28 - Someone missing
29 - An awakening
30 - Not seeing but believing
31 - Strange things happening
32 - Two witnesses?
33 - Down by the river
Part Four – The Passover
34 - The note
35 - Special visitors
36 - A visitor
37 - Being revealed
38 - No longer an amber person
39 - The trumpet call
40 - Immortality
41 - Dining in heaven
42 - River of life
43 - Different pathways
44 - The lot left behind
Part Five – Judgment and rule
45 - Old acquaintances
46 - God or aliens
47 - The audience
48 - Outside the city
49 - A belated sermon
50 - The trip north
51 - Welcome back
52 - Welcome to your new home
Eschatology glossary
About The Unseen Series
Acknowledgements
About the author
Prologue
Brisbane – now
In the darkness, the city lights rolled with the surface ripples of the Brisbane River. A figure ran along the river edge, darting in and out of pools of amber light provided by pathway lighting.
He dodged the trees and shrubbery that hung over the path and pushed away the lurking shadows snatching out for him. They wanted him. He tried to run faster, but was already puffing, and the sweat poured from his forehead. Glasses bounced up and down on his nose. He grabbed them and tossed them. He was sick of looking at the blurred, coloured auras of people.
She had screamed when she needed to be quiet. She was silenced, and now the path he pounded screamed up at him. A park bench appeared. He needed to rest, so he stopped. His heart pounded and the sides of his head throbbed, banging like something wanted to get out. He sat down, closed his eyes and rubbed the sides of his head.
An image of the girl appeared. What had he done? He opened his eyes and looked around. Fairy lights glowing in the canopy of a nearby tree brought him some comfort. They reminded him of the stars in the sky. There was a connection there, but of what? He wasn’t sure. He wished he could float away and swim among the stars.
Shadows appeared. Real shadows. People shadows. Surrounding him. He looked at each in turn. They pointed guns at him. Some shook. One he knew and gave him a nod. A comrade? Maybe he shouldn’t have done that—it could raise suspicion. He turned his attention to the blood-stained knife resting on his lap. He held it up and wiped it on his trousers. He felt their tension.
“Don’t shoot me.” He dropped the knife to the ground. “I’m not an amber person.” He looked down at the knife. Still stains of blood. “But she was.”
“You need to stand and raise your hands in the air, sir.”
He looked to see who was speaking. How many of them were there? He placed his head in his palms and rubbed his eyes. Think. Think. He needed to get away. The knife. He looked down at it. The fairy lights reflected on the exposed steel like stars in a dark silver sky, stars calling him home.
The voice told him to get the knife. But it was a different voice. A heavy, dark voice coming from deep within him. He obeyed and picked up the knife, grazing his knuckles on the ground. He stood up, looking at his knuckles. Blood appeared. He screamed and charged at the officers.
The last thing he heard was the gunfire that killed him.
Part One – The discovery
Only I understand the vastness, the mysteries of creation.
Outer space. Only I can reveal the greatness there. But I am coming to you. I am returning. You have been patient.
In the darkness comes a light. The world will see it soon. Be not concerned, for it is the coming of the day.
Take heed. Keep watch.
1 - Stars and dots
A sci-fi robotic sound flooded the room. Detective Senior Sergeant Jack Kinnaird tried to hold on to the dream world he’d been in. The dream world where he was strolling in a garden with his wife and son, Erica and Johnny, a garden so lush and full of life. But he had sensed another presence in the garden. Half awake, he reached for his phone, the source of the sound now lighting a corner of the room. Two-thirty am. Here we go again. He leaned over to apologise to his wife about the phone call at such an ungodly hour, but reality came back. Erica wasn’t here.
