And as all of Heaven zoomed off leaving him to his fate, he stood and walked into Judas’ embrace.
“Rabboni” Judas greeted
“What took you so long?” he whispered
Aghast, Judas stared at him. “you knew?”
“But I did tell you earlier during Supper” Mallam replied wearily
“Yes, but…. how did you know? did any of the councillors rat me out?”
“Judas, how long have you been with me not to know who I am?”
“Move it, let us go” the leader shoved him as the mob got restless
The noise had woken the sleeping trio and still bleary-eyed, Bulus wielded his sword which connected with the side of a man standing beside him. Screams, blood, chaos and more shouting.
“Sheath your sword, Bulus” Mallam remonstrated
“But Master, why are they attacking you and why are you so calm?”
“Judas, what is going on and who are these? What have you done?” it was soft-spoken Yohan
“Enough you three” Mallam raised his voice. “No fighting now. I have this under control”
As the crowd surged around him and became rough, the other disciples also came around with trepidation. Unasked questions assailed them. Earlier this week this same crowd had thronged Mallam celebrating him as King. What changed now?
“Rein your mob in. I am not running away and this show is not necessary right now” Mallam said to the leader. Dawn was gradually yielding to daylight as they approached the City Hall and more early bird passersby swelled the crowd
“This is not about you but it is my responsibility to deliver you to the Union” The leader sounded remorseful
As they approached City Hall, Mallam looked around for his men. None was within sight.
“What a night I have had and this day is yet to begin”. He exhaled
Before the last prayer watch of that eventful day; he would have been tried by a kangaroo court, sentenced to death by hanging like one of society’s scum, scourged with his body lacerated and made to carry a crucifix to the execution site on a hilltop. That beating would leave him so weakened he would repeatedly fall under the weight of the cross until help came. Help from a North African – the same land which provided refuge when he was a toddler escaping Herod’s death came help again now.
As Shabbat preparations began, his body would be retrieved and hastily buried inside another man’s tomb to prevent the birds of the air and wild animals access to it.
Further up the road, peals of laughter could be heard dimly. Lucifer and his gang cackling like hyenas.
“And you would have thought that with all the powers available to him, he could have escaped this death” laughed the principality of that area
“I cannot place a finger to it yet however something about today simply does not add up. He was too yielding and I wonder what it is” rasped Lucifer