Babylon, Iraq
Earl lay on the ground. He had been in Iraq for two days, and he had realized that he hadn’t gotten off as easy as he thought. He couldn’t take six months of this, he just couldn’t. One of the guards was standing over him shouting at him in a language he didn’t understand. He just wanted to go home. He had never felt such oppressive heat before, and as a prisoner he was allowed no breaks and very little water. His only meal since arriving had been half rotted food, and he had been unable to eat any of it. He had made the mistake of complaining, and a guard had slapped him across the face and told him in broken English that he would learn to love the food. He would only get one meal a day, and soon he would be begging to eat the rotted meat and vegetables.
His was lying in the dirt, bemoaning his circumstances when he heard someone say “What seems to be the problem?”
Earl looked up and saw a man approaching. He was young, and walked with purpose. With the way the guard acted, Earl figured that this man must be one of the supervisors. Immediately Earl sat up and began to speak. “I’ve been treated abominably. I have been given very little water, and rotted food to eat. I demand to speak to whomever is in charge.” Earl had gotten to his feet as he finished speaking.
Brett looked over the man, and with a smile said. “Oh really.” He glanced at the guard.
Looking back at Earl, Brett looked him in the eye. “What was your crime? I notice you’re wearing a prison uniform.”
Earl thought quickly. If this man was in charge it would be easy enough for his to find out if Earl lied. “I was in Oklahoma City with my students helping rescue survivors after a tornado. A young woman ran into me from behind, and I drew my sidearm. Several people testified that I shot her, but there was no body. I did not shoot anyone, and don’t remember drawing my weapon.”
Brett motioned the man to follow him. Once inside a small building Brett indicated a chair. “Please sit. Would you like some water?”
“Yes.” Earl said.
Brett nodded to the guard who had followed them inside. The guard opened a small refrigerator and got out a bottle of water and handed it to Earl.
‘Now this is more like it.’ Earl thought.
“What’s your name?”
“Earl, Earl Myers.”
Brett sat behind a desk and began typing on the computer. After several minutes he looked up. “You were convicted of drawing your weapon on a innocent civilian. Several witness testified that you shot her and then ran. You stole a vehicle and when the GFPD caught up to you they had to run you off the road. Most innocent people don’t run.” Brett said quietly as he stared at Earl.
Earl began to fidget. “I am innocent.”
“What name were you going by at the time?”
Earl felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.
“It says here that you were going by the name Ronald Myers. That’s your brothers name isn’t it?”
Earl nodded.
“Now why would you be going by your brothers name?” Brett asked.
“I needed his job. The school where I taught had closed down because of the disappearances.” Earl said quickly.
Brett just looked at him. “Sooo, instead of going the Education Center and applying for a teaching position, you stole your brothers identity. Am I correct?”
“Look. I needed a job, and I didn’t know if they were hiring. My brother had disappeared and he was already employed there, and we look alike, so I took his job. Ronald’s gone and the odds of him coming back are nil, so yeah I took over his identity.” Earl shouted.
Brett sat back in the chair and just looked at Earl.
Earl just stared back.
Smiling Brett said, “Your stealing your brothers identity wouldn’t have anything to do with the principal’s accusations of pedophilia would they? It would be remiss of any educational facility to not do a background check on you. And there was a complaint filed against you the day before the disappearances.”
Earl dropped his water bottle. “What?”
“There was a complaint filed against you by a student named...” Brett looked at the computer screen, “Armando Sanches. He was a fifth grader who disappeared with all the others.”
Earl was stunned. ‘That little creep had dared to file a complaint. He had been a willing participant. How dare he go to the authorities.’ Earl didn’t realized that he spoke out loud.
“He dared because you sexually abused him!!” Brett roared.
Earl jumped out of the chair and tried to run. The guard caught him easily, and looked at Brett.
“Cut his water and food in half, and double his workload.” Brett barked at the guard.
With a smile the guard began to drag Earl from the room. “Please!!!” Earl begged.
“If you had told me the truth, the whole truth this would all be water under the bridge. I don’t like being lied to.” Brett said coldly.
Earl lay on the ground. He had been in Iraq for two days, and he had realized that he hadn’t gotten off as easy as he thought. He couldn’t take six months of this, he just couldn’t. One of the guards was standing over him shouting at him in a language he didn’t understand. He just wanted to go home. He had never felt such oppressive heat before, and as a prisoner he was allowed no breaks and very little water. His only meal since arriving had been half rotted food, and he had been unable to eat any of it. He had made the mistake of complaining, and a guard had slapped him across the face and told him in broken English that he would learn to love the food. He would only get one meal a day, and soon he would be begging to eat the rotted meat and vegetables.
His was lying in the dirt, bemoaning his circumstances when he heard someone say “What seems to be the problem?”
Earl looked up and saw a man approaching. He was young, and walked with purpose. With the way the guard acted, Earl figured that this man must be one of the supervisors. Immediately Earl sat up and began to speak. “I’ve been treated abominably. I have been given very little water, and rotted food to eat. I demand to speak to whomever is in charge.” Earl had gotten to his feet as he finished speaking.
Brett looked over the man, and with a smile said. “Oh really.” He glanced at the guard.
Looking back at Earl, Brett looked him in the eye. “What was your crime? I notice you’re wearing a prison uniform.”
Earl thought quickly. If this man was in charge it would be easy enough for his to find out if Earl lied. “I was in Oklahoma City with my students helping rescue survivors after a tornado. A young woman ran into me from behind, and I drew my sidearm. Several people testified that I shot her, but there was no body. I did not shoot anyone, and don’t remember drawing my weapon.”
Brett motioned the man to follow him. Once inside a small building Brett indicated a chair. “Please sit. Would you like some water?”
“Yes.” Earl said.
Brett nodded to the guard who had followed them inside. The guard opened a small refrigerator and got out a bottle of water and handed it to Earl.
‘Now this is more like it.’ Earl thought.
“What’s your name?”
“Earl, Earl Myers.”
Brett sat behind a desk and began typing on the computer. After several minutes he looked up. “You were convicted of drawing your weapon on a innocent civilian. Several witness testified that you shot her and then ran. You stole a vehicle and when the GFPD caught up to you they had to run you off the road. Most innocent people don’t run.” Brett said quietly as he stared at Earl.
Earl began to fidget. “I am innocent.”
“What name were you going by at the time?”
Earl felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.
“It says here that you were going by the name Ronald Myers. That’s your brothers name isn’t it?”
Earl nodded.
“Now why would you be going by your brothers name?” Brett asked.
“I needed his job. The school where I taught had closed down because of the disappearances.” Earl said quickly.
Brett just looked at him. “Sooo, instead of going the Education Center and applying for a teaching position, you stole your brothers identity. Am I correct?”
“Look. I needed a job, and I didn’t know if they were hiring. My brother had disappeared and he was already employed there, and we look alike, so I took his job. Ronald’s gone and the odds of him coming back are nil, so yeah I took over his identity.” Earl shouted.
Brett sat back in the chair and just looked at Earl.
Earl just stared back.
Smiling Brett said, “Your stealing your brothers identity wouldn’t have anything to do with the principal’s accusations of pedophilia would they? It would be remiss of any educational facility to not do a background check on you. And there was a complaint filed against you the day before the disappearances.”
Earl dropped his water bottle. “What?”
“There was a complaint filed against you by a student named...” Brett looked at the computer screen, “Armando Sanches. He was a fifth grader who disappeared with all the others.”
Earl was stunned. ‘That little creep had dared to file a complaint. He had been a willing participant. How dare he go to the authorities.’ Earl didn’t realized that he spoke out loud.
“He dared because you sexually abused him!!” Brett roared.
Earl jumped out of the chair and tried to run. The guard caught him easily, and looked at Brett.
“Cut his water and food in half, and double his workload.” Brett barked at the guard.
With a smile the guard began to drag Earl from the room. “Please!!!” Earl begged.
“If you had told me the truth, the whole truth this would all be water under the bridge. I don’t like being lied to.” Brett said coldly.
- Zags
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On the Ranch
Nathan had been unable to go to sleep. When Kristen had come to him and told him they had found Tori’s journal, he had been angry at first.
Kristen had apologized, but told him that she had been searching for her reading lesson. Devon had been the one to tell her it was a journal.
Nathan had walked into the dining room and grabbed the computer and gone to his room. After sitting staring at the computer for an hour he had finally begun to read.
The last entry was about their parents. Tori had been wracked with grief over their parents. They had died without accepting Jesus, and Tori had been torturing herself over their fate.
Nathan had refused to even think about it, but his sister had. She had thought about it so much that she had become almost obsessed. Her grief at the thought of their parents in hell was apparent in her writing.
Now Nathan sat awake in the middle of the night thinking about his sister in heaven and his parents in hell. He shook his head. He couldn’t allow himself to become obsessed over things he couldn’t control.
He thought about the last time he had spoken to his mom. She had been excited when she had called to let him know what time their plane would land. She had told him that she and their father had something important to talk to him and Tori about. She had sounded so happy, and that was how Nathan chose to remember his parents. Happy to see him and his sister. Excited to tell them whatever had happened to make them both so happy.
Nathan had been unable to go to sleep. When Kristen had come to him and told him they had found Tori’s journal, he had been angry at first.
Kristen had apologized, but told him that she had been searching for her reading lesson. Devon had been the one to tell her it was a journal.
Nathan had walked into the dining room and grabbed the computer and gone to his room. After sitting staring at the computer for an hour he had finally begun to read.
The last entry was about their parents. Tori had been wracked with grief over their parents. They had died without accepting Jesus, and Tori had been torturing herself over their fate.
Nathan had refused to even think about it, but his sister had. She had thought about it so much that she had become almost obsessed. Her grief at the thought of their parents in hell was apparent in her writing.
Now Nathan sat awake in the middle of the night thinking about his sister in heaven and his parents in hell. He shook his head. He couldn’t allow himself to become obsessed over things he couldn’t control.
He thought about the last time he had spoken to his mom. She had been excited when she had called to let him know what time their plane would land. She had told him that she and their father had something important to talk to him and Tori about. She had sounded so happy, and that was how Nathan chose to remember his parents. Happy to see him and his sister. Excited to tell them whatever had happened to make them both so happy.
- Zags
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"Murders, violent crimes, terroristic acts, earthquakes in diverse places have only intensified since that fateful night just over four months ago....despite the grandiose promises of world leaders and most specifically The Supreme Potentate Himself....life is growing more and more uncertain for those who find themselves still here"
YET people are polarized into worship ...fixating their eyes on a man...believing his promises of Peace and Security. Rock Star Status has propelled the globe to sit day after day soaking up his every word...his latest dress...his latest jokes....a euphoria arising in the minds of the people...spreading it's deadly infection ..stealing the soul....damnation it's reward...YET STILL THEY FOLLOW...Deceived
YET people are polarized into worship ...fixating their eyes on a man...believing his promises of Peace and Security. Rock Star Status has propelled the globe to sit day after day soaking up his every word...his latest dress...his latest jokes....a euphoria arising in the minds of the people...spreading it's deadly infection ..stealing the soul....damnation it's reward...YET STILL THEY FOLLOW...Deceived
- STA
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