Bridge to Nowhere

Tribulation

Thursday–Burwell, Nebraska - Late Afternoon

Pastor Keith talked with the police chief. The crater outside of town and the news from Washington, D.C. had raised concern, but people in this part of Nebraska can be stubborn. It was not until the vice president appeared on TV, declaring himself president, and announcing a nationwide state of alert that the chief went into action.

The chief dispatched patrol cars using bullhorns to instruct the residents of Burwell to meet at Riverside Park. The chief went to the grocery stores in town and commandeered truckloads of food and water. The chief enlisted the help of the Boy Scout troop and store workers to load the trucks.

It was late in the afternoon when the town of twelve hundred souls gathered in the parking lot of Riverside Park. School buses fill the parking lot ready for the trek to the rail tunnel.

People gather in groups. The Methodist church huddles together. Members of the Church of Living Waters gather in another part of the parking lot, across from the Catholics. People who work together at the feedlots, the grocery stores, and other local businesses who aren't churchgoers cling together in their own small groups. The police chief stands on the back of a flatbed truck.

"People of Burwell, thank you for your orderly assembly. We are a solid community. We need to stay that way. This is a scary time. I don't know what's ahead of us with these asteroids, but the best course of action is for all of us to get underground for protection. Remain calm and we'll get through this. I'm sure you've all heard about this tunnel. Now, we've been out there to check it out. I guess you also heard about the ladder. Good news is, the boys found an elevator. Bad news is that dirt buried the tunnel door. We have a crew down there digging it out and we have a diesel generator on site. The elevator will be ready soon, so we can all get down there faster and with more comfort."

There's a sigh of relief from the crowd. Everyone had heard about the long ladder. Most dreaded the climb. The chief waits for the commotion to die down, then speaks again.

"You can bring one suitcase, per person, and a sleeping bag. That's all. We have food and water donated from Dukeman's and Affiliated Foods. We thank them for their support. Whatever else you brought, leave it here. Won't do you no good. It's a narrow tunnel and there isn't room for lots of crap." A man in the crowd waves his hand vigorously to get the chief's attention. The chief points at the man. "Chris White."

"Chief, I got a folding chair. Is that all right?"

"If I say yes, then everyone will go off scrambling for folding chairs. Y'all listen up. One suitcase and a sleeping bag. That's it, for now. Don't panic about comfort items. We'll have time to grab more of what we need as time goes on. We want everyone safe and secure ASAP. So, hold your questions."

The chief looks out on the crowd. Most of these people he grew up with and has spent his life with. They can rebuild the town. He won't let some asteroid from space kill his people.

"To keep things orderly, we are loading into six buses. Drop whatever you don't need and line up. Buses will rotate every twenty minutes, which should allow most of the first load to get down the elevator before the next group arrives. We'll have everyone out there in less than two hours. If you leave and drive out there, you'll be the last in the tunnel, so be neighborly and patient." The first busloads of people clamber onto the buses.

Haylee and Keith huddle with their congregation. Everyone is nervous about what's happening. They pray. Haylee takes a head count. It's been hours since the police cars went around town, but Frank and Debbie Brown are still not at the park.

Haylee pulls Keith aside. "Frank and Debbie aren't here. What should we do?"

Keith feels responsible for his congregates. "Some people are stubborn; others are plain stupid. Frank might well be in the stupid category, nevertheless, my duty is to shepherd all the lambs of our flock."