Philip Simpson - Tribulation

As soon as the helicopter was down properly, the door was yanked over. Four armed soldiers dressed in uniforms identical to soldier earlier waited for him. The one in front gestured for Sam to exit the helicopter and follow him. Sam obeyed, curious as to where this was leading. The three other soldiers fell in behind him.

The soldier in front led him through the ship, twisting and turning through a maze of grey corridors. They encountered several other soldiers during the journey, all eyeing Sam with interest as he passed. Sam tried to ignore their stares.

They came to a bulkhead door and he was led through. Inside was a spacious office. Judging from cabinets filled with models and memorabilia, it had once belonged to the Captain or Admiral. No longer. Behind a desk, sat someone Sam had not expected. He had been almost certain that he was being taken to see his brother. He was wrong. It was Sam’s former friend.

Joshua.

Thank you, Captain,” said Joshua, nodding at the soldier in front of Sam. “That will be all. I’ll call if I need you.”

The Captain appeared uncertain for a moment but eventually saluted and led his men out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Joshua indicated the chair in front of his desk. “Take a seat, Sam. We have much to discuss.”

Warily, Sam did as he was bid, somewhat confused by all this. Where was his brother, the Antichrist?

“You probably have a few questions,” said Joshua. Sam said nothing at first, content to use the time to examine his former buddy. Joshua had changed greatly since they’d first met and had aged considerably even since their relatively recent encounter in Hell. Joshua now looked at least thirty although they were the same age. He’d always been a big man but now he appeared to be a little overfed — a bad sign when most people on Earth were starving. His curly blond locks were now streaked with grey.

“Why am I here?” Sam asked. “Why go to the trouble?”

Joshua smiled easily. Gone was the tense and insecure teenager. Here was a man grown confident in his abilities. “Because I need you. Just like you need me. We can help each other, you and I.”

“Help each other, how?” asked Sam.

“You made a promise to me once, I recall. A promise to do my bidding when I asked in exchange for a certain reunion.”

Sam’s breath caught in his throat. He remembered. His mother. Joshua had promised to reunite him with his mother. “What do you want me to do?” Sam said. He had no intention to do whatever his former friend wanted but he’d play along until he learnt more about his mother. This was potentially his chance to find her.

“All in good time.” Joshua stood and moved over to the drinks cabinet. He poured himself some amber fluid from a crystal decanter. “Would you like one?” he asked, gesturing at his glass. Sam shook his head. “Back in Utah, I didn’t drink, obviously,” he continued, walking back behind his desk and settling himself back in his leather chair. “Things have changed. For the better, wouldn’t you agree?”

Sam gave Joshua a ghost of a smile, humoring him. “Why did you do it, Josh? Why did you betray me?”

There — he finally said it. The question had been plaguing him for years. He’d never had the opportunity to ask before but it had been something he’d gone over in his head countless times.

“Why I sided with your brother and your father, you mean?”

Sam nodded. He’d thought the question was obvious.

“I knew you’d ask this eventually. I imagined this conversation in my head, wondering what I might say. I confess that I’m tempted not to tell you, but it’s kinda pointless now. What do you remember about me, back in Jacob’s Ladder?”

“I remember that you played quarterback on the High school football team. You were the nephew of Father Rainey. You were also my friend — were being the key word here.”

Joshua grinned, his fleshy checks glistening unhealthily. “Quite right. What do you remember about my uncle?”

Sam shook his head. “Not much. He was the local priest. Can’t say I liked him that much. He was the one that made me walk through hallowed ground for the first time. I don’t think he approved of what I was. Let’s just say there wasn’t much love lost between us.”

“Sounds familiar,” said Josh.

“What do you mean?” asked Sam, intrigued despite himself.

Josh stood and began pacing behind his desk. “Father Rainey wasn’t a particularly forgiving man. Or a very nice one for that matter. After my parents died, he took me in but I think he resented having to look after me. Made me read the bible every night and beat me when I didn’t. No-one ever knew that. Called me a godless fool because my parents hadn’t believed. Used to tease me and say that my parents were in Hell. Hardly spoke to me other than that. One of the reasons I joined the football team was to get out of the house.”

“Why are you telling me this?” asked Sam.

“I want you to understand,” said Joshua, “understand that you and I are alike.”

“We are nothing alike,” sneered Sam.

“I beg to differ. We both lost our parents. We both were tormented by others because of who we were. I think you and I are kindred spirits.”

“So why betray me?”

“Your brother came to me and explained everything. Suddenly, I knew who I was and knew what I had to do. He said that you belonged in Hell with your family. It made sense to me. You are part demon after all. He said that my parents were there too and if I helped him, I could see them again. In hindsight, he oversold Hell a little but that doesn’t matter now. He was very…persuasive.”

“But you sold out the rest of humanity, too.”

“I would argue that. I think humanity is weak. If the rest of the population had been through what I’ve been through, it would’ve straightened them out. You can get used to Hell after a while. I did and it taught me a great deal. Powers I thought I would never possess. Never again will I have to do the bidding of another human. What’s more, my parents were granted certain concessions. They may still be in Hell, but they certainly aren’t suffering. I made sure of that. “Do you know who I am now?” he asked.

“Joshua,” replied Sam.

Joshua laughed. “Certainly. That was the boy I was. Not the man I am today. I am something altogether different today. Thanks to my time in Hell. Tell me, what do you know about the False Prophet?”

“Of course,” said Sam, understanding starting to dawn on him.

“Well, it’s a bit of a misnomer really. I don’t think ‘false’ is the right word, really. Just ‘Prophet’ sounds about right. That’s what everyone around here calls me, anyway.”

“So, you’re the False Prophet then?” asked Sam.

It wasn’t really a question. He’d kind of suspected that Joshua still had a part to play in all this when they’d encountered each other in Hell. Joshua clearly had not been idle during the years he was trapped there — amassing power, preparing for his return to Earth. The Prophet was a logical choice, a spiritual leader recruited by the Antichrist as his partner in crime. Supposedly able to perform miracles. Well, Sam reflected — it seemed like he’d performed a few already. Being able to spirit Sam away from the Resistance was nothing short of miraculous.

Joshua’s face tightened at the word false. Sam stored this information away for future use. It would not be hard to antagonize his old friend.