Morning Star Full Novel

Chapter 30

July 18, 1980

Rain poured down from the sky in heavy drops that stung when they struck bare skin. The sky was dark and the stars were hidden behind a thick blanket of clouds which shot forth bolts of lightning and crashes of thunder. The wind was whipping by at a brisk 20-mph. Making visibility very poor. It was all he could do just to keep an eye on the yellow lines that divided the highway. In the car with him was his young son Tony who was gripping his seat in terror watching his father try to get them home.
"Daddy I’m scared," Tony said.
"It’s ok son, I’m taking it slow," his father replied.
Up ahead in the distance, illuminated by his headlights, Pastor Jack Rhine saw a figure of a man standing on the road. The windshield wipers swooshed back and forth clearing his view, but visibility was still poor and he slowed down pulling off to the side of the road. Tony’s father was not used to picking up hitchhikers, but was willing to help out a stranded motorist in need of assistance in the rain. The man came to the driver’s side of the car and Jack rolled down his side window letting raindrops shoot inside the car like pellets of sand. The man was soaked and shivering. He looked like he had been out in the rain for sometime.
"You need a lift?" Jack asked the stranger. The man peered inside, looking at Tony.
"Yeah, my car broke down about a mile down that gravel road. Can I get a ride to the next town?" he asked.
"Get in the back," Jack said to the man and rolled up his window, stopping the rain from entering the car. The sound of the door shutting startled young Tony and he turned to look back at the man. Tony’s father put the car back into drive and slowly headed back out onto the dangerous highway.
Jack kept a tight grip on the wheel and leaned forward in a ready, ridged stance peering out into the storm ahead. Tony was strapped in with a seatbelt; his father was not using one himself. Minutes passed by so slowly as he trudged along through the downpour nervously scanning the road ahead.
" How much longer?" Tony asked.
"About ten minutes," Jack replied nervously, not wanting to speak. Tony turned and stared outside the window watching the rain streak by and listened to the sound of the wiper blades as they swooshed by in a rhythmic pattern. Tony had confidence in his dad and knew he would get him home. Tony was ten years old and was still very dependent on his father. His father was a strong man in spirit and a good man; he would not let his son down. He knew the rain had to let up soon.
"I’m pulling over," Jack said. "I need to let this cool off for a while. I hope you don’t mind?" he asked the passenger in the rear.
"That’s fine," he replied. "I’m just glad to be out of the rain."
The car slowly veered to the side of the highway and found its way to the shoulder. The car remained running as the wipers zipped back and forth cleaning the windshield just for a second at a time. Tony could see his father was more relaxed now prying his white knuckles off of the steering wheel.
"We’ll just wait here for a few minutes until this lightens up…. Ok?" he asked Tony.
"Sure dad, I don’t like the rain either," Tony replied.
Tony noticed the reflection from the rear view mirror on his dad’s face. The rectangle of light now starting to flash with red and blue lights. He turned to look past the man in the back seat and though the back window at a blur of police lights as they approached right behind them slowing down. Tony’s father and the passenger turned also.
"Oh no! Jack said. "I bet they think I’ve broken down."
He waited as the car came to a stop and a patrolman in a yellow rain coat exited, and approached the side of his car. He could see the glare of a flashlight bouncing along the glass of the door. The man came to the side window and tapped on it with the light. Pastor Rhine rolled down the window and again bullets of water found its way into the car. Squinting at the glare of the blinding flashlight and the wind swept rain he asked, "Is there a problem officer?"
The back door of the car opened and the passenger stepped out into the rain startling the policeman. The officer, Alex Parsons, was shocked as he looked into the eyes of an adult Tony Rhine standing before him only a few feet from a much younger 10-year-old Tony in the passenger seat of the car. Pouring rain fell upon Tony and Alex as both men stood on the edge of the roadway with traffic whipping by at 50 mph in both directions. Alex pulled his gun and aimed it at Tony; Alex’s eyes were wide open in disbelief.
"You said you live in all times at once," Tony said defiantly. "So do I."
Alex stood dumbfounded for a moment not knowing what to do and then turned his gun to Tony’s father. In an instant Tony jumped Alex and knocked him to the asphalt beside the idling car. Jack rolled down his window and watched the men, shifting the car into reverse and getting out of the way. The two men struggled for the gun, rolling around, scuffling and striking each other in an attempt to gain control. Pastor Jack exited the vehicle and ran over and grabbed the gun from Alex’s hand and pointed it at Tony.
"Don’t move!" he yelled at Tony. "I’ll blow your head clean off."
Tony and Alex parted and Tony lay on the ground with his hands open and away from his body. Alex rose to his feet and approached Jack to reclaim his gun. Alex met the end of the gun in his face.
"Don’t move. Neither of you," Jack said to both men. The rain still poured and the sound of it sizzled on the hard asphalt. Time stood still, as he stared both men down with the gun, the rain ran like a river down his cheeks. "As God as my witness! As God almighty above watches down on us! This will be over!" Jack said, and threw the gun into the ditch. Alex watched the gun as it flew through the air and was once again blind-sided by Tony knocking him to the ground. Tony punched him repeatedly in the face beating him with a vengeance of twenty years of pain.
Tony rose to his knees and grabbed Alex by the collar, dragging him to his feet. He looked him straight in the eye and said, "You failed Satan. I am the Christ, and I have come to judge the living and the dead."
Tony pulled Alex out onto the roadway and grabbed him around the waist tripping him with his feet. Both men hit the ground with a thump and Tony pressed all his weight on Alex. Up ahead in the distance, Tony could see the headlights and hear the sounds of a semi-tractor trailer speeding down the road coming at them at speeds to fast for the rainy conditions. Alex squirmed and tried to toss Tony aside in an attempt to escape and managed to pull free. The semi came closer and Tony feared he might miss his opportunity to save humanity.
At the last moment, Tony heard a gunshot and saw Alex stumble to the asphalt grabbing his knee. At the side of the road was young ten year old Tony holding the gun in his hand, standing motionless next to his father. The older Tony grabbed Alex by his arms once again lifting him up and putting his arms around his chest dragging him back out onto the roadway. The semi was only moments from them and Tony gave one final lurch, pulling both men in front of the speeding truck killing them both instantly and sending their bodies flying outwardly in two different directions.

***

Tony and his father never told the true story of what really happened that cold and rainy night. Neither of the two dead men could be identified and the case was never really closed. Tony grew up with his father never knowing of the other fate for which Tony saved them from, and Tony one day fulfilled the prophecy for which he was born. But that is another story

The End
Keith Trimm
12-24-98
September 30, 1999 (revised)
October 9, 1999 (1^st edit)