The wound on Glenn MacPherson's' arm had started to bleed again. Of the twenty or so men that had been cast out of the town, there were only three left, that he knew of for certain. And it had only been four days since they were cast out. He couldn't believe he had made such a mess of things. He couldn't fathom what had made him believe that he would do a better job than Bob had done. But he knew he would show Bob who was the better man. He thought back over the time since that day.

True to his word, Bob had allowed everyone of them to collect what they had brought with them into the town. He had allowed them to take two canteens of water per man. He had also allowed them to each have a pistol, and two magazines of ammunition. When he had protested to Bob that they needed rifles, Bobs' answer had been short and to the point.

"Not a chance. We don't need you guys sitting up in the hills, playing sniper and taking pot shots at us. Besides, if and when the Chinese come back, we'll need them."

"We won't stand a chance without rifles. You have to give us at least a couple."

"I'm giving you a better chance than you were going to give the people of this town. No rifles."

As they left, Bob had even seen to it that they were given a map, and the general areas where he knew where water could be found, within three days march on foot to the east. It didn't take one day for things to start going down hill. They had left around the middle of the morning. By noon, some of the men were already complaining about not having hats to protect them from the sun. By sundown, tempers were already growing short. That night wasn't any better. First they had trouble starting a fire, and then after they got one going, they realized how it gave away their position to anyone within sight of it, they fought over how big of a fire to have. They ended up agreeing to a small fire, and that was when they realized just how little food they had with them.

MacPherson decided that first thing in the morning, they would have to do some hunting. When he announced this, he ran into more problems.

"Considering the mess you've made of things, who are you to be in charge around here?" One of them shouted at him. "You told us that we'd be on top of things, and now we are stuck out here in the middle of nowhere, with nothing."

"Fine, you don't want to hunt, you don't get a share of whatever we get. For that matter, if you aren't going to help, you're no use at all. We don't need a slacker dragging us down." With that, MacPherson shot him. "Is there anyone else that doesn't want to do his share?" He asked angrily.

There was no answer at that time, but by the time they woke in the morning, six men had left the group in the night, taking more than their share of the food and water with them. At first, they all started to try to track them down, but it soon became clear that the thieves had a several hour head start. MacPherson talked the rest of them to continue their trek eastward.

As the day went on, they grew hungrier and thirstier on the short rations. By nightfall the next day the remaining fourteen men were barely speaking to each other. Nobody felt like starting a fire, and the last of the food was soon gone, since none of them knew anything about hunting, no game had been taken. MacPherson checked the map, and told them water should be only a few miles ahead the next morning. With that news, three of them decided it would be better to move at night, while it was cooler, to find the much needed water. The rest of them didn't feel like arguing with them.

On the morning of the third day, they all started out, following the map. Within a couple of miles they found a body. It was impossible to tell how he had died. The animals that found him hadn't left much. As they checked around, they found footprints, running from the scene of the death, with what seemed to be dog footprints following. MacPherson gave up on finding the other two alive, and directed the remaining members of the group towards the waterhole they were looking for.

It was nearly two o'clock, he figured, when some of them decided that he didn't know what he was doing, or where they were going. The group divided almost in two. A man named Brian shouted at MacPherson.

"What an idiot you are. They give you a map and you still can't find where you're going. For the life of me, I can't understand why I let you talk me into this. Give me that map. I'm leading from now on."

He grabbed at the map.

"Like hell I will."

MacPherson pulled it away. The two men began to fight over the map. They went to the ground. From there, MacPherson lost track of what happened, but the next thing he knew, shots were being fired all around him. One round hit him in the arm, and he went down. He pulled his weapon and fired at anyone that moved near him. By the time it was over, seven men were dead.

Somehow Brian managed to escape without a scratch. He picked up the map that had been dropped in the fight. After checking for landmarks, he signaled the other two men to follow him. He started to walk away in the direction he believed water to be. That was when Macpherson aimed his pistol and shot him in the back.

The last two men turned to find MacPherson aiming at them.

"Give me your weapons." He demanded. They complied with the demand. He picked up the map, and said, "Now, follow ME."

They started walking again. It was only twenty minutes later they found a small lake.

"Now, tell me I don't know what I'm doing." Was all he said.

All three of them dove into the water, and drank their fill. While it was welcome relief, it didn't stop their hunger.

Still they stayed there for the night, and in the morning, started out again. MacPhersons' arm had started bleeding again that morning. As the three men continued eastward, towards a town that was just few miles more, according to the map, MacPherson began to think about how he would turn in Bob and the rest of them. Then he would lead government troops to the town. He would only ask the pleasure of killing Bob himself. Well, that and his share of the loot. That was all he could think of now. The thought even helped to block out hunger. He was so engrossed in his thoughts of revenge, he failed to notice the movement in the bushes around them. He was still in his fantasy of how painful Bobs' death would be, when the dogs attacked. They were thirteen miles from the next town. The demon that had so poisoned MacPhersons mind, left to return to his master.

---

Director Ives wasn't really disappointed with the report from his servant. True the leader that was becoming his obsession was still alive, but the group had been weaken. He had his servant go back to the town. Pride had done some damage to them, not as much as he had hoped for, but some. Now they would use fear. Fear had always been such a useful tool. He instructed his demonic servant in the best ways to put fear in the minds of the people. To give them wild imaginings. Cause them to be unsure of their leader. Did he really know what he was doing, since he had to throw out the others. Could they hold out in this nowhere town. Why should they try? After all, they could have more of the comforts they had enjoyed before if they just went to a larger town, that was still part of the grid. But he had to move quickly, before those people had a chance to start praying to the Nazarene.

---

"Hey, Dad. Have you got a minute?"

"Sure Alex. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I'm kind of concerned about Mike. I mean she's O.K. from what I can tell, and Kathy says that morning sickness is normal for a lot of women, but I'm kind of worried about it. What was Mom like when she was pregnant with me?"

"I wish I could help you Son. Your mother was unusual. She never had a moment of morning sickness with you. She had a few cravings, and even those weren't for anything unusual, just at strange hours of the day and night. Why don't you just trust what Kathy tells you. I mean, a woman doesn't have four children without learning a thing or two, even if she is a doctor."

"I know. It's just that lately I've been kind of worried about her and the baby, that's all."

"Trust The Lord, Son. He made women, and knew that this would happen when he did. And trust your doctor. Try not to worry, and if it gets to be to much, pray about it. After all 'Perfect love casts out all fear."

"O.K. I'll try."

That was the first 'odd' conversation that Bob had that day. People kept coming to him with questions and concerns about things they had never mentioned or thought of before. Was there enough water for the people of the town? Was there enough food to see them through the coming winter? When would the Chinese return? Did he think the men they had thrown out would either betray them, or come back with others to kill them all? Anything and everything that might be a concern, Bob was being questioned about. Finally, he went to see Jim.

"Afternoon Jim. Got a minute?"

"Don't tell me you're worried about something too."

"That's what I thought. I am worried about something. I'm worried about all these people who keep coming to me with the strangest concerns. I gather that you have been going through the same thing.'

"Very much so, I just didn't know it was happening to you as well." Jim looked at him closely. "Do you mind telling me what they have been asking?"

Bob told him of the peoples worries, starting with Alex and working through the list.

"That's what I thought. Exactly the same for me, except I had Michelle asking me about her pregnancy. You realize what this means, don't you?"

"I'm not sure, but it is a strange thing for certain. Very unusual."

"Unless I miss my guess, we are under some kind of demonic attack. I'd like to get everyone together, tonight, and talk with them. Could you put out the word for me?"

"Certainly."

As the sun was setting, the majority of the townsfolk gathered at the church. Jim was brief. He told them about what was happening. He told them that The Lord had warned about such groundless fears, and how to deal with them.

"Let me finish tonight by saying that I'm calling for a solemn assembly. I want to ask you all to join with me tomorrow for a day of prayer and fasting. Praying for The Lord to remove these fears from our hearts, and our minds. Asking for the Holy Spirit to guide us back into a perfect trust in The Father."

Some of the people began their fast that very night.

---

Ives' demonic servant, didn't know what to think. He had told Ives about what he had experienced. It had gotten uncomfortable just before he had left one evening. The next morning, as he tried to return to the town, he couldn't even get close. It was like running into a brick wall. There was no avenue he could use to get to the towns people. He just couldn't understand it. Things had been going so well the day before.

Ives knew what had happened. Those people, those monkeys, had appealed to the Nazarene for help. Now he had placed a wall of protection around them. He knew very well what had happened. The same thing had happened to him once. Back when he was riding with Saul of Tarsus on the way to Damascus. He'd never been hurt so much since they had lost the war for the Throne that the master wanted so badly. While he was musing over these things, the servant quietly slipped out, unnoticed.


BW, Vietnam Vet