The Wrath of God

About the Author

Terrence Aubrey was born in Bristol, England, the only son of a Ballet dancer mother and composer father. Rebellious of nature and from an early age, he abandoned his education at the earliest possible moment, fifteen. He showed no inclination of following in the artistic footsteps of his parents during his formative years.

Preferring a self enlightening process, he set off upon an adventure that led him to experiment with understanding the mind and the development of self awareness. During that period he enjoyed extensive World travel across the countries of Europe, the America’s, north and south and the FSU. He found those travels, enriching, mind opening and educational, and in equal measure.

He discovered both a passion and love of writing by chance, while establishing a website. It was a website than required a lot of varied content. That ultimately led him to the writing of many articles upon diverse subjects. That in turn led to him creating a blog. The leap from blogging to writing full length novels was a gradual process.

Many of his novels reflect his environmental concern for the way we, the human race have evolved and the consequences that path has led us towards. Whilst many of his novels are dramatic, even apocalyptic, they also show a way forward. Whether you believe that way to be better or worse than the current status quo is for you to decide.

Terrence Aubrey currently lives on a farm in southern Spain and cultivates Avocados. He has four sons, three dogs and writes. He has now published several works of fiction and they can be found on Amazon and the all of the best EBook publishers

Terrence Aubrey blog http://yes-we-can.co

Prologue

The recently inaugurated astronomy facility in Chile had been in active service for only a matter of weeks. It boasted the Worlds most powerful telescopes to date. Mankind could now see further and deeper into space than at any time in its history.

It was not long before the facility justified its huge cost. A Comet with an unusually long tail had been spotted. It was quite possibly the greatest ever accumulation of space junk to have been discovered in deep space to date. It was too early to be sure, but was possibly more than one thousand miles in length and at least fifty in circumference including its huge tail.

Hand in hand with the publication of the discovery was a proviso. The trajectory of the comet and its cloud would carry it hundreds of thousands of miles away from earth. At the time of its first sighting it was approximately two million miles distant from planet earth. Could it pose a danger to earth if its projected trajectory altered, undoubtedly, but if its current course remained stable, not in the least?

It was not an item considered newsworthy by much of the Worlds press, at most receiving a brief mention within the inner pages of those few that ran it.

The giant Comet and its ever growing tail/cloud had in fact been trawling its way through deep space for eons, perhaps since the beginning of time. In shape it was almost slug like, the head fat and the tail tapering to a fine point. It was enormous and travelling at great speed, but within the enormity of deep space was as a mere coma within an epic tale.

It had not always been the monster that it now was, but through the millenniums had grown. Like a giant vacuum cleaner it had sucked up and absorbed whatever lay in its path. It was impartial, accepting whatever came its way. It now consisted of rocks the size of mountains and grains of dust invisible to the eyes of man. It might well have been motionless.

Would it continue its lonely journey until the Universe was no more, growing ever larger with each passing millennium? The Comet cloud possessed not one grain of intelligence; it simply was and would remain so until its timeless passage through the vastness of space was impeded. Had it possessed intelligence it might have felt a sense of futility, weariness. It had been following its lonesome and futile journey since the dawn of time.

A smattering of the Worlds leaders were informed of the sighting as standard procedure. The leaders of America, Russia Europe and China of course included.

Chapter One

One year later

The astronomers in Chile had continued tracking the Comet and its tail/cloud and at least once a month. Its trajectory had changed and for no logical reason. Their latest prediction was that it would now clear planet earth by at least one hundred thousand miles. That information was released upon the first anniversary of its sighting. They now had a nickname for the massive maelstrom of chaos heading towards earth, ‘The Wrath of God’. Only later would they realise that they had chosen an overly dramatic name for the Comet and its tail.

The President of America, Robert Daley, called a meeting of his Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of Defense once the information from Chile had been passed to him.

The fact is gentlemen, Robert Daley said, one hour into a meeting that was going nowhere fast, its predicted clearance of planet earth has reduced from hundreds of thousands of miles to one hundred thousand! Is that not a little worrying?

What reason has been given for the revised figures? John Bright, the Secretary of Defense asked.

As yet we haven’t asked, I wanted to hear everyone’s opinions first.

When is this Comet predicted to pass by earth? John Bright asked.

In approximately fifteen months, but whether we can trust that prediction now I don’t know. Robert Daley admitted.

I would suggest, Mr. President, that the tracking of this Comet be upgraded and that I set up an open channel with whoever is running the station down there. Who is running the Chile station? John Bright asked. Robert Daley referred to his notes.

A Frenchman, Claude Monet. Robert Daley told him, asking his secretary to print off all the relevant contact information they had on the Director of the station in Chile.

Leave it with me Mr. President, the Secretary of Defense told him. I will ask that they upgrade their surveillance of the cloud to a 24/7 basis and send me weekly reports of its current trajectory." The President nodded in agreement, it was what he’d wanted to hear.

John Bright and Robert Daley went way back, first meeting at university, where they shared the same course, Political Science. In private they referred to each other on a first name basis. It had become an unspoken agreement that they would, at all other times refer to each other by their formal titles. The President indicated that he wanted his Secretary of Defense to remain, once he called the meeting to a halt. Two coffees appeared shortly after the others had left.

What do you think John? Robert Daley asked him, once they were alone.

I suspect a little like you Rob, that’s one Mother of a Comet cloud up there. Hopefully someone down there in Chile got their decimal point in the wrong place with their original trajectory prediction and that I’ll find out soon Rob. Rather than speculating lets meet up later and I’ll share what news I’ve been given.

Sure John but it will have to be much later. My week is filled with appointments, from the little league of Baseball mums, members of the ‘National Farmers Unions, to environmental groups from just about every state in the union! Robert Daley told him.

Rather you than me Rob, but that’s why you are President and I’m not, it’s what you are best at. I’m sure they will all return home feeling like they are at the centre of your universe. Robert Daley laughed, as he showed his old friend to the door.

He had an hour free before lunch and decided to share his news with the Prime Minister of England, and Viktor Dimitri, the President of Russia. He asked his secretary to set up the necessary Russian translation, while he called England.

That’s quite a difference Rob, David Brown, the Prime Minister of England, pointed out, should we start worrying?

Not yet David, we’ve upped our surveillance status of the meteor cloud to a daily basis. My Def Sec, John Bright is contacting Chile as we speak and we are banking on human error for the first prediction.

Let’s hope so Rob, the difference between the two predictions is a little worrying. David Brown told him. Our own astronomers tell me that the comet cloud will be within the range of our own telescopes within a few days. Once it is we will also keep an eye on its trajectory.

Good news Dave, until then I’ll keep you updated.

Yes, please do, we already have growing numbers of doomsday and religious fanatics referring to the Comet cloud as the approaching Day of Judgment. Quite how they will react to the latest news I dread to think!

Robert Daley became thoughtful once he put the phone down. America too was swamped with religious and survivalist fanatics and he’d assumed it was mostly an America phenomenon. Obviously that was not the case, perhaps it was worldwide. He’d put one of the White House staff on the case; find out just how worldwide the phenomenon of the doomsday preachers was.

Most worrying were the religious fanatics, they were really riding people’s fears and with too much success for his liking, people were flocking to them. The Comet cloud was already being referred to as the approaching Day of Judgment, the Wrath of God incarnate. Quite what the reaction to the latest news would be, he dreaded to think.

It was at times like this that he wished he could control the news, enforce censorship. The previous news item had been relatively low key; the latest would most certainly receive substantially more coverage!

Robert Daley enjoyed a good working relationship with Viktor Dimitri, the current President of Russia. After sharing the usual pleasantries via their translators Robert Daley asked his interpreter to update the Russian President on the current status of the Comet and its huge tail.

The Russian President was somewhat scornful of the previous year’s assurance regarding the Comet clouds projected distance from earth. Would this one be any more reliable?

Through his translator Robert Daley had to admit that he shared his disappointment. The President then went on to explain that his secretary of defense was now monitoring events from the Chile site personally. He was pleased to hear that Russian astronomers would soon be able to track the Comet and its huge tail and within a few weeks.

President Dimitri assured the President that once within the range of their telescopes he would ask his own astronomers for an opinion of the current trajectory of the Comet cloud.

It was agreed that they would compare predictions within the coming days and weeks. They would remain in touch.

Whilst the discovery of the Comet and its tail the previous year had not been major news, it had not passed unnoticed. Environmental activists, those that had been half preparing for the end of the World for an age, together with religious extremists had taken note. The latest news would undoubtedly strengthen their resolve. They were currently scattered, disunited and relatively small in number. That was about to change. Those that had held doubts and suspicions about the evolutionary path the human race had chosen would soon become more vocal. Equally those that had lent only half an ear to the rants of the more vocal and extreme preachers, began to take more notice and stop and listen, rather than hurry past. It was a phenomenon that would, over time, become worldwide. Whilst the powers that be could tolerate the environmentalists and survivalists, the religious fanatics were more of a concern. Once the latest trajectory of the Comet cloud hit the news people might well begin to worry.

Over time and within ever increasing countries across the World the religious fanatics began preaching of the approaching Armageddon. Equally the number of people pausing to listen to them was growing and on a daily basis. The Wrath of God was increasingly gaining universal acceptance as the name of the fast approaching Comet and its enormous cloud.

Progressively and again worldwide, the forces of law and order were called upon to establish calm. It was a policy that back-fired. Fear and mistrust began to spread. Were their leaders hiding something from them? Once the police began to round up and arrest the more fanatical speakers, their fears intensified. The affects were predictable and the divide widened. Those in authority were increasingly regarded as them and those flocking to listen to the various speakers, us.

As many of the preachers pointed out, was it not the Worlds leaders that had led them into the World’s current perilous situation? Had their leaders not ridiculed both the survivalists and environmental activists as extremists out of touch with reality?

Chapter two

The calm before the storm.

Thomas Brown and Peter Duncan represented the latter, both environmentalists and extremists would not have been a word to describe either of them.

Both from the Scottish Highlands They had lived not so far from each other. Thomas had been born in Kinloch Rannoch, a tiny village at the head of a large loch in the Scottish Highlands and Peter in Aberfeldy, a small town within Perthshire, Scotland.

Whilst a mere thirty miles apart, it was rugged terrain and their paths had only crossed when they each gained places at Edinburgh University. They shared still more in common; both had been brought up upon their parent’s farms.

When eventually their paths crossed; at Edinburgh University and during fresher’s day they had clicked immediately. They shared much in common in addition to their roots. They were both active environmentalists and both effectively geeks, modern technology posing neither of them any problems whatsoever.

They had however, chosen to pursue quite distinct professions. Whilst Thomas was studying to become a doctor, Peter had chosen the career of Architect. Thomas at near six feet tall was the taller of the two, but by only an inch. They each shared ruddy and healthy complexions, born from their time walking the Scottish mountains and shared similar manly physiques for much the same reasons.

They had chosen to be together for the day of the Mayan prediction for the end of the World, in 2012. It was not so much that either of them believed the prediction to be true, more the fact that it might be. As active environmentalists they shared a belief that mankind’s current direction was unsustainable and worse, dangerous.

During their university years they attended most of the ‘environmentalist’s in action’ meetings together, occasionally speaking themselves. The meetings were generally made up of a cross section of society, a cross section brought together from a common cause. Their shared belief was that mankind’s current lifestyle was unsustainable. They equally believed that mankind could and should; find a cleaner and fairer way to live on earth and fast.

Thomas and Peter grew to know most of the inner core of activists over time and while their backgrounds were diverse, their concerns united them. From Bricklayers to Doctors and mechanics to hairdressers and the unemployed; they shared a common cause.

Despite their growing environmental concerns neither Thomas, nor Peter neglected their university studies and both secured good degrees.

Once they left university they each gained positions within their chosen fields rapidly, but their work took them in different directions. Thomas was accepted into a hospital in south London and Peter, an Architectural practice in Manchester. Nevertheless they kept in touch and always managed a reunion at least once a year.

They had each shared a keen interest in the discovery of the approaching Comet and its huge tail, once it hit the news. Each of them had individually found the almost hidden news item lost within their shared newspaper of choice, the Guardian.

The following news update of the approaching Comet, almost exactly one year later was not so difficult o find. The passage of the Comet was splashed across the front pages of practically all of the Worlds press. Even the normally calm and considered journalistic style of their newspaper of choice, the Guardian, seemed to have taken a holiday, their headline; ‘The Wrath of God’ draws ever closer’.

By this time both Thomas and Peter had met and fallen in love with young ladies, Anna and Susan, respectively. The exchange of emails between them became feverish. The projected margin by which this lethal Comet and its cloud would pass earth had reduced dramatically, would it reduce still further?

Despite their flourishing careers, both Thomas and Peter had continued to devote time to their first love, or concern, environmental issues, within their respected cities. It was through their regular attendance of such meetings that they had each of them met their girlfriends.

The social circles they each enjoyed reflected their passion rather than their career choices. Thomas’s closest friends reflected a broad social mix, as did Peters.

Thomas parents had told him the previous year that the neighbouring croft was up for sale, though at the time he had given it little thought. Searching through the drawers of his desk he eventually located the estate agents blurb. The farm consisted of fifty acres a large farmhouse and several outbuildings, all in need of attention. The price at fifty thousand pounds sterling was more than fair.

Whilst it had sparked his interest at the time Thomas was very committed to his career of choice and loved his work. Nevertheless he had mentioned the availability of the farm in one of the numerous emails he sent Peter. At that time and they had agreed that it might at least be bearing in mind.

Thomas maintained regular contact with his parents, the available croft increasingly at the back of his mind. The fact was it presented the perfect opportunity to live on the land and more important, live the life he believed in. There he could at least try to live in harmony with nature. His parents assured him that they would let him know if there was any likelihood of the croft being snapped up by someone else. His father thought it unlikely, given the current slump in the property market nationwide.

The croft niggled increasingly at the back of Thomas’s mind, was he in danger of letting the perfect chance to live the lifestyle he believed in slip through his fingers?

In truth Thomas felt torn; he’d worked hard to become a Doctor and loved his work. Could he turn his back on everything he had worked so hard to achieve, let alone the people reliant on him?

Nevertheless the opportunity that the croft represented was never far from his thoughts. Whilst there was no way he could afford the farm alone, maybe, just maybe, if he, Peter, their girlfriends and their environmentally active friends got together, then maybe they could afford to buy the place between them? It was little more than a wistful thought, but he knew the land was fertile and the buildings solidly built from the local quarried granite.

In truth the more Thomas thought about the croft the more appealing it seemed. Not only would they have a place to run too if things worsened, it bordered his parent’s fertile five hundred acre farm. Even better, it also bordered a river, the river Tummel. The river, largely uncontaminated had always been full of fish, particularly Salmon; another source of food, fish?

Thomas reigned in his thoughts, was he getting a bit carried away?

A flurry of emails was soon circling between the members of the two environmental groups within both Manchester and London and for all the opportunity was an exciting one. Not only was everyone up for it, three friends of friends wanted in. They were also environmental sympathizers, two girls, one man, a nurse, vet and carpenter respectively. At Thomas request, his father had spoken with his lawyer representing the owners of the small farm. They were based in the nearby farming town of Pitlochry.

While in truth the members of the small groups barely knew each other they did share a mutual passion, a shared feeling that the human race had lost the plot. Equally and on a very practical level the chance to part own a farm for a mere three thousand pounds was like a dream come true. Within London and Manchester a parking space could not be bought for that kind of money.

Including legal fees the price represented just a little over three thousand pounds for each of the members of the groups within Manchester and London. A flurry of emails and phone calls between Thomas, Peter and their girlfriends, Anna and Sue then followed. The decision was made, the opportunity to good to pass up, they should and would buy it.

Decision made Thomas phoned his father and told him that he’d buy the croft, could he offer forty thousand pounds on his behalf? It was worth a try, he knew that there was a dearth of buyers right now. His father called him back within the hour, they would accept forty five. He asked his father to offer forty two thousand five hundred pounds and settled on forty three thousand.

Both he and Annie devoted the next hour to sending emails, Peter and Sue in Manchester also, once they received the news. They each asked of their co-buyers to come up with the three thousand pounds ASAP. Thomas would call his parents