“Wait, you mean Paul was handicapped, and nobody healed him?” George demanded. “People were healing people all over the place. Paul healed people himself. They were passing around handkerchiefs, and casting shadows on people. How come Paul never got healed?”
“That’s the biggest reason I can think of not to believe the Bible,” grunted Dave. “The guy who kept telling everybody else to believe in God didn’t have enough faith to get healed himself? Phooey.”
“Dave, if you had read your assignment, you would already know what the Bible says about that,” Keith said. “Everybody get over to 2 Corinthians 12. Hurry it up. Okay, now, Dave, read verses 7-10. Stand up, man. This is the Word of God.”
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
“Oh, my God,” somebody somewhere in the back of the room breathed.
“He didn’t get healed, but he got more power from God in exchange?” Rikki asked.
“And he took pleasure in that – whatever it was? That bad thing God made him keep?”
“What’s that mean, when I am weak, then I am strong?” Lynette asked. “What about all those sayings people have, telling you to stay strong, to be empowered, not to be weak? Why does the Bible say the opposite of what everybody else tells us? My mom tells me all the time, Don’t be weak. She quotes stuff like what we're reading from those other religions. She says stuff about visualizing success and positive energy. I don’t understand. I want to believe the Bible, but it contradicts everything else I hear.”
“Oh, baby, everything has to come from God,” Talia said. “Everything has to be about God. You can’t think success in your head. You don’t have any positive energy. God’s the power source.”
“And success is what He said to Joshua, back in the Old Testament,” Keith put in. “Everybody turn to Joshua 1:7-9. Everybody stand up and listen.
“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
“Success is from God. From knowing His Word. Study it all the time. Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop. The world belongs to the Prince of the Power of the Air. It’s not going to help you. It’s going to keep you down.”
Chapter Eleven – Just a Cold
The bell rang. Talia waved at the students to dismiss them. When the room was empty they collapsed, Talia at the desk, Keith in a student chair.
“This is killing me.” Keith dropped his head on the desk. “It doesn’t take me as much time to prep for Honors Physics as it does for this class. You never know what these kids are going to go after next. It’s like trying to keep Piggy from eating the couch. Every day we’d spray that Doggie Behave stuff on a different spot. Not that it mattered. He still chewed it all up, and it made the couch stink.”
“You had a dog named Piggy?” Talia giggled. “But some of them are learning, growing, and changing. You know it's true. I need to go pray and read the Bible with Joana again. Every time I go over there to see her I feel like I've been with the Apostle Paul. Strength flows out of her.”
“Yeah, she loved that One Night With the King movie you got her. She watched it five times straight. I never thought about how bad a situation Esther was in. She might never have gotten over the fear that her husband could kill her if she said something anybody thought was out of line.
“You know you’re welcome to come over anytime. It doesn’t have to be just caregiver subbing. I can’t believe that happened twice!”
“I didn’t mind. Really. How’s your dad doing?” Talia asked.
“He’s upset, but he tries not to show it. These parents keep showing up in his office, at the PTA meetings, at the board meetings. They never let up. They’re like that horseleech’s daughter. Give, give, they cry. Dad says he feels like Nehemiah, except they’re the ones demanding that we build the wall, and still they’re howling, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.”
Talia touched his hand. “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.”
“Yeah, I know. Hey, you ought to come and meet my grandma sometime. She prays for the school every day. She doesn’t get out much anymore, but she lives in those apartments right across the street from the school.”
“I would love to meet your grandmother, but I better get over this cold first.” Talia grabbed a tissue. “Same goes for praying with Joana. And you better use some hand sanitizer now. I’m sorry. I’m spreading germs.”
“Nobody ever used to care that much about germs,” Keith grumbled. “And I'm not using Mrs. Gregory’s stupid hand sanitizer. I told her to stay out of the boys’ bathroom when I caught her putting one in there. She says she has to make sure her son’s not being bullied, but she’s the bully. That boy can’t squeak without looking over his shoulder to see if she’s stalking him to ‘protect’ him. We have to play flag football in PE now because she’s afraid somebody’ll get hurt.”
“Don’t they realize how they tear everyone’s lives apart? They talk about stress, but they’re the ones creating the stress. Thank the Lord some of the kids are listening in class and learning the Word. The repository project keeps sending me emails saying what a great job we’re doing with the record-keeping.”
“Yeah, three more people have accepted the Lord. Mr. Lemon promised that he and his daughter Annie would be back in church Sunday with the whole family. He left his family after his son was killed in Afghanistan. He was out there protesting against the military and his wife had to get food stamps to feed the kids. But he came back when Annie started calling him to tell him about our class. All that bitterness between him and his wife and the anger about their loss vanished.”
“Praise God. Praise God.” Talia breathed. “I want you to meet the Doctors Ramin, my Uncle Naddy and Aunt Sophie, too. But I don’t know when they’ll even get to the states. I miss them so much.”
“Wow, that’s too bad. You can call them, though, right?”
“They’re in a place where there’s hardly ever any phone service.”
“Oh, yeah, you said they were archaeologists, right? Where’s their dig? Hope it’s not someplace that gets cold already this time of year.”
“Uncle Naddy wouldn’t care. ‘Put on more layers, tchatchki,’ he always told me. ‘That’s what sweaters are for’.” She imitated his rough voice, which was pretty easy with the congestion scratching up her throat and lowering her into the treble range anyway.
“Tchatchki? What’s a tchatchki?”
“It’s kind of a nick-knack, a little statue or figurine,” Talia shrugged. “To be honest, I’m not sure. He says it’s a precious ornament.” She turned pink.
“He’s got that right, if he means you when he says it,” Keith grinned. “Well, you better get home and chug down the NyQuil. We gotta get through the rest of the week, and I ain’t doin’ this class without you.”
“Partn
ers to the end,” Talia smirked, giving him a fist-bump.
Talia tossed her duffel bag into the back seat of the Tesla and connected her tablet to the hands-free slot before taking off. Almost as soon as she was clear of the parking lot, the brass bells jingled.
“Hi, Uncle Naddy,” Talia sniffled.
“It’s Aunt Sophie, Talia my sweet.”
“Oh, hi, Zanamu. I thought you didn’t want to be bothered to learn how to use the satellite phone.”
“Well, I had no choice, dearest. Your uncle’s been hurt, and we’re on our way to the hospital. I may lose signal any second, but we need you to come.”
“Uncle Naddy’s hurt? Is it serious? I have school. And I – I have this horrible cold.”
“Precious treasure, we have to talk about what happened to your uncle, and I can’t do it over the phone. He needs you. I need you.”
It was not the first time her aunt or uncle had called her with a demand to come to them. It had happened at boarding school and college. Since she was fifteen Talia had wondered why they depended so much on her when something went wrong. “Aunt Sophie, are you sure I really have to come?”
“Talia, please. You must come. We are both terrified. I am uploading coordinates to your tablet. I hope you made the security upgrades for this week.”
“Of course I did, but where are you?” She risked a glance at her tablet display as the mapping program registered the upload her aunt had made and co-ordinates of a Greek island came up. “What are you doing on Naxos?”
“Shhh! You can’t tell anyone why you’re leaving, or where you’re coming to. Your uncle’s life depends on it, Precious one. Please hurry.”
Talia chewed her lip. “I’ll have to call the principal and at least tell him I have a family emergency.”
“Yes. Yes, I suppose you must. I have made travel arrangements. They will come to your email.”
“You can’t tell me anything more – ?” Talia’s phone gave a bloop and she saw the message satellite signal lost flash on the screen before it went dark.
Talia pulled over to the side of the road and sat with her head on the steering wheel, praying with all her might for her aunt and uncle, and for clarity in this craziness. After all, they weren’t involved in some international spy mission. They were digging holes in the ground! This couldn’t have anything to do with the testaments, could it?
Talia heard a roaring sound. To her horror, she saw out a black van bearing down on her car, careening across the double yellow line on a head-on collision course. Talia threw herself down across the seats and shielded her head.
“Ms. Ramin? Are you okay? Why are you just sitting on the side of the road?”
Talia lifted her head. Where had the black van gone? Did it hit me, and I’m dying, and I didn’t even felt the impact?
“Oh … Clark … I mean, Officer Johnson. I got a call from my aunt. Something’s wrong – my uncle was hurt – They're my only family, and they need me. I have to hurry and get to the airport.”
“I saw a crazy driver in a black van, and I was going to catch him this time, but then I saw you here, and I knew I had to stop and help,” Clark exclaimed. “I know how upsetting family emergencies can be. Sit right there. I’m calling dispatch, and then I’ll escort you.”
“Oh, no …”
“No arguments. And I will personally communicate with Principal Bradley about your situation.”
Clark Johnson, incredibly, preceded her to the city airport half an hour away, with siren and flashing lights. She parked the Tesla in long-term parking. Reluctantly she locked her duffel bag in the trunk after pulling out her small carry-on bag. She came up to the terminal to find Clark waiting inside the doors. He whipped out from behind his back a tiny teddy bear holding a bunch of fake balloons on sticks.
“Annie Lemon’s my niece,” Clark confessed. “I’ll always be grateful for the change in my sister’s family. It’s hard, being an officer of the law. People misunderstand, but I’m not such a hard-hearted guy, you know. Hope you have a safe trip, Ms. Ramin.”
Talia couldn’t speak a word, even when the poor man thrust the bear at her and bowed his way out. She checked her phone, found the flight information, and headed for an e-ticket kiosk.
“Allow me to introduce myself,” said a tall, slender, elderly woman. “I’m Doctor Ewing. Sam, from the construction crew at Bradley Central, is my nephew.”
“Oh … Sam?” Talia repeated, trying to remember who that was.
“His parents say he inherited his bluntness from me. So let me get right to the point. I represent people sworn to protect what your aunt and uncle blindly seek to expose. Since they depend on your counsel in times of trouble, I hope you will tell them to reconsider their rash course before something worse happens.”
“I need you to step back,” Talia said, looking around for security, or even Clark, but the two of them were alone. Talia prayed the woman would not force her to defend herself. “Whoever you are, you have no right to threaten me or my family.”
Talia suddenly remembered Sam’s words of complaint about the troublesome families at school. We oughta make trouble for them – move ’em out. The woman did step backward but continued speaking.
“People have died to protect the secret of the testaments. You people cannot just take them for yourselves or tell anyone you choose about them.”
“We want to help protect them, too,” Talia insisted. “But the world needs to know that God protects and preserves His Word. The testaments are confirmation of the Scriptures that says the word of the Lord endures forever.”
“The Word is available to be studied by anyone, anywhere. We don't need physical things to keep trusting Him. The last thing we want is to see the testaments become some tourist attraction, or an idol people worship.” Dr. Ewing scowled.
“We don't want it to be either of those things,” Talia protested. “What makes you think you know anything about me or my aunt and uncle anyway?”
Dr. Ewing’s face changed expression several times. She fiddled with a ring and finally showed Talia a raised impression. Talia gasped at the image that somewhat resembled the classic representation of the Ten Commandments – a pair of tablets etched in gold onto the surface of the ring.
“We didn’t think there were any guardians of the testaments still alive,” she whispered.
“There aren’t many,” the doctor admitted. “We decided to contact you because of your uncle’s injury. This is only the beginning of more danger than you can imagine.” She started moving closer again.
“Stop where you are. You had better not be saying you are responsible for my uncle being injured.” Talia braced herself, her anger rising.
Dr. Ewing retreated another step. “I am saying he has exposed the testaments and himself to the notice of dangerous people. He has endangered others, too. Some things need to stay secret to stay safe, and to keep innocent people safe. You say we know nothing about you, but the truth is that we have been forced to learn about you and the Doctors Ramin. Tell your uncle that he needs to stop threatening the safety of others and endangering a precious resource by exposing secrets he knows so little about.”
The woman turned and walked away. Talia forced herself to keep walking to her gate, but her legs shook.
Chapter Twelve – The Great Thirst
The TSA officer did not like the looks of her boots when she got to the gate area. Talia dutifully sat on the floor and pulled them off, hopping barefooted through the scanner, and then collected her things and went to the boarding area.
The succession of flights and airports blurred after a few more hours. Talia finally got off the boat on the Greek island of Naxos and looked around the tiny dock for any familiar face. She didn’t know who to expect. She only knew a couple of the assistants they worked with at digs. Finally she saw a skinny Greek man holding up a sign that said, “Nata Tchatchki.”
“Hi,” she said, shouldering her bag and approaching the man. “I’m Nata.”
“I speak Greek,” she said in that language.
“Oh, good,” the man replied in the same tongue. He led her to a tiny Fiat and she tossed her bag in the back. They drove straight to a rambling building on a hillside overlooking the ocean. Well, truthfully, pretty much everything on Naxos overlooked the Aegean Sea in some direction.
The man let her out in front of the hospital. “Thanks,” Talia called out as he drove away. She was quickly directed to a tiny but clean room. Aunt Sophie clung to her with spidery arms, her gray hair wisping out of her bun and her thin face even more hollow than usual.
“Did you have a safe flight, dearest?”
“Yes, I’m fine. How is he?” Talia walked with her aunt to the bedside. Uncle Naddy lay motionless, his huge face pale beneath his thickly curling beard and mustache.
“He was stabbed. He lost a lot of blood, but the doctors say he’ll recover with rest. I’ve asked them to discharge him. They are reluctant, so I had to hire a private ambulance to transport him We have to get back to the base. Our artifacts were stolen, and all we have is the encrypted images. Those are vital clues, and we have to get them deciphered.”
“Stabbed? You only said he was hurt! What happened? Zanamu, who are these people? What do they want from you?”
“They want the testaments, of course, dearest. The enemy is always trying to rob us of the Word.”
Talia’s mind churned and she remembered her encounter with Dr. Ewing. Was this attack from people who would do anything to destroy the testaments, or from people who would do anything to keep them from being found? This didn't seem like the time to worry her aunt more so she didn't tell her about what had happened.
“But they can’t, Zanamu. I mean, how can they? There are millions of copies of the Scriptures, all languages, all over the world. They are online, in paper books, and on people’s electronic devices everywhere. And we have it in our hearts.”
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