The crow spit out a few foul words. “My name is Worldly Crow.” He flew overhead, and I could feel the swish of his wings. Then something hit the ground nearby—a squishy bird dropping. How rude!
Shira was playing with the other children. I wanted to go back inside the inn when I saw two men approaching. Was Worldly Crow right?
Daniel waved.
“Where have you been?” I asked.
Daniel smiled as he drew near. “We took a stroll into town.”
I realized then they weren’t coming from the direction of the leper colony. Worldly Crow had only said that to get me upset.
Dr. Luke greeted me warmly. “Daniel told me about your plans. I hear you and Shira will be staying at the inn for a few days.”
“Yes. Is there room?”
“Most certainly. If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask. We want to make your stay as comfortable as possible.”
I was thankful for Dr. Luke’s kindness. What a blessing. “Thank you.”
Dr. Luke bowed slightly. “Now I will leave you two to enjoy each other.” Then he turned to Daniel. “Can we meet in the dining hall in a little bit? I’ll bring my scrolls.”
“Yes. Sounds good,” Daniel replied.
As the doctor walked towards the inn, he stopped to say hello to the children. I took Daniel’s hand. Shira ran ahead of us. “What are you and Doctor Luke going to discuss?”
“First, Doctor Luke is arranging two horses for us to travel to Jerusalem. He gave me some extra coins if we need it. He also asked me to tell him what I know about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.”
“Oh, a direct eyewitness account.”
“Exactly, with the acumen and accuracy of a top-notch doctor.”
We walked slowly in the same direction towards the inn. Shira was waiting for us on the portico.
Daniel squeezed my hand. “We’ll leave a little after sunrise. Do you want to say goodbye in the morning?”
I nodded. “Yes. We can pray for safe travel.”
“I’d like that.”
When we entered the dining room, Dr. Luke was seated at a table. We walked over as the server set fish and biscuits in front of us.
“It’s good you are leaving tomorrow,” Dr. Luke said. “Otherwise, you’d have a two-day wait to travel.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Because of Sabbat. You can’t travel that far on Sabbat.”
“Oh.” I smiled cordially. I wanted to look supportive in front of Doctor Luke.
Daniel started the conversation. “Doctor Luke says there has been a lot of unrest in Jerusalem since Yeshua’s crucifixion, many clashes between the Romans and the Jews.”
“Are you sure it’s safe to travel?” I asked.
“We need to pray for God’s mercy,” Dr. Luke replied.
Families began to fill the dining hall for the evening meal. “Perhaps you can make an acquaintance with some of the women here,” Daniel suggested.
I wasn’t going to change Daniel’s mind. Now I wanted him to find out about his father as soon as possible. Then we could get married. The perfume still lingered in my mind.
Dr. Luke said the blessing, adding in a few words for Daniel’s safe travel.
After putting a couple of biscuits on his plate, Daniel turned his attention to the doctor. “Where do you want me to start?”
Pen in hand, Dr. Luke opened his scroll and studied his notes. “Did the sun really darken for three hours when the soldiers crucified Yeshua?”
Daniel replied, “Yes. Perhaps a rogue planet or large celestial object came between the earth and the sun for three hours, blocking the sun’s light. It was too long to be a natural eclipse. It seems strange it happened at exactly the same time Yeshua hung on the cross. With God, it’s always about the timing, isn’t it?”
Dr. Luke nodded, scribbling down Daniel’s words.
My thoughts wandered. I remembered reading about Wormwood in Revelation and the scientists talking about an approaching planet. Could it be the same one, a planet with an orbit that brings it close to earth every two thousand or so years?
*~*~*~*
After dinner, Daniel walked us to our room. I unlocked the door, not sure whether to invite him in.
Daniel hesitated. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather pray now? Then I wouldn’t have to disturb you in the morning.”
“Sure. But if I do happen to wake up, I’ll see you off again.”
We sat at the table holding hands. I prayed that Yeshua would give Daniel wisdom and discernment. Daniel prayed for Shira and me. When he stood to leave, I wrapped my arms around him. “Godspeed.”
He stepped to the door and whispered. “Love you.” Then he disappeared down the hallway.
CHAPTER 19
I AWOKE IN the middle of the night—freezing. I got up to get more blankets. Insecurity crept into my thoughts, an uneasiness that hadn’t bothered me in a long time. What if something happened to Daniel? What would I do? I had no idea how to get back to the twenty-first century.
I put an extra blanket over Shira. My thoughts drifted back home where there was heat, running water, and electricity. I didn’t look forward to washing clothes by hand at one of the nearby streams. I sighed. Now was not the time to solve all my problems, when I should be sleeping. I scratched my ankle. The sandals did little to protect my feet, and the dirt from the air made them flaky. Even washing them with water brought to our room each day did little to alleviate the dryness. Too bad I hadn’t packed moisturizer.
I climbed back into bed and wrapped the blanket around me. I could never adjust to living in this era. How could Nidal want to stay? Of course, guys didn’t care about hot showers. My hopes of coming back to the first century and having a spectacular wedding had dissipated into single parenting an orphan whom I’d never met until a week ago. I closed my eyes and prayed. “Please Lord, may Nidal reveal everything he knows about Daniel’s father.”
As I prayed, God revealed possibilities. Maybe Nidal was afraid to tell Daniel because he feared for his life. Perhaps he really didn’t know anything. There was the possibility Daniel could be right—he just needed to build Nidal’s trust. Or could there be another reason we didn’t know about?
Soon I drifted off and dreams took over, that state where everything seems real and familiar.
Daniel and I were walking along a white, sandy beach in a faraway place. We had the tropical paradise to ourselves. Crystal clear water lapped the pristine shoreline, and Daniel jumped the waves past the breakers. I started to run after him, but I saw someone further up the beach.
Who was that stranger? Even though she was far away, her presence had already invaded my space and destroyed my peace.
Daniel called to me, but I ignored him. As she drew closer, I recognized her as the ventriloquist. An eerie smile crossed her lips, revealing several missing teeth. She wasn’t a poor beggar. She was a demon, or as my old donkey friend Baruch called them—underlings.
Daniel shouted to me again to join him. I was too focused on the ventriloquist to listen. Did he not see her? Why didn’t he make her leave? Instead, he swam away in the opposite direction.
When she was within hearing distance, she announced, “Shale, I come with a warning.”
How did she know my name?
She held a pail in her hand, as if she had been collecting shells. Her long, bony fingers and pointed fingernails gave me the creeps. I doubted she was looking for shells. She was looking for me. Her sunken cheeks and skin pallor reminded me of death.
“What warning?” I asked.
“Daniel doesn’t love, you, Shale. You know he doesn’t love you.”
“Of course he loves me,” I insisted.
The ventriloquist laughed. “If he loved you, he wouldn’t have left you here. I must tell you the truth. He doesn’t want to take on the responsibility of a young child.”
She pointed with her bony finger. “Look, he abandoned you.”
I turned to see wh
ere he was. His head was barely visible now above the waves.
I put my hands on my waist and scowled at her. “I don’t believe you. Of course Daniel loves me.”
The ventriloquist smiled wickedly. Then she held up her hand and waved it in front of me, like she was pulling back a curtain to another dimension. “Watch.”
Suddenly, the wind stirred the sand in a gentle swirling motion. Another reality peeled back, and I was looking into a different universe that overtook my own. I found myself inside a church. Pews lined each side, and in the middle was the aisle. The tinged windows didn’t seem right, but I wasn’t sure what was wrong with them. I wore a white wedding dress, but there were splatter marks in several places, as if red wine had been spilled on me.
I didn’t like the way I looked, but it was time for me to walk down the aisle. I didn’t have another wedding dress to wear even if I had time to change. If I wanted to get married, I’d have to wear this one. How could I wear a dress that wasn’t spotless? The music started playing, my cue to make my appearance.
I began walking and managed a forced smile, although deep down I felt humiliated I was wearing a stained white dress. I hoped no one could see my shame. Lots of people were in the pews, but their faces were blurred.
The music played on, and as I walked, I focused my attention straight ahead. I saw the pastor watching me, but where was Daniel? The officiant didn’t seem to realize the groom was missing. No one noticed Daniel wasn’t there. I kept walking. When I was within a few feet, I asked the chaplain, “Where is Daniel?”
But the preacher couldn’t hear me. He began to speak, as if he were talking to both of us. I looked around the chapel and all eyes were glued on me.
I dropped the flowers, turned, and ran back towards the exit, tripping over my dress. I reached the doorway and ran out. Once I was outside, I saw a man a few yards away, dressed in dazzling white. He called my name, “Shale.”
When he said my name, I recognized it was Jesus. “My Lord,” I cried, and collapsed on the ground in front of him.
He touched my shoulder and strengthened me. I stood and looked into his eyes.
“Go back,” he commanded me. “Don’t listen to the evil one.”
I glanced at the door. Did Jesus really want me to go back? I wanted to ask him where Daniel was, but then he was gone. I proceeded back inside the chapel. This time I was in a large cave with many spectators waiting.
A rabbi stood at the front, and Daniel was beside him. As I walked down the aisle, I glanced down at my white dress. There were no stains, and Daniel looked stunning.
Then I was awakened by a small voice. “Auntie?”
I opened my eyes, and once they adjusted, I saw through the window curtain that it was daylight. I got up and kissed Shira on the cheek. “Did you sleep well?”
She nodded, pulling herself up. “I’m hungry.”
“Let’s get something to eat.”
We exited our room, and I walked over and tapped on Daniel’s door. When he didn’t answer, I assumed he had already left. What was it Jesus said? “Don’t listen to the evil one.”
CHAPTER 20
THE NEXT DAY after lunch, I had an idea. “Can I have some papyrus paper and ink?” I asked the clerk at the check-in counter.
He handed me a decent supply, and I thanked him. Perhaps Shira could entertain herself drawing pictures, and I could start a new diary.
We returned to our room, and I plopped down on the bed. I set Shira in my lap and wrapped my arms around her small frame.
Downcast eyes reflected back at mine.
“Where is Daniel?” she asked.
I kissed her on the forehead. “He had to go to Jerusalem. He’ll be back in a couple of days.”
Maybe she was picking up on my sadness. The nightmare from the night before still lingered.
I had another idea. “Shira, can I tell you a story?”
She scooted up close and her eyes widened. “Yes.”
I began. “Once upon a time there was a donkey named Baruch. He was a gray donkey with extra-long eyelashes. He was kind of a sad donkey—like you feel sometimes.”
“Why was he sad?”
“Well, as you get older, you have to do chores. Baruch didn’t like doing chores, so he ran away. He thought if he ran away, he’d be happy. No one could tell him what to do anymore.”
I glanced at Shira. Her eyes were big and round, hanging on to every word.
I smiled. “The donkey had some very good friends. They warned him not to go. One was a small white dog with brown spots named Much-Afraid. Another was a pig named Lowly. They tried to get Baruch to change his mind, but the donkey didn’t want to listen to his friends. Even Worldly Crow wanted to stop him, but Baruch refused to listen.
“So he left his friends and traveled into the wilderness. After he had been gone a while, he got hungry. When he looked around, he didn’t know where he was. He regretted leaving his friends.
“He heard jackals and lions, and it was getting dark. He remembered how well his owners had taken care of him. He always had fresh straw. Now he was hungry and lost.”
Shira tapped me on the arm. “Is he going to be all right?”
I chuckled. “This story has a great ending. Don’t worry.”
“What happens next?”
“Well, Baruch started crying because he was terribly afraid. Then he heard a sound nearby and was even more afraid. Suddenly, a sheep appeared.
“The sheep took pity on him. He told Baruch if he would go with him to meet the King, the King could help him to find his way back home.”
“Did the donkey go with the sheep?”
“Yes, he did.” I peered at Shira. Would you have gone with the sheep to meet the King?”
“Is he a good King?” Shira asked.
I smiled. “I’ll tell you a little secret.”
“What’s that?”
“The King is Jesus.”
“Jesus is a king?”
“Yes. He’s King of the garden, the earth, and heaven. In fact, he’s King over the whole universe.”
“What happened next?”
“Well, after a long time traveling in the wilderness, the sheep brought Baruch to the garden of the King. It was guarded by two angels holding a flaming sword. They wouldn’t let Baruch into the garden unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless Baruch heard the King call his name.”
“Did the donkey hear his name?”
I stroked Shira’s hair. “Yes, he did. The donkey entered the garden, and when he did, the King greeted him with open arms. Baruch thought the King would be upset with him for having run away, but the King loved him. Baruch made many friends in the garden.”
“Did the donkey miss his friends that he left behind?”
“You know what?”
“What?”
“Baruch went back home after he met the King, and he shared everything he learned with his friends.”
Shira’s eyes grew wide. “You mean with the dog and the pig? I bet they were happy to see their friend again.”
“Yes, they were.”
I stopped for a moment, thinking about the story when Shira interrupted my thoughts.
“I wish I could go to the garden. That would be so much fun.”
“Yes. It’s a special place. I met a white rabbit in the garden. I bet she’d even play with you.”
Shira rubbed her foot. “Will I ever see mommy and daddy again?”
I smiled wistfully. “I hope so.”
“In the garden?”
“Maybe. You might meet Lowly and Baruch at the stable if we travel to Galilee.”
“What about the white dog?”
“Hummm…” I remembered when I had followed Much-Afraid into the woods. I lost her in the garden, but after I arrived in the first century, she showed up the next day. If she came the last time I was here, might she come again? I smiled at Shira. “When Daniel returns, I can ask him to take us to my father’s ho
me.”
I could see Shira’s eyes getting heavy.
“Why don’t you climb into bed and take a nap.”
Shira hopped over and I draped the blanket over her. Soon her eyes closed, and I began to think about the red stone in my bag. I couldn’t put it out of my mind, even though deep down I wanted to start my new diary. I wished we could be certain what it was.
I pulled the object from my bag and studied it, turning it over in my hand a few times. Nothing about it seemed unusual. It could be just an ordinary stone, perhaps what someone might see in a ring.
I let out a deep breath and placed it on the table. It couldn’t be the mark of the beast. According to Revelation, that would be inserted into the right hand or forehead. This object was on Nidal’s forearm above his wrist. It was the eye of a yeti tattoo. Besides, the mark of the beast hadn’t happened when I left.
I glanced at Shira and saw her eyes were open again. “You need to close your eyes and go to sleep.”
Shira scrunched down on the bed. I put my bag on the floor and started my first diary entry.
I addressed it “Dear God” this time. I didn’t need to worry about Scylla finding it and harassing me, and I didn’t need to pretend to be Anne Frank who addressed her diary as “Dear Kitty.”
I wrote a few words, but I didn’t know what to write. Soon I felt sleepy, having not slept well the night before. I laid the paper and pen on my chest. I’d rest my eyes for a few moments and think about what I should write.
Soon I drifted off.
Suddenly I was jolted awake by an unfamiliar voice. When I opened my eyes, a large man stood in the doorway waving his arms. “Where is Nidal?”
CHAPTER 21
I SCREAMED. I imagined I was dreaming, but I wasn’t. I caught Shira out of the corner of my eye, terrified and frozen. My paper and pen fell to the floor.
The burglar wore a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and a leather jacket. He was in his late twenties or early thirties. The man had a beard and straight brown hair. His beet red face seethed with anger. He came towards me waving his arms. I ducked to the side, and he crashed into my bed.
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