THE DAY THE LIGHTNING STRUCK

"'This is not about intolerance, it is about tolerance,'" echoed in Isaiah's mind as he approached the alter. "Funny," he said under his breath. "Sure doesn't feel like that, with my church about to behead me and Zach for being gay." He glanced at Zach, his boy-friend of three years, his face just as sorrowful but defiant as he himself felt. "Th condemned will step forward," shouted the High Priest and executioner. "And place their heads on the blocks, since even the Prescription of Pain has failed to cast out the vile demons of the gay disease." Neither of the young men moved. They both knew that they could not stop what was about to happen, but they had agreed that they would NOT play along with it. "Drag them then," shouted the red faced man. Chains were thrown around both of their necks and they were dragged forward, resisting all that they could, but in vain. Isaiah saw Zach's head placed on one block and felt his own being placed on another. "Any last words of repentance before your executions," sneered The High Priest/Executioner. "Not that it will spare your lives at this point, but it could spare your souls." Both remained silent, having agreed to be defiant to the bitter end. He heard the ax swish up and. . . Then, suddenly, everything went black and then light exploded everywhere. Thunder and lighting roared and flashed within the room, and he felt the ax that had just begun to touch his skin suddenly gone. "They may not, but we have something to say," came a voice that seemed to be part of the Thunder. "I declare this sentence, this conviction and even this so-called court's authority null and void. This practice ends, NOW." "And who are you to make that call," shouted the High Priest and Executioner. "I serve The GOD of all creation. Are you greater than He?" "Of course not," came the instant reply. "But you seem to have forgotten the the greatest Commandments are to love Him and to love on another, not to kill one another because some are different." "Then who are you?" shouted a member of the Congregation, gathered to watch the event like the Citizens of Rome gathered to watch Christians being fed to lions at the calacium. "The Thunder Boys," cried Zach. "They've come to rescue us." "And more, if you wish," said different voice which belonged to a 'Boy' who stepped out of a lightning bolt just in front of them. "You both meet all of the requirements, so. . ." "I told you your nose was not too big, Zach," Isaiah teased. Then both nodded and joined hands and the new comer threw a bolt of lightning at them. "Now just a moment, here," said the High Priest. "You can not just come in here and interfere with our ritual." "Funny," said the first voice. "I thought we just did, didn't you, Daniel?" "Yes, David," replied the Thunder Boy standing before them. "I certainly thought so. But maybe it's time for a little more persuasive actions." Suddenly, there were Thunder and Lightning Bolts all around, and out of each stepped a pair of Thunder Boys. "God hates gays," shouted the High Priest, and many in his congregation echoed him. "God is love, not hate," came David's voice as he finally materialized before them. When he did, all gasped. His nostrils extended to at least three times the width of his face which itself was not thin, and his immaculately clear skin seemed to glow slightly. David nodded, seeming satisfied with everyone's reaction to his appearance, and then all of The Thunder Boys, even Isaiah and Zach, raised both hands and brought them down, and the storm that exploded within the building was both blinding and deafening. Screams and cries for mercy rang out from all sides. Then David's Thunder Bolt voice came once more, "All who truly repent of this court's actions, touch my trunk and you will be able to leave unharmed. Everyone else, and this building, are beyond sparing." Many did come to touch David's trunk, and all of them vanished instantly, except for one other closeted gay couple who met all of the other requirements, who asked and were permitted to join the ranks of the Thunder Boys. But the High Priest and many others, along with the building itself, were consumed by the storm. When ti was all over, Isaiah and Zach looked around at everyone, and everyone looked around at each other and at them, and ten they all gave a great sigh. Then Isaiah felt a smile creasing his face, and then he started to laugh. Zach and some of the other younger looking 'Boys" joined him, and for a while they could not atop. Finally, though, David held up a hand and silence fell. "Yes, today has been a great victory, but the greater battle still lies ahead. Everyone touch some part of my trunk so that we all stick together in the tremendous Thunder Bolt we're about to summon. I can make it larger if necessary." After several minutes of wresting each other and a couple of slight increases in size, which David seemed able to do with no more than a wink, all of them were touching some part of his trunk, Isaiah and Zach having been allowed to be the closest, in fact David had insisted on it, and then each raised their free hand. "Next stop, THe Republican National Convention," shouted David, and they all echoed him. Then he gave a great trumpet from his trunk, they all brought their hands down, a huge wall of Thunder and lightning engulfed them and then Isaiah could feel his body being whisked off the ground and into the wind, lightning and Thunder themselves. MEET THESE PEOPLE AGAIN IN 'WARRIORS OF THE STORM, THE CATACLYSM AT CONSERVATIVE CENTRAL', COMING SOON.