How varied these stories can be, from the same stimuli!
Signs
Beryl was lying on the lawn with her book, enjoying a peaceful Sunday afternoon, when she was startled by somebody saying,
“Come on now, it’s much too nice a day to just lie there, we can go for a walk down to the river and enjoy the beauty of the countryside. By the way, I didn’t see you in Church. Damien, the Vicar, remarked on your absence.”
“For heaven’s sake, Martin, you make me feel as if I am back at School and have missed the register.”
Beryl smiled and held up her hand to be pulled up, softening the sharpness of her words.
They wandered out through the shrubbery at the end of the garden, down a steep footpath, across a field of corn and along the edge of a copse by the river. There was a long grassy, almost beach-like bank where they sat and watched the rippling, silvery splashes over stones.
“I haven’t brought a picnic, I’m afraid, but I can offer you a pear.”
Martin proffered two pears, one in each hand and Beryl chose the one in his left hand as it had a slight rosy patch on the skin.
“Thanks, Martin. That was thoughtful, I love pears.”
She bit deeply into the fruit.
“This is really juicy.”
She wiped her chin.
“Let’s sit under that tree.”
Martin pointed along the bank, where there was a weeping willow, and several other trees.
They went and settled down under a big beech tree with sheltering foliage. Martin gently slid his hand along her shoulder and Beryl shrugged him off.
“Oh, come on, Beryl. When are you going to stop being an ice maiden? I thought we were a sort of couple? “
“We are, sort of, but we don’t want to rush things. I am about to start my teaching job, and you know how strict my parents are.”
Beryl was trying to decide just how deeply her feelings for Martin extended.
“Look at that fish!” she said, as a huge striped fish leapt high out of the water.
“Stop trying to distract me. I really do need to know how much I matter to you. I know the Vicar fancies you.”
Beryl laughed, “You have no worries on that score, Martin. I suppose I feel a bit in limbo at the moment with starting a new job and everything. You do mean a lot to me but I just need a bit of time to find my feet.”
She turned and grinned at him, “I know it’s not really my feet you are interested in.”
Just then they both looked up to see a flaming arrow shoot across over their heads. It landed in a bush not far away on the other side of the river.
“Look, a Biblical sign” said Martin.
“One of those kids from the estate, more likely. Never mind Biblical signs. It’s starting to rain.”
In a few moments there was a real downpour and they shuffled further under the tree. The fire in the bush was soon extinguished by the rain which had turned into a thunderstorm and they were getting very wet. There was a sudden flare down the tree and Martin keeled over, struck by lightning.
For a moment Beryl could hardly grasp what had happened then she bent over Martin to see if he was breathing. He was, but his breath seemed irregular and Beryl started to panic. She remembered that Martin always carried his phone so she felt in his pocket and found it. She called for an ambulance and asked what she could do in the meantime. She followed the instructions given.
“Please don’t die, Martin. Please don’t die.”
She was surprised to find she was crying as she pumped his chest. The paramedics arrived quickly and carried Martin on a stretcher to the ambulance. She went along with him to the Hospital and by the time they arrived Martin was coming round. She waited while lots of tests were done and the young Consultant said he would be fine but they were going to keep him in for the night.
“He was very lucky, your boyfriend. Most of the strike must have been absorbed by the tree.”
Beryl went in to see him and was filled with such overwhelming relief that she leaned over and kissed him.
Martin said softly, “Struck by lightning twice in one day.” His eyes were shining.
As Beryl left the hospital she was full of joy. Outside she looked up to the sky and saw a shooting star streaming over the hospital.
“If ever there was a sign,” she whispered, and did a little skip.
Linda Dalzell 7/06/21
Judgment Day
He stood with an open book in his hands. One person wearing a cloak asked, “Is it time yet?”
The Person with the hair like sheep’s wool answered, “No not quite, a trumpet will sound and we must wait until the ultimate Judge raises His right hand, and it is held open and upright.”
From where they stood amongst the stars, the throng could clearly see the earth. They could feel the heat from a huge bonfire.
There was a loud shout from the Person wearing the wig. This shout caused an earthquake on earth, and some mountains fell.
“I will tell you all, to be afraid, for none are innocent, and all have to be judged accordingly.”
Then a loud thunder shook the earth and lightning forked down all over the world.
A tiny voice was heard, and it was like a whisper.
“But Master, if all fall, there will be no one to join us and all torture and injustice will have been for nothing.”
Those in the realm courtroom took deep breaths.
One spoke to another and said, “Where’s he going with this? Is he mad to answer back, and question?”
The man with the sheep’s wool wig looked up, and he asked the man with a whispery voice to come forward.
“You with a gentle voice, step forward, have you something to say, and if so, let’s all hear it?”
“Master, if all fall, then it will be like there is no justice for those that have been on trial. Also Master we need to build up our Army, as it is dwindling and soon there will be no one to help us fight the last battle.”
The man with the wig smiled, “John you have pleased me today, you are the only one to speak in their defence, and so I know you believe in justice. You’re a good servant and I want you to sit here, close to me.”
The other court room attendants bowed their heads in shame.
The Person with the wig added, “I know your thoughts, but yet you have not spoken out. None of you question the judgment, yet you think that it is wrong to judge all.”
One spoke and said, “No, Master, but we trust you, and we have faith that this is right.”
“Thank you, Daniel, I am happy that you have answered in that way.” The Man with the wig was pleased with his servants. He also knew that His father would also be pleased.
Some of the court room Ministers are direct descendants of the Man wearing the wig. “You are my kin and from my blood line, the fruit from my family tree. You make our work worthwhile.”
This eased the tension, and all began to relax while waiting for the right signal.
The Man with the wig then said, “When the end of the age begins, first you must seek out all of those with the water mark, and then also those that follow the sign of the fish, these must be the first to be judged.”
His servants looked at each other and wondered if He had lost His reason. He read their thoughts and said, “You have so little faith, but you will see when the dust settles, the reason for all of these things.”
As He finished giving this message, a trumpet sounded, and then the right hand was raised and the battle on earth had begun. The servants did as He asked and first they sought the people wearing the water mark, and then the ones following the fish, and after they did these things the judgment began for all. The fire on earth was now global and everything that was in the earth was destroyed by fire. Earth was just a smouldering ash pile. Then a bright arrow shot through the universe and then a shooting star was seen falling into the earth. The battle ceased and His servants were exhausted and hurting because of the things that they had witnessed. The man with the wig said, “You have done well”, and he wiped the tears from their eyes. “Look at me, and then at the rainbow and you will be joyful.” As they looked up at the rainbow, they danced and shouted for joy and felt so happy.
There they all are, those of the earth, walking through and underneath the bow. The colours were brighter than any of them had witnessed before. The man took off His wig and explained.
“All had to be purified, and fire does this, and now they can join us and live on with no more trials, no pain, or sickness and now a brand new story begins again.”
He invited the people of the earth to sit around him and they feasted, and then the wine was poured and He stood and said to all, “Today I drink this wine with you as was promised. Our battle is won.”
Josie Smith
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