The Beginning of the End by Lorana Hoopes (readict txt) 📕

“Yeah?” She scanned the coffee table for any sort of clue, but there were only a few magazines.

“You might want to come here for a second.”

Raven put the magazines back in place and crossed to the kitchen where Jason stood staring down at the table. An unlit but half burned candle sat in the middle surrounded by a plastic wreath, but she was pretty sure it was the small black book and journal that had garnered his attention. Sticking out from the journal was a white envelope with her name across the side.

With trembling fingers, she pulled the envelope the rest of the way out of the journal and opened it. A single sheet of white paper was folded inside. She pulled it out and read the pretty cursive.

Dear Raven,

If you are reading this, then it means I’m gone. Hopefully, it was due to the rapture and not some tragic accident. I wish I’d had more time to research and talk to people who really studied this, so I could pass on more information for you, but what I can tell you is that the next few years will not be easy. The Bible isn’t exactly clear on what will come, but it is clear that it will not be an easy time. Famine, earthquakes, and lawlessness are mentioned, but in this day and age, the tribulations could be anything. You’ll need to keep a vigilant eye, especially for anything that creates dissension or instills fear in people.

Also, at some point, a figure will emerge who will claim to be able to unite the world in harmony. I assume this figure will be a man, but again, don’t discount anything. Do your homework on anyone who claims to be able to do something that seems too good to be true, and listen for anything that seems to go against God’s word. I know you haven’t been a believer in your past and you may not have your own, so I’m entrusting my Bible and my journal to you. I’ve marked passages I thought were important as well as written my thoughts in the journal.

One more thing. In Revelation, there is talk of a “mark of the beast.” Though no one knows exactly what this will be, most assume it will be some numbers or symbol that people take. Many will line up to take it willingly and those who do not will be killed. The mark will probably become a requirement to do certain things though that is just speculation that I’ve read. My point is that you need to be aware of it. Anything the government wants you to take, you should research. These will be trying times, and I wish I could have left you with more guidance. Search for others like yourself - those who realized too late or knew but chose a different path. Unite with them and learn all you can. Try to rebuild the churches as they will be needed now more than ever and help those who will be grieving.

Know that I will be praying for you and counting down the hours until I can see you again.

Kat

Raven lowered the letter and looked at Jason. “I think this is what I was looking for.” She tucked the letter back in the envelope and picked up the Bible and journal.

“Don’t tell me you actually believe all that,” Jason said. Raven could tell that he was having the same internal battle she was - only she was confident she was closer to fully believing than he was.

“Do you have a better explanation?” she asked, throwing the ball into his court. She’d tried to come up with anything that could explain Micah and the dark shapes she’d seen the last few days, but all roads had led back to Kat.

“I just…” his brow furrowed, and he sighed, “No, at the moment I do not, but I will come up with one.”

Raven chuckled wryly. “Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Come on, we should get back to the gym and help Brian with the clean-up. It looks like we’ll have a lot of that in our future.”

Dr. Candace Markham grabbed the railing of the hospital bed as she felt the ground shake beneath her. “What was that?” she asked the nurse on duty once it stilled.

The nurse, a woman in her late twenties or early thirties by the name of Julie, looked up at Candace with wide eyes full of fear. “I have no idea. Earthquake?”

“I don’t think so,” Candace said. “Too short.” She turned her attention to their patient, a man who’d been in a hit and run, but he seemed stable for the moment. “Page Dr. Edwards in surgery and tell him we’re bringing one up.” The scan had shown the patient had internal bleeding and though he was stable at the moment, Candace knew that wouldn’t last long.

Julie nodded and crossed to the phone on the wall. She lifted the receiver, punched in a few buttons, and then asked for Dr. Edwards. Then her face fell. “Okay, is there anyone in surgery free?”

A knot of apprehension twisted in Candace’s stomach. She couldn’t hear the conversation, but it was clear from Julie’s face that something was going on. Something that had to do with that shaking?

“What’s the matter?” Candace asked when Julie returned to her side.

Julie blinked a few times as if in shock before finally managing to squeak a few words out. “They say Dr. Edwards disappeared.”

“Disappeared? Well, did they bother paging him? He’s probably taking a break somewhere.”

“No.” Julie shook her head. “The nurse said she saw him disappear.”

“What?” Candace rolled her eyes; she didn’t have time for this nonsense, but before she could say anything else, her pager went off. She glanced down at it. Emergency on the roof? Had a helicopter crashed? She supposed that could explain the previous shaking. It vibrated again. Multiple crashes reported citywide. All hospitals to be on