The box slipped through Connie’s perspiring hands, tumbling and spilling several cans of food across the floor. The crowd hushed and stared.
“What’s wrong?” asked Pastor Dennis.
She looked around for Elizabeth, avoiding eye contact with him. “Nothing. Everything’s fine. I need to go.”
I’ll kill her if she lied to me.
Bounding down the stairs as quickly as she could in her high heels, she said in a tense, high tone. “Lovely niece, you better be down here.”
Her arms flailed side to side as she reached the basement. “I’m gonna kill you, my sweet little niece. You better not have lied to me.”
She stood at the lip of the opening and slammed her foot down. “Get up here now.”
There was no answer. “Your dad is going to be furious with you.”
And me.
“Don’t make me come down there and drag your sorry …” She stopped short, realizing she was on sacred ground.
She climbed down a few steps and waved her hands in disgust.
What is that odor? It smells like a dead animal.
“Elizabeth, are you okay?” She descended two more steps and froze.
What is that sound?
A cold, biting gust of wind shoved her back.
“Elizabeth?”
Hiss.
“What is that?”
She bent over, her face now further inside the stairway that led into the tunnel. “Elizabeth, can you hear me? Do you need help?”
“Stay away!” Connie stumbled back up the stairs on her backside, one shoe falling down into the tunnel.
A cobra’s head lurched forward and opened its mouth wide.
“No!” She backtracked all the way to the wall and watched the heinous head creep out. It slithered toward her.
“No. Stop. No.”
She grabbed the bucket of holy water and tossed it at the charging snake, soaking it.
The cobra withered and recoiled in pain. Its skin sizzled and charred, then turned to dust.
Connie stared in horror, glued to the wall, her hands stretched out in case the snake somehow managed another attack.
Elizabeth, I hope you’re not down there.
Leah was up earlier than usual, washed and dressed, kneeling in the garden, praying. She whispered in soft murmurs, lifting her head skyward, pleading. Having cried herself to sleep, mouth parched, she dragged herself over to the well where the man named Michael lay. His face rested on the spongy ground, muddy from the moist dirt which surrounded the leaking well.
Unsure whether this man was dead or drunk, she approached him with caution, one hand out to protect herself, the other pressing the water jug tightly against her body. She bent over and tilted her head sideways to see if he was breathing.
A rush of pity engulfed her as she noticed a crust of mud above his eyes. “I am sorry for striking you. Are you hurt?”
He didn’t answer.
Why is he still here? I wonder if he is lost? Maybe he has nowhere to sleep? But why would he come here? I can unde
r
stand him but he is not from our town. He looks different from the men in our village. His face. His clothes. His hair. He smells strange, like a woman.
A brief bout of dizziness staggered her. She held her stomach with one hand as a sharp pain punched her side. She leaned over and took a short breath. A sour taste snaked its way up her throat and into her mouth. The jug slipped from her hand and the ceramic vessel clattered against the side of the well.
“Who’s that – ?” The man, Michael, awoke, sounding startled.
She hoisted the jug and stumbled away, her steps uneven and choppy. The jug slid from her hands, weighing her down. She managed to steady it.
“Wait,” Michael yelled from behind. “Let me help you. The water is heavy. I promise I’ll leave once I help you.”
She regained her balance and gave a feeble wave. She lifted the jug off the ground with one big burst of energy, swayed sideways a few steps, and collapsed. The side of her face struck the dirt. The jug crashed, splattering the water all over and her world went black.
“Leah,” Michael screamed in panic.
He ran to where she lay and rolled her gently onto her back. “Are you okay? Can you hear me? Talk to me.” He leaned closer to her chest, placing his head on her side, listening for a heartbeat. She was still breathing and he felt a rush of relief. He touched her cheeks tenderly. “Say something.”
Her face was flushed red, reminding him of the times when Elizabeth was a child and her fever would spike. He placed a hand to her forehead. “You’re burning up.”
He picked her up and carried her past the fig tree and into the house. Near the doorway to her bedroom, he stopped a moment.
Forgive me, Leah, but I have no choice. There’s no way I can carry you up another flight. And no, I don’t think you’re too heavy.
He placed her gingerly onto her bedding. Carefully he draped another two bedrolls across her frame while talking to her. He picked up another jug and hurried to the well and filled it. He’d forgotten how heavy the clay containers were. Awkwardly, he balanced it on his right foot and leg and hobbled back to the bedroom.
He found three cloths in a bowl near the oven and wet them with cool water, placing one beneath her neck and two on her forehead. Michael took her pulse several times and used the back of his hands to gauge Leah’s temperature.
Still burning.
He repeated this ritual for the good part of an hour before his legs signaled that he needed to sit. So he did, on a small stool in front of her. He monitored her breathing, allowing his mind to sink in silence. Normally, Michael relished a room filled with peace and quiet. Today, the silence sang a song of sadness. Every so often he stopped to listen to the noises outside as children played and adults scolded them to behave.
If I had only taken some Tylenol with me. Wait. People here have survived without any medical assistance or drugs. Why can’t she? Maybe this is the reason why I’m here? Maybe that’s why the tunnel opened? I’m supposed to be here. I can’t leave until she’s better, even if it means I can’t take her back.
Confident that he had made the right decision to return, he continued to watch her chest rise and fall in rhythmic fashion. He stretched his neck and stared up at the ceiling and noticed a small crib to the left, empty except for a tiny robe hanging over the side.
She’s had such a tough time dealing with her daughter’s death
. He recalled the day when she’d told him about the tragedy.
I can’t imagine losing Elizabeth.
He placed his hands over his eyes and rubbed. “Elizabeth,” he said. “I’ve got to get back.”
And I’ll take you back with me, Leah.
His heart was overwhelmed with love watching her lay motionless, filled with gratitude that she once provided shelter and food, protecting them against pursuing Roman soldiers. He leaned down, pulled the cloths off, and refreshed them with cooler water.
He carefully laid the damp cloths on her face, tucked the blankets under her neck, and brushed the hair away from her eyes with the back of his hands.
He never left the room except to feed the two lambs who were braying, giving the appreciative animals a healthy amount of feed and a pat on the top of their heads in an everything-will-be-all right gesture.
The day gave up its last light as a sliver of sun glided through the overcast sunset near the aqueduct. Michael filled one more jug of water for the evening as he prepared for a sleepless night. He sat and slanted his body slightly against the wall, facing Leah.
It has to be near two a.m.
His body was limp, gradually sliding to one side and then straightening up with a jerk as he slumbered into a shallow sleep. His left hand propped his head up as thoughts about his daughter suppressed any happy dreams.
Angst was on the menu as Elizabeth and Leah prepared their evening meal in silence. Leah stayed near the window, using her eyes like lasers to survey the courtyard. She’d rushed downstairs to fetch an item from the kitchen but hurried back without interruption.
It was a scant and quick meal compared to the ones Elizabeth had enjoyed during her last visit. She couldn’t help but noticed that all of Leah’s actions showed a sense of urgency.
While peeking out the window between hasty bites, she warned Elizabeth, “If I tell you to go to the roof, do so without any delay.”
“I will. But can you tell me why you’re so nervous? You’re scaring me.”
Leah pinned her body against the window to ensure no one could see Elizabeth. “I am in grave danger,” she said. “If you stay, you will be in danger as well.”
Elizabeth dropped a piece of bread and fingered her cup of water. “What kind of danger?”
Leah lowered her head. “When you and your father left, Marcus started to chase you into that opening. I ran back and pleaded with him to leave you both alone.”
“Why didn’t you leave him? Run away?”
“I tried one night but another Roman saw me. He reported it to Marcus. And…”
“What?” Elizabeth said. “Tell me everything.”
She knelt in front of Elizabeth, holding her two hands firmly. “Marcus. He wanted you. Do you understand? You are young, untouched, and pretty. I told him to take me for now. And when you came back, he could take you. I did not think you would ever come back.”
She laid her head on Elizabeth’s hands. “What you did was so brave,” Elizabeth said. “I’m so sorry we left without making sure you were safe.”
“You would never be safe here. You had to leave. I was happy to help you both go home. Your father helped me too.”
“Did you ever think we would forget about you?”
“I do not know. I am only trying to stay away from danger. No one visits me anymore, not with Marcus coming by all the time.” She stood and went to the window. “Elizabeth, leave. I love you. I do not want you to get hurt. Marcus is a ruthless man.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “My dad is coming for you. He might be lost. Heck, I got lost coming here. And you know how men are about asking for directions.”
She looked at Leah for a reaction and got none. “Oh right, maybe men are different here.”
Leah was silent.
“I know how much my dad spoke about finding you again, seeing if you were safe. He loves you.”
Leah walked back to the dinner mat and wrapped her arms around Elizabeth. “I know he loves me. I love him. I love you. But you must go back.”
“My dad came back to take you away from this danger.”
“Where would he take me?”
“Home. Where we live.”
“Where is home?”
“Far away.”
Leah nodded. “It would have to be very far away.”
Elizabeth smiled. “It’s as far away as one can go. We could have so much fun.”
“Fun?”
“Yeah, I could take you to the movies. You could go to the Lady Gaga concert with me and Dad would have no problem. He won’t let me go see her. He’s got this hang-up about her. But he’s old, you know. Do you like ice cream?”
“I do not know what you talk about.”
“Right. But you would love it. We could go to the concert and have a monster-sized sundae.”
“I do not understand.” Leah retreated back to the window. “Elizabeth, the night is here. Now that it’s dark, do you want me to walk you back home? The streets will be empty.”
“No. I won’t leave until I give my father more time. I need to know he’s safe. My aunt told me he went down into the tunnel. Something might have happened. I can’t leave yet.”
“We do not know whether your father is even in Jerusalem.” Leah walked to the end of the floor and retrieved a bedroll. “I think we have done this before,” she said with a sorrowful smile. “Promise me if your father is not here by the next sunset, you will go home. Marcus never forgets to come by every couple of sunsets. He spends much time near the place where he first saw you and your father.”
“Okay, I promise,” Elizabeth said.
Leah spread two bedrolls side by side, laying on the one nearest to the window. “So your father spoke about me a lot?”
Elizabeth smiled without apprehension for the first time since she’d arrived. “Oh yes. All the time.” She leaned over and whispered in her ear, “He wants to marry you.”
After he cleansed the cloths in the fresh jug of water, Michael poured himself a cup, relishing the moisture in his mouth. He continued to dote over Leah, still gauging her fever with his hands.
Zithromax. How does anyone survive here without it? Wish I had a couple of pills here now.
The winds dancing on the roof occasionally disrupted the calm of the evening, creating a hollow yet eerie sound. It conjured up a memory, recalling how he and Elizabeth spent their recent Wednesday nights watching “Ghost Hunters.”
This would be a perfect place to do some hunting.
He strained to listen, jumped up and took a few quick steps to the front door.
What was that sound? Am I hearing things? Was that a wolf? Wait, do they have wolves here? At this time?
The adrenaline pumped through his body so he meditated, begging his heart to settle down. Several minutes ticked by before he went back to check on Leah. She seemed peaceful as little beads of sweat broke out on the side of her face.
Good. Her fever is breaking. She’s getting better.
He placed his hands on her face, wiping away the moisture. Kneeling down beside her, he closed his eyes and kissed her forehead. He struggled to keep his eyes open as he settled into a chair. He folded his arms on the table and put his head down. A feeling of relief washed over him like an ocean wave on a hot August day.
When she’s better I’ll go home. How do I ask her to join me? I’ll also make things better with Elizabeth. Maybe there’s a way she can go to that concert. Set some rules up but compromise a little. She needs to have some fun. I do, too.
He was at peace.
But what if the person Leah is with now is Marcus? What do I do then? She couldn’t possibly be happy with that brute. She’ll want to come with me. At least that’s what I’m hoping.
Sighing, he shifted in the chair and tried to find a comfortable position as he mulled over his options.
If she decides not to come home with me, then I’ll stay and defend her.
He noticed her breathing was peaceful, sending a welcome feeling of redemption and easing the guilt he’d felt for so long for leaving her behind. He drifted in and out of sleep, never able to form a complete dream with a satisfying ending, stumbling and falling out of the chair to the floor, too exhausted to get up.
The smell of porridge and the sound of a crackling fire awakened Michael. As he lifted his head, a soft hand touched the back of his neck, startling him. He shifted, unable to muster enough energy to stand right away.
“I am sorry,” Leah said. “Can I help you up?”
“Hey, look at you. You’re so much better.”
He lifted his head higher, rubbing his neck, aching from the odd angle in which he’d slept. He stood, leaning on the table with one hand.
She gave him a slight bow of her head. “You said your name was Michael?”
“Yes. This you know. Maybe the fever had you confused?”
“Thank you for taking care of me, for keeping me cool with the cloths.”
“Just returning the favor. I would have helped you even if you hadn’t taken care of me once before,” he replied. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
“I do not know what I have done.” She looked at him cautiously and backed away. “Let me prepare you some breakfast.”
“That would be great. Do you have the strength?”
She nodded. “You look tired. Go and get some water for your face while I cook the meal.”
Handing him a fresh cloth, she stared at him closely.
“Oh, that feels good,” he said, letting the coolness refresh his face.
“Sit down.” She placed a bowl of porridge and filled a cup with water. “Whatever the reason you decided to help me, I am grateful. But you must go after you eat or the neighbors will be suspicious.”
“Suspicious of what?”
“I am a married woman.”
Michael’s heart sank. He gritted his teeth, folded his toes into the hard floor, and clenched his hands. “You married that soldier?”
“Soldier?” She wore a baffled expression. “I do not understand.”
“Marcus. The soldier who was after us.”
“I do not know of any Marcus.”
“The Roman. The one who chased us. The one that wanted Elizabeth.”
”Who is Elizabeth?”
Michael rubbed his chin. “My daughter, of course,” he said.
Leah shrugged her shoulders.
He looked around the room. “I guess Marcus is not here?”
She frowned, seeming affronted by his question. “I do not know of this person you speak of. My husband would not approve of you suggesting another man would live here with me.”
“Your husband? What is his name?”
“Yochanan.”
“What?”
“Yochanan is my husband.”
He stood, almost knocking over his dish and cup. “That’s not possible.” He paced, rubbing his forehead and then it dawned on him.
That’s why she didn’t recognize me
. He stopped and stared at her. “I came back at the wrong time.” He held her shoulders. “I can’t believe it. I must have done something wrong.”
She pulled away. “It is not proper for you to touch me this way.”
“I touched you when I was taking care of you.”
“That was a different situation. You had no choice.”
He nodded. “How did I end up in the wrong time period?”
“You are not making sense to me.” Concern flickered in her stare. “Perhaps you have come down with the sickness as well?”
He shook his head, his voice trembling. “No, I’m feeling fine.”
“Then what is wrong?”
“Everything. I have to leave now.”
“I would like to offer you breakfast before you are on your way.”
“I don’t have time. I have to get back home to my daughter.”
“Perhaps you can bring your daughter back and join me and my husband for dinner?” she asked. “Yochanan will be back soon and I know he would want to thank you for helping me.”
His heart pumped at a fast pace. “Where is your husband?”
“Why?”
“It’s important. I need to find him.”
“He is probably in the mountains, following some rabbi. He finds much comfort in their words. He is still grieving.”
“Grieving over who?”
“Our daughter.”
“He needs to get back to you as soon as he can.”
She stared at him, alarmed. “Why do you say that? Your words are scaring me.”
He didn’t want to frighten Leah, but he couldn’t tell her the truth – that sometime in the near future her husband would be murdered. “I know everything I’m saying must sound strange. Just trust me without asking many questions as I can’t answer them for you right now.” He took a deep breath to calm the panic building inside him. “I need to find him and send him home to see you.”
“I will come with you.”
“No. Stay here in case he comes back. If I don’t find him by the next sunset, then look for us. What was he wearing?”
She chewed her bottom lip and closed her eyes, whispering something that sounded like a prayer, but Michael wasn’t sure. She opened her eyes and looked at him. She seemed calmer. “He is wearing a light blue robe with a brown belt.”
“What color is his hair and what does he look like?”
Leah gave Michael a detailed description. He nodded and tightened the strap on his sandals. “Remember, if I or Yochanan don’t make it back by the next sunset find a relative or friend who can help you find him.”
On impulse he hugged her. She froze yet didn’t pull away this time. He stepped back. “Sorry, didn’t mean to. If Yochanan comes home, tell him to carry a weapon. You live in dangerous times.”
“We do not believe in killing. We live our life through the Ten Commandments.”
“Sometimes you need to defend yourself.”
“We will defend ourselves with prayer and love.”
“Sometimes you can give someone all the love in the world and it won’t be accepted. Please promise me you’ll consider it.”
She didn’t answer.
“I’ve got to go. You have no idea what you’ve done for me. I will never forget you.”
She gave him a curious look before replying. “Nor will I.”
He paused a few seconds and shook her hand. Then he hurried out the front door and through the courtyard. He drank a few cups of water by the well before heading toward Jerusalem.
I can save his life. I have to be smart, careful. I can’t come at him with fear or he’ll think I’m crazy. Of course I can’t tell him I love his wife. I’m not even going to tell him I know her. Now I know why I’m here in this time period.
I’m here to change Leah and Yochanan’s life.