the day the world was supposed to end — Chapter 6
The world was prepared for their certain death. The asteroid never hit and they survived. Now citizens try to rebuild a disordered world caused by panic and desperation of an end that never came. Everyone wants to know how the asteroid missed them. In a world controlled by local legions and militias and with communications systems destroyed survival can prove as difficult as to answers on why they survived.
A new chapter is released every Sunday afternoon/evening. Below is a link to the last chapter:
The security officer waved them to proceed pass the checkpoint as Ed straightened his ball cap with one hand on the wheel. The jeep made its way to the main road. Gerald positioned the book bag between his feet with Beck’s bible on his lap. “So your a preacher?” Ed asked with eyes focused on the road and his left cheek adjusting to the wad to tobacco. “A former preacher with a bible in his lap. Jerry, why are you a former preacher with bible on his lap?” Gerald unzipped the top of the book bag and dropped the bible inside. “I’m just a former preacher. Now with a bible inside a book bag” as Gerald looked away looking through the passenger window of the Jeep. As they drove town, Knoxville looked like pre-asteroid era of suburban houses and parks. The armed militia reminded this community they lived through a post asteroid era world. Now they lived in a new world with no asteroid just an unknown future.
Gerald hoped for a quiet ride to their destination. He was quickly disappointed. “So when did you stop being a preacher?” Ed said hoping to continue some small talk. Gerald was not going to be able to avoid talking about his past. Gerald gathered gathered his thoughts. Ed noticing this attempted to help Gerald. “So what kind of preacher were you?” “I was a church planter and did some mission work. I was a pastor at small churches.” Ed was happy to get a response from Gerald. “So at what point during the news of the asteroid did you stop preaching?” Ed knew he was hitting a nerve but in a world where the earth avoided death by asteroid, asking questions of religion was not out of bounce anymore. In fact neither were politics but because it didn’t matter.
“After the news” Gerald responded. “Seriously. Right after the world knew of the asteroid, you stopped preaching. So you became a John the Baptist type preaching out in the backwoods of Tennessee” Ed responded in shock. Gerald knew this conversation was going from when he ended his calling as a pastor to what he believed. He wasn’t ready to face the question if he had completely abandoned his faith. He had quit as a pastor or Shepard as the Oak Ridge Legion had called him. “The bible in my book bag is my wife’s. She died a month or so before the asteroid was suppose to hit.” Ed had realized he hit a deeper nerve. One that was still sensitive in this new world. Death.
“I stopped preaching the day the asteroid missed the earth.” The jeep pulled into a dusty parking lot with both both Ed and Gerald sitting in silence with the hum of the engine in the background. The trees and houses were gone and they were in nondescript buildings and armed men. They were at the headquarters of the Knoxville Legion. Ed and Gerald waited for the other to break the silence. “I stopped preaching the day the asteroid missed the earth” Gerald repeated to Ed. “But I lost my faith when Becks, my wife died.” Gerald’s eyes moved to a small structure with a large patio crowded with militia men. The sign over the front door said “bar” with no other sign on the building. “I am going to get a drink” Gerald said as he opened the passenger door. Ed turned the ignition and the engine humming ended.
