page7 (1/2)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

And the angel said, "What prophet has this written? For in this book is foretold all the events which shall come to pass in the next week in the land of Days of Our Lives and All My Children"

And I said to the angel, "You fabulously feebleminded bundle of feathers, there's no prophet involved They knohat is going to happen because they write it all down in advance for the actors to perform"

"So it is written, so it shall be done," said the angel

I crossed the rooaze never wavered froel had to look me in the face

"Raziel, do you remember the time before mankind, the time when there were only the heavenly host and the Lord?"

"Yes, those were the best of times Except for the war, of course But other than that, yes, wonderful times"

"And you angels were as strong and beautiful as divine ilory to the ends of the universe, and yet the Lord saw fit to create us, ht?"

"That's when it all started to go downhill, if you ask me," Raziel said

"Well, do you knohy the Lord decided to create us?"

"No Ours is not to question the Will"

"Because you are all dumbfucks, that's why You're as els are just pretty insects Days of Our Lives is a show, Raziel, a play It's not real, get it?"

"No"

And he didn't I've learned that there's a tradition in this ti funny stories about the stupidity of people with yellow hair Guess where that started

I think that we all expected everything to go back to normal after the killer was found, but it seemed that the Romans were much more concerned with the exterle resurrection To be fair, I have to say that resurrections weren't that uncoet our dead into the ground, and with speed, there's bound to be errors Occasionally so a fever and wake to find hirave But funerals were a nice way to get the faether, and there was always a fine meal afterward, so no one really complained, except perhaps those people who didn't wake before they were buried, and if they coht sleeper, in ht have been with the walking dead, the next day the Roie's family were hauled off to Sepphoris at dawn

Noabout the release of the prisoners, but neither were there any crucifixions announced in the days that followed After teeks had passed with no word of the fate or condition of the ie, her ue on the Sabbath and appealed to the Pharisees for help

The next day, the Pharisees froarrison to appeal to Justus for the release of the prisoners I don't knohat they said, or what sort of leverage they could possibly have used today, just after dawn, the e, beaten, starving, and covered with filth, but very much alive

There was no feast, no celebration for the return of the prisoners - alked softly for a few ie seemed distant in the weeks that followed, and Josh and I never saw the smile that could make the breath catch in our throats She see out of the square wheneverher there, or on the Sabbath, staying so close to the women of her family that we couldn't talk to her Finally, after a ard for custom or coed round outside the door, grinding so around in the house and hear the sound of her father and older brother Siie seerain, so she didn't see us approach Joshua put his hand on her shoulder, and without looking up, she smiled

"You are supposed to be building a house in Sepphoris," she said

"We thought it more important to visit a sick friend"

"And ould that be?"

"Who do you think?"

"I'm not sick In fact, I've been healed by the touch of the Messiah"

"I think not," said Joshua

She finally looked up at him and her smile evaporated "I can't be friends with you two anyed"

"What, because your uncle was a Sicarii?" I said "Don't be silly"

"No, because et Iban to convince the other Pharisees to go to Sepphoris and plead for the men's lives"

"What kind of bargain?" Joshua asked

"I aain and a tear dripped into the powdered grain

We were both stunned Josh took his hand from her shoulder and stepped back, then looked atI could do I felt as if I would start crying at any second ed to choke out, "Who to?"

"To Jakan," Maggie said with a sob

"Iban's son? The creep? The bully?"

Maggie nodded Joshua covered his mouth and ran a few steps away, then threw up I was teie

"How long before you're married?"

"I'm to be married a month after the Passover feast Mother made him wait six months"

"Six ie Why, Jakan could be killed in a thousand heinous ways in six ht now Why, so a rebel I'ht It could happen"

"I'm sorry, Biff"

"Don't be sorry for me, ould you be sorry for me?"

"I kno you feel, so I'm sorry"

I was thrown for a second I glanced at Joshua to see if he could givehis breakfast in the dirt

"But it's Joshua who you love?" I finally said

"Does that make you feel any better?"

"Well, no"

"Then I'm sorry" She made as if to reach out to touch my cheek, but her mother called her before she made contact

"Right now, Mary, in this house!"

Maggie nodded toward the barfing Messiah "Take care of him"

"He'll be fine"

"And take care of yourself"

"I'll be fine too, Maggie Don't forget I have an eency backup wife Besides, it's six months A lot can happen in sixto sound more hopeful than I felt

"Take Joshua home," she said Then she quickly kissed me on the cheek and ran into the house

Joshua was co for har, Joshua seemed oing as far as to seek hiie, an act that left ry and betrayed I confronted Joshua in the olive grove, where he had gone to pray a the twisted tree trunks

"You coward," I said, "you could strike him down if you wanted to"

"As could you," he replied

"Yeah, but you can call the wrath of God down upon him I'd have to sneak up behind him and brain him with a rock There's a difference"

"And you would have me kill Jakan for what, your bad luck?"

"Works for me"

"Is it so hard for you to give up what you never had?"

"I had hope, Josh You understand hope, don't you?" Soht I didn't realize howinside, or how

"I think I understand hope, I'm just not sure that I am allowed to have any"

"Oh, don't start with that 'Everyone gets soot plenty"

Josh wheeled on me, his eyes like fire, "Like what? What do I have?"

"Uh" I wanted to say so about a really sexyhe wanted to hear "Uh, you have God"

"So do you So does everyone"

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Not the Romans"

"There are Roman Jews"

"Well, you've got, uh - that healing-raising-the-dead thing"

"Oh yeah, and that's working really well"

"Well, you're the Messiah, what's that? That's so If you told people you were the Messiah they'd have to do what you say"

"I can't tell them"

"Why not?"

"I don't kno to be the Messiah"

"Well, at least do soie"

"He can't," calow emanated from either side of the trunk

"Who's there?" Joshua called

The angel Raziel stepped out from behind the tree

"Angel of the Lord," I said under my breath to Josh

"I know," he said, in a "you seen one, you seen 'em all" way

"He can't do anything," the angel repeated

"Why not?" I asked

"Because he may not know any woman"

"Iat all happy

"He may not in that he should not, or that he cannot?" I asked

The angel scratched his golden head, "I didn't think to ask"

"It's kind of important," I said

"Well, he can't do anything about Mary Magdalene, I know that They told me to coo"

"Go where?"

"I didn't think to ask"

I suppose I should have been frightened, but I seehtened to exasperated I stepped up to the angel and poked hiel that ca of the Savior?"

"It was the Lord's will that I bring that joyful news"

"I just wondered, in case all of you angels look alike or so So, after you showed up ten years late, they sent you with another e?"

"I ao"

"But you don't knohere?"

"No"

"And this golden stuff around you, this light, what is this?"

"The glory of the Lord"

"You're sure it's not stupidity leaking out of you?"

"Biff, be nice, he is the er of the Lord"

"Well, hell, Josh, he's no help at all If we're going to get angels fro Bloalls or soet the whole e"

"I'el said "Would you like me to destroy a city?"

"Go find out where Josh is supposed to go How 'bout that?"

"I can do that"

"Then do that"

"I'll be right back"

"We'll wait"

"Godspeed," Joshua said

In an instant the angel one frorove with a warm breeze

"You were sort of hard on him," Joshua said

"Josh, being nice isn't always going to get the job done"

"One can try"

"Was Moses nice to Pharaoh?"

Before Joshua could answer ain and the angel stepped out from behind a tree

"To find your destiny," he said

"What?" I said

"What?" Joshua said

"You are supposed to go find your destiny"

"That's it?" Joshua said

"Yes"

"What about the 'knowing a wo?" I asked

"I have to go now"

"Grab him, Josh You hold him and I'll hit him"

But the angel was gone with the breeze

"My destiny?" Joshua looked at his open, empty palms

"We should have pounded the answer out of him," I said

"I don't think that would have worked"

"Oh, back to the nice strategy Did Moses - "

"Moses should have said, 'Let o, please'"

"That would have made the difference?"

"It could have worked You don't know"

"So what do you do about your destiny?"

"I'o to the Temple for the Passover"