Free Blood Cult by Edwin Page Page A

was somehow part of His plan.
    Shane righted the microphone which had fallen and adjusted the stand so
that it was suited to his height. ‘What are you going to do with it?’
    ‘God will reveal its use when the time is right,’ I stated with
confidence. ‘For now it is enough that He has guided me to it.’
    ‘Maybe you’re supposed to stage a concert for the end of the world,’ said
Wade with a grin.
    ‘Yeah, an End of the World charity gig,’ laughed David. ‘All the money
raised can pay for a gigantic headstone for planet Earth.’
    Shane took hold of the microphone stand. ‘Welcome to the end of the world
concert,’ he called out, his words echoing around the hollows of the depot. ‘Forget
partying like it’s 1999, let’s party like there’s no fucking tomorrow, because
you know what, there ain’t gonna be one.’
    He picked up the stand and strummed it like a guitar, stomping on the bed
as he did so. Something in the back of my mind stirred in response to his
actions. It would not reveal itself, but I knew its time would come, that this
was indeed part of God’s plan.
    Wade and David climbed up with him and they all began to manically dance
around on the mobile stage. They collided against each other at its centre,
jumping and barging, playing air guitar, head-banging to tunes inside their
heads.
    I watched, allowing them to let off some steam and kind of enjoying the
spectacle, thinking back to my days on arena stages before audiences of
thousands, lost to the moment and the music as I rocked out. I smiled to
myself, part of me tempted to climb up and join them, but resisting.
    ‘Are you all set to bust out of this place?’ I asked when they began to
calm, breathless and red-cheeked.
    Shane turned to me and nodded, the three of them moving to the side of
the flatbed and clambering down. I walked to the cab and passed around the
front as the youths moved to their vehicles.
    Reaching the driver’s side, I climbed in. My gaze settled on the stereo
system as I sat down. There was a graphic equaliser and a pair of CD/MP3
players. Guessing that it could be set to play through the rear speakers, I
felt God whispering at the back of my mind again as the potential of the future
stirred.
    Not bothering to belt up, I put the key in the ignition as I heard the
two school buses to the right start up, Shane and David behind the wheels. The
engine growled into life and I glanced at the fuel gauge, seeing that the tank
was nearly full. Turning to look out of the windshield, I saw Wade seated in
his bus across from me as he prepared to ram the doors, putting on his belt and
revving the engine, the roar filling the depot.
    He gunned it, pedal to the metal. The bus accelerated straight at the
doors. The front of the unwieldy vehicle crunched into them, bending them back
to the sounds of screeching and tearing metal, the bus smashing through.
    My smile grew as Shane and David pulled out from their bays and made
their way out through the gap. Hand to the stick shift, I put the truck in first
and slowly made my way out after them, the side of the bed catching on the
right-hand door and grinding wincingly against it.
    I drew up alongside Shane’s bus and wound down the window. ‘How are you
on fuel?’ I shouted.
    He looked to the gauge and gave the thumbs up. ‘Ready to rock ‘n’ roll,’
he called back.
    I looked at the others in turn and found Wade staring back at me
expectantly, his bus already angled towards the gates. I chuckled and nodded in
answer to his silent question. He grinned in response and set off, his bus making
straight for the gates, a look of intense satisfaction on his face.

11
    I stood with my
back to the bedside cabinet. My case rested on the floral covers to my left,
open and empty. A small selection of neatly folded clothes lay next to it, but
the majority remained in the wardrobe, which stood open to my right. I had no
idea what to pack and was filled with indecision.
    I could hear