CHAPTER TWO
As they walked, Diego Columbus mused on the empty vault. The priest had taken some convincing in their new surroundings but with that accomplished, his thoughts flowed unimpeded.
He had been contacted by the priest that morning to come to the chapel as soon as he could. When he arrived, the priest met him in the courtyard and let him know the Ark was gone.
The police were called and flooded the grounds. They regarded Diego with cold antagonism, certain his remarks on the Ark of the Covenant prompted the disappearance. They questioned him for about an hour before collecting his passport so he couldn’t leave the county and moved on with their investigation.
The most inexplicable matter was the account of the missing object. They were not able to ascertain what would make the Ark unique among the other street relics of Ethiopia. Only the priest and Diego had actually seen the Ark and their description had limitations. Pictures of the Ark were forbidden and the investigators were not comfortable relying solely on the Biblical narrative.
Diego was watching the police search the treasury when the priest pierced the room. The priest caught Diego’s eye and motioned for Diego to join him but shook his head to indicate not here. The priest retreated back down the corridor and Diego shrugged and followed the priest.
At the end of the unadorned corridor, the priest entered a small doorway. Diego had to duck as he passed through. Diego recognized this was the priest’s personal living space.
The priest motioned for Diego to sit at the round table in the kitchen as the priest prepared tea for them. I could use a beer, Diego said to himself.
“I am sorry to draw you away from the treasury so cryptically,” the priest said, handing Diego his tea and joining him at the table. “I could not speak openly to you there.”
“Not at all,” Diego replied.
The priest nodded and smiled weakly. “Last night I had a dream.”
This took Diego by surprise. He was not sure what the priest wanted to discuss but did not expect a dream. Of the many mysteries he had seen over the past five hundred years, a dream was often a precursor.
The fact that Diego leaned in assiduously surprised the priest. He expected Diego to be skeptical of his lead statement.
“In the dream, angels came from above and took the Ark.” He looked questioningly at Diego. “Why would I dream that? And why would I dream that the Ark had been taken and this morning the Ark was gone?”
Diego thought for a moment. “Did you mention the dream to the police?”
“Of course. They thought me an old man who had spent too many years alone with my prayers.” The priest was silent for a moment before looking up at Diego. “What do you think? Am I a crazy old man?”
Diego smiled. “You are indeed old. But not crazy.”
The priest exhaled. He was trying to mask his emotions but felt very anxious; he relaxed slightly at Diego’s words.
Even though the priest had not described the angels, Diego knew one of the angels in the dream would be Shamsiel. He knew the story of Shamsiel well:
When the first man and woman were betrayed by the serpent and removed from the garden, Shamsiel was assigned to protect the garden. The serpent was also expelled but allowed to remain in the Land of Eden. Shamsiel was verbal in his disagreement of that decision and more, thought the serpent should be put to death. Word of the disagreement reached the serpent.
The serpent advanced upon Shamsiel early one morning at the locked gates of the garden. “You are Shamsiel?” the serpent asked.
“You know I am,” Shamsiel replied.
“You are the Guardian of the Garden?”
“Again, you know I am.” Shamsiel grew frustrated at the serpent’s inane questioning.
The serpent looked up at Shamsiel with black eyes. “And as the Guardian of the Garden, you are the voice of God in matters of the garden?” The serpent did not expect an answer but paused. “So why does a voice of God’s own mouth disagree with itself?”
Shamsiel drew his sword and the sword burst into flames. He growled at the serpent. Shamsiel had never killed another creature, earthly or heavenly (it was forbidden) but now felt an anger rising. Shamsiel was bitter at the decision to spare the life of the serpent and in that moment, the bitterness turned to anger. If pushed, he decided, I will kill the serpent and abide whatever punishment. “What’s your point?”
“You are a voice of God – God who commands that I be spared – yet with your own mouth have spoken that I should be put to death.”
Shamsiel remained silent, offering only an unremitting stare.
The serpent continued, “I should be put to death for my betrayal. Do you not agree?”
Shamsiel nodded.
“How do you serve a God that allows evil to live?” the serpent asked. “I nearly brought down mankind and yet here I am to plot further on other methods of destruction.”
Shamsiel thought on the serpent’s words. He knew what the serpent spoke was true. He felt the world should have justice yet justice was not served as long as the serpent lived.
The serpent watched Shamsiel’s face and guessed his thoughts. Satisfied, the serpent pressed more. “I am not remorseful that mankind no longer lives in the garden. I am, however, remorseful that I was removed from the garden. You should see the wonders contained within.” The serpent knew this would antagonize Shamsiel as none of the angels (including Shamsiel) had been allowed to enter the garden. “Tell me,” asked the serpent, “why do you
