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〃He thinks I use you to get him to do what I want。〃 〃There may be some truth in that； Jack。 But then what are stepparents for if they can't be used in little skirmishes between blood relatives？〃
I moved still closer； lowered my voice even more。 〃Just a Life Saver；〃 I said。 〃What？〃
〃Just some saliva that you didn't know what to do with。〃 〃It was a Life Saver；〃 she whispered； making an 0 with her thumb and index finger。
〃Give me one。〃
〃It was the last one。〃
〃What flavor— quick。〃
〃Cherry。〃
I puckered my lips and made little sucking sounds。 The black man with the tracts came over and squatted next to me。 We engaged in an earnest and prolonged handshake。 He studied me openly； giving the impression that he had traveled this rugged distance； uprooting his family； not to escape the chemical event but to find the one person who would understand what he had to say。
〃It's happening everywhere； isn't it？〃
〃More or less；〃 I said。
〃And what's the government doing about it？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃You said it； I didn't。 There's only one word in the language to describe what's being done and you found it exactly。 I'm not surprised at all。 But when you think about it； what can they do？ Because what is ing is definitely ing。 No government in the world is big enough to stop it。 Does a man like yourself know the size of India's standing army？〃
〃One million。〃
〃I didn't say it； you did。 One million soldiers and they can't stop it。 Do you know who's got the biggest standing army in the world？〃
〃It's either China or Russia； although the Vietnamese ought to be mentioned。〃
'Tell me this；〃 he said。 〃Can the Vietnamese stop it？〃
〃No。〃
〃It's here； isn't it？ People feel it。 We know in our bones。 God's kingdom is ing。〃
He was a rangy man with sparse hair and a gap between his two front teeth。 He squatted easily； seemed loose…jointed and fortable。 I realized he was wearing a suit and tie with running shoes。
〃Are these great days？〃 he said。
I studied his face； trying to find a clue to the right answer。 〃Do you feel it ing？ Is it on the way？ Do you want it to e？
He bounced on his toes as he spoke。
〃Wars； famines； earthquakes； volcanic eruptions。 It's all beginning to jell。 In your own words； is there anything that can stop it from ing once it picks up momentum？〃
〃No。〃
〃You said it； I didn't。 Floods； tornados； epidemics of strange new diseases。 Is it a sign？ Is it the truth？ Are you ready？〃
〃Do people really feel it in their bones？〃 I said。
〃Good news travels fast。〃
〃Do people talk about it？ On your door…to…door visits； do you get the impression they want it？〃
〃It's not do they want it。 It's where do I go to sign up。 It's get me out of here right now。 People ask； 'Is there seasonal change in God's kingdom？' They ask； 'Are there bridge tolls and returnable bottles？' In other words I'm saying they're getting right down to it。〃
〃You feel it's a ground swell。〃
〃A sudden gathering。 Exactly put。 I took one look and I knew。 This is a man who understands。〃
〃Earthquakes are not up； statistically。〃
He gave me a condescending smile。 I felt it was richly deserved； although I wasn't sure why。 Maybe it was prissy to be quoting statistics in the face of powerful beliefs； fears； desires。
〃How do you plan to spend your resurrection？〃 he said； as though asking about a long weekend ing up。
〃We all get one？〃
〃You're either among the wicked or among the saved。 The wicked get to rot as they walk down the street。 They get to feel their own eyes slide out of their sockets。 You'll know them by their stickiness and lost parts。 People tracking slime of their own making。 All the flashiness of Armageddon is in the rotting。 The saved know each other by their neatness and reserve。 He doesn't have showy ways is how you know a saved person。〃
He was a serious man； he was matter…of…fact and practical； down to his running shoes。 I wondered about his eerie self…assurance； his freedom from doubt。 Is this the point of Armageddon？ No ambiguity； no more doubt。 He was ready to run into the next world。 He was forcing the next world to seep into my consciousness； stupendous events that seemed matter…of…fact to him； self…evident； reasonable； imminent； true。 I did not feel Armageddon in my bones but I worried about all those people who did； who were ready for it； wishing hard； making phone calls and bank withdrawals。 If enough people want it to happen； will it happen？ How many people are enough people？ Why are we talking to each other from this aboriginal crouch？
He handed me a pamphlet called 〃Twenty mon Mistakes About the End of the World。〃 I struggled out of the squatting posture； feeling dizziness and back…pain。 At the front of the hall a woman was saying something about exposure to toxic agents。 Her small voice was almost lost in the shuffling roar of the barracks； the kind of low…level rumble that humans routinely make in large enclosed places。 Denise had put down her reference work and was giving me a hard…eyed look。 It was the look she usually saved for her father and his latest loss of foothold。
〃What's wrong？〃 I said to her。
〃Didn't you hear what the voice said？〃
〃Exposure。〃
〃That's right；〃 she said sharply。
〃What's that got to do with us？〃
〃Not us；〃 she said。 〃You。〃
〃Why me？〃
〃Aren't you the one who got out of the car to fill the gas tank？〃
〃Where was the airborne event when I did that？〃
〃Just ahead of us。 Don't you remember？ You got back in the car and we went a little ways and then there it was in all those lights。〃
〃You're saying when I got out of the car； the cloud may have been close enough to rain all over me。〃
〃It's not your fault；〃 she said impatiently； 〃but you were practically right in it for about two and a half minutes。〃
I made my way up front。 Two lines were forming。 A to M and N to Z。 At the end of each line was a folding table with a microputer on it。 Technicians milled about； men and women with lapel badges and color…coded armbands。 I stood behind the life…jacket…wearing family。 They looked bright； happy and well…drilled。 The thick ora