by Summer Lee
“You know more of these issues, than I do, Sam,” she said. “I will trust your judgment. I don’t know if trying to see your parents would be a smart move, if you are correct about everything else.”
Sam kept shaking his head. “I know. I wish that I could spare them from all of this, too.”
He closed his eyes and then blinked. “I just wish I could get their opinion on all of this.”
A breeze circled the room. The air shimmered again, as two figures materialized before them. Once they fully formed, Sam’s mouth dropped.
His parents, Meredith and Craig, were standing before him.
They looked more shocked than he did.
He looked at Achava. She smiled and winked.
“Son?” his father asked, as he put his arms around his wife. “Is that… really you?”
Sam nodded slowly. “Yeah, Dad. Mom? It’s me. How about you? Are you okay?”
His mother looked around as if she was afraid to say anything. She moaned.
“This is part of who I am now, Mom,” Sam said, while trying to calm her with a soft voice.
“I guess my job is done here,” Kierek said. “Good luck and all! Make sure I’m safe!” He raised his arms and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“Oh… my,” Mrs. Godfrey said, while placing her hand over her mouth. She staggered as if she would faint.
Sam watched as Achava placed her hands on her mother-in-law’s shoulders, at the same time, nodding to Craig Godfrey. He relinquished his hold on his wife and Achava took her to another part of the cavern. “I’ll get you something to drink. You’ll be fine.”
Sam turned his attention back to his father. “Well, Dad. How did this happen?”
“We were about to answer the front door when we… ended up here,” Mr. Godfrey said, nonchalantly.
“I now know what happened, Dad,” Sam replied. “You can thank me for that. I kind of wished you here.” He paused. “And I got my wish.”
Mr. Godfrey nodded, even though he didn’t understand. “Ah. That explains it.” He noticed the staff. “That’s new.”
Sam held it up to give his father a closer look. “Oh, yeah! It’s… the Staff of Moses. I used it when I taught in the university.”
Mr. Godfrey raised his brows and acted like what his son said did not have any effect on him. He said, “Moses, huh? You mean…”
“Yeah,” Sam interrupted. “That Moses from the Bible. Red Sea, plagues, and all of the other stuff. It’s his.”
“Well, it’s good that you… I don’t know what else to say, Sam. This is all a bit difficult for your mother and me to digest, you know. Especially being here in this cave.”
Sam nodded. “I was trying to keep you both from this as much as I could, but they’re calling us terrorists on the news, and now we have the world after us.”
“So the news reports are accurate then,” Craig Godfrey replied. “We had no way to get a hold of you, since you stopped carrying your cell phone with you.”
“It got in the way, Dad,” Sam replied, trying not to make eye contact with his father.
“You know, Sam,” his father continued, “your mother and I had dreams of one day seeing your face all over the television. This wasn’t exactly what we were thinking.”
“Do you trust me?” Sam asked, as he finally made eye contact.
“Of course I do, Son,” he replied, with conviction. “Unless we see you do something, we refrain from placing judgment on you or anyone else.”
Sam smiled. “Good! Then you know that I would never get into anything illegal. I mean, we believe what we’re doing is a mission from God.”
“I think I heard that in a movie once,” replied his father. “I do trust you. I don’t know how you brought us here, but it obviously has something to do with Achava and God. She does talk about God a lot.”
“She feels God’s love.”
“I don’t feel anything strange from your wife, Son. She is a good woman. One that will stay with you and be true to you, like your mother has been with me. That kind of woman doesn’t come around often, so you have a keeper.” He paused. “As far as all of this other stuff, I’ll leave that up to you. At best, I hope that you will come out of this smelling like a rose. Many prophets of God were condemned for their preaching and beliefs. I assume the same thing is going on with you and Achava.”
“Thank you, Dad!” Sam embraced his father, then pulled back with tears in his eyes. “We have to take you someplace safe, until everything blows over. The government will try to find you and probably interrogate you, so we’re going to take you somewhere nice.”
“Well, we don’t want to be interrogated,” Craig Godfrey responded, calmly. “We’ll go where you want us to go and stay there, until you come get us.”
Sam nodded again. “Good.”
At that time, Achava returned to the room with her mother-in-law. Meredith said, “Are we going into witness protection?”
Sam said, “You could say that.” They all four laughed together. Sam hugged his mother and then focused his attention on his wife.
Achava looked at him and smiled. An electrical energy flowed between them.
“What was that?” Sam’s father asked. “Or should I even ask?”
Sam laughed. “Achava and I have a telepathic link. It was broken for a while, but then…”
“That’s alright, Son,” he replied, with a grin. “Some things don’t need an explanation.”
Chapter the Fifth
ACHAVA SOUL MERGED WITH SAM AND HIS PARENTS to a olde worlde, small town that looked as if it had been lost in time. First, she had to go back to their home for a few things, including Mrs. Godfrey’s high blood pressure medication.
The small quaint town was peaceful. Everything was handmade and it had an amazing setting.
It was up against a snow covered mountain, with a grassy plain that extended out as far as the eye could see. The air was fresh and clean. Sam’s parents both took a deep breath at the same time, and then laughed.
“Thank you for going back to get our medication, Achava,” Meredith Godfrey said with a grateful smile. “I’m glad no one caught you.”
“It was my pleasure,” Achava replied with a smile. “And Meredith, I’m also glad I didn’t get caught.”
“No introductions for me then. Yes?” A familiar and welcomed voice caused Achava and Sam to turn toward it. Khassima stood in front of a cottage with the door open. She had her head tilted to one side and her hands were on her hips. “No love for Khassima?”
Achava rushed toward her and gave her a huge hug. “I love you, darling.”
“It’s great to see you, Khassima!” Sam exclaimed, clasping her hand.
“Yeah,” she replied. “I feel the same.” She walked up to the Godfreys. “Hello. I am Khassima. We met at the wedding.”
“Yes. Good to see you again,” said Craig.
“I’ll be your hostess for the next… however long it takes for Achava and Sam to save the world again.”
Mr. Godfrey looked at Sam in shock. “You saved the world?” he questioned.
As Sam humbly smiled, he scratched the back of his neck. “A couple of times.”
“Khassima has done her part,” said Achava.
“We saved the world a few times. Okay, maybe more than that.” Sam’s face turned red. “Anyway. Khassima will take care of you and I’m sure she will tell you stories of her life as well.”
“How much time do you expect them to be here?” Khassima joked, as she guided them all into the cozy cottage.
Achava shrugged her shoulders. “Not sure. We have to wait to see.”
Sam turned toward Achava with a smile of confidence. “Are you ready for round two?” he asked her, as he clutched the Staff of Moses.
“Perhaps it will be the final round,” she responded. “Either way, we will face it together. We will not be separated, no matter how hard our enemies try. We will have each other’s back, until we either succeed, or…”
&n
bsp; “That’s right, beautiful,” he replied, with an energetic smile. “We’ll go back to the cavern, underneath the shadow of Petra?”
Achava shook her head. “We weren’t meant to harm anyplace. Yet, we were meant to meet up with Kierek and your parents. Each location holds some significance, other than just destroying it. You don’t know how relieved I am over that. The memory of the explosion on Mt. Nebo will never leave my memory.”
“Nor mine,” he said, clasping his wife’s hand. “You’re right about our path! No matter what happens, we face it together, with faith that God will guide our decisions.”
Craig Godfrey had a look of silent confusion.
“See you later, Dad and Mom,” said Sam, as he and Achava each hugged the Godfreys.
“Make us proud, you two,” Mr. Godfrey said with satisfaction.
“You come back safe. Please,” his mother said with tears in her eyes.
“Will do,” said Sam. Looking at Achava, he said, “I’m ready to go.”
“Khassima will keep your parents entertained.” Achava burst into laughter. “Let’s go.” She grabbed Sam’s free hand and they disappeared.
As Sam and Achava walked from the cottage, they could hear Khassima saying, “I’m sure you have heard of John the Baptist. I’m going to tell you some stories about him that I’ll bet you’ve never heard. Yes? I’ll keep you busy. I heard you like mountain climbing, Mr. Godfrey…”
***
SAM AND ACHAVA REAPPEARED AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN. Surprisingly, the Staff of Moses started to glow.
Sam looked up at the mountain and panicked. “No! If we have to destroy another mountain, then I’m going home right now!” He paused long enough to notice that there were other mountains surrounding the one where they materialized.
Achava’s eyes widened, as she glanced around, studying the place. Before speaking, she checked to make sure that she was correct with her assumptions. “I believe that this is one mountain we won’t have to destroy, Sam. I’ve only been here once before. I never managed to follow the path all the way up to the summit, but I think that will change now.”
Sam let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. I don’t know if I can deal with the repercussions of destroying a piece of Biblical history. Wait a minute.” He squatted down and examined the soil by running it through his fingers. “We’re not in Israel.”
“No. we’re not,” she replied, as she held her hand over her eyes to block out the midday sun. “We’re in Egypt.”
Sam stood up, brushing the dirt off his hands. “Well, you beat me to that conclusion. Egypt, huh? Does that mean what I think it means?”
“The staff steered us to where we are,” she said with a smile. “We are standing in front of Mount Sinai.”
“Full circle,” Sam said almost to himself, as he glared at the staff. “I don’t understand.”
“Full circle, indeed,” she responded. “It is obvious that we must go up the mountain. We should probably take the Siket Sayidna Musa. It is around the back by Saint Catherine’s Monastery.”
“Steps of Penitence?” he queried. “That may be the quicker way up the mountain, but it’s also the harder path.”
She smiled. “It is the narrow path that reveals Paradise to us, Sam. The monastery is Greek Orthodox, so they will have nothing to do with me. They’ve no doubt been warned, anyway, about the mountain killers.”
“I don’t like that moniker at all,” he said, with a grimace. “If I’m correct, that monastery is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so they would welcome visitors.”
Achava didn’t try to hide her concern. “There are so many variations to the tale of whether Sinai is the actual mountain where Moses ascended or is buried. Even though there is a designated cave at the top, where Moses supposedly received the Ten Commandments. Early Christians believe Mount Serbal to be the place where Biblical history was made. Some have also interpreted scripture as the mountain being a volcano. There are no volcanoes in the Sinai Peninsula, so that would place the mountain of Moses’s revelation in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Of all the theories, I dislike that one the most. I have nothing against the Arabs, but that would throw the path of Moses completely off, according to scriptures.”
Sam looked up at the mountain again. “So, you think this is the real deal then?”
Achava looked at the staff and then looked at Sam with one brow raised. “It does not matter what I think. We’ll watch the walking stick. The staff is sensitive to this area. It should be familiar to it.”
Sam sighed. “There’s a mosque inside Saint Catherine’s Cathedral, and another one on top of Sinai. There’s also a Greek Orthodox chapel up there. One thing I never knew, was why Israel has no representation.”
She thought for a moment, then answered, “That is a good question, Sam. Even when there was peace between Egypt and Israel, there was no attempt to erect a temple. Some say that is because the rabbis believe the Ten Commandments to be only a part of the 613 that are in the Torah. That question may never be answered. Even by those who know.”
“It is not that hard to figure out.” Sam shrugged, as they walked around the base of the mountain to where the monastery was. He saw the Steps of Penitence and sighed.
“Wait! Why do you say that?”
“It is like the Roman numerals in an outline. So if you outline God’s law, the Ten Commandments would be the main points. The others would be the explanation.”
“Okay, smarty pants. I get it.” She stopped long enough to give him a passionate kiss.
“Let’s get moving,” he said, “before I get ideas.”
“Just move ahead of me.” Achava slugged his arm. She wanted Sam to go in front. That way if they were attacked from the ground, she would be able to defend them without risking the staff. “You first.”
Sam moved forward, using the staff to help him up. He then stopped and looked back at Achava, as if to silently ask her if it was alright to use the staff in such a manner.
She read his mind. “That’s what it was made for,” she said. “Originally, anyway.”
He winked.
The uneven, yet sturdy slabs of rock seemed endless before them. Sam suggested that they take their time, so they wouldn’t have to take so many rest breaks. “You know! The baby.”
“I know.” Achava looked down at the monastery and then up at the stones ahead of Sam. “Be cautious, Sam. We may encounter an enemy.”
“Already?” he exclaimed. “Who do we have to fight now?”
“No one yet,” she answered. “But I have a concern. I find it strange that there is no one around. No tourists. No one.”
Sam stopped and looked down the mountain past his wife. “I didn’t even think of that. I’m glad one of us is on the ball.”
She showed more of her concern. “Well, we are worldwide fugitives now, you know?”
Sam then turned his attention toward the summit. “I have a feeling that, whatever may be lying in wait, will reveal itself up there. It’s the perfect attack point. Even though you can Soul Merge, it’s at a high enough spot that’s perfect for an ambush. Do you have any ideas what we’d do if that were the case?”
She placed her hands across her lips, and thought for a long moment. “There is a good possibility that the Israeli government is now involved. Ben-Shahar seemed to be able to get around just fine. His word is totally accepted by the Israeli government. We might have more than one attack. We must be prepared for anything. As far as your question, my love… I suggest we walk right into the lion’s den and see who wants to take a bite of us first.”
Sam gave her a lopsided grin. “Whatever you say.”
Chapter the Sixth
SAM DID HIS BEST TO CONTROL HIS BREATHING. He had not had an asthma attack lately, but walking up almost 7,500 feet in that short of time span, didn’t work well with his respiratory system.
He did breathe a sigh of relief when he reached the summit. Everything was as empty as Achava had said. No one was around.
He saw the mosque and the Greek Orthodox chapel on the other side, but the area did not appear to have had people around for quite some time.
Something was wrong. There was a tightness in Sam’s stomach that actually hurt. It sent him a message. Things were too quiet. He began to speak. “I...”
“Sh-h.” Achava cocked her head to one side, listening. She was trying to hear something in the air.
“What is it?”
“Helicopters!” she exclaimed.
Soon, Sam was also able to hear the unmistakable sound of copter blades in the distance. Several helicopters soon came into view. Plus, he heard something else. He looked around. Peering over the side of the mountain, he could see uniformed men coming up the Steps of Penitence. He recognized them as Israeli soldiers in their army green uniforms. They would arrive the same time as the helicopters.
Achava looked at her husband. She didn’t need to say anything. He knew that the final battle was about to commence. “God be with you,” he said.
“Go to the Moses cave, Sam,” she said with a firm tone. “I will take care of Ben-Shahar and his troops.”
“No.” Sam shook his head. “I want to help you.”
“Trust me, Sam.”
“Okay, I understand. I need to find the Ark of the Covenant to maybe give us an edge.” He paused. “Whistle if you need me and I’ll come.”
“I have supernatural help, dear.” She placed her hand on the staff. “You have an edge right here, Sam. You have only seen a small portion of its capabilities. Know that you have the ability to access those hidden powers now. Do not be afraid or timid. There will be times when you will have to make a decision without giving it too much thought. You hold the key to victory. You have held onto it, since you’ve found the staff. It will respond to you and, I would assume, only you.”
