Left Alone

What You Say

Large sections of the pastor's speech are quoted or reworded from Left Behind, as is the "careful" line. I'm not fluent enough in theology to create an alternative sermon covering the same ground as the one we're given, and I'm trying to stick as close to the book's world as possible, not just in the timeline of the Rapture but people's beliefs about it. If you've read the books already, then I'm sorry, and I'm also sorry if you find some of the pastor's speech a rehash because of that.

Careful

Noah almost dragged her to the one in charge, a thin, slightly pensive man with dull brown hair. He introduced himself as Pastor Matthew.

"You're Noah's sister?"

Adalia nodded. "What's going on? Do you know?"

"It's the Rapture," the pastor said. "But I suppose you've surmised as much, if you're here. Our congregation wasn't a large one, and to the best of my knowledge, all of them are gone now. I was left behind like the rest of you."

"Why?" she blurted out.

He gave her a level stare and said, "I did not properly respect God. I was not devoted enough. I realize my error now."

Adalia didn't know how to respond to that.

As it happened, she didn't need to. He continued, "There's a video the Senior Pastor left behind for people like you. It explains things. Follow me, I'll show it to you." He turned and walked to one of the side rooms, gesturing her in.

Adalia filed into a small room. The only things in the room were a large television on a stand with a VCR, and several metal folding chairs. She sat down on one, clutching the bible in one hand.

The pastor - the remaining pastor - pushed the tape in, and she heard the gears shift into place. The screen flickered and jumped.

It opened with a man in a well-tailored dark suit, standing in an empty office. Behind him was a large wooden desk of polished mahogany wood. The camera was centered properly, but the image was a bit more distant than it would be with something normally shown on TV.

"Hello," he said to the camera. "Either someone from my congregation has been left behind, or you've found this tape. My name is Jason Gall, and I'm the Senior Pastor of this church." He smiled kindly into the screen. "As you watch this tape, I can only imagine the fear and despair you face, for this is being recorded for viewing only after the disappearance of God's people from the earth. No doubt the desperate situation you're in has dawned on you. Though you finally admit to the truth, all true believers have been taken to heaven. All those who believed. Who, then, is left to lead you, the lost tribe, the prodigal lambs, to Christ?

"You are no doubt stunned, shocked, afraid, and remorseful. Fear not. God is merciful. All is not yet fully lost for you. Though you have lost your chance to escape the torments to come in this life, you may yet repent before the end and be forgiven. Though I and the others have left you, this video has instructions for you, so you may know the true faith and follow it.

"First, though, let me explain what has happened. Let me show you, even, for you'll see it's happened just as the Bible foretold.

"You won't need this proof by now," he said, and Adalia thought, I thought this was the proof, "because you will have experienced the most shocking event of history." He was speaking as though the disappearances were all the proof he was right. Didn't he, she wondered, need to prove that it was what the bible said? Wasn't that the whole point? "Still, it will help you understand what's happened to you, and, as if that were needed, prove that the rest of the Word shall come true as well."