Break From Reality. Daily.
September, 2001 – Al Anbar Province, Iraq “We jump in thirty,” yelled the team leader. Chris leaned back, breathing deeply, preparing himself to drop from the air and enter “The X”. As the Bell UH-1N Iroquois, helicopter, better known as the ‘Huey’, floated up and over the low hills of the Iraqi countryside, the marines…
April 1, 2002, Baltimore, MD He stumbled, his heavy dragging foot snagging a raised edge on the sidewalk. Catching himself with his hands against the pavement, soiled water splashed on his shirt joining the stains of coughed up whiskey and vomit. Chris stood and continued to wander aimlessly down the crowded sidewalk. He’d tried to…
The following story is part of the Defense of Reality. 1979, Northeast, MD Elesea moved with silent swiftness, following the faded outline of the vehicle that held her target. Her loose fitting pants and tunic left freedom for movement. The lack of wind or air prevented the light grey fabric from the sound of rustling…
The following story is by Cory Barnett and Jeremy Fumia. It is part of The Defense of Reality. “Thank you for coming, Ivan.” Crossing the Veil was always disheartening for Ivan. It churned his stomach. It wasn’t the leap. That was as instantaneous as stepping through a doorway. It was the perspective that rattled him,…
“Ah, I really don’t feel like having this conversation.”
“You started it.”
“No I –.”
“I’m just the voice in your head, so either way, you started it.”
Ananias and Judith walked quietly along the base of the wall, hoping that their timing was going to work out. From a distance they followed a group of six soldiers that were making their way along the ribbon of the city to complete their hourly rounds. They hadn’t been noticed, mostly because the soldiers never…
Saul walked with Crispin and Ichabod to Judas’ sister Sarah’s house. After the initial tension upon Saul’s arrival in Damascus, Crispin and Ichabod had grown closer to Saul. During the first few months, amidst the fear and distrust, they couldn’t deny the explanations that Saul would give for things he now understood. Over time, his…
(image by Takomabibelot via Creative Commons) This story was part of the Defense of Reality. Click here to read more. June 3rd, 2005 Chris walked up to the mountain of a man standing on the corner. The giant wore a long black trench coat, a black t-shirt, black cargo pants, and matching black military boots. His…
After breakfast, which didn’t amount to anything more than what was absolutely necessary to keep prisoners alive, everyone sat quietly in their respective corners. Mark’s frame filled his corner. He rested against the outside wall, and the sunlight that poked through the high window cast him in a shadow. Dark complexion, broad chest, black curly…
“What made you change your belief? You saw a light, and now you are a different man?” It was the next day after Saul had arrived at Ananias’ home. He was sitting in the middle of the living room, circled about by members of the church in Damascus. He had been answering questions like this…
Judas waited at the end of Straight Street, leaning against the gate to the city of Damascus, and watched Saul and his companions cross the long valley that ended at the entrance to the city. A messenger had arrived a couple of days earlier, sent from the Chief Priest in Jerusalem to prepare the Jews…
The last day of the trip to Damascus. Saul had slowly dropped to the back of the group, and seemed distant. At first the others just ignored him to let him sort out whatever it was that kept him preoccupied. After a time, they tried to find topics that would get Saul to open up,…
Alone and bright the sliver glows It’s edges crisp against sable sky Breathtaking, I stop to pause Absorbing it all, or attempting to try It surpasses my understanding Descriptions escape what eyes can see I fail to share the beauty Surrender overwhelms me He made the veil of dark above And the stars strewn across…
“How can he sleep like that?” Dominic interrupted Paul. Everyone looked Alexander, the business man. The blinding sun was beaming through the small window above them, and was shining directly into Alex’s face. He didn’t stir. “Well, he seems content.” Paul replied. Dominic replied, “He may look it, but I don’t think that is the…
They led Stephen to the temple and had him stand in front of the Sanhedrin. Saul sat to the side, looking at his friend. The guards standing to either side of Stephen were ready to pounce as if Stephen were going to attempt to run. The Sanhedrin looked at each other, waiting for someone to…
Stephen lost focus on the conversation he was having with a tall elderly woman and shifted his eyes to glance over her shoulder. They were there, and still coming on strong. He had watched them for several blocks. Saul was leading the way, his short legs pumping at full speed, his small, dark, piercing eyes…
Several weeks after Pentecost, the two disciples that seemed to have gathered the most attention, Peter and John, were arrested by the priests and the Sadducees. “Saul, have you seen the men that were arrested yesterday in the temple?” asked Gamaliel, “They are the students of Jesus.” “Yes, I saw the fishermen. Who would take…
The following story is part of an ongoing series. To read the rest of the series click here. “So, what happened then, Paul?” asked Mark, who had been silent for some time. He seemed to be annoyed, wanting to reach the end of the story. “What does all of this have to do with you…
“I guess you finally caught Jesus. Everyone knows that story” replied Alex. “Yeah, we caught Him”, and again, Paul’s gaze drifted away into the distance. Then Paul shook his head as if snapping himself back to reality. “I can still remember how elated I was that we had finally put an end to it all. …
(The image above by Chris Wightman found via Creative Commons) A stone chapel sat atop a small rise in the middle of an otherwise flat field. Dusk had begun to throw long shadows of the building across the wind swept grass. Inside, a middle aged monk in the plain brown robe sat at his desk. …
Saul quietly observed the others as he reclined around a table with seven other men from the Sanhedrin. As he broke some bread from a larger loaf, he listened to the other men of the Sanhedrin that were seated discuss Jesus. “He what?” a voice rose from one of the older man at the other…
(To read Vol.1 Issue 1 click here) Jeremiah the tent maker was yelling to be heard over the noise and commotion pouring through the door of his small shop. The street outside was congested with merchants, customers and soldiers pressing past one another. He was a slender man with a thick beard. His eyes were…
