Read The Camouflaged Cross: Tales Of Christian Preppers In The End Times (Just Run Book 1) for Free Online

like you guys, but think about what you are saying. Kind of tin foil hat stuff, don’t you think?’”
     
    “And now she has taken the Mark.”
     
    “Yes, and that is something I would never have believed. Jackie taking the Mark was even more of a shock than Kirk getting killed. She really, really blew it.” David looked at Sean, and sounded like a teacher. “Taking the Mark is a horrible, horrible thing to do. A big mistake. There is no turning back for Jackie.”
     
    “I know.”
     
    “This is horrible. Whenever a Christian friend I knew died, I would always tell myself that I knew someone in heaven, right there with Jesus. Forever. Well, with Jackie, I can now say I know someone who is on their way to Hell. And nothing can ever change that. I know that is harsh thing to say, Sean, but it is true. It is right there in the Bible. Don’t even think of ever taking the Mark.”
     
    David stood up. “I think I can go now.” Sean got up.
     
    Sean said, “I think Kirk and Jackie have several friends up here.”
     
    “Yes, Peter used to work with Kirk, and Kathy used to date Kirk. That’s what I heard.”
     
    Sean stopped and looked at David.
     
    “I mean Kathy used to date Kirk before Kirk married Jackie. I know it’s a little hard to keep straight.”
     
    “Oh, I see.”
     
    The two followed the dirt road uphill, out of sight of the observation post.
     
     
     
    ****
 
 

CHAPTER 4
     
     
     
    The main compound was surrounded by tall pine trees, with a smoldering campfire in the middle. The woods around the center of the compound were populated with sheds and camping tents, with cars and RV’s parked outside a perimeter. Lawn chairs sprinkled the whole area. The property owners, Jesse and Mary, had a cabin to the west and uphill from the main camp. David and his wife Gloria had a cabin to the north and uphill from the camp. Behind David and Gloria’s cabin, tucked amongst some more hills, was an RV trailer in which Lawson, a retired Navy chaplain, and Lois, his wife and former nursing instructor, lived.
     
    Nearby the fire were six men in their 30’s and 40’s, taking turns chopping and splitting wood with a single ax. All wore jeans and different colored flannel shirts.
     
    It was Jesse’s turn. Jesse was an olive-skinned man in his 40’s, with dark hair and a short beard. He wore some jeans and a red plaid flannel shirt. As the ax was handed to him, he looked downhill on the driveway and saw David and Sean slowly walking towards the compound. David’s wet mark on his pants could be easily seen.
     
    One of the other men also saw David and smirked. Before he could say anything, Jesse said “David, are you OK?” Jesse looked concerned, then he looked at Sean.
     
    Jesse put down the ax and walked towards David, meeting him half-way. “David, if you need one of those adult diapers we have a ton of them in the container over there. Unless…”
     
    David got closer. “That’s not it, Jesse.” The other men looked at David. One of them men said “David, what happened? Are you alright?”
     
    “Not really,” David said as he walked towards the men and sat in a nearby chair. Sean stood next to him. “As you can see for yourself, I pissed myself.”
     
    Jesse asked him, “So? What happened down there? Your replacements are there, right?” Jesse looked to the other men there. “Someone go get Gloria.” One of the men ran off.
     
    Sean answered, “They should be there by now, but we had to leave. We just saw, uh…” Sean couldn’t finish. He looked down.
     
    Jesse pulled up another chair. “Here, Sean, have a seat. Both of you guys look pretty bad. What happened?”
     
    David tried, “We just saw Kirk,” he paused, his eyes teared up and he stopped talking.
     
    Jesse said, “Yes, Kirk, the guy who lives down the road? What did you see, David?”
     
    “We saw … there were a lot of guns.” David couldn’t finish. He looked into the distance and tried to stop tearing