IMPLANT

A Short Fictional Story Written By Angeline M Duran Santiago
 

This moment in time is not the future. It is not one hundred years away, but nearer than any imagine. People everywhere talk about the future, but it is no longer far away. It has begun right before our eyes, at our doorsteps, loud and clear in our televisions, alerting us, change is not getting ready to come. Change has come.

One of the most popular early morning newscasters, has just gone live with a representative from the White House. There are cameras going out into the street where crowds have gathered to celebrate the news and show their support. Among those in the crowd are many protestors stating that they are against these changes in the law. Raising their arms towards the television camera, the younger crowd gathered cries, "Mark me! Mark me!" and "We want the chip!"

"What an exciting morning!"the newscaster, with a super wide smile, seems flabbergasted at the scene she is witnessing. "Representative, can you hear me?" she asks. "I do. And yes, it is a proud and historical moment as our President will get the first chip implant of the day in Washington. Has the president said anything you can share with us?"

"Let me be your example." said the representative. "That is what he has asked of his people. We are so priviledged this morning to not only be able to witness this historically moving moment, but to join our leader and follow in his footsteps. This will change humanity forever. What a day!"

"Thank you, Mr Representative." the newscaster said as she held on to her earpiece. "Let's go to over to our sister station in California. What's going on over there?"

The screen immediately changed and the crowd behind the news person was just as vast and excited as the one in New York City. You had one side celebrating the chip that would be implanted throughout the United States, starting this morning at 8:00am and you had the doomsday voices, asking for the chip not to be given out, telling people to get saved and that judgement was coming upon the land. Arguments continued to flair in different areas of the crowds and it seemed each time, the policemen that were near the area only concentrated on removing those who had made clear they were not only against the implant, but would not be participating in receiving it.

As the morning went on, the crowd increased in different cities. Angry protestors who were for the implant violently attacked those who were against it. The National Guard was called in many of the larger cities and once more, it seemed the persons that were rounded up and taken away in their black vans were those considered the opposition, those who were trying to warn people against taking the chip.

By 5:00 pm news, the news showed the demographics and different graphs according to state and cities, highlighting by color, which areas had the greatest amounts of citizens claiming their allegiance. Thousands of people filled the streets, the bars and restaurants, taking full advantage of discounts and sales being promoted openly, with gigantic wide screen billboards upon the rooftops and in the entrance of train stations. There were sales on meals, special drinks, clothing, jewelry, wedding dresses, hair salons and even vacation packages for those who would be using their new chip implant as an assurance of payment for the night or a future event. 

Every chip transplant not only contained every person's health record and health insurance information, but everything, especially their financial status, immediately came up on the chip reader when the person moved their hand under the light to be scanned. Malls celebrated this special day by staying open as if today was Christmas Day and promised to provide special passes for those who received their implants within a 48 hour bracket.

Many had known this day would come. Prophets and words in a book called the Bible had supposedly predicted this moment but still, it had not been stopped. Instead, it had quickly escalated once the idea had been shared. The popularity of the implant, providing access immediately to everything possible, had brought security for parents who didn't want their children abducted from school or a park, it had given security to families of people who were very sick.  Mental patients who in other times had been hospitalized without proper identification had now, with or without knowledge or consent had been implanted on them to show them how much they loved them. Everyone had a reason to get the implant. Some to support their government changes and others just for show and fun. 

Believers who had warned against receiving this implant were openly mocked, scorned, and warned that if they continued to speak out against this historical moment, they would be imprisoned. Sadly, before the night was over, hundreds, all over the country, would already be placed behind locked doors. Many citizen who held elite positions in government and other important financial districts were given an ultimatum, "Take the chip in order to secure your job, or lose your job." In refusing to take the implant, because of their faith, they had been forcefully removed from their offices and thrown outside like dirty rags. Those who spoke back had been hit, pushed and rallied away by being taken into custody, even many who had silently protested or just asked, "How will I support my family now?"

Medical doctors, lawyers, teachers and people from all walks of life were found seeking answers. Believers were being told they had two months to get their implant or they would be removed from their homes, schools, and employment. People were afraid and others were strengthened in their faith. Churches filled like never before. Many were so full of people that there was no room to enter. Believers poured out into the street to pray and console one another. There were prayer teams on the outside of the streets reaching out to people that had become hopeless, were fearful for the future of their families, and were thinking of just getting the implant so that they could purchase food and medicine.

There were groups of police officers commanding the prayer teams to be quiet and go indoors or be arrested. Many were arrested to make an example of what was coming for those who continued to talk about God and His coming Kingdom. Pastors united and decided to take church out into the streets. Believers with guitars, drums, keyboards and tambourines flooded streets, parks and public areas, sharing about God's love and redemptive plan. They sang encouraging songs, reminding people of God's love, God's peace in the middle of a difficult time, and that He was coming for His people. Pastors and believers who sang and shared openly in the streets were commanded to be silent and when they continued to peacefully and softly shared, they were harassed, beaten and arrested in very aggressive and painful ways.

The nightly news was filled with both sides of the story. Those who were enjoying the benefits of having the chip implanted on their arms were giving 30 second testimonials on TV on how their lives had positively changed for the better. They ended each segment saying, "Long live our leaders who have brought us peace. May we join in bringing peace to the world." We saw speakers from law makers to all kinds of world leaders, including the president, encouraging peace and all to show their unity by becoming one world, one society. We also saw them speak against those who had rebelled and had refused to receive the implant. "Why do these protestors ignorantly refuse to be part of our coming together actions?" the news man asked. "How can people speak of a loving God and yet not do what they have to do to provide food and medical provisions for their own children? I say, take away their children."

In a few months, believers had lost almost everything. Many had been removed from their homes and placed together in large homes. If you could remember the lessons in school about concentration camps throughout history from the days of Hitler to those in the USA, the confinements were the same. Death was present everywhere. Soldiers stood armed not only at doors and gates, but on rooftops and in armed vehicles, continuously monitoring prisoners. Prisoners. Children, parents, the elderly, the sickly, the disabled, believers who had refused to be implanted and whose only tattoo was God's mark of love on their hearts. 

Daily, they were forced to listen to speeches reminding them to accept the chip implant. Many who were hungry, tired or wanted to give their sick family member a chance to live, moved forward to receive the implant with tears in their eyes and regret in their hearts. The prayers of saints were lifted to heaven as believers joined to pray and ask for God's strength to endure, hold on and be strong. 

An explosion, as if someone had placed a million bombs in the middle of the sky, erupted with dazzling white brilliance. Music filled the skies as if an eternity of harmonies had joined to sing a song no one knew. As armed soldiers shook from the explosion and looked upward, holding their weapons ready to fire, the explosion left as quickly as it had appeared. Blinded by the light, many covered their eyes, others looked around to see what was going on but saw nothing, nothing at all. Except. Right before their eyes, all who had stood there praying were no longer there.

News began to come in from different places. People that had been driving had somehow abandoned their moving vehicles. Believers that had been preaching on the streets or had been arrested, had somehow vanished into thin air. Sick people in the outside of the hospital who had been begging for mercy from medical doctors, had suddenly disappeared. All anyone could remember was the music and the momentary explosi0n of light, pure wonderful light, that had filled the sky. Thousands upon thousands were being counted among the missing. They were numbered among those who had refused to received the chip implant.

Within minutes, the White House issued a statement.
"Those of the rebellion who call themselves followers of Christ, have most likely experienced the repercussions and sad results for not having protected themselves from danger and natural disasters, and receiving the chip implant. It is our understanding that many have witnessed what seems to be the disappearance of thousands who called themselves followers of the One True God. Our Scientific Team had come to the conclusion that only those with the chip implant were completely protected from what seems an unexpected natural explosion. It is with great grief we share that the missing are among the thousands and we do not know how many more will be added to those numbers. Very few remain, if any, in the government holding camps where we were keeping those who we felt had become a threat to our way of life, to our peace and our government. 

Now, today, more than ever, we encourage you to put your trust in our Unity Movement and receive the chip implant. Today you have seen how we are our own gods and we hold our future in our hands. No one can take our lives away, only those who refuse to be part of our coming together."

The world had seen the disappearance as a natural act of Earth itself getting rid of so called rebels who refused to embrace peace and the viewpoint of unity by receiving the chip implant. For those who would have had eyes to see what can only be seen in the Spirit, they would have seen thousands upon thousands flying upward into their new home in God's presence, and they would have identified the voices, the music heard, not as something crazy, but as the voices of praise and worship, as believers connected with the Lord. Their song was raised to heaven in adoration. The world would never know they had just experienced something believers had been praying for, for years. 

This disappearance would later be documented as UFOs and aliens taking back what belonged to their planets in order to help Earth survive. Other stories would be created. And while theories and conspiracies were discussed throughout the world, believers would be celebrating in God's presence, in their heavenly home.

This is not the future. This is only a few moments away. It has been spoken of. It is not here, not completely yet, but it is coming closer. How will you, a believer, a Christian, react when this moment come. Will you be ready? Will you become afraid and give in to the pressure? Will you run and hide? Will you fight? What will you do? You don't need to see a futuristic movie to know this is far away and will not happen in our generation. Turn on the television and you will see, it is only a moment away. But, you have something that is not from the future, but from the past. The Bible. The Bible has spoken of days like the ones we are about to enter in. Will you hold on to faith in Christ or will you abandon your faith. Will you be a man and woman of conviction and prayer, or will you deny your faith and allow yourself to be like everyone else?

No one knows the day or hour...
Be ready....
But how do we get ready?
Pray and ask the Father to guide us, help us, and protect us. He will not abandon his children.