Reconciled in the End

Chapter 30: Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow

When Thomas woke, he glanced around at the unfamiliarity of his new reality. A deep heaviness settled in his stomach as a young guy's snoring filled the once quiet mornings he rose to Siren's gentle slumber. It wouldn't ever be the same, would it?

He rose, instantly sending prayer, "Morning God and tell Siren that too. Thomas reporting in after a nap. I'll be getting to the mission. Down here we got quite discouraged with what happened, but we also know in the end that we're only visiting this crap hole for a purpose then home we go. Siren, I got to get my job done then I'll harass you forever more. Only these long distance calls for now. Love you! Got to go, I have the little snoring guy here prodding me along."

With that, Thomas nodded then bent down to nudge Peter awake. Thomas was amazed how sound the guy slept. Siren roused to just him sitting up most days.

Peter jolted up as he yawned after. "Well I'm not used to that..."

Thomas shrugged while he grit out, "Not used to a few things either..."

The pulsing reminder that his wife would no longer greet him in this life stabbed at him. He didn't mean to sound ungrateful in Peter's comforting, but it would never be the same without her. She could read his very thoughts without speaking, her words soothed his soul, and now he would have to do everything without her solace.

Thomas shrugged silently as he got ready for the day. The hardest part was leaving to face the others at breakfast. Especially when several of them had losses, too. It seemed bitter to handle. Peter braced him as they strode into the commons. A few reddened eyes smiled at him, Thomas knew they had been crying all through the night as well.

Without much eye contact, he sat and ate quietly. He heard Sonji in the background as Tia frowned from afar. No one but Peter seemed to approach him, Thomas confessed that perhaps he didn't look too inviting for conversation.

While he silently consumed his mixed fruit jar, he thought about how next to proceed. The city raiders had ransacked the whole tower, even the generator had been stolen. There was no way to continue their messages, and honestly, Thomas felt bitter that their goodwill had been turned for evil and murder. He knew these sinful actions were predicted in the Bible. A wicked man would return evil for good, but it stung as he was on the currently losing side of it. In the end however, Thomas was consoled that God would bring all wickedness to an end in Judgment.

Sinking his head onto a ledge as he struggled for action, he mumbled, "I guess I continue where Siren and the others left off..."

Peter listened to his words cautiously as Thomas continued, "We still have a race to run here. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

Everyone in the room caught his words carefully as Thomas stood up and spoke firmly, "If Paul of the Bible could suffer as he did through beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, prison, whippings, and death, yet still emphasize the need to tell of the Bible's words, we in the end of times ought to too. It is a hard race to be won, but I have to continue. They most likely won't listen. Certainly, they have proven their intent to hurt and kill us, but I'll continue on, begging them until I join Siren. I understand if this is a bit hard for all here, but I am going to work on the tower to see what I might do to get messages out again. For your safety, I think I might move to my bunker again too. I pray for you all my comrades, and thank you!"