Joseph Kahn stepped out of the shower. He looked at himself in the mirror, black eyes stared back. He felt as if he could never laugh again. Joe ran a comb through his unruly dark hair and walked slowly downstairs. A noise behind him made him jump, but there was nothing. It had happened several times lately - he heard noises but no one was there. He felt haunted, as if someone was following him.

Today was Joseph's birthday, he was 14 now, but he didn't blame his parents for forgetting his birthday. In the middle of the night two days ago, thousands of people had disappeared. No one knew where they had gone. His younger brothers and his sister had vanished. One of his friends, R.J. Woods, had dropped out of sight. It had happened on Rosh ha-Shanah, a time of celebration. The disappearance had caused widespread havoc. The streets of Jerusalem were still shattered from the fires and accidents caused by crashing cars without drivers and airplanes without pilots plunging to the ground. Even world leaders acted puzzled and confused. If anyone knew what had occurred no one was explaining. What a terrible way to begin the New Year. Joe wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come.

The house was empty without the others. At night Joseph had trouble going to sleep and when he finally dozed he dreamed of hideous dark winged creatures chasing him through the house and down the streets of Jerusalem. Even when he was awake Joseph couldn't shake the feeling that something evil was watching him.

The Kahns had moved to Jerusalem a year ago, just before the collapse of the United States government. Joseph remembered his birthday last year. R.J. and Ben Eshkol had come for a picnic supper and to spend the night. They stayed up laughing and talking. The Woods, strong Christians, lived next to the Kahns. The Kahns and the Eshkols were Jewish, but because they were neighbors they had become friends and their friendship bridged the differences in their beliefs. Now R.J. and his family had disappeared on that disastrous night.

Depression walked with Joseph down the stairs. He couldn't see the evil, gray demon that cackled and shrieked filthy words, but he could sense him.

"Good morning, Joey." Debbie Kahn's eyes had always sparkled with laughter, but now they were sorrowful and had dark circles under them. "I'm sorry," Debbie said as she stirred hot cereal for breakfast. "We forgot it was your birthday."

"It's okay Mom," Joseph was weary. He couldn't get upset over anything - not even a birthday.

"We'll go to the old City this afternoon after school." Debbie turned the fire out from under the pot of cereal. "I want to go to the Wailing Wall. Your father left you some money. You're old enough to buy your own present now."

"Okay." Joseph remembered the knife that he had seen in the marketplace --before the world had gone crazy. His favorite hobby was carving figures out of olivewood. He had formed donkeys and camels, people and even a dog for his sister. Just recently he had seen a carving knife that was sharper and would make his figures look better. How much he had wanted that knife only a few days ago. That was the day he and Cindy had the fight.

"Joey," Debbie said. "I know this has been a bad week-- but it's got to get better. The government will get the children back."

"Sure, Mom, sure." Joseph didn't think she believed it, but he agreed, for her sake.

"I heard President Arams on the TV this morning," Debbie continued. "He has promised to return the children. He's such a good man. He'll break this puzzle."

"Yeah," Joseph mumbled.

"Breakfast is ready," Mrs. Kahn reached for a bowl.

"I'm not hungry, Mom." Joseph shook his head.

"Joseph, you have to start eating again," his mother said firmly and she filled his bowl with the hot Cream of Wheat.

"Oh, Mom," Joe protested.

"Eat," his mother ordered and Joseph didn't try to argue with her. It tasted like a bowl full of hot cotton as he gulped it down.

"I've got such a headache." Debbie Kahn pressed her hand against her closed eyes. "I'm having trouble sleeping and I hate those awful nightmares."

"You too, Mom?" Joseph drank his milk.

"What do you mean 'too'?" His Mother turned to look at Joseph.

"What kind of dreams?" Joseph ate his cereal automatically.

"Monsters." Debbie shuddered. "You'd think I'd been watching too much TV."

"Dark creatures with wings?" Joseph put his bowl and glass in the sink.

"Yes, how'd you know?" His mother stopped.

"I've been having them, too," Joseph said.

"I guess it's the strain." Debbie's face showed the lack of sleep. "You better go on or you'll be late." She hesitated and then added, "I'm always afraid. I even hate to see you leave to go to school."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Joseph grabbed his books and left the house. "I've got to get to Ben's house. See you tonight."

"Be careful, Joey." His Mother stood in the doorway and watched as Joseph went next door. Demon of Fear wrapped his arms around her head and squeezed. She rubbed her eyes and went into the bathroom to find a pill, to try to find relief.

Joe could hear Ben's Dad and his sister Sally yelling at each other, as he came up the walk of the Eshkol house. He couldn't see the dark creatures that gathered near, but he could feel the presence of evil.

"You shame me," Mr. Kahn shouted. "You no longer celebrate the Shabbat or go to the synagogue with us. Now you stay out all night. I never knew I was going to raise a tramp."

"I'm a free person," Sally screamed. "I can do what I want."

"Another teaching of that New Age bunch you're going to school with," Mr. Kahn bellowed.

Joe hesitated on the porch for a minute before the door opened and Ben slipped out.

"Morning, Joe." Ben was quiet as they walked down the sidewalk. "Did you hear the yelling?"

"Couldn't help it." Joe shook his head. "Sally's in trouble again, I take it."

"Yeah," Ben shook his head sadly. "Dad caught her coming in at 4:00 o'clock again, this morning."

"Wow!" Joe whistled. Mr. Eshkol was a strict Jewish parent, but 15-year-old Sally paid no attention to him.

"Drunk, too," Ben said. "Dad's threatening to kick her out."

"Do you think he will?" Joe asked.

"Nah," Ben answered. "He's always given her anything she wanted. He only believes in discipline for boys."

Joe nodded. He had seen the scars that Mr. Eshkol had put on Ben's back with his "discipline."

"Since Sally started that New Age school across town she's changed." Ben said.

"She has changed," Joe agreed, remembering Sally when he first moved to Jerusalem. She'd been cute, but spoiled. The trouble began when Sally insisted that she didn't want to follow the rules and customs of her Jewish ancestors. Now with her face hard and her hair streaked purple and white, she looked at least 20 instead of 15 years old.

"Why'd your Dad let her go to that school instead of ours?" Joe asked.

"Who knows?" Ben shrugged his shoulders. They climbed the stairs of the school. "He's never told her no. Hey, Joe it's your birthday. Happy birthday."

"Thanks," Joe said. "What are you doing after school?"

"I have to help my Dad." Ben paused.

"Shoot," Joe said. "Mom and I are going to the old City. I wanted you to go with us."

"I wish I could. Dad's been in a terrible mood lately." Ben turned to go. "See you in gym."

"Yeah," Joe said and went to his class.

"We'll see you, you dumb jerk," Demon of Depression said to his partner, Misery.

"Who are you calling a jerk?" The gray Imp flew at the Demon's throat.

"You and your stupid buddy, Ben." Depression pushed the fiend away from him.

"He's no buddy of mine," Misery's long pointed teeth sunk into the Demon's arm.

"Ouch," Depression shrieked. "He's getting away. I told you you were a jerk."

"I'll be back to get you," the ugly creature called as he followed Ben.

In class, Joe's mind wandered. Morbid thoughts ran through his memory. There was nothing left to live for and he was depressed. He wondered where they had gone. Why had the Christians taken David and Ricky and Cindy? Why was he left behind? He thought of the things that R.J. had told him about Christ coming back. R.J. had called it "the rapture."

The day went slowly. The advanced Hebrew language was difficult and Joe looked out of the window often. The dark, dreary weather matched his mood.

When school was finally over, Joe and Ben met in front of the big red building and walked slowly home, not knowing that the ugly dark monsters fluttered at their side and whispered tormenting words in their ears.

"They're gone," Demon of Depression whispered in Joe's ears. "They're gone, gone, gone. You hated them."

"Thanks to our god, the Holy Spirit has left the world with all those hideous Christians," Demon of Misery shrieked. "We're in charge now, no help for you, no help for you." He cackled evilly.

"The good angels are gone too." Demon of Depression put his head back and howled with happiness."

"Do you really believe what the papers are saying about the disappearance?" Ben asked.

"I don't know." Joe picked up a rock and threw it. "The news said that President Arams thinks the Christians kidnapped the kids and took them to a hiding place. He feels they might have gone to another planet."

"But what about the graves, Joe?" Ben asked. "How about the empty coffins all over the world?"

"I don't know," Joe said.

"What planet could the Christians have gone to?" Ben asked. "Mars is hot, and there's not enough oxygen to breathe. Do you remember what R.J. talked about?" Ben continued.

Demon of Misery scratched his long fingernails into Joe's head.

"You mean the rapture?" Joe didn't want to think anymore, his head ached.

"Yeah," Ben said. "Do you think that Jesus really DID come to get the Christians and all the kids?"

"It's a lie," Demon of Depression screamed in Joe's ear. "Don't believe it. The evil Christians were wrecking this world."

"I don't know." A feeling of hopelessness filled Joe. "It still sounds weird."

"I can't think of another explanation--" Ben said slowly. "Even if it is weird."

"Nothing makes sense," Joe kicked at the ground as they came to Ben's house. "I wish you could go to the old City with us."

"Me too," Ben said wistfully. "I guess I'll see ya, tomorrow, Joe. Have a good time."

"Sure." Joe knew he wasn't going to have a good time. "So long," he said as he cut across the lawn to get home. Would he feel discouraged the rest of his life?