His eyes were closed. He was reciting a prayer, but his mind was not focusing on the words.

 

"OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME......."

 

It was 4:30 pm at a children's park. A beautiful evening. Kids running. Parents talking to each other.

 

Suddenly, a man shouted, "What the hell!".

 

"Language, please. You are surrounded by kids, can't you see?", said another.

 

"I know", the man said. "But I thought I felt something. Like a distant earthquake".

 

"I felt it too. And it's not an earthquake. It's the end of the world.”

 

“What?” said the lady in the wheelchair, her eyes wide open.

 

“Don't you watch TV? The news lady said they had begun the bombing. We were lucky we lived this far. Not anymore, I guess."

 

He was right. At exactly 4:35 pm, the park disappeared from the face of the planet.

 

"....THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD......"

 

6:15 pm. Jack Willburg from the Special Forces was standing in the park, looking at the corpses around him. Innocent civilians, who died only to balance global political instability (at least they tried). Jack looked down at his hands. A few hours ago, his fingers held the triggers that launched the Air Strike. Of course, he was following orders, but that doesn't justify his role in killing these innocent children. That thought was too much for him.

 

At 6:45 pm, Jack put a bullet in his head. One less soldier for the Allied forces. But nothing changed as there were thousand left to complete the ‘mission’.

 

".....AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US...."

 

10:30 pm. Mission Control, undisclosed location. Two soldiers holding their posts.

 

"So what do you think? Will there be another attack?"

 

"The war has just begun, my friend. I bet the president will order the southern front to advance tonight itself."

 

"That sure, huh? Why?"

 

"Because, my friend, he is now in the prayer room. He must be asking strength from the almighty to do the sin. He must be thinking sacrificing the lives of millions will save billions in the future.”

 

"So that's it?", sighed the first soldier. "This is how it ends?"

 

“That is correct. The first angel has already sounded his trumpet. Now there is no going back.”

 

Inside the presidential suite, the leader was on his knees, winding up his prayer.

 

" …...AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL."

 

Amen.