by D A Walmsley
“Finally, the one some say is the Son of God, while others claim he is the promised Messiah. But you and I know him as… the magician. He saved others, can he save himself? Jesus… of… Nazareth.”
Again the music starts.
Some of the crowd stand for a better look. Jesus appears, surrounded by soldiers.
Next to Annas, Joseph recoils when he sees Jesus. His body is red with blood from the lacerations caused by the whip and the beatings. He is still wearing the razor wire crown. Blood runs down his face, he can’t wipe it off because he is carrying the heavy wooden cross beam. He stumbles, weak from the punishment he has taken. Unable to carry the beam he drops to the ground. A soldier goes to the crowd and chooses someone to help. The man lifts the wooden beam and carries it onto the stage. Once on the stage he puts it down and waves to the crowd. The presenter comes over to him, asks him his name and where he is from.
“Give a big hand to Simon from Cyrene.”
Everybody claps, Simon waves again, before going back to his seat.
While Jesus is being nailed onto the beam, his family and friends are shown to their seats.
“Recognise anyone?”
Joseph doesn’t answer.
“Looks like his team have deserted him,” says Benjamin.
“Of course they did,” sneers Annas.
Jesus is hoisted up on to the middle steel pole, but before the crane is lowered the soldier sticks a sign above Jesus’ head.
The cameras zoom in, it reads: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.
The priests in the boxes turn to their TV’s for a better view and are the first in the stadium to be able to see the sign. They don’t like it, objecting to the reference King of the Jews. Annas shouts to Jonathan.
“Get me the Governor!”
Jonathan is already on it, and brings his phone over.
“Pilate sir.”
“What is this? King of the Jews is blasphemous.”
Pilate tells him the sign stays and Annas, who is not in a position to argue, doesn’t take it further, though it’s not an image he likes. “He is no King of mine.”
“Sir, listen to the crowd, on the TV it’s much clearer,” Jonathan says.
Theo turns the sound up on the TV at the back of the box. Some of the crowd have started shouting at Jesus.
“I thought you were the one, the Messiah, you made me look stupid.”
“If you are the Christ come down from there and I will believe you.”
“You healed others, heal yourself.” That gets some laughs.
“You’re a fraud, you deserve to rot.”
Even Sychar and Ben Ammi hurl insults towards Jesus.
“You came in peace, yet look what it got you,” says Samuel Ben Ammi.
“I tried to destroy the Union, what did you do? Nothing,” says Sychar.
The mood in the box is joviality, the priests clink their glasses. “He trusts in God, well let God save him now,” says a priest.
“Today gentlemen, even sons of God, hang dying at our feet,” says Annas, to laughter.
Killing by crucifixion takes a long time, it’s one of the reasons the Union likes it so much, but it does make for a rather boring spectacle after a while. Once they’ve seen the nails go in and watched the agony, people get up, stretch their legs, get something to eat. They are allowed to approach the stage and see close up the brutal savagery of a crucifixion.
“So what do you think of your Christ now?” Annas asks Joseph.
Some of the priests leave, going back to their work in the Temple. For Annas, this is his first live event and he has arranged meetings to take place in the middle hours. Jonathan also has papers for him to sign and reports to read. He looks down at the stage from time to time to see if there is anything happening.
“We must do something about the Unions interference at our festivals,” says a priest.
“I am fully aware of the problems we face and I assure you I am working hard on the country’s behalf,” says Annas.
As they talk all the lights go out and they are plunged into darkness.
“Oh, this useless stadium,” says one priest.
Emergency lighting flickers on in the executive boxes, but down below the crowd is left in complete darkness.
“This isn’t the stadium! We still have power, it’s the sky, it’s gone dark,” says Theo rushing into the box.
“What is happening?”
“It appears to be nationwide sir,” Jonathan says.
“An eclipse!” suggests a guard.
“Nonsense, there are no such events due.
“Then what has just happened?”
People in the crowd take out lighters or mobile phones.
The presenter is quickly escorted on stage.
“Please, don’t panic, everything is OK. It appears the whole country is suffering an eclipse, please stay calm,” he says.
A quick thinking lighting technician sets up more spotlights pointing towards the stage. In all the darkness the only thing shining out across all TV networks is the picture of the three crosses.
“Sir, would you like me to arrange transport back to the Temple?” says Jonathan.
“Why the rush Jonathan, afraid of the dark?”
“I thought you…”
“Sir,” says Theo stopping Jonathan in mid-sentence, a hand covering his ear as he listens to reports coming from his earpiece. “I advise that we stay here. There is panic on the streets.”
Benjamin stands at the door and checks the corridor. “Status update,” he says into his mic. After a few seconds he puts his thumb up. “The stadium is secure, Sir.”
“Then we all stay.” says Annas, “Though I do wish to have better lighting,” he says pointing up at the ceiling.
“I’m on it Sir.” Jonathan scurries off.
* * *
After three hours of darkness and the light-bulb that Jonathan had procured starting to flicker Annas has had enough. Theo and Benjamin are now confident of a safe journey back to the Palace so there is no need to stay here any longer.
They are just about to leave when a priest points to the TV. “Listen, Jesus is talking. He’s asked for a drink.”
A soldier sticks a sponge soaked in cheap sour wine onto a long pole, and holds it up to Jesus’ lips.
“My God, My God, why have you abandoned me,” cries Jesus in a loud voice.
“He does not look like he’ll last much longer,” says a priest.
“Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” Jesus bows his head. “It is finished.”
At that moment lightning flashes across the sky followed by loud thunder. The whole stadium begins to shake like the earth is opening up. The spotlights pointing at the stage smash into pieces. Annas is knocked to the floor, unable to get up as the box shakes and pieces of ceiling and plasterboard fall on top of him. People scream in terror as the earthquake shakes the whole place. Bits of the stadium crash down. The window of the box cracks and smashes onto the floor. Theo helps Annas to his feet and ushers him to the door.
“We have to get out of here, now.”
They have only reached the corridor when the shaking stops. Annas pulls away from Theo.
“Everybody alright?” shouts Benjamin, looking at Annas and Jonathan.
“We appear to be unharmed,” says Annas dusting himself off.
“What about the criminals?” asks a priest.
Yes what about them? Annas also wants to know. Are they still upright, have the beams held? He climbs over debris from the ceiling and back into the box looking out at the stage. He is relieved to see all three crosses standing and the stadium is once again in full sunshine. An eerie calm descends, the only sound is the voice of Captain Roberto, standing at the foot of Jesus’ cross.
“You really were the Son of God,” his words reverberate around the stadium.
“They’re checking to see if Jesus is dead,” a priest points out soldiers at the cross; one stabs a spear into Jesus’ sid
e - blood and water seep out of the body. The soldier nods back to his officer.
They begin checking the two criminals.
Annas checks himself for any cuts from the broken glass. He is surprised to find himself without a scratch.
“I told you this place should be torn down, it’s unsafe,” he says.
“Sir, Captain Roberto reports that Jesus has died,” says Jonathan on his phone.
“Good,” snaps Annas.
Annas can feel the presence of Joseph Arimathea before he appears at the door.
“Your friend is dead, what do you want?” he says without turning around.
“Pilate has granted my appeal to release the body to me, once his Commanding Officer has signed the death certificate. I am to place it in my family tomb, that has so far remained empty, thanks be to God. You are quite welcome to view the body before it is buried.”
Annas waves him away.
As Joseph leaves, another priest hurries into the box. “Sir, I have the most distressing news.”
Chapter 40
Simon knew when Jesus died; his world went dark. Way before he received a text from John he knew it was all over, the darkness, the earthquake. Part of him has died too.
It may have been by Union soldiers, but it is Israeli hands that are covered in blood.
As he sits in a dark corner of a dark bar all he can see is the bottle of Hennessey in front of him. How will he recover? He gave up everything to be one of the twelve. He knows how much he has changed, the things he has seen and done; people he now hangs out with all because of one man and now that man has died in front of a watching world and he could do nothing about it.
* * *
Thaddy gets up from the sofa to make a drink. He had been trying not to watch the news, but in the darkness he put the TV on to see what was happening. He hoped that maybe the boss had done something, come down from the cross, anything! While he’s sure the ‘quake wasn’t a coincidence, there is still no miracle, the boss is still dead and the journey is all but finished. All he can think about is the events of the last few years. All he saw, the fun they’d had; the words the boss spoke so convincingly of the new Kingdom. Thinking back on it, he does remember the sadness, the warnings that the boss gave. He mentioned death often. Thaddy wonders what he’ll do next, how he’ll get over it all, start something new. He can’t help thinking that Jude died because he couldn’t bear to be a nobody. He wanted the Kingdom, the power and the glory. He couldn’t have it and it killed him. What does he want? He wants the boss to return, that’s all he wants.
* * *
Andrew, after seeing his brother so desperately sad, and Ruth unable to get away from Capernaum until they’d arranged Jesus’ burial, had promised her that he would look after Peter. If that meant not going with John and the others to the stadium, fine. He didn’t really want to go, he couldn’t bear to see Jesus die. The best way for them to get through it was to do what they always did - fish. Not so easy in the city, so Andrew drove the bus to Joppa on the coast to hire a boat and fishing tackle. They sailed out into the vast Mediterranean sea, and cast off. They didn’t talk much, couldn’t put their feelings into words; if they did speak it was about the catch, the boat, the wind. Occasionally Peter would remember something Jesus did, or said and they would both smile. This is what they’ve always done when things got bad: the day their parents died, the loss of the business, however and wherever they were, the thing the boys did was fish. They can’t remember why when the going gets tough they go fishing. Peter thinks their dad used to do it when they were young, then as they grew up, he’d take them with him, giving mum some much needed time alone.
* * *
Matthew walked up the Mount of Olives. Andrew had offered a lift to anyone who wanted to go to the coast, but only Peter had gone along. Matthew reckoned he could be out all day, returning when it was all over. Hopefully not meeting nor seeing anyone, just being alone. He bought a bottle of whisky with the last of his money and set off, only to find many people walking up the mount. The views over the city were incredible and there were lots of families and pilgrims making the journey. There are cafés along the road and they were all busy. He sat in one, ordered a coffee and put a drop of whisky in it. The waitress saw him do it, but the look on his face told her to leave him alone. He sat listening to people’s conversations; they were all talking about the same thing, the crucifixion. Though opinions were mixed as to who Jesus was, most had thought he shouldn’t have lost the vote, but from the sound of it nobody actually voted. By the time the darkness came he had left the café and gone to sit alone on the hillside contemplating. He had been staring at the only bit of the stadium he could see from his vantage point when the sun vanished. He looked at his watch, thinking he must have lost track of time. It showed midday, yet it was dark. He stayed on the hill, watching the lights flicker on as if it was night time, drinking his whisky straight from the bottle. Where he was on the mountain it was complete darkness, there were no street lights, with only the occasional car headlights glinting from the nearby road. He thought it would last only a short while, so he didn’t move, but after two hours he began to feel the cold and so carefully found his way back to the warm café. There he met Philip, who had stayed at Mary and Mark’s house, but had found it too difficult to watch it all unfold on the TV so he’d left during the darkness to look at the view. He was sitting drinking coffee when the earthquake started and thought the mountain was going to split open and erupt.
* * *
James had gone back to his parents’ city house, calling first at the supermarket and buying a pack of lager. At nine am he opened his first can. He played pool, played on his old playstation and drank. He did anything but think about what was happening to Jesus. If he started to, he got all emotional and he couldn’t bear it. He wasn’t like his brother, who could cry easily or talk things over. He needed to keep things bottled up. If he were to cry, it would be only after drinking his inhibitions away.
* * *
Thomas went and hid from the world. They had been up most of the night and he was so tired. He went back to the house with James and had gone straight to bed. He tried to sleep, hoping that when he awoke the boss would have saved himself, that everything would be alright again.
* * *
Alphie stayed at Mary and Mark’s with some other followers. He watched the news, only getting up to make a drink or go to the toilet. He sat thinking, sometimes shouting at the TV. He, out of all the lads was the most angry, the others seemed sad, disappointed. He was mad, mad at the world and mad at Jesus for allowing it to happen. Once the anger had all drained away he needed comforting and Mary and the others were there for support.
* * *
Nathaniel argued with himself and anyone in Marys and Mark’s home who would listen. How could it all end like this? Why after all they have done and seen, would Jesus just let it happen? He searched some scriptures but he could barely see the words for his tears. In the end he went outside and sat in the garden – alone. His memories of the last two years tormenting his mind.
* * *
John was the only one of the lads to go to Calvary. He saw the brutality and the pain that Jesus endured. He listened to the derision and the jeers. He watched his boss, his friend, his Christ, die. He held Mary, Jesus’ mum and he stayed until the very end. When it was all over he sent all the lads a text. It read: It is finished.
Maybe he was holding out, hoping for something, but he couldn’t let him go. When Jesus was taken down from the cross and the Governor released the body to Joseph, he asked to go along. It was only a short journey away from the stadium and round the old wall to Joseph’s tomb. As a council member and very rich man, Joseph had no ordinary burial place. It is an exclusive area, the rich and famous all want to be buried here and it is where the High Priests and other council members are laid to rest. The price of a tomb here makes it one of the most expensive addresses in the city. They are cut out of the side of the hill, and the
stone slabs the bodies lie on are carved by the best in the business. The door, the same design as bank vaults, is twelve inches of reinforced concrete, covered in high-grade steel.
While Joseph took care of the body and made arrangements with Jesus’ mother for the burial, Nicodemus had bought the spices and linen for the embalming. The cemetery has a small morgue, where bodies can be prepared, before being placed in the tombs. Joseph and Nicodemus, these two prominent highly respected men, embalm Jesus’ body themselves. They place the mixture of aloe, spices and myrrh along the lengths of the linen and carefully wrap it around Jesus’ body. His mother, John, Mary Mag and some others watch as the two council members then move the body to the tomb. When they arrive, four Temple guards are waiting. It was getting late and the Sabbath was about to start so Joseph and Nicodemus tenderly lay the body on a stone slab and watch as the guards close the heavy door and lock it - steel bolts sliding into place with satisfying clunks.
The Sabbath starts at sundown on Friday and finishes at sundown on Saturday, so once the tomb is sealed nothing can be done to arrange the funeral until Sunday morning at the earliest. John takes Jesus’ mother to Mary and Mark’s home, and seeing that she will be well cared for, leaves to go to his parents’ city home. He walks all the way, tears pouring down his face. Once home he takes a beer out of the fridge and sits in the living room. James is lying on the floor, a DVD playing, but he isn’t really watching, just staring, a glazed look in his eyes, born out of beer and grief.
Chapter 41