THE SECOND COMING

THE SECOND COMING

The morning was crisp and cool but the sun was shining brightly as Celeste walked down the hill to the creek below. In her hand, she carried a small wooden bucket lined with pitch to make it waterproof. She clambered onto the flat rocks of the riverbed until she finally reached the spot that she was looking for. The rock was flat from countless years of water rushing over it. It jutted out further into the creek than the surrounding rocks which made it the perfect place to fill her bucket. She held the bucket tightly in one hand and in the other hand she gathered up the fabric of her long skirts to keep them from getting wet. She squatted by the creek and filled her bucket carefully, straightening with a grimace as she felt her back take the weight of the full bucket. With the precision born with much practice, she carefully navigated the slippery moss-covered rocks back to shore. She often wondered if she should make two trips carrying half the amount of water rather than one trip with a full heavy bucket.  It always came down to time though, there never seemed to be enough hours in the day to get all the chores done as it was. Making two trips was just not a luxury that she could afford to make.

When she reached the top of the hill she dropped her skirts,  set the bucket down, and bent backward, both hands going to the curve of her spine. She then put her hands on her growing belly. It wouldn’t be long now. A few more weeks at best. Her hands stilled as she felt the babe move within her and she smiled that age-old smile that only a first-time mother can smile. One filled with hope, trepidation, and excitement, but above all love. Celeste gave a sigh, picked up the bucket, and trudged steadily towards the log cabin to begin her busy day.

 Edward would be coming into the fields for his lunch at noon, and there was much to be done before that. The breakfast dishes would have to be washed and seeing that this was Monday, that meant it was laundry day. Monday was always the day of the week that Celest disliked the most. She shouldn’t complain though, after all, yesterday was Sunday, which was thankfully, a day of rest so she only had to perform the bare essentials around the farm. On Sunday Edward would hitch up the team and they would drive the five miles of bumpy roads to town and attend the only church in town. It was a beautiful church, all the menfolk in town had contributed to its erection, all that is except Harry the saloon keeper. The white steeple had just gone up two weeks ago, completing the building and that meant a celebration of all the good folks in town. It was a long time since Celeste had seen a celebration like that. The womenfolk had prepared food fit for a feast and the celebration had gone well into the night. The party hadn’t ended till well after nine o’clock.

At noon Edward came for his lunch. He always ate heartily and quickly. He too had many chores and the spring planting was just underway. Celeste crossed to the old iron cookstove and removed a pan of cornpone from the oven.

“It looks like there’s going to be some rain comin' in soon. It's getting really dark.”

“Oh shucks,” said Edward,” I was hoping to get more plantin’ done.

They finished off their luncheon and stood together on the porch overlooking their small homestead.

“It's really dark now,” said Celeste.” Looks like we are going to get a thunderstorm pretty soon.”

“ Now I can't finish getting that crop in today.” Edward sighed deeply and shook his head. “I’d best unhitch old Nell from the plow and get her into the barn. She doesn’t much like thunderstorms. She puts up such a ruckus, she does.”

It only took Edward a few minutes to stable the horse but by the time he got back to the porch, it was even darker. They stood there and discussed whether maybe there was going to be a tornado and whether they should take shelter in the root cellar under the trapdoor in the kitchen floor.

“I'll just run and put the chickens away in the chicken coop. There is no wind right now but I’d feel a might bit better if we had all the livestock put away.”

“ How about the cattle, they are out in the pasture?” questioned Celeste. 

“I’ll never get them in the shed in time, look, they have already headed into the woods for protection.”

Edward ran across the yard and needed no encouragement from the chickens to go in their coop. They were used to going inside each night when it got dark anyway. The pigs were very compliant as well, it was as if each creature knew something was up.

Celeste went into the kitchen moved the handmade rag rug from off the trap door and opened it up. She carefully took the bucket of water and carried it down the ladder, spilling some in her haste. She gathered the thick hand-sewn quilt off their bed and threw it down into the hole. Next, she placed the leftover corn pone and lunch in a basket and took that down as well.  By the time she had accomplished these tasks, the sky had darkened considerably. She lit the lantern on the fireplace mantel and left it sitting by the open trap door. It was best to have it handy when a tornado was in the area.  The root cellar was a dark dank hole carved out of the earth under the cabin. Baskets of fruits and vegetables lined the windowless walls and mason jars filled with preserves filled the wooden shelves that Edward had built.

 You never knew how fast the winds could pick up or how strong that rotation column of moving air could lay waste to anything in its way. Celeste returned to the porch,  the air was calm, there was a little wind but it was dark and getting darker.  Edward ran across the yard and she ran into his arms.

“Edward, it's so dark, it's midday, it's not supposed to be this dark. I’m frightened. I prepared the root cellar, we can run down there at the first sighting of lightning or a tornado.”

“Good, I don’t like the looks of that sky. Things just aren’t right for a tornado. The sky is usually a greenish hugh when there's a tornado comin’ and the washin’ on the line is barely blowing. He raised his head and then shouted. “Look at the sky Celeste, that there is the moon, and it;s fixin’ to cross right in front of the sun.”.

The moon had peaked out from behind the clouds and the pair could now see that it almost covered the sun.

“Oh, Lordy, Lordy. Edward. It's the Rapture. He's comin’. He’s comin’ for us sure enough.

And me with my washin’ hangin’ out on the line for him to see. All my delicates are right there on display. The dishes, those dirty dishes are still left on the table. Woo is me.``

She stared up in the sky which was now as dark as midnight, the moon covering the sun.

“I don’t see him. Where are you Jesus,” she shouted to the sky.

“ We can’t see him cuz it's as dark as pitch. Celeste, do you think we should go down into the root cellar?”

 Edward, do you really think that the oak door on that root cellar door is going to stop the Lord God Almighty? We might as well stay here and watch the Lord's arrival. Oh mercy.”

Edward and Celeste held each other tightly, their bodies trembling with fear.

“ He must be there though. I just know it must be the rapture. The Good Book says that we shall rise in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, we will be snatched away.  That there moon is right in front of the sun and is almost blockin’ all the light.  I ain’t never seen the likes. Oh, I can’t watch, I can't watch.  I’m excited and scared at the same time. Hold me, Edward, hold me.” 

Celeste and Edward huddled together on the porch, Edward peering through the darkness for any sign of a funnel in the sky and listening intently for any sign of a strong wind that might indicate a tornado. He looked for rain or for lightning and thunder but there was nothing, nothing but the moon slowly creeping across the sky Celeste expected any minute to hear a blast of celestial trumpets and a massive heavenly choir as the moon passed directly in front of the sun, sending their world into almost total darkness. They stayed like that for a long time till the sky gradually got a little lighter and the birds began their singing and their day turned from day to night to day before their eyes. They still expected the second coming.

Edward held her firmly in his shaking arms.” At least we’ll go together, you, me, and the unborn babe.” he said. They stood waiting, waiting, waiting