The Greatest Gift

by Michael John Sullivan

  No. Can’t be. Maybe? It could be the relic Julius was talking about. Why would he be transporting it on this boat? Did it belong to Paul? Maybe this was evidence for Paul? Could this keep Paul alive longer? Save him from a brutal death?

  Michael folded it back up and placed it back inside. He picked up the spear and carved a cross on top of the cart before climbing back upstairs. He looked for Julius and noticed the deck was nearly empty except for the soldiers milling around near the coffins. They were without their helmets and armor but still carried their weapons. He approached them with caution. “Can you tell me where all the men are?”

  They didn’t answer. “Sirs, sirs,” he yelled at the Romans, “where is Augustus? Where is Julius? I need to talk to them.” None of the soldiers responded.

  “Where is Alexander?” The Romans continued to ignore him. “I have silver for him.”

  “Silver? Go below,” said the soldier. “He is with the others.”

  “This way?” Michael asked, pointing to another stairway.

  “Yes.”

  Michael rushed down and stepped into several inches of water filling the area. “Terrific,” he said.

  “There you are,” shouted Augustus. “Grab a bucket. We can use all the help we can get now.”

  “Where?”

  “Over there,” Augustus said, waving his arms to where some debris was floating. Michael waded over to the far end and retrieved a bucket. He joined Augustus and his men, throwing water out over the side. They dipped and tossed the water at a frantic pace.

  “It is not doing any good,” said a worker to Augustus.

  “Are we going down?” asked Julius, peering into the stairwell.

  “We are,” said Augustus. “We are only saving a few moments. The ship is taking in more water than we can get out.”

  “How far are we from land?” asked Julius.

  “Not far. A good swim. A short boat trip.”

  “My cargo? Can we save it?” asked Julius.

  “I am afraid not. Save yourself,” Augustus said. He gave him a look of doom.

  “Oh no,” Michael said, tossing away his bucket.

  “Where are you going?” asked Augustus.

  “To save my daughter.”

  “What? Your daughter is not here. Save yourself.”

  “She is here,” Michael said. “In a coffin up on deck!”

  Augustus stopped passing a bucket up the stairs. “You are seasick. She is not here.” He shouted to his workers. “It is time to leave. Save yourselves, men. Take the rescue boats. There are not many. The older men first. The younger men can swim.”

  Michael looked back at the workers coming up the stairs as he reached the deck. He stormed the area where Elizabeth was being held. “Move out of the way,” he told the Romans.

  “We do not move until Alexander tells us,” one soldier said.

  “Do you see Alexander? Look around,” Michael yelled. “He is not here.”

  “You speak lies,” a soldier said as he stepped forward, drawing his spear to Michael’s chest.

  Michael ran to the side where the small rescue boats lay. He leaned over the side and looked into the sea. “There,” he said, turning around to face the soldiers. “Come here.”

  One soldier walked over to him. “Look, that is him,” Michael screamed. “Rowing away, probably with all the silver. There is your fearless leader.”

  “He has left us,” shouted the soldier, rushing to his comrades. The three Romans raced to a rescue boat, dropped it in the water and climbed down into it as the ship began to submerge.

  “Help me,” Michael yelled to them.

  “Save yourself,” shouted a soldier as they rowed away.

  Michael rushed to the coffins and pushed at the top box with his shoulder. He stopped, glanced around the deck and saw no help was coming. He picked up a spear left behind.

  “Watch out, Elizabeth!”

  He rammed the spear into the far end of the coffin, cracking a chunk of wood off. Her feet were visible. He slammed the spear into it again and saw her stomach. He thrust the spear inside the coffin one more time and broke off several more pieces.

  “Come, my friend, we have to go now,” pleaded Augustus.

  “I cannot go,” Michael said. “My daughter is in here.”

  “The water, look,” Augustus said.

  The deck was submerged, but Michael continued, ramming the spear near her head. He reached inside, ripped out the cloth stuck inside her mouth and quickly untied the rope around her wrists. “Use your hands, Elizabeth. You’ve got to help!”

  Michael stood and jerked back on the wood, sending one piece floating away. “Do not open your mouth,” he yelled. He pulled and tore more pieces away and dropped them into the water. “Close your eyes.” He heard her gag. “Close your mouth too.” Michael gripped the opening and with every bit of strength he had, he ripped it apart. He grabbed Elizabeth and pulled her out, lifting her above the water. “Spit it out,” he said.

  Elizabeth coughed and gagged. She vomited a couple of times and tried to catch her breath.

  “Spit it all out,” Michael demanded.

  She held up her hands and waved him away, gasping for air. When she settled down moments later, Elizabeth hugged him. He wiped a gash from his hand on his garment, letting the salt water sting it.

  He pushed her away. “Help me,” he said. “Push this coffin with me.”

  “What?”

  The water rose to their knees. “Push,” he ordered. They shoved the top coffin off and into the water. “Use this as a floatation device,” he said. The water rose to his stomach as he pulled the second cart away. He leaned on top of it. “Swim,” he said. “Kick.”

  “Where?”

  “Follow the boat,” he said, pointing to where Augustus was.

  “Where are they going?”

  “Back to Caesarea.”

  “We are not supposed to be going there,” Elizabeth said.

  “We need to get to shore first.”

  Michael glanced behind him and watched the ship sink. Carts and boxes floated up to the top all around them. He swam past a couple, examining their lids.

  “What are you doing?” Elizabeth asked. “We should be swimming toward that boat.”

  “I’m checking the boxes.”

  “Why? Does it matter if we have food now?”

  “No, but there is something very important in one of them.”

  “There are so many of them,” Elizabeth said.

  “I found it!” Michael said as he pulled the cart toward his body. He pulled out the cloth and examined it, saying, “Not too bad. A little water on it. Thank goodness I folded it.” He swam over to Elizabeth. “Just keep kicking. I have no idea how far we have to go.”

  They swam and swam, taking a few moments to float and rest. Every time they did, the distance between them and Augustus increased. The sea was calm for the next couple of hours as an early morning fog made the once distinct shoreline hard to see.

  “Are we close?” asked Elizabeth.

  “I can’t see.”

  “Where is the boat?”

  Michael shook his head and spit out some seawater. He wiped his eyes. “Everything is blurry to me. I can’t see Augustus anymore.”

  He laid his body on top of the coffin for a few moments, taking deep breaths.

  “What are you doing?” asked Elizabeth, looking back at him.

  “Give me a moment. I’m resting.”

  “We’re almost there, right?”

  Michael didn’t answer her but closed his eyes, holding on to the coffin with one hand and the box with the other.

  “What’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked.

  He let go of the cart and put his hand up in the air, letting his body fall into the water as if he were diving off a board. When his head failed to submerge, he opened his eyes and smiled. “My feet just hit the ground.”

  Elizabeth d
id the same and said, “Well, enough of this kicking and swimming stuff. I’m walking to shore now.” She pushed the long box away.

  “Whoa, grab that,” Michael said.

  “Why? We do not need these anymore.”

  “We don’t. But somebody out there does.”

  “What?”

  “There’s a body in there.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “No. There’s a body in there. A dead one. We need to push these to shore.”

  “I’ve been swimming with a dead person?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yuck.”

  “That dead person just saved us.”

  Elizabeth frowned and pushed the coffin to shore. They left them at the edge and sat down. “I need a few moments to rest,” he said.

  “Now what?” she asked.

  He turned around and saw some men pulling a small boat ashore. “Hold this,” Michael said, handing her the small box with the cloth in it. “Do not give this to anyone.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “To speak with them,” he said, pointing to two men chatting. He jogged over to Augustus and Julius. “My friend, you made it,” Augustus said with a smile.

  “We did.”

  “We?”

  “Yes. My daughter is with me.”

  “She is alive?” Julius asked.

  “Yes.”

  Julius gave Michael an angry look.

  “What is wrong with him?” Michael asked Augustus.

  “He has lost much. His cargo is floating in the sea. He was hoping for much silver with his cargo. Everything is gone. His relics too.”

  “I am sorry. I need your help.”

  “What is it you need?”

  “A way back to Rome. I have something to give to my friend, Paul.”

  “Your friend was taken. I do not think it is wise to make that trip anymore.”

  “I thought it was supposed to be a friendly trip.”

  Augustus shook his head. “No. The Romans have wanted Paul for many sunsets. He does not have many more sunsets to live.”

  “That cannot be. I thought the first time he was to go there he was to be set free.”

  “You confuse me. Your friend Paul was taken to Rome some sunsets ago and returned here. This is the second trip for him.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I do not forget a face.”

  Michael lowered his head.

  “I am sorry, my friend.”

  “I need to go. I need to help him.”

  “You are a noble man. The next ship does not leave for several sunsets.”

  “I thought you were leaving soon to go back,” Michael said.

  “No. I am done with traveling for now. We were fortunate to have survived this journey. Who knows what happens on the next one? I will not take another for a while.”

  “Why though? You are a man of the sea,” Michael said.

  “I am, but I am a man of my family as well. I need to see my family more. My daughter. My son. My wife.”

  Michael lifted his head and extended his hand. Augustus gripped his shoulder and smiled. “You are a strange man, my friend, but a good man.”

  “As are you, Augustus.”

  “May you travel in safety, Michael,” he said.

  He watched Augustus sling a small bag over his shoulder and leave.

  “Dad,” Elizabeth yelled. He turned around and saw Julius struggling with her. “Oh no.” He raced to her and pushed Julius away. “What is your problem?”

  “I have lost all my silver because of the journey,” he said in anger. “There is a reward for your daughter and her friend.”

  “You will not take her.” He swung at Julius, hitting the side of his head. He fell to the ground. Julius tripped him. Michael tumbled over him, pulling Julius to the ground. He clamped both hands around his neck. “Leave us alone,” Michael yelled. He squeezed harder, pressing his thumbs into his skin until Julius gagged.

  “Dad,” Elizabeth shouted. “Stop. Stop now. Please.”

  Michael released his grip and watched Julius struggle to find a comfortable breath. He held his hands up to his face, seeing them tremble. He got up and looked at Elizabeth. “I hate this place. Let’s go.”

  He grabbed her arm.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “Home.”

  Chapter 62

  Michael and Elizabeth rested in the middle of a marketplace near the edge of Caesarea. Hundreds of people were beginning their shopping. “This reminds me of Jerusalem,” Elizabeth said.

  He didn’t respond at first, still trying to steady his hands.

  “Are you all right?” she asked.

  He ignored the last question. “You’re right. This city was built by the Romans for the richest of rich people. It is considered one of their greatest accomplishments. We will stand out. We cannot rest too long here.”

  He bent down near a wall, behind a fruit stand. He opened the small wooden box and grabbed a pouch. Opening it, he pulled out several pieces of silver.

  “What are you going to do with that?” Elizabeth asked.

  “We are two days away from getting to Jerusalem, according to Augustus. We need a more efficient way of transportation.”

  “But this is not our money.”

  Michael gave her a frustrated look. “What other way do you suggest? We cannot walk through the desert in our condition.”

  She shrugged her shoulders.

  “I thought so.” He handed the box back to her and began counting the silver. “Hey wait just a second.” he said. “What happened to the tablets?”

  “I dropped them in the boat.”

  “Did Paul see you do that?”

  “Yes.”

  Michael sighed and looked up at her.

  “Is he going to be okay?” she asked.

  Michael shook his head.

  “What will they do to him?”

  “They’ll kill him. They hanged Peter. Most of the apostles met a terrible death. If we aren’t careful, we’ll meet the same fate.”

  He stood and peered around the wall. Drawing back, he pulled out a small knife and took the box from her. “Is that Aharon’s?” she asked.

  “No. I took it off the dead body.”

  “Why? Where’s Aharon’s knife?”

  “I needed it back on the ship to defend myself against a guard.”

  He glanced at Elizabeth before placing the box on the ground. He removed the cloth and unfolded it. He cut a portion of it away, leaving only about a foot of fabric surrounding the face.

  “Is that a painting?” she asked.

  “You could say that.”

  He folded up the portion of the cloth he had cut away and put it back inside the box. He then folded the main portion of the cloth, placing it in his pocket for safekeeping. He handed the box to her.

  “Why are you doing that?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Just in case we need to lead people astray,” he said, getting up. “We need to move now.”

  He took another peek around the wall. “Stay right behind me. The marketplace is getting crowded. Let’s not lose each other.”

  Michael and Elizabeth moved along a line of storefronts, stopping for a few moments at each stand, examining the merchandise. They finally came upon a man selling carriages with horses. “Let us hope we have enough silver to buy a decent one,” he said, turning around to face her.

  He took a few more steps before putting his hand up. “Stay here. Wait for my signal. Do not approach until I say it’s okay.”

  “Why?”

  “Blend in, Elizabeth,” he said. “Don’t forget to act like a woman of this century. Behave like one.”

  “Wow,” she said. “I never heard you refer to me as a woman.”

  “Here you are,” he said, handing her a cloth. “Cover your
face with this.”

  She frowned.

  “Do it now. This isn’t Northport in the Twenty-First Century.”

  She wrapped the bottom part of her face, only her eyes showing. “Okay? Won’t this make them more suspicious?”

  “Maybe. But we have to make sure no one recognizes you.” He left her to approach the man. “I have this many,” he said, showing the man.

  “No. Not enough. I need much more than that to give up one of my animals.”

  Michael returned to Elizabeth. “Well, that did not work out so well.”

  “Now what?”

  “Bend over,” he said. “Roll the cloth you have into a ball. Stuff it inside your garment.”

  She did and straightened up.

  “No. That will not convince him at all.” He glanced at a fruit stand. “Wait here.”

  Michael returned moments later with a nice-sized watermelon.

  “Are we eating?”

  “No. But you have to pretend you are eating for two.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Wrap the cloth around this,” he said, handing her the watermelon.

  “Done.”

  “Put it under your shirt and hold it.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “I kid you not. Do it.”

  Elizabeth did as he asked. “This is kind of heavy,” she said.

  “Stay hunched over,” Michael said, as he walked away. “Do not move from there. I want him to see you.”

  “Whatever.”

  Michael left and approached the man again. He walked around, inspecting several carriages and horses. He opened his hand again, showing him the silver. “No. That is not enough. I told you,” the man said.

  Michael pointed to Elizabeth. “My brother’s wife. My brother is away on a trip to Rome. I am here to take care of her. She is expecting before the next sunset.”

  The man turned around and looked at her.

  “Look. She is sick. Please. I would be grateful. We need to get to Jerusalem.”

  The man continued to stare at Elizabeth. She bent over and grabbed her stomach, letting out a few groans that Michael was able to hear.