Day One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Besides Reuben and Sy, all the leaders asked to accompany us to Jerusalem – Elam, the Raj twins, Quasimo and his cousin, Jordan, Jezer, Meesa, Lung, Mr. Kagi, the Purser and Mary, and Mawuli.

Only Mei did not.

I took her aside and surprised her with a request. I knew that I had to lay down my writing chores and asked her to assume those responsibilities.

At first she demurred, proclaiming inadequacy. At that point Elijah stepped in and placed his hand upon her head.

As he spoke over her I saw the strength of the Spirit descend.

Then we told her she would accompany us.

And after bidding our friends farewell, the Spirit bore the three of us to Jerusalem.

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Day One Thousand One Hundred Eighty Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We gathered last night to debrief one another. It is clear that Mei and Meesa have managed everything in the most harmonious fashion. Peace and contentment crown all their efforts.

And we shared the details of our adventures and the faithfulness of the Spirit towards us.

I marvel at how quickly things can settle into normalcy. Both for us who have been gone and for those who stayed. A welcome circumstance.

The Captain and Jezer again set out for the task that we had interrupted yesterday.

Elijah disappeared into the set apart place. I feel the same need but I have one other thing to do first.

Quasimo had asked my help with the drones. That done, I joined Elijah.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Eighty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We are back. After a long and tiring day. Quasimo expertly guided us around the sections that had been demolished not very long ago.

We ran into the Captain and Jezer who were on their way out on an errand. They reversed direction and accompanied us back to the hiding place.

We learned from them that Tomas and Sy have not yet returned. Otherwise everyone is accounted for (now that we are here).

Both Elijah and myself were dismayed that nothing is known about Tomas and Sy. Neither their whereabouts nor their well-being. They should have been back long ago.

Then I remembered the urgent impression I received last week to pray for them. It gave me great comfort.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Eighty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I was disappointed. Instead of being back in the hiding place and resting, we were trudging up and over hills avoiding the major pathways.

As we neared the Damascus-Jerusalem road, my attitude improved for I recovered my bearings. And soon after Quasimo took the lead as he was more familiar with these approaches to our destination.

Elijah held me back and picked up our conversation of the other day. He shared that his dreams about the end have returned and are stronger than ever. He confessed that he does not dwell on them but finds that as the time draws closer, he did not want to let the opportunity pass to thank me for my constant help and companionship.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Eighty #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We passed the night under the stars. And stars were all we could see, for our only view was straight overhead from a dirt floor at the bottom of a rocky depression.

I traded the early morning watch to Magwich who wanted to take in the view. He remarked to me afterwards that he had thought he’d never see it again.

Throughout the day’s hike Magwich overflowed with joy and thankfulness, an infectious feeling that sped us along.

Reuben kept the advance, dropping back only twice to hold us in place while two patrols passed through.

Quasimo is optimistic that we will be back at the hiding place before the meridian tomorrow.

Elijah and I had much to talk over.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Seventy Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Elijah laid hands on Magwich this morning and raised him from his couch. Judging him sound we left after eating.

Upon leaving I noticed a sign posted at the entrance to the compound that announced it was quarantined. I shot Reuben a glance and he gave me a wink in return.

Reuben led the way on a path new to everyone. At the bottom of a gully he asked Quasimo to send the drone aloft for a quick look ahead.

It indicated that we had the path to ourselves.

From the next high point we could see the way ahead was quite rugged with lots of ups and downs as it wound its way down from the heights of Jerusalem.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Seventy Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Magwich was in shock when Reuben and Quasimo brought him in. Elijah installed him in an upper room and stayed with him while sending us away.

We conferred briefly before setting up a watch rotation. Quasimo took the first.

Reuben filled me in from what he knew.

They had caught up with Magwich in the affluent section. The area was awash in the flood waters from the destroyed reservoir. Some angry residents had taken him for a looter and were pummeling him mercilessly.

Reuben took command of the situation, ‘arresting’ Magwich and taking him off their hands.

It gave me much to think about on my watch.

With Magwich going in an out of consciousness all day we stayed put.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Seventy Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

None of us wanted to leave the area without Magwich. So Reuben led us to a deserted compound that at one time was the residence of a relative who just happened to be related to Magwich as well.

While Elijah and I remained behind, Reuben and Quasimo went in search of our friend.

We originally focused on interceding for our absent trio, but that soon changed. Both of us began praying simultaneously for Tomas and Sy with an urgency that I have seldom experienced before.

In comparing notes with Elijah afterwards, he had had a vision of Moglen leading a bound and gagged Mawuli.

Our earlier intercession was rewarded by the return of Reuben and Quasimo carrying a wounded Magwich.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Seventy Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The explosion rocked the ground beneath us, throwing us down. After we regained our footing, I looked back and saw a rising plume of smoke from somewhere on the other side of the reservoir.

Pandemonium reigned in the sky above us. Drones and warplanes criss crossing and colliding and falling to earth.

I briefly remember being thankful for the confusion for I realized it favored our escape. But then as I fled with Elijah in tow I saw that the confusion was affecting the cohesion of our group.

Reuben was in the advance urging us on, but Quasimo and Magwich were no where in sight.

Quasimo and his drone did catch up with us later, but Magwich is still missing.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Seventy Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

After our comrades recovered from the suddenness of our return, we decided not to venture beyond our thicket – but pressed further back into its wild undergrowth. And there passed the night.

Come the morning we were surprised when Quasimo discovered a huge water reservoir nearby. Reuben recognized the structure and led us around to the other side where he knew of a path that could take us east.

We eschewed the side where the tanker trucks were adding their loads to the reservoir. Even then someone must have spotted us for a warplane dropped down from a great height and lined up on our position.

Elijah raised his staff and the jet tumbled from the sky – but not before firing.