? But he knew and sheknew that she would not, could not say no. ?Yes Sir? she whispered trembling. He kissed her gently and squeezed her hand as he ag...ainsearched her eyes for any doubt.? Then hestood and looked at what she had assembled. Running his hands over the selection he picked up eachinstrument in order and showed it to her to add to her internal terror.? He watched her reactions and saw her shiverat the catheter and plastic bag and the scene that was to unfold finally filledhis head.?. Please may I have Joanna's hand in marriage?"Jerry was tempted to prolong things but instead took Emma's hand, glanced at her reading her eyes, and replied simply, "Yes, Simon."Emma beat him to it and was off the sofa like a shot. "And yes from me too, Simon," she said taking his head in her hands and pulling it down to kiss him warmly.Jerry stood too and shook his hand. "Have you asked her?"At last Simon smiled and it lit the room. "No," he said. "It's probably killing her but I wanted to ask. .”It took me a second or two to figure out why Reggie stopped talking. A guy had just walked into Sydnie-Ann’s bedroom. He wore all black, including a leather jacket and slicked hair with sideburns. He might as well have just come from the 1950’s.He was tall, with a better than decent build, and made himself comfortable right away, tossing his jacket onto a chair before taking Sydnie-Ann in his arms and kissing her full on the mouth.“OHHH!” Reggie gasped.“Hey, we can do that ... we can do that. “Sadly, the corporations will not set Mother Earth free until death is rained down on them. You have seen the companies of her warriors. But you have not seen them together. When the battle begins, utter destruction will reign.”“Tomorrow?” Evan asked.“Tomorrow is a day of prayer and fasting. Just a thousand people in the village have joined their voices in support of Mother Earth and you have seen the response. Tomorrow we ask that people of all faiths—and those of no faith—join their voices.