Chapter 37 Chapter Thirty-Seven

Jubal and the visitor from Mars walked unhurriedly into the living room with the stereo TV.The whole nest gathers in front of the TV.On TV, the crowd was dense and emotional, and there were many policemen present to maintain order.Mike glanced over, a quiet joy on his face. "They're coming. Now is the fullness." Jubal has felt an ecstatic anticipation since arriving here, and it keeps growing.Now, this expectation suddenly increased even more, but no one moved. "What a crowd, sweetie," agreed Jill. Pat added: "And the mood is high, just right." "I'd better get dressed," Mike said. "Any clothes for me in this shitty place, Pat?"

"Come on, Michael." Jubal said: "Son, this group of people don't look like good men and good women. Are you sure it's time to deal with them?" "Hey, of course." Mike said, "They're here to see me... so I'm going down to meet them now." Clothes temporarily blocked his face, so he paused.Clothes go up at a frightening pace, with several women helping, but it's not really necessary—every piece of clothing seems to know where it's going and how it's supposed to fit. "This job comes with privileges and responsibilities. Celebrity has to be on stage... Get me? Idiots wait."

"Mike knows what he's doing, boss," Duke said. "Well...but I never trusted mobs." "Most of the crowd is curious seekers, always. Oh, a few Fosterians and others will be a bit malicious, but any crowd Mike can handle. See. Right, Mike?" "That's right, Rabbi. Bring a crowd and give them a show. Where's my hat? You can't do without a hat in the midday sun." An expensive Panama hat slid out and fell on his head, The straps are very fancy.He raised his head triumphantly, "How is it?" This is the cassock he wore when presiding over the outside worship service.A well-tailored, carefully pressed white suit, matching shoes, a snow-white shirt and a luxurious bright scarf.

Ben said: "It's just a briefcase." "Have you realized the need for this? Pat, do we have a briefcase?" Jill walks up to him, "Ben was kidding you honey. You look perfect." She straightens his tie and kisses him again (Jubal feels like he's being kissed too) "Go ahead , talk to them." "That's right. Time to entertain the audience. Anne? Duke?" "Come on, Mike." Annie was wearing a notary's cloak, and she was wrapped in dignity.Duke was just the opposite, with baggy clothes, a lighted cigarette in his mouth, and an old hat on his head, with a card with the word "media" printed on it stuck in the brim.He had a tool bag and several cameras hanging from him.

They made their way to the foyer shared by the four suites on the top floor, to exit there.Only Jubal followed, and the other thirty or so people stayed around the TV.Mike stopped at the door.In the hall was a table with a plate of fruit, a paring knife, a pitcher of water, and glasses. "The front is Pat's pet, it's best not to go any further," Mike suggested, "otherwise, Pat will come and escort you back." Mike poured himself a glass of water and drank some of it. "Preaching is a thirsty job." He handed the glass to Anne, reached for the fruit knife, and sliced ​​off a large piece of apple.

Jubal seemed to see Mike cut off a finger, perhaps because Duke handed him the glass at that moment, distracting him a bit.Mike's hands weren't bleeding, and Jubal was getting used to all sorts of tricks.He took the water glass and took a sip, only to realize that his throat was also terribly dry. Mike grabbed his arm and said with a smile, "Don't worry about it. It's only going to be a few minutes. See you later, Father." The three walked through the cobra guards and the door closed behind them.Jubal returned to the others, still holding the glass.Someone took the cup from him, but he didn't care, he only had eyes for the image of the big TV.

The crowd seemed denser and more restless.The police only used batons to maintain order at the scene.From time to time, a few shouts could be heard, but mostly there were whispers buzzing around. Someone asked, "Where are they, Pat?" "Already down the downpipe. Michael moved a little faster, and Duke stopped to pick Annie up. Now they're in the hall. Michael was recognized, and a lot of people were taking pictures of him." The picture on the TV changed to With a huge head and shoulders, a cheerful newscaster said: "This is New World TV Network, and the flexible news reporters will bring you the latest live reports at the forefront - I am your newscaster Happy Holidays .We just learned that the fake Messiah, sometimes called The Man from Mars, has crawled out of a hotel where he was hiding out in beautiful St. Petersburg, a place that makes you want to Singing city. Smith is presumably ready to surrender to the authorities. Yesterday he escaped with high explosives smuggled into prison by fanatics, but the tight security of the whole city seems to have prevented him from doing so. How it is we don't know - I repeat, We don't know yet. This channel will bring you all the coverage, so stay put. Now, we'll leave it to the local sponsors who brought you this breaking news—"

"Thank you, Happy Holidays, and thank you to all the good folks who follow New World Network! How much is Paradise worth? Shockingly low! Come check out Paradise, a newly developed home for a limited number of customers. The sun is shining Build your dream home in the Gulf of Mexico (reclaimed land), each guaranteed eighteen inches above tide level, for a small deposit - oh, oh, more on that later Go ahead, friends - please call Gulf of Mexico 92828!" "Thanks, thank you, Jake Morris and the developers of Paradise! There seems to be something new going on here, guys! Yeah, I think so—"

("They're out the front door," Pat said quietly. "Michael hasn't been spotted by the people out there.") "Maybe it's going to be a little bit longer...but not long. Now you're looking at the gates of the Hotel Fortuna, a magnificent jewel in the Gulf of Mexico. The hotel management has no responsibility for the fugitives lurking there, In fact, Police Chief Davies just issued a statement that management has been cooperating closely with the authorities from the beginning to the end. While we wait for the developments, let's take another look at this Mars-grown monster and review the weirdness of this half-human career--"

Live footage is replaced by fast-cut expansions: rocket launch of the "Emissary" many years ago, "Victor" using the Lyle drive to fly silently and effortlessly into the sky, Martians on Mars, " The successful return of the "Victor", the first interview of the excerpted fake "Guest from Mars"-"Mike, what do you think of the earth girl?" Compressed even shorter, and finally the much-hyped Ph.D. conferment ceremony, all accompanied by a barrage of commentary. "See anything, Pat?" "Michael was standing at the top of the steps. The crowd was at least a hundred yards away from him, and the police were blocking them from entering the hotel grounds. Duke had already filmed something, and Mike was waiting for him to change the camera. No need to rush."

The TV picture shifted to the crowd, giving a panning medium shot, and Happy Holiday continued: "You know, friends, this wonderful community is in an unprecedented situation. Something strange happened. Now these people don't The mood is joking. Their laws are being mocked and their security forces insulted and they are totally understandably outraged. His deranged followers are desperate to create chaos in order for the accused Antichrist to escape justice , but all in vain. Now, anything can happen—anything!" The announcer raises his voice, "He's out—he's walking toward people!" The scene cuts to the opposite direction, with Mike walking straight toward the camera.Annie and Duke followed behind him, but they were already farther behind. "Here we come! Here we go! The grand finale is on!" Mike continued to walk towards the crowd unhurriedly, and his figure on the TV gradually grew to life size, as if he was in the room with his water brothers.He stopped by the lawn in front of the hotel, "Are you looking for me?" A growl was his answer. Sparse clouds were floating in the sky; at that moment the sun peeked out from behind one of the clouds, and a ray of light fell upon him. His clothes disappeared.He just stood in front of them, golden youth, only his beauty wrapped his body.It was so beautiful that Jubal felt heartache-the old Michelangelo should also come down from the scaffolding to record this moment for countless generations who have not yet been born.Mike said gently, "Look at me, I am the Son of Man." The screen cuts to a ten-second commercial break, in which a row of can-can dancers sings: Come on, ladies, do the laundry! Grab a smooth, fragrant little bar of soap! Soap of love protects the hands— The TV is full of soap bubbles and teenage laughter, then cuts back to the news: "God curse you!" Half a brick hit Mike in the ribs.He turned to his assailant, "You yourself are God, you can only curse yourself...and you can never escape yourself." "The Blasphemer!" A stone just hit his left eye, and blood flowed profusely in an instant. Mike said quietly, "To fight me is to fight yourself...for you are God...and I am God...All enlightened is God—and nothing else." More stones hit him, and blood began to bleed in several places. "Listen, this is the truth. You have no need to hate, no need to fight, no need to fear. I offer you the water of life—" Suddenly, there was a large glass in his hand, and the water glistened in the sun, "— You can share it when you want...to walk together in peace, joy and love." —a stone flew and smashed the glass, and another hit him in the mouth. His lips were swollen and bleeding, but he smiled at them.Mike's eyes were fixed on the camera, and there was only gentleness on his face.Sunlight and stereoscopic images gave him what seemed to be a golden halo behind his head. "Oh my brothers, I love you so much! Drink your fill. Share, grow closer, never stop. You are God." Jubal whispered back to him.Another five-second commercial break: "Cahunga Cave! A nightclub with real Los Angeles fog, freshly introduced every day. There are six exotic dancers." "Hang him! Get the nigger's noose, let the bastard taste it!" A big-bore shotgun fired at close range, and Mike's right arm snapped at the elbow and fell.It fell gently, and finally stopped on the cool grass, with the palm still open, making an inviting gesture. "Give him another shot as well, the dwarf should aim more this time!" The group laughed and clapped.A brick shattered Mike's nose, and more stones crowned him with blood. "Truth is not complicated, yet the path of man is full of dangers. First you must learn to control yourselves. Everything else will follow. Blessed is he who knows himself and masters himself, for the world is his, and love, joy, and peace will Follow him anywhere." The gunfire rang out again.Two more shots followed.One of the .45s hit where the heart was, shattering the sixth rib near the breastbone and leaving a wide gash; the buckshot from the shotgun and the other .45 went five inches below the left knee. The tibia, the bone jutting out at an odd angle to the calf, the broken bone looked exceptionally white against the yellow and red of the wound. Mike wobbled a little.He laughed loudly, and continued, "You are God. Know this, and the way is open for you." "Damn it—stop him, don't allow him to claim the name of God again!"—"Everyone! Let's finish him!" A daring man rushed forward with a big stick in his hand, and the mob rushed up.Stones and fists rained down on Mike.After he fell, countless feet began to trample on him.They kicked his ribs, smashed his golden body, broke his bones, nearly ripped off an ear, but he kept on talking.Finally, someone yelled: "Stand back, pour gasoline!" After hearing this, the thugs backed away a little.The camera leaned in and captured his face and shoulders.The visitor from Mars smiled at his brothers and once again said in a soft but clear voice, "I love you." A careless grasshopper whirred over and landed on the grass inches from his face ; Mike turned his head to meet its gaze.He said happily, "You are God," and then disintegrated.