Chapter 1.5 - Divine Disturbance

In the absence of the moon, the eastern star danced to its brightest amongst all others as its single shaft led the wise men to a manger. Not far away, on a spot where dense number of trees dwelt, a conspicuous man searched for something that would conceal his nakedness. A while ago, he had buried his modern day jeans and shirts underground below an enormous tree just outside the gate of the city. The tree would indicate the location of his clothes when he had to come back to the day he belonged eventually.

He did not have to search further for at last, a young Semite came to pass through his trail. The murder happened in the shadow of the disconcerting forest. Chris, with all of his might, initially hit the youth with his bare hands. Then he saw a hard petiole of a palm tree and smashed the skull of the boy. Blood flowed drastically in his brain but it did not find an open wound to flow free. This triggered his sudden death.

The killer found a dagger holstered in the Semite’s belt and took it. He hesitated for a moment, observing if the blade in his hands would have to be plunged to his prey’s chest and subsequently sensed it would be unnecessary. He removed his victim’s robe from its body and wrapped it to his own so that he would be dressed suitably in this place and time. He put the dagger inside the pocket of the robe he was wearing now.

It hadn’t been much of a difficulty to find the birthplace for he had read the story about it many times, a long time ago. He soon found himself marching with a band of shepherds as they reached the manger. He found the infant with his parents. The mother looked so lovely and immaculate. The father bore a cranky face but apparently, his behavior toward the herd that gathered around the place exuded the opposite. Both parents were ostensibly hospitable and they manifested their delight through the smiles in their faces.

Chris stalked and waited outside. He waited for the wise men to arrive because he knew that before dawn, the crowd would disappear.

Sure enough, after each magus had offered his present and paid his homage to the newborn, the flock of shepherds went back to tend their sheep, the farmers departed to cultivate their fields and almost everyone who witnessed the so-called miracle went back to his respective land to mind his own business.

Joseph, the father of the baby, left the shelter to look for the owner of the barn and tell him that they were leaving. Mary, his wife, was alone now with their boy child. The sleepless Chris moved toward the shelter and halted at the entrance. He needed not to knock for it didn’t bear a door. He went inside and saw Mary sitting next to the crib.

“Good morning,” he greeted. Mary did not understand the words but the look in her eyes welcomed the stranger. He went toward the manger and moved his hands beneath his pocket to make sure the dagger was there. Mary spoke something in Aramaic which he did not understand. She left the baby’s cradle and went outside to fetch herself something to drink.

Chris was shaking. He was thrilled because he was nearing to fulfill his mission: to break the words of all the prophets. He wanted to prove that the Being above was no longer in power. He wanted to show Him that mankind didn’t need a redeemer. He even thought his feat would prove that this child was just a hell of a plain legend, a mere story. Most of all, he wanted his Adversary to feel pain. He wanted Him to suffer. He wanted Him to know not only how it would feel to lose someone He cherished the most but also the frustration it would bring when His words come failing.

He drew his dagger out from his robe and stared at the infant. He looked so beautiful, meek and gentle that anyone who saw him would be astonished and with such feeling, would make one’s soul shout for joy and jump to its feet. Chris felt this way and it brought tears to his eyes. He couldn’t imagine thrusting the knife with his own hands to this tender infant’s heart. He lost his grip of the dagger and it fell on the heap of barns. Despite his innocence, the baby smiled at his visitor. Mary cast a shadow and approached the manger to look after her beloved child, unaware of the dagger on the visitor’s feet.

          Chris faltered because he didn’t know what to do next. Worse, he couldn’t fathom what was happening inside of him. He turned to look at Mary who gave him a comforting smile. He was captivated, smitten by her beauty. He stepped backwards staggering through the exit as he felt he had bumped into another man’s body. When he turned around, he saw Joseph’s placid eyes.

Just as the child’s father was about to speak, Chris was already running like a mad wolf with a disgruntled soul in the desert where a colossal star kept beaming through the spot where he had just come from.

Reviews

[Frances O'Neill]

I'm glad the star kept beaming at the anti-Christ! Nicely written and with a nice tone, but what

does Chapter 1.5 mean?