Part 16 (1/2)
Though it was hard to muster mirth after the past week, Shaun grinned. No question about one thing he and David were on the same page when it came to Revered Keller the man was as likeable as a re-gifted fruitcake.
”Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,” announced the televised evangelist.
”What's up with the TV?” Shaun asked David. ”Where is he?”
”I think there's a big sanctuary on the other side of the commons, some giant auditorium. Near a gym and youth center.”
”Jeez. How big is this place?”
”Bigger than Solomon's temple, I'm guessing.” David took another drink of his coffee, winked at Shaun, and set his cup on the table. ”Your t.i.thes at work, young man.”
”Not mine, thankfully,” Shaun said.
They turned to watch the reverend's announcement on the screen.
”These are trying times,” the reverend proclaimed. His voice echoed to the vast ceiling, echoed along the marble and gla.s.s halls. ”These are the END times. There is no questioning that, friends. No question at all.” Keller took out a handkerchief and wiped his head before continuing.
”As the dead have risen, their souls have been claimed by the prince of this world - Lucifer, the fallen angel - who has reached the end of his reign! The scourge that has come upon us in recent days is the last a.s.sault of Satan mounted on the innocents of this world. He is in his last desperate attempt to destroy the souls of those who might be saved when Christ returns to us in that golden chariot from the heavens! And he will return to us, brothers and sisters!”
A low din of excitement rose from some tables in the commons. People in agreement. People saying amen, and halleluiah. About half of the people were buying everything the guy said, lock, stock, and crock. The other diners were unreadable, or perhaps just incredulous. Only a few looked downright skeptical. Of those skeptical few was an elderly couple seated two tables away from them.
”But as Christ is nearing the earth, to return us to his glory, Satan is working harder than ever to claim your souls! Though the word of G.o.d tells us that Christ will come like a thief in the night - it is also Satan who will sneak through your yard, creep to your window, pry away the screen, and enter your home. He is the thief who steals your life's breath. The thief who steals your faith. He comes upon us like a wolf in the dark, ready to pounce and consume - ready to steal what is not his. He lies in wait, brothers and sisters. He waits for the time when you are spiritually low and vulnerable. When you're doubting and tired of fighting the good fight. Oh, he waits, little children! The devil is the scavenger of souls.” Keller shook the Bible in the air above his head as he crossed the stage, back and forth. The cameras panned to keep up with him. Keller stepped down three carpeted stairs, wiped his forehead, and then continued.
”Satan is devouring the world. Consuming the evil and the ragged remains of humanity! And he's devoured our loved ones - transformed them into the children of decay - transformed them into his children, the children of h.e.l.l; but Satan cannot devour us, because we have the power of Christ in our hearts, the power of the Holy Spirit at our disposal, an open line directly to G.o.d, who speaks to me and guides me and has given me a message today!”
More of the folks in the commons praised and agreed with the words, but several others had joined the skeptical few. Shaun was Christian, and he'd known good preachers in his life, and he'd known bad ones. This guy was the worst. Just watching him on the screen made Shaun feel darkness coil in his guts. The man was evil. And if there was anything the Holy Spirit was saying to him in this place while listening to this supposed word from G.o.d delivered through this false prophet, it was: Get Out.
David cleared his throat and drank some coffee. He lowered his head and said softly, ”This windbag just goes on and on.”
Shaun nodded, eating and watching the screen. ”This is a little scary.”
”A little?” David said.
”Last night I had a dream,” Keller went on extravagantly. ”The Lord has spoken to me. Our church - this church - all of you are the chosen ones! And, yesterday, he sent us a blessed sign, in the form of the woman that sits here before me.” Keller gestured toward the front row of pews. The camera panned to Dejah who looked pale, exhausted, and p.i.s.sed. The look on her face clearly stated she was sitting there against her will. She glared at the camera. The camera quickly refocused on the figure of Keller, once again standing behind the pulpit.
”She embodies Christ's hope. She is the vessel of his love, the living symbol of the power of the resurrection. This woman has been sent to be my bride, brothers and sisters. G.o.d has made it plain to me that I, as the humble leader of the Church of the Risen King, must marry this woman, Dejah Corliss. For just as the church is Christ's bride, with which he'll be unified upon his return, so must I be sealed in union with my bride. For he has sent her to walk among us as a symbol of his power and I must be joined in that power, that it may be shared with the church that we all may be saved, that we all may survive these last days, that we all may be part of the great resurrection.”
As he continued to speak, Shaun leaned forward in his chair until he had inched to the edge of his seat. He turned, incredulous, to David. ”Is he saying what I think he's saying?”
”I don't get much in all that bulls.h.i.+t except that he's crazy and he intends to marry your friend.”
”That's what I thought. That guy's crazy. For starters, Dejah already has a husband!” Shaun's chair wobbled as he stood.
”Hey.” David caught his arm. ”Where do you think you're going?”
Shaun yanked his arm free of David's grip. ”I have to talk to Dejah.” He headed past the cafe, back toward the sanctuary, the place he a.s.sumed they were broadcasting from.
David stood, casting a glance back at their food left on the table. ”Aw, screw it.”
He hurried after Shaun.
It wasn't hard to find the sanctuary from which Reverend Keller was broadcasting his latest stream of madness. After Shaun jogged past the Golden Streets Cafe, the hallway branched to the right, leading through double gla.s.s doors into a youth game center, and through a corridor to the left, where a crowd was crushed into the doorway. He looked past their heads. He saw the reverend on a distant stage at the front of the sanctuary. Rows and rows of polished wood pews lined both sides of the sanctuary, and two center sections faced the front. Aisles separated the four sections of pews. The room was packed.
Shaun pushed through the crowd at the door. People complained. One person jabbed him hard in the ribs, trying to push him back into the crowd. Another person, a huge man with foul body odor, refused to let him pa.s.s. Shaun struggled with him, pus.h.i.+ng and shoving, until David came from behind and grabbed the man under the back of his armpit. The man yelped with pain and, cursing, moved to the side.
Shaun made it through the crowd at the door.
He focused on Dejah.
She sat in a long white dress with three other women on a front row pew. The reverend was asking her to come onto the stage. Dejah shook her head no. Not to be deterred, Reverend Keller reached down to her. His hand stayed there, suspended in the air, beckoning toward her. Dejah sat unmoving in the pew, a look of ready defiance on her face.
Carson, rifle in hand, slipped from the shadows, and went to the end of the pew, leaning over her shoulder. He leaned and whispered something into her ear. Shaun could see that she said something in return, but she stood, turned, and looked over the congregation. She moved toward the stage, Carson a step behind.
As Dejah strode tall and lovely onto the stage, Reverend Keller took her hand in his and dropped to one knee before the congregation. As he announced that she would be his bride for the ”grand salvation of all who were loyal to the Church of the Risen King,” the room erupted with ecstatic energy. People stood in their orderly rows of pews and applauded. People prayed. They lifted their hands to the ceiling and sang. Some cried in a twisted display of celebration, clearly believing that G.o.d had sent Dejah to save them from the plague that swept the land.
”Dejah!” Shaun yelled, forging ahead like a crazed fan at a concert, rus.h.i.+ng the stage. He'd lost David somewhere behind him. ”Dejah!”
Dejah was being led to the opposite side of the stage. The reverend caught site of Shaun and focused an intense glare of hatred on the teenager. The reverend grabbed Carson's elbow, leaning close, shouting something in the soldier's ear. The cries of thanks and celebration that arose from the congregation drowned out the words the angry minister chose to lash his right hand triggerman.
From across the room, Carson's hawk-like gaze focused on Shaun. Carson's lips curled into a sneer and he lifted his angular chin upward c.o.c.kily, as if challenging Shaun to make a move. The implication of the unfolding events stirred a rage in Shaun that he didn't know was in him until now. That son of b.i.t.c.h is keeping her prisoner against her will, Shaun thought. And that's exactly why I plan to get over there before he sneaks out that side door. If I could just talk to her...let these people see what's really going on....
Shaun tapped a deep well of strength within him to shove through the crowd. He brusquely pushed aside those in rapture, swaying with praise. He barreled into a wall of throbbing flesh created by those pressing toward the front of the stage for a close-up glimpse or touch of the preacher and his newly announced bride-to-be. Reverend Keller had Dejah's arm tucked tightly under his own, her body pulled to his side by the arm he had thrust around her back as he came down the stairs. Three guards one of them Carson held the crowd back.
Shaun was stopped cold. He couldn't make it any farther.
”Dejah!”
She turned as she was dragged along, ma.s.ses of humanity pressing in around her, but she whirled at the sound of his voice.
”Shaun!” She said something else, but the noise washed out her words, and he could only see her lips moving.
Her eyes met his. The din of the crazies in the auditorium escalated as she was led through them.
Frantic, Shaun grabbed the nearest man's shoulders, and pushed himself onto his back. From there he hovered two feet above the guards. They looked up at him with shock. A pistol rose above the heads of the crowd, aimed in his direction. The guard looked nervously at Shaun and scanned the crowd. He shouted at Shaun, but his words were lost in the wave of shouts and open grat.i.tude to G.o.d for this new gift, this bride for Reverend Keller, salvation of the Church of the Risen King.
Shaun twisted, dug his feet into G.o.d-knows-what to push himself over the human barricade. He landed hard on the floor near the base of the stairs, ducking, and rolling past the guards. He leapt to his feet, darting past the base of the stairs. He pushed past Keller and grabbed for Dejah. She reached out to him. Her fingertips brushed the palm of his hand.
”We've got to get out of here!” he yelled.
Her face was drawn with panic and worry as Reverend Keller turned and realized that Shaun was there. His dark eyes flashed with a dangerous fury. His face contorted with ugly rage. Keller thrust Dejah through an open door leading backstage.
He turned, seething, and came at Shaun, one hand outstretched and curled into a claw, every move charged with anger. Keller lunged for him.
Shaun ducked left to dodge Keller's oncoming attack. From behind, another hand gripped him, clamping onto his upper arm. Pain shot through his shoulder. His arm was wrenched violently backward.
”You need help fighting a sixteen-year-old, Keller?” Shaun shouted, spittle flying. His body shook from fear and trembled with rage.