Running out of Ways to Alleviate my Boredom

Sorry, sorry. I know I need to get on a more regular posting schedule but I'm going to be visiting relatives tomorrow through the weekend, so I thought I might as well post today. Also, I tried to set up a RSS thing for my page but I'm not sure what RSS is or if I succeeded. Let me know if there are some things I need to do to fix it or whatever.

So as said before last week, the American branch of the YTF are at a bowling alley (where a group of believers meet) and now it's surrounded as the GC are about to make their move. Nothing really happens except people cry and the pastor says to trust in God.

Meanwhile, in Israel, Judd is not happy to see Nada. He explains that they're only cleared to have three people arrive in New Babylon and that if four do, they'll be in trouble. That actually seems like a legit security issue, especially in the post- 9/11 era. The section ends with Nada saying that she can't go home and that she's run away. I wonder if this has something to do with her father's insufficient amount of YTF ass-kissing, though I thought he'd sipped the Flavor-Aid and realized the superiority of Judd.

Back to America...I know my faithful readers, having seen Ellanjay blow away so many suspenseful opportunities before, are waiting with bated breath to see just how they squander it this time. Basically the section is short but it consists of Vicki opening the back door so Pete can back up his truck and open up the back so people can get in. He says that GC transport vehicles are on the way so they have to hurry and that's where the section ends.

Wait a minute...what the hell, Ellanjay?! I thought you said earlier that the bowling alley was surrounded with GC vehicles; now they're on their way. Did I, in a desperate hope for suspense, misread the books (a likely possibility given how bored I am) or is this a big honking continuity error?

In the plane, Judd is like "You can't run away from home?" but Nada is adamant about going with them. We also find out that while her father does like Judd, he doesn't want her to pursue a relationship with him. Judd tells her to call her parents but Nada refuses saying that they would just make her come home. She also chews out Judd for refusing to stand up to her father, but Judd says that when he sees how much he cares for her, Jamal will change his mind.

Basically all that happens in the next section is they load the truck and Vicki takes a recording device (used to record meetings) from a woman and set it up so that it plays a recording of an old meeting, so that the GC think they're still in there. I don't see why Ellanjay keep having us switch back and forth between locales so much. Why not do a chapter on the plane and a chapter in America rather than a few paragraphs here and a few paragraphs elsewhere? Does Ellanjay think that kids suffer from severe memory defects and wouldn't be able to hold onto details throughout a chapter?

Judd explains the situation about Nada to Mac, who manages to come up with a cover story for why she is here. The story is, she is a family member coming to pay respect for her brother (who was lost in the Wrath of the Lamb quake for those of you wondering). Apparently they're being hosted in the main complex in New Babylon as opposed to a hotel on the outer fringes or something more sensible like that.

The next section, Pete is driving around with all the people in back of the vehicle. He plays it cool, managing to deal with the first GC peacekeeper's questions, but the section ends with them hearing a siren just as they approach the ramp for the highway.

Next chapter, Pete has been pulled over and it's a fairly decent scene, except that what little tension there is, is diluted by the fact that we know nothing is going to come of it, just like nothing came of every other run-in with the GC. I have a hard time believing that the GC could conquer a group of seven-year-olds, let alone the world. What happens is that Vicki unzips their protective suits, causing the demon locusts (remember those?) to swarm all over them, thus enabling Pete to escape. So I guess when, back at the bowling alley, the people there kept talking about how God would protect them, they meant Vicki because she's the one who actually enabled them to escape.

Meanwhile, the plane is flying into New Babylon. Nada gets back from calling her parents. She's in tears as she explains that her father chewed her out for playing what he calls "love games" which sounds like a fatherly thing to do. I would be pretty pissed off if my teenage daughter stowed away on a plane so she could chase after a boy she likes and that's overlooking the fact that they're going right to the anti-Christ's headquarters.

Mac talks about how Nicky's going to issue the mark of the beast soon enough. He warns them to be careful not to let people know they're believers. Nada objects, saying, “Just keep quiet and let them go to hell?” This is essentially Ellanjay's theology because remember Ellanjay believes that the truth must be a carefully guarded secret, accessible only to an elite few. Remember how Bruce "Useless" Barnes bravely refused to reveal the identity of the anti-Christ to the other members of his congregation?

Pete's barrelling down the road in his truck when he hears, through a radio he stole off of one of the downed GC agents, that they're coming for him. He takes an exit and the dazed passengers get out of his truck and make plans to go hide in the caves.

There's really not much to talk about when it comes to the ending of the chapter. Basically the kids are walking around New Babylon and Lionel shakes his head after Nada flirts with Judd. I don't know why but in an effort to end my crushing boredom, I'm going to assume Ho Yay, just because it's more fun that way.