down and beckoned the two police officers to chairs.

     "I can't have this guy around here any longer. We've given him more chances than he deserves and now he's stolen one of my pickups."

     "We've an 'all points' out on him Sam and we are really anxious to get hold of him. We want a word with Mr. Mitchell on another matter. His wife was taken to the hospital this morning with severe facial and head injuries. Her neighbor found her lying in the backyard of her garden and we would very much like to speak to Mr. Mitchell." Said Zack with anger and irritation in his voice.

     "Oh my goodness no." Said Sam's daughter in law Jenny.

     "She's two months pregnant and having a bad time. He insisted that she have an abortion." Continued Jenny.

     Charley came over.

     "He's hit his young wife once too often this time." Mark Chan told them.

     "And we mean to get him."

     "Think he's headed down the old mill back road. There's an old shack hidden beyond the abandoned mine. He drinks and smokes weed down there."

     "Thanks Charley! Keep the coffee hot Sam. We'll be back."

     Zack and Mark headed back to their patrol car with Zack speaking into his communicator. They switched on their siren and headed off in the direction that Charley had told them about.

     Suddenly everyone stopped in their tracks and looked up spooked again at the sound of the wind. It was abnormal and strange, stronger sounding than before and everyone again looked for signs of unusual weather.

     "Gee what's with this weather?" Whispered Charley.

     "I have my theories." Sam replied.

     "It's all predicted in the Bible and we are told that these things will happen before Jesus returns.

     "Y'all think that guru guy is the anti-Christ?" Barry asked Sam.

     "I think he might just be. My brother Zack and his partner are committed Christians. Mark Chan however his partner is a very committed Catholic Christian. He was actually born in Hanoi but has been here for many years. I really am impressed with Mark although I don't understand his faith right now. He is of the opinion that the guru is the anti-Christ and that we need to all get ready to go in to hiding soon, if we profess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Sam explained.

     "Mark also thinks that the guru's rise will herald in the great persecution and that it is coming very soon. He told me some story about predictions that were made way back in 1917 and then again in 1962 then in 1981 and all told about coming chastisements and warnings to all of mankind unless we turn back to God now."

     "Y'all talking about the Blessed Mother?" Barry asked as he worked about with a wrench.

     "Oh I think so."

     "Yeah boss. Our Lady came in 1917 to Fatima. They didn't listen! Each time she came back with a more urgent message and they still did not listen to her. She said more recently that God our Father was going to send some warnings to the world, after that there would be a miracle, a great sign and depending on humankind's reaction to these, and depending on whether or not they amended their lives, there would be a chastisement. She also said that by the time the "Great Sign' came that it would be almost too late to convert. The warnings have been given. Penance, fasting and prayer."

     "Fasting?" Yelled Charley.

     "You? Jeepers Barry! I just saw you wolf down two double cheeseburgers boy and a piece of chocolate cake!" Charley said.

     "I'm building myself up for the tribulation." Barry answered.

     Charley pulled Barry's hat down over his eyes.

     Sam however wasn't finished.

     "But is this lady asking for you Catholic folks to worship her?"

     "Aw gee no boss! The Blessed Mother has never asked for anything else except that we turn back to her son Jesus and give Him worship and Him alone!" Barry insisted.

     "She's just an ordinary ma trying to help her son out and as she is our mother also she is trying to help us as well."

     "But he is Jesus!" Surely he doesn't need no help?" Sam asked.

     "Well put it like this. Yes, God Our Father is a loving father but he is also a God of wrath. Sin is an abomination in His eyes. Although He is always ready to forgive us and fill us with more blessings, he can still be angry and human kind has given Him just cause to be angry. Remember when you did something as a kid and your dad was furious but your mom used to tell you to let her talk to dad? Well it is a bit like this. She is a loving mom, the Mother of humankind and she doesn't want any of us to be lost especially after what her son Jesus suffered for all of us so that we may have eternal life." Barry explained.

     "Ok guys, ice cream coming up just newly made by Jenny."

     Shouted Will as he came toward to them carrying a tray of bowls.

     As Will was talking, the ground started to rumble and shake all around them.

     "Not again!" Yelled Will.

     But it wasn't an earthquake. The extinct volcano of Mount Sherman had come to life.

     Sam and everyone else around stared in disbelief at the distant peak. They could see the smoke hanging around its summit like a sinister veil. Everyone had stopped in their tracks and stared. Mount Sherman wasn't even classed as dormant but extinct. As soon as it had begun it stopped.

     "Wow! Guess the Lord is trying to attract our attention again.

     Guess He thinks we ain't been listening." Barry remarked.

     They could see many flocks of birds flying away.

     "Lord Jesus cover us again with Your precious blood!" Sam repeated.

     "Amen!" Voiced the others.

     Sam heard one of his ranch hands shouting for everyone to look up. From the direction of the volcano and the smoke that was around the mountain, there seemed to come some thick black cloud. George the stable foreman came running.

     "Heck Sam what in Heaven's name is that?"

     The cloud got larger and nearer. It seemed to be alive and as it neared they all heard a peculiar sound. Sam could not make out this noise at all.

     "Locusts! It's a huge cloud of locusts!" Will yelled.

     Everyone remained riveted where they were. Gina came out and took her rosary from her pocket and made the sign of the cross and whispered some prayers in silence.

     Suddenly there was a noise of yelling from various people throughout the ranch.

     The locusts appeared to be stinging them.

     "Oh Mother of Jesus!" Retorted Gina.

     "What kind of locusts sting?"

     Carl let out a yell and swatted his arm and rubbed the back of his neck.

     Sam straightened and looked up and then started to quote from the Book of Revelations.

     "Locusts came out of the smoke onto the land, and they were given the same power as scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or any tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them but only to torment them for five months; the torment they inflicted was like that of a scorpion when it stings a person." (Rev 9 Verses 3-5)

     Sam and the others watched in alarm as the huge cloud of locusts headed towards the town. The locusts did not descend on Sam's ranch except to sting a few of his ranch hands, but would wreak havoc on their way to town stinging many people throughout the area. The stings would cause great discomfort and pain for many weeks and many people would suffer greatly.

     The unusual strain of insects didn't harm any of the crops or Plants or anything that grew in the fields and fruit orchards, and didn't seem to do any other damage except to sting.

     Scientists and insect specialists later said that these locusts were indeed a new strain, almost mutations, the like of which had never been classified before. Their stings would cause severe and painful irritation that would last about twenty weeks experts had warned.

     Other locusts would later come and devour crops, grass, trees and fruit orchards but would not have the same stinging traits.

     A cry from Gina distracted Sam's attention at that moment. There had been a news flash. Apparently there had been some dispute over the papal election results and confusion reigned. More news would be brought as it broke, the news channel announced.

     "Gee don't tell me Old Ron up Main Street was right?" Sam shouted.

     "They wouldn't remove a properly elected Pope?" Gina yelled in disbelief.

     The rumble from Mount Sherman would cause a stir in the geological world where they had been awaiting the eruption of Mount Rainier or some of the other volcanoes on the west coast. It had also scared the living daylights out of most of the residents of Silver Creek whose town was at the base of Mount Sherman.