Read Online Three by William C. Oelfke - Free Book Online Page B

work and insisted that
the process of approaching the supply crates with the fork lift be repeated
until it could be done with no contact of the forks with the crate or pallet until
the pallet was lifted from the floor.  In the same way, he scolded the various
operators if they sat the crates down too hard on the trailer.  The practice
and rebukes went on all day, until all were too tired, or angry, to continue. 
    The chief then informed the
five men that loading of the food crates would begin early the following day and
take three hours.  “The work will be done out on the tarmac in the bitter cold.
You’d better protect yourselves from hypothermia and frostbite by carefully
layering your winter clothes and by drinking plenty of water while you work. 
But, even more important, you’d better not make one mark or scratch on any
trailer or food crate, or you’ll have me to deal with!” 
    In the evening, after all
were again asleep, Joshua, Enoch, and Joel quietly left the sleeping quarters
and, brushing away their footprints in the fresh snow, entered the hangar to
begin their over-night’s work.  Joshua carefully examined the crates of food
and then the similar crates of oil.  He noted that the bills of lading were
standard-sized sheets of paper slipped into clear plastic sleeves on each
crate.  The sleeves were stapled to the wooden crates in such a manner that by
removing the single staple at the bottom, the sleeve could be lifted upward,
allowing for the marking of a 616 underneath with a black marker pen.  This
prophetic symbol would remain hidden until someone, much later, alarmed by what
he found in the food crates, removed the paper bill of lading from the sleeve
for closer examination.
    As the three were carrying
out this first step in their mission, Joel asked, “What is the meaning of this
six-sixteen?”
    “The number and its color are
both prophetic symbols of the famine of Yahweh’s judgment,” answered Joshua.
    “Why are we marking crates of
oil and hydraulic fluid?”
    “We will exchange the bills
of lading of these crates with those of the food crates now stacked there at
the front of the hangar.  Then we will have to move each crate so that tomorrow
these non-food crates will be loaded on the Sno-Cat trailers for the trip to
the Pole.
    One by one the bills of
lading for the crates of oil and hydraulic fluid were exchanged with those for
the crates of food so that each false food crate was marked with a 616 in black
ink.  When that task had been completed, interrupted periodically by the drone
of the approaching night-time guard snug in his heated Sno-Cat, the three
prepared to move the false food crates into position for the morning loading.
    Joshua operated the forklift,
while Joel and Enoch stood by the now mislabeled food crates to make sure each
crate of oil was set into position correctly.  In the morning all the crates in
the hangar would appear exactly as they had the afternoon before.  This process
required numerous passes with the forklift for each exchange and was
interrupted periodically by the passing of the guard, and by the need to
recharge the batteries of the forklift.  The three had become so accustomed to
the drone of the passing guard, that when the Sno-Cat suddenly stopped at the
door on the near side of the hangar, they were perplexed.  For a moment each
froze, looking at each other.
    Enoch whispered, “Why did he
stop?”
    “Shhh,” said Joshua, as he
listened for any sound from outside the hangar.  “I think I hear footsteps
approaching this side of the hangar.  Hide!”  Joshua dove off the forklift and
rolled behind the crates of machine parts as he heard a key being hastily inserted
into the nearby lock.
    Joel and Enoch were just able
to crouch behind the set of food crates when the door was thrown open and the
guard rushed into the hangar.  He ran toward Joshua’s position where the
forklift sat, obviously out of position, with a mislabeled food