The Ashes of Tomorrow
The Ashes of Tomorrow
Chapter 1: The Fire from the Sky
The world had always thought nuclear war was a threat of the past—a Cold War relic buried under decades of political handshakes and disarmament treaties. But on a crisp October morning, everything changed. Satellites picked up the first missile launches. Within minutes, the sky was lit with a terrible glow, as cities turned to dust and humanity realized that its time of reckoning had come.
The war was over in seven days.
But it was the aftermath that truly destroyed the world.
Jacob Hayes sat on a ridge overlooking the charred remains of what had once been a small town nestled in the valley below. His King James Bible rested on his lap, the worn leather binding a familiar comfort in a world gone mad. He had read the words of prophecy before—wars, pestilences, and famine—but living through them was something else entirely.
"Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof." Jacob whispered the verse from Isaiah to himself, eyes scanning the desolate wasteland before him.
The town was eerily silent. The power grid had failed within the first 24 hours of the war. There were no flickering streetlights, no hum of air conditioners, no television broadcasts warning people to remain indoors. Just silence.
Jacob adjusted the strap of his backpack and made his way down the slope. His boots crunched on the blackened soil, and every step sent a small cloud of radioactive ash into the air. He pulled his makeshift cloth mask tighter over his face. Food and water were scarce, but contamination was the greater enemy.
Chapter 2: The New Reality
The survivors had learned to adapt quickly or die. Communities that once thrived had been reduced to isolated camps of people who trusted no one outside their circle. Food was bartered, and weapons spoke louder than words.
Jacob reached the edge of the town and approached an abandoned grocery store. The windows were shattered, and the aisles had been stripped of anything useful long ago. Still, he searched, praying for a forgotten can of beans or a bottle of clean water.
"And having food and raiment let us be therewith content," he muttered under his breath. His faith had kept him alive—just barely.
A noise behind him made him freeze. He spun around, gripping the wooden handle of his hunting knife. A figure emerged from the shadows, hands raised.
"Easy there," said a man with a ragged beard and sunken eyes. "I’m just passing through."
Jacob studied him for a moment before lowering his knife. "Passing through to where? There’s nothing left."
The man chuckled darkly. "There’s always something left if you know where to look. But you—you’ve got that Bible with you. You one of those Christians?"
Jacob nodded. "King James."
The man smirked. "Figured as much. They say people like you are surviving longer than most. You got some kind of secret?"
Jacob didn’t answer. The truth was, he believed God’s providence had guided him this far. He’d seen miracles: clean water in a dry riverbed, shelter just as a storm hit, and strangers who helped him when he least expected it.
Chapter 3: The Beast System
As the years passed, the world began to rebuild—but it wasn’t the same world. Cities were replaced by AI-governed enclaves, highly controlled zones where technology ruled and people were tracked by their digital identifiers. The mark of the beast, they called it.
Those who refused the mark lived outside the cities, in poverty-stricken camps and wilderness hideouts. The AI-controlled government declared them enemies of progress, and drones patrolled the skies looking for dissenters.
Jacob had heard the stories. Some Christians tried to live hidden within the cities, working menial jobs and avoiding the biometric scans. Others, like him, chose the wilderness, trusting that God would provide as He had for the Israelites.
"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." The verse from Revelation echoed in Jacob’s mind as he watched a drone pass overhead.
Chapter 4: Hidden in the Wilderness
Jacob’s camp was deep in the forest, far from the nearest city. He lived with a small group of like-minded believers who shared his conviction that the AI-controlled society was the image of the beast prophesied in Scripture.
Food was scarce, but they planted what they could and hunted when necessary. At night, they gathered around a fire to read from the Bible, sharing verses of comfort and hope.
"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer," Jacob read aloud, his voice steady. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
One of the women, an older lady named Ruth, wiped a tear from her cheek. "Do you think we’ll make it to the end, Jacob? Or will they find us?"
"God will protect us until our appointed time," Jacob replied. "We have to trust in Him."
Chapter 5: The Great Tribulation
As the years went by, the world plunged deeper into chaos. The AI system grew more oppressive, and natural disasters intensified. Earthquakes, famines, and plagues swept across the globe. The wilderness camps were raided more frequently, and Jacob’s group dwindled as some were captured or killed.
One night, as they huddled in their makeshift shelter, the ground began to shake violently. Jacob grabbed his Bible and held it close. "This is only the beginning of sorrows," he whispered.
When the shaking stopped, he gathered the remaining members of his group. "We need to move further into the mountains," he said. "They’ll be looking for us here."
As they packed their belongings, Jacob couldn’t help but think of the words of Jesus: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."
He didn’t know how long they could survive, but he knew one thing for certain: God’s providence would guide them until the end.
And so, they marched into the wilderness, their faith unwavering, even as the world around them crumbled.