NEXT BEST HOPE (The Revelation Trilogy) by Stephen Woodfin Read Free Book Online Page B

said.
    “Won’t that lead to a repeat of the Civil War?” the caller asked.
    “I haven’t heard anyone in the Christian Militant camp say anything about instituting hostilities against the United States. They are talking about exercising their right to break with our federal government and establish one of their own based on biblical and moral principles. Sounds to me like we should be cheering for them. They are trying to do what this country has failed to do for the last fifty years. Maybe it’s time for a change.”
    Flash saw his engineer in the control room hold his hands up with his palms facing him and his fingers spread apart. He had ten seconds left for his signature sign-off.
    “That’s all the time I have today, ladies and gentlemen. Please join me on this station tomorrow when I will bring you America’s Voice of Truth. Until then, this is Flash Greenwald signing off. May God be with you.”
    “Great show, Boss,” the engineer said.
    Greenwald ignored him, grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and paced down the hall to his corner office. He shut the door, hit the DND button on his phone, plopped down at his desk and pivoted his chair to look out at Lake Michigan. He removed his billfold from his back pocket and reached inside to pull out a small key. With the key, he unlocked a drawer in his massive oak desk and reached inside, fumbling around until he latched on to a bottle of valiums. From one of the other drawers, he drew out a bottle of vodka, half-empty. He threw a couple of the pills into the back of his throat and chased them down with a big swig of liquor. He slung the pill bottle back in the drawer, locked it and took one more slug of vodka before returning the bottle to the other drawer.
    Soon he fell asleep in his chair.
In his dream, he is a little boy growing up in a Boston suburb. His father comes in late each night, smelling of gin, whips him for no good reason, calls him a fat sissy and sends him to bed. In the night, he sneaks into his parents’ bedroom and stabs his father with a butcher knife. In the morning, his father is gone. There is no sign of the murder. His mother makes him pancakes for breakfast and he eats three stacks, heaped with butter and syrup. When he gets to school, his teacher gives him the lead role, playing a famous politician in the school program. At the performance that evening, he receives a standing ovation. As he is walking out of the school auditorium holding his mother’s hand after the play, he sees a man on his knees scrubbing the floors at the school and recognizes him as his father. He walks out without speaking to him, rides home with his mother and the two of them never see his father again.
    A thumping on his office door awakened him after a couple of hours.
    “Flash. It’s Senator Wellborn. He’s been calling for three hours,” a voice behind the door said.
    “Okay. I’ll take it,” Flash said, turning towards his phone and picking up the receiver.
    “Senator,” Flash said not remembering his name, “sorry to keep you waiting. I was taping some shows for early broadcast tomorrow.”
    “I understand, Mr. Greenwald. Business is business. But I need to know where you stand on this secession issue. My constituents are calling me like crazy.”
    “Where do you stand, Senator?” Flash asked, fishing for some impromptu intelligence.
    “I don’t have a problem with it if we don’t get ourselves into a Civil War,” he said.
    “Do you think your constituents agree with you?” Flash asked.
    “One hundred percent,” the Senator said.
    “You have nothing to worry about on this end, Senator,” Flash said.
    “Thanks, Flash. Is there anything I can do for you?” the Senator asked.
    “Don’t forget my conservation project when the time comes,” Flash said.
    The conversation project was a new park in Flash’s exclusive neighborhood.
    “It’s a done deal, my friend,” the Senator said.
    “It’s always good to talk to you,