by D A Walmsley
He takes out the spare, puts in a new clip and lays it on the bed.
“You may need that today.”
“Mmm.”
As Matthew and Simon both sense the danger and could quickly regress to old patterns, Alphie remains calm and cheerful. Matthew has always liked that about his young collector; a youthful innocence that the world could not destroy. He remembers how glad he was when Jesus had chosen the both of them. Alphie hadn’t been in the business all that long. Matthew only took him on at the request of Alphie’s parents and he doesn’t have the deep scars, mental or physical, that Matthew himself has. That’s why the others took to Alphie more easily than they did to him.
Alphie pops his head up. “We won’t need them today.”
“Just in case.”
“Last night I saw Jesus praying in the garden. He had that look, you know, the one: The, he knows what he’s doing look!”
“Just take it, I’m not so sure.”
“It’s gonna be a good day Matt, I can feel it.”
By the time everyone got up and said their goodbyes to family and friends half the day had gone. It’s hard for to Peter leave his wife and kids, especially now. Once again they are back on the road.
It’s a difficult journey, Jesus is subdued and so no one really wants to speak. Headphones go on and all that can be heard is their annoying buzz. Even James and John sit in silence.
When they finally arrive in Bethany the funeral is coming to an end. Lazarus had been buried four days earlier but Jewish funerals can last up to seven days, and there are still many mourners in the village.
Andrew had rung to tell Mary and Martha they were on their way. As they approach the village of Bethany, Philip, again driving, spots a solitary figure wearing black, sitting alone on a bench.
“It’s Martha,” says Jesus.
Philip stops the bus and Jesus gets out and comforts her.
“I don’t like the look of this,” says Jude.
Matthew pats his gun. Jude and Nathaniel both nod.
“You think she is there to warn us?” says Thomas.
Philip puts the window down, doing his best to hear something.
“Martha just couldn’t wait to see Jesus,” he whispers.
She bursts into tears, asking over and over why he hadn’t come sooner.
“Where is your sister?” asks Jesus.
She tells him that her sister Mary is in the house with some of the other mourners. With hands trembling she rings her sister, “the Teacher is here.”
The house is close by, for within a minute, Mary along with many others arrive at the minibus. When she sees Jesus she falls at his feet crying, “Lord, if only you had been here my brother would not have died!”
Matthew thinks back to Dave Milo’s death. No ceremony, no mourners, just death. He has some idea of what to expect at a traditional Jewish funeral, but even he is caught out by the theatricality of it all. Lazarus had been a good Jew all his life and obeyed the laws. Mary and Martha had stuck to Jewish custom and hired two flute players and even a wailing woman to help mourn their brother. This, along with the dozens of mourners, still crying four days after they had buried him, to Matthew seems over the top. With Jesus there is always hope, this morning Alphie was sure of that, though Matthew sees no difference here to Dave Milo’s funeral. Mary and Martha seem desperate to believe Jesus could have helped, but the rest appear to be mourning out of despair.
Jesus asks to see the grave, which is outside the village, down a narrow track.
Philip decides to leave the bus where it is, rather than drive down. The twelve will have to walk, much to the annoyance of James.
Along the path on the way to the grave, Jesus, who is still comforting the sisters, sheds a tear. Some of the mourners see this.
“Look how much Jesus loved his friend.”
Others are more cynical.
“He was supposed to have healed others. Why, if he was a true friend, couldn’t he heal Lazarus?”
The grave surprises Matthew, for it isn’t a hole in the ground, but a sepulchre, a small tomb. Lazarus must have been worth a bit. Built into a hill, it seems to be cut out of the rock. A plaque next to a steel door has the name of Lazarus on it.
“Weird huh, this is the family tomb, where Mary and Martha will be buried one day.” says Nathaniel to Matthew.
“What!”
“There will be shelves for the whole family.”
Matthew can’t get his head round it, he’d rather not think about his own death and yet the sisters live five minutes from the place where they’ll eventually be buried. Urgh!
The tomb door is small, near the ground and early versions would have had a stone in front. Now, for health and safety reasons it has to be made from steel and bolted onto the rock. It is so heavy that it takes four men just to open or close it. Most have strong locks to prevent grave robberies.
“Open it,” says Jesus.
“What!” says Mary.
“Lord, it has been four days,” says Martha.
“I can understand you want to say goodbye, but it’s too late,” says the local priest. “He will have started to decay. It was a traditional burial, we only used aromatic spices to neutralise the decomposition and wrapped him in linen.”
“In others words it will stink,” says James.
“Teacher, you must know that the spirit leaves the body on the fourth day. It’s too late,” the priest pleads.
Matthew looks around, would the sisters agree to having their brother’s tomb opened? No one here wants to smell the rotting, decomposing corpse.
“It has been four days,” says Mary, repeating her sister’s words.
The twelve agree with the sisters, telling the boss it has been too long.
“Didn’t I tell you, today you will see God’s glory if you believe!” says Jesus.
Alphie nudges Matthew.
Mary and Martha reluctantly nod to the priest, who unlocks the heavy steel door. Peter, Andrew and James, with the help of one of the mourners, slide it open. Everyone steps back, bracing themselves for the putrid odour. Once the door is opened the smell explodes outwards, enveloping everybody in its path. Some quickly move away from the tomb, all cover their noses and mouths. Matthew’s nostrils fill with a smell that knocks him backwards. He wants to vomit, that is the smell of death alright. It’s far worse than any he smelled at the morgue. He wretches and is thankful he avoided breakfast this morning.
Jesus stands unaffected, next to the entrance.
“Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me. I say this so the people here will believe that you sent me.”
He then shouts, “Lazarus, come out!”
Some mourners jump in surprise; others gasp in shock at Jesus’ words. “What did he just say? You don’t think that…”
Everybody’s eyes become transfixed on the entrance to the tomb. There is a sense of apprehension, what if Lazarus doesn’t come out? What if he does?
Thomas turns his head, he can’t bear to look. Matthew, his heart beating so fast he thinks his veins might burst, has goose bumps. Did he hear right? Did Jesus just ask a dead body to get up? What if it doesn’t happen? How can it happen? Matthew is sure he hears something from inside the tomb. His brain must be fooling him. No, there it is again.
People stare at each other, did they hear it too?
“I swear I heard something,” says James, bending down to peer in.
“James, give over,” says Peter, edging closer to the tomb.
“Argh, something is moving, I’m positive,” James jumps back, bumping into Peter.
First a glimpse of white cloth, something is definitely coming out. A body slowly emerges from the tomb. Everyone gasps! Mary and Martha scream. Matthew never liked zombie movies and this is why. Only this is real. Oh shit! This is actually happening. At least the smell has faded. He breathes in - it’s completely gone.
“Someone untie him,” says Jesus calmly.
Mary faints as the face of her brother is revealed. Martha screams, this time with joy and begins to cry tears of happiness. Lazarus rubs his eyes, adjusting to the light. Mourners begin taking photo’s of Lazarus and everyone wants to touch and feel him. Nathaniel looks in the tomb, checking to see if it is indeed empty. Lazarus hugs his sisters.
“He did it!” says Thomas, “I can’t believe he did it! He brought a man back to life!”
Chapter 26
“The Sanhedrin are meeting, probably to discuss the boss,” says Nathaniel, reading from a newspaper.
“Not surprised, I bet they’re bricking it,” says Thaddy.
“Yeah, it’s an emergency meeting, they’re going to issue a response later today.”
Another day, another village - Jesus and the twelve have stayed overnight in a little place called Bethphage near Bethany. The day has started in beautiful sunshine, it matches the mood of the lads. They were up early wanting to see what the country thought of their boss’ latest miracle. Nathaniel has been down to the local shop, to buy a newspaper and a bagel. He is now enjoying them both, sitting on a patio chair in the front garden of the house. A few others have joined him outside. Thaddy is lying on the grass, thinking and looking up at the near cloudless sky. Jude is finishing off his breakfast of coffee and toast. James and John have found a child’s football. John is attempting to kick the ball over the house. James is round the back waiting for it to appear. John has a few unsuccessful tries before getting one to fly over. They can hear James cheer before it comes back over, hitting the minibus. John retrieves the ball, unfortunately on his next attempt he slices his kick and the ball disappears into a neighbours garden.
“Oops.”
After a minute James appears.
“I kicked it over, you must have missed it,” says John as convincingly as he can.
James shrugs, goes over to the minibus and starts fiddling around with the drivers seat, laughing to himself.
John sits down on the grass.
“Last night, Simon was wanting to march straight into Jerusalem,” says Thaddy,
“He’s right,” adds Jude.
“I agree, we’ve been on the road too long,” says Nathaniel, looking up from his paper.
“Jesus knows what he’s doing,” says John, “he’s going to do something big, I can feel it.”
“Well, now would be a good time,” says Nathaniel.
James wanders back over.
“What were you doing?” asks John.
“Oh, nothing,” says James, smiling.
Nathaniel turns a page of the paper and laughs aloud, “ha, it’s Peter!”
The front page has the headline Death defying and shows an old photograph of Lazarus. In the middle pages are printed some of the photos sent in by the mourners at the funeral. They’re not very good, but that may have been due to the shakiness of hands under the circumstances. The largest picture is of Lazarus, coming out of the tomb, all zombie-like. Peter is next to him, mouth wide open. There’s another with Peter and James unwrapping Lazarus and a wide shot of the entire scene. Also a very good one of Mary and Martha hugging their brother.
“Is there one of me?” asks John, getting up to have a look.
Thaddy points to a blurred picture. John squints. “That’s it, that’s the only one I’m on! Peter’s on loads, they even mention him by name.”
“I’m on that one, that one…and that one,” says James, rubbing it in.
“One crappy photo,” complains John.
“Maybe the other papers have more pictures,” says Nathaniel.
“Even Thomas is on more than me, and he spent most of the time throwing up.”
John sits back down on the grass. “I can’t believe loser boy gets on so many,” he says.
“We should tell the others,” says Thaddy.
“So, you know in the new Kingdom? I wonder what kind of cars we will have?” muses John changing the subject.
They ignore him.
“Yeah, we should tell Pete, he will love this,” says James. He shouts, “Hey Pete, you need to see this.”
“I think I’ll have a Porsche.”
“What does it say about the boss?” Jude asks Nathaniel.
Nathaniel turns back to the main story.
“It asks, is this more proof? Is Jesus the Christ?”
“Wow.”
“I always liked that Dodge Viper, wonder if they still make them? Or a Lamborghini.”
“It also asks, was that the ultimate miracle?”
“Waiting for Lazarus to come out, longest minute ever!” says James, laughing to himself.
“Could we have more than one? I mean we will be sitting on thrones. So we could have anything we want right? Oh, wait, I’d also like a Ferrari.”
“Aston Martin”, says Thaddy. “That’s what I’ll have, always liked Astons.”
“Oh, yeah, I’d forgotten about them. Just like James Bond. Hello, Mish Moneypenny.”
They all laugh.
There is a knock on the window, Peter has heard his name being mentioned.
“Hey big guy, it’s you, look,” says Nathaniel.
Peter waves for them to come in.
“No chance, you come here.”
After a few minutes Alphie appears.
“Hey Jude, the boss has a job for us.” He throws the minibus keys which Jude manages to catch one handed.
“Where are you going?” asks James.
“On a very important job for the boss,” replies Alphie.
“Can we come?” asks John.
“Yeah, the boss said we may need extra help.”
Jude gets in the minibus, and sits in the driver’s seat. As he puts the key in the ignition… the seat collapses, “shit, oh…what the…”
Alphie, having first jumped from the shock, gives a snigger, before checking the front passenger seat and gingerly sitting down.
“James!” shouts Jude, “thanks a lot, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“It was meant for Phil or Andy but you looked so funny.”
“You’d better fix it.”
James grabs a spanner from the buses toolbox and begins fiddling around.
“So, where are we going?” asks John.
“Why, what else has he done to the bus?” asks Jude, checking the tyres.
James fixes the seat but Jude doesn’t trust him, it doesn’t look very secure.
“John why don’t you drive.”
“Yes,” says John and pumps his fist.
James puts the spanner away, and jumps in the back. Thaddy wanders over and he too gets in.
Jude knows that this is the first time John has driven the minibus, but there is no way he’s being set up for another one of James’ pranks. If anything happens let it be to somebody else. Anyway what could happen?
“I wonder how quick it is from nought to sixty - time me,” John says to James.
The diesel engine takes an age even to get to forty-five. Jude points out an approaching left hand bend. John has been watching the speedometer, not the road. He stamps on the brake and turns. The bend appears to get tighter and tighter as he tries to keep the bus from tipping over. Alphie braces himself. In the back, Jude, James and Thaddy are thrown across the bus. They make the corner, just. Two wheels had briefly lifted off the ground.
“Wow,” says John, trying be make it sound like it wasn’t any big deal.
“You could have killed us, you idiot,” says Thaddy.
“Everybody alright?” asks Jude.
“You got two wheels off the ground, nice one,” says James.
“This is why Peter hasn’t let you drive before,” Alphie tells John.
Luckily they are only going a ten minute drive to Bethambry, another of the small villages scattered around the slopes of the Mount of Olives. A few dozen houses, a ma
in street and one general store. There is no one about, just a few parked cars dotted here and there. John drives through the village and out the other side.
“Oh, turn round we must have missed it,” says Alphie.
“Missed what?” asks John.
“A colt.”
“The gun or the car?”
“I was guessing the car.”
As John drives back slowly, Jude spots a side road he missed the first time. John stops at the junction, and all four peer down the road. It is narrow, with a solitary car parked next to a large house.
“That might be it,” says Jude.
John parks the minibus just passed the junction and they all get out to look at the car.
“Mustang, could this be what we are looking for?” asks Jude.
“I forget, all I remember it was an animal’s name, so it must be,” says Alphie.
The Mustang is a black V8 convertible with its top down. It has a grey leather interior, chrome detailing and is fully loaded. The doors are locked so John climbs into the driver’s seat.
“There is no way Peter will let you drive this bad boy,” says Thaddy.
“I’ll be driving it back, so don’t get comfy,” says Jude.
James jumps in the back seat.
“Oh sweet, there’s a DVD player in the back too.”
“Where are the keys?” John asks.
“Look under the sun visor. Jesus said the owner will let us take it,” says Alphie.
“Really, this thing’s worth like a hundred grand,” says Thaddy.
John looks under the visor but doesn’t find any keys.
“This is the softest leather I have ever touched,” says James.
A man bangs on the window of the house, shouting something inaudible.
“That’ll be the owner, he must be coming out with the keys,” says Thaddy.
“Yeah, he wouldn’t have wanted to leave them in it, seeing as it’s so valuable,” says John.