You Only Die Twice - By Christopher Smith Page 0,8
random shut-ins who decided to live out here in their sad little shacks of doom and gloom, there literally was nothing here but the beauty of nature, which Kenneth and Ted would have preferred since that is how they believed this land should have been left―untouched by anyone but God.
The entrance to the path that led into the woods was marked with a simple red ribbon tied around a branch. Berkowitz drove until he found it, and when he did, he pulled off to the side of the road and got out of the truck. He took a deep breath of the clean, crisp air, and once again, he connected with his Father, Jesus Christ the Lord God Almighty. Not a soul around. No houses for miles. Nothing but the blessed rush of birds migrating overhead and the otherwise hush of serenity.
But that didn’t mean he didn’t need to take precautions.
If anyone was to drive by right now, all they’d see was a young man in jeans, boots and a heavy brown jacket. He had a cap over his head to conceal his hair. He wore dark sunglasses at his eyes so no direct, personal connection could be made with anyone. He and Ted switched the plates on his truck when they first arrived in Maine, and they’d switched them weekly ever since. Best to blend in. Best to look like a Mainer.
God helped them along the way, and they were grateful for that.
CHAPTER NINE
Kenneth and Ted met three years ago when Ted posted a message on Craigslist that asked if anyone else believed that the whores of the world should be eliminated from the face of it in the name of Jesus Christ Lord God Almighty.
Most of the replies were what he expected from that liberal playground of sinners, many of whom used the site to troll for sex. They joked about the post. Many told him to go to hell, which made him smile at the absurdity of the statement. Some said that they only agreed if their ex-wives could be put on the list, which he replied he’d be pleased to put them on it if they provided their addresses. Others posted photographs of naked women in response, and he said shame on them for sharing photographs of their mothers and grandmothers. No one took Ted seriously. But then, before the people behind Craigslist removed the post from their site, Kenneth himself saw it and replied.
An email correspondence began between the two men.
Ted lived in Denver. Kenneth lived in Los Angeles, the City of Angels, which he always viewed as the beginning of his divine calling regardless of the ironic, sheer amount of sin that occurred there.
Each went to an Abundant Love church, which they agreed was a sign of some sort. Out of all the churches in the world, they chose Abundant Love. It was uncanny to them. More over, each was active as aggressive anti-abortion activists, another sign that couldn’t go ignored.
They talked about the evils allowed to thrive in the world and the responsibility of men like themselves to take actions to stop them. Obviously, they couldn’t stop everything―it was just two against an army of many―but through certain actions neither discussed for several weeks, perhaps they could send a message to the world about the whores that defaced it. When the news stories struck, maybe the world would hear their call.
Soon, they were talking by telephone. Their Sundays no longer were spent at their respective churches, but instead, each took turns either reading their favorite passages from the Bible aloud to each other or, in some cases, delivering a passionately delivered sermon to each other. They talked about their private lives and how each, because of their “radical beliefs,” had been ostracized by their families and friends.
“I haven’t seen my mother in eleven years,” Ted said one day on the phone. “Eleven years. Won’t have anything to do with me. Said she couldn’t do anything more for me and that I needed help. She actually said she’d pray for me, which made me laugh. I told her I’d pray for her. I told her I’d pray for the whole fucking family because the family was going to hell. Not me.”
“They always say that,” Kenneth said. “They always say they’ll pray, which is a joke because all they ever pray for is more money, a better house, material things. In my family, I know all of them are praying for me, whatever that means.