When Joseph and his mother got back from the old City, Mr. Kahn was home from work and sat watching TV in the living room. "I didn't know we'd be so late. I'll start supper," Debby said as she leaned over and kissed her husband.

"Take your time," Frank Kahn responded. "I'm just resting." She went into the kitchen.

"Look at my new knife." Joe handed his birthday gift to his Dad. "It's real neat. Thanks Dad."

"Glad to you got it, son," Mr. Kahn looked at it. "It's hard to believe you're 14 already. Seems like only yesterday you were just a toddler." He stopped and Joseph knew his Father was thinking of his missing children.

Suddenly sirens broke the silence of the evening. "What now?" Debbie rubbed her hands as she hurried into the living room.

"All citizens report to your nearest air raid shelter." A wild-eyed newsman appeared on the TV. "We repeat! All citizens are to proceed immediately to their nearest air raid shelter. Jerusalem is surrounded by enemy troops."

"Russia." Joseph put his knife into his pocket. It was hard to breath. His heart felt like it was going to stop.

"We'd better get out of here," Mr. Kahn said. "Get your sweaters."

"The city of Jerusalem is surrounded by enemy troops, it is believed that they are from Russia," the newsman repeated.

"I thought they were friendly now." Joseph's heart beat like a giant drum in his chest, as they hurried out of the house.

"We should have known they couldn't be trusted," Debbie Kahn panted as she ran.

The Eshkols joined them in their flight to the air raid shelter. "What do you suppose is happening?" Ben asked.

"They think it's the Russian Army," Joseph said. "We saw it on TV just before we left."

"I thought it was the Arabs again," Ben muttered as they climbed the crowded stairs that led to the basement of the neighborhood air raid shelter.

None of the fleeing humans saw the black creatures that flew beside them, and perched on their shoulders as they hurried down the narrow stairs to the darkened room that served as the shelter. The windows were covered with black curtains, and people were scattered around on the floor. It was hard to see in the darkened room because no candles were lit.

"Ouch," said a voice. "Get off of my foot."

"Sorry." Joseph tried to make his way to an empty spot.

They huddled beside the others in the black of the shelter. Dark creatures hung over their shoulders and laughed.

"Fools," Demon of Fear wailed as he flew from person to person. "You'll die now."

"These human idiots are so easy to lead," Demon of Discouragement sneered.

"Watch me lead this young idiot into a frenzy," Demon of Fear cackled. "Remember," he hissed in Joseph's ear, "Remember how the Jewish people were tortured in World War II; they were starved, tormented, burned. Remember-- remember." Stories of the misery that Joseph's people had suffered in World War II under Hitler, came back to him as he crouched in the packed, stuffy room. He shuddered as vivid pictures went through his mind.

The black demon of fear had an evil laugh. He was doing his job well and the pictures he described were masterpieces. The Kahn family sat in the room, listening to the soft whisper of voices and the sirens outside.

"You'd be better off dead." Spirit of Suicide flew around the room and cackled at the humans. "Dead, dead, dead," he chanted in their ears.

"God has forgotten you," Spirit of Doubt shrieked.

"Our troops are there and don't forget how God helped us in the six day war." Frank Kahn said.

"God!" Sally sputtered the word, her voice filled with hate. "He doesn't care for us."

"We've won every war," Joseph whispered. "And He gave us Jerusalem."

"Our own army did that," Sally hissed. "God had nothing to do with it."

"He has always been faithful to keep His people," Ben whispered.

"My legs are cramped," Debby said as she rubbed them.

"I'm sick of sitting on the floor," Sally Eshkol complained.

The room was crowded and hot. Joseph watched the door, fearful that Russian soldiers would break through. Finally a man came through the door and spoke to them. "Russia, Turkey and some other countries have us surrounded," he said.

"God has forgotten you," Spirit of Doubt howled.

"I'm scared." Debbie clutched her husband's hand.

"We must put our trust in God," Frank Kahn said.

"God!" Sally spit. "If there is a God He doesn't care for us."

"He just wants you to jump on a string," Demon of Discouragement yelled. "Like a puppet, a slave to His will."

"We've won every war." Joseph looked at Sally. The shadows in the room made her face into an ugly mask of hate. "He helped us in Dessert Storm, He helped us in the Six Day War and He gave us Jerusalem back."

"Your own might and power won that war," Demon of Fear spat the words as he sat on Sally's head.

"Our own army did that," Sally hissed. "God had nothing to do with it."

"Yes He did," Ben argued. "He has always been faithful to keep His people."

"Ha," Demon of Fear laughed. "How do you know there IS a God?"

"How do you know there is a God?" Sally echoed, her voice angry.

"Sally, how can you ask a thing like that?" Mr. Eshkol said.

"Easy," Sally grunted. "You're wrapped up in silly superstition."

"If there is a God he has forgotten you," Spirit of Doubt repeated loudly.

"Has He turned His back on us?" Debbie asked in a low, desperate voice. "First the kids disappeared and now this."

"He enjoys torturing you," Demon of Doubt screeched in Sally's face.

"If there is a God," Sally muttered. "He enjoys torturing us."

"What a stupid girl," Demon of Discouragement put his head back and yelped with laughter, as the other demons rolled on the floor. "She repeats everything we say."

"That's not true Sally. God has always been there for us," Ben said. "I believe He will help us now."

"Sure." Sally spit the word out. "What about all our people who were burned in the ovens in Auschwitz? Where was your God then?"

"President Arams is here. He's a good man," Frank Kahn said. "He talks to God constantly and follows His advice. We couldn't have a better person on our side. Don't forget how God helped us in Dessert Storm."

The night went slowly as the roomful of people slept. In the morning the sirens quieted and the all-clear signal was given.

As they walked home the streets looked normal. There had been no bombings. No one knew if poisonous gas had been released.

School was canceled the next day, but Frank Kahn went to work. There was very little traffic. Almost everyone stayed in their homes, watching the TV to find out what was going happening.

"If the battle lasts much longer," Ben told Joseph. "We'll have to go and fight with them."

"It might be better than sitting around wondering what's going on," Joseph replied. Because of the conflict with the Arabs all school children had learned to shoot guns and fight to protect Israel.

It happened again that night and every night for the next week as the Israeli soldiers fought bravely. By the end of the week everyone was so tired that it was easy to sleep in the cramped space. School resumed and life seemed almost normal. Casualty numbers were released, but the Russian army was kept from entering the city. A few days went past and there were no more sirens but a week later the Kahn's once again found themselves in the basement shelter. Women argued, men yelled at each other and little children cried. The sirens were louder tonight than before.

"I wonder how much longer this will go on," Joseph said to Ben as they sat in the shelter. Two women screamed at each other.

"I sure would like to stay in my own bed," Ben said.

"We're all going to be murdered," a woman screamed hysterically.

"Ezekiel foretold this day," a voice in the room spoke in a loud tone. "He prophesied that Magog or Russia would come against Israel, but they will be destroyed."

"Who are those men?" Ben asked and he crept to look at their faces.

"Get them out of here," Spirit of Rebellion cried. "Liars, liars, liars."

Joseph's skin felt prickly as he heard the words of the prophet, Ezekiel. Were they now living in that day that the prophet foretold? They huddled there all night and Joseph fell into a restless sleep as he sat beside Ben. The only movement in the crowded room was when someone would slip out to the restroom. Would the waiting never end?

Suddenly a roar filled the crowded bomb shelter and with a cracking and popping the room started spinning.

"It's an earthquake," a woman's voice screamed.

"Ouch." Joseph's body slammed into the wall and tumbled around on the floor as an invisible giant shook the room.

"Mom, Dad," Joseph cried, standing up as the rattling stopped for a brief second, but he was knocked down again as another tremor struck. "Mom, Dad," he yelled in a louder tone, feeling like a little boy. He had to find them. Moans, and screams filled the air.

"Joseph." Debbie Kahn crawled up next to him.

"Are you all right son?" Frank Kahn rubbed his arms.

"Yeah, just scared," Joseph admitted.

"What a terrible earthquake." Debbie's voice sounded as if she was ready to cry.

"We must pray." A voice broke through the early morning terror. The room grew silent.

Joseph looked at the swaying man who stood with his hand on the wall. He was short, dressed in strange, rough looking clothes and had a white beard. Another man stood beside him, his hair and short beard were black, his face and eyes fierce.

"We saw those guys outside of the old city yesterday," Joseph said to his Mother.

"You're right," Debbie said.

"Shut them up, shut them up," Demon of Fear screamed. "They're your enemies."

"Oh, Lord, our God, creator of the universe," the man prayed. "We ask for your divine help and guidance as these people face the problems of the coming years. We know this earthquake comes from you. We would hide in your great and mighty hand. Let us look to you for our strength. Help us to defeat our enemies, for you are our only hope."

"Shut him up," Demon of Discouragement shrieked.

The man with the white beard finished. "In Jesus' holy name we pray. Amen." Joseph caught his breath at the name of Jesus. Gasps were heard from the swaying room.

"Don't say that name, don't say it," Demon of Fear wailed and the other demons clapped their wings to their ears and yelled loudly.

"Don't listen to him," Spirit of Fear screeched.

Mr. Eshkol muttered angrily. "Who does he think he is?"

"This time of trouble comes from God, but the disaster will be upon the troops who come against us, for they have dared to lift their hands against God's chosen people," the strangely dressed man said to the people crowded into the basement room.

"Who are you?" a voice in the room called.

"He's crazy," Spirit of Doubt shouted. "Crazy, crazy, crazy."

"I am Eli," the man said. "My helper is Moshe. Jesus was the Messiah. Search your scriptures. Isaiah 53 gave you a description of the Messiah. Jesus was the promised one, He was born in Bethlehem, and He suffered and died on the cross for your sins. Our prophets foretold His coming. He had to take your sins upon Him. You must repent and accept Him as your Savior. God will this day destroy the Russian army. You will see His Hand as you have never seen it before."

"He lies, he lies," Demon of Fear moaned loudly.

"Poppycock," Sally muttered through her teeth.

"I can't stand this waiting." A man stood up. "Let's go see what's happening. Who is willing to go and see how the troops are doing?" He stumbled and fell. The giant jolted the room.

"I want to go," Joseph said.

"Me too", Ben said and they stood up to follow their fathers.

"Joseph," Debbie protested.

"Mom," Joseph said. "I'm a man now."

"I know son," Debbie Kahn sighed and gripped Joseph's' hand tightly. "Just be careful, please."

Outside of the bomb shelter the street was rocking and a soft rain falling. A few men crowded into the front seat of a truck that was parked at the curb and the rest climbed into the back.

The truck driver had to weave the vehicle over the crumbling road. The giant had sliced large holes out of it and as they drove, the gashes got deeper. Finally the truck came to a stop, the driver got out and came around to the back.

"We'll have to walk now," he shouted. "This is as far as we can go." The road in front of them had crumbled and disappeared, like the left overs of a slice of cake.

Joseph said a silent prayer as they jumped from island to island between the newly dug canyons in the earth. He felt as if he were walking on a moving bus. "It's too quiet," he said to Ben. There was no noise of guns, no bombs, no shelling, only the soft sound of rain falling.

"Yeah," Ben agreed. "Too quiet. Where is everyone?"

"We have seen the hand of God." An Israeli soldier came running toward the men. "The Russians are destroyed."

"What happened?" Joseph's father called as they hurried to meet him.

"The earthquake," the soldier answered. "The earthquake took them completely by surprise. There were so many of them, they filled the whole countryside, but suddenly the earth opened and swallowed them."

"Were many of our soldiers killed?" Mr. Eshkol asked.

"That's the miracle -- where we were standing, the earth didn't move --only under the Russian army. Look, that's where we were." The man pointed to one big island crowded with Israeli soldiers. "Then the hail started."

"What hail?" Joseph asked.

"That hail, young man," The soldier said as he held out his hand toward the piles of large hail stones. "Look-- hail the size of baseballs, it hit the enemy soldiers. All we got was rain."

"Where is the Russian army?" Mr. Eshkol asked.

"It is nearly destroyed," the soldier answered. "The men who were left have deserted. When the earthquake and the hail hit them they started shooting each other in their confusion."

"I have read of such things in the scriptures," Ben said slowly. "When the lepers in Elisha's time went to the enemy camp, God confused the enemy and they shot each other."

They looked around and saw bodies and rubble of the earthquake in the deep ruts. Hail littered the ground.

"We have to go back and tell the rest about this," the man who drove the truck shouted.

"Those two men in the bomb shelter predicted this, Joe," Ben said as they made their way back to the vehicle.

"Yeah." Joseph remembered Eli and Moshe and what they had said. Who were the two men in the room who talked so freely about the one that the Christians had believed was the Messiah, this Jesus?

"What else do they know about what is happening, Joe?" Ben asked.

"How did they know what was going to happen today?" Joseph added as they climbed up on the truck.

"Don't listen to him," Spirit of Fear screamed. "Don't listen to him."