THE LORD OF THE BOYS

Chapter 23 - JAKE IS A SOLDIER FOR ETERNITY

Jake was back home. He wanted to feel pleased but he knew he couldn't, this was only temporary and he had to return to his afterlife soon. He was sitting and having dinner with his parents

''Mum, dad, you know I will turn 19 next week?'' he told them 

''Yes and I can't believe where the years went, how did my little boy become 19 so fast?'' his mother said 

''We will have to do something special for your birthday'' his father said

''Yes, well I need to tell you something. You see I will not be here I am joining the army'' Jake told them ''I have signed up and I will start my training very soon''

His mother looked horrified ''the army!'' she cried ''oh my god I do not want my little boy to join the army, you might be killed in a war, blown to pieces or all sorts, I could not bear to lose you'' 

Jake felt horrible, knowing that she had already lost him anyway ''Look I'm sorry but it's what I want to do, my mind is made up. Don't try and talk me out of it, please''

''Well I'm proud of you'' his father said ''the army will turn you into a real man make no mistake''

''Well, when do you leave?'' his mother asked 

''Straight away on my 19th birthday''

''Oh really? that is ridiculous and what about your trip to Spain with Liam and Ryan? You're supposed to leave on your birthday remember, it's your birthday present from them both''

Jake froze and his blood ran cold ''Trip to Spain with Liam and Ryan?''

''Yes, it's been planned for months remember? They wanted to treat you for your birthday. You're the first of the three of you to reach 19, the other two only just turned 18 a few months ago. They always looked up to you as the oldest of the three''

Later on, Jake saw Liam and Ryan and told them he wasn't boarding a plane to Spain

The other two boys were excited when they met

''I can't wait to get to Spain!'' Liam said ''two weeks of sun, sea, girls, and booze!''

''Listen guys I'm sorry but I can't come'' Jake told them

''What the hell? but this is your birthday gift from us'' Ryan protested

''I know but there is a change of plan sorry. I will be joining the army on my 19th birthday I can't go to Spain sorry''

''Well thanks, a lot, pal, you've really let us down on this one! we paid for your ticket and everything!'' the two boys were very angry and disappointed

''We'll still go without you though'' Liam said     

''Look why don't you cancel the trip boys? or wait until you turn 19 at least?''

''Why should we want to do that?''

''Well just in case?''

Jake really wanted to warn them both that they would die and go to the lord of the boys if they boarded this plane. But then a stern voice in his head ordered him to shut up

''Jake, this is the god of the soldiers speaking to you, you can't intervene and stop them'' the voice told him ''their fate is out of your hands, you can only control your own fate. If you try to warn them now you will not be allowed to worship me like you want to. So just focus on yourself and getting back to me as you want''

''Yes Sir sorry Sir'' Jake mumbled

The other two boys heard him and looked at him

''What?'' Liam said ''you mumbled something, I didn't catch what you said''  

''It doesn't matter. Look I have to go now boys sorry, take care won't you''

Jake left feeling choked up, knowing that Liam and Ryan were going to die on that plane and go to the lord of the boys and there was nothing he could do about it   

Soon Jake left for the army. He was utterly devastated saying goodbye to his parents knowing he would not return. Now he understood why the god had warned him that this would be so hard. He really wanted to stay back home on earth with his parents now that he was here

''This is temporary, you have to return to me'' the voice of the god told him

Jake was trained and then sent to war. While at war a bomb hit a house and the house went up in flames

''THERE ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN TRAPPED INSIDE THIS HOUSE'' people screamed

Jake remembered what he was told, he had to die in the most horrific way, and burning alive had been mentioned as the likely option. He was terrified of the pain but he knew what he had to do. He ran into the inferno under the pretense that he was going in to save the people who were trapped but instead he was going in knowing he would burn to death in order to return to the god of the soldiers as a 19-year-old soldier.

Jake's screams were heard for miles around and haunted everyone who heard them...

Jake woke up back with the god of the soldiers. He was restored to his former state again, his horrific burns and disfigurement were gone. He was a handsome, healthy, fit 19-year-old soldier

''Congratulations Jake, you escaped from the clutches of the lord of the boys, you're 19 and a soldier so you can serve me like you wanted to'' his new god told him ''kneel before me please''

''Yes Sir and thank you for letting me serve and worship you'' Jake said getting on his knees

''I hope you are ready for it Jake, it will not be easy. First, you will go back to soldier school to be taught about pain, punishment, and discipline. There will be 100-year-long marches, and 200-year beastings, you will hold a rifle above your head for 1,000 years and carry a large log across a desert for 10,000 years. You will be trained to be the perfect soldier and then once you've finished training you will serve as my soldier for eternity. You will learn that pain, punishment, servitude, and worshipping are your friends and you love them. You will kneel and worship and thank me for letting you be my soldier and every time there is an assignment you will be sent to serve. Disobedience or rebelliousness will result in being sent to the punishment zone for correction. Do you understand?''

''Yes Sir''

''Good boy, now you will kneel and worship and sing my praises for the first 1,000,000 years, this is your introductory worship session, all the soldiers must complete 1,000,000 years of worship before they can even be a soldier''

Jake was shocked to hear this, he hoped to get stuck into the action right away, but there would be 1 million years of worshipping first!      

''You will sing my praises for 1 million years too please Jake''

''LORD YOU ARE GREAT...LORD, YOU ARE AWESOME...LET US KNEEL AND WORSHIP YOU...LET US KNEEL AND PRAISE YOU.....'' Jake sang for 1 million years 

NOTE - THIS IS THE FINAL CONCLUSION FOR JAKE AND THE FINAL APPEARANCE FOR JAKE AND LIAM. IS JAKE REALLY GOING TO BE HAPPIER OR BETTER OFF WITH HIS NEW GOD? THE FINAL TWO CHAPTERS WILL WRAP THINGS UP FOR RYAN