"Rapture Night"

A Short Story

Wayne chugged down another beer with acidic provocation. The lame preacher was back in his living room again. Betty had let the loud mouth ‘Holier Than Thou’ squawking crow in. Oh, how Wayne wanted to punch the preacher right in the mouth and throw him out into the snow. He couldn’t. Betty owned the trailer. Everything was in her name including the work truck. If Betty wanted the preacher to run his mouth for a while then so be it. That didn’t mean Wayne was going to make it easy. “Ah, good beer. Want one Mr. Preacher?”

Betty began fiddling with a kitchen rag with nervous hands. She wasn’t a ‘Looker’ by no means. Chubby around the middle, salt and pepper hair, saggy face. Betty was the epitome of ‘Trailer Park Trash’. She fit the look perfectly. Wayne wasn’t any better off. He was a construction worker who lived rent free with his ‘Gal’. Living rent free was a good ride. Wayne had all the money he wanted to buy beer and pot. Betty wasn’t loaded but she did let Wayne used her ex-husband’s work truck and she did put food on the table. That’s what a woman who believed she was trash did: She settled for trash.

Pastor Duncan McLanders read the scene loud and clear. Betty was a beaten down woman who feared to be alone. Wayne was a freeloading loser who flattered Betty with false words in order to maintain his free ride. Duncan sensed in his spirit that Wayne’s spirit was corrupt and rotted beyond repair. It was the man’s eyes that said it all: Soulless. Betty on the other hand was a broken soul that truly needed to be led to the loving arms of Jesus.

“No thanks, Wayne. There’s nothing at the bottom of a berry can except the keys to hell,” Duncan answered in a stern but polite voice.

Betty tensed up even more. Would Wayne run his mouth? Maybe. Then what? Would Betty tell Duncan to leave? No…yes…maybe? She wanted so much to talk to Duncan. “Pastor McLanders, thank you again for coming by. I’m sorry for the mess.”

Betty’s trailer was clean enough. Duncan spotted a few roaches running around. So be it. The woman probably spent her days watching soap operas and wondering if a can full of beer was her best friend or not? “You have a lovely home—”

“It’s a dumpy trailer,” Betty cut Duncan off with a quick tongue dripping with shame. “I’m trailer park trash.”

“Nonsense,” Duncan corrected Betty. “You are greatly loved.”

“Yeah. By me!” Wayne chugged down some more beer. He wanted to get high. The preacher had to go.

‘No, Wayne. By God!” Duncan’s voice turned stern and authoritative. “The heart is wicked above all things. We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory. There is not one righteous, no not one. Man in incapable of loving without God.”

“Why don’t you take your fancy words and get!” Wayne snapped.

“Why don’t you show respect for God!” Duncan fired back. He turned to Betty. Betty was sitting on a cheap thrift store couch looking broken beyond repair. “Betty, God Loves you more than you’ll ever know. God gave His Only Son to die for you in order that you may have eternal life. Jesus suffered for your sins and took your punishment on Himself. If that’s not love then I don’t know what love is?”

“I’m just trash—”

”Betty, there isn’t a single person born that God didn’t want to be born. Yes, it’s true, some are born for destruction—” Duncan cast a quick eye at Duncan, “and some are born for the Kingdom of God. You called me because your spirit is starving and crying out for God. And this evening, Betty, I’m going to lead you home. I’m going to lead you to the Cross of Jesus Our Lord and Savior. What you do when you get to the Cross is up to you.”

“Why don’t you—”

“Why don’t you be quiet, Wayne!” Betty burst out in a voice that even surprised her. “Show respect! This man is a preacher!”

“Big whoop, Betty!” Wayne twirled his left finger in the air and then finished off his beer. He wasn’t going to take lip from a piece of trash like Betty.

“Why don’t you go outside, Wayne,” Betty insisted.

“Nah. I’m comfortable right here in my recliner.” Wayne shot a pair of poison eyes at Duncan. “You preachers make me sick.”

“You have the devil’s tongue, Wayne. You’re tongue is attached to a dead, corrupt, soul. I pity you. For as you sit here and speak evil your place in the lake of fire is being reserved.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m gonna die and go to hell. I heard it all before Preacher Boy!” Wayne stood up. “Why don’t I show you the door, huh?”

“Wayne, stop it or I’ll call the cops and have them make you leave!” Betty yelled.

Betty sounded serious. Wayne snarled and then sat down. “You’ve always been stupid, Betty. But go on, listen to stuff this guys spews. I’m gonna have another beer.”

Duncan focused back on Betty. “Betty, please, bow your head and allow me to pray for you. God is calling for you. Jesus is waiting for you with arms wide open. Please. Let me pray then you…if you feel moved by the Spirit of God…surrender your heart to Jesus this very evening. I beg you.”

“Go on, Betty,” Wayne mocked. “Become one of them fancy hypocrites.” Wayne snagged another beer sitting in a cooler stationed next to his raggedy recliner.

Duncan took Betty’s trembling hands. “The devil has kept you beaten down, Betty. The time has come to trust God and return to Him through His Son Jesus.”

Betty looked into Duncan’s eyes. For the first time in her miserable life she saw true love. Not Duncan’s love—God’s love flowing through Duncan. “Help me…I don’t want to go to hell. I have cancer. I’m dying…help me…please!” she burst out crying.

“I know, sister. I know.” Duncan pulled Betty into his arms. “Allow me to pray.”

“Okay…please…” Betty cried.

Duncan closed his eyes and pray. Wayne watched like a demon sitting in a dead shadow. “Call your child, Heavenly Father. She is broken and battered. Carry her to the Cross and show her how much she is loved.”

When Duncan finished praying Betty threw her arms up into the air and yelled: “Jesus, save me…please! Save me…I don’t have all the words…but I know You’re real and I want you in my heart…save me…save me…save me…”

“What a joke—” Wayne began to growl.

Before Wayne could finish speaking a loud ‘Boom’ shook the entire trailer. The boom was followed by a blinding white light. The light lasted for maybe a second or two. Didn’t matter. Inside the light Wayne saw countless angels snatch Betty up to Heaven. Duncan followed shouting victory.

Then the light was gone. A gray ash filled the air—air that turned deader than a cold corpse. Wayne was left sitting in a ratty recliner holding a miserable beer—and the keys to hell were at the bottom of the beer can. “Betty…hey Betty…where did you go? Is this some king of joke? Wayne threw down his beer and jolted to his legs. “Hey Betty…Preacher Man…where are you? This ain’t funny!”

Only Wayne knew where Betty and Duncan were. He had seen. Now his nightmare was about to begin. Wayne began running for the front door. As he did a loud, thundering, sound exploded overhead. The last thing Wayne remembered before a private plane crashed into Betty’s trailer was seeing a demon appear right before his eyes. He woke up screaming inside of an eternal fire engulfing his soul while the pilot of the private plane that killed him entered into God’s Glory.

If the rapture happened today would you be taken or left behind? No one lives forever on this earth.

Hebrews Ch 9:27 Just as human beings have to die once, but after this comes judgment,

28 so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, i will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to deliver those who are eagerly waiting for him.