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Chapter 27

   They never got to check out the painting that night. Or the next.

   The past two days were suddenly filled with activities, all coordinated and personally led by the vice president himself. It seemed, to Zane and Josh at least, that the vice president was making everyday so busy just so they could be worn out by the end of it. Even the president, who made time to do every activity he could, was tuckered out by the end of the day. "Really James", he sighed as he took a breath after the final volleyball game, "must we make our guests do so much?"

   "There is so much for them to see", the vice president offered, "but so little time."

   The president chuckled. "James, we must relish the fleeting moments we have been given. Enjoy what we have while it's right here in front of us."

   The vice president nodded, but he didn't seemed convinced.

   Though they were tired, the Kealers never stopped their daily devotions. "If we can't do it at night", Mom would yawn, "then we'll do it in the morning." Zane could tell that Dad wasn't so thrilled, but he never objected. This bothered Zane. A lot. Why doesn't he just tell her he doesn't like doing devotions?, Zane wondered in frustration. Things wouldn't seem so off if he'd just talk to her.

   Josh had already finished Revelation. He was re-reading it, along with some other books in the Bible that we're linked to it.

Josh: There has to be some kind of secret to surviving the apocalypse. The waters were just the beginning.

Zane: What if there isn't? What if we're just supposed to go with it?

Josh: No, there's got to be way out of it all.

Josh: It's not like it's some big test to see who will survive.

Josh: Wait, is it?

Zane: No Josh, it's not

Zane: I think it's like a big clean up. Remember, the king or lord guy is coming back. Maybe he's trying to see who's worthy to live or not.

Josh: Could be.

Zane: All we've got is theories Josh. Nothing's set in stone.

Josh: But at least we have something.

Zane: I'm gonna read a chapter. I want to get one in before I go to bed.

Josh: K. Talk to u later.

   Zane set down his phone and sighed. It felt like they getting nowhere. Even staying at the president's house didn't seem to be giving them answers. They were no closer to finding Erin then they were before. The answers are somewhere, Zane thought as he picked up the Holy Bible, opening it to his spot. I know it. It's just a matter of where and how. Zane looked down at the book and began to read.

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe." So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

   A sickle was used for farming, Zane reminded himself. It helped farmers with the harvest. Does harvest of the earth mean an actual harvest, or metaphorically? Maybe that's what His people are waiting for. A harvest, a gathering.

Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe."