That was easy, Tom thought, and then he went a step further. “Actually, Judas wanted to know if you could put him in charge of the money? Matthew is great with money and has experience as a tax collector, but Judas… he’s just not growing and I think he’s up to the challenge of handling our financing.” Tom smiled, attempting to hide his sarcasm over his, “Judas not growing” statement. He felt ridiculous saying it, but it seemed Jesus was taking his request seriously.
Jesus mulled over the proposal. He called Matthew over and said, “Matthew, could I have the money purse?”
Matthew handed a leather sack full of coins to Jesus.
“Judas will be handling the money from now on,” Jesus said, “It will be good experience for him.”
“Are you sure?” Matthew said.
Jesus nodded.
Matthew smiled and rejoined the other disciples who were mingling with a crowd of people who had rounded the outskirts of the sea in the same time the fourteen had sailed across it. Jesus turned to Tom and said, “If you have not become more compassionate, what are you getting for your good deeds today?”
Tom looked over at Judas, still sitting on the sand with his head down and said, “A friend.”
“Indeed…” said Jesus, as he handed the coin purse to Tom. “Go, tell Judas the good news.”
Tom smiled and said, “Thank you.”
Jesus watched Tom walk away, then balanced himself, threw his leg over the side of the boat and pressed his foot into the wet sand.
Greagor’s muscles twitched as Samuel’s head jerked back so fast that it seemed his neck would snap from the force. Samuel’s eyes ballooned, as if they would burst and he immediately stopped shaking. Slowly, mechanically, Samuel cranked his head toward the East, toward Gergesa.
Greagor gripped his sword and slowly drew it, as Samuel stood to his feet. What in the name of Neptune was this man up to now? Perhaps a lion was prowling the valley? Greagor wished it to be true. Let the savages kill each other.
Samuel’s body became rigid, silent, listening. Greagor looked to the East and saw nothing. Believing confrontation was inevitable, Greagor snapped his fingers once, gaining the full attention of his men. He motioned toward Samuel with his head. All four men slowly drew their weapons.
Samuel took a step forward but was instantly stopped as the chains shackled to his arms and legs grew taut. Samuel looked down at the chains with disgust and growled. He slowly moved his right arm back, letting the chain go slack, and then surged it forward. Clink! The chain snapped like macaroni.
Stepping forward, Greagor moved slowly, shield at the ready with his men close behind him. “Sit back down!” Greagor commanded.
Samuel twisted his body toward Greagor and gritted his teeth together, hissing, “WE WILL NOT!”
Clink! Samuel shattered the shackle attached to his left arm. Only his feet were still bound. Greagor knew that once Samuel’s feet were undone, he and his men would lose their advantage. “Attack!” Greagor screamed, as he raised his sword toward the blue sky. The four soldiers charged, ready to spill blood.
Samuel turned toward his attackers and smiled.
Tom and Judas strolled through the crowded streets of Gergesa. Judas was all smiles, clothed in a new robe and proudly clutching the money purse. They had been perusing the many shops for almost two hours and Tom knew it was time to head back. After the ten-minute argument Tom had with David about going into the city alone with Judas, Tom knew that David would send out a search party if they weren’t back on time. And Tom also knew that he and David were the only two people in the world wearing watches right now, so David would know exactly what time it was and how late they were.
“We should head back to the beach now. The others are probably wondering where we are,” Tom said.
“Just a few moments more. These dates look delicious,” Judas replied, as he eyed a basket of dates being sold by a thick shop-keep.
Tom looked at his watch casually, pretending to scratch his wrist. They still had ten minutes. Tom decided to use the time to get to know Judas a little better. “What happened to you in the water today?”
“What do you mean?” Judas asked, looking down at the ground.
“After you fell in. The water was only knee deep, you could have stood up.”
“I…I don’t know. It happens sometimes. I-I get afraid. I panic. I don’t know why. Water, spiders, snakes, even goats…there are so many things. Sometimes it even happens before I know the danger exists.”
“Extra Sensory Perception,” Tom said without thinking.
“What?” Judas asked
“Nothing…nothing. Hey, try not to worry too much. You’re with friends now, thirteen friends. One of us will always be there to pull you out of the water,” Tom said in earnest.
Judas smiled. “Thank you.”
“Now let’s get going. David’s going to be irate if we’re late.”
“David doesn’t like me much, does h-” Judas froze mid-sentence and his eyes darted around like a scared animal.
“What is it?” Tom asked.
“It’s happening,” Judas said, arms shivering.
Tom saw Judas’s hand shaking, his eyes wary and his teeth biting his lip. Judas was panicking. This was what he was talking about, but where was the danger?
“Aiiiieeeee!” A woman screamed in the distance.
Suspicious of the encroaching racket, Tom and Judas looked down the long street filled with people. A wave of screaming grew from the crowd and headed toward them. People ran in every direction and the crowd parted like the sea for Moses. Tom squinted as a figure ran toward them. All these people were running from one man?
Tom turned to speak to Judas, but Judas was gone, ten feet away hiding with other frightened shoppers. Tom surveyed his surroundings. He was alone in the street. What did these people know? As the man approached, Tom could see that he was hobbling strangely and carried a sword. He decided it was best to follow the crowd’s lead and joined Judas on the side of the road.
“What’s going on?” Tom asked a woman hiding with them.
“It’s Samuel! The possessed man!” the woman whispered.
“Possessed? You mean by a demon?”
“Quiet!” the woman whispered, “His guards are surely dead. If it hears you, you will be next!” With that, the woman ducked down an alley and ran away.
Tom didn’t believe in demons as much as he didn’t believe in Jesus, Heaven or Hell. This was all superstitious nonsense. Tom was tempted to confront the man and prove to these ignorant people that the man was not possessed, but he erred on the side of safety. The man was armed, after all.
A hush fell over the frightened crowd as Samuel drew near; Tom could hear the man ranting. Against the tugging urges of Judas to stay down, Tom stepped out from hiding to get a look at Samuel, and then quickly took a large step back as Samuel passed, nearly tripping over himself and the others behind him.
Samuel was covered in blood from head to toe, frothing at the mouth like a rabid dog. He had open gashes up and down his arms. Shackles and chains still hung from his arms and legs and clanked along the road. Tom focused on the sword and saw that it was Roman. That woman mentioned guards…could this man have really killed Roman guards with his bare hands, while shackled to a wall? From the amount of blood covering Samuel’s body, Tom was convinced it was true.
As Samuel passed by, muttering loudly, Tom became aware of what he was saying. “Jesus… Jesus…We will kill him. Yes, yes. Yes we will,” Samuel said, oozing hatred.
Tom stood up straight and watched Samuel head down the street…toward the beach…saying… Tom turned to Judas. “Jesus!” Tom shouted.
