Fin by A.R.C. (ink ebook reader TXT) 📕

also noticed someone or something was there with us. He lifted his clawed hand up with lighting speed to get rid of me for good until his hand couldn't come down for the strike.

He was actually struggling to put it down. What kind of drugs did this fool had given me? I believe after this, I will surely quit. My heel that had came off my foot was suddenly in some reaching distance. How did it get to where it was laying? Was I near it the whole time? Question after question was racing through my mind through this whole freaky mess that was happening. I looked up at the Machate Man and it seemed like he was winning the struggle. Just a few more inches to my chest...I reached for my heel and struck him on the face.

There was a loud huffing sound that had escaped from his throat. Like a big "HUH!" sound, short and deep. I crawled backwards from where I was being held and watched him. His breathing became erratic and his eyes turned darker. "Oh, you better try to run." He said. "Because I'm going to enjoy chasing you in a place with no exits."

As he said that, the door on cue was kicked open and there was Armani holding a .9 millameter and aimed it to Machate Man. He didn't even hesitate to pull the trigger. The bullet went right through his head and he was about to collapse if he hadn't frozen in place for a little bit. "Armani? What is-"

"Come on girl! There's no time to thank me or whatever. Get your ass up and haul it out of here! She didn't waste anytime making the stilettos click clack as she reached for me, snatched me up and pushed and pulled me out of there. By that time were running down the hallway towards the steps to get to the first floor. "What is going on?!"

"Girl, the hell I know! Everybody is going plum crazy everywhere and I had a feeling that I had to save you for some reason. I got a few tips of where to find you and I saw you and him walking in this building. I'm riding the elevators up to the floor ya'll was going until it stopped and I thought I was going to die in there. Then I heard someone coming and opened the door in time but when I got out there was no one there. But I seen the guy's shadow. Well damn, I couldn't go follow him because I had to come and save your ass."

"A shadow?" We almost reached the door to the stair well. I turned around and seen someone's shadow coming down the hallway Armani and I had ran from that was ten feet away. I wa waiting to see who was this mystery hero that is running like a mad man, trying to find a way out while saving people from harm in this condo. But there was no one BUT a shadow. It stopped and I think it was looking at me, at us. I squinted my eyes thinking I was seeing things but the shadow looked like-"Steve...?"

I can tell my borther's form anywhere but this didn't make any sense. All that was happening didn't make any sense! But there he was and here comes the Machate Man's shadow. Over grown and over powering Steve's and he was accompanied by many other disformed shadows. Steve had seen them coming as well. Armani was tugging on my arm to haul ass down those flights of stairs but I wanted to see what will happen. My brother was in trouble and I was trying to think how can I help him.

I always looked after and protected him when we was growing up. And he did more of the protecting and trying to take care of me. Was it too late to redeem myself at this moment? The Machate Man and his henchmen's shadows were getting closer to Steve. I don't know how much of the shadow puppetiering I can take but I couldn't keep my eyes of it. Just when the Machate Man was going to strike Steve, Steve held up his arms and hands as if he was looking away while shielding in defense and a huge amount of light just seeped in through the hallway. A big explosion errupted from outside the building.

Fire was spreading down the hallway but I wanted to see if Steve was still around. I didn't see anything on the hallway wall. "Bitch, I am tired of trying to be a friend and save your life. You are such a clich`e of the "don't help someone that doesn't want to be saved". Damn girl, are you coming or will this building be your grave?" Armani had given up trying to be a hero while being stylish as I noticed her heels were gone. He had only one eye lash pasted on and it was holding on to dear life. Her makeup was beyond running and her studded jeans and top were full of smudges.

"Yes, of course. I just seem-"

"Ugh! Snap out of the high illusation crap you're on and lets go!"


I heard the voices through the fired hallway. And it sounded like they were coming our way. That was a better motivational push to continue to escape. I thought we will never reached the first floor and when we got there. The view from the window looking out was beyond chaotic. The street was full of people drinking, sexing, burning things, breaking things, fights-the whole nine. most were carrying banners that read, "F-THE WORLD! WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" And "STRIKE ME NOW! I'M HERE WAITING!" Others had bible scrpitures or peoples' name that they lost in crowds. How did it all came down to this all of a sudden?

The voices would'nt quit. They were gaining on us rapidly. I didn't want to find out what they would do if they caught us so it was either run in the middle of the mess out there or suffer greatly in this condo building that was about to be condemmed. This time I grabbed Armani's arm and was pulling her to follow me outside. "Josie, sweetie? Let's think about if we want to go out there or not. Josie-JOSIE!"

Felt like I went through the door without any scratches and a driven force was helping me run. I heard people cursing at us for bumping into them but I couldn't stop. Armani's grip became tighter as most were calling her names but in the miracle, she kept up the pace. My run was haulted fianlly by me bumping into someone and it made me knock myself and Armani back on the ground. And when I looked up, there was Mark, Steve's bestfriend followed by that girl who hangs with them, this other young dude and the whole congregation of my old church.


"Josephine? Geez, are you ok?"

"Yeah...yeah...". I didn't think I smacked into Mark that hard but I felt dazed.

"Are you sure you're ok? Seems like you are in trouble." The concern that was etched on his face was another sign of a miracle that there was still kindness in a time of darkness.

I heard the whispers approaching close behind me and moving through the crazy crowd. I buried my face in Mark's chest and tighten my grip on his shirt, preparing for the worst. I have made my bed with all the decisions I had made in my life, and now I had to stay and lay in it. But the voices subsided. As if there was a barrier that they couldn't or wouldn't cross. I looked up Mark who was still searching for answers on my face while waiting for an answer. Armani just looked at me and everybody else around like we have lost our minds, and I finally noticed all of the people I remember when I went to church. The church...that's what had stopped it from getting me. I had been saved...

"Stay with us Josephine. Your friend too."

"And where are we going? Armani had asked looking nervous now.

"We're just representing who we are and going to show praise. It's our own FINALE

and we should all be going out with a bang." Mark replied casually.

"Lord have mercy." Armani said, trying not to roll his eyes.

"Yes, we will be asking for that too. It's ok if you don't want to join us."

Armani looked around and all he saw was blood and rage among others. "No, I'm good. I can stay with ya'll. Praise away."

Everyone else was giving us evil stares and laughing at us; some had spitted while we walked right on by. Some of "outsiders" chosed to follow and join where ever we were walking to. Some of the members were holding up banners that they created on their own stating "WE LOVE YOU LORD", "HAVE MERCY ON US ALL", and "DELIVER US FROM EVIL". The fire lights glowed against brick walls and seen a shadow again-Steve's shadow. If my sight wasn't going bad I thought I could make out that he was waving at me. It all made sense. He had saved me from whatever was trying to kill me. He was the one who got Armani out the elevator. The one who led me to Mark. My brother was still looking out for me, and I couldn't thank him enough let alone wishing I thanked him much more. Thank you Steve...

I had said to myself, believing he could hear me. And for twenty years it had took me this long, yet it's a first for everything that I had said for the first time in YEARS, "Thank you, God." ...(@)


Just then the older group of church members started their praise. They held their banners up high and said:


*OLDER PEOPLE GROUP* (@)

(ll:Our God Is an awesome God he reigns

From heaven above with wisdom power

And love our God is an awesome God:ll

(repeat 7xs)

Our God is an awesome God….


-*Workcamp Chior "Our God"

)

***********************************************


*YOUNG ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS GROUP* (@)


(Do you know what's worth fighting for?
When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating?

Does the pain weigh out the pride?
And you look for a place to hide?
Did someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

When you're at the end of the road
And you lost all sense of control
And your thoughts have taken their toll
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul

Your faith walks on broken glass
And the hangover doesn't pass
Nothing's ever built to last
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

Did you try to live on your own
When you burned down the house and home?
Did you stand too close to the fire
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone?

When it's time to live and let die
And you can't get another try
Something inside this heart has died
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms,