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  Copyright © 2018 by Stephen William Cheshire

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  “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this, we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord, himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

  Chapter 1

  California. San Diego. Nurse Christine Courtney, fifty-six, entered ward six in Clearwater Lake Residential Centre. She looked at all the other patients. She held onto the small paper cup holding Shaun Palmer's medication. She arrived at the clean wooden door. The silver shutters are still down from the night before. Its late morning. She came to a stop at the door giving the clean glass window a gentle tap.

  “Mr. Palmer,” She asked

  Shaun Palmer is lying on his back. His eyes are closed. No sign of movement, nothing.

  “Mr. Palmer,” She asked again

  Nurse Courtney walked up to the side of the bed. She turned his hand over placing her psalm onto his hand. He is stone cold. She placed her two fingers onto his neck. She turned around storming to the door of the room.

  “Get me, Doctor Barton.”

  Doctor Ivan Barton fifty-nine arrived at the ward door.

  “What is going on,” He asked

  “I can’t wake Mr. Palmer.”

  Barton looked at Courtney. He turned the golden door handle entering the room.

  “Mr. Palmer” He asked

  Dr. Barton placed his two fingers onto Palmer's neck looking for a pulse. He shook his head looking at Nurse Courtney. He lifted his wrist looking down at his watch.

  “Time of death,” He said “Nine O Seven.”

  Christine slowly pulled the blanket over the dead body of Mr. Palmer. Alvin and Darin stood by the entrance to the room, arms folded, looking at the other patients. Some in blue robes, the other in white. They watched as the body of Mr. Palmer is carried out by the two undertakers.

  “Who is it,” Darin Martin asked

  “Palmer” Alvin Fisher replied

  “Damn” He replied

  “Well,” Alvin replied looking forward “At least we won’t have to hear his crazy stories about the apocalypse.”

  Alvin and Darin look at one another.

  “Wuuuuu,” He said “Big black eyes, who will eat you.”

  7th December 1941.

  It’s a warm day in Honolulu, Hawaii, with a few puffy clouds in the sky. Tim Cabana stood on the top deck of the USS Rexington. He pulled out a small square picture of his new-born daughter that has been posted by his fiancée from Los Angeles. He gave a brief smile as a fellow sailor Dennis Martin walked up to him

  "Cute kid," He said looking at the picture

  Tim took another look out into the Pacific Ocean.

  "She is" He replied, "Cute mum as well."

  "I bet."

  Tim looked out across the ocean.

  "What time is it," Dennis asked

  Tim lifted his blue shirt looking down at his watch seeing the leather strap bite into his arm. It is seven forty-five” He replied

  “Almost lunch” Dennis joked

  “You have only just had breakfast.”

  “Well,” He replied, “With all these rations, I am still a hungry sailor.”

  Tim shook his head with a smile grasping to the metal bar along the ridge of the balcony of the ship. He glanced into the westerly horizon, not a cloud can be seen. He squinted his eyes looking to see a small object in the sky. He squinted further ahead

  “Hand me them binoculars,” He asked Dennis

  Dennis handed him some binoculars. He zoomed into the object in the sky. He looked to see an aircraft that isn’t from the United States Air Force. It’s a light grey with a bulky front. Two red dots are on the top of the wings with one at the back.

  “Who are they,” Asked Dennis

  “I think” Tim replied, “I think they are Japanese.”

  Dennis continued looking into the distance. One by one more and more of the aircraft started to fill the horizon.

  “Shit” He uttered

  Tim span around handing Dennis the binoculars. He arrived at a metal phone box. He opened the box looking at the telephone.

  “Bridge” He heard

  “Incoming from West”

  “I’ll check it out” Navigator Edward Jackson replied

  Edward turned heading to the Communication room.

  “Sir we have incoming.”

  “Who are they,” Edward asked

  “I have no idea.”

  Dennis and Tim watched as the squad of aircraft passed overhead. There are many of them. He looked at the bright red dots on the bottom of the wings.

  “They are Japanese,” He said

  “What the fuck are they doing” Dennis intervened

  The squad of aircraft looped around over the island. Dennis watched as the squad aircraft looped down, he reached into his top pocket holding tightly onto the picture of his new born daughter. He locked his eyes onto the aircraft, eyes pinned to the bomb underneath of it. The claws opened dropping the bomb into the water. It travelled through the clear water.

  “Oh shit” He gasped

  Dennis and Tim watched in horror as the torpedo shot through the water slamming into the frigate on the other side of the harbour.

  “Fuck” He gasped

  “Come on” Tim demanded

  Tim and Dennis ran through the ship.

  “Move, move” they heard

  Tim jumped onto the heavy machine gun mounted on the side of the ship. He gawked through the site seeing the wave of Japanese space fighters homing in on the harbor. He ripped the triggers in watching the line if golden bullets rip through the weapon.

  "Fucking shit man" Dennis yelled

  Dennis jumped to an explosion in the distance one of the other f4igates is going up in flames. Flumes of smoke blasted into the air from the burning fleet. Tim held the machine gun trigger in feeling the heat blow onto his face. The weapon stopped spinning he is out of ammunition.

  "Fuck" He Yelled

  One of the aircraft is flying low towards the ship. It’s flying level, straight in the direction of the ship.

  “What is he doing” Dennis asked

  Tim just looks at the aircraft. One of the torpedoes drops from the aircraft.

  “No” He screamed

  Tim span pulling Dennis with him.

  “Come on” He yells

  Dennis and Tim enter the ship as the torpedo is blasting through the water towards the ship. The torpedo slams into the ship. Dennis fell to the ground as the inside of the ship started to cave in.

  "No" Tim screamed

  Dennis looked to see that his leg is trapped between some of the bent metalwork.

  "Fuck
"

  Dennis felt the wound on his leg stinging as the sea water burned it. He looked seeing Tim trying to move the wreckage out of the way.

  "I need you to go."

  "What" Tim gasps "I’m not leaving you."

  "There is nothing you can do."

  Tim looked around frantically trying to find someone to help move the bent metalwork.

  "Hey" He called "Need some help here."

  "There is no one."

  Tim turned and just looked at Dennis.

  "We need all the men we can get" He screamed

  Tim stares at Dennis with sorrow as the sea water continues to flood the ship. He reached into his pouch pulling out the handgun. He looked seeing that there is one round left in the chamber.

  "Here," He said, "One left."

  He threw the handgun through the bent metal work. Tim span around. He heard a sudden single shot over the rushing water.

  “Damn” He mumbled

  He arrived at the top deck. He looked to the left seeing the water rushing u the deck and the back started to raise into the air. No lifeboats can be seen as the ship is filling with water. He glanced across towards the base. He cannot believe his eyes. There in front of him would burn the base, flumes if smoke blew into the air.

  "Shit"

  Tim looked down the ship seeing that the back is almost fully submerged. He has no choice but to jump. Tim leaped over the side of the ship slamming into the water. He swam towards the base. But he looked up into the air, diving towards him is one of the aircraft.

  "Shit" He gasped

  The Japanese pilot squinted his eyed eyes seeing Tim swimming away towards the base. The pilot smiled looking down at Tim. The pilot squeezed the trigger in. The bullet shot out from the canon slamming into the water. He dived under the water. The bullets shot through the water. He surfaced again looking to see the aircraft is gone.

  “Ha” He laughed

  He looked around the water that surrounds him. It started to fill with blood.

  “What” He gasped

  Tim started to feel an intense rush of pain through his lower body. Blood is gushing out of a bullet wound. There is no way to stop it. He eyes started to close. The picture of his new born daughter fell from his top pocket into the sea. His eyes still closing slowly due to blood loss. But something catches his attention. He looked to see the top of a U Boat. It isn’t American or German, or even British. He watched as the top slowly submerged under the ocean. His head fell back into the water as the blood from his wound covered the picture of his new born daughter as it slowly bobbed up and down with the waves.

  Chapter 2

  Eleven hours on an aircraft is a very long time for Andrew Porter. The twenty-one-year-old university student in his final year of his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy sits staring out of the window of the 777 jet. It has been a scenic flight across the top of Northern Russia and China now heading southeast towards Tokyo, Japan. The only thing on Andrew’s mind is the final year dissertation that is due to be submitted when he returns home and graduation. Andrew stared down out of the window as they approached the coast of Japan. The only thing that he has been watching for the last hour on the small TV in the back of the seat is the flight tracking map. He looked at the circle around Tokyo Narita Airport. It is slowly getting closer.

  “Woa” Ben Johnson gasped grasping to the seat

  Andrew turned and looked at Ben. He is holding onto the armrest of the seat as they passed some light turbulence.

  “Ben,” Andrew said

  Ben slowly turned his head looking at Andrew. Long shaggy hair, phone grasped into his psalm. The game he is playing is on pause.

  “Man, its ok” Andrew, relieved “We are almost there, only about an hour left.”

  Andrew looked across the seat. He looked to see a Japanese late aged lady. Short black hair was just looking at him.

  “He’s a nervous flyer,” He said to her

  The lady smiled and looked back forward again.

  “You be ok” She struggled to say in English

  She gave him a gentle tap on the arm as she sat back looking forward down the aisle of the aircraft.

  “Hey,” Andrew said again “Man, are you ok?”

  Ben felt a slight shiver go down his spine as he pulls his IPAD mini out. He clicked on the game app and started to play on the game he downloaded before they left the UK. It took Ben a few seconds to engage with what Andrew has just asked.

  “Yes,” Ben replied, “I’ll be fine, just want to get there and see those Japanese girls.”

  “You’ve said that about twelve times” Andrew replied

  “Can’t help it” He joked trying to steady his nerves

  Andrew looked at Ben as he focused his eyes onto the game he is playing.

  “Just want to get there and meet some Japanese girls” He then stated

  “Relax,” Andrew said, “We are almost there, just over the hour and we will be in Tokyo.”

  Andrew looked across the aisle of the aircraft to see Sarah. Sarah Watson. He admired her sitting in her white vest top. She is reading some romance book she bought back at the airport. The yellow sticker is still on the front of the cover. He has always had something for her. Even though she is on a completely different course to him, they met in the accommodation block in year one. Andrew also looked to see Kiera, Kiera Charles. The foreign language student. Even though she is doing Spanish, the Japanese language has appeared to her from a young age. Andrew knows that Ben has something for her. He remembers the day he laid eyes on her. Chelsea is next to Kiera. She is a nursing student. Only one more year left then she is on the work placement at a local hospital. She is the more-louder one of the group. Spends a lot of time in the nightclubs on the fresher’s year. He looked across again at Sarah. But he heard some shuffling from behind.

  "Look," à voice said

  Andrew looked through the window and into the distance. He looks to see Mount Fuji in the distance. The peak of the mountain is covered in snow. Lush green countryside surrounds the mountain.

  "What is it," Sarah asked looking over

  Sarah gets out of her seat. She leaned over Andrew. She reached pulling her phone out snapping Mount Fuji.

  "Selfie" She yelped

  Ben looked at Sarah and smiled

  "Ok" He insisted

  Ben leaned around blocking Andrew out of view from the picture Sarah is about to take.

  "Say cheese."

  Ben and Sarah both smiled. The picture is taken. Andrew in the background being blocked from the site by Ben.

  "Perfect," She said, "I'll tweet that when we land."

  Sarah went back over to her seat. Ben turned his head and smiled at him.

  “Why is it always you,” Andrew asked

  “Because it is” Ben replied, “God, come on I want to get off this plane.”

  The aircraft made a sharp left-hand turn and heads towards Tokyo. They are not that far now. Andrew watched as Ben pulled the tatty yen notes out of his wallet. He shuffled though he notes eagerly to spend them in a Japanese Arcades in Tokyo.

  "What was the rate," Andrew asked

  "What rate" Queried Ben

  Andrew shook his head.

  "The currency exchange?"

  "Oh," Ben replied "Three hundred pounds worth."

  Andrew shook his head in disbelief. He felt the aircraft starting to descend quicker. Ben quickly started to hold onto the arm rests. There is a sudden slight jolt of turbulence.

  “Oh my god,” Ben gasped.

  ***

  Andrew looked seeing the huge city coming into view. The wing flaps extended out as they slowed down for the landing into Tokyo’s Narita Airport. The jet touched down onto the runway. Ben still grasping to the arm rest.

  “It’s ok,” Andrew said, “We are here now, chill out.”

  The aircraft taxied to the gate very quickly. The other aircraft was preparing to fly off to other destinations within Japan and Eastern Asia. People are get
ting out of their seats before the seat belt sign has been switched off. Andrew got up as the engines were shut down one at a time. He took a look over at Sarah again. She pulled her book out from her bag.

  “Japan here we come,” Ben said desperately to get off the aircraft

  Andrew and Ben walked side by side followed by Kiera and Sarah. Ben head first in his IPAD. Chelsea walked next to Sarah. She still has her head in the romance book she purchased back in London.

  “Is that a good book?” She asked

  “Oh my god” Sarah replied, “You have to read this.”

  “Well come on” Chelsea anticipated “What is it about.”

  “Just your average love story, but with a twist.”

  Ben looked over his shoulder at Chelsea and Sarah as they spoke about the romantic book.

  “Any sex in it.”

  Sarah looked at Ben.

  “Of-course” She replied

  “Let me read it after you.”

  Andrew smiled as they approached the border control line.

  “Watch this” Ben said

  Andrew watched as Ben reached into his pocket and pulled out a Japanese Phrase Book. He looked at the late aged border agent. He looked at him smiling as he opened the book. Andrew listened to Ben speaks. The border agent started to smile.

  “What’s he said,” Kiera asked Sarah

  “Wait for it” She replied with a smile

  “Shall I just speak English for you” The border agent replied?

  Ben looked in shock at the agent as he sat here smiling at him.

  “Do you know what you just said to me” He replied to Ben

  Andrew, Sarah, Chelsea, and Kiera stepped forward desperate to hear what Ben has just said to the agent.

  “You just said to me” He smiled “That I am the sexiest beast you have ever met.”

  Andrew, Chelsea, Sarah, and Kiera started to laugh.

  “No, I’m joking” He replied, “Nice to meet you too.”

  Ben turned around and folded his arms looking at Sarah and Kiera as they stopped laughing.

  “Look at the boss,” He said pointing at himself “Look at the boss.”