Ben rubbed his tired eyes as he watched the planes flying over the city of Jerusalem. He was going to miss Joseph and his family; they had helped ease the loneliness of being away from his own family. Ben's mother was talking to him now, but only when his father wasn't around. Mr. Eshkol had sworn that Ben was dead. Sally had moved out and was living with some guy. Ben tried to see her but Sally avoided him.

As he watched the planes Ben wished his parents and Sally had accepted Jesus, then they would be on one of the planes going to Petra. He loved his Father and didn't want to see him in Hell. He shook himself from his dreaming and went on to knock on the doors on his list.

The witnesses worked in pairs and Ben spent the night with his friend, John, telling people to leave town. Afterwards he went back to home of his former home, to talk to his mother and warn her once again not to take the mark or let his father take it. Her eyes were filled with fear as he told her once more about the saving power of Jesus. She listened for a few minutes.

"Would you accept Him, Mom?" Ben asked.

"I can't Ben." She shook her head and Ben felt a hopelessness that was beyond the tiredness that invaded his body.

Ben started out of town to sleep in the caves with the remaining witnesses. There were thousands of Christians who lived in the bushes and caves outside of the towns, but the soldiers were combing the hills to find them. Ben knew he would preach the gospel as long as he had breath left in him.

The next morning as Ben and John walked with a group of witnesses to town he saw Sally and he ran to catch up with her.

"Sally," Ben called. She turned around and began walking away from him as swiftly as she could.

"Wait Sally," Ben was breathless when he caught up with her.

"What do you want?" She asked angrily.

"Sally," Ben said. "Why are you living with that guy?"

"That's none of your business." Her eyes flashed. He tried to put his hand on her arm but she pulled it away. "Leave me alone, Ben."

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Ben followed her down the street.

"Because this is the way you treat me," Sally said. "Leave me alone, I said. I don't want anybody to know that you're my brother."

"It doesn't matter what you think of me," Ben said sadly. "Sally, have you taken the mark?"

"Not yet." She turned to look at him. "I'm on my way to get it right now."

"Don't, Sally." Ben begged.

"Why not?" Sally squinted her eyes as she looked at him.

"You can't take it," Ben said. "You're my little sister."

"Why shouldn't I take it?" She spit the words at him.

"Because," Ben said, "It's the mark of the anti-christ."

"So what?" Sally asked. "King Arams has been a wonderful king and leader. Besides, I'm very fond of eating and you can't eat without the mark."

"It's dangerous," Ben said. "If you take it you'll be doomed."

"Well, my goodness, little Benny is quite a preacher, aren't you?" Sally mocked her eyes dark with fury.

"Yes," Ben said. "I'm a preacher for Jesus Christ. I'm not ashamed of it."

"I heard you were preaching." Sally stood with her hands on her hips. "You're the one in danger. I like to have fun, and you always tried to preach to me. Haven't you learned that I don't want to listen to you?"

"Please Sally, don't get the mark," Ben followed her.

"Leave me alone, I said," Sally walked faster. "As soon as I get the mark I'm going to go and turn you in to the authorities."

"Even if I die I would go to be with Jesus, Sally, so I'm not afraid to die." Ben said. "But I do love you and I worry about you. Jesus died for you."

"Oh, sure," she laughed. "I don't need anyone, I'm just fine."

"You can't take the mark." Ben caught her arm. "I won't let you."

"You can't stop me," Sally angrily spit the words at him.

"Sally, stop it." Ben was desperate. "You'll die."

"No, Ben," Sally pulled her arm out of his grip. "I'll die of hunger if I don't take it. I'm not going to eat out of trash cans."

"It's the mark of the beast," Ben shouted as she started running down the street.

"Bye, bye preacher boy," she called back to him. "You'll be sorry."

John had been standing watching Ben. "Come on, Ben," he said gently. "Everyone must choose for themselves."

"I know," Ben said. "But she's my sister. How can I let her do this?"

"You can't do anything about it," John said. "You have to let her make her own decision. Come on, we have work to do."

Ben's heart was heavy with a sense of loss as he preached the gospel in the shadows of the courthouse.

Several of the witnesses were arrested that day and put to death immediately in the Town Square. There was little food even for those who did take the mark. Many grocery stores were closed and boarded up. People were fighting over the garbage cans.

The following days Ben had very little to eat, but he continued to preach. Many people refused to take the mark, and accepted Jesus. They were executed.

Two weeks later Ben once again saw Sally. Her eyes told him the story; they were filled with hate. She no longer looked like his sister, but a wicked creature that inhabited Sally's body. She didn't avoid him this time, she laughed at him.

"You said I was going to die," she taunted him. "You could have been happy and eating too, but look at you, Ben. You look like a scarecrow, and the officials will get you soon. I promise."

Ben's skin hung on him. He looked and felt like a skeleton. He knew it was just a matter of time before he starved to death or was caught by the authorities, but he prayed that his father and mother would accept Jesus before it was too late.

It was that afternoon that his father consented to see him.

"Tell me again, son," his father said. "I can't think clearly anymore."

And Ben told his parents about Jesus again. This time they listened and knelt beside him to accept Jesus as their Lord. The angels in Heaven rejoiced as the Eshkols joined their hearts with Ben and received eternal life.