by Summer Lee
Sam clasped the rod and raced toward the center of the cavern. Anak hit Achava with a double-fisted punch, sending her into one of the pillars. She momentarily slumped down to the floor.
Aviela swung down again on the long rope. Her legs were stiff and toes pointed forward as she struck Anak under the chin, flipping his head backward, and breaking his neck.
Being only semi-conscious, Salinger prayed for strength. His head was spinning, his eyes started to glow white.
“How are you?” asked Aviela.
“Something is wrong.”
“Explain how you feel.”
“I may be nothing, but the power of God is everything!” muttered Salinger.
Aviela raised the staff in the air. Pointing it to her daughter, she said, “We need your help. He may be delirious.”
With his face bloodied and bruised, Salinger thanked Aviela. When he did, the air started to swirl around the staff with silver hues. “I feel faint.”
Sam rushed to him and put a nitroglycerin tablet under his tongue. “Try to relax.”
Aviela narrowed her gaze on the pillar. Her fists glowed silver as she punched the pillar with all of her might. The spot she hit shattered like glass. The remaining part of the pillar crashed to the floor in pieces. Anak glared at her as she made her way to the next pillar. When she hit it, a huge portion of it broke away to reveal a metal ladder that led all the way up the inside of the pillar. She immediately went to the next pillar as Anak helplessly watched.
Sam was now holding up Salinger’s head.
His mentor weakly smiled. “Sam, I know you have some gold coins in your pocket,” whispered Salinger. “It is the greed that you show while we are on a holy mission that makes you confused and angry. Release it to the Lord. I have accomplished what few others have done. I shall die as I have always wanted to, in pursuit of the truth of biblical history. When I am gone, please protect the Staff of Moses. And when you tell stories of this adventure, do me two favors. Do not reveal the location of this treasure. Just say my name with the pride that a son would speak about his father.”
Sam felt a release in his soul as he emptied his pockets of the gold. “I will always say your name with pride, Professor. You are a hero and have set an amazing example for me. Your name will always be remembered. You have accomplished so much by doing what you loved. You gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, asking for nothing in return. I will always hold you in my heart. Thank you, Dr. Salinger, for all the inner strength you’ve given me.”
Salinger smiled one last time as the muscles in his body began to contract. His muscles jerked and his body leaped forward.
“What is it?” asked Sam.
Salinger gasped loud and hard.
“I don’t understand,” said Sam, attempting to put another nitroglycerin under the professor’s tongue. The answer was a soft yell, and then his body went stiff.
His eyes were frozen open in death.
***
SAM GENTLY closed the eyes of the professor. Holding him in his arms, he rocked back and forth. His tears splashed over Dr. Salinger’s face.
Sam wished he had time to bury his mentor with a proper funeral, but from the looks of things, this entire area would be coming down around him at any moment. First, he picked up the professor and carried him to the spot where Ben-Tzion had died. Leaning over, he kissed his forehead. Then he placed the professor’s jacket to cover his face. Removing the backpack from the deceased, he slipped it on his own back.
“Hurry, Sam,” shouted Achava. “You will have to leave him. He’s already gone to the great beyond. If you don’t come now, you’ll be buried alive.”
There were three pillars left standing, and those walls were starting to fall apart. Achava called out to Sam again. “You must save yourself.”
She flashed her attention toward the pillar with the ladder. “Go.”
He nodded that he understood and mouthed his thanks as he headed for the pillar.
Anak did not have much life left in him, but one last time, he attempted to attack the smaller Achava. However, she dodged him and rolled out of the way. She then narrowed her gaze on Anak. “It’s over.”
Her priority was to get her friends to the pillars, not fight the demon-possessed beast. Of course, the sight that Sam that had seen would be etched into his memory until the day he died.
He followed Achava as she ascended the ladder. He clung to the Moses Staff. Once the three were safely out of the cave, Aviela pushed down the last two pillars.
Anak screamed as the walls and ceiling from the upper level collapsed into large pieces of rock and debris on top of him. His scream echoed through the cave, and his cry was joined by a few Canaanites who were still alive. When the sound died down, Aviela said, “It is finally over. I can now go to my eternal reward in peace.”
“I don’t think so, Mother,” said Achava. “You will find a new cause to support and get busy again.”
“Why do you say that?”
“That is how you are.”
“You are probably right.”
“I am right.” Achava looked each of them in the eye, one at a time.
“What is it?” asked Aviela.
“Would you all be willing to join me in prayer?”
The three knelt as Achava thanked God for helping them each accomplish their dream.
“I didn’t accomplish my dream yet,” said Sam, putting his arm around her. She leaned into him as he kissed her softly on the lips.
Epilogue
THE YEAR IS 2050.
The Zion School of Biblical Studies is thriving. Dr. Samuel Godfrey, a doctor of archaeology and biblical history, is now in his late 70s and has been the dean of the school for several years. He recently celebrated his fortieth anniversary as a professor.
There is a statue of Dr. Albert Salinger in the entry hall of the school. The glass case beside it contains his notebooks and his backpack to commemorate his accomplishments in the field.
Every time Dr. Godfrey gives a lecture, he wonders if anyone is keeping an eye on him to make sure that he will not reveal too much about the adventure that he and Salinger had experienced so many years ago.
Dr. Godfrey doesn’t walk as well as he once did, so he keeps the Moses Staff in his hand at all times, even leaning on it during his lectures.
He ends each lecture by retelling the adventure he had in Israel when Dr. Salinger passed on. Each time, he shares a different aspect of the story. His students are mesmerized by his knowledge and the exploits of his travels with Dr. Salinger. They don’t know the half of it. Not even a tenth of it. He is careful not to tell too much at once.
On this cold December day, this is Dr. Godfrey’s last lecture. He has no desire to go out for one final adventure. He started his career with the adventure of a lifetime—anything else paled in comparison. He now just wants to enjoy retirement in front of his fireplace at home and let others carry on the work. It is time for the next generation to discover, to analyze and to teach.
As he gives his last lecture, there is not a dry eye in the lecture hall. Only Dr. Godfrey notices the cloaked female figure in the back of the hall.
Achava sits in the guest chair near the back exit. She comes once a year, ever since Sam became a professor. Afterward, she meets him in the coffee shop for hot tea.
Even though they have never been intimate, she has always been the love of his life.
He finishes his lecture to a standing ovation and the figure at the exit smiles and walks out, as if satisfied with the fact that his stories are not too revealing. Some things are better left as mysteries.
“What are your plans now, Dr. Godfrey? Will you go off for one last great adventure?” a student asks.
Dr. Godfrey smiles. “No. I have lived all of the adventures that I care to.”
“With all of your fame and wealth, why don’t you get a new cane?” asks another pupil.
“Some things will be a part of me forever. Just like the seasons. There wil
l always be a summer for me. I leave the world of archaeology and biblical history in your capable hands. It’s your turn now. Don’t ever stop seeking.”
He takes the old wooden stick with the curved end and uses it to walk out of the lecture hall for the last time.
Achava is already seated in the coffee shop when he enters. She stands to greet him, kissing him gently, as she did every year. “How is the Staff of Moses holding up?” she asks.
“Just fine,” he says. “Just fine.”
The End
To be continued in:
The Sword of Peter
Return to the Table of Contents
THE SWORD OF PETER
by
SUMMER LEE
A Guardians Adventure #2
The Sword of Peter
Published by Summer Lee
Copyright © 2014 by Summer Lee
All rights reserved.
Ebook Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Dedication
To John, always.
The Sword of Peter
Chapter the First
SAM GODFREY enjoyed his retirement. He had retired as the youngest professor at the Zion School for Biblical Studies at the age of 33. He felt that he accomplished so much more than even his mentor, Professor Albert Salinger.
As Sam leaned back in his recliner, his thoughts drifted back to the greatest adventure (he thought at the time) he would ever have. Who could argue that fact? He looked at the Staff of Moses leaning against the corner of the wall nearest to him. He stopped using it as a cane years ago. It was too valuable. No one could see it hidden in plain sight. He had learned a lot from his mentor. Yet, he learned a lot more from Achava. Chuckling, he had fond memories of her.
He also learned to defend himself with years of Jeet Kune Do martial arts classes. In order to live a fulfilled life, the class was essential for him. He had to start off slow at first, because of his asthma. Being faithful, he eventually turned into a fairly proficient martial artist. He stayed away from contests and exhibitions, because they did not serve his purpose. He wanted only to defend himself. He had no desire to flaunt his abilities.
Now resting in his recliner, his mind wandered back to his younger days. The now-retired professor remembered going to Israel with Achsah, his favorite female companion. He thought about the battle with the Nephilim inside a secret cavern within Mount Nebo. The vision of Professor Salinger dying in his arms during that adventure was etched into his memory forever. The old man’s chest went up one last time as he breathed his last breath. And then, all went silent, and he was gone. Salinger died the way he lived, doing what he loved. He had found his favorite artifact, the Staff of Moses.
Sam smiled as he remembered his adventure as if it were just a few days ago. He retired from teaching, thinking that he was ready to just enjoy his future. Salinger had mentioned it several times. The thrill of the expedition was addictive. Despite Sam’s retiring in his hometown of Dallas, Texas, he found that he was restless. He didn’t have the patience for sitting in his recliner endlessly, constantly watching television. Being antsy, he had a gut level need to get back into the action. There were a few problems with that. Achava, the most exciting woman he had ever met, was back in her native Israel. He longed to have one last adventure with her while he still had the energy to do it.
Sam stretched his arms upward and yawned. It was time to retire for the evening, so, clasping the cane, he walked toward his room. Sam sighed as he walked down the long hallway past his two spare rooms, toward his own bedroom. Living in a quiet neighborhood, he found contentment in his one-story house in the Oak Cliff district of Dallas. It was unusually peaceful. That’s the way Sam originally thought he wanted his last days on earth to be. Inside his room with oak furniture, he turned out the lights and set the alarm. He had double checked an outside motion sensor that would trigger the porch and garage lights if anyone approached the house from the front. All worked well.
He felt that he was too young to feel so lonely. Achava once told him that she understood if he could not wait for her. She had to stay close to the military command in her native country. She had to be there in case Israel needed her special skills to defend the small villages in the south from rocket attacks.
Sam had never dated anyone else after meeting Achava. He couldn’t imagine himself with anyone else after meeting his soul mate. To be with Achava together forever was a dream of his. It was impossible to imagine any other connection. The young warrior woman was a descendant of the Biblical Achsah in the Book of Joshua. His tenure as a professor of archeology had been cut short because he had asthma. Otherwise, he would be in Israel right now serving alongside Achsah. Even though their only common bond was the staff, he longed for so much more. Sam loved her, and he knew that she still had feelings for him.
Since this was not a good time to have romantic feelings, he had decided to push thoughts of Achava to the back of his mind. He thought, perhaps I can go on another book tour. That might take my mind off of making love to the beautiful lady.
Clasping the Staff of Moses, Sam made his way to his modest bedroom. He never slept well when it was out of his sight. Pausing at the door, he glanced about his room. It had only the things he needed to be comfortable. Just like the simple home, Sam wanted to give the impression that he was just another man, living in just another house, on just another block, of just another city. He had to keep up the appearance that there was nothing special about him in order to keep the Staff of Moses protected. He felt comfortable knowing no one would ever be interested in robbing his small dwelling, as long as he never brought anyone to his residence. He would never take the chance that someone just might recognize his treasured object. He did not know a lot of things in his life, but he did know that the staff was safe in his bungalow.
Sam rubbed his hand across its smooth surface as he opened the door to his walk-in closet and stepped to the back wall. He pressed four different spots on the wall in a particular order. He then pressed his hands against the wall and slid it to one side. Inside was a small hidden compartment no more than five feet deep. There was a chair seated against one wall with a laptop resting on it. He placed the staff against the farthest wall and sighed.
Memories flooded his mind. His breathing became rapid as he remembered something else from his adventure in Israel. He relived the greed and selfishness he experienced when he put those ancient coins in his pocket. He didn’t even know why he had done it until he was told by a close friend that he had a deep-seated sinful nature. Sam had taken a little something extra back from that day—guilt. Every time he looked at the Staff of Moses, he felt the overwhelming urge to use it publicly again. He now knew that was pride. There was no need to use it, and there was no danger present, but he still longed to feel its power again.
Mortals shouldn’t be in possession of God’s artifacts, he thought. Even a righteous man can be tempted. Sam knew he was not a righteous man. He just happened to be in the right place, at the right time and around the right people. Being the one divinely chosen to protect the staff represented a lot of responsibility for one man. Sam knew that Achava believed in him, or she would not have allowed him to take it home. She had great faith in him. What if she is wrong to trust me?
“All men are weak,” she had once said. But she had told him that there was something special about him. He didn’t see it, and yet, there the staff was inside his closet. Supposedly safe. Safe from the outside world, but it would also have to be safe from him, from his temptations. Sam didn’t have Salinger’s or Achava’s spiritual strength.
He closed the closet door and walked back to his normal life and his normal bed. He brushed his teeth and slipped under the covers in the same way he had done for years. Sam hoped that something would happen to give him spiritual strength. He desired for a turn of events where he would n
ot have to deal with monotony anymore. He never realized that he would get his wish soon.
He turned out the lamp on his nightstand by his bed, sighed, and closed his eyes. He dreamed of making love to Achava.
Chapter the Second
ACHAVA KNELT QUIETLY on the soft ground near her favorite olive tree.
Inhaling the irenic fragrance, she awakened her senses. She liked to go to that spot after all of the tourists left the area. The trees were spaced so that it couldn’t be considered a forest, but she doubted anyone would, anyhow. The trunk of the tree looked more like something one would find near the ocean. The strength of the tree looked to be reinforced by several large branches intertwined together to form one. Today, the tree appeared to be weak, but Achava knew better. She could do chin-ups on the limbs. Her thoughts turned toward Jesus. He was a simple man who appeared weak to many who saw Him in person. She knew better about Him as well. He had been meek and humble.
As usual, birds twittered above her head, and a breeze blew her hair about her face. She often came to the Garden of Gethsemane to surround herself with the serenity the area offered. It held a special place in her heart because it was the place where Jesus Christ was arrested. She communed in the garden every chance she could get, and was able to meditate and regain her strength from Mother Israel.
Not this time. She tried her best to clear her mind, but one foreign thought kept interrupting her meditation. Sam Godfrey.
She never allowed a mortal interfere with her meditation. She felt it was her obligation to keep herself of pure spirit and body in order to continue to protect her homeland from evil. But she felt anxiety this time.
