“I’ll be a soldier,” Rain said. “The Bible talks about the end times, it talks about armies springing forth, powers, and the deaths of the unworthy. Everything that happened and happens, the Dragon, the Harlot, the seven bowls, and the armies, with all of the soldiers… even the bad stuff is all God’s will and God’s doing.”

“God’s will,” some others echoed.

“People have to step up to be soldiers in those armies,” Rain said.

Not original words, but they were accepted as truth by the group. Some believed wholeheartedly, and it was clear in their eyes. Others were newer, unfamiliar with it, but they played along. As they heard the voices of people who truly believed, they would hear it and start to come around. Such was the intent.

The Rain of the past, as he spoke the words, believed.

Jay reached over, and put his hand at the side of Rain’s head, fingers in Rain’s hair, where it had started to grow out.

“Put the fear of God in them,” Jay said. “And you watch my back.”

“Yeah,” Rain said. “We’ll give ’em hell.”

Jay let go of his head, refused to take the jug back, and walked around the circle, attention on others.

Time passed. He could remember a lot of the thoughts he had, as he’d looked at people. He wasn’t the only person who was earning his stripes as a soldier. Others, he knew, would be there, and he’d looked at each of them, powered and unpowered, thinking about whether he could trust them, what to watch out for. Barnabas was violent and could never stop when he got riled up. Hiram hated Rain because Tabitha, the girl Hiram had liked, had liked Rain. It didn’t matter that Rain had never reciprocated or liked her back. Hiram might even take an excuse to hurt Rain, if he had one. Rain had thought about how he’d try not to be alone with the guy.

They ended up together anyway. Hiram was a good soldier and he asked for Tabitha. Now she’s pregnant with his kid, and she pretends to be happy.

Helps that I’m on the lowest rung of the totem pole.

More time passed. Rain felt the alcohol even through the dream, laughed more than necessary at a few of the jokes from people in the sidelines.

He looked at Erin, who was sitting on the other side of the fire, talking to Jay, shaking her head. He’d sat where he sat because it gave him a better view of her.

Delilah got up from her seat, hands filled with the blanket she’d draped over her lap, and sat down next to Rain. “Give me a drink?”