Friday 10 September 2021

Chapter Thirteen: Eyewitnesses

  

~/*\~ 350 Years Into Paradise~/*\~

"I don't know why you still use paper notebooks." Martine grinned.

"I have a system." Eleanor defended. "Every study I've ever done, I kept my notes on paper. That's how I wound up on the writing committee."

"What are you working on? New biography? Who this time?" Martine tried to peek over her shoulder.

Eleanor scoffed. "Actually, I'm going back to page one. From Genesis."

Martine blinked. "Interesting. Why?"

"Shem tells me his new Blue Letter is someone he knew from back in his era." Eleanor explained. "Someone he didn't expect to see again."

Martine let out a low whistle. "I met the brother who welcomed back Abel." She murmured. "That man wasn't ready for 'new' people."

"Mm." Eleanor nodded, turning the pages. "There's very little information of that era in scripture. More than sixteen centuries are covered in just a few pages."

"To be expected. Nothing survived the Flood. Moses was the one who penned the first parts of the Bible. There wouldn't have been a single eyewitness left for generations."

Eleanor nodded. "Well, now there are, at last." She smirked. "Noah's world wasn't one where you got to old age very often. Plenty of people saw the Ark begin, and were gone before the rain fell." She let out a breath. "Something that the Bible did have, was enough information to keep the Promises in focus."

Martine smiled. "Our first studies. Genesis 3. The Promised Offspring."

Eleanor shut her eyes for a second rolling her head back. "It was almost four centuries ago. I remember approaching my first Bible Study like a mental puzzle. Something I'd figure out, and get answers from; but I hadn't expected it to change me." She tapped her Bible. "Especially when you started with Genesis."

"The Start of the story." Martine nodded. "You were lucky. You were there to see the Great Promise be fulfilled."

Eleanor nodded, feeling a twinge. "I thought nothing from that far back could affect me in any way, five thousand years later. Turns out it was the most important thing that happened to anyone in our generation."

Sentimental silence.

"I ran into someone the other day." Martine murmured. "Didn't know the Returning was even happening."

"What?" Eleanor laughed.

"He came back as a Gold Letter in the First Century, and when it was over, he went off-grid. He'd wanted to walk the world solo, living off the land, but his health meant he never could. He'd been out there in the wild for over a hundred years. We've been building new homes and communities as fast as we can for the people who are being Resurrected, and civilization finally caught up with him."

Eleanor laughed. "Wow."

Martine nodded. "He said he figured out it was happening when he saw people with grey hairs. Something he hadn't seen since OS."

"Y'know, it was thirty years into Paradise when I suddenly understood why we call each other 'brother' and 'sister'. Even my great-grandmother looks like my twin now." Eleanor drawled. "There are some families where the resemblance is so strong you'd swear they were identical triplets. Or more."

Martine laughed, loud and long. "By the way, I forgot to tell you: My tour with the Restoration is ending next month. After that, I'll be staying in town. In fact, I think you're my boss."

Eleanor blinked, surprised. "The Archive Project? You're going to join?"

"Actually, I'm joining the Art Department. It was a subject that always interested me when I was young." Martine explained. "With so many Returnees coming from times and places where education was expensive and hard to come by; teaching the basics through pictures and dramatizations is all the more important. A lot of the time, we need to know what goes in a scene, before we start painting it. Now we can pull in eyewitness accounts of all these time periods; greatly improve the accuracy of our artworks, demonstrations..." She mock-saluted. "I guess that makes you my supervisor, since you're putting that 'timeline' together."

Eleanor gave her a hug. "Good to have you aboard. In fact, you should probably stay for lunch. We're meeting some people today from one of the biggest 'blind spot' eras." She broke the hug. "The Archive Project is devoted to understanding every kind of lifestyle, every walk of life among people. The Resurrection means not only do we have to try and understand the whole human race, but we actually get the chance to. Apart from the guesswork, apart from prejudices that come with centuries passing."

Martine grinned. "Who's coming to lunch?"

~/*\~

"The first winter had me scared." Shari explained, with the air of someone who'd told the tale a thousand times before. "A temperature swing that great hadn't happened since the Flood. And it meant the rains came more often. I hadn't seen the rainfall start, but… One day, I woke up, and I could hear rain falling outside. I panicked, wondering if the Flood was starting again. But the rain stopped, and the plants had drunk it all in, looking fresh and healthy."

"Must have been jarring, seeing rain again for the first time after." Martine agreed, taking notes.

"It was a reminder of how things had changed." Shari agreed. "Not that I needed much reminding. When I walked into the Ark, it was a clearing in the middle of a forest. When I came out, it was on a ledge of a mountainside, with a view of the plains. I didn't know what a mountain was before that."

Eleanor poured them all drinks. "I want to thank you for this, Shari. I'm sure you must be sick of telling the story."

"That's part of the reason I agreed to join the Project. If we write all the answers down and make it available to people, maybe less people will keep asking questions." Shari gestured at Eleanor. "You're a Trib Survivor. How many books have been written about the Day you lived through?"

"Tell me about it." Eleanor nodded.

"I don't mind telling it over and over." Shari said quietly. "It's just… that was the day my mother died."

"I understand." Eleanor promised. "Believe me, I understand."

Shari nodded solemnly. "It's important to remember. Important for every person alive to remember the lessons, even if they weren't there for it." She sipped her drink quickly. "One question I get again and again is: 'What do I remember most?' Well, for me it was when we came out, and Noah set up an altar and we made our prayers of thanks. There was nobody anywhere in the world doing anything else at that time. The earth was so… peaceful."

Eleanor shuddered. "I remember thinking the same thing on the morning after A-Day. Peace on Earth."

Shari took a long breath. "You can see so many stars now. They weren't half so bright before the Rain started." She shivered. "There were moments when I thought of the Flood as… excessive. Even cruel. But I was met by Trib Survivors when I came back. We both know what it's like to be rescued from a world that was falling over the edge."

"Amen." Eleanor grinned as her device chimed. "Speaking of, it's time."

Shari smiled. "I'll have food waiting." She took a deep breath. "It's been a lifetime since I've seen her."

(Author's Note: Nomi is a character from the 'New Earth' Series. I go into this subject more fully in Chapter Fifteen of 'Now On Earth', but once again: Whether or not people destroyed directly by God, such as during the Flood of Noah's Day or the 10 Plagues of Egypt, will get a Resurrection; is unclear; but the Insight Book, on the topic of 'Destruction' (Volume One, Page 616-617) says: "When speaking of the destruction of the rebels Dathan and Abiram, Moses wrote that they went down "alive into Sheol." (Nu 16:31, 33)

Since Sheol in the Bible denotes the common grave of mankind from which there will be a resurrection, it is evident that not all destruction—not even all destruction at the hand of God—is necessarily eternal."

So if it's possible that those Jehovah destroys directly could be Resurrected, it makes his actions all the more merciful and loving. The character of Nomi did not die directly from the Flood, but after the rainfall started. I wrote her as repentant before the rain, but too late to go aboard the Ark; mostly to keep that 'what if' alive. The question is academic, and Nomi was a side character in my earlier books. Because of the time period she was written in, I add her Resurrection here, mostly to maintain continuity between this story, and my other writings. We don't know when the 'point of no return' was in Noah's Day; nor do we need to.)

~/*\~

Nomi opened her eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. The air smelled sweet and fresh. The sun was warm. She heard no sound of rain. It had been such a constant thing over the last few weeks, she hadn't noticed it; until it was now gone.

"Welcome back, Nomi."

She opened her eyes in shock. "Shem?" She wavered, sitting upright. "I… what?"

Sure enough, it was him. There was a strangely-dressed woman that Nomi didn't recognize standing beside him, but drifting back enough, letting them talk.

Shem held out a hand, and Nomi took it automatically. He helped her stand, and she got her first proper look around. She had seen forests and animals before, but they were different somehow. The leaves were far more lush and green, but more tightly cultivated. The animals seemed to have more energy. No, not energy. More confidence. They weren't skulking away, avoiding people.

And the people! Nomi had grown up in a world where everyone was related in some way, however distantly, however estranged. The people she could see, even in the distance, were all total strangers. Skin color, posture, clothing, the accent of the words that floated their way on the breeze… Nothing was familiar about the people.

The air is dry. The thought came to her. Weeks of water falling from the sky in huge quantities had made her forget what it felt like to really be clean and dry.

Shem gestured to the woman at his left. "This is my friend, Eleanor."

"Nice to meet you." The woman said brightly. "I've heard so much about you."

"She wanted to meet you, because she and her husband, Del? They're putting together a book of world history. They have a lot of questions, when you're ready."

"But there's no rush." Eleanor put in immediately. "Take your time, get to know the new world."

Nomi stared at her, and repeated the magic words, dumbfounded. "New world."

Shem nodded, eyes shining. "I never thought I'd see you again, Nomi. But yes, this is the New World. A world with Jehovah God in control, returning us to Eden. The Great Promise is kept."

Nomi thought back, replaying every conversation in her head. Every conversation she'd had with Shem about The Promise, about the animals… She thought back to what her mother had said, about how the world was what it was and would likely never change. She thought back to Kainan, and all the nights she'd wondered if she'd made the right choice…

She thought back to Tovina and how she'd sent the girl to-

Nomi let out a sob. It was a shaking, bone-deep release of emotion, born of disbelief and shock, and guilt. If this is God's Kingdom, why am I here?

Shem hugged her tightly. "I know. I know." He crooned. "It'll be alright, Nomi. Whatever else is happening, whatever you're feeling right now, I promise you, it'll be alright."

~/*\~

A Returning was a very personal event. Some people wanted to run away immediately, some wanted to go back to something they would recognize. Some were glad to see their Welcoming Committee, some were horrified. There was never any real way to predict how it would go.

Nomi had grown up with the same faces her whole life, and the first time she'd met total strangers, she had been taken prisoner. As a result, she wasn't eager to explore. Shem let her sit and take as long as she needed.

Since Nomi wasn't hurrying to see more, Shem and Eleanor sat with her. Nomi was amazed to see her first video on Eleanor's device, welcoming her back, and giving her promises of peace and good health, pledging eternal life to those who accepted true worship.

Nomi glanced at Shem. "It's… nicer than what your father was promising would come." She sniffed. "Of course, I should have listened to him then, too."

Eleanor shook her head a bit. "I wonder what Paradise must mean to people of your era. You could see Angels and Eden any time you went to look. You lived for centuries already…"

"Peace and justice would be welcome changes, though." Shem put in.

"Peace doesn't just mean non-violence. It means… tranquility." Nomi put in. "When I married a Godson, I had protection, but I never had peace. I wanted that. To walk the length of the world without listening for attack. To talk to a stranger, and not fear assault. To know that everyone was trustworthy, even when you hadn't met them yet." She looked at his face and looked down, a little embarrassed. "If I'd known, I would have joined you on the Ark, Shem. I'm sorry for some of the things I said."

"I think we can agree, it doesn't matter anymore." Shem nodded. "You've never lived in a world where you can rely on feeling unafraid." He reached into his satchel and pulled out a book, bound in something like fine leather, filled with thin pages full of text. Nomi had never seen a codex book before, and her head tilted, impressed; as he found the page he wanted almost instantly. "You haven't learned this writing yet, but this is all the words that God spoke to all his servants, starting with Adam, and still going today."

Nomi looked at the small text, and wondered in disbelief at how many words might fit in the book. "How long have I been... gone?"

"A long time." Shem said blandly. "Yeah, here it is." He turned the page to her, though she couldn't read it yet. He spoke softly, reading the words to her. "They will sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the mouth of Jehovah of armies has spoken. For all the peoples will walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and ever."

"Is… Is it talking about me?" Nomi wavered.

"No." Eleanor admitted. "But promises from God can have meaning to many people, because He does not change. This next part is the one you should remember." Eleanor took the Bible and started reading again. "'In that day,' declares Jehovah, 'I will gather the one who was limping, and collect together the dispersed one, along with those I treated harshly. I will make the one who was limping a remnant, and the one far removed a mighty nation; and Jehovah will rule as king over them in Mount Zion, from now on and forever'." Eleanor set the Bible down and looked deep in Nomi's eyes. "God brings the most scattered lost ones together and makes them a united family. That's why you're here now. To get that invitation."

Nomi took that in, thinking about it carefully. "It's… not such a small miracle to pray for, is it?" Nomi whispered finally. "My mother would be appalled if she knew that was all I ever wanted, but… If I could feel safe, from men, from Chiefs, and from…" She hesitated to say it, but forced it out, knowing the truth was more important just now. "If I could feel safe from God. It wouldn't be a bad life?"

Shem chuckled. "Ahh, Nomi. You've been promised that and more. So much more, that you don't even know what to ask about yet. But you will."

~/*\~

Eleanor had given them some time to catch up, promising to meet them for lunch, along with Del and Shari. Nomi didn't have to ask about Kainan, certain that all the Godsons were gone too.

While they walked, Nomi observed the Paradise world. Shem was right. There was a feeling of tranquility about the place, but not silence. There was energy and excitement, but no nerves. The people were in no hurry, and they weren't watching. They weren't on guard. They knew there was nothing to be afraid of here. She gazed around until she noticed he was watching her, just observing her reactions. She blushed at the scrutiny. "Who else?" She asked. "Who else made it?"

"You'd be surprised." Shem assured her. "I'm afraid your mother isn't among the Returned yet. We don't know for sure if she will be."

"If my mother doesn't deserve to be here, I'm not sure I do." Nomi offered.

"Well, we'll talk about that." Shem promised gently. "There's a lot to learn, and almost all of it is going to change your life in some way. But for now, just… enjoy. You're alive, and you can stay that way for as long as you want. Come on. Shari is setting up lunch for everyone."

"Shari is here?" Nomi felt herself start to smile finally. "So… you were right? Only the worst of the world got washed away? The Great Flood came, and the world was fixed? Everything's better now?"

Shem hesitated, remembering…

 

~/*\~ After the Flood ~/*\~

Shem led the herd back towards the community. The whole town was his family, one way or another. Their numbers had grown so fast that they could barely keep up with the demand for food. The livestock had been richly blessed as well, herds springing up faster than anyone could believe. Enough to feed and clothe the ever-growing human family, as the trees grew quickly, the forests spread again, and the animals found homes of their own.

Other things had grown faster than expected too.

Normally, Shem could barely walk through town for all the greetings and conversation from his many relatives. But today, everyone was facing the same way.

"We'll be far above the trees, far beyond the birds!" Nimrod called out, a thrill of power running through his voice. "The world below our feet! A sight that only Gods can see! And if we see things as only God can see, then what does that make us, if not gods ourselves?"

The crowd cheered, and Shem felt ready to throw up.

He felt a presence beside him, and turned. His father was there. Noah was finally slowing down, time catching up with him, even after the end of the world could not. Noah was regarding the Tower too. "I saw his plans." Noah creaked. "It's already three times the height of the Ark, or anything else human hands have built. And he's not even close to finishing."

"Do you think he can do it?" Shem asked lightly. "Storm the gates of heaven?"

"I do not." Noah turned away from the Tower in disgust. "We've seen what comes of people who think they can make themselves an equal to Jehovah God. The only one they convince is themselves. Which would be fine, if they didn't take so many people with them. Sooner or later, that Tower will come down."

Heavy silence.

"Jehovah vowed He would not bring another Flood." Shem said finally. "The world can't get that bad again, can it? Humans could never go so far that God would be forced to break His own promise?"

"No." Noah agreed. "We both know what His promises are worth." He looked back at the Tower. "We haven't seen the other Promise come true, of something, or someone, that would destroy the Serpent. Whatever may happen, it won't be like it was the last time."

Shem gazed out at the construction site. "I'm sorry, father." He said quietly. "You've somehow lived long enough to see it all start again."

Noah nodded sadly, and squeezed his son's hand reassuringly. "We both have."

 

~/*\~ 350 Years Into Paradise ~/*\~

"Yeah." Shem said sincerely to Nomi. "Everything's better now."

~/*\~

Shari was carefully setting out platters of food when she saw Shem and Nomi walking towards them. It had been centuries since Shari had seen her childhood friend, and she immediately ran to Nomi, wrapping her up in a tight hug.

Nomi hugged her back, tears rolling down her face. "Shari..." She croaked. "You were right. First thing I have to tell you: You were right, and I was wrong."

Shari didn't pull back, hugging her tighter. "Hush. That doesn't matter anymore." She kept holding a sobbing Nomi, crooning to her soothingly until she settled. As she pulled herself together, Nomi started to realize how much time had passed. Shari's way with her had become… so maternal. Her childhood friend looked the same, if healthier and happier, but had lived for centuries longer without her.

She went aboard the Ark. Nomi realized. How many of the people in this Paradise world are her descendants?


~/*\~

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