Jamie's phone made a tweeting sound. It was odd the phone company was still working. She looked down in the dark at the green screen. "One month" It was from Derek.
Joe was looking out the window at the streets. Hundreds of people had poured into the darkness about two hours after they had come to the apartment of Jamie and Tammy. But, the police had herded everyone into vehicles or forced them to go indoors again. Some young people threw stones, but the police responded with tear gas. Now, the streets were empty again, except for the police.
"Derek better be careful. Send him a text not to text." Joe spoke firmly. Jamie answered. "I just did. We know now and he does not have to text again. He won't."
One month. One month of terror and military rule. It was all planned. The intercom buzzed. Joe asked, "Are you expecting anyone?" Jamie and Tammy shook their heads. Casey said "Tammy, answer it, but remember we are not here."
Tammy stood in front of the little screen. The camera had been broken by vandals months ago, but the microphone worked. "Yes? Who is it, please?" Tammy tried to sound natural, "Fr. James", was the garbled answer.
She pushed the button to open the door and within minutes, a priest was walking through the apartment door. "Father, are you alright?" Jamie saw his scared face and dirty black cassock. "It was stupid of me to leave in a cassock, stupid."
"Well, we have clothes for you here, you know." Tammy said quietly.
Father James opened a small cases. "I took all the Consecrated Hosts from the tabernacle. We must consume these, now. Are you all in the state of grace?" All said yes, but Casey.
"OK, Casey, let us go into the next room and I shall hear your Confession."
A few minutes later, a humbled Casey and Fr. James came back into the kitchen. Father said some prayers, in Latin, like those before Communion in the Mass and all four received the Hosts.
The five remained quiet and prayerful for a half-hour, then Jamie spoke up. "Father, come upstairs and wash and change. We are all going soon and you, of course, are coming with us. "
"I locked the church up. I hope they leave it alone." No one said anything. Looters were already smashing windows on the main street, fighting with police. No doubt the Catholic Church would be virtually destroyed.
Father returned looking like a college professor in a rather old sweater, and chinos. He was even wearing a wedding ring. "Well," he joked, as the women looked at it, " I am married to the Bride of Christ." They all smiled.
"Get down, now." Casey yelled. A long beam of light came into the windows where the women had pulled open the blinds. It pierced the darkness like a sword, sinister, bluish white.
All five had laid on the wooden floors, flat, and Sampson had to move from its place under the table, as Casey pushed Father there. The light swerved around the rooms for about five minutes and then disappeared.
"Were you followed, Father?" They all stood up. "I did not think so." The priest sounded apologetic.
"It was probably just routine, Casey, " said Joe. "But, now we know where they are..."
Joe stood to the side of one window. He could see three armored vehicles with lights on about a quarter of a mile down the street. Several men stood around the tank-like machines. One was smoking.
"I would love to hit him," Joe said. "You are no longer a soldier, Joe," cautioned Father James.
"Move away from the window and let us all go upstairs and sit on the floor between the bed in Jamie's room and the upstairs veranda doors." Joe spoke, as an ex-Marine, he knew they all knew who the leader of the group was, and they all followed him upstairs. Even old Sampson followed, as if it wanted to be with people.
"Can't we at least take him into the country, " whined Tammy. "He won't be eaten there."
Joe spoke quietly, "Let me think about it, Tam."
to be continued....