Page 50 of Shadow of Death
“I don’t care who you are,” Riley said. He finally looked up, staring at them. “You will burn for eternity. There was a chance for some of us. Mateus was trying to save others. You have condemned yourselves and so many others. Those innocents who never knew Mateus and might have risen in the Rapture. You have condemned them, too. And talk all you want. I don’t have to talk to you.”
“You are entitled to an attorney,” Amy said.
“Yeah, yeah, I got all that already. I don’t need an attorney. You can do anything you want with me. I don’t have to answer to anyone on earth. I will be judged on a different plane, just as you will be judged and damned. You people murdered Mateus, the greatest.”
“Really? Who told you Mateus was such a great warrior and prophet? Mateus himself, I take it,” Hunter said.
“You didn’t know him.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard about false prophets?” Amy said dryly.
Riley Franklin had claimed he wasn’t going to talk.
Despite that, he suddenly flew into a rage of words. “False prophet? Mateus was more than a prophet! Don’t you understand? He was more than a prophet! He was the Archangel Michael brought back as flesh and blood to lead true believers until the time came. He was required to become the leader of his flock, as he is the leader of the other angels! Are you crazy? Or are you blind? Haven’t you seen all these things the Great Book has warned about? ‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.’ That is you! Are you so blind! You ignored the power, the power of a man, an angel, like Mateus!”
Amy looked over at Hunter as Riley finished his quote and ran out of steam. “I seem to remember something about ‘thou shalt not kill.’”
Riley exploded again. “She was a sinner! We were trying to save her soul. She was a sinner, a horrible sinner, making other people sin. She talked to Mateus. She told him she wanted to save her soul!”
Hunter frowned as he looked at Amy. “I never saw it written anywhere that the commandment read thou shalt not kill unless you think the person is a sinner.”
“No, you’re right. I never read that, either. But I also heard there was a prophet greater than Mateus. Even greater than an angel in the flesh on earth. Someone else out there who was saying who was and who wasn’t a sinner, who needed saving and who didn’t. Because Mateus was trying to save people, too, out at the cliffs, right? Letting them hunger, taking bits of their flesh, believing he could consume their sins and let them die now to save their souls.”
“Well, of course, Mateus helped others! But...”
“But?” Amy said softly.
Riley shook his head. “Wewere his people.”
“Did you help Mateus bring people to the pits in the cliffs? I know you know what I’m talking about. It’s been all over the news,” Hunter said.
“No. But I knew Mateus was called, and when he was called, he did what he needed to do to save the souls of others. Oh, don’t you see! It’s coming! How can you be so blind?”
“Who called Mateus? Who called on him to help?” Amy asked.
Riley stared at her, truly confused. “God,” he said softly. “God, of course!”
“And God called him on a cell phone?”
“God could speak to him through the sun, through the clouds, through the wind—and, of course, I imagine, when he so chose, God could use a cell phone!” Riley declared passionately.
Amy glanced at Hunter. She thought they both knew the man had given them what they needed—assurance that while Mateus had been anangel and prophetto his group, he was not the master puppeteer.
“Interesting,” Hunter murmured, glancing Amy’s way, and rising. “Well, good luck with your time left on earth here,” he said.
“You’re leaving? What about me? I’ve been sitting here forever. When do you let me go? I need to go to work tomorrow. Today. I need sleep. I need to mourn! I need to say my prayers for Mateus. I need time—”
“Oh, I believe you’re going to have time,” Hunter told him.
“When do I get out of here? I’m sick of being in this room—”
“Oh, well, don’t worry. You’re not going to be in this room long. The next room is going to have bars around it. So... Well, here’s the good news. You’ll have lots of time to say prayers for Mateus,” Hunter said.
Riley began to spew out obscenities and promises they were going to burn forever.
Amy smiled at him, shrugged, and followed Hunter out.
Andy was standing in the hall.
