And The Heavens Fell Silent by Maria Louise (beach read TXT) 📖

Nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against kingdom -Mark 13:8

A vicious black and purple cloud rolled across the valley, obliterating the blazing white sun. It cast my village into almost complete inky darkness.
I shivered despite the always hot air. Something about the dark storm gave me a feeling of dread. I fearfully gazed up at the sky again, It looked as though the very sun had turned as black as the devil's heart.
As I made my way cautiously through the beaten down village, horses whinnied at me and pranced around their pens nervously. They seemed to sense the danger lurking within the depths of the storm
I quickened my pace as I felt the ground shake and rumble under me, as if it was enraged. Was It just another earthquake? I dismissed the thought. It did not feel of natural causes, but something more sinister.
That was when I saw it. A billowing dust storm rolling and crawling closer to our village, I heard the sounds of thousands of voices, captured within the dust cloud, as if it was bringing with it an army of ghosts.
My heart dropped with an realization. An army!
I sprung into action, storming down the dusty street to my house leaving the bucket of warm water overturned on the ground. Catching my breath I stopped in front of a faded house with small oval windows that lined most of the walls. The yards dry grass rustled about with the storm and a dead tree stood tall and strong in the middle of it.
My home.
Even though most people were either in a cult at my age or got kicked out of their home at ten years old, I planned on staying with my mother until I died.
The villagers loved to gossip about my odd ways. They thought it was strange how I would take in an animal if it was wounded. They shunned me for not taking place in their sacrifice rituals, and contemplated using me for sacrifice. The only reason I was not murdered by now was because they were afraid of me. Their fear caused them to forbid me to speak with anyone in the village except my mother, for fear my unholy ways would pollute others. I did not care what they thought. Though I was often lonely.
I made my way quickly up the stone path to the large black door of my beloved house. Before I could even reach for the doorknob the door flung open revealing Mama with her wild graying hair and her fearful eyes, as black as night.
“It has begun. Hurry, come inside before they see you!” shrieked Mama while wildly grabbing my arm and yanking me inside the old house.
So she knew about the the army marching towards our desolate village. I was not surprised. Mother often had “visions”.
The strong smell of sage tea floated around the room as I cautiously followed mother through the kitchen and into the living courtiers. She desperately pulled me down beside her on the overly stuffed couch. I felt like I was sinking into the center of freshly baked bread. Just thinking about it made my mouth water. It had been so long since we had a proper meal! The villagers were reduced to eating their horses and there had been scattered rumors about people going missing throughout the village. I have heard human flesh was better than horse, though I would starve before I laid a hand on any human or even my trusting stallion.
I was not the least bit surprised when Mama yanked my neck down to her level and whispered with great sorrow in her eyes, “The heavens have fallen silent.”
Thunder roared out side almost shaking my bones and I started to hear the faint pitter patter of rain on the roof.
“It doesn't sound very silent to me.” I said matter of factly.
Mama ignored my comment and continued, acting as if her life depended on it.
“The heavens have fallen silent! The gateway to heaven has closed! The lord God has finally given up on us! Oh, my innocent, Yram! My sweet, sweet child! What have I done? I am sorry for what I have brought upon you.” she moaned.
Mother pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself as a child would. She looked so young and afraid like that. My heart swelled for her, she obviously believed the insanity she was speaking.
“It's all my fault! I am so, so sorry. So sorry. Sooory!” Mother frantically sobbed without meeting my eyes. She was now in hysterics rocking back and forth repeatedly. I wrapped my arms around her emaciated frame and murmured soothingly, “It’s not your fault. You don't have to be sorry Mama. You did not do anything. The army could not possibly be your fault.”
Mamas rocking stilled and her head slowly turned to me. A rare look of clarity melted into her withered features.
“I was once a wicked young girl.” Mama confessed. “I did bad, bad things in the eyes of God. I-I fell in love with your..father. Your demon father, Yram. Demon!”
I took in a shaky breath, terrified. “Mama, w-what are you saying? You're scaring me, please calm down.”
Not hearing me, Mama lifted up my shirt and placed her ice cold hand on my stomach. I jumped away at first but then realized what she was doing, though I did not understand why. Mama had placed her hand across the center of my belly where I knew there was a odd pink birthmark .The mark started at my navel and flared out around my stomach making a much despised five pointed star. The sign of the devil, a inner voice whispered to me. I always told myself it was just a coincidence. Though, deep down I knew it was not. It was something much, much more.
“This is the mark of the chosen one.” she she whispered. The way Mama said it made it obvious I was not chosen by the God I prayed to.
“Katheryn,” I said dead serious. “What are you talking about? I am chosen for what?”
Mama gave me a look of pain that corrupted her sharp features.
I had never seen Mama like this before. So lucid yet so sorrowful. She was terrifying me, because for some reason, I believed her.
“Right after the demon gave me you, he left saying he would return for you when the heavens have fallen silent... He left me, young and afraid to raise a child until the devil had need of it. The mark on your stomach is no birthmark as I told you, it is the mark of the devil. Now that he is almost winning the battle against God, he needs you to tip the balance of the war to their favor. I am not sorry that I have given birth to you and raised you. You are the best thing that ever happened to me and he can NEVER take that away! But what have I done? I am so sorry, Yram. They are coming for you.”
I remembered the odd storm outside. It was so dark it obliterated the sun. The storm reminded me eerily of a bible passage about the end of the world.
“The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood.”
I was in shock. This could not be happening! I didn't even believe that demons roamed the earth! Much less that I was promised to the devil himself! Yet, I believed her.
“Promised for what?” I asked again. Fear was slowly eating me alive.
Mamas eyes turned glassy as she recited a type of poem in a monotone voice,

“Made of demon and of flesh.
Something so pure,
to be put to the test.
Corrupted by evil
and the mark of hell
bear the womb of darkness
she shall.
Through corruption and hatred,
dark salvation will come,
by the blood and the power
of the chosen one”

As Mama spoke the last sentence she came out of the trance.
“You must run to the City of God! There you will find safety!” urgently shouted Mama.
“I am NOT leaving you, Mama!” I yelled back. “Come with me! Lets leave together!”
Mother pushed me up off the couch trying to force me away as she frantically shrieked, “It is you they want! Not me! My old body will not travel well . I fear I will not make the journey. Go now! Take Hosanna! Zion is his home and he will remember the road we traveled long ago.”
“I. Am. Not. Leaving. You.” I told her heatedly.
“Than stay here and watch me die. They will come for you. Just know it will be your fault when the world will fall to Lucifer and the street will run with innocent blood.” Mama said fiercely, ignoring the tears that were streaming down her face and soaking the front of her dress.
I did not know what to do. What could I do?
Mama seemed to see the chink in my armor.
“You need to run. I am serious, you are going to be the mother of hell if you don't.” Mama had fire in her eyes as she said that.
“Promise me you will be okay.” I choked out. I could barely speak with my heart in my throat.
Just then, I heard screaming and growling outside the house.
“Where is the girl?!” A smooth voice demanded. “Where is Yram?! My child!”
I heard a thick, wet, thump as steal met flesh.
Father was here.
“GO!” Mama demanded her eyes wide with terror. “And may God see your light in all of this darkness.”

You need to run. I am serious, you are going to be the mother of hell, if you don't-Christian,Straw

I ran. Leaving my home, my Mother, and the only place I had ever known behind me. Leaving myself, it felt like.
I wanted to cry, but knew it would only blur my vision, so instead, I hardened myself and ran out the back door to the two horse stable mother owned.
The storm howled above my head, as if it was coming for me.
I ran even faster.
When finally, I made It out of the rain and into the warm stables, I grabbed my withered bridle and flung open Hosanna’s stall door.
Hosanna took my breath away every time I laid eyes on him. Even now when I could barely see him in the darkness, he was the most magnificent horse I had ever seen. His soft coat of fur was crystal white and his eyes were as black as coal. Not only was he beautiful but the very way he