Last Light Falling by J. E. Plemons

We must be reminded to surrender to the strength that God provides, for His strength is made perfect in our weakness,” he says, hovering over us.
    “Your mother was a very remarkable woman, so much that God gave her two remarkable offspring. I knew there was something extraordinary about the two of you that day at the hospital. The glow in your mother’s eyes, your father kneeling down and praying over you both for hours that night, and one of the most unusual traits that the doctors had ever seen from twins—two identical birthmarks. But it wasn’t necessarily that you both had identical birthmarks in the same place, as extremely rare and special as that is, it was the silhouette of them—perfectly shaped crucifixes, as if God Himself had drawn them and placed them there on the back of your necks.”
    Gabe and I glance at each other and feel the back of our necks as if this is new information to us, even though we are fully aware of our markings.
    “You both have been special to me from the moment you were born, and I have focused and devoted my life to protect you and make sure you would never be separated,” he says.
    “It was you,” I say, “you were at the Foster Care Center that day, arguing with the director.”
    “Since you had not been adopted in over a year, the foster-care coordinators were about to make a very hasty decision in separating you two because there was a couple who eagerly wanted to adopt Gabe. They had no intentions of adopting two children, and I wasn’t going to allow that to happen,” he says.
    Father Joseph leans against the table. “I fervently prayed all day for that paperwork to fall through, but even still, I knew I had to convince them to terminate the adoption at all costs,” he says.
    “I’m indebted to you for your gracious determination. I wouldn’t have been able to survive without Gabe in my life,” I say with a hint of sadness to my voice. I stare at the ground, then look over at Gabe. I can’t even begin to think that we could have been separated. “I don’t mean to be ungrateful, Father, but why were you sent to keep us together?”
    “Because God had other plans for you, and that is why I’m here with both of you today,” he says.
    Now I find myself sitting attentively upright, curious behind the real reason why we are here. I can barely control my nerves.
    “After the revelation your mother had shared, it was clear to me at that moment that I was chosen by God to guide and protect the two of you,” Father Joseph says.
    “So why didn’t we ever see you during our childhood?” I ask.
    “As you know already, religion has been in a constant state of flux in this Godless nation since the regulation of the church tax that was created ten years ago by the federal government. Those tax burdens caused an uprising from the church and believers began to rebel against the government,” says Father Joseph.
    “How?” asks Gabe.
    “A percentage of the money that was given to the church by the people was transferred to the government as a subsidized payment. In return, the government would only allow those churches that contributed to assemble in a place of believers. People stopped giving and boycotted federally owned companies. Church assemblies were banned, leaving vacant buildings to wither. Those who directly rebelledwere convicted of sedition because of their disloyalty and hatred for the government, and for that, they were sentenced to labor farms to rehabilitate, or in this case, brainwashed,” he says.
    “Being of the clergy, we were no longer of value unless we were directly appointed by the federal government, and our presence among the youth was forbidden. The government was afraid that we might be persuasive enough to change your ideology, causing a new rebellion. I had to stay hidden, yet close enough to protect you.
    “This is no longer a free America; it has become a restricted nation that will soon plummet to its demise. Freedom of religion