by D A Walmsley
“They’re friends of ours, you know! Oh, la de da,” says James.
“Oh S P, please speak with that accent all the time we are here” says Andrew.
“What are you talking about?” asks Peter.
“You were putting on a posh accent” says Nathaniel.
“It’s how I always talk.”
“Of course it is, darling. I was just saying to my friend Matthew, what a super chap that Simon Peter is,” says James.
Peter shakes his head.
Jesus gets back into the bus and one of the guards lifts up the barrier.
“Follow the road to the right and then we are looking for a set of tall black gates.”
As they approach, a set of ornate black gates begin to open, revealing a huge white mansion, three stories high with windows seemingly everywhere.
“Do any of you have a shirt and tie? ‘cos, there is no way they’re letting us in here, no way,” says Philip.
The drive has a large turning circle. There is another minibus parked in front of the main door and a few cars behind it. To the left there is an entrance to what looks like garages. It is all fenced in by tall green palm trees. Philip parks behind the cars.
“Didn’t know there’d be others,” says Jude a little disappointed.
John isn’t that surprised at all, there is often a large following of family and friends. Sometimes it runs into hundreds.
“John, isn’t that mum and dad’s car?” asks James.
“Oh crap, it is!” answers John.
“First one in gets the biggest room,” yells James.
The lads all pile out of the bus, collecting their own bags and racing each other inside. Naomi and Toby come running over to Peter,“Daddy, Daddy.”
Peter drops his bag and scoops them up, kissing them.
“Mummy says we can stay here tonight.”
He sees Ruth in the doorway.
“Surprise!” she says.
Pushing and shoving, the others make their way through big double doors, made from the finest oak and into a large hall. They all stop, staring in amazement at the white and grey marble floor and a showstopping staircase sweeping up to the floors above.
“Wow,” says Thomas, open mouthed.
Welcoming everyone is the hostess, Leah Tabinstein; slim and beautifully dressed as always. Next to her, more casually dressed is her husband Tobias.
“Welcome, please come in. Good to see you again.”
“I was only talking to her a few days ago. Never would have guessed she was this loaded,” whispers Nathaniel.
“I want to cry, I think I’m home,” says James.
“It is very nice to meet you, you have a lovely home,” says Andrew to the hosts, as they all queue to be greeted by them.
“Champagne is being served in the lounge,” says Tobias to everybody.
“Master,” says Leah as Jesus enters.
One by one the guests are shown to their rooms in various parts of the mansion. James and John still haven’t seen their parents when it’s their turn.
“Oh yes, you are both staying in the annexe, please follow me,” says a member of staff.
Excitedly they follow. They go out through the back, passed the swimming pool and tennis court towards some outbuildings.
“Can I go for a swim?” John asks the staff member, who nods.“So who else is staying here?” he asks.
“I believe just the two of you, sir.”
“Hey, we’ve got our own house,” says James as they approach.
The annexe is made up of a large games room, gymnasium, sauna, and steam room. There is also a changing room with showers that serve the swimming pool and tennis court. It also happens to be where the Tabinstein’s two sons are hiding out, playing one of the latest games on a console.
“You’ve got Ghost Riders 4, awesome!” says James.
John is impressed, the games room has a big TV, soft comfy sofas, a pool table, even a dart board, as well as every games console on the market, all with the latest games. It looks like they have to sleep on camp beds, which have been made up at one end of the games room. Oh well, this is a lot better than some of the places we’ve stayed in.
“So you must be Samuel and Daniel.”
The boys nod.
“Are you one of that man’s friends?” Daniel asks John.
“Yeah, and part of his team,”answers John.
“You’re young!”
“You’re hogging the game! Now, move over and let us have a go,” says James.
After they’ve played for over half an hour John is bored.
“I wish I’d brought mi shorts, I could just do with a swim.”
“There are towels and swimming trunks in the changing area,” says Samuel.
“Really! Great.”
He’s right, there are spare trunks, new, still in their packaging. John takes a pair and closes the door. White towels have been arranged along a bench; there are even goggles on the hooks. He quickly gets changed. I’ll do a few laps before tea and work off some of this stiffness. It feels like we’ve been travelling forever.
Coming out of the annexe he notices Nathaniel and Philip walking towards him by the side of the pool.
“Incoming!” He shouts before jumping into the pool.
He surfaces and begins to swim to the shallow end.
“You idiot!”
“John, I’m soaked.”
He stands up, oh, it’s not as warm as he thought. Nathaniel and Philip do not look too happy. He does another length, but as he’s turning for another, Philip shouts out.
“Hey, John, Mark Ruchenberg is here.
John stops and holding on to the side of the pool asks, “the actor?”
“Yes the actor!” says Nathaniel.
Wow, a real Hollywood star; John climbs out.
Philip and Nathaniel don’t wait for him, they get James and dash off. By the time John has dried himself and got changed there is a large group around Mark and its difficult for John to get close. There also appears to be food out now plus a lot of people he’s not seen before.
“What’s happening?” he asks Peter, who is tucking into a lamb salad.
“It seems that all the neighbourhood want to meet the boss.”
Looks like it’s turned into a party since he arrived.
“So what is Mark Ruchenberg doing here?”
“Can you believe he lives next door? Just happens to be at home resting before he flies back to America to shoot his next movie,” says Thaddy.
“News of the boss has even travelled half way around the world,” says Jude all excited.
“What else have I missed?” asks John.
“That’s Junior Johnson,” another guest that John doesn’t recognise. He is wearing the type of clothes Simon likes to wear, really baggy t-shirt, jeans and way too much gold. The girl he is with is hot though.
“Who’s he.”
“His dad built most of Tiberius city for Herod. Like built the whole city! Seriously loaded. He drives a Bugatti Chiron.”
Junior is insisting that he be introduced to Jesus. John finds all this intriguing, they certainly mingle in different circles when they’re around Jesus.
“Teacher, what good can I do to have eternal life?” asks Junior.
“Why are you asking me about what is good? There is only one who is good; if you want eternal life then keep the commandments,” says Jesus.
“Which ones?” he asks.
“Do not commit murder: do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not accuse anyone wrongly, respect your father and mother and love your neighbour as yourself.”
“Hey, I have kept all those commandments, teacher. Anything else?”
“The one thing you lack: go, sell all that you own and give your money to the poor, then come back and follow me.”
Junior doesn’t answer, but looks down at the floor, then at the girl. He changes from a cocky self assured young man, to a confused sad boy. He shakes his head and turns h
is back on Jesus. He walks away, putting down the champagne on a table as he leaves.
After he has left, Jesus says to everybody, “it will be so much harder for rich people to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
John notices that there are quite a few people who are very uncomfortable. Wonder why Jesus said that here, today? All the lads hearing Jesus speak gather round.
“I’ll say it again, it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”
“Who can be saved then?” asks Matthew.
“With people this is impossible, but with God everything is possible.”
Peter, putting his arm around Ruth says, “we have left everything and followed you. What will we have?”
“You can be sure that when the Son of Man sits on his throne in the new age, then you twelve will also sit on thrones, to rule the twelve tribes of Israel,” says Jesus.
They all look at each other, this is what they have been waiting for ever since they were chosen.
“For everyone who has left homes or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for my sake, will receive a hundred times more and will be given eternal life. But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first.”
Jesus takes a drink, and goes into another room to talk to Leah and Tobias. He has left the lads open mouthed. They all try to digest what he has just said.
“Oh shit! Can you believe that?” asks Simon.
“Thrones, power and glory, at last it’s finally going to happen,” says Jude.
“This is the greatest day of my life,” says Thaddy.
“Yes!” James pumps his fist. “I always knew I was special, I always knew.”
They decide this is a special day and celebrate with a few more glasses of champagne. John wonders where their parents are, he knows they are around somewhere, but he hasn’t spoken to them yet. He wonders if they’ve heard the news. He doesn’t have to wait long.
“Oh, there are my boys, come here.” his mother holds out her arms.
“I guess you heard!” says John.
“What’s not to hear, everybody heard, my boys are going to rule Israel.”
She hugs them both as their father looks on, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Rule Israel, those two? I don’t get it, I really don’t get it!” says Zebedee.
“Now, have you discussed which of these thrones you are going to sit on?” asks their mother. “I don’t want you on the end, my boys should be next to Jesus.”
“I bags the right,” says James.
Before any of the others can say anything John quickly says “lefties.” They high five each other.
“Come on, let’s find Jesus and make this official,” says their mother.
They find Jesus still talking with Leah and Tobias. Their mother, not wanting to interrupt, but clearly impatient, stands waiting for a moment. Jesus turns to her and her boys.
“What do you want Salomé?” asks Jesus.
“Master, promise me that my boys will sit at your right and your left when you are King.”
“You do not know what you are asking.” Jesus looks at the lads and asks them. “Can you drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink?”
“Course we can,” they say.
“You will indeed drink from my cup, but I don’t have the right to choose who will sit on my right or my left. Those places belong to the ones for whom my Father has prepared for them.”
When they return to the living room, John can tell something is wrong, even Peter looks mad.
“I can’t believe what you have just done!” says Peter.
“Nice going you two,” says Simon.
“You want to be better than us, do you?” says Jude.
“I can’t believe you had the nerve,” says Alphie.
“You’re only jealous ‘cos we thought of it first,” says James.
“You mean your mummy did,” says Simon.
James pushes Simon, who pushes back.
“Yeah, you want a piece of me?”
“Any time, mummy’s boy.”
They square up to each other. John, defending his brother, pushes Simon away. Jude then pushes John. Andrew pulls Jude away, shoving him into Thaddy, who falls over. On the floor, Thaddy, grabs John’s foot, tripping him up. John stumbles backwards and grabs onto Nathaniel, ripping his shirt as he falls. All twelve have joined in what is quickly becoming a fight.
From the floor John notices Jesus watching from the doorway. He sees him sigh, the disappointment etched in his eyes.
“The boss is watching,” he says. “Stop!” he says again, louder this time.
One by one they stop. James is the last to realise, aiming a swing at Simon, that luckily misses.
“JAMES!” John shouts, picking himself up and holding out a hand to Thaddy.
Jesus comes in and sits down on one of the sofas and beckons the lads over.
“Lads, come here and sit down.”
Without speaking, and slightly embarrassed, they each find a seat.
“Kings and governments have great power and authority over their people. This is not how it is to be with you! If one of you wants to be great, he must first be your servant. If any one of you wants to be first, he must be your slave. Just like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life for the ransom of many.”
The quiet is interrupted by the ringing of Andrew’s phone. He quickly stops it, only for it to start ringing immediately.
“Just answer it, will you,” says James.
“Hello, hi Mary, Yes Jesus is here, everything alright? Oh dear, yes I will put him on.”
Andrew hands Jesus the phone, who stands up and goes into hallway.
“Come on spill, which Mary was it?” asks James.
“And what’s happened?” asks Philip.
“That was Lazarus’ sister. He’s sick.”
“Aw, is that all.”
“What!” You can’t say that, it could be bad,” Thomas says questioning James’ lack of sympathy.
“Oh, please Thomas, come on, you think this is anything the boss can’t handle, he’s probably healed him already,” says Nathaniel.
“Yeah, like the time in Tyre,” Philip reminds him.
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.” Thomas cheers up.
Chapter 25
“I can’t believe Lazarus is dead.”
“Yeah well, death is real, get used to it.”
“I can’t believe Jesus didn’t even go to see him.”
The moment Jesus told them that Lazarus had died, the mood in the whole house changed. Everyone had assumed Jesus would save his friend. No one for a second expected Jesus to do…nothing.
They all knew Lazarus, he was a good man. Jesus has known him and his sisters for many years, well before the twelve were chosen. So why would he let him die? It wasn’t even quick, he was ill for days. From what Andrew says after talking to the sisters Mary and Martha, he suffered a lot. When Matthew goes, he hopes it’s quick and painless. He had always thought that one day his luck would run out and he’d be shot or stabbed.
He sips his morning coffee and stares at the Zealot, sitting opposite him, reading the paper. How things have changed. Never in a million lifetimes could he have foreseen what has now become reality. Thoughts of his previous life flooded back. The faces of his victims, his greed. There hasn’t been much talk of death on the tour. So the news of Lazarus has hit them hard. He knows how much Jesus liked Lazarus, (he was a good friend) and by the look on his face he cared a great deal for him, so why didn’t he do something? Maybe they could have been more persuasive? Peter and Andrew did ask him why he did nothing, only for Jesus to suggest it was for the best and that they will see God’s Glory, if they believe. He’d gone up to his room seemingly wanting to be left alone. Strange! It’s been four days and we’re still here.
A member of staff comes into the kitchen
and stops suddenly, he probably wasn’t expecting anyone to be there.
“Oh, this is normally for staff, the dining room is laid for breakfast.”
“Feel more comfortable here, thanks.”
“I’ll get you breakfast?”
“We’re sorted thanks,” says Thaddy.
“Not really hungry, a fresh pot of coffee would be good though,” says Simon.
Matthew agrees - the stuff Simon made was far too strong.
“I hear you are moving on today, it will be a lot quieter around here when you’re gone.”
“I hope we can come back, under better circumstances,” says Thaddy.
“Looks like we’re really going then, better prepare,” Matthew says to Simon, who nods. Yeah, he knows exactly what I mean. Matthew goes back up to the twin room he has been sharing with Alphie.
“What time is it,” Alphie says half asleep.
“Gone seven.”
“Oh is that all,” he turns over, pulling the covers over his head.
Matthew has been up over an hour, he couldn’t sleep. Lazarus’ death, sad as is it, isn’t the only reason he and the lads are concerned. Will the authorities try and arrest Jesus again? In Galilee, doubtful, here, highly unlikely. Where Lazarus’ sisters live, in the small village of Bethany, on the east side of the Mount of Olives, only two miles from Jerusalem, highly possible! If the authorities know Lazarus was a close friend of the boss, could they be waiting? There is the real possibility that Jesus could be arrested - even worse, killed. Last night, Thomas fearing the twelve could suffer the same fate, asked the question, “do we go with Jesus?” Actually he had phrased it slightly differently, he had said “let’s go with Jesus, so that we may die with him!” Matthew couldn’t work out if he was being sarcastic or really meant it? Even so it was a question that needed to be asked. It was going to be a team decision. One for all, etc.
From the moment Matthew heard about the botched arrest, something changed and that bothered him. For this trip he had not only brought his own gun and extra clips, but he’d also popped his spare into his holdall. It had been months since he had even picked one up; now he’s packing an arsenal. Old feelings resurfaced that he had long since hoped were gone, the feeling of death, the thrill of the chase and the intoxication of a kill. He can see the same thoughts going through Simon’s head: The anguish, the memories, the do or die he hadn’t seen in a while. He’d stopped obsessing about the Zealot’s knife he occasionally noticed on Simon’s belt. If he was going to use it he’d have done it by now. No, there is something else, and it feels all too familiar.