CHAPTER 74: MOON’S PROBLEMS DOUBLE.

Sunshine returned home from the medic bay as she was not feeling fine. Her body was feeling heated up, her skin was itching, and she could feel a headache setting in. This feeling, she had experienced it before but at a much later time. The safest place to go for an analysis was the system space.

"System what is wrong with my body?"

[System scan.]

She laid on the table, sleeping on some tools but ignoring the pinch and discomfort. Steam was rising out of every breath that she was taking. This felt like an awakening, but she could not fathom how it had been awakened so suddenly.

[Body thermal regulation overridden. Cryokinetic awakening detected.

Cause: Citrus drizzle vapor fallout.

System repairing host body to adapt and eliminate anomalies.]

Sunshine passed out.

****

Celebrations were already underway at the Rainhounds mountain base. Some believers were rejoicing for being among the chosen that survived the fiery punishment. They were singing in the church, dancing and blowing trumpets.

Some were praying feverishly with their arms and eyes turned to the sky.

"All glory goes to the heavenly prophet." A junior pastor shouted into a microphone.

The church yelled the words back, praising Pastor Salem for his greatness.

The wealthy and VIP class which had the largest number of nonbelievers looked on with disinterest waiting for their next meal to be served.

Pastor Salem was watching the celebrations on a screen his room which was on the topmost floor. At the same time, he was receiving an update from Zadok on the damage that the base had suffered.

"Moon was right about the mountains being safer, few meteorites fell around us, we lost two small buildings and the wall around the East wing has to be repaired." Zadok told him.

Meanwhile, some believers decided to take their celebration outside to sing and dance in the rain.

As his lips curled into a pleased grin, Pastor Salem’s gaze shifted to the rejoicing crowd that was outside in the rain. "At least we have less mouths to feed. The supplies we have will last us at least four years." He let out a loud laugh. "They are truly gullible and will do anything I tell them to now, see them laughing like they are possessed."

Zadok decided to peek outside the window and get a direct view. The more he looked, the more he noticed that something was totally off especially when the screaming began and the people started behaving as if they were possessed.

"Something is wrong." Zadok said with urgency and worry in his voice.

Pastor Salem rushed to the window and his eyes widened. He needed to find Moon immediately.

***

Moon was standing in the lower shelter by a window, wondering what the rain was. It was not acid rain, or else sizzling sounds would be heard. Instead, this rain smelled like lemons, or oranges.

Such a thing had not happened in her past life, if it had, she would have heard about it. This was something very new and that scared her. She could not predict new disasters.

The feeling of unease which had settled in her stomach grew as she heard screams coming from those dancing in the rain.

"Prophetess..." A woman whimpered.

Moon whirled around and looked at the people that had come to believe in her a little more than Pastor Salem. "None of you should step out there like those fools until we know what we are dealing with."

Her eyes turned back to the window, and she watched the people laugh, scream, cry and behave in unpredictable ways. A woman scratched her face and dug her hand into the socket of her eye until she pulled it out, she laughed as she displayed it, before falling down.

Someone was leaping like a monkey from one place to another. Some people were ripping clothes off; others were running around naked. There were those in a daze, acting like they were seeing things in the air.

Insanity had seized some believers, driving them to profane the holy grounds with wanton debauchery. It almost seemed like everyone was high on the wrong drugs.

"What the hell..." Moon whispered.

The infuriated Pastor Salem and his men arrived, kicking the door in. Cassius was about to head out and he bumped into the pastor.

"Get out of my way you fool." With a cruel thrust of his foot, Pastor Salem kicked Cassius out of his path.

Moon stumbled backwards, she knew that Salem liked to take his anger out on her when things did not go as planned and this was an unplanned situation.

A scoff came out of Salem. "You did this to humiliate me, didn’t you?" He clenched his fingers into fists.

"I...I" Moon paused because the believers were watching her. She calmed herself and tried to project mystery. "The angel of the Lord appeared to me and stopped me from revealing my prophesies to you Salem. I am afraid that I will no longer be of help to you in future." She lied.

Gasps came from the believers. From what Moon said, their pastor had been untruthful in his claims that the prophesies were revealed to him, and Moon was just a vessel that helped him see the visions clearer.

With a swift shake of the hand, Salem gave Zadok and order and in that moment, all the seventeen people that were loyal to Moon fell on the ground. Their bodies were riddle with bullet holes. The men had used guns with silencers to keep from alerting other people on the base.

Moon stumbled backwards, her eyes wide in fright. Pastor Salem moved forward like a predator that was about to swallow her.

"You do not understand something little girl, I am in charge here." Pastor Salem’s hand found its way to the back of Moon’s head; he clenched a handful of her hair and pulled her closer. "Why did you not tell me that my people would go insane if they went into the rain?" He probed.

"I did not know! This is all new, the future is changing." Moon cried out.

Her legs trembled, especially because her parents had guns to their heads. Even Cassius and Denise were being held at gunpoint. Denise was ugly sobbing; Cassius was oddly calm.

Pastor Salem shoved her to the side. "You are lying and as such I am going to teach you a good lesson." His gaze traveled around the room. "Choose one of them to be thrown out of here." He offered her a chance to choose.

"What?" Moon massaged the back of her head as she backed away from the insane false pastor.

"Who will it be? Your parents, husband or friend? Choose one, each time you go against me you will choose one of them to die. So, make a choice or I will make it for you." Pastor Salem had never been more serious as he turned the gun on Rowena.

Rowena burst into tears and fell to the ground.

"Cassius, I choose Cassius." Moon screamed. She figured she had the bracelet already and she was tired of looking after a fool that was pretending deliberately.

"Him." Pastor Salem pointed at Dustin.

His men grabbed Moon’s father and threw him in the yellow rain.