The Concession

Chapter Sixteen

He was strange-the man from the ambulance.

The man's eyes held something in them that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

Was it her, or did he look too cold for a paramedic?

Paramedics were supposed to look clean-cut and presentable, he looked like he'd thrown his clothes on at the last minute, not to mention his blood-shot eyes.

His silky black hair was styled to the side; the curls rested on his right eye.

Laura had felt goosebumps on the side of her arms when their eyes met. Something wasn't right.

None of it was right.

The accident, the vision she saw, and now the ambulance.

Something was ensuing and she knew it was nothing good.

An hour later, she got to the church. The holdup had taken more time than she'd like.

The church building was fairly big and has a weekly attendance of over two hundred people, every Sunday.

Laura got down the taxi and paid the driver.

"Thank you." She said.

The driver nodded and drove off, leaving a trail of smoke behind him.

Laura turned and exhaled. The weather was gradually changing. She tightened her scarf more around her neck and left the pavement.

Immediately she stepped foot on the premises, she felt peace-she was in a familiar place.

"Jesus." Laura called for comfort.

His name always brought her assurance and calm.

People were already inside, she could tell from the number of cars already parked outside.

Laura felt nervous about being late. It was a childhood habit she hadn't outgrown. Even at school, her stomach would always rumble with nerves whenever she came after the bell rang. She'd been late to school more times than she'd liked to admit as a teenager-her father had always been the cause.

Tentatively Laura walked up the marble stairs and pushed open the huge doors.

Laura gasped. She could feel the immense presence of God in the environment already. Her whole body singed from the heavy presence.

It was obvious, the meeting had started.

{¶{¶{¶{¶}

"Jake. . .Jake, wake up." He heard a voice calling him.

He opened his eyes.

Jake? Who's Jake?

William's eyes widened. He sat up. He looked around.

He was still here-in the desert-land where nothing living grew.

The sky as usual was clear, there were no clouds in sight. The sun was bright but far from scorching.

"You were having a bad dream." William looked up and saw Fil.

He still looked as dark as the first time he saw him.

'Jake' was the name he'd told him to call him instead.

He couldn't believe it, he was still not awake?