Welcome to Gaia! ::

Jessica stared at Mia for a long time while a spiritual battle took place in her heart. One part of her wanted to scream and throw the Bible clear across the room. But another part of her, a deeper, more urgent part, begged to open the Bible as Mia had said. Finally, she opened it with trembling fingers. John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. She had heard this one before; Cassie had repeated it many times. She was about to roll her eyes and shut the Book, but then the next few verses caught her eye.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. Jessica finished reading through verse 21, then closed her eyes. There was no resistance now, only a decision to make. God sent His Son to save us, she reflected. I'm ready to believe.

"I want to believe," she whispered to Mia. "I want to be with God when I die."

((Alternate ending: Jessica flips open the Bible and reads, "Judas hung himself." "Ummm.... Try that again," Mia says. Jessica opens it again, "Go and do likewise." rofl ))

"Wasn't planning on it." Azalia replied firmly to Warren. "I will NOT abandon this place. It is still safe for us. It's more dangerous to go out into the open. They're out there, hiding. For now, we play defense. The building is still in lockdown, and it will stay that way."

"When they come back they will have more and will find this place. They also saw me climb up the tower and might try it. They will find this place and get in. I don't know how to get out safely, but I know that we need to get safe." Acoine tryed to keep looking stong for every one.

"Saty out of sight. I'll start to pack down here so if we have to leave we can. When you see them come back down and I'll go up. I'm in better fighting fit." Acoine tried to make Warren listen, but he knew how stuborn Warren was and knew he wouldn't listen.

"Well, if people would just stay INSIDE and wouldn't be running around to that STUPID TOWER, we wouldn't be having this proplem!" Azalia yelled, throwing her hands exasperatedly in the air. She didn't want to be mad, and hated to yell, but the others were making foolish decisions that were getting them in danger. She grabed the communicator. "This thing better be two-way," She said, aggrivated. She pressed a button, hoping that it was a talk button. "Warren," She whispered angrily. "If you can hear me, come back now. We have to stay together." She let go of the button and turned to Acoine. "As for packing, I'm already prepared. There's a bundle of food, clothing, blankets, and other various things. It's upstairs in the pantry."

"Actually, I was hoping you would move in." Azalia replied. "We have plenty of rooms, and I don't have to worry about how you're doing up there in that tower."

Jessica's interaction was interrupted by all the people yelling. The words of the Bible still lay heavily on her heart, and she knew she was ready to make a decision. She watched Azalia, Warren, and Acione as she pondered praying. What would she say? She had never spoken to someone she hadn't seen before.