Faith Now

Tom and Jasmine watched through their condominium window above the city lights and stared at the street below. Normally, there was a low roar of sounds that could be heard through their window. It consisted of people talking, car horns blowing, sirens passing and doors slamming. But now it was deathly silent. The silence was the hollowing effects of an earthquake that ran up the Andreas fault line and affected all of California. It was not only California that was feeling the aftermath from this type of disaster. There were earthquakes, torrential weather of all varieties and volcanic eruptions simultaneously occurring world-wide. There were miscellaneous disasters as well. There were nuclear plants that had been compromised which lead to evacuations from the towns that were exposed to radiation or harmed by the outspread of contaminated water. A spiritual dark cloud was forming not just in Los Angeles but in different parts of the world. The news broadcasts conventionally consisted of international news regarding the outbreak of civil wars, government overthrows and the need for United Nations intervention for peace and other disarmament treaties as well as whatever was happening in the news locally. But tonight it was different. It was all about the latest news-feed, what was hot off the wire. The report of civil wars for the moment had been quieted as people joined together during a time of crisis. People were too busy mourning for the dead from the catastrophic events that were occurring all over the world. Everyone now hungered for a sense of normality that would not come. In masses people fled to churches, mosques, synagogues and the like for comfort. Unfortunately, there was also mass hysteria in effect. All over the world people were wailing and crying in their houses and streets, but again not their street; it was disturbingly quiet. Jasmine picked up the phone as it rang only once. From the caller id she could see it was her dear friend Penny. “Hello”, she said through the phone. “I know it is horrible. Yes, you can, but be careful. I will see you shortly. Love you, too.” She hung up the phone and looked at her husband Tom. Tom gave her a look of concern. “She will be alright. After all how bad can it be? It is relatively quiet right now.”, she said as she patted the side of her large canine friend. Jasmine again stared down at the street beneath her. ———— Penny tried not to look in her rear view mirror as she headed home. She had the radio on as she heard reports of looting and vandalism in different cities, especially in Los Angeles. She did not want to imagine that she was being followed. "I don't understand how everyone can go so wild when calamity strikes.", she exclaimed through her Bluetooth mic that dangled from her ear. Kelso had been trying to get her to agree to put a speakerphone in her car, but she insisted that it was too much trouble for her old, dusty blue, 1982 Chevelle Malibu Classic Wagon. In truth she took extremely good care of her somewhat beat-up Chevelle but refused to upgrade her stereo or add a GPS device. She wanted to keep everything the same when it came to True Blue, her name for the car. "I can tell you are driving too fast. Don't get freaked out. You have to remember that this too shall pass. Penny?”, he said as he paused to listen for her voice. “Are you listening to me?”, he asked. “How far are you from home?” Kelso asked with reservation, afraid that she was headed down 85, where there was major delays. "Not far ... I got off of work early. I picked up a couple of things that should help us out in the long run.", she said. A dog growled in the seat behind her.