Free The Victim by Jonas Saul

James and Brother Philip. The note had explained that they would all die that day as the Cessna would crash on the runway before takeoff. It would explode as the fuel lines were ruptured, killing everyone on board instantly.
     
    After Simon persuaded Andrew with his prophecy, Andrew had cancelled and convinced Brother James and Philip to cancel as well. They went to the small airport to persuade the pilot to stay grounded, but all he did was perform an extra safety check of his equipment and announce his plane was sound. They packed three first-timers onto the plane for tandem jumps and took off as planned.
     
    The plane encountered trouble at just over fifty feet. By one hundred feet, the pilot tried to turn around, but it was too late. Simon and his new friends watched as the plane hit hard, exploding upon impact. There were no survivors.
     
    They had only told the pilot of their concerns. Since no one else knew about the prophecy, no one asked any questions. It was assumed they were lucky as they had cancelled due to the jitters.
     
    From that day on, Brothers Andrew, Philip and James had watched Matthew’s messages come true. They were all convinced that the messages were divine, and if God had chosen them for this path, then nothing could tempt them from it.
     
    And now the time had come. The Mayans had predicted it, the Bible talked about it, and now the chosen few were standing up and aiding in the Rapture.
     
    Brother John, recently deceased, and Brother Thomas both came aboard with little convincing from Andrew.
     
    The Rapturites had formed and were about to embark on their greatest mission yet: to send home as many righteous people as they could touch before they had to go home themselves.
     
    However, Simon hadn’t informed them that the last batch of syringes were for the Rapturites. They thought they were gifted, protected, and would continue working for God for quite some time. The truth was, as soon as Sarah Roberts was dispatched, the Rapturites would be no more.
     
    For Simon, it was all about Sarah. She couldn’t be allowed to use her automatic writing abilities anymore. Her reign was over, and Simon intended to be the one who ended it.
     
    He collected himself, adjusted his robe, and stepped into the living room. His remaining four brothers sat in various states of prayer—Andrew by the balcony door, Philip near the kitchen, James and Thomas side by side on the living room floor.
     
    “Brothers,” Simon whispered so as not to jar them out of their moment with God. One by one, they roused and turned to him. He reveled in the power, the recognition. He’d been an afterthought his whole life. His parents were lower educated slobs living on the system who did nothing with themselves. Health care in the States required money, something his parents drank away or shot in their veins. Growing up with their condition, Simon and his brother had hidden from the world until the day they killed their parents in their drunken sleep and got away with it. Now they were free to do God’s bidding.
     
    “Everyone, gather around. I have heard from my brother.”
     
    He leaned his back against the eggshell white wall and lifted the note.
     
    “A man named Dolan Ryan has come to Sarah’s aid. I’m going to need you, Thomas, to drive down to the States and offer Dolan Ryan a pass homeward. If he is helping Sarah, then he’s one of the good ones and God will need him. I have his address as well as an address for a woman named Esmerelda. Matthew didn’t explain her connection, only that she is to go home as well.”
     
    Brother Thomas nodded. “It shall be done, praise the Lord.”
     
    “That’s not it,” Simon cautioned. “There’s more.”
     
    “I’m listening,” Thomas said.
     
    “While we remain here and help Sarah on her way, not only will you attend to Dolan and Esmerelda, we need you to go to Sarah’s hometown and send her parents heavenward. Having raised such a good person, we