D.S. al Coda

"KERRANG!"

A G CHORD IS NOISILY STRUMMED. A BORED KEITH LOOKS OUT AT THE EMPTY STADIUM.

"SCOTT, WHERE'S ISAAC?"

"NOT SURE. DIDN'T HE ARRIVE WITH YOU?"

"NAH." 

KEITH LEAVES THE STAGE AND CIRCLES AROUND TO THE BACK. 

"HEY SAUL, IS ISAAC HERE?"

"NO, HAVEN'T SEEN HIM." 

"HE OWES ME." 

"IF SCOTT OPENS WITH A-"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER IF OUR BASS PLAYER'S MISSING."

"IS DANNY-"

"GOTTA GO."

A FEW YARDS UP AHEAD, KEITH SEES WHAT LOOKS TO BE A NOTE - IT IS TAPED TO AN AMP. ON THE GROUND IS THE EMPTY BASS CASE, A CAMUS QUOTE ETCHED ON ITS SIDE. THE FRANTIC WORDS "THEY'RE COMING" ARE SCRAWLED IN OVERSIZE LETTERS ON THE PAPER. 

"NOT FUNNY, ISAAC." 

KEITH LOOKS UP. DANNY, GALLOPING FROM THE BACK, COMES TOO QUICKLY AND TRIPS ON THE CASE, BODY THUDDING TO A HALT. 

"I'M ALL RIGHT."

HE STANDS UP. 

"KEITH, COME WITH ME! I...WAIT 'TIL YOU SEE THIS!"

HE RUNS TO A DIFFERENT DOOR AND GOES INTO A ROOM. AT THE BACK IS A PITCHED TENT. PUSHING FORWARD, KEITH OPENS THE FLAP. LAYING IN THE TENT ARE TWO BOOTS, JEANS, A STRIPED HOODY AND TAWNY DUFFLE COAT. 

"HE WORE THIS EARLIER."

"WHO SAW HIM LAST?"

"I DID, JUST BEFORE I'D RUN TO GET YOU. ISAAC GOT IN AND DIDN'T SAY A WORD AND ZIPPED IT UP. LOOK - THIS SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT...I...WHEN I UNFASTENED THE FLAP, HE WAS GONE."

"HOW?"

"I LOOKED, AND HE WASN'T IN IT." 

A SECOND LATER, THERE'S A LOUD CRASH. A BENT, SHARP-EDGED LADDER FALLS ON THE FLOOR. SOCKS DESCEND FROM THE ATTIC. SOON, ISAAC IS STANDING BEFORE THEM IN A BLEACH-WHITE BATHROBE. 

"YOU WERE UP THERE?"

ISAAC SNAPS. 

"PSHH."

COARSE FLAMES WRAP THE CHEAP STAIR RAIL ON THE LADDER. THE IRON HANDLE APPEARS UNCHANGED.

"A LION, A RAM, A DOVE, A MAN!" 

"A" AND "MAN" RENDER SUDDEN STOPPAGE TO THE FLAME. 

"RIGHT ON." 

"WE CAN'T HAVE THIS ON TOUR!"

"WE GOT GREEN, SO WE'RE TOO MEAN. THE PLAN OF MAN A DISHWATER SCHEME."

"WHY THE RHYMES? DUDE, I-"

"LET UP, KEITH." 

"HE-"

"I KNOW." 

A TINY FLAME FILLS ISAAC'S EYES AS THE ROOM IS ARRAYED IN AMBER RADIANCE. 

"THIS ROOM HIDES THE GLORY." 

THE LIGHTS INTENSIFY AS THE FRONT OF ISAAC'S FACE BRIGHTENS. THE SKIN CHANGES TO GLEAMING WHITE. HIS VISAGE BLINDS KEITH BEFORE IT CHANGES TO A NORMAL TINT. AFTER A FEW BEATS, A DROLL DANNY GRINS. 

"WHO KNEW?" 

"ON ROUGH HILLS, OUR LEGS GAIN STRENGTH. IN FLAT TERRAIN, WEAKNESS REIGNS." 

ISAAC HAS EACH HAND PRESSED TOGETHER. 

"WE NEED WHEAT." 

SUDDENLY, A THERMAL COLOR RINGS A FLUID DOOR THE HUE OF BLOOD AS ISAAC DASHES IN, 

"WAIT! 

"YO, I...I'M LIKE, UH...ABRACADABRA?"

"HALF OUR BAND CAN ACCUSE U- DANNY?"

"EARDRUM APES." 

"CAN WE TRY TO FIND ISAAC?!"

"MM."

"PRETEND, DAN!" 

"HMM. MISCREANTS RANTS." 

"TELL ME ALL THIS WILL BE OKAY."

"THE MORE WE KNOW, THE LESS WE OWE. KEITH, CLOUDS STORE OUR CROPS. HE IS NOT LOST, HE IS JUST...NOT HERE." 

"WHAT SHOULD WE DO?" 

A BREEZE SLOWLY BREATHES INTO THE SPACE. 

"KEITH, LET'S GO TELL THE REST OF THE BAND." 

"I'M NOT SURE THEY CAN BELIEVE THIS." 

"I COULD." 

"ISAAC'S MEAN. I HOPE HE HASN'T COUNTED THIS AGAINST ME." 

Total Letters: 2106
Put Letters Into 27x78 Matrix


Subtext: IT IS NOT AS THOUGH THE WORD OF GOD HAD FAILED. FOR NOT ALL THOSE WHO ARE DESCENDED FROM ISRAEL ARE TRULY ISRAEL, NOR ARE ALL THE CHILDREN ABRAHAM'S TRUE DESCENDANTS; RATHER 'THROUGH ISAAC WILL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE COUNTED.' THIS MEANS IT IS NOT THE CHILDREN OF THE FLESH WHO ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD; RATHER, THE CHILDREN OF PROMISE ARE COUNTED AS DESCENDANTS. (Romans 9:8 NET)