Chapter Thirty Eight: The future as in present

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"I love her and if I was born to my own father she is the only girl I will ever marry!!"

But she will have to prove her love now!! "I will marry her only if she will convert to Islam!!"

If you are wondering, I am not a Muslim by faith!!

I am Sikh!!

But I was ready to convert to Christianity for her!!

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GOD of a man

“Indecisions can be highly contagious, the only protection being self confidence.”

Chapter Thirty Eight: Future as in present

Dated: Beyond the present

The night of disbelief always culminates into a day of faith, a day when everything appears crystal clear. When everything is looking up it’s the time to march into the future holding hands, without wavering, without looking back. It’s the time when everybody looks up at those leading them, expecting them to make decisions that’ll brighten up their future as a golden history. Indecisions can be infectious, more so if the indecisiveness comes from those entrusted to lead. When those on whom everyone is counting on, they are not sure about the choices they need to make, those who are following them falter. The ensuing chaos nosedives into a catastrophe.

To lead men and women you need the confidence of steel, the strength of concrete, the flexibility of rubber and foresight of a telescope. Indecision has no place in a mind that decides future.

Steve had all the necessary qualities of a brilliant leader and Clara was the best person to lead moral renaissance. Under their auspices humanity finally found its’ feet on stable moral, social and physical grounds.

When Shiva and others returned to the Adelaide shores, they were all pleasantly surprised to see Steve at the helm and delighted to find Rosalyn and others alive. Their joy knew no bounds but Steve made sure that everybody stayed rooted in reality and the things that were important and needed priority handling were not overlooked.

If anyone ever knew how to marshal human resources effectively and productively, it had to be Steve. By the time Shiva and his companions returned to Adelaide shore, Steve had already divided the hands at his disposal into groups.

The two things highest up on Steve’s priority list were adequate fresh water supply and permanent housing. The sea water purification was inadequate to sustain any bigger population, leave alone development. Water was needed to propagate the seeds retrieved by Rosalyn and others from Macquarie Island. The work was cut out. They needed material for permanent constructions, and metal for equipment needed to dig bores.

Jake Nicholson was leading a team whose task was to unearth buried ruins and retrieve bricks and other material of construction value.

Diamond Fraser, the town ironsmith was intrusted the task of leading a small team that was expected to co-ordinate with Jake Nicholson’s team. While Jake’s team was listed for construction material, Diamond’s team was intrusted the task of retrieving dug out metal for metallurgical requirements.

Steve himself was leading the team digging out buried trees required for metallurgical operations and cement manufacture, while Demetria’s team was responsible for feeding the entire population. Clara along with Alexia and Lisa were responsible for providing potable water.

Robin was given a suspended sentence of excommunication which was subject to a permanent bond of good behaviour. And when Shiva, Larry, Andy and Natalie arrived with Daniel, Daniel was awarded the same. Shiva, Larry and Andy were intrusted the task to retrieve and revive as many boat engines they could from the buried shipyard in Port Adelaide. Diamond Fraser was intrusted to take care of their metallurgical needs on priority basis so that they could be sent away at the earliest, to fetch more people from Hatsu Saisho.

r

After six months of hard labour Shiva, Larry, Andy and Natalie were off once again for Hatsu Saisho, along with Jake, Taio, Omar and Kina, who were on the newly constructed marvel of wood and metal.

Over the next year or so they slowly and slowly transported every surviving soul from Antarctica, along with the vast knowledge bank that had been in a state of permanent coma, as they had no means to retrieve it without working apparatus. And apparatus couldn’t have been made to work without fixing what was wrong with it.

But as soon as their first metallurgical firm became fully operational, their advancement was quick. By the time Steve breathed his last, humanity had come a long way from the dark ages they had been living in for the previous four centuries.

Once again the houses were made of bricks and concrete, once again there were fields full of food, only this time the crops were the evergreen varieties of rice and wheat. A decent city had come up. And the best part of it all was, GOD was back in their lives, hearts and minds once again, without any religious bindings, without any fanaticisms, just plain and simple faith in HIM. Morality touched new heights and a crime free society grew.

Humanity took a major leap when a decade and a half after Steve’s death Nakata and Clara’s son Shoji Katsuo became the President of New Saisho. Humanity had once again at its’ disposal big vessels to explore the seas and exploit any regions of the world that could be accessed in Radio-activity proof vests. The oil of Middle East was once again running the world. The old world’s cars were produced out of assembly lines on demand once again. Television and radio had been revived. People knew the sounds of telephones and mobile once again. Internet and gaming were once again the favourite escape of kids.

The re-exposure to slightly increased level of radio-activity had revived the reproductive organs and the cloning was officially stopped for all normal circumstances.

The carnivore rabbits of Macquarie Island were man’s new best friends and Albatross was reared not only for meat and eggs, but also as an alternate pet.

In the fifth year of Shoji Katsuo’s Presidency, Humanity made its’ biggest leap in centuries. For the first time a group of astronauts from the National Space Agency of New Saisho, flew to take stock of the International Space station that had been circling the globe for centuries now, non-functional, but still intact. The entire humanity watched in anticipation, their first tryst with space history. Everybody held their breath as their space shuttle “Clara” docked with the International Space Station, the first craft from the earth to do so in centuries.

“Will we find bodies of those still left up there when everything perished on ground?” was the question going around in everybody’s mind as the first astronaut radioed in as he set first foot inside the Space Station.

“What the deuce!” what he found there shocked him completely.

-The End-

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Chapter Thirty Seven: GOD of a man

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"Has the society become so impotent that it can't even stand up with an ordinary man and get him justice?"

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GOD of a man

 

“What’s good in me is GOD, what’s bad is me.”

Chapter Thirty Seven: GOD of a man

Dated: 17th April, 2427

Life always exists in two concurrent planes, physical, and psychological. Both planes exist in unison and at no point do they ever contradict. Both planes have their own set of values that govern an organism’s behaviour, often defined as basic instincts. They are called basic as they are common to every organism and manifest naturally in his behaviour, without the need of them being taught. While sex, safety and hunger drive the physical existence of an organism, faith, love and hatred determine his social existence. All are powerful in their individual entirety and lethal in any combination. When a man is led astray by any one of these, the consequences are generally catastrophic. However, a person who manages to shed the controls exerted by these, he either becomes a Saint or the most fearsome criminal. A mind free of these binding incapacities is either free of all ill or the best place to hatch the most gruesome plots. These values are not necessarily the source of evil all the time. At times these exert the discipline needed to tame the wild horses of thoughts that can otherwise transpire into unwanted actions.

Humanity suffered a catastrophe of its’ own making and blamed GOD for their actions and their consequences. They lost their faith. A natural instinct, faith was lost in the sands of time. An Atheist may not necessarily believe in GOD, but even he must nurture faith in something or someone. Without faith no society can survive.

“If GOD is the one who did all the hard work, why did none of us saw HIM doing it? Ono’s query summed up the faith of all the non believers.

“Let me ask you a question,” Clara replied, “Today you know my son is my Nakata’s partying gift to everyone, but then why were you getting those nightmares when you were not ready to accept it? Did they come to you when you didn’t know Nakata had impregnated me with his love?”

“I agree, I didn’t get those dreams when I wasn’t aware of this,” Ono replied, “But what has GOD got to do with it?”

“Ok, before I explain, did you ever feel you might be doing something wrong at any point of time?” Clara asked, “Please be honest!”

“I never felt I was doing wrong,” Ono replied, “But the thought that you might be telling the truth did cross my mind a few times.”

“And so did in mine,” Aika added as she lovingly hugged Katsuo and swung around to rock him.

“So maybe your unconscious mind knew that if I was saying the truth, you were doing great injustice to me and my child,” Clara replied.

“Perhaps,” Ono replied, “But you still haven’t explained, what has GOD got to do with it?”

“Ono, every person has an inherent goodness in them, just like the evil they posses,” Clara replied, “What’s good in a person is GOD, and what’s bad in them is they themselves.”

“I don’t understand,” Taio Bayer commented, “What do you mean?”

“I’ll explain with an example,” Clara said, “When a person is sad or in pain, he or she remembers and prays to GOD and asks HIM to relieve them of their pain. But his sufferings don’t vanish by magic. His sufferings generally continue and he keeps on praying.”

“So, you mean GOD doesn’t respond to prayers or relieve one of their sufferings?” Jake asked.

“GOD never forgets those who don’t forget HIM,” Clara replied, “Their prayers are heard and sufferings relieved. When a person’s suffering is grave and his faith in GOD unflinching, generally another human being who has the power and resources to relieve that person’s sufferings comes forward to help him.”

“And you mean its’ GOD who makes this possible?” Ono asked.

“Its’ the goodness in that human being that makes it possible,” Clara replied, “The goodness that couldn’t let them see another fellow being suffer. That goodness answers the prayers that were addressed to GOD, that goodness is the representative of GOD. And every human being has it.”

“So you mean even Robin and Daniel have GOD in them, goodness in them?” Rosalyn asked.

“Yes,” Clara replied, “The only problem is their goodness is not strong enough to determine their actions. Every time they think of doing something wrong the voice that tells them not to commit that wrong, is the weak goodness in them. That weak goodness represents GOD in them.”

“So you mean GOD is in every human being?” Omar asked.

“Not just human beings, GOD is in every creature, everything living, everything non living. There is no place, where GOD is not present,” Clara stated.

“How can you make such an unsubstantiated statement?” Taio Bayer objected, “That’s exactly the reason why everybody stopped believing the Prophets of GOD, they made claims which they could never prove.”

“What makes you thing that I cannot explain each and every word that I am saying?” Clara replied with a smile, “Which ever place you go, there is GOD, if not in anything at that place, then still inside you. Whichever star or planet you gaze through a telescope, there is GOD as along with our sight, GOD reaches there. When we try to judge what is good about that place and what is bad, we are differentiating what is GOD from what is not.”

“I don’t understand,” Ono replied, “How can there be GOD in non living things and places we can’t even reach?”

“Let’s take the example of a mountain and a sea,” Clara replied, “Mountain represents hurdle and tough terrain, while sea brings storms and tsunamis. We identify them as evil, but what is good about them is, the mountain is instrumental in giving any place its’ rainfall, while sea’s provide food for the people and water for the clouds. That is the goodness in them which represents the GOD in them.”

“And I am sure there is some GOD in this desert too!” Jake commented.

“Yes there is,” Clara replied, “The minerals and stone you can dig out from under it are the gifts it has to offer for our development, and that is GODLY about it.”

“What about animals and plants?” Ono asked.

“They are all a part of our food chain,” Clara replied, “They provide many useful products for many a medicine, fibres and lots of other things. They are gifts of GOD and that is the goodness about them. Who can forget the old trustworthy friends of man, the dog! There is GOD in everything and everyone!”

“So you mean GOD is inside us and everything else, and not outside?” Rajon asked.

“GOD can be found inside self or in the world outside,” Clara exclaimed, “Some people and religions in olden times advocated the search of an external GOD while others propagated the idea of finding him within. But when you realize there is GOD within yourself, you can find HIM by improving the goodness in you and feel HIS blessing and touch in return. If you think GOD is outside, you need to identify the goodness in everything around you and you will realize the power of HIS creation and the gifts HE has bestowed upon everybody.”

“But why should we follow or believe in GOD?” Taio Bayer asked.

“Let me reply to this one Clara,” Alexia said, “We should believe in GOD because everyone who believes in GOD, he is never lonely or helpless or an orphan.”

“Could you please explain what you are saying?” Taio Bayer requested Alexia.

“You know Taio, when we were ditched in cold blood to perish,” Alexia replied, “The feeling of loneliness engulfed each one of us, even though we were a group of seven souls. The thoughts that no one in the world knows you are still alive, that no one cares for you anymore, or loves and misses you, you don’t know the loneliness these thoughts can bring with them. Even though we were supporting each other in those tough times but individually, we all felt like orphans. We felt like orphans until the time we realized, someone didn’t want us to perish, someone was helping us tide over the difficult times, someone was giving us the opportunity to bring value added goodness into the lives of others who don’t know what had happened to us. We realized that supreme power is what everybody used to call GOD in the olden days.”

“The moment we realized GOD is watching over us, HE is well aware of how much we are suffering and who has made us suffer, the moment we realized HE won’t let us perish, we didn’t feel like orphans anymore,” Rosalyn added, “It gave us comfort that HE is with us, the thought that HE is helping us gave us strength. HE made us feel special children of HIS. We were not lonely anymore, we were not helpless anymore.”

“If GOD helps those who believe in HIM through their tough times then why is it that those who follow GOD they still have to suffer a lot in their lives? Who doesn’t GOD just relieve them of their troubles when HE is so powerful? Why did Clara and Steve suffered what they had to?” Jake asked.

“We had to suffer because we had committed some mistakes in our life,” Clara replied, “And to attain HIS blessing completely, you need to suffer punishment for your sins before HE lets you enter HIS blissful folds.”

“I don’t understand,” Jake asked.

“Yes, please explain,” Ono added.

And then Clara explained them everything she had told Steve about sins, rebirth, punishment and reunion with GOD.

“So you mean, now that we believe in GOD, we all will have to suffer for our sins before HE will accept us as HIS beloved children, including what we did against you and Steve?” Taio asked.

“Yes you will,” Clara replied, “But when you won’t be expecting the punishment.”

“What does that mean?” Ono asked.

“I mean, you will never know when you will be punished for your sins but during every punishment you will be reminded of a similar sin you had committed in your life,” Clara explained, “So you will know exactly why you are suffering.”

“Clara you have enlightened us all today. We can’t even describe how grateful we are to you,” Omar exclaimed, “Would you please be kind enough and tell us what name should we use to call GOD and how should we pray to him?”

“GOD has no name,” Clara replied, “But HE will answer to any name as long as your prayers are pure and free of malice towards anyone.”

“Could you please explain it in a bit more detail?” Steve asked.

“Look, mother and father, every person has these relationships,” Clara replied, “But everyone calls them by different names depending upon their language, and sometimes the same person can use many different names for them. For example, the same person may call them Momma and Papa, mom and dad, Ammi and Abba, Maa and Pitaji, and many more names. But the mother and father always know that its’ them who are being referred to.”

“So you mean, we can call GOD by any name and HE will know that we are calling HIM?” Ono asked.

“GOD never had a name,” Clara replied, “GOD only created man and man created all the names. Its’ the same as someone calling another person names, the only difference being that unlike us humans GOD doesn’t mind, because HE is GOD and HIS heart can contain everything that exists in nature. Remember GOD resides in your heart and not your head. The names are a produce of brain while GOD is trusted, revered and called upon by our heart. So when your heart wants to connect with HIM, HE immediately knows, and what name you are calling HIM by becomes immaterial.”

“Oh!” Steve saw everything clearly know just like everybody else but one question was still left unanswered, so he asked again, “But how should we pray to HIM?”

“You can pray to HIM any way you like Steve,” Clara replied, “GOD will not get pleased by the way you are praying to HIM and bestow you with HIS blessings. The only thing that will please HIM and make HIM shower you with HIS love is how pure you are at your heart and how malice free your wants are.”

“If that is the case Clara, then why did they have so many ways of prayer in the olden days?” Rosalyn asked.

“Most of the religions prayed by bowing to HIM which used to be a way of giving respect to those superior to you. Some others prayed to him like they were asking for something from someone who owned everything. How anybody bowed or asked was dependent upon their cultural backgrounds which were always unique,” Clara replied, “And perhaps some people’s prayers were heard because they were pure and malice free, and when everybody asked them how they prayed to GOD, their style became popular.”

“So the prayer style doesn’t matter?” Steve asked.

“As I said Steve, the only thing that matters is your faith in HIM, your purity at heart, and your wishes to be malice free,” Clara replied.

“But what if those, whose prayers were answered, they just got answered because of natural probability, and there actually is no GOD?” Taio bayer was still sceptical.

“Taio, if you are a believer, you will see HIS will in everything that happens in your life,” Clara replied, “But if you are an atheist, it will always appear to be a chance happening.”

“So there is no proof that there is a GOD?” Taio Bayer asked.

“Taio, you see this sand around us, this water around us, those rocks lying over there? Do you think they are serving any useful purpose by existing? Would it have made any difference if none of these ever existed?” Clara asked.

“Perhaps not,” Taio replied, “The only purpose these non-living things serve is that they provide us some resource or the other.”

“Well Taio, if the non existence of these non-living things would have made no difference then what was any need for the same non-living matter to transform into living forms? Why is it that an organism made up of tissues and cells which are nothing but a mere grouping together of molecules in a set design, starts living and breathing when they are born, and why do they stop when they die? What makes them living and what is it that leaves them when they die? Who made these non-living things living? Who knew which artery needs to be put where so as to connect which organs, much like an electric circuits designed by human beings?” Clara asked a series of questions.

“So you thing GOD did all this?” Taio asked.

“Somebody did this,” Clara replied, “And whoever did it, HE or SHE is much bigger and stronger than anything we know or can envisage. And that somebody is our GOD!”

“Maybe you are right, maybe not, but there seems to be many good reasons to believe in GOD,” Taio finally yielded.

“Taio, even if the other reasons were not there, the only reason which is good enough to believe in GOD is, those who believe in HIM, they are honest and never hurt others. They are considerate to the needs of the others before they make any demands for themselves,” Clara replied, “And isn’t that well enough to help the society functioning as a cohesive unit, where everybody is happy and content?”

“What can I say?” Taio shrugged his shoulders, “But admit that I am a believer from this moment.”

“Yeah!” And everybody erupted in joy. They all started to chant, “We love GOD! We love GOD!” And the magic of faith enlightened their lives forever.

Lieutenant Christopher Hahn, one man who perished centuries ago, who could have ever imagined his faith in GOD will one day re-establish the virtue of true faith in GOD, without him having to lift a finger, let alone GOD having to leave HIS comfort zones. One man’s GOD became every man’s GOD.

 

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Last chapter “Future as in present” coming next week!!

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Chapter Thirty Six: The Saturday

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"The walls that have been created between me and her, I need to break them by cajoling her, coxing her and punishing her!!"

http://www.fatalurgecarefreekiss.com/

GOD of a man

“Survive the darkest hour, for every hour after that shall be lighter.”

Chapter Thirty Six: The Saturday

Dated: 17th April, 2427

Very few people are born lucky not to know the taste of struggles, before they enjoy the sweetness of success. In fact it’s the bitterness of these hindrances, glitches and opposition that make the sweetness of success honey and sugar. Hardships are the tests that make you strong and worthy of your success. Shortcuts and cheating can lead you only so far and besides, the shortcuts either run through dangerous wildernesses or vault on weak poles. To enjoy the comfort of success, you need to walk every mile of the road that leads to your goal, however winding it may be. Wilderness of the shortcuts can waylay the strongest of the strong for who knows what lurks in those wildernesses. To succeed and gain strength while succeeding, you need to climb every step of the ladder that leads to the top. Pole vaulting the height will leave you as weak as you always were, making you vulnerable to every push of the crowd at the top. Besides the pole may never last the jump.

Robin tricked everyone to succeed. He manipulated the situation to cheat two innocent hearts so as to bribe his pet. But all his dirty tricks and manipulations have left him vulnerable to be destroyed in one single hit of fate.

On the other hand, Steve underwent every hardship with a smile, making him a stronger man to survive his ordeal. One stroke of luck and not only will he get back everything that belongs to him, but much more, and forever.

When power backs someone, morality is generally the first causality, and success at any cost becomes the motivation. Daniel finally stooped to the level only a man corrupted by power can. But then, just because his fate is encrypted in the complex lines of his own hands, does not necessarily means he also controls it.

As Daniel raised his foot to stomp hard on Andy’s hands clinging to the raft for his life, something suddenly distracted Andy’s attention as he looked away. Daniel however failed to notice the change in surroundings and went ahead. But before his foot could come anyway near Andy’s hands, a strong tug at the raft imbalanced him and he almost fell out of the raft himself.

“Natalie! Save me!” Andy yelled out to an impatient and concerned Natalie who had witnessed everything from the deck of the LCM along with Shiva.

“What the hell?” Daniel almost whispered to himself.

“Grab this rope Andy,” Shiva yelled out as he tossed a rope into the sea, right next to Andy.

After a couple of uncomfortable grabs Andy finally managed to lay a hand on the rope and immediately grabbed it with both. As Daniel got up again, Andy pulled away towards the LCM. Shive pulled the rope from the other end and in no time Andy was pulled up on to the deck of the LCM, beaten and exhausted but much relieved.

“Oh you are safe! You are safe!” Natalie immediately embraced him and showered him with kisses.

“Thankyou so much Shiva, thankyou so much,” Andy nearly collapsed on to the floor due to weakness, but Shiva grabbed him and supported him back on to his feet.

“Is he alright?” Larry came rushing out of the wheel house.

“Yes he’s fine,” Shiva replied.

“Where is that scoundrel Daniel?” Larry roared. And they all looked towards the raft and saw Daniel still standing there, not knowing what to do.

“What happened between you two guys?” Larry turned around and asked Andy.

“He tried to kill me!” Andy replied.

“He tried to kill you! Why?” Larry asked.

“He’s jealous of me because of Natalie and tried to eliminate me out of his way,” Andy replied.

“That is ridiculous,” Shiva exclaimed.

“But how did you guys know?” Andy asked.

“Natalie woke up and noticed Daniel missing. She immediately came out and saw him looking for you,” Shiva replied, “Possibly her sixth sense alerted her of the clear and imminent danger. She alerted me and Larry and here we are, rescuing you.”

“We were shouting at the top of our voices but you two were not listening,” Natalie broke down and collapsed into Andy’s arms.

“Perhaps the strong diagonal wind and the noise of this boat drowned our sounds,” Larry tried to find a possible explanation.

“But wait a minute,” Shiva interrupted the merry reunion of the two hearts, “What are you doing here?”

“I,” Andy was left speechless for a moment. He finally got the courage to say, “I love her!”

“That we know!” Shiva quipped, “But you still haven’t answered my question.” And both Larry and Shiva burst out laughing.

As Andy stared at the two, blushing, Natalie put her hand on his cheek and pulled his face towards her. She looked deep into his eyes, smiled and asked, “What did you just say?”

Andy smiled and blushed some more before saying, “I love you Nats!”

Natalie smiled and hugged him saying, “I love you too you idiot! What took you so long?”

Larry and Shiva watched the two young love birds as they reminisced their own youth. Everybody almost forgot about Daniel and what he had just attempted to do until the sound of the motorboat finally caught their attention. Everybody stood in silence and let Daniel climb back on to the deck. Daniel climbed up the deck, his head held down.

“I am making a Citizen’s Arrest,” Larry immediately said, “You will be given ample opportunity to explain your conduct. You may or may not say anything before that.”

“We’ll need to tie him up just to make sure he won’t get adventurous again,” Shive added, “I’ll get the rope.”

“But,” Daniel wanted to say something but didn’t have any words to. Shiva brought out two ropes from inside and Daniel’s hands and feet were tied together.

“Can’t you please forgive me and let me go this time?” Daniel asked.

“Forgive you?” Larry roared, “You just tied to kill a fellow human being in cold blood!” Do you realize how serious your crime is?”

“He is beyond any reproach Larry,” Andy quipped, “He and Robin have both crossed the bounds of morality.”

“What do you mean?” Shiva said.

“You both know what I mean,” Andy exclaimed, “Were you not there when he and Robin so shamelessly blamed Steve for Nakata’s kid? You didn’t believe me then!”

Both Larry and Shiva’s heads fell down in shame. Larry finally said, “But you believe in GOD!”

“Yes I do!” Andy replied firmly, “And so do Steve and Clara!”

“And so do I,” Natalie interrupted.

“What?” Andy was surprised, “I mean how? I mean when?”

“Steve just came in my dream and said to me, ‘your Andy’s in trouble and you are sleeping?’ That’s how I got up and found Daniel looking for you viciously,” Natalie replied, “Something makes me feel, someone was watching over us.”

“Look, you two have gone crazy,” Larry quipped.

“Ok! I don’t believe in GOD!” Andy immediately said, “Now will you believe in anything I say?”

Andy’s statement took Larry by surprise as he barely muttered, “I don’t know!”

“You don’t believe me just because I believe in GOD, isn’t it?” Andy asked.

“Yes!” Larry replied with small hesitation.

“How do you know I believe in GOD?” Andy asked.

“You yourself said so,” Larry answered.

“So if I were to say that I don’t believe in GOD, will it not set everything right?” Andy asked.

“But that would be a lie,” Shiva tried to defend Larry.

“So you agree that I am telling the truth when I say I believe in GOD?” Andy asked.

“We have no reason not to,” Larry replied.

“Then why don’t you believe me when I say Steve is innocent and Clara did bear Nakata’s child?” Andy asked with his hands on his hips.

Shiva and Larry were left speechless.

“Ask him now,” Andy said pointing at Daniel who was lying on the ground.

They both looked at each other and finally Shiva asked Daniel, “Look, you’ve done what you have, but if you want to escape swear punishment you need to tell us the truth.”

Daniel looked at Andy and Natalie.

Natalie finally knelt down besides him, put her hand on his face and said, “Speak the truth Daniel and I will forgive you for trying to kill my life.”

Daniel looked around at everyone as they stood silent besides him, looking at him in anticipation. Daniel finally broke down. After much thought he finally said, “I want to confess!”

As Daniel exposed the details of the conspiracy bit by bit, everybody stood there in horror and disbelief. Finally when Daniel finished Larry could take it no more and yelled at his face, “How could you people kill your own wives and kids, you murderers?”

“Hold yourself together Larry,” Shiva tried to calm him down.

“I want to kill this man right now,” Larry roared.

“He will be awarded due punishment, but not by us,” Shiva reasoned with him, “He will be punished by the people of Hatsu Saisho against whom he has sinned.”

“But you said if I confess my punishment will decrease in severity,” Daniel pleaded.

“Yes but that was for trying to kill Andy and ruining Steve’s life, not for conspiring to kill your own wife and kid along with three other innocent people,” Shiva yelled at him.

“What do we do now?” Andy asked.

“We need to heed back to Adelaide shores,” Larry stated, “We can’t let that great man Steve suffer anymore, and allow that cheat Robin to continue fooling innocent people.”

And everybody present, agreed.

Miles behind them, at Adelaide shores, Robin was busy getting married to his wife’s kid sister Kina.

“Do you take President Mr Robin Sutherland as you lawfully wedded husband?” Jake Nicholson asked Kina as Robin and the rest looked up at her in anticipation.

“I,” Kina was about to say yes when a loud cheer reverberated in the atmosphere. Everybody turned around and saw the blessed solitary raft touch the Adelaide beach, Rajon and Omar lifting oars above their heads and screaming out loud in joy, and the two kids jumping up and down. Rosalyn, Lisa and Alexia hugged each other and cried.

“Rose,” Kina immediately gave out a loud yell and forgetting her wedding completely rushed towards the raft and towards her sister who disembarked the raft first and helped the kids get off it.

“Rose,” Kina shouted again as she ran as fast as she could, her joy being barely contained inside her.

“Kina,” Rosalyn immediately forgot her fatigue and sufferings and rushed to Kina. The two sisters met in the middle as they hugged each other. The two kids ran towards the crowd shouting “Papa! Papa!” Suzie saw Robin and immediately rushed to him and grabbed his legs, “Papa, I missed you! Why did you leave us? Please don’t ever leave us again!” Jaden however couldn’t find his father Daniel in the crowd and kept asking, “Where’s my papa? Where’s my papa?”

Steve picked him up and said, “Your papa will be back here soon!”

“What are you doing here?” Robin asked Steve.

“You’ll know! You’ll know!” Steve glared at him and walked towards his wife Demetria, “Hold him for a moment!” He handed over Jaden to Demetria who looked at him, not knowing what to say. But Steve just gave her a blank hard stare and walked away towards Rosalyn and Kina who had been surrounded by Aika and others.

“How are you my friend?” Rajon asked Steve as he stepped out of the crowd and shook Steve’s hand and embraced him.

“In a very bad shape but something tells me, it’s all going to fall back into the right place now,” Steve said.

“Trust me, it will,” Rajon said, “Because GOD is great. HE takes care of those who don’t forget HIM or HIS people.”

“Rajon’s right brother! GOD is the greatest saviour of all time,” Omar said as he extended his hand for a handshake and then hugged Steve.

“My love, I am so glad to see you alive,” Robin finally woke up to the situation and rushed towards Rosalyn to hug her.

“Don’t you dare touch me,” Rosalyn’s anger shook the sky out of place.

Robin was taken aback as he struggled to say a word, “What?”

“Stay away from me you cheat, murderer,” Rosalyn burst out.

“What are you saying my love?” Robin fumbled.

“She is saying the truth,” Lisa burst out as well and started to cry as she hugged Rosalyn, “You heartless scoundrels, you nearly killed us! And for what fault?”

“I don’t understand what are you two saying?” Robin tried to act innocent.

“You tried to kill us so that you could be with my sister,” Rosalyn cried out.

“What?” Kina was shocked. For the first time the reality dawned on her. The man she was about to get married to had cheated her and tried to kill her sister. And the worst was she was in love with him now. “We were just about to get married,” tears rolled down Kina’s eyes as she hid her face in her hands.

“You were getting married to him?” Rosalyn was shocked.

“I fell in his trap,” Kina said.

“That ridiculous,” Robin said, “I am innocent! I didn’t know you were alive. Kina gave all the comfort to my paining heart.”

“Stop lying!” Rosalyn yelled as she stepped forward and slapped Robin, “You lied when you told everyone that it was your idea to bring wood to Hatsu Saisho, when it was Steve’s idea!”

“That’s a lie,” Robin knew instantly his game was over.

“My husband told me the same,” Lisa instantly came forward in Rosalyn’s defence, “He also told me that it wasn’t Steve who forced you to leave but you people who forced him to stay with late Nakata’s wife Clara.”

“What? Nakata married Clara before dying?” Taio Bayer who was standing in the crowd summed up the entire mob’s surprise.

Clara, who was also present amongst the crowd, gave out a loud cry as she collapsed on her knees, Katsuo held tightly to her bosoms. She started to cry inconsolably.

“Hold yourself together Clara,” Steve said as he tried to comfort Clara.

“What do you mean? Don’t you people know this?” Lisa was surprised at Taio Bayer’s reaction, “And why is Clara crying like this?”

“We are sorry Steve?” was all Taio said.

“What’s happening over here? I don’t understand,” Lisa looked at Rosalyn, confused at everybody’s reaction as everybody gathered around Clara and Steve and began apologizing.

“We’ve let you down Steve! Please forgive us,” Jake Nicholson said.

“Is this really my grandson? My Nakata’s child?” Aika’s eyes brimmed as she waded through the crowd and made her way to Clara. She knelt down facing Clara and stroked Katsuo’s head with her hand.

“It is my Nakata’s partying gift to all of us,” Clara struggled to speak, “Look at his eyes! Don’t you see your Nakata in every bit of him?”

Aika took Katsuo in her hands and looked closely at him for the first time, “How could I be so blind? How could I not see my Nakata?” And Aika broke down.

“Can I see him mother?” a crying Ono came forward to have a look at Katsuo. “He looks every bit like my brother, my Nakata,” and Ono broke down as well.

“Steve,” Demetria’s voice attracted everybody’s attention, “Will you ever be able to forgive me?” And she broke down into Steve’s arms who embraced her tightly.

“I was never angry with you,” Steve said as he cried like a child, “I just wanted you to believe me! I just wanted your love! I just wanted you!”

And everybody’s eyes filled up at this blissful reunion of hearts.

“Wait a minute! Where’s that cheat husband of mine?” Lisa asked everyone.

“He’s been dispatched to Hatsu Saisho to fetch more people along with Larry, Shiva and your sister Natalie,” Taio Bayer replied.

“My sister Natalie is with him?” Lisa immediately got concerned.

“Unfortunately yes,” Taio replied, “Robin made us all believe she was needed for the journey which we now realize was a trick meant to give Daniel a chance to hook up with her.”

“How could you people do this to such an innocent girl?” Lisa immediately got concerned, “Oh my GOD! My sister is in danger!” Lisa began to cry.

“Don’t worry Lisa,” Taio tried to comfort her, “We all have reason to believe that Andy hid himself on one of the rafts and went along with them.”

“Andy?” Lisa was surprised.

“Yes Lisa,” Jake replied, “We all know Lisa and Andy love each other, and besides Larry and Shiva are there along with Natalie. You don’t need to worry.”

“Andy is with her,” Steve finally spoke, “I hid him on the raft the night before they left. Natalie is aware of his presence.”

“Thankyou Steve, your words have given me belief that my sister is safe,” Lisa replied, “I know Andy. He’s a good bloke. He’ll definitely keep my sister happy and give her all the love she needs.”

“I’m sure he will,” Steve nodded in agreement.

“By the way, where has that scoundrel Robin escaped?” Rosalyn brought Robin’s absence to everyone’s notice.

“Where is Robin?” Taio Bayer said, “Everybody look for him.”

“You won’t have to go far,” Robin’s voice caught everybody’s attention as he walked right through the crowd, Steve’s gun in his hand and aimed straight at Steve’s head.

“If I am going to loose everything, I may as well kill you,” Robin said as he looked into Steve’s eyes, intense hatred simmering inside.

“If you were born to your own father, do it,” Steve said to him.

“Please don’t kill my husband,” Demetria cried and tried to come in between Steve and the gun.

“You stay out of this Demetria,” Steve pushed her away, “I can take care of him very well.”

“Please don’t do this,” Rosalyn cried out too.

“Who will stop me?” Robin asked.

“If it’s not my time to go, then GOD will!” Steve replied with faith.

“Is that so? Your GOD is more powerful than this gun?” Robin asked.

“Why don’t you just try and test it for yourself?” Steve asked in reply.

“No Steve don’t dare him, please,” Demetria pleaded.

“Too late,” Robin said and pressed the trigger.

The gun refused to go.

“What the hell?” Robin was surprised and pushed the trigger a few times again. But the gun just won’t go.

That was all the time Steve needed as he took a big step towards Robin, grabbed the barrel of the gun in one hand, and punched Robin with the other. “You need to load it first,” Steve said as a deflated Robin found himself on the ground, bleeding from his nose and one tooth short. Immediately Taio, Jake and a few other men grabbed him and pinned him to the ground. Robin struggled but to no avail.

“A man can run but only as far as his grave,” Steve bent over and said in the face of Robin.

“Steve,” Demetria hugged him again, “Don’t you ever do this again.”

“You are married to a Lion love,” Steve said as he kissed her on her forehead, “And I Lion is not scared of dogs.”

Everybody erupted in joy and lifted Steve on their shoulders.

“Thank GOD it’s all ended well,” Clara exclaimed as Aika rocked her grandson.

“What has GOD got to do with it? What has HE done? I didn’t see any GOD sorting out our problems,” Ono questioned Clara’s faith, “If HE was the one doing all the work, why didn’t anyone see HIM?”

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