The Revelation

The Story: Part 6 Paradise Begins

My shoes protecting my feet were stolen. The hot sand burned the pads of my feet each step, I grimaced under the pressure being applied to my blistered skin. Rough hands grabbed either side of my arms, shoving me aching body forward. Blood dripped from my broken nose, bruises formed a pattern all over my face. My head pounded painfully on my skull, and I stumbled under the injuries.

The Saviors hauled my failing body across the sand, jerking me towards the large wooden build stand. It looked like a man-made stage the colonies would perform plays, only what would be performed wouldn't become a play.

The Messiah already perched on his pedestal of malice and hatred for his ancestors that destroyed our world. He wanted to rebirth their ways even though he hated humanity. Murdering me squashed the lasting hope among the Moderns clustered around the stage, whispering and staring at their guidance, their hope, collapsing on his bleeding feet.

I gasped as my knees gave out, the world going full tilt as I almost blacked out. The Saviors caught me before I fell, hauling me forward with a push. I took the first step towards my death, trying to find the bright side. My eyes couldn't look upon my people that always stood by my side when I continued to abandon them in their time of need.

The Messiah was right, I wasn't The Hope if I couldn't bring them to the paradise in the North. Perhaps he was right, and I should die for the greater good of humanity. Without me the colonies would readily follow his lead. He could teach them the things I didn't so they could prosper. The wood creaked as I inched towards the man who would kill me. Saviors holding bows poised to shoot down anyone standing in his way lined the stage, their blank faces staring out into the crowd.

A woman burst into tears when I was forced onto my knees, head turned toward the ground. I watched the beads of red drip below me, and I sniffed once to try to lesson the blood flow. My breathes came out in quick pants, my stomach rolling. Where was Tanya, why couldn't I see her? It wasn't long we knew each other, but I felt as though we had been companions for decades. Where was she?

Saviors stood on either side of me holding their hands behind their backs, chins lifted in a proud stance towards the sky, holding little emotion on their faces.

Turning my head towards left, I spat on the wood floor, staring at the colonies huddled closer together. Widened to the size of golf balls, they whispered in friend's ears trying to comprehend why The Hope had been forced on his hands and knees. Confused, The Messiah had never done something like this before, and change worried them. Hands trembled as they twisted in skirts while the men muttered under their breathes, watching the sight through proud eyes.

"I have you called you here today," The Messiah spread his arms on both sides of him, capturing the attention of colonies. "Today is a very special day. We will be opening the gates of paradise."

It was silent for several moments as shock rippled among the crowd like a tidal wave. Voices rose into a symphony of questions, hands rising to grab and touch the stage to reach me and The Messiah basking in the glory as prying fingers wanted to snatch him. He smiled a kind grin, gentler than a mother smiling lovingly at her child, but I knew it was fake.

"The Hope had decided to hand over his golden key to you," The Messiah explained as he shouted over the crowd, and they quieted to listen intently. "I have to tell you he has committed an atrocious crime."

Accusatory burning gazes turned on me like a blaze of fire that whipped me across my face, burning the shame plain on my face.

"He has been able to open paradise for many years, but he held back the secret from you. The Hope doesn't want you too see the sparkling gates, he doesn't believe you are worthy. This man decided to abandon you to take the journey on his own." The Messiah twisted his words, played puppetry on my position. He wanted to turn them against me, make them hate me before I was slaughtered. He wanted to make sure I saw their hate.