"Please Sally, listen to me," Ben told his sister.

"You better get the mark, Ben," Sally warned. She was so different now, but Ben couldn't forget that she was his younger sister, the girl he had grown up with and protected all of her life.

"You've got to repent, Sally," Ben said.

"You fool. I'm going to report you." Sally stomped off.

"The Bible says that your enemies will be your own family," Ben said sadly.

John and Ben were among the small group of men who were preaching as they stood in the old City Square of Jerusalem. Several people crowded around and knelt to pray with them.

Ben prayed beside a sad elderly woman who had just received Jesus.

"I'm so happy now," she said. "No matter what happens now I belong to Jesus."

Suddenly Ben looked into Sally's sneering face.

"Fool," she shouted and the square came alive with soldiers. The last thing Ben remembered was reaching out to protect the old woman. He awoke later with a throbbing, aching head.

"Where am I?" Ben's body hurt. He tried to move, but his hands and feet were tied. He looked out through bars and saw the guillotines in the middle of the square next to the new temple. Makeshift cages held hundreds of prisoners. Executions were taking place swiftly and surely.

"John," he called as his eyes traveled around the square.

"Here I am, Ben," John said. "It was great working with you, pal."

As Ben watched, the door of John's cage opened up, a soldier carried the bound John to the guillotine threw him under the blade. As the blade fell on John's neck a scream of pain filled the air. Ben's eyes hurt with the tears that came to them.

"Let me through, let me through here." Ben recognized Sally's voice as he saw her run up to the cage.

"Well, Ben." Sally stood in front of him. She grabbed the arm of the soldier who had carried John over to the guillotine. "Ben, this is one of my lovers." She looked at her big brother with triumph.

"Oh, Sally." Ben's heart broke for his sister.

"I told you I'd report you Ben. Now what do you think of your little sister?"

"I feel sorry for you, Sally," Ben said gently.

"Feel sorry for me? You better feel sorry for yourself," she screamed. "If you'll take the mark I think I can get them to stop your execution."

"Never," Ben said sadly. "Oh, Sally I wish I could have stopped you before you took the mark."

"Take him, sweetheart." Sally turned to the soldier. He put his arm around her, and she smiled. "It was easy to report you, Ben. You are no longer my brother, but a traitor to the King."

"Okay, Sal." The soldier walked toward Ben's cage. "Do you want his head?" He laughed.

"No," Sally said. "I don't have a silver platter to put it on. Just do it and get it over."

The soldier pulled Ben out of the cage and carried him to the guillotine. Throwing him roughly on the platform he put his foot on Ben's back and leaned heavily on it. Ben's face was smashed into the floor of the guillotine; he could barely breath as he heard the blade falling.

"Lord, Jesus," Ben prayed. "Receive my soul--" the last words were cut off by a scream that came from his lips as the sharp blade fell through his neck, but he immediately felt Jesus' hand on him, comforting him in spite of the pain. Ben's spirit slipped out of his body and stood next to John's spirit and thousands of others who had just been executed. Ben watched as the soldier flung his body over next to other bodies.

"Well, Ben," John said. "It's over."

"Yeah, John." Ben put his arm around John. "I'm glad. Now we can go home."

"Look Ben," John looked at Jesus who was standing next to him.

"Welcome home, boys," Jesus said as he embraced them. "Good work my faithful servants." A few minutes later they entered a shining, golden paradise and were greeted by many hugs and kisses from their loved ones in Heaven.

"Hi, Cindy, Ricky and David," Ben looked at his neighbors. "So good to see you."

"How brave you have been," Cindy said and introduced them to her grandparents.

"Please join us," Grandmother coaxed the two young men. Ben and John took places next to David and Ricky to watch what was happening on earth.

"I'm so glad Mom, Dad and Joseph are safe in Petra," Cindy said.

"The time is growing close now," Grandfather said. "From now on you two young heroes can relax until the time comes for us to rejoin our loved ones on earth."

"Yes," Ben said. "My parents will be here too soon." He smiled and looked around the beautiful heavenly countryside.