12-29-2013, 09:37 PM
Jensen took his time changing clothes. It wasn't like he was stalling, okay he was stalling, but he wasn't trying to be rude. But every time his hand reached for the handle, he thought of something else to check on, or do, or straighten. It turned his stomach to have to go out there and face them. To be honest with himself, because he was so good at that, he wanted to avoid looking Jessika in the eye. Finally, he sucked it up, and rejoined the world. He wasn't really alone, after all, but that first step was never easy.
Jessika made a point to ignore his return. She had the same pallor in her cheeks as she had when she tried to argue that nothing was wrong when clearly something was. They were going to have to talk eventually, but for now, Jensen was fine with procrastinating a little while longer.
He joined the pair, one hand fumbling in his pocket. Jessika finally looked up at him. He couldn't decide if she was annoyed he was alive or just for interrupting. He looked around the loft as though studying it for the first time all over again. When he saw the kitchen, his stomach sank. He must have left his manners behind in prison. He gestured and shot off to rifle through the refrigerator. Hoping against-- Thank God. He returned with three bottles of water.
Bottle in his own lap, he sat on a chair opposite the pair, but perched on the edge, he was far from relaxed. The table centered between their seats was integrated with an iScreen system. As Jon concluded his points, to which Jessika sternly nodded an agreement, Jensen powered it up. Although Mr. Smith's system was an upgraded version, he was familiar enough with its workings to summon the necessary evidence. Which, finally, was something he could talk about with some confidence at least.
The first was the news story about the recovery of the Egyptian wreckage in the Gulf. "Are you guys familiar with this find?"
He pivoted the screen their direction to browse the headlines at their leisure. "Its proof of a Greek civilization older than Sumerians. It pre-dates the Flood itself. Some scholars could say it predates the Garden of Eden."
What that meant for Christians was going to be a question Jensen could not answer, but he definitely didn't profess to have answers. Well, except to the one Jon asked, of course.
He leaned back, catching a glimpse of the ancient Bible that had been given to him so recently. "In seminary I took classes on the exegetical study of Revelation, how to interpret eschatological literature, and so on."
He shot Jessika a silent look that knew what she'd been saying about Nikolai Brandon. Every thirty or forty years the church was convinced the world was coming to an end. It just so happened this time, the crazies were right.
He turned back to Jon. "But it wasn't until I met the man that discovered these very tablets that I gave much thought to the prophecies of other religions. Its actually remarkable. Almost every religion on the planet has an equal view of the end of the world."
Jensen pressed his lips together. This wasn't particularly easy to tell people, especially when one of them was the mother of your children.
He steadied his nerves with a prayer, "Its the apocalypse. The war between heroes of the Light and armies of the Darkness."
Time to unleash the actual crazy. He ran his hands through his hair. "The Antichrist or Apollyon, the forerunner. Either one is bad enough, but I think Jessika is right about the Ascendancy. He's more than he claims."
He'd been relating almost everything John Smith had told him nearly word for word, but now he was in the middle of the story, a memory suddenly floated to the surface. "Actually, Mr. Smith mentioned you, Jon. You and Nicholas Trano of all people. As having been men who've stood up to the Ascendancy and not yet been crushed by him."
Jensen frowned unsure of what to make of that. If the Ascendancy was the enemy, two men who stood before the so called 'lord of the earth' 'lord' of the earth, or 'god' of the earth? - a question for later research - then were these two men significant as well? "They are able to devour their enemies with fire that flows out of their mouths. They also have power over the sky and waters and are able to strike the earth with plague." Jensen shivered, just to think of the power that might mean. Especially since, well, Jensen and Jon both had powers of their own.
"Do you know Nicholas Trano? Is he like, uh, us?"
Jensen quietly asked, having a feeling he already knew the answer. Jessika frowned.
He popped the cap on his bottle and took a long swig. At least it was cold.
Jessika made a point to ignore his return. She had the same pallor in her cheeks as she had when she tried to argue that nothing was wrong when clearly something was. They were going to have to talk eventually, but for now, Jensen was fine with procrastinating a little while longer.
He joined the pair, one hand fumbling in his pocket. Jessika finally looked up at him. He couldn't decide if she was annoyed he was alive or just for interrupting. He looked around the loft as though studying it for the first time all over again. When he saw the kitchen, his stomach sank. He must have left his manners behind in prison. He gestured and shot off to rifle through the refrigerator. Hoping against-- Thank God. He returned with three bottles of water.
Bottle in his own lap, he sat on a chair opposite the pair, but perched on the edge, he was far from relaxed. The table centered between their seats was integrated with an iScreen system. As Jon concluded his points, to which Jessika sternly nodded an agreement, Jensen powered it up. Although Mr. Smith's system was an upgraded version, he was familiar enough with its workings to summon the necessary evidence. Which, finally, was something he could talk about with some confidence at least.
The first was the news story about the recovery of the Egyptian wreckage in the Gulf. "Are you guys familiar with this find?"
He pivoted the screen their direction to browse the headlines at their leisure. "Its proof of a Greek civilization older than Sumerians. It pre-dates the Flood itself. Some scholars could say it predates the Garden of Eden."
What that meant for Christians was going to be a question Jensen could not answer, but he definitely didn't profess to have answers. Well, except to the one Jon asked, of course.
He leaned back, catching a glimpse of the ancient Bible that had been given to him so recently. "In seminary I took classes on the exegetical study of Revelation, how to interpret eschatological literature, and so on."
He shot Jessika a silent look that knew what she'd been saying about Nikolai Brandon. Every thirty or forty years the church was convinced the world was coming to an end. It just so happened this time, the crazies were right.
He turned back to Jon. "But it wasn't until I met the man that discovered these very tablets that I gave much thought to the prophecies of other religions. Its actually remarkable. Almost every religion on the planet has an equal view of the end of the world."
Jensen pressed his lips together. This wasn't particularly easy to tell people, especially when one of them was the mother of your children.
He steadied his nerves with a prayer, "Its the apocalypse. The war between heroes of the Light and armies of the Darkness."
Time to unleash the actual crazy. He ran his hands through his hair. "The Antichrist or Apollyon, the forerunner. Either one is bad enough, but I think Jessika is right about the Ascendancy. He's more than he claims."
He'd been relating almost everything John Smith had told him nearly word for word, but now he was in the middle of the story, a memory suddenly floated to the surface. "Actually, Mr. Smith mentioned you, Jon. You and Nicholas Trano of all people. As having been men who've stood up to the Ascendancy and not yet been crushed by him."
Jensen frowned unsure of what to make of that. If the Ascendancy was the enemy, two men who stood before the so called 'lord of the earth' 'lord' of the earth, or 'god' of the earth? - a question for later research - then were these two men significant as well? "They are able to devour their enemies with fire that flows out of their mouths. They also have power over the sky and waters and are able to strike the earth with plague." Jensen shivered, just to think of the power that might mean. Especially since, well, Jensen and Jon both had powers of their own.
"Do you know Nicholas Trano? Is he like, uh, us?"
Jensen quietly asked, having a feeling he already knew the answer. Jessika frowned.
He popped the cap on his bottle and took a long swig. At least it was cold.