Chapter 2 – Watering Life Back to Normal
The Father’s world is really starting to mobilize now with people moving in and out of the world. There’s less talking and more working. There are new faces here as Emmanuel continues to gather people who accept his invitation. When the group reports to the Father, he gives them their instructions while instructing others at the same time.
He tells them to, “Now you are going to cut open the earth in the areas I instruct you to. This will let loose the waters of the earth and lead to your next task, which is to free the plants and vegetation. This will be a two-day assignment so you will need to take camping equipment and enough food and water. Try not to engage with the people from your world who haven’t changed to their true form unless they come to you.”
“What about our family and friends?” Lars asks.
“If they haven’t joined us yet, then pray that they do.”
“Ok. I’m just worried about them.”
“Do not worry about them. Emmanuel is bringing people to us as we speak. If they do not join us, then they will suffer for it.”
“You’re not going to have mercy on them?”
“This is the only place salvation exists. This castle, this Church, this Body of mine. I will not be sorry for my decision though you do have my sympathies. I feel just as bad as you do even more so because I am the one who has to convince them. Remember to be strong. I will always be with you.”
Once they leave, Aaron and Alexis put their hands on Lars' shoulder and give him a reassuring smile. He smiles back wipes his eyes and holds his head up.
“Thanks,” he says.
The group is transported to a place on top of where the sea is supposed to be.
“There are cities around this area,” Lars notes.
“Maybe Emmanuel took the people away from these cities already. The cities are usually bustling with activity at this time of day,” Aaron says.
“But what about the people who declined?”
“Remember what Father said.”
“Now that I know where the seas and lakes are, I know that my house is built on it.”
“Emmanuel hopefully picked them up already. You have to have faith. My house is built on the ocean as well.”
“My house is up in the Arctic region,” Alexis adds, “That place will be inhabitable by the time we’re done, so we will all lose our homes here but don’t forget about our true home.”
“Right…right,” Lars says as he quietly looks at the city that’s sat upon the center of the ocean, “Let’s just get to work. It’ll help get this off my mind.”
Aaron, Alexis, and Lars work on cutting open their own sections of the ocean, which is a tedious task, to say the least. It takes all day and makes them go around a few cities. They take periodic breaks every five hours, so they don’t overwork themselves. During their breaks, they barely talk to each other except for one in the afternoon.
“I say people watching me in some of the buildings. There are still people in the cities. I don’t think they’ll make it,” Lars miserably says.
“I saw Emmanuel walking through the cities I was near. He saved tons of people,” Alexis says to liven him up.
“But do you know how invaluable a single person is?”
“I do, but even though everyone can be saved, it doesn’t mean everyone wants to.”
The rest of their break is quiet with Aaron looking back and forth at his friends. He wants to say something to make them feel better but can’t find the right words. Instead, when he makes eye contact with them, he smiles, and they smile back but for different amounts of time. Lars smiles then looks back down at his meal. Alexis smiles and the two keep eye contact for a while. Lars sees this and tries not to be jealous. Instead, he tries to feel happy about his two friends falling in love with each other.
Once they are done resting, they get back to work on cutting open the ocean. Eventually, the places they cut around start to fall into the ocean itself. Lars watches as buildings fall into the watery depths, but when he sees people in the windows of a building, he runs to help them. Aaron sees Lars running to them and chases him. Lars tries to reach the people banging on the windows, but the area around him starts falling apart. Aaron catches him before they fall. Both boys catch a glimpse of the Leviathan. A humongous beast that’s swimming in the water that devours the sinking buildings and barrier in one gulp. The two then escape the city and run to dry land where Alexis is wondering where they are. They keep running on the falling barriers as the Leviathan chases them. They help each other when they slip and keep running until the last leap onto land. Alexis is there to catch Aaron’s hand while Aaron holds onto Lars who is submerged. The three quickly pull each other out just in time for Leviathan to emerge. It is a massive serpent that can breathe fire. It is so big in fact that you aren’t completely wrong if you think that its head reaches beyond the clouds. There are multiple heads on its body and it has wings to fly. The monster sets its sights on the three but is quickly dispatched of by a bolt of light that comes from Emmanuel’s mouth who is with a group of people.
“How did you like that? Pretty impressive, isn’t it? Now that I’ve shown you who am I, who wants to join me and help save the world?” he says to them who agree to follow him before disappearing with him. “You did good, kids. Get some rest and be ready for tomorrow.” Emmanuel gives them his signature smile along with a thumbs up.
Lars falls on the ground as he’s tired from running. Aaron sits more comfortably, but Alexis stands over them because she’s mad.
She hits both of them upside the head then says, “What were you two dorks doing out there?! We were supposed to be here by the time the barrier covering the ocean collapsed.”
“There were still people in the buildings,” Lars says.
“And I had to get him.”
“Lars! Remember what Father said.”
“I know but it’s so difficult!”
“It’s supposed to be. This isn’t easy for any of us.”
“Ok, fine. Just let me sleep on it and I’ll hopefully feel better tomorrow.”
Lars stops the conversation and goes to set up his camping tent. Aaron and Alexis look at each other with concern then set up their tents as well. During the nighttime after eating their dinner, Aaron gazes out at the stars in the sky. This is the only time he’s seen them outside of the visions of things that the Father created. Alexis joins him and sits by his side.
“I wonder why humanity took this away from us,” Aaron says.
“I don’t know. But it sure is great to experience with you.”
“Tell me, why do you seem so interested in me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’ve never felt a feeling this strong for someone else. I haven’t been with anyone like you for this amount of time. Lars doesn’t count.”
“Anything more specific?”
“We’re just getting to know each other better. You definitely seem like the kind of person to sacrifice themselves for the people they love. Who wouldn’t like someone like that?”
“Point taken.”
“Good.”
Aaron surprises Alexis with a kiss who returns it. After one kiss, they hold each other’s hands as they enjoy sleeping under the night sky together.
Lars kicks their tent and says, “Get up lovebirds. We got work to do.”
Aaron, Alexis, and Lars work on a rainy day. They wear a cloak with a hood to keep themselves dry. Today, the three carve out certain parts of the ground to expose to dirt to the rain. To the people inside the nearby buildings they carve around, they look like monsters cloaked in darkness who are destroying their city. One of them tries to go outside to confront Aaron. He has a sharp pair of scissors in his hand and cautiously approaches Aaron from behind. Aaron turns around to look at the person who runs away in fear and screams that he’s a monster.
“Wait! I’m not a monster! I’m human just like you,” Aaron says to try to get them to calm down.
But the person doesn’t listen, and just stays inside the building they were in. Aaron sees the people in the windows shivering in fear of him. The people who still have stick figures as bodies turn away from him and hide in the dark corners of the building as lightning and thunder fills the sky. Since he knows that there is nothing he can do, he continues to cut open the dirt with his sword. Again, the three take breaks every five hours, but this time, they don’t really say much to each other. Just meager talk about the job and how tedious it is and complaints about the weather, though the three seem to like something about it.
Once they cut the sections of the ground they were supposed to, plants and vegetation begin to sprout out of it and the rain goes away. The vegetation is bigger than it was when it first grew as it grows on the buildings and skyscrapers. The once gray earth is now green, blue, and colorful with vegetation and sunlight as it once was when it was first made. A rainbow in the sky marks the Father’s victory this day over man-made structures. The air doesn’t smell processed anymore and is fresh for the first time in years. Certain vegetation produces fruits and vegetables that the kids taste from all of which taste just as good as the fruit made in Father’s world. It doesn’t seem that anyone was hurt this time though the people here are more terrified than ever to go outside. The group then report back to the Father with news of their success.
“I knew you would accomplish this for me. Get some well-deserved food, drink, and rest. I’m sure your fellow soldiers are eager to see you,” the Father says.
“Uh, Father. If you don’t mind me asking…” Lars begins to say before having afterthoughts.
“I know what you want to ask. Go ahead and ask it.”
“Are our families with us?”
“Unfortunately, no. I’m sorry. Even though I mentioned you helping us and what we’re doing, they didn’t want my help nor did they want to help. I think you know what happened to them after that.”
Lars stops himself from overreacting then says, “O-Oh. Well…well, I guess it can’t be helped now.”
“I should also let you know that some of your other friends tried doing what you did and died as a result. Don’t put yourself in a situation like that ever again or else you’ll cause not only your death but the death of your friends as well. Please let go of the people that refuse our help since that’s what they want.”
“Why?”
“Because it is their choice and we have to respect that. Love is a choice of free will. I’m not a tyrannical father so I will not revoke their will to choose.”
“Maybe you should.”
“You don’t think I didn’t think of that already?”
“I uh…I’m sorry.”
“I understand your feelings and trust me when I say I feel them with you. Now go rest and reward yourself for today. You’ve earned it.”
Lars quietly exits the room to go to the dining hall hoping for people to cheer him up or to relate to at least.
Before Aaron and Alexis leave, Father says, “Good job Aaron and Alexis. Be sure to keep up the good work and keep Lars safe. I know he wants to do as much good as possible, but that can make him overdo things. He’ll end up overstepping his boundaries if you don’t stay by his side.”
Aaron and Alexis bow then say, “Thank you, Father.”
The Father smiles his everlasting smile at them and hugs the two as he can feel the sorrow within them. Alexis and Aaron share this hug with Lars since there aren’t any words that could be said to help Lars. There is only affection.
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