Thomas the Proclaimer

Fifteen The Flight of the Prophet

All, all over. Thomas weeps. The cities burn. The very lakes are afire. So many thousands dead. The Apocalyptists dance, for though the year is not yet sped the end seems plainly in view. The Church of Rome has pronounced anathema on Thomas, denying his miracle: he is the Antichrist, the Pope has said. Signs and portents are seen everywhere. This is the season of two-headed calves and dogs with cats’ faces. New prophets have arisen. God may shortly return, or He may not; revelations differ. Many people now pray for an end to all such visitations and miracles. The Awaiters no longer Await, but now ask that we be spared from His next coming; even the Diabolists and the Propitiators cry, Come not, Lucifer. Those who begged a Sign from God in June would be content now only with God’s renewed and prolonged absence. Let Him neglect us; let Him dismiss us from His mind. It is a time of torches and hymns. Rumors of barbaric warfare come from distant continents. They say the neutron bomb has been used in Bolivia. Thomas’ last few followers have asked him to speak with God once more, in the hope that things can still be set to rights, but Thomas refuses. The lines of communication to the Deity are closed. He dares not reopen them: see, see how many plagues and evils he has let loose as it is! He renounces his prophethood. Others may dabble in charismatic mysticism if they so please. Others may kneel before the burning bush or sweat in the glare of the pillar of fire. Not Thomas. Thomas’ vocation is gone. All over. All, all, all over.

He hopes to slip into anonymity. He shaves his beard and docks his hair; he obtains a new wardrobe, bland and undistinguished; he alters the color of his eyes; he practices walking in a slouch to lessen his great height. Perhaps he has not lost his pocket-picking skills. He will go silently into the cities, head down, fingers on the ready, and thus he will make his way. It will be a quieter life.

Disguised, alone, Thomas goes forth. He wanders unmolested from place to place, sleeping in odd corners, eating in dim rooms. He is in Chicago for the Long Sabbath, and he is in Milwaukee for the Night of Blood, and he is in St. Louis for the Invocation of Flame. These events leave him unaffected. He moves on. The year is ebbing. The leaves have fallen. If the Apocalyptists tell us true, mankind has but a few weeks left. God’s wrath, or Satan’s, will blaze over the land as the year 2000 sweeps in on December’s heels. Thomas scarcely minds. Let him go unnoticed and he will not mind if the universe tumbles about him.

“What do you think?” he is asked on a street corner in Los Angeles. “Will God come back on New Year’s Day?”

A few idle loungers, killing time. Thomas slouches among them. They do not recognize him, he is sure. But they want an answer. “Well? What do you say?”

Thomas makes his voice furry and thick, and mumbles, “No, not a chance. He’s never going to mess with us again. He gave us a miracle and look what we made out of it.”

“That so? You really think so?”

Thomas nods. “God’s turned His back on us. He said, Here, I give you proof of My existence, now pull yourselves together and get somewhere. And instead we fell apart all the faster. So that’s it. We’ve had it. The end is coming.”

“Hey, you might be right!” Grins. Winks.

This conversation makes Thomas uncomfortable. He starts to edge away, elbows out, head bobbing clumsily, shoulders hunched. His new walk, his camouflage.

“Wait,” one of them says. “Stick around. Let’s talk a little.”

Thomas hesitates.

“You know, I think you’re right, fellow. We made a royal mess. I tell you something else: we never should have started all that stuff. Asking for a Sign. Stopping the Earth. Would have been a lot better off if that Thomas had stuck to picking pockets, let me tell you.”

“I agree three hundred percent,” Thomas says, flashing a quick smile, on-off. “If you’ll excuse me—”

Again he starts to shuffle away. Ten paces. An office building’s door opens. A short, slender man steps out. Oh, God! Saul! Thomas covers his face with his hand and turns away. Too late. No use. Kraft recognizes him through all the alterations. His eyes gleam. “Thomas!” he gasps.

“No. You’re mistaken. My name is—”

“Where have you been?” Kraft demands. “Everyone’s searching for you, Thomas. Oh, it was wicked of you to run away, to shirk your responsibilities. You dumped everything into our hands, didn’t you? But you were the only one with the strength to lead people. You were the only one who—”

“Keep your voice down,” Thomas says hoarsely. No use pretending. “For the love of God, Saul, stop yelling at me! Stop saying my name! Do you want everyone to know that I’m—”

“That’s exactly what I want,” Kraft says. By now a fair crowd has gathered, ten people, a dozen. Kraft points. “Don’t you know him? That’s Thomas the Proclaimer! He’s shaved and cut his hair, but can’t you see his face all the same? There’s your prophet! There’s the thief who talked with God!”

“No, Saul!”

“Thomas?” someone says. And they all begin to mutter it. “Thomas? Thomas? Thomas?” They nod heads, point, rub chins, nod heads again. “Thomas? Thomas?”

Surrounding him. Staring. Touching him. He tries to push them away. Too many of them, and no apostles, now. Kraft is at the edge of the crowd, smiling, the little Judas! “Keep back,” Thomas says. “You’ve got the wrong man. I’m not Thomas. I’d like to get my hands on him myself. I—I—” Judas! Judas! “Saul!” he screams. And then they swarm over him.