Under the Blood Moon (The Stargazers Trilogy Book 1) (8 page)

Chapter Eighteen

November 1
st

Sybil sat in the wicker chair with a big fluffy pillow on the seat. She sipped her tea quietly, wrinkling her nose. “Mm-m.”

“Honeysuckle and bourbon.”

“Good.”

Solomon laughed. “
S’not
for everyone, Miss Sybil. An acquired taste for sure.”

“It tastes healthy,” she said, pausing. “You know you scared me silly. I hope you can trust me now and never do that again.”

He grinned. “Maybe I can.”

“I believe you’ve passed my test of trust,” she said, confidently. “You need to know this. The last person I trusted kidnapped my brother. We need to trust each other.”

His smile vanished. “I know. I am sorry for that. I have been betrayed myself many times before, so I came up with my plan to see how badly you missed your brother. Not a very smart one, I’m afraid.”

She smirked. “If it was meant to scare the heck out of me, then it worked.”

His serious side emerged again, as quickly as it did before. “We must hurry if we want te save your brother. S’good you came te me when you did. Der is a short time before the next Blood Moon and Isabella would use your brother’s dreams for her own wicked use.”

Sybil stood up and stretched. “I know. I just don’t know what she has planned yet.”

He nodded. “We’ll find out together. I hope you’re not sleepy, because we have a long night ahead of us.”

“I’ll do my best. I want to rescue Eric.”

“Sybil?”

“Yes?”

“My mom is a prophet. She has something to say to you. You’ll find it helpful.”

“Certainly.”

Solomon tapped the handle of a rake on the ceiling. “It’s all right, Ma. You can come on down.”

The older lady came down the steps and sat on a folding chair. “Hello again, dear.”

“Yes. Good to see you.”

“I have a word from
the
Lord for you.”

“I accept it.”

“First I must tell
ye’
. My ma was a Jewish lady. So I am half. That is why I love the Jewish holidays.” She closed her eyes. “This is the word from God for ye. Thus says
the
God of Israel:
“The
holiest of Jewish Days, Yom Kippur,
the
Day Of Atonement is upon us.
The
trumpets in Revelation may be sounding in heaven now. From
the
time
the
first trumpet blows until the time of the seventh trumpet will be 1350 days... Those that hear the trumpet will know that I am
the
Lord.’” She opened her eyes and said, “My dear Sybil,
the
first trumpet has blown at beginning of me visions. It announced
the comin’
of
the
Glorious Kingdom.” Her voice went still as she dropped her head. “Israelis don’t understand.”

“What is the Glorious Kingdom?”

Callista said, “It is about Jesus the king comin’ to get his children.”

Sybil asked, “What does this term, ‘the coming of the Lord’ actually mean? I’ve been hearing that a lot. I don’t understand.”

The elder Ms. Dancer said, “In
the
Jewish scriptures, we find repeated references to
the
return of Elijah to tell us of
the
coming of the Redeemer.”

“We find that one of
the
highest expressions of Jewish hope for the future is firmly based on their belief in the coming of the Messiah,” said Solomon. “In many forms of Christianity, we find that the concept of The Lordship of Christ being interpreted as the embodiment of the Blessed Heart and Soul of God in the man Jesus. He is holy, like his Father is holy.”

Callista said, “Christians know that Jesus is God’s son in
the
very literal, physical sense of the term. The highest visage of Christian hope for life is
the
literal, physical return of Jesus Christ from heaven.”

“Are you saying that Christianity is the best religion?”

“It is not a religion at all as far as humans go. Jesus did everything by himself. We follow him. We don’t do penance. To be religious, a person has to be available for God to love through him.”

“Now Islam says that they too believe in the literal return of Elijah to Earth. They say that Christ will come along with the Mahdi—the one they call the Guided One. The purpose of mentioning the Muslim viewpoint is because many are joining them. Isabella may be Muslim. What do you say?” asked Sybil.

“Those Islamic beliefs appear to be similar to Jewish and Christian beliefs, but are far different. Love and hate are at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Mahdi teaching is nothing like the actual return of Christ.” Solomon was quite serious.

Ms. Dancer said, “I have another word from
the
Lord for you.”

“Of course.”

“
The
Prophet Daniel foretold
the
first coming of
the
Messiah, which was fulfilled down to the very day. Daniel told how many days it would be from
the
first day the word went forth to rebuild the temple until Messiah came to
the
temple. It was ’zactly what happened. That was
the
day Jesus rode the donkey into town and
the
people shouted: ‘Hosanna, hosanna.’”

Sybil shook her head. “Amazing.”

“The Prophet Daniel prophesied of the Antichrist comin’ as well,” said Solomon. “Could Islam confuse the Antichrist with the Mahdi? I say, don’t let Isabella fool you.”

“Did Daniel say who the false one is?” she asked.

“He said that he would be the prince of the people who destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. That happened in 70 AD,” said Solomon. “His prophecy was that the Messiah would come under their rule. It was to be one week of years, which is 49 years of 360 days from the restoration of Jerusalem to the Jews.”

Callista said, “That was the day Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem.”

“Prophecy repeats itself,” said Solomon. “The last fulfillment of the restoration occurred on June 7, 1967. That was the six-day war where Israel took back Old Jerusalem and the temple mount.”

“Referring to modern times,
the
69th week, mentioned in Daniel, will end on September 23, 2015. Some believe that day,
the
be
the
70th Week of Daniel.”

“Okay.” Sybil frowned that she did not understand.

“Much is told about world darkness when the Tribulation starts—it will begin in darkness.”

Callista said, “The Talmud states that many claim the Messiah will come at the end of the
shmitta
.”

“Does it say which year that will be?” Sybil’s eyes bugged out.

Solomon said, “No, but the signs of the times point to this year.”

Sybil muttered, “That is scary.”

“Yes, it is.” Callista kissed Sybil on top of her head like a mom, and she went back upstairs. Turning, she said, “You must get
the
know
the
Lord.”

Chapter Nineteen

December 20
th
, 8:00 a.m.

Across town, out in the woods, Eric lay on the cold, hard cement floor, weeping. He muttered, “I don’t understand. I don’t understand.”

A young man came with a bowl of oatmeal, without sugar or milk. “Here’s breakfast.”

“It is so flat.” Eric tasted it and frowned. “Why am I tortured like this?”

“She is not trying to torture you, just deprive you until you talk.” He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out two packets each of sugar and creamer. “This should help.”

“Thanks.” Eric looked up. “Why is she doing this to me?”

“She wants you to talk.” Luckily, she had not come yet herself.

“I don’t know what to say.” Sweat collected at the base of his spine.

“It is your dream. She wants you to explain it.” He frowned.

“I can’t.” Eric looked with a pleading look in his eyes, as he studied the face of his guard. “What’s your name?”

“I’m not supposed to tell, but it is Jalen.” He looked around the room at the bare, blackened walls. “You are Jewish, right?”

“I’ve been told that I am half. I don’t know.”

“That is what it is all about.”

“Can you explain it to me?” He bit his lower lip.

“There are two super duper powers—one much more so than the other. It is God and Satan. God is good, loving and kind. He made all things.

“Satan is sometimes called the dragon. He is bad, all bad. There are bad angels following him, called demons. He can’t create anything.”

Eric shook his head. “So, what does that have to do with me?”

“The dragon’s rage burns against all mankind. But more against us Jews.” He rubbed his nose, like it itched.

Eric was surprised. “So you’re an Israeli. Is that what you just said?”

Jalen said, “Well, yes. But I haven’t lived in Israel yet.”

“Someday, I plan to go to Israel.” Eric’s face lit up.

“So do I.” Jalen laughed. “Now back to the devil. People do not realize that much of the violence in the world comes from Satan.”

“Is this conversation going somewhere?”

“Yes. It is actually about you. Most of the men who work for Isabella are demon-possessed. So is Isabella.”

“What?”

“Yes, it is true.”

“So, is that why Isabella is so mean?”

“Mostly. Maybe she would be mean anyhow.”

“So why are you so nice to me?”

“I recently became a Christian. I feel God’s presence with me. I have a strong desire to read the Bible and pray.”

“How did that happen?”

He explained his encounter with the supernatural. “When I asked him, God gave me his Holy Spirit.” He smiled. “It goes back to that battle where Satan attacked God’s children. He wants to take God’s throne away from him. There is an unseen war in the sky between good and evil.”

“I don’t know how my dream fits into that.”

“What did you dream about?”

“The blood moon.” He lowered his voice. “I touched it and it bled.” Eric proceeded to tell about the dream that he had about walking along the path in a poor Israeli Bedouin camp. He told about the explosion that caused the villagers to become brain dead, but still have the ability to walk around. “It was awful.”

Ten minutes later, Jalen said that he had to go. “If I don’t, I’ll have to give an account of what I was doing in here so long. We could both get in trouble.”

Eric watched him go, heard him lock the door, and then sprint away.

Eric looked forward to having Jalen come see him again.

But for now he was alone again.

Alone.

Chapter Twenty

December 22
nd
, 6:57 a.m.

Sybil wasn’t used to pulling an all-nighter like Solomon appeared to be able to do. She appreciated the unusual taste of his mother’s honeysuckle and bourbon tea, but as the hours dragged on, she needed something stronger. Coffee. His mother was more than happy to oblige.

Solomon said, “I brought you here to help me research blood moons. I want to know exactly what will happen on each one. The more we know, the quicker Isabella will release your brother.”

“I will do all I can.” She gritted her teeth. “That bitch will not pick Eric’s brain any further.”

During her short breaks of researching the upcoming Blood Moon, Sybil enjoyed her conversation and tea with the extremely energetic older Dancer. She found out many interesting facts about the elder woman and her son.

Sybil couldn’t help but smile every time she heard Callista’s strong Jamaican accent and the enthusiasm in her storytelling. “I speak American Patois,” she said. “Some call it Jamaican Creole.”

Giggling, Sybil nodded. “Interesting.”

Callista said, “The language developed in the 17th century, when slaves from Africa were exposed to and learned the vernacular forms of language spoken by their masters.

“About all that is known about the history of Jamaica was learned after Columbus claimed the islands for Spain. That was on his second voyage. The Arawak Indians lived there before. They were enslaved and taken to Spain. African slaves replaced them. Those were my ancestors. That is why we are not very rich. Some Indians escaped to the mountains and called themselves, ‘Maroons.’”

“When was that?”

“A long time ago. If my memory serves me correctly, around 1650. You know that Columbus brought a lot of Jews to safety. Spain did not want them anymore. It was about that time that the British captured Jamaica, and built a slave-trading empire.” She put her finger on her chin. “There was war, prosperity and martial law all mixed up together.”

“What brought you and Solomon to the United States?” “The sugar and coffee industry.” Sybil found out that Callista Dancer only had one child, which was out of wedlock. That would be Solomon. She described Solomon’s father with the least amount of respect possible. “I didn’t want to be tangled up wit that sorry excuse for a man all of my life, so I used him for what he was best at. Makin’ my baby.” Callista had a habit of over-emphasizing the last couple of words in her statement for effect. She would then watch for the reaction of her audience.

Sybil laughed each time, and soon became good friends with Callista. She learned a lot about Solomon in just a matter of hours. She also found out where Solomon got his interest in the Blood Moons.

Solomon had an older laptop in the basement and even that was too much electronics for him. He preferred to get his information out of paperbacks. Even better, hard covers. If he did not need the computer to research the events surrounding the Blood Moon, he would have had no need for a computer. His mother paid for the Internet because she liked her online gambling.

“I don’t think we have enough information,” Sybil commented to Solomon. “I mean, look at all of your star charts, maps, bookmarked websites, and what have you! We still don’t have an answer as to why Eric was taken.”

She had a newspaper under her arm. “I want to read you something.”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

She opened the paper and read, “There are those that believe that Armageddon began today. The Ukraine launched an operation to retake government buildings from pro-Russian separatists in the east side of the country. The separatists seized many buildings. As of yet, no troops have moved in. After flouting the Ukrainian government’s deadline to lay down their arms, the Russian government is warning the crisis could spark a civil war. As a result, the United States threatened new sanctions on Russia, saying they will take steps against Russia if they don’t rein in the separatists. Russia just warned that the US stop interfering in Ukraine or else. The White House Press Secretary assured the world that Russia’s transgressions will cost them. Yet U.S.-Russian intelligence goes back to the Cold War days. The Ukrainian government asked the United Nations to authorize a peacekeeping force. Troops left for Ukraine today.”

“I heard on the radio that someone sent a shipload of cheese to the Ukrine, and the Russian president threw it away.”

“I’m sure that is true.”

Sybil looked up. “Armageddon is the last war before the world ends. Right? The decision of the US going to the Ukraine could be our only hope for world peace. Right?”

“On the other hand, since people believe this could be the war that ends all wars, it may be that serious.”

“Many say it is all because of the blood moons.”

“This may be the beginning of the end.”

Solomon gave her a puzzled look. “You must be tired, girl. Look at all of de’ evidence!” Before he continued, he narrowed his eyes onto her as if trying to understand why she was being so pessimistic. “Oh. I think I get it now.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Bristling, she stood and stretched, knowing that it probably was just her fatigue that slowed her thinking. She had to stand awhile anyhow, just to make sure that she wouldn’t fall asleep. None of the beverages worked. Not even the coffee.

“You’re right. I’ll see you tomorrow.” It was cold and rainy when she walked back to her car.

The next day came. She felt argumentative and grumpy as she got back to work again. She told Solomon to proceed with caution.

He laughed, saying that she was dramatic. Solomon asked, “Do you understand the deeper meaning of the Blood Moon? Not to offend, mind you. I just need te know.”

“Sorry.” She sighed with disappointment in her behavior. “I have to admit that I only know the generic information concerning the Blood Moons. Just enough to make me dangerous, I suppose.” She managed to laugh. “Eric was the one chosen. Not me.”

Callista called down the steps. “Your tea is ready, Sybil. Why don’t you take a break?”

Solomon smiled. “She really likes you.”

“I enjoy her stories.”

“Did she tell you about the Jamaican black castor oil?”

“No.” Sybil laughed. “I probably don’t want to hear it, either.”

After taking a ten-minute break, Sybil was back to work. Solomon went to a huge box that had been hidden on the other side of the desk. He struggled with it, as he opened the top of the huge copy paper box, which now was full of important papers, graphs, and charts. “As a Christian, I do not bother with astrology, but even God sometimes uses te heavens to send us signs. Yeah? The greatest of which was the star that led da wise men to baby Jesus.”

“Really?”

“You did not know
that
?” He had a surprised look on his face. As he continued, Sybil noticed how vibrant he was. He looked as vibrant as when they first met. “You can search da Internet for facts like the Tetrads and even get pretty pictures of a red moon, but there’s more to that than what you see.”

Sybil rubbed the back of her head, as she looked at the floor. “Isabella said something about the Tetrads, just before she took my brother.” She lifted her gaze back up to meet his once more.

His eyes widened, as he silently tried to catch her eye. He wanted her to give him attention with just a look, so he smiled. “Okay. We must deal
wit
one
ting
at a time. Yeah? So you know about
de’
Tetrads Did you know that Israel was reborn as a nation on May 14, 1948. Just before
da
Tetrad of 1949-1950?
that’s
when
da
modern state of Israel was born. After the holocaust non-nonchalant during World War II, the Jewish people were granted a homeland.
This
is after over 1,800 years of exile after
da’
Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD.”

“Oh no.”

“It is what happened. Bible prophecy was being fulfilled.”

“Gracious.” Sybil realized that she had given Solomon had her full attention. It was something in his eyes. She recognized that she was unaware of that fact about the state of Israel. “Tell me more.”

“It was first the nation and then the city,” he continued. “Jerusalem was reunited during
the
Tetrad of 1967-1968. On June 7, 1967,
the
Jordanians launched an attack against Israel and west Jerusalem. Israel counter-attacked, successfully driving Jordan out of east Jerusalem and Judea-Samaria. Dey had no choice, but
ta
go back to
dere
own land across
the
Jordan river. Now that you know some of the history of
te
Biblical connection with the Blood Moon, let’s talk about the moon itself.”

“Sure! Okay. If it will help me find Eric.”

If Sybil was half asleep before, she was now completely awake. She was in shock, because she never realized how tight the ties were between the Jews and their land. Sybil realized something big was going to happen in the land soon—very soon.

“Since big things happened for Israel during the Tetrads in the past,” she said, “I have a question about our times. As of yet, nothing major has happened in Israel that I know of. I know that because I have resources there that would have informed me. Why is the only big event that happened during the first Tetrad this time, was my brother being kidnapped?” She made a noise. “
Umph
. Except there is that little scrimmage in the north. Other than that, nothing.”

“that is a very good question,” he answered. “It shows that you are definitely paying attention. A far cry from major events happening in the Holy Land. Now it all surrounds your brother. I get bad feelings about what this may mean for him… and you.”

“Don’t say that.” Sybil leaned up against the wall by the closet, feeling like she was about to pass out. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take. Not only does this whole experience battle with my scientific knowledge, but there should be no way that we’re even connected to…”

Sybil turned pale, as she started to put the puzzle together. “Why was Eric chosen to bear news of destruction in Israel?”

Solomon was already way ahead of her. “Lineage,” he said, quietly.

“Lineage?” The feeling of disbelief overwhelmed her. “Yes. But… we’re of Russian descent. Our last name proves it! We have a Russian last name! Tania!”

“Maybe,” he said, non-nonchalant. “Just a minute ago, you looked like you knew why this was all happening to your brother. I can only assume it’s because maybe he’s not fully Tania blood?”

“You think?” Her eyes widened and stayed that way. “I just remembered something important. Something that could explain everything if we find out what I think we’ll find out. It all begins with one simple fact.”

She took in a deep breath, while Solomon held his.

“He’s adopted.”

Callista came in carrying a pot of hot tea and fresh baked cookies at that moment. “Take a break, my dear.”

“How about me,” said Solomon. “Do I get tea?”

“What is wrong? Jealous that I now have a daughter?”

“Uh-oh.” His eyes brightened the way a man would do if he was in love. Sybil picked up on the look this time. She found him particularly brilliant. She would treasure this rare moment.