Sacred Scrolls; Chapter 20

 

Sacred Scrolls; Chapter 20

© 2021 by Amber Wright

CAPTAIN OF THIEVES

“But Demetrius, even though you have sinned,” Junia found her voice growing even smaller as she snapped fully awake to the fact that before her was standing a murderer, a captain of thieves, “there is still forgiveness. You only have to ask. That’s all—that easy.”

Then her heart tripped into a higher pace, waiting for his reply.

“I can’t ask, Junia.” His tone turned scornful. “I’m not good enough.”

“None of us are ‘good enough’, Demetrius.” Junia swallowed, words filled with feeling. “None of us were good enough for Christ to give His life for. Us—all stinking, rotten dust who break His commandments every day. Did you know that hating somebody is just as bad as killing somebody?” She paused, letting this sink into him, hoping these words would speak to him. To him, the murderer.

His mouth twitched. “Who said so?”

“Jesus said so.” Junia slowly chose her words. “Jesus also said that nobody should offer their gift upon the altar before making things right with somebody who they have something against. Jesus’ exact words. How many of us do that?”

Demetrius remained silent so she added a little braver, “We all have sinned and come short of the Kingdom of God but there is a Sacrifice for us, our Advocate to remit our sins when we repent.”

“Junia, don’t think your petty sins are as big as mine.” Demetrius heaved out a sigh. “I’m a thief—worse. What would God want a thief for?”

“There was a thief on the cross beside Him who asked,” Junia felt a tremor in her voice as she desperately tried to bring Demetrius to Christ, “and Jesus told that thief ‘today shall you be with Me in Paradise’.”

“Well, I’m not a dying thief here and I’m not on any cross.” He added tensely, “Like I said, I’ve shed innocent blood—no one deserves to die. I’m a Robber-Captain murderer. Junia, do you realize who you’re talking to?”

“I realize,” very lowly and Junia felt a moan ache through her. Oh God, what has our injustice brought us to? They try and then by our injustice they are made more child of hell than when they first came to us. What have we done! She prayed for the right words to say next. “Fil’os, there was a murderer who was appointed to die, Barabbas by name.”

Total silence.

“And instead of the sentence of the cross, that murderer was set free for Jesus had taken his place. Jesus took your place, Demetrius, so that you could be free.”

Demetrius looked disturbed but remained indifferent. “Do you see any chains on me now?”

“Demetrius.” Her heart felt as heavy as a millstone.

“And I’m certainly not in any prison that I know of!” Demetrius added, twitching his shoulders, looking nervous despite his coolness of speech.

“But the worst prison is within.”

He started to walk off.

“Demetrius, where are you going? I haven’t talked to you for such a long time.”

He turned around. “I’m not going to stand there and talk to you if all you’re going to do is preach at me.”

“I didn’t mean to.” Junia silently groaned, If only there was a way to undo. “I only wanted to help you.”

“You have helped me.” Demetrius sounded a little brighter, smiling. “You succeeded in the mission that I wanted you to do. Thank you again.”

“You’re welcome.” Junia smiled through her despair.

Demetrius’ attitude towards her talk about Jesus and being free hurt her. He did not want to hear about Christianity now. Not that she could really blame him after his encounter with the Christians he had met. It isn’t right, she thought with rightful fury. Why does the Christians get labeled evil because of the evil ones called Christians?

They then spoke of other things: about Judith and Rufus’ upcoming wedding, how her family was doing, and that Elder John had not come to visit again. Junia thought aloud, “I wish Elder John was here again.”

“So do I.” Demetrius agreed to her surprise.

Junia stared up at him and Demetrius looked shocked himself. Neither said a word but she knew that there was still good in him. Whenever Elder John spoke, the man more or less “preached” and always talked about Jesus and being free. Demetrius was only stuck in a horrible rut called misfortune, Junia now noted with concern. It would take a man of God to lead him from it. Not her. She could only pray.

In their silence a cock suddenly crowed and Junia blinked. Morning was already beginning to break.

Demetrius grabbed her sleeve and pulled on his hood. “I’ve got to get you home. Your parents are going to be worried sick. I’m really sorry, but you were the only person I could think of to handle the situation.” He started towards the entrance of the cave. “Marcus!”

Marcus followed, pulling on his hood.

Three horses were waiting for them by the cave’s opening where the faintest streaks of day met Junia’s firelight adjusted eyes. She squinted at the oncoming brightness as Demetrius helped her mount a horse. Little was said.

They jolted over bumpy, unused roads until they reached the smoother, more-traveled highway. Junia found her head nodding with sleep as the horse she rode rocked her in a slow, steady motion. Will we ever reach the city before the sun rises fully? Before I slide from this horse? She blinked back her thoughts, pulling up her large brown hood which kept falling back. She did not wish to be recognized—and gossiped about. But the hood fell back again and she left it to sag onto her back. They were almost there.

“Here,” Demetrius swung off his horse, taking Junia’s elbow to help her down. “Quick!”

Junia sleepily slid off the horse as Demetrius helped her down. They set off towards the city, leaving Marcus with the horses in a thicket near the desolated north gate.

All thought of sleep evaporated from her as Junia looked at the brown-hooded man ahead of her. It was Demetrius himself, the Robber-Captain, who was ushering her into the city. The fact made her feel awed and unsure at the same time. It was dangerous for both of them, Demetrius entering the city near sunrise. What if somebody recognized him and tried to kill him…and her? She could perfectly imagine the plain wooden biers they would be placed into. She could even feel the tears (or, the should be tears) dripping onto her from the mourners towering over her. Of course, Lucius would probably only give her a sneer and feel sorry for himself that he was still alive.

Junia stopped, feeling herself choke with self-pity at the thought of people seeing her dead…and ugly. She shook her ridiculous thoughts back and walked in step with silent Demetrius who looked cautiously around as he made each step. Her mind blinked into a new thought. Why was he seeing her safely home when he was a thief, a murderer? Those type of men usually did no such thing. She swallowed in her amazement, How can he have a heart like that if he’s really all bad? I don’t get it. There must be good in him still—there must be. They stopped.

At the side of her house, Demetrius said his goodbye. “The robe, please. You can’t be blamed for wearing a trademark of my band.”

Junia gave him an understanding nod and shrugged out of the over-sized, borrowed brown robe. Keep this thing and I’ll be dead for sure. At the very least, targeted by horrible Lucius and his equal-minded father. They’ll tag me for one of the band for sure! She held out the robe.

“Thank you,” Junia whispered so quietly that she thought Demetrius had not heard her as he took the robe.

“No need to thank me. I owe you much. You made me feel like living when nobody else did. Thank you.”

“God be with you.” Junia added in a sheer whisper just before Demetrius disappeared into the shadows with the brown robe.

Watching where he had gone, she let out a sigh of relief and opened the side gate leading to their villa. She was home again. Safe. Then somewhere in the city, a cock crowed several times. The day had begun.

Junia rubbed her blinking eyes with a yawn, realizing she still stood in the side garden with her veil dangling around her shoulders and dawn breaking across the horizon. She then questioned herself if she had really dreamed it all or not. So much had happened from last evening until the first break of day.

Nothing was said as she stumbled wearily into the house. Her waiting mother only helped her up the stairs…and she heard no more once her head reached the blanket of her bed. The questions would wait.

~

Junia opened her eyes to find early afternoon sunlight filtering through the lace-work windows, its opened wooden shutters letting in an autumny breeze which made the room smell fresh. In her adjoining bathroom, she dressed and washed; then went down the stairs, embarrassed at having slept so late. She wondered why until…she remembered last night.

Last night, she had been captured.

Last night, she had delivered Andronika’s baby.

Last night, she had met Demetrius, the Robber-Captain.

So much had happened…last night. Was it really a dream and now I’m just waking up? She paused on the last step. But no, she remembered too vividly Andronika’s groans, holding an infant, riding a jolting horse twice and talking with Andronika and Demetrius. She took a deep breath, now realizing with horror. Demetrius was the Robber-Captain who had been terrorizing the locals with his vicious band. She had met him…and now she knew. She felt a scream inside her, No God, please let it all be a nightmare. Please!

When she entered the kitchen to find something to eat, Junia found her mother cutting vegetables at the table. Eunice smiled up at her and pulled out a plate of food from a shelf behind her.

“I saved you your dinner, my dear.” Eunice passed her the plate.

Junia gratefully took it and dipped herself a cup of water from the water barrel. “Thank you, Meh’tehr.” She prayed over the food and silently devoured it, feeling ravenously hungry.

As she was finishing, Eunice spoke in a tone of question. “A young boy came over to our place near sunset to tell us you were delivering a woman’s baby, and that you might be gone for quite a while.”

“I did.” Junia swallowed her last bite of wheat bun and sipped her last drink of water. Her voice fell quieter as she leaned closer to her mother. “I delivered a woman’s baby last night, but that’s not all…”

Eunice’s face spread with alarm.

“Nothing bad happened, Meh’tehr, but will you please promise that what I tell you will not leave this house? Only Pah’tehr, you and I must know. Please?”

“I promise.” Eunice added as if in one breath, “Now, please tell me quickly. What happened?”

~

Thump, thump, thump. Thump. Junia’s knuckles pounded onto Judith’s door for the tenth time, and she stepped back. Impatience filled her as she turned to leave, but a scuffling noise at the side of the house made her pause. Within seconds she was standing in the side garden, watching two brown-hooded men emerge from a broken window.

“What are you two doing here?” Her words came out before she could stop them. The men paused climbing and stared down at her.

“Doing?” the first man spoke sarcastically. “Having a friendly visit with the house while the owners are away.”

“But what’s that in the bag you’re carrying?”

“None of your business!” the man snapped, finishing his climb out of the window as the second man followed.

“It is too my business!” Junia swallowed the last drop of fear as she faced them. “This is my friend’s house and I will not allow you to take anything from her house.”

“Try and stop us if you dare!” The man without the bag grabbed her arms roughly, pulling out a piece of string from his pocket.

“Tie me up and I’ll tell your captain, Demetrius!” She felt her wrists pinch with pain as they were twisted.

The tying string paused and his voice turned low, “How do you know our captain by name?”

“I met him last week. I know him.” Junia gave her hands a jerk, taking a step back from the men in hoods who wore shocked faces. “I delivered a baby of his friend’s. Now, give me the bag.”

The empty-handed man took the bag from his companion. “Sorry.”

Shock filled Junia as she took the bag. Imagine one of the band saying sorry. She seldom heard the word “sorry” even at the church sometimes, much less except it coming from one of the band—it was unthinkable. She heard the sarcastic man protesting about the bag.

“The captain has ordered,” the man who had said sorry told his companion firmly, “this girl is to be granted whatever wish she has. No harm is to be done to her or we will face the consequence. Come on!”

The two brown-hooded men disappeared between houses to Junia’s amazement, leaving her stunned and looking wildly around to see where they had gone. But they were gone, gone as gone could be. They were pretty slippery, those of the band.

Junia called through the broken window, but nobody answered. Judith and her family were gone as well so Junia gently dropped the bag into the house before making her way back home. If Judith or her family had been inside the house? She did not wish to know what the outcome would have been.

~

“How is your baby, Alexander?” Demetrius asked him, feeling a cheerful grin pop onto his face, sitting against a tree trunk eating an apple.

“Doing fine,” Alexander smiled, “thanks to you and that friend of yours. Andronika says Junia was a friend of hers, too. Did you know that?”

“Really?” Demetrius felt his eyebrows knit as he squinted. “Say, how old is Andronika? Junia is fifteen and if they’re friends, then...?”

“Sixteen.” Alexander dropped his eyes with a shrug. “A little young, but the most beautiful girl I have ever met.”

Sixteen? The word sliced through him like a dagger. Just a child. The age my mother was when I was born. “Was she a harlot before you met her?” His eyes hardened, narrowed at his friend.

Alexander looked away and began to change the subject.

“Was she a harlot before she met you? Alexander?”

Alexander's voice pinched. “No.”

At his friend's feeble answer, Demetrius sprang to his feet. Pitching aside his half-eaten apple, he jerked out his dagger. “Tell me, Alexander my Fil’os, do you plan on marrying the girl?”

Alexander stepped back, narrowing his eyes. “Why should I? She’s had others besides me.”

“But will you marry her?” Demetrius caught his friend by the neck of his tunic in one iron grip. “You will?”

Alexander stared wildly at him. “Why should I marry a harlot?”

“Because you made her one, that’s why!” Demetrius screamed hoarsely, gripping the blinking Alexander, and placed his dagger at a hairbreadth from his friend’s throat. “If you don’t, I will kill you!”

A Few Greek Words:

Fil'os: friend

Meh'tehr: mother

Pah'tehr: father

Adher'fi: sister

Adher'fos: brother