Day One Thousand One Hundred Eighty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I stirred early and discovered that Elijah was already up. He looked at me without a word pacing about looking up at the heavens.

I opened my mouth to speak only to have him shush me.

Then he stood stock still, raised his staff and swung it in an arc from horizon to horizon.

Fifteen points of light sprang to life marking the staff’s passage against the sky. They glowed brilliantly then extinguished.

We awakened our three brothers for breakfast and a conference.

Our decision was swift and unanimous. We will forsake our direct heading and make our way around the area of the hiding place and approach from the Damascus side.

We tasked Reuben with finding the best way.

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Day One Thousand Sixty #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Elijah gathered us together after breakfast. The general expectation prevailed that he would announce our departure immediately. All the more so since Elam’s revelation that he too had been given a vision of a rising tide of blood.

But Elijah caught us off balance. Though he concurs that our group is now complete, he does not agree that it is time to leave.

He has called for another fast and that it is to commence tomorrow when we set out on to the road eastward. We shall halt on the stone bridge and there hold a vigil and await a sign.

We then passed the day in preparation both physically and spiritually.

And Mei cheerfully lent a hand to all.

Day Six Hundred Twenty Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We lingered long over breakfast before parting company from our new friends. They brim over with joy and thus are a pleasure to be around. They shall be missed. And the feeling is mutual.

Though the parting was tinged with sadness, the hope of our meeting again encourages all alike.

If any of their relatives remain in this world they are hopeful that they may win them to the truth.

Elijah for his part is confident that when we meet up again in Jerusalem, they will have added substantially to their number.

Our quartet had easy going on the southern route. We kept a constant vigil, scanning the sun baked horizon for the army on its march.

No sighting yet.

Day Five Hundred Fifty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Strangely uneasy all day.  But no one else aboard shares my apprehension.

It started this morning over breakfast. The dawn was slow arriving. The darkness clung everywhere, refusing to lift and give place to the light.

I mentioned this to Elijah. He only shrugged his shoulders and kept eating.

I planned to take some exercise on the deck, stopping first to check in on the bridge. Both the Captain and Tomas were present. But each was irritated about something, so I took the cue and launched into my walk down below.

It seemed to me that the storm of a couple of days ago had returned, only this time it was internal instead of external.

Time for the special cabin.

Day Sixty Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The rest of the night was uneventful. With the dawn the wind died down. Since Lyle stood the last watch I let him sleep in.

I checked around outside. Nothing. Though the message was still on the door.

I brought in some wood to restock the fire and made some breakfast.

Then we prepared to set out as planned. After the briefest of discussions in which we again confirmed to one another our agreement to keep to the plan and continue on into the mountains, we shuffled the dirt from our shoes and hit the trail.

After the next valley and the following ridge, since nothing came to view, we knew we would again be camping out under the stars.

Day Twenty Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

A fitful night for both of us. I woke up late only to find that Lyle was up and out already. At first I panicked (I have desertion issues), but then I realized that he left a breakfast for me, and he had talked about the need to stock up before we leave civilization for the north.

I ate, then went in search of Lyle, found him and lent a hand.

Besides the food, what I really want to find is our own intruder. Preferably a stealth version, one with a short tether. No sense making us too visible and we want to stay mobile, not tied down to a big base. It might be worthwhile to stay here awhile.