Dawn of the Supernova - Melissa Willingham (animal farm read .TXT) 📗

to you. I’d have been in trouble, if I’d been here all alone. These spells are infrequent and occasionally sneak up on me. I have them sometimes with my insights,” she related.

“I seem to recall hearing about that on TV. They must be overwhelming, judging from your reactions earlier,” he imagined.

“Yes, they’re awful. Lately, they’ve been getting much worse. I think it’s due to the enormity of my newest vision.” Clearing her throat, she asked, “Well, what brought you here to this small island, off the Georgia coastline?”

“You did, Sabrina. I watched your recent prediction on the news. I found it to be inconceivable, yet when I did further research, it seemed plausible. I felt skeptical initially, but in the past few days, my experimental theories appear to line up with your indications. I came here, because you advised those who believed in your abilities to come to Cherub Island.”

Catching his gaze with her own, she reached out to grip his hands. Her eyes implored him to consider the serious nature of her statement.

“Samuel, I tried to warn everyone. But no one would listen to me. Two weeks from today, a massive explosion will occur close to the earth’s surface. This planet will be destroyed, save for this tiny island and the surrounding Seraphim Valley. Only those who dwell here at that time will be spared. We haven’t much time to alert them.”

“I know, but we have to at least attempt it. Let’s just hope that as many people as possible will listen to us and heed our warnings. God help us all,” he whispered in earnest.

***

The next few days were spent in the great city of Atlanta, Georgia. Sabrina and Samuel organized a press conference to address the nation, as well as the rest of the world. Since both of them were well-known respectively for their areas of expertise, they had little trouble gaining an audience. Everyone was very eager to hear what these unlikely consorts had to say. Granted, the two of them certainly made strange bedfellows. But that fact served only to whet the appetites of curious gossipmongers all the more.

The room was a flurry of activity, with a packed house and cameras flashing constantly. Many of the seats were occupied by ravenous reporters, hungry for the next big story. Among the attendees sat dignitaries from various countries, celebrities, scientists, politicians, psychics and average Joes. This meeting promised to be major news; therefore, they all wanted in on the media circus.

Samuel glanced over at Sabrina to gauge her reaction to the situation. She offered him a thin smile and took in a deep breath. Clearly, she felt nervous and needed some reassurance. He returned her grin as he leaned over to whisper words of encouragement to her. She’d told him she’d never engaged in anything like this before. Fortunately, he had endured similar spectacles in the past, related to new scientific discoveries, and knew what to expect.

Before the discussion began, he took hold of her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Then he refocused his attention on the crowd of spectators patiently waiting for information. He hoped they’d believe the evidence to be presented. They hadn’t taken Sabrina seriously the first time she warned them. The public might not receive it this time either. But for the love of God, he and his newly acquired ally had to try to reach them.

Using charts, graphs and a PowerPoint presentation, Samuel stood up to address the people. He began by explaining his field of expertise, astronomy, and continued by relating his recent studies. He offered a brief summary of celestial activity, in addition to the conclusions he’d reached.

Next, Sabrina rose to speak with the audience about her visions. She gave them a quick rundown of her previous assistance to the police in solving cases. She indicated how the images came to her mind and expressed the grave nature of her latest prediction. No sooner had she mentioned her worst fears than someone snickered.

One young man shouted mockingly, “Oh, my God! It’s the end of the world! What shall we do?”

An older woman chimed in, “Is that the best yarn this nutcase can spin? How pathetic!”

This, in turn, broke up the whole place, causing everyone to roar with laughter. With a weary frown, Sabrina reclaimed her seat and shook her head in disdain. Her cheeks reddened with obvious embarrassment at being so openly ridiculed.

Samuel immediately seized control of the situation, in order to lessen his friend’s discomfort. Distracting her would-be accusers, he said, “Quiet, please. Let’s simmer down, everyone. If any member of the press has any questions, feel free to ask them now.”

***

Several reporters instantly raised their hands, brimming with inquiries. He chose one to get it started. “You, Mr. Fenton, go first.”

Pushing up his spectacles, the big-nosed man asked, “Mr. Flynn, you spoke of how the world will supposedly be destroyed in a little over a week from today. You tossed around terms like a large explosion and a supernova. Would you explain what this means?”

“Sure, I’d be glad to. Basically, a nova is a type of stellar explosion. The phenomenon occurs when a white dwarf star absorbs a critical amount of matter from a companion star. This compresses hydrogen onto the receiving star’s surface and eventually it ignites a nuclear explosion. But a nova is much smaller than a supernova or a hypernova.” Samuel referred to his charts again.

Scratching his head, Mr. Fenton responded, “Okay, I get it. But, what’s the difference between super and hyper?”

“Well, a supernova is the catastrophic death of a star. It is characterized by a massive output of energy, leading to a thermonuclear explosion of formidable power. A hypernova is a type of supernova. It is created when a massive star expends nuclear fuel and collapses directly into a black hole. It ejects twin plasma jets almost as fast as the speed of light. Normally the earth is unaffected by this happenstance because it’s far off from us. However, this eruption so close to the earth’s surface presents a grave detriment to all of life, an existential threat to humanity. Although these instances are rare, this, my friends, is precisely what we are dealing with here.”

Another reporter cut in impatiently, “Mr. Flynn, this sounds serious and spooky. But, you said yourself this isn’t something that happens very often. I mean, humans have inhabited the earth for centuries. Nothing like this has ever taken place before to endanger our planet, so, why now?”

“Actually, Miss Adams, many scientists believe that a similar kind of massive blast is what wiped out the dinosaurs and cavemen long ago. Personally, I’m inclined to agree with that verdict. The problem we’re facing is that this supernova will near enough to earth to destroy virtually everything in its path. All that will be left is a wasteland of smoke and ash.”

Miss Adams glanced over at Sabrina and posed a question to her. “What exactly did you see in your vision, Miss Rogers? Is there any hope for any of us if this happens?”

Sabrina stared imploringly into the lenses of the cameras clicking all around her. “Whenever the supernova explodes in ten days, everything will be obliterated and everyone will perish. The only survivors will be those who evacuate to Cherub Island, off the coast of Georgia and into the nearby Seraphim Valley.”

A dark-haired press agent with a grim expression, pressed forward through the crowd. “Miss Rogers, this place you spoke of where lives will be spared sounds obscure. Do you happen to know much about the island and valley in question?”

She nodded affirmatively in his direction. “Indeed, I do. Cherub Island is a remote isle that spans about 217,800 square feet, which is roughly 5 acres. Approximately 350 Native Americans occupy some of this space. The rest of it is uninhabited forest, valley, sand and ocean. Cherub derives its name from Hebrew origins and speaks of spiritual beings associated with the presence of God. Seraphim is also a Hebrew term and relates to celestial beings attending on God.”

***

Interjecting out of turn, a paparazzi member queried, “Speaking of the Great Creator, what, pray tell, would you say to the religious fanatics? You know, the ones who insist the world will end with fire and brimstone?” He had a derisive sneer on his face.

Samuel diverted the question away from Sabrina, choosing instead to answer it himself simply. “As I’ve explained, a supernova consists of a fiery explosion. It’s not rocket science.”

The young reporter snorted and retorted, “And how is it that a scientist and a psychic came to be such good friends? You two should be sworn enemies. Science and clairvoyance don’t mix.”

A politician stood up and bellowed knowingly,”This is just some publicity stunt that you’ve concocted. It’s a new brand of bull the public is supposed to swallow.”

At that remark, the room roared with laughter. People clapped one another on the shoulders and tossed their heads back in unbridled, ecstatic elation. Suddenly, Sabrina shot up from her chair and shouted to the cackling mob.

“Go to Cherub Island or you will be dead in ten days. God has promised to protect the island and its inhabitants from harm. If you don’t heed His warnings, that star is going to spontaneously combust and you’ll die. All of you! Please, believe me!” She collapsed backwards into her chair and grew silent. Her hands sought her head desperately.

For a moment, all was quiet. “They’re fakes, frauds, charlatans!” a popular celebrity announced. “This whole charade is nothing but a hoax designed to cause panic and fear. Forget these two clowns.” He stomped off, guffawing loudly. Everyone else jumped up in consternation, to hastily follow suit. They all chuckled in disbelief as they made their way out of the room.

Samuel rushed to Sabrina’s side to attend to her. He could tell she was experiencing another one of her severe migraine headaches. He brushed her hair from her forehead and held her steady to his side. “It’s okay,” he whispered soothingly. “At least we tried to save them.”

She nodded and grasped his collar tightly, peering up at him. “Yes, but they didn’t listen to us and they won’t realize the truth until it’s too late.” A whimper escaped her lips as she clung to his arm, in obvious pain and exasperation.

***

After spending a couple of days more in the city, appearing on talk shows and in newspapers, they retreated to the island. A surplus of supplies had been gathered, such as furniture, medicines, personal toiletries, hygiene products, linens, clothing, books, batteries, non-perishable foods and beverages. They also brought tools, sheetrock and lumber for the future construction of homes. In addition, toys, games and other battery-operated gadgets were collected for children. Seeds for planting crops, along with farm animals and domestic animals came along for the ride, too.

Every conceivable item of potential need was given consideration and stockpiled. A large ship delivered the bountiful mass of possessions, which would last for a number of years. They also purchased several ships, automobiles and fuel for means of transportation, to be used after the supernova hit. Many people made fun of them and waved off their preparations as the foolish notions of two raving lunatics. Only a handful of stragglers traveled with them, daring to risk ridicule from friends and family.

Feeling as though they’d done all they could do, Samuel and Sabrina began to fix up their cave. Once they’d arranged a mattress, two wicker chairs and a table, it seemed cozier. They spent the final days leading up to the eruption getting to know one another. At first, they wondered if most people would ignore them or join them. Soon, a few more people showed up, claiming a cave or other area of their own. Small families, as well as single individuals slowly trickled in, day by day.

To their surprise, two of the reporters who’d been at the press conference joined them. Throughout the tiny island, celebrities mixed with average Joes, politicians rubbed shoulders with former voters and soldiers