Chapter 3
2674words
Rapture Day was winding down, but for the faithful at church, the critical moment was approaching. According to prophecy, midnight would be the exact moment of ascension.
Jessica and I sat in her car outside Holy Light Gospel Church. This time we weren't just observers—we were actors about to change everything.
The church blazed with light, prayers and hymns pouring through the windows. As time passed, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
At 10:30, Aunt Margaret approached the podium again. Her face was ghostly pale, the religious fervor in her eyes even more intense.
"Brothers and sisters!" her voice quavered, "The moment of ascension approaches! But I must share a painful truth!"
The congregation fell silent, hanging on her every word.
"My niece Emily Ross," her voice suddenly turned sharp and venomous, "has chosen the path of sin! She is a homosexual! She refuses salvation!"
My blood ran cold. What the hell was she doing?
"I gave her money today, trying to save her soul, but she rejected salvation!" my aunt continued ranting. "So I declare before the Lord: Emily Ross will burn in hell! She and all sinners like her will suffer eternal damnation!"
The congregation thundered "Amen," the sound echoing into the night.
My hands trembled. She wasn't just attacking me—she was publicly condemning me in front of fifty people. Using my full name.
"Emy, breathe," Jessica grabbed my hand. "She just made a massive mistake."
"What do you mean?"
"She just publicly named you and admitted giving you money. Everyone heard it. If media picks this up…"
Just then, I spotted a news van parked outside the church. The KQED logo clearly visible on its side.
"No way," I whispered.
A cameraman was filming outside the church while a reporter interviewed believers.
"We need to go," I said, but too late.
The reporter had spotted our car and was heading our way.
"Shit." Jessica started the engine, but the reporter was already at my window.
"Excuse me, are you here for the Rapture ceremony?" The reporter was a young woman with a friendly smile that didn't reach her hungry eyes.
"No, just driving by." I angled away from her camera.
"Wait, I just heard someone inside mention Emily Ross. Do you know her?"
My heart hammered. "No, never heard of her."
But the reporter's eyes lit up—she'd scented a story. "From what I heard, that woman inside gave this Emily person a large sum of money because she's gay. That's quite a story angle…"
Jessica floored it, and we peeled away. But the damage was done.
"This is bad," I said. "If they track me down, if they run this story…"
"Emy, listen," Jessica said calmly while driving, "this actually works perfectly for us."
"What?"
"Think about it—now the media knows you exist, knows you're LGBT, knows you got a pile of cash. When our 'ascension site' is discovered tomorrow, you're the perfect 'missing person'."
She was right, but panic still gripped me. "What if my name hits the news? What if the university finds out?"
"Then we make this story bigger—so big no one would dare criticize you."
Back at the dorm, I fired off urgent texts to my LGBT friends.
Emily: EMERGENCY. Need your help. My psycho aunt just cursed me to hell on live TV. Need to fight back.
Responses came instantly:
Marcus (my ex, now bestie): WTF?! What happened??
Sarah (LGBT club president): Just saw the news clip! That nutjob is your AUNT?
Danny (my dance partner/drag queen): Honey, let's DESTROY her!
Rachel (trans rights activist): This hate speech cannot stand!
Ten minutes later, our dorm room overflowed with people—Marcus, Sarah, Danny, Rachel, and several others I barely knew but who looked equally outraged.
"Alright," Sarah perched on my bed, opening her laptop, "what's the plan?"
I took a deep breath and outlined our "Rainbow Rapture" plan.
At first, dead silence filled the room. Then Danny burst out laughing.
"This is the most deliciously evil, brilliantly perfect revenge plan I've ever heard!" he declared with theatrical flair. "We're going to make that old witch believe God loves us 'sinners' more!"
"This requires serious coordination," Rachel analyzed. "We need synchronized messaging across multiple platforms to create a coherent narrative."
"I have an idea," Marcus said. "I know people in several LGBT organizations. If we could convince them this is a legitimate phenomenon…"
"No," I cut him off. "We can't involve actual activists. This stays within our circle."
"Then we need more sock puppet accounts," Sarah said, fingers already flying across her keyboard. "I can create convincing websites and social profiles."
"What about props?" Danny asked. "We need this scene to look absolutely convincing."
"We've got the basics," Jessica said, "but we could use more flair."
"I know exactly where to get the best rainbow gear!" Danny said excitedly. "There's this amazing Pride store in the Castro that has every rainbow item imaginable."
"It's already 11 PM," I pointed out. "Everything's closed."
"Who said anything about store hours?" Danny smiled mischievously. "I know the owner. And for a cause this righteous…"
Half an hour later, we stood behind a store called "Rainbow Dreams" in the Castro. Danny knocked on the back door, and a middle-aged man answered.
"Danny? What brings you here at this hour?"
"Tony, darling," Danny hugged the man. "We need your help. There's a homophobic witch who needs a serious lesson."
After hearing our story, Tony's eyes gleamed. "Get in here, kids. Let's give that old bat a lesson she'll never forget."
The store was a rainbow wonderland—flags, clothing, accessories, even rainbow wigs.
"What do you need?" Tony asked.
"We need to make it look like someone literally ascended to heaven," I explained. "So we need some… theatrical elements."
"Say no more," Tony walked to a special display. "This is our 'Angel Collection'."
He pulled out stunning items: iridescent rainbow angel wings, sparkling halos, and rainbow feathers that seemed to glow with otherworldly light.
"These are perfect!" Sarah gasped.
"And this," Tony produced a bottle of special glitter, "is our 'Heaven's Light' glitter. Creates prismatic rainbow reflections in sunlight."
"We need something more… sacred," Rachel suggested. "Religious symbols, but rainbow-colored."
Tony grinned. "You've definitely come to the right place."
He led us to the back room, revealing a collection I'd never seen before: rainbow religious artifacts. Rainbow crosses, rainbow-edged Bibles, even a small rainbow angel statue.
"My personal collection," Tony explained. "I create these to show that God's love embraces everyone."
At 1 AM, we returned to the dorm, armed with supplies and a perfected plan.
"Let's divide and conquer," Sarah opened her notebook and assigned roles:
Sarah: Creating and managing fake accounts, producing "scholarly" content.
Marcus: Spreading the message within LGBT circles without revealing it's fake.
Danny: Handling theatrical elements, ensuring maximum visual impact.
Rachel: Media contact, providing tips as an "anonymous witness."
Jessica: Technical support, photography, and documentation.
Emily: The star, responsible for "disappearing" and eventual "mysterious return."
"This isn't just a prank anymore," I said, looking at my friends. "This is a battle we're fighting for all of us."
"For every LGBT kid who's been hurt by religious bigotry," Marcus said.
"For everyone forced to hide who they really are," Sarah added.
"For love to triumph over hate," Danny declared with theatrical flair.
We formed a circle and stacked our hands in the center.
"Rainbow Brigade," I said.
"Rainbow Brigade!" everyone chorused.
By 2 AM, everything was set.
Rapture Day had passed, but our rapture was just beginning.
"Remember," I told my reflection, "this isn't just for you. It's for everyone who's ever been hurt by people like her."
Jessica inventoried our gear one final time: rainbow wings, angel halos, glitter, feathers, and Tony's rainbow angel statue.
"This will be the most spectacular fake rapture in history," she said.
I slipped into my black outfit and grabbed the prop bag.
"Ready to change the world?" I asked.
"Born ready," Jessica answered.
We left the dorm and headed for the waiting car. Miles away, Aunt Margaret's house sat silent under the moonlight.
She had condemned me to hell.
But what she didn't know was that I was about to ascend to heaven—right from her own backyard.
A rainbow-colored heaven that would drive her absolutely insane.
September 25, 2:30 AM.
Rapture Day had been over for two and a half hours, but Aunt Margaret clearly hadn't realized her prophecy had failed. Worse, she was now ranting online.
I sat in Jessica's car, staring at my aunt's fresh Facebook post. My blood ran cold.
Margaret Ross
2 hours ago
Brothers and sisters, the Rapture hasn't occurred yet, but I know this is the Lord testing our faith. Meanwhile, I must pray for my niece Emily Ross. She has chosen sin's path and refuses salvation.
Emily has shown rebellious tendencies since childhood. At 14, she declared herself "bisexual" and has lived in sin ever since. She refuses church, mocks God's word, and openly challenges my faith at family gatherings.
Today I gave her $40,000, hoping she would seek redemption, but she refused. She now attends UC Berkeley, further corrupting herself in that liberal cesspool.
I ask everyone to pray for Emily Ross, that the Lord might save her soul. Her contact information is…
"She's completely lost it." My voice shook. "She posted my school, full name, even my contact info."
Jessica grabbed my phone and scrolled through the post. "Emily, this already has over 200 shares."
Nausea washed over me. "I'm screwed. If the university sees this, if my professors see this…"
"No," Jessica said firmly. "You're not screwed. This lunatic just made the biggest mistake of her life."
"What do you mean?"
"She just handed us the perfect motive. Now everyone can see what she's really like. When our plan works, no one will sympathize with her."
But fear still gripped me. My phone started blowing up with calls from unknown numbers.
"Kill your phone," Jessica said. "We've got work to do."
We drove to my aunt's neighborhood and parked in a shadowy spot. The house was dark—she was clearly still at church awaiting her ascension.
"Final review," Jessica said, pulling out her notebook.
"Rainbow Rapture" Ultimate Plan:
Phase One: Infiltration and Setup (3:00-4:00 AM)
- Enter through loose fence board
- Arrange rainbow clothing under oak tree: shirt, shoes, socks
- Add angel wings and halo for divine effect
- Create ascension trail with "Heaven's Light" glitter
- Create footprints from clothes to treetop
- Scatter rainbow feathers and position angel statue
- Document scene with photos
Phase Two: Disappearance Operation (Starting at 4:00 AM)
- Emily vanishes for 48 hours
- Hide at Jessica's cousin's apartment
- Complete communications blackout
Phase Three: Internet Dissemination (Starting at 6:00 AM)
- Anonymous tip about "supernatural phenomenon"
- Launch "Rainbow Rapture Theory" from multiple accounts
- Feed media strategic information
- Generate nationwide viral conversation
"The plan is perfect," I said, "but I'm still nervous as hell."
"Nerves are normal," Jessica reassured me. "But remember, this isn't just about you anymore. It's for every LGBT kid who's been hurt by people like her."
I thought about that Facebook post—how she publicly humiliated me, how she doxxed me to her followers.
"You're right," I took a deep breath. "She deserves everything coming to her."
At exactly 3 AM, I suited up in my stealth gear—black hoodie, black joggers, black sneakers, even a black face mask.
"You look like a professional cat burglar," Jessica joked. "A rainbow avenger."
I checked my supply bag: rainbow shirt, rainbow sneakers, rainbow socks, angel wings, halo, glitter, feathers, and the beautiful rainbow angel statue.
"Remember," Jessica said one last time, "You've got 30 minutes. I'll keep watch. Any problems, text immediately."
I pulled on the face mask and grabbed the supply bag. "What if I get caught?"
"You won't. But even if you do, you're just leaving some clothes in your aunt's yard. Worst case, it's minor trespassing."
"Alright," I took a deep breath. "Rainbow Ninja, moving out."
My aunt's street was silent under the moonlight. I crept along the fence until I found the loose board, pushing it just enough to slip through.
The backyard seemed larger than I remembered. The massive oak tree cast long shadows in the moonlight, looking both majestic and mysterious—the perfect "ascension site."
I scanned the surroundings, confirming no neighbors had sightlines into this area. Perfect privacy.
First, I arranged the rainbow T-shirt under the oak tree, carefully rumpling it as if someone had just shed it. Next came the rainbow sneakers, positioned pointing skyward.
I stuffed the rainbow socks partially into the shoes for authenticity.
Then the theatrical elements. I carefully arranged the rainbow angel wings beside the shirt, as if they'd just detached from someone's back. I positioned the glittering halo above where the "head" would be.
"Perfect," I whispered.
Next came the "ascension trajectory." I created flour footprints starting from the clothing and leading to the tree trunk, even adding prints going up the trunk itself, as if someone had climbed—or floated—upward.
Finally, I sprinkled "Heaven's Light" glitter along the path. In the moonlight, it emitted a subtle rainbow glow—absolutely magical.
Last came the rainbow angel statue, which I positioned at the center of the scene like a sacred guardian.
I stepped back to admire my creation.
This wasn't just a prank—it was art. Rainbow clothing, glittering wings and halo, mysterious footprint trail, and that beautiful angel statue. In the moonlight, with glitter catching every ray, the scene radiated otherworldly beauty.
"If I didn't know better, even I'd believe someone actually ascended to heaven," I murmured.
I took out my phone and photographed the scene from multiple angles, each shot perfectly capturing the ethereal quality of our "miracle."
Just as I was about to leave, inspiration struck for one final touch.
I pulled several rainbow feathers from my bag and scattered them around the scene. They drifted gently in the night breeze, adding an angelic quality.
Then I wrote a message in chalk on the oak tree trunk:
"Love Wins"
Not just an LGBT slogan—a declaration of war against hatred and prejudice.
At 3:45 AM, my work was complete.
I carefully removed any evidence of my presence, ensuring nothing could be traced back to me, then slipped back through the fence gap.
Jessica's eyes lit up when I returned. "How'd it go?"
"Perfect," I said, pulling off my mask. "Most convincing fake rapture scene in history."
I showed her the photos. Even on the tiny screen, the scene radiated supernatural beauty and sacred energy.
"Holy shit," Jessica gasped. "That's incredible. If I didn't know better, I'd totally believe it was real."
"Now we wait till morning," I said. "Wait for someone to discover our masterpiece."
"Won't be long," Jessica grinned. "I've arranged for an 'early-morning dog walker' to discover our 'miracle' at 6 AM."
As we drove away, I glanced back at my aunt's house. In a few hours, it would become the center of a media firestorm.
"You know what," I told Jessica, "I feel like we just made history."
"How so?"
"We're not just getting revenge on one hateful woman. We're creating a new mythology—a story about love triumphing over hate."
"Rainbow Rapture," Jessica said thoughtfully. "This is going to be legendary."
I imagined the scene hours from now: neighbors discovering our creation, media descending, online debates exploding, and Aunt Margaret's face when she sees it all.
She condemned me to hell.
But now, the world would believe I'd ascended to heaven.
A rainbow-colored heaven of love and acceptance.
At 4 AM, we returned to our dorm. I quickly packed essentials for my 48-hour "disappearance."
"Remember," Jessica said, "from now on, Emily Ross has vanished. Until we're ready for her 'mysterious return'."
I powered down my phone and removed the battery. "Emily Ross has ascended," I joked.
"And Margaret Ross is about to experience the most mind-blowing 48 hours of her life," Jessica added.
We exchanged knowing smiles. The revenge was about to begin, and we were so ready.
