Saturday evening, Micky and Davy were standing in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Actually they were trying to save themselves from another one of Peter's new cuisines.

"How long do you boil the noodles?" Micky asked.

"Let me see." Davy said, looking into pot. The spaghetti noodles were half in, half out of the pot. "Micky, you don't put the noodles in like that. You have to break them up first." he said, grabbing a fist full and break them in half.

"Oh, right." Micky grinned and Davy rolled his eyes.

"Maybe I'd better get Peter back in here." Davy said.

As if on cue, Peter came into the kitchen.

"Did somebody call me?" he asked.

"No, Pete. I think we got things under control." Micky said, stirring the pot of noodles.

"Mm..smells good already." Peter grinned. "You decide whether or not you're coming to church with me tomorrow, Mick?"

Micky looked a little uncomfortable. He hadn't said anything to Mike or Davy about possibly going to church that Sunday, and he didn't miss the look Davy shot him.

"Uh, well, I haven't really decided yet, Pete." he smiled, but saw the slight dissapointment on Peter's face.

"Oh, well that's ok, Mick." he smiled. "But service starts at 10:30 tomorrow morning. Let me know sometime before then, ok?"

"Yeah sure." Micky grinned.

Peter nodded and went back to his bedroom.

"You don't think I hurt him, do you?" Micky asked.

"Naw! He's probably going back to his room to say a couple dozen 'Hail Mary's.'" Davy replied sarcastically.

"I don't think Pete's going to a Catholic church." Micky said. "Besides, we shouldn't make fun of it just because it isn't our bag. And you have to admit, some of the things he tells us...or me anyway...makes sense."

Unnoticed by the two of them, the man had reappeared, this time standing next Davy.

"He's being pulled into all this religious, holy-rollers junk, because he's too weak to stand on his own two feet like a man. He needs you to talk him out of this before he becomes like all the other crazy nuts that go around dancing down aisles and speaking that holy jibberish." he spoke into Davy's ear, but Davy heard it as his own voice inside his head.

"Micky, man, come on." Davy argued. "You know this stuff isn't for real. It's for people who can't explain things away, so they came up with the idea of a God and his Son who died and ladeedadeeda just so they can 'leave it in his hands' and live in their own perfect, peacful world. It's all just a joke, man."

Micky thought about what Davy had said. In a way, it had made sense, but then, it didn't. This whole thing was confusing, but that's why he wanted to go to church with Peter. Perhaps he could find more answers this way.

"Well, look, babe. I don't know if it's a joke or not. That's why I want to go to church. I mean, if it's a joke, then we can all have a good laugh in the end. If it's not, then won't none of us be laughing in the end." he said.

"Yeah, whatever man. Let's get back to dinner before it's burned." Davy shook his head.

The man who had been standing near Davy didn't seem to be put out that his plan hadn't worked.

It was his most succeful plan, and one of the easiest to use: Peer pressure. All he had to do was turn a man's friends on him until he decided that he would rather still be popular in his friends eyes rather than doing what was right.

It wasn't this easy with Micky Dolenz, but he had more plans. But no matter what, he could not allow Micky to know the Truth.

 

"Come on, Mick. Wake up." Peter shook Micky again.

"Hmm?" Micky mumbled, rolling over to see who it was. "What is it?"

"It's 9am, that's what it is. You said you were coming to church with me." Peter grinned.

"Oh I did, didn't I." Micky moaned, looking as if he were about to fall asleep.

"Yes, you did." Peter nodded. "Come on. We leave in an hour."

"Yeah, ok...I'm up! I'm up!" he said, sitting half way up in bed to show Peter he really was getting up. A sudden, naseating pain hit his stomach and he clutched it, lying back down in bed and looking as if he were going to gag.

The man stood by Micky's bed, holding his hand over Micky and smiling. This plan was sure to work.

"What's wrong, Mick?" Peter asked.

"My stomach. I'm sick." he moaned.

Peter would have thought this was just an excuse to get out of church, if Micky hadn't literally looked so sick.

"Oh, maybe I should have cooked last night." he said.

"What's going on?" Mike groggily asked as he sat up in bed. "Oh! Peter if you're going to church, ok. But do you have to wake the entire household while you're at it?"

"Micky's sick." Peter said worriedly.

Mike got out of bed and walked over to Micky, sitting on the edge of his bed. He felt Micky's head. "He's a little warm, but not anything to worry about. Just stay in bed, Mick. You'll feel better."

"I'm not faking it. Really, Pete." Micky said, knowing how it must look. "I really wanted to come today. Honest!"

"I know, Mick. It's ok." Peter said, placing his hand on Micky shoulder.

When he did this, a strange feeling washed over him. It was almost as if he could sense an evil presence in the room. It made the hair along his arms and the back of his neck stand upright.

"This is more than it seems." a voice inside of him said, and he knew that this was God telling him something. "Remember what you've learned."

He started thinking back to all the lessons from the Bible he had learned the past month and how it applied to day to day life.

He heard about spiritual warfare. How there are unseen beings, demons and angels, fighting it out all around you and you can't see them, but they're there.

"For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in heavenly realms."* he said to himself.

Mike looked at him. "What was that?"

"Wait right here!" Peter said as he ran out the room only to return a few minutes later with a book in hand.

"What's going on?" Davy yawned as he walked into the room.

"Micky's sick." Mike answered.

"How bad is it?" Davy asked, suddenly concerned.

"Just a slight tummy ache. He'll be fine." Mike smiled, patting Micky's head lightly.

"Oh is that all. The way Peter ran in and out of our room, I thought someone was dying." Davy laughed.

"This is more than a stomach ache, guys." Peter said. This earned him puzzled looks from Mike and Davy and a fearful look from Micky.

"What do you mean?" Micky asked.

"I mean Satan's trying to keep you from finding out the truth." Peter said firmly, shuffling through the pages of his book.

The man standing near Micky recognized the Bible in Peter's hand and cringed. There was no way he could stand against it. But he had to try. Others like him had failed, but he would not fail his master.

He started sending thoughts into Mike and Davy's heads.

"He's starting on that religious nonsense again. It will only irritate and worry Micky, and he will not get better." he said.

"Pete, come on. Micky needs his rest." Mike said, trying to get Peter out of the room.

"No, Mike. This is important." Peter said as he found what he was looking for.

"He was despised and rejected - a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief." Peter read out loud. "We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised and we did not care."

"Who?" Micky asked as his pain seemed to be growing worse.

"It's talking about Jesus." Peter explained, then hurriedly read. "Yet it was our weakness he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down."

The man groan as the power of the words hit him like a lightening bolt. He sent more thoughts into the other two Monkees' heads.

"It's nothing but a fairytale, and it's not doing any good. In fact, he's getting worse because he's not getting any rest." the man growled, then put his other hand over Micky's head, which caused the drummer to cry out in pain. "See. It does no good."

Peter looked worriedly at the Micky when he cried out and grabbed his head. Was it working? It must be, because this spirit of darkness was putting up an awfully good fight.

"Peter, would you stop reading out of your spell book and let Micky rest. He's obviously not getting any better." Davy argued.

Peter ignored him and kept on reading.

"And we thought his troubles were punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace."

"No!" the man growled, feeling his hold on Micky loosening.

"He was whipped, and we were healed."* Peter finished.

"NO!" the man shouted as his power was drained from him and he completely lost control of Micky. He fell to the ground, gasping.

Micky stopped moaning, and let go of his head. He looked at Peter, eyes wide. There was no more pain. Whatever Peter had done, had actually worked.

"Pete, I...it's gone. The pain and sickeness...it's gone." he said.

Peter was grinning from ear to ear. This was his first experience at an actual hand to hand combat with the power of darkness. Although it was all so new, and...yes...even a little scary, it brought a feeling like he never had before.

He had just been reminded of God's power, and he realized what a serious game he was now in.

Christianity wasn't what most people thought it was. He remembered how he used to picture it. Cute, chubby little angels, a gold cross worn around the neck, and singing some old hymns every Sunday.

But this was no cute, cuddly little thing he got himself into. This was an actual war, and he had a major role to play. Right now, his first mission was his friends.

"What just happened here?" Mike asked. "First you're sick, Peter reads a bunch of mumbo jumbo, then you're better? I don't get it."

"It's real." Micky whispered, his eyes still wide. "It's really, really real."

"Pete, what did you do?" Davy asked.

"I didn't do anything." Peter shook his head. "I only used the Word against Satan, but it was the power of God through the Word that defeated him."

Mike nodded thoughtfully. "You know, I always heard about that stuff, but I never knew it was real. I always thought TV preachers used it to make a name for themselves and to raise money."

"I know. I used to think the same thing." Peter smiled. "Come on, Mick. Can't let Satan win. We gotta get you to church."

"You know I'm right behind you." Micky said, jumping out of bed, still in a slight state of shock.

"Hey, you know, if you don't mind, I may tag along this time." Mike said, a bit uncomfortably. He was raised that the whole God thing was just a crutch that weak people used when they didn't know what else to do. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"Sure, Mike." Peter dimpled grin appeared. "We'd love to have you come too."

"Are you all crackers?" Davy asked. "That was just a coincidence."

The man climbed back to his feet and smiled at Davy.

"The perfect tool." he growled.

"Come on, babe. Nobody's that blind." Micky argued.

"OK, fine! All of you go to church and become a bunch of Bible thumpers. But don't expect me to sit around during your little prayer times and Bible studies." he said, angrily.

"Why are you being so stubborn. God is so obvious in everything around you, but you refuse to see Him in anything." Peter said as quietly as possible.

"There isn't a God, Peter." Davy yelled. "There can't be a God."

"Why do you say that?" Peter asked.

"Because..." Davy yelled, then shook his head and headed for the door. "Forget it. Go to church. I'll remain a little heathen and go back to bed."

 

Davy lay in bed, long after the others had left. He had pretended to be asleep while Peter was in their room earlier, so he wouldn't have to hear anymore about God, church and the other religious nonsense.

But he had been awake and heard when Peter knelt by his bedside and
prayed for Davy to see the Truth.

Davy wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, and was even having trouble admitting it to himself, but something deep inside of him was touched as Peter prayed. Something that had been dormant ever since...but what did it matter. Even if there was a God, He obviously didn't care anything about him.

"That's right, Davy." the man, now standing at Davy's bedside, urged.  "He doesn't care about you. He's never done anything to prove his existance, so why should you care about him? He even allowed your parents to die."

Davy shut his eyes against the memory, and felt the tears trail down his cheeks. None of it was true. God didn't care. Peter was just wasting his time about nothing.

"I hate you!" Davy whispered fiercly, then sat up in bed, shouting,  "Do you hear me? I hate you!"

The man at Davy's bedside smiled. His work here was done...for now.

Peter, Micky and Mike sat in the church, listening to the sermon. Ironically, the sermon was about the power of God through his word. How it had healed the sick, the lame, the blind and also how it had set people free from demon possesion.

The Pastor, who was a black man, about Micky's height and build, with
a gotee, went into the salvation message.

"But to all who believed in Him and accepted Him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn!" the Pastor announced with joy on his face. "How many here have been reborn?"

A bunch of people in the church, including Peter, raised their hands proudly.

"Now can any of you tell me what it means to be reborn? Surley you cannot re-enter into the mothers womb." he laughed.

Peter raised his hand again.

"Ah yes, Peter!" the Pastor, who had been glad to see the young man learning so much, acknowledged him.

"It's a spiritual rebirth, not physical. It's leaving your past and sins behind you and pressing onward with a new goal in mind...the Kingdom of God." he answered proudly.

"Come with me, leave yesterday behind..." Micky mumbled, while Mike
looked at Peter, astonished.

"He actually sounded smart." Mike commented and Micky nodded.

"That's right. I'm glad to see you're learning so much since you've become a Child of God." the pastor smiled.

Micky, always the outspoken one, raised his hand. "What exactly is this whole 'Child of God,' thing. I don't get that."

"Once we accept Jesus into our lives, we are adopted into God's family and become heirs to His Kingdom." the Pastor answered.

"Now this Kingdom, is it a real place or just...I dunno...something in our minds?" Mike asked.

"It's a very real place, and will one day be established here on earth." the Pastor answered.

"Are you sure this isn't just wishful thinking?" Mike asked, still a little unsure. "I mean, I don't want to burst anyones bubble, but it is a little far out."

"It's all a little out of sight." the Pastor said, which threw the three Monkees off, since they weren't expecting him to use slang from their generation. But then, he didn't look to be past thirty himself.

"But the whole Christian faith, or any faith in general, is based on just that....faith. Even an Athiest has to have some kind of faith to say there is no God." the Pastor said. "But I challenge both of you to listen to what I say and search the Scriptures for yourselves. If  you have questions, go to Peter or come to me or someone else in the congregation. We'll be happy to help. Like right now, I love these question and answer sessions. Let's me know the congregation is awake." he said rather loudly, which earned a laugh from the group of people. "But seriously, if you have anymore questions, go ahead and
ask."

"Well, I don't have anymore right now. But um...keep going on with the sermon. If I have anymore, I'll let ya know." Mike smiled and the Pastor grinned back.

"Oh, I'm gonna like you." he laughed.

 

The guys came back to the pad, Micky and Mike carrying new Bibles. Davy was sitting in the living room, reading through a book, when they walked in.

"Oh man, he was a groovy Pastor." Micky said excitedly. "He didn't look or act like I imagined Pastors would look and act."

"Yeah, I will admit, he had me fooled also." Mike grinned. "I've never heard it put that way, ya know? He made it all so easy to understand."

"What happened?" Davy asked. "You two go and get Christainized?"

"Yes, Davy, we've gone and got ourselves Christianized." Mike said, using as much sarcasm as Davy had. "Does it bother you?"

"Doesn't bother me at all. If it makes you happy, then fine. Just don't expect me to take part in it." he said, glancing back at his book.

"If it doesn't bother you, why do you have that chip on your shoulder?" Micky asked.

Davy didn't even acknowledge Micky, but kept his eyes glued to the book he was reading...or supposedly reading.

The other three just sighed and went their own way: Peter, to the kitchen to make lunch; Mike to the bandstand to play his guitar; and Micky to TV.

"They're judging you, you know." the man said to Davy. "You're no longer one of them. They'll look down on you and judge every move you make. Looks like you'll have to watch your step around here from now on."

Davy angrily slammed the book shut and put it back on the table.

"I'm going for a walk." he announced, and headed out the back door, Micky and Mike watching him curiously.

Peter watched him walk down the steps, and sighed.

"What do I do now, Lord?" he prayed.

"Go after him." the voice said, and Peter nodded.

"Micky, watch the hotdogs for me." he shouted, then headed out the door.

 

Peter followed Davy down to the beach and walked along with him for a
ways, not saying a thing. Finally he spoke up.

"You know, you're not acting yourself." he said. "Does this whole Christianity thing bother you that much?"

"Oh Jeez, Peter!" Davy rolled his eyes. "Is this all I'm going to hear about from now on? Christian this, God that."

"See what I mean?" Peter asked. "You never usually blow up like that. What's really the matter?"

"What's really the matter is that there is no God. Or at least if there is, He sure has never shown himself to me." Davy said, angrily.

"Never shown himself?" Peter asked, incredulously and spread his arms out. "Look around you, Davy. Look at that ocean, the sky, the birds....life! Put your hand on your chest and feel your heart beating. How do you think this happened? By chance?"

"I don't really care how it happened!" Davy yelled. "What I want to know is what has he done for me...personally!"

"He gave His Son so you could live." Peter answered, quietly.

"How can I believe that when I'm not even sure He does exist?" Davy asked, just as quietly.

Peter put his arm around Davy's shoulders and kept walking with him.

"Hasn't any good thing ever happened in your life that was so amazing you couldn't pass it off as just a coincidence like you seem to have a habit of doing." Peter asked.

The man once again appeared on the other side of Davy.

"He's judging you already." the man said.

Peter sensed the same presence that he had dealt with that morning when Micky was sick. Whoever this evil being was, it was after them.

Davy pulled away from Peter and shook his head.

Peter only sighed.

"See? You can't prove to me that God is real." Davy said.

"Well if you won't take the universe, life, and what happened to Micky this morning as proof, then no, I guess I can't prove it." he said, starting to get angry with Davy.

"Well I think I can prove to you that God isn't real." Davy said.

"Oh?" Peter asked, raising his eyebrows to show his surprise.

"Come on." Davy said, and Peter followed him a ways till they ended up near a pile of rocks.

"Ok, Peter. Help me push on this rock." Davy said, leaning up against a huge boulder that was twice his size.

"Come on, Davy!" Peter said, irritably. He was tired of Davy's little games on how to prove God did not exist.

"No really, help me push on it." Davy said, leaning his arms against it.

Peter sighed, and leaned on it as well, pushing with all his strength.

Neither one of them could get the rock to budge.

"OK." Davy said, standing up. "This rock is stuck tight and we cannot get it to move, right?"

"Right." Peter said, leaning his back against the rock.

"Ok." Davy said again, the looked up to the sky. "OK, God. See this rock here? If you're so stinken real, then move it out into the ocean."

"Davy!" Peter gasped.

"I wouldn't lean on that rock if I were you Peter, it's liable to move at any moment." Davy smirked.

"Davy, would you stop!" Peter yelled.

"Come on, God. Let's get a move on it. Time's wasting." Davy yelled up to the sky again, then look at Peter. "Well I guess maybe God's having a bad day today and he just doesn't feel like answering prayers."

He looked back up to the sky. "Don't you even have an answering service where I could leave my name and number."

Peter gasped. If it were true that God would strike you with lightening bolts from the sky, Peter was sure Davy would have been wiped out by now.

"Davy, if I were you, I'd fall on my knees right now and thank God that he's so merciful, cause if I were God, you would be dead right now." he said, angrily.

"Yeah, well you're not God, are you? And how many other people are dead because of this merciful God?" Davy said the last two words in disgust. "I've had it with you, and God, and everything else. If I hear one more thing about how wonderful this God is, I'm leaving the group."

He angrily walked back towards the Pad and Peter started running after him.

"Davy, wait!" he yelled.

Suddenly the earth shook with such force that both men were knocked to the ground. It kept on shaking violently for a few minutes, then stopped as quickly as it started.

Davy got on his hands and knees and crawled over to Peter who was just sitting up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Peter answered, gasping for breath. "What the heck was that?"

"Another Californian quake." Davy said. "Thank God it wasn't that bad."

"Thank who?" Peter grinned.

Davy rolled his eyes and started to get up, but Peter grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him back down.

"Peter, what...?" he started to asked, but when he saw the look on Peter's face, he stopped short.

Peter was staring out towards the ocean and Davy looked to the direction Peter was looking. There, about a half a mile off shore, was the rock.

No way! It couldn't be. But there it was. How...coincidence. That's all it could be. Just coincidence.

"Well?" Peter glared at him.

"Sure! After we loosened it for Him." Davy replied stubbornly and started walking back to the Pad.

Before Peter could even think about it, he picked a stone up and threw it at Davy, hitting him square in the back.

Davy whirled around, an angered look on his face, and for a moment, Peter thought he was going to come back and fight him, but instead, the smirk returned to Davy's face, and he said, "Let he who has no sin, cast the first stone."

Peter looked apologetically at him. "Davy, I..."

But Davy only waved him off and walked back into the Pad.

Peter collapsed to the ground, crying.

"Oh God! What am I to do?" he cried. "He won't listen. You make yourself so obvious, and he blows it off."

"Patience and prayer." was all he heard, and he nodded.

"You're right. I turn Davy over to you. I pray he will soon find the Truth."

 

Peter returned to the Pad a few minutes after Davy had entered. Mike and Micky stopped him right away.

"Davy just left. By the look on his face, something not so good happened, huh?" Micky asked.

"No." Peter shook his head, then looked around. "Is everything ok after that earthquake?"

"What earthquake?" Mike asked.

"You guys didn't...?" Peter started, his eyes wide.

"You ok, big Pete?" Micky asked.

Peter shook his head. All of that was definitely from God. Obviously the earthquake had only affected the small area that he and Davy were at but left the rest of the land untouched.

"Now you see? Why couldn't Davy have heard that?" Peter said irritably. "Nevermind. He'd still pass it off as coincidence."

Mike and Micky looked at each other, then back at Peter.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Mike asked.

Peter explained everything to them, and their eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"And he blew it off?" Micky asked.

"Yeah!" Peter nodded. "You know, Mike, I thought you were going to be the hard headed one about all this, but I guess I was wrong."

"Gee, thanks alot, shotgun." Mike smiled.

"Sorry." Peter laughed. "By the way, where did he go?"

"I don't know. Didn't bother to ask." Micky shrugged as he walked out into the living room.

Davy found himself on a set of rocks over looking the ocean.

His mind was jumbled with all sorts of thoughts on the things that had been happening lately. Before Peter found his religion, they were happy together just playing their music and having fun.

Now Peter was coming home with religious nonsense, and on top of it all, he got Micky and Mike in on it also. Now they were being a bunch of religious weirdos and he couldn't take that.

Actually what was really bothering him was the fact that the things that they had said and the things that had been happening...Micky getting sick, the incident with the rock...it all had actually made him think. He would tell the others it was just a coincidence, but truth was, he wasn't so sure.

But how could there be a God that really did care? How could all the bad things in this world be happening if He did care?

"Puzzling, isn't it?" a gray haired man who had joined him on the beach asked.

"What?" Davy asked.

"God." he answered. "It's a puzzling subject, isn't it?"

"How did you know...?" Davy asked, but was interrupted.

"Allow me to introduce myself." the man smiled, holding out his hand. "My name is Johnathan. You're name is David, isn't it?"

Davy nodded, then repeated his question.

"How do you know all this?"

"That's not important right now. What is important is that your friends have been worried about you...especially Peter. He prayed for you, and now God is answering his prayer."

"What is this, some kind of game?" Davy asked. "The guys sent you here, right?"

"No, David." the man answered.

"They must have." he argued. "How else could you know all this? I'll give them this much, they'll sure go to any length to prove a point, won't they?"

"David, will you please shut up and listen to what I have to say?"  the man asked, not angrily, but firmly.

Davy sat back and crossed his arms defiantly, but kept his mouth shut.

"Now, tell me, why don't you believe there is a God?" Jonathan asked.

Davy only shrugged, obviously not willing to cooperate.

"Does it have to do with your parent's death?" he asked, and Davy turned a sharp look on him.

Not even the guys would go this far to prove a point, would they?

"Maybe!" he answered.

"God isn't responsible for that, you know."

"Yeah, I know. It was a drunk driver. But he could have stopped it." he replied angrily.

"Yes! He could have." Johnathan agreed, and Davy was taken aback by the honesty.

"But He didn't. Why?" Davy asked.

"Look out there, David." Johnathan pointed to the ocean, and Davy did so. "You can't see past that horizon, can you?"

"Of course not." Davy said.

"Neither can I. But God can. He sees the whole world." Jonathan answered. "Sometimes God has to allow bad things to happen in order for a better purpose. I know that doesn't stop the pain you're feeling over your loss, but in time, maybe you'll come to find out the reasons for your parents' death.

"Maybe if they hadn't died, you wouldn't have come out here when you did and met the guys and became part of the Monkees. Maybe it has nothing to do with you at all. Maybe it has to do with your grandfather. Perhaps there's some unknown reason that he had to raise you. Who knows? Only God knows, and in the end, you'll see that He was right."

Davy shook his head, a definate sign that he didn't want to talk about this anymore.

Johnathan sighed and stood up. "I didn't want to have to go this far, David, but you leave me little choice."

He raised his hands into the air, and Davy felt his head spin slightly and a noticeable chill hit him.

When his vision cleared, he looked around, and what he saw, terrified him.

 

He jumped up and stood behind Johnathan. He was now convinced that this man wasn't a hoax and he hoped that Johnathan could offer him some protection.

"What is all this? Where am I?" he asked, fear evident in his voice.

"You are in the spiritual world, David." Johnathan answered. "Not a pretty sight, is it?"

Davy shook his head and continued looking around. He could still see the beach and the people on it, but added to the scenery were angels and demons.

The angels were nothing like he had always pictured them. No long white gowns, and huge wings. These angels were dressed in armor, as if ready for battle.

The demons, on the other hand, were hideous looking monsters, walking about or clinging to trees, rooftops, and even people.

"They're dusgusting." Davy said, making a face.

"In the mortal world, sin has been accepted and painted over so much, that people don't see how harmful it is. There is no black and white. Only shades of gray." he said, looking at Davy. "But that's not the case in the spiritual world. Evil and sin is shown for what it really is...hideous and ugly."

"Oh come off it, Johnathan." the man, who had appeared many times in the Pad, was now standing with them.

"Hello, Tarasso." Johnathan greeted, although not in a very friendly manner. "It's been a long time. Last time I saw you, you were making a hasty get away in a herd of pigs."

Tarasso seemed to stiffen at this remark, but managed a cocky smile. "Your Master may have defeated us then, but in the end, we will be the victors in this world."

"Your ending has been foretold many centuries ago. Would you like for me to recite it to you?" Johnathan asked, and Tarasso recoiled slightly.

"Excuse me!" Davy interrupted. "Who's he?"

"Tarasso." Johnathan answered, and Davy repeated the name to himself, giving Johnathan a questioning look. "His name means 'confusion.' He's been in your home, sending questions, doubts, and fear into you and your friends minds, so you'd be blinded from the Truth."

"What exactly is this 'Truth' that everyone keeps mentioning?" Davy asked. "If it's about God, I do believe He is real now. You convinced me. Now can I go home?"

"I see you haven't shown him everything." Tarasso grinned.

"No!" Johnathan answered. "I wanted him to take it in a little at a time. But..." he raised his hands again, and Davy felt a great weight upon him.

He looked down at himself, and saw that he was covered, from the neck down, in heavy chains. Looking around, he saw others in the same situation and also a few who had no chains.

"What is all this?" he asked fearfully as he tried to stand upright.

"You fool!" Tarasso laughed. "This is reality, and this is why my kingdom will prevail."

"These chains." Davy said, looking at himself, then to Johnathan. "Why did God do this to me?"

"God didn't do this, David." Johnathan answered, sorrow filling his voice and eyes.

"That's right, David." Tarasso grinned. "You did this to yourself. Each link created through every sin that you have committed. And we laughed at you the entire time. Every lie you ever believed; every time you cursed God, we were laughing at you, cause we knew that you were ours." he said, grabbing hold of one of the chains and pulling Davy closer.

Tarasso's human form dissapeared and in it's place stood a huge, gargoyle like creature.

Davy tried backing away, but Tarasso still had a hold on his chains. Fear took hold of Davy's body, a fear like he had never felt before, and his legs gave out from under him, sending him to the ground.

"Take a look at who you should have been cursing the whole time, David." Tarasso grinned, and started walking circles around Davy. "I was the bully who used to pick on you in school. I was the one who put the idea into your friends' head to kill himself." He stopped his pacing, and looked at Davy, his face showing that he was cleary enjoying taunting the man. "I was the drunk driver who killed your parents."

Davy's eyes changed from fear, to anger. "You killed them!" He made a move as if he were going to get up, but Tarasso pulled on the chain. Davy cried out as the chains tightened around his body, and he fell to the ground, crying in anger, fear and desperation.

"Pitiful." Tarasso shook his head. "You stupid fool. You believed all of my lies, now you are my trophy."

"No, I don't think so." Davy heard a familiar voice say, and he looked up to see Mike standing there, followed by Peter and Micky.

Micky, who was holding a drink, looked around, then dumped his drink on the ground. "Whoa! Who slipped the frodis into my drink."

"This isn't a trip, Micky." Johnathan said. "I brought you three here so that maybe you could talk some sense into your friend's head. I think he's willing to listen now."

 

"No!" Tarasso shouted. "It's too late for him now. He's mine."

"Mike?" Davy turned pleading eyes to him.

"It's not too late for you, Davy." Mike said. "But you need to make the decision now."

"There is no decision." Tarasso said, tightening the chains around Davy. "It was made long ago when he refused to trust God, therefore he is now mine. You know your Bible."

"Yes we do." Peter said. "You're right. He is yours."

Everyone turned astonished eyes upon him.

"Peter!" Davy gasped.

"But!" Peter went on. "He's not dead. As long as he's alive and breathing, he can make the decision."

"Perhaps I can take care of that right now." Tarasso grinned, then pointed to Davy.

Davy's chains slowly tightened around him, making it more and more difficult to breathe.

Tarasso turned from the gasping man lying on the ground to the three men who helplessly watched their friend's life being crushed.

"Let's see your God save him now." Tarasso said, triumphantly.

"Jesus!" Davy gasped, and Tarasso looked at him, fear filling his eyes.

"Save me!" he finished.

"No!" Tarasso moaned as he realized what Davy had done.

A swirling mass of light appeared around Davy, and link by link, his chains broke.

"No!" Tarasso growled, angrily. "He's mine!"

"Not anymore." Mike grinned.

"May I have the honor?" Micky asked the other two Monkees, and they both nodded.

"Tarasso," Micky grinned. "In the name of Jesus, I cast you back into the pit of hell."

A beam of light shot out from the mass circling Davy and hit Tarasso in the chest, causing the beast to cry out in pain and anger.

 "Curse you all to Hell!" Tarasso shouted.

"Afraid there's no chance of that happening anymore." Peter grinned.

The ground beneath Tarasso opened up, and the earth swallowed him, then the gap closed.

Davy got to his feet, his eyes as wide as the other three Monkees standing there.

"Oh my God!" he whispered. "I never want to go through that again."

"You're very fortunate, David. You saw something few people get to see. Most people see it too late." Johnathan said sadly.

"Peter, I'm sorry." Davy apologized. "I never knew..."

"It's ok, Davy." Peter smiled. "I understand. I felt the same way at one point in my life."

"So now what do we do?" Micky asked.

"Do you see the others out there?" Johnathan asked, pointing towards the other people on the beach.

The boys looked and saw all the people who were still in chains as Davy was.

"There are many people who do not believe, or who do believe, but refuse to make a decision. You must reach out to them. Be a light in this spiritually darkened world." Johnathan explained.

"But how?" Mike asked. "What can we do?"

"Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness. (Rom. 6:18). For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 6:23). Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I (Jesus) am with you always, even to the end of age. (Matt. 28:19-20)."

As soon as Johnathan gave them their instructions, he, and the entire spiritual world, dissapeared from sight, and the four Monkees stood on the beach, thinking on the things he had said.

"Wow!' Micky exclaimed. "That was..."

"Amazing!" Peter grinned.

"'For the wages of sin is death,'" Davy repeated, then shook his head. "I almost learned that one the hard way."

"Yeah, but you called out to Jesus just in time, and He didn't fail you." Mike said.

"But I've failed Him." Davy said.

"We've all failed Him at one time or another, and, unfortunatly, we'll do it again in the future." Peter said, sadly. "But the point is, He's forgiven us. We need to forgive ourselves and move on."

The End