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FOR TWENTY PIECES OF SILVER

The companions woke to a windy day which promised showers in the afternoon. They continued their journey and were approaching a mountainous area, but not like the jagged forms of the rockies. They were more like the aged and smoother forms of the Laurentian Mountains, whose shape was sculptured and rounded by the elements since their beginnings.

“Who is the Holy Ghost?” asked Meribah. “Or rather what is his purpose?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it? If water is wet, what is ice?” said Joel.

“The Holy Ghost’s role does seem to be smaller than God’s and Jesus’,” answered Meribah.

“Why ‘The’ Holy Ghost?” asked Marc. “If He is part of God, then He should have a name. If people called me ‘The’ all the time I’d feel less than human, or less than God, whatever the case.”

“I always thought of The Holy Ghost… How about we call him Frank? I always thought of Frank as more of a state that God gives to people. Like he gives a piece of himself to us, so that we are touched by The… Frank. The Buddhists have Nirvana, the Christians have Frank,” Joel surmised.

“I think Frank is a Francine,” said Lily winking at Meribah.

“That follows what my priest used to say,” said Marc walking in back of everyone else. “Not about Francine, but what Joel had said. I remember once he said that the apostles were touched by Francine and from then on they could be understood by everyone, in all languages. He also had this story of a little boy that he had talked to. He had asked the boy who the saints were, and the boy thought about it for a second and said, ‘The saints are the people who the light shines through.’ Well, Father Lemieux was a little taken aback at the boys spiritual insight and asked him what he meant. The boy pointed up to the stained glass at the top of the church wall and said again, ‘who the light shines through.’ Perhaps it’s because of what the boy said, or because it was an innocent boy who said it, but to me The Holy Ghost is that little piece of innocence that is in all of us, and when we are doubly touched by God that innocence and love grows. And maybe that’s when the light shines through saints.” The three listeners had slowed their walking and faced Marc trying to absorb all that he had said. “So to me, Francine is the light that shines through the saints.”

The day wore on, and rain showers started to fall gently to the ground. Not much was said after Marc had finished his Holy Ghost theory. They now approached a boy who lay back in a hammock strung between two large maple trees. He was off to the right of the road, which climbed deeper into the ancient mountains. The peculiar point was that the rain, which had at that time rendered everyone wet, was not falling near the reclined boy.

“Hello, travellers? I haven’t had travellers to talk to in well over two thousand years. David,” said the boy extending his had to Marc.

Marc shook his hand and introduced everyone. The rain had not stopped, but had stopped landing on them while they were in David’s company.

“Why are you out here alone?” asked Meribah.

“No, I’m not alone. I’ve all of God’s creations around me.” David took the hammock down. He then sat down and motioned for everyone else to do so. “No. Here, I am not alone, but at the same time I do not have people ordering me what to do.”

“You sound like someone who has been made to do things against his will,” remarked Joel.

“You mean a slave don’t you?” asked David to Joel. Joel nodded embarrassed. “Well you’re right, I was a slave. I and my people built pyramids, I only worked on one personally but you get the idea.”

“And now you’ve turned your back on man and his cruel societies to live alone in the mountains?” asked Meribah.

“No, no. Nothing that dramatic. I came here, where I decide when to work, when to sleep, when to wake. Where I make all the decisions. And I just haven’t decided to work yet. Maybe someday.”

“Which pyramid did you work on?” asked Marc.

“I’m not quite sure. I never knew what they called it, but we… We called it the Life Taker. Many good men died working on it and in the end. I joined them.” David smiled and leaned back against his tree.

“So what do you do here, with God’s creations?” Marc asked.

“Sleep mostly, sometimes I walk and stop to eat berries. Once a week I move my hammock to a new location. A new environment stops things from getting boring.” David stretched his arms. “Sometimes animals will come by and talk to me.”

“Well it sounds very pleasant to me. I envy you,” said Lily.

“Yup, and so you should.” David made himself more comfortable, yawned, and said, “Night.” A second later he was asleep.

“Maybe we should join him.” Joel looked up at the clouds. “It is getting dark, and the rain isn’t going to let up. If he can block the rain while he’s awake, he should be able to do it while he’s sleeping.”

“I’m in,” said Lily.

“I’m game.” Marc lay down under the other maple tree.

“Like I have a choice,” complained Meribah.