"Unlikely Heroes" by Nathaniel L.

 

            It was the day of June 5, 2118 and I was with my friends, flying around the city of Portland, Oregon at incredible speed playing air tag. When playing this game if you make one wrong turn or move you can get yourself hurt, hurt someone else, or break something, so it’s a dangerous game, but it’s one of our favorite. Oh pardon me for not introducing myself, my name is Ray Stockton, 17 years old, senior at Forrest Field High School, a Christian and I have special abilities. I would also like to introduce my friends Trevor Hicks, Rick Steels, and Billy Watson. They also are 17 years old but we are a few days apart from each other, seniors at Forrest Field High School, Christians and likewise they have special abilities too. If you are wondering how we got these special abilities, my friends say it’s a gift from God and it was, but at the time of getting these abilities I did not believe so. I’m going to take you back to the year of 2112 when I got my powers and a life journey that changed my life forever.

            Friday after school, Trevor invited me to church with Rick and Billy on Sunday morning. I went to church with them a couple of times, but just went so I could hang out with them. I knew that God existed and how He sent His son to die on the cross for our sins, so that we may believe, have forgiveness, and that we might be saved, yet I did not want to believe. I did not want to believe because I enjoyed my sin that I was in and did not want to give it up. So I get to the youth house at the church of Calvary Chapel and my friends greet me with excitement. Trevor was the first to speak: “Morning Ray, how are you doing, did you have a good weekend?” Ray: “Morning Trevor, I’m doing pretty good, pretty good weekend so far, nothing too interesting, how about you guys?” Trevor: “Pretty good as well. Billy, Rick, and I got to go evangelizing yesterday and this guy gave himself to the Lord, it was amazing, you should’ve been, there it was so cool!” Billy: “yeah definitely, like the joy it gave us knowing that we saved another person from eternal death but keep in mind that in Ephesians 2:8 say “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.’” Rick: “(hand gesturing toward Billy and Trevor) I bet you guys can agree that it was awesome and you would like to do it again?” Billy and Trevor: “Definitely.” We continue to talk for a few minutes until the leaders called us in because service was about to start. Even though I don’t believe, for some reason this message spoke to me in that I felt kind of guilty and hurt after it, but I ignored it. Little did my friends and I know, that God had a big plan to get me saved and to use our group of friends to save the world.

            So later that night I got ready for bed and something told me that tomorrow was going to be different. I woke up and remembered that we had no school because of Presidents Day. I walked into the restroom, got cleaned up, and I noticed that my hand started to shake really fast “what the?” I was really confused so I ran down stairs and I was there in one second! I realized “COOL I HAVE SUPER SPEED!” Then two more special abilities came which was flight and strength, I was thrilled. A message came in from the group chat with my friends and it said “I just got super powers, praise God, praise God, praise God.” Later that day we got together at our tree house to discuss our new special gifts. Each of us all had flight and super speed, but had a different third power. Meanwhile the U.S and Russia with other countries broke out into WWIII. Three years go by and we learn how use our powers and see what are limits are. The war is still going on and unlike the first two World Wars, this time it’s in center of the United States and spreading in all directions. Lucky enough it hasn’t reach our city.

            My friends and I get caught using our powers in the city messing around with all the comic book myths. The following day we are at our treehouse and the government comes knocking at our trap door. They request of our service to help fight Russia and the other countries to win U.S the war. All of us are nervous and don’t know what to do but we gladly comply with their request. They give us basic hand to hand combat, and gun training. The government debriefs us on what the mission is and our objective. During the mission I have a mental breakdown and said “I can’t do this,” “you guys can do this because you have God and I don’t.” Rick: “You can have God too, do you want to accept Christ into your life?” Ray: “yes I do.” Rick: “guys come over and help me lead Ray with the sinners prayer” So they came over and prayed with me and at that moment I felt whole and renewed and trusting that God will keep us safe in the missions. I was ready to continue our mission as a Christian in faith. While in missions we shared the gospel with many POWS. The U.S won the war and we received medals of Honor for our service. We are now back and relaxing from playing air tag on a building when all of a sudden we appeared in a heaven facing our savior. My friends and I realized the rapture had just taken place.