Diary of the Abandoned - May 5, 2008 and May 6, 2008

 THE RAPTURE

MAY 5, 2008

It happened at 11:48 a.m. today. She had kissed me on the
forehead on her way to feed the chickens. After thirteen years I still
was smitten with love for her, so I watched out the bathroom
window. The hens came running, she scattered grain, laughing
happily at chicken antics. I could see her lips moving, but could not
hear what she said, probably calling them by name, one by one.
Then she stopped tossing grain, her face froze, the hens all stopped
eating and stood stock still. She looked up, and her face was
changed. She smiled, a wide, pure, wild smile, I had never seen
before. Her skin gleamed all colors, like oil on water, but pale.
Then she changed again, glowing, but fading. I saw nothing above
her but air. I looked where she looked, nothing. I looked where
the chickens looked, still motionless, and could not see what they
saw. I too was frozen, I wanted to run to her, to grab her, but I
just stood there with the curtain pushed back and watched her
become transparent, then she was gone. The chickens stood
another moment, and so did I. Then they went back to eating as if
nothing had happened.

That was at 11:48 this morning. Now, five hours later, the world,
what of it is left, is consumed with chaos. There is news, but no
phone service, all lines busy. Regular programing abandoned, only
news on every station.

MAY 6, 2008

I waited, half hopeful, half grieving, for her to come back. But she
hasn’t and I know she won’t. The news has been on constantly, but
I am only now able to bear watching it. So far the report seems to
be that about every fifth adult on earth is gone. All infants, all
young children, most of the preteens, even babies unborn, all gone.
Except for the children there is no real commonality. Families say
the one missing was kind, or good or strange. At first they said the
Rapture, the second coming, but that can’t be, since many of the
missing are Hindus or Jews or Muslims or something. So it isn’t
the Rapture. Some experts say aliens or terrorists. I don’t think so.
I saw her face, she wanted what got her.

I fed the hens today, first time ever. They always ran squawking up
to Sarah but they were quiet today and didn’t start eating until I
was back in the house.