THE SWORD AND SICKLE

PART TWO: DECEPTION

CHAPTER-SIX

CASSINI-2

©2017, Olan L. Smith

"What they do not understand is that all are of God, and by killing any person, they have lost a part of the treasure. They did this so they alone might possess the treasure, only to find out it is not where it was."

"I understand what you are saying. There are many ways to find you, and the Bible is just one. So, John wrote what he processed through his mind and interpreted as your words, but some people believe you wrote the words. What happens to those who follow the wrong path to the kingdom? What happens to them?"

"I will judge each based on their works and if they follow what they perceive to be true within their hearts. I also know that we all have internal flaws. This I do not hold against them; rather, I send them back to live life again in a new body. I cannot consume evil and make it a part of me. It is a refining process. Hopefully, the essence of the soul gets better during the process. At the end of days, I will stop this process, and I will decide which souls are refined and pure enough to be one with me."

"That doesn't seem fair to me. What of those souls that are newer and have less time to improve themselves?"

"All souls have lived the same time. When I sent souls to the earth, they inhabited all creatures, from the smallest to the greatest. No souls have been added to the earth since that time. As the human population has increased, the rest of the animals on earth have decreased."

"So the larger the number of people, the more animals will be depleted."

"Yes, this is true. There has always been a delicate balance of creatures on the Earth, Alicia; it can only support a determined number of beings before the ecosystem collapses." Levi and Alicia walked to the city and asked, "What do you see?"

"I see twelve white gates; inside the gates, I see a temple. The buildings all around me are made of fine jewels and crystal. Before the gates, I see a great throne and a river flowing from it."

"Go to the river and tell what flows within it."

Alicia did as directed and stood on the banks of the river."

"Put your hand within it."

She bent down on her knees and placed her hands in the river. She tasted it and said, "My Lord, it is water."

"Go, stand in the midst of it, and immerse yourself." She stood and waded into the waters of the river. The water felt warm on her skin. The Lord walked into the waters with her, and as he stood beside her, he placed his hand on her head and submerged her. When she surfaced, he said to her, "Alicia, your sins have been washed away in the water of life. What do you see on either side of the river?"

"I thought all this baptism stuff was mumbo-jumbo."

"It is, but it fits your religious upbringing, so I used it. People like to have their impurities washed away, like dirt in clothing. I could burn out your sins if you prefer."

"Not a chance. Water is just fine."

"What else do you see?"

"Looking, I see trees, and on each tree, I see many different types of blooms."

These trees are of the variety called life. Each blossom represents a different tribe of the people of Earth. How far would you say they extend from the throne?"

"I couldn't tell you, Lord, for they extend as far as my eye can see. Just how big is the city?"

"It has four points, and from one point to the next, it measures twenty-one kilometers. Come with me and see the fruit." They walked to the nearest tree, and the Lord grabbed a limb and pulled it down close so Alicia could see it. He placed a blossom between his fingers and said, "See the small fruit on this limb just now coming on?" Soon, the tree will be ripe, and the harvesters will be ready for the harvest." He picked up the bloom and tossed it away. "Only the best of the fruit will I eat; the rest I will cast away into the pit, never to spring back. The heap is the final death. That bloom would have produced more humans than all of Judah, and I plucked it. I permit you to pluck any bloom on the Tree of Life, Alicia."

"That is fine, Levi." She clasped her hands behind her back.

"Soon, Alicia. You will help in the harvest."

"Soon, every soul on the planet Earth will be harvested. I will eat their souls or destroy them forever."

"What will become of me, Lord?"

"You, my dear child, have been immersed in the river of life. No one can ever take that from you. You will die, but you will live in me forever! Do you believe this, Alicia?"

"Yes. I believe you are the creator of all, my Lord and Savior. When will the trees of life be ripe?"

"In due time, child..."

With those words, Alicia touched the hand of Levi, and in that moment, she once again spewed from her body, and they toured the rest of the city and the universe. Afterward, she found herself in her body, sitting on the couch as she watched the remote fall to the floor. She looked up and saw the second hand moving on the clock. She thought to herself, Man, what a trip! She stood up and started to walk to the kitchen when she stumbled over a pile of clothes. She looked at her body and noticed no stitch on her. She went into the bedroom and pulled out her suitcases. She packed her clothes and got out of the atlas to find which route to take tomorrow to St. Louis. She wondered: Who am I supposed to find in St. Louis? Then she heard these thoughts in her head. "You will know her when you see her."

―――――

Morgan was losing his patience with Gibbon. "They told me you were the leader of this group. We have been here for nearly two hours, and we are not nearly done. Hell, live up to your GS-12 grade. Shit, can you do this, or not?"

"Sir, I am the supervisor. I'm not the one who usually does this type of work."

"Then whose fucking job is it, Bob?"