A Thief in the Night

Patty wakes up to a radio broadcast reporting the inexplicable disappearance of millions and hints at the biblical rapture. She quickly learns that her husband, a born-again Christian, has also vanished. The revelation sets a tense, uncertain tone for the world she thought she knew.

The United Nations declares a new emergency regime called UNITE, the United Nations Imperium of Total Emergency, to seize control. It declares that anyone who refuses the mark of the beast will be arrested and detained. The global order shifts dramatically as fear and authority collide.

A flashback shows Patty's trio of friends, Jenny and Diane, and their divergent paths. Jenny embraces Jesus as Savior, while Diane remains worldly-minded, highlighting different responses to faith. The memory frames Patty's own wavering beliefs before the Rapture.

In another flashback, Jenny's earnest faith contrasts with the others, underscoring the pull of spiritual certainty. The scene establishes the emotional stakes for Patty when faith and destiny are tested. The tone hints at what could happen if warning signs are ignored.

Patty believes she is Christian because of routine Bible readings and churchgoing, but her pastor is shown as an unbeliever. This discrepancy foreshadows the danger of relying on appearance rather than true belief. The setup intensifies the looming trial of faith.

Patty's husband starts attending another church and accepts Jesus, signaling a shift in their spiritual environment. His conversion creates emotional distance and raises questions about how faith will shape their futures. The change occurs before the disappearances.

Patty wrestles with faith, refusing to fully trust Christ while also declining to take the Mark. She lashes out at the UNITE system and tries to avoid both the Mark and the regime's scrutiny. The struggle places her squarely in the path of the unfolding crisis.

Despite her attempts to stay hidden, UNITE closes in and captures Patty. The authorities blur the line between security and oppression as personal faith becomes a liability. She becomes a prisoner within a state determined to enforce control.

Patty escapes her captors but is pursued across a bridge in a tense chase. The pursuit tightens around her as alarms sound and the crowd watches the spectacle. The scene escalates toward a fatal conclusion on the bridge.

In the pursuit, Patty falls from the bridge and dies in the dream. The scene delivers a jarring twist that seems tragically real, leaving her to awaken with a start. The emotional impact hinges on the dream-versus-reality dynamic.

Patty awakens from the dream to a sense of relief, only to be jolted by the radio continuing to report catastrophe. The line between dream and potential reality becomes blurred as the world outside begins to feel just as perilous. She realizes nothing has been settled in her favor.

The radio then announces that millions have disappeared, confirming that the Rapture did occur. Patty rushes to find her husband, only to discover he is missing as well. The final realization settles in: she has been left behind, facing a grim future.