As will all things, Anna threw herself into her task with a will. Instead of waiting for people to bring her a list, she made a list of her own. Her list was not only filled with things they would need, but also said how many of these things would be needed. As men came in, they would pledge to bring in certain items on a given day. These items were then assigned a packing number. These things were then to be placed on one of the three trucks that had come in with Major Ferguson. It wasn't long before she was asking if Bob minded if the tool box was taken out of the back of his pick up.
"No. Thanks for asking though. Do you mind if I look over your lists?"
"Help yourself." Were Anna's only words.
Bob started going over the lists. He had been around the military trucks enough to know their cargo capabilities. In his mind, he mentally loaded each truck with the things on the list. He saw how each and every item would be of importance once they arrived wherever Michael led them. He found only two things to question.
"Anna? why haven't you figured more of a load for the S.U.V.? I know it can haul more than that."
Not even looking up from her work, Anna answered him.
"That room is spoken for. There is enough room to seat five people. That happens to be the exact number of expectant mothers we have around here. I assume you didn't want them walking."
It hit Bob that he had made a good choice to run things. He hadn't even gotten that far in his thinking.
"I see that things are in good hands. I'll leave you to your work. Meeting in about half an hour, you know."
"I remember. I'll be there."
As Bob walked away, he was happy in one way, that nobody else was aware of. If trouble started, he had to be in front. Maria would demand to be at his side. But now she would be off the front lines, so to speak. She would be kept with the other expectant mothers towards the middle of the group.
On the other hand, when Maria found out about it, she accepted it gracefully, and then asked Anna if there was room on the S.U.V. for more weapons and ammo.
Somehow, they found room.
Now, he was off to the meeting. Everyone who had gotten the same dream met almost every morning now for five days. They discussed and planned on how to make every thing happen. They all worked together, first telling the rest of the community about their dream. Then, by helping to mobilize them to action. It got to be the usual 9:30 in the morning, when Bob called them all together to talk about things.
Bob moved to the front, and opened the meeting in his normal, very unofficial, manner.
"Well folks, where do we stand?"
Before anyone else could say anything, a challenge filled voice called from the back.
"I'LL tell you where we stand, if you'll hear me."
"Mrs. Molton? Is that you? This is a public meeting. If you have something to add, please go ahead?"
Mrs. Molton and a small group of women, accompanied by a man that looked as if he wanted to be anyplace else, stepped to the front of the room.
"You asked where we stand. We're about to make the biggest mistake of our lives. That's where we stand. Have you looked out there? The snow has stopped, and warmer weather is coming. If it suddenly turns cold again, you're going to be stuck out in the open. You'll freeze to death."
"Then where will the rest of us be? Not only that, can you imagine what those roads will be like? We're going to have people getting stuck in the mud. Does all of that sound like something God would do to us, after leading us all here?"
She paused for a breathe, and continued her tirade.
"And now, when we are safe and warm, and dry, you say God wants us to leave it all and go off into the mountains? I say it is a mass hallucination. And now you've got everyone stirred up like ants. You should all be ashamed of ourselves,"
"Mass hallucination? If this had happened when we were all together, you might have a point. But each of these people had the same dream at the same time. Completely unrelated to each other, but the same dream. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"It means you all are being influenced somehow." Her eyes were fixed on Anna. "Maybe you are all mistaken. What was said was ten weeks, not days. The point is I'm sure God couldn't have ordered this. We have it good here. Why should we have to move? Besides, why haven't the rest seen anything?"
As she finished up the women around her gave nodding approval to what she had said.
"Mrs. Molton, God is telling you, through us. Only God could do something like this. And in case you didn't hear, each of us tried the spirit in our dream. It was from God. Now if you choose not to believe us, I'd suggest you start thinking about how a handful of you are going to make it through the winter. But whatever you are going to do, be it leave, or stay, you need to get ready for it. Just remember what is written.
Eze 33:8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked [man], thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
And then further down;
Eze 33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
You've been warned Mrs. Molton. Warned by multiple witness' to the same thing. If you choose not to believe, then it's on your head. As for me? I've tried to be helpful, Mrs Molton. I know others here have tried to speak with you. Nothing helped.
Well, right now we have a situation. So either lead, follow, or get out of the way. I do not have time for these outbreaks of yours. You make your own choice. So go somewhere and do something, but either help, or stay out of our way." With that Bob turned back to the group.
"Now where were we? Has anyone found trailers we can use with those big trucks? It would mean that much more to work with when we get were ever we are going."
As soon as she tried to say anything further, Mrs. Molton found herself either shouted down, or completely ignored. She soon became fed up with such treatment and ordered a retreat for them all. As she moved away, she heard a voice behind her.
"No Janie. I'm staying."
"Harold! What are you doing? Come with me." Mrs. Molton shouted.
He shook his head. "No Janie. I'm staying. I've always let you have your way. But not this time. Can't you see what is happening? These people have heard from God, and you are turning your back on them. I can't do that. I won't do that. I'm staying."
"Have it your own way. Just don't come crawling back to me. Not tonight, or even if you do make it back."
With that she turned on her heel and stormed out. Harold watched his wife leave, heaved a sigh, turned on his own heel, and walked to Major Ferguson.
"What would you like me to do, Sir?"
The girls had headed west north west for four days. Every night they would come across a place to take shelter. They always seemed to have food in them, when it was needed. The weather had been beautiful for them, and they made good time. On the evening of the forth day, they found another shed, very little like the one they had met in. They still had no real idea of where they were going, but once a day, Michael would appear and give instructions to one of them.
While looking around the shed, Jesse asked her sister.
"Are you sure this is where we are supposed to stay? There's holes in the walls, not much of a roof, and nothing around here to eat."
"I know. This is the place, I'm sure of it. He said we were to wait here."
"Did he say what for, or for how long?" Asked Linda.
"The only other thing he said was there is a need to move faster. We need to wait for the answer to that problem."
"Well, he hasn't been wrong before. I just hope it is a short stay." Jesse said.
"We don't know how long it might take. Best to be ready to bed down for the night." Linda said.
The sisters saw the sense of her words and began the chore of finding a good place to sleep. They soon found a place along one of the walls that had decent roofing still above it, and seemed to be sturdy enough to offer some protection from the wind. They had just finished setting up their sleeping arrangement, when they heard it. Am animal pulling a wagon, and it was close by.
Looking between the cracks in the walls, they were able to see a single man, driving a team of horses, who were pulling a semi covered wagon. It had a curved canvas roof, but the sides had been rolled up. The wagon came to a stop a short distance from the shed. The driver looked at it.
Inside the girls had done what they had done before. Grabbed everything they could carry, and prepare to run, and leave the rest. They now waited by a back door, and trembled. They heard the man get off the wagon, and walk to the front door. Not even sure of what to expect, the three of them jumped when there came a knock at the door.
"Jesse, Aime, Linda. I'm here to pick you up."
The girls looked at each other, but said nothing.
"Ah, come on girls. Michael sent me, and it's cold out here."
Jesse and Amie looked at each other, and again had their silent conversation, then Aime moved to the door. She picked up a piece of the wood, that she thought might make a good club, if she had to do something. She cracked the door open, just a tiny fraction.
She saw a young man, who was, to be honest, white as a sheet. He seemed scared to death by something.
"How do you know my name?" She asked.
The young man looked at her, through the crack.
"Aime! Oh thank goodness I've found you. Are Jesse and Linda with you?"
"How do you know me? I've never seen you before."
"I told you. Michael sent me to pick you three up. He showed me each and every one of you. I know who you are."
"Wait a minute."
Amie closed the door, and looked at her sister. She shrugged her shoulders.
"He knows we're all here, and our names. And there isn't anything to connect me with you two. Someone had to tell him, and tell him where to find us."
"Open the door, Amie." Jesse said.
BW, Vietnam Vet