MAD by Keith G. Laufenberg (ereader for textbooks .txt) 📖

“Yeah—way ahead,” Ironballs replied, beyond mad now, as his very soul cried out for a word—any word—that could describe what he felt—but there was no reply—for his soul was dead and so his husk of a body, which now reacted as it had unwittingly and unknowingly been programmed to, settled for being mad, just as it had settled for—and taken its part in—the destruction of Mother Earth, which Kromleski now realized the earth had truly been, having heard the term many times at environmental protests, usually by the few Native Americans still among the living, but discounting it, as he had discounted all sanity over his long military career, the only way he could justify all the orders he had given, orders that he now knew had meant—and would now mean—the death of literally billions of human beings—not to mention the animals and every other form of life known on earth. And so, he now accepted being only mad and, as he gazed at Connelly, both men wondered how long it would be—before the end—the absolute end of the world—came?
Connelly—whose minor in college had been religious philanthropy, inhaled deeply—feeling—sensing that the end of the world was near, as his hands began shaking and his entire body began trembling, he stammered: "God Ironballs, this is the Armageddon," causing Kromleski to sneer at his friend.
"Yeah—right—it's the Armageddon alright. So, if it's the Armageddon—like you say—where's the good?"
"The good?" Connelly replied.
"Yeah, where's the good—where's God—the Savior—where's the good in this Armageddon, c'mon Tom, this is man-made and you—of all people—should know that?"
Connelly scowled and his shaking continued. "No, the Lord Gee-zuz is coming back now Dan—I know it—I just know that—now."
Daniel "Ironballs" Kromleski, shook his head but said nothing. He was out of words, he was a soldier first and last and he had been ever and always faithful to that as his Marine Corps motto had demanded of him. He was a success in life he knew he was, as he silently—mentally—went over his past life. He would die just as he had lived, he silently decided: '"with no fear and no expectations of any "promised land" or anything else"'—even as Tom Connelly shook and trembled, as he awaited his Lord and Savior.


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Publication Date: 05-27-2011

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