You Only Die Twice by Christopher Smith Page A

attention
and you need to correct it before it’s too late.”
    “Too
late for what?”
    Ted
pointed a finger toward heaven.   “Too late for Him.”
    Kenneth
screwed up his face at him.   “What
are you talking about?   How have I
been sinning?”
    “I’m
your elder.”
    “So what
if you are?”
    “What
does the scripture say about your elders, Kenneth?”
    His face
went blank for a minute.   The Bible
said plenty about elders.   Ted could
tell he was trying to decide where he had made an offense, but he wasn’t
willing to wait for him to figure it out.
    “ You’re trying
to lead this operation―you said you were the ‘Chosen One,’ whatever the
hell that means―when we’ve only ever worked together as a team.   You’re trying to establish yourself
here, trying to push me aside and take control, but I won’t have it.   1 Peter 5:5 says that ‘Likewise, you who
are younger, be subject to the elders.’   Have you forgotten that?   By
rising up and trying to run the show, by having an edge in your voice when you
speak to me in utter disrespect, you are sinning.   For your soul’s sake, I suggest you
repent.   Because unless you repent,
you will perish.”
    “I
disagree.   I don’t see how I’ve
sinned.”
    “Are you
arguing with me, or with Him?   There’s a big difference, Kenneth, and I’m not the only one
watching.   You know what you’ve
done, you know the tone of voice you used with me when I got lost in the
woods.   You also know how you’ve
treated me since.   Get on your knees
and repent.   Bow down now and repent
or perish.   Listen to Acts
3:19:   ‘Repent, then, and turn to
God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that time of refreshing may come from
the Lord.’   Are you hearing me?   Are you hearing Him?   Your choice, boy, but I pray you make
the correct one, because I’d hate to work without you.”
    And
Kenneth Berkowitz, who never had bowed to anyone except to God, thought of what
Ted said to him and came to the conclusion that he was right.   He had sinned against his elder.   He had spoken to him with a
condescending edge.   He lifted his
head to the sky and closed his eyes, which became moist after a moment of shame
and regret.  
    Sometimes,
he felt that all of this was too much, too tiring and taxing, but he had to
believe that what he was doing with Ted was right and worth the effort.   If he didn’t believe that, then what was
the point?   What was the use of
doing any of this?
    Just as
Ted had lost his way in the woods, he was on the cusp of losing his way with
God.   He put his hand on Kenneth’s
shoulder, nodded at him and dropped to his knees.
    In the
distance, there was a disturbance in the air.
    “I’m so
sorry.”
    “You
don’t need to apologize to me, Kenneth,” Ted said, turning to his left and
looking down the road, where he thought he could hear something, though he
wasn’t exactly what.   “It’s not
about me.   You need to admit your
guilt and promise to God that you will never repeat the sin again.   Are you willing to do that?”
    “Of
course, I am.”   He started to
weep.  
    Now Ted
understood the sound.   A car was
coming in their direction.  
    “I
didn’t mean any of it,” Kenneth said.   “I’m just caught up, that’s all.   I know we work well together.   I’ll never do it again.   I
promise.   And I do repent.   I do.”
    “Kenneth,
I need you to stand up.”
    But
Kenneth didn’t hear him.   He was in
touch with God.   He was in the in
between.   He was on a higher plane
and his soul was dizzy from it.   “I
know I did wrong by You today.   I’m
so sorry to You and to Ted.   Please
forgive me, Father.”
    “You
need to stand up.   Now.”
    “What
Ted and I have created has helped to cleanse the world of its whorish
sinners.   We’ve made a
difference.   Not nearly enough, for
sure, but we’ve done things that no one has done and we will soldier on.”
    Soon,
the car would