The Godsend Backfire: The Beginning by Harold Straugh (books to read in your 30s TXT) 📕

three going vertical, and three going horizontal. There was one tree, slightly larger than the rest, set apart from the rest as well in the front of the garden.  Many people were down on their knees by the tree, praying.

I remained quiet, I believed they were wasting their time, but I didn’t want to be rude at the same time.  I plucked one of the olives from the tree and popped it in my mouth and bit down into bitterness.  A raw olive, to me, tasted horrible and I quickly spat it out. I walked around, admiring the garden, it was minimal, but it was a neat sight to see.  Some time had gone into planting them and organizing the walkways.

I didn’t see Jesus though, yet and looked about or him a few more times, it appeared he was hiding, which if he knew what was coming for him. I would have too.  It wasn’t until the night fall that he surfaced.  Him and only three other disciples went to the garden where I entered in a few minutes after they did and hid a darkened corner.

“I am going to pray! Stay awake and keep guard, tonight is the night they come for me,” he said.

As the night wore on Jesus prayed and soon his disciples were asleep, I watched as Jesus took notice and came back to them.

“Why are you asleep? I asked you to stay awake?”

One of them woke up and answered, “I am sorry, I’ve been awake since the supper, keeping guard.”

Jesus nudged the others with his foot, “Have you not gotten your rest?”

The other two woke up and stared blankly at Jesus, “Stay awake so I can pray.”

Two more times Jesus had to come back and wake his disciples up and after the third time, I heard a soft rumble come to my ear.  I looked out of the garden and could see torches bouncing about in the night.  Then appeared Judas at the entrance of the garden. He had a sorrowful look on his face as he approached.

“What are you doing here Judas?”

“I need to ask you something Jesus?” Judas said, his voice crackling.

“You can ask me in the morning,” he said hastily.

“There might not be a morning for you, if I ask you this, there might be.”

The other three disciples got up and looked concerned, “Go ahead!”

“Do you ever think you could love me?” Judas asked.

“What are you talking about, I do love you, just as I love the rest,” Jesus said.

“NO!” Judas screamed, tears filling his eyes, “Could you love me more than them?”

“I can love you only as I love them, no more, no less,” Jesus said as Judas stepped towards him.

“Then so be it,” Judas lunged forward and grabbed Jesus’s face and planted a kiss on him, Jesus pulled back and then Judas spoke, “Rabbi!”

Then all hell broke loose, the people from the outside of the garden with torches, came rushing in, it was an angry mob.  They rushed Jesus and bound his hands and bound the hands of his disciples as well.  I kept to my corner and watched like a coward.

“Jesus, King of the Jews, you are herby detained and will be led to the Sanhedrin, where you go on trial.”

It was from there, after a beating, they walked out to the tent that Caiaphas was staying at. I kept my distance and watched. They brought Jesus in and I listened in from the backside of the tent to stay out of view. I could hear Caiaphas speak and many others in there, but with the cheers and jeers coming from them it was hard to hear.

“You attempted to destroy the temple, you violated sabbath, you claim to be the son of Jehovah, how say you to these charges?”

I heard nothing from Jesus, then Caiaphas spoke up again, “Do you say nothing? I have just one more question for you, are you really the son of Jehovah.”

It was then and only then that Jesus spoke, “You know that I am.”

This outraged Caiaphas, who screamed, “To Pontius’s”

When they brought Jesus back out, Jesus was sweating, and they had him blindfolded. One of the angry mobsters smacked Jesus across the face, then asked, “Tell me my name!” and Jesus did not answer. It was an ongoing torture as they walked Jesus in the direction of Pontius’s place, I overheard one person call it the Praetorium.

I followed the angry mob, hearing them mock Jesus and I was getting angered that Jehovah was allowing this to happen.  Not only did thy mock Jesus but they beat him and his disciples on the way to the Praetorium.

It was early morning by time they got there, the sun was just beginning to rise.  I didn’t go into the Praetorium, but it was a sight to be behold, it was massive structure with marble pillars that had gold trim and that was just from the outside.  There were twelve steps that ran the width of the building then, twelve more smaller steps that led into the building.  There were only four pillars, but they were the size of a redwood tree in width and almost just as tall.

I stayed with the angry mob, which grew as we walked.  The hate for Jesus managed to grow over night and well into the next morning. It struck me odd how so many people believed in just days before and now those same people stood before me, hating him. I couldn’t take anymore, I was going to find Judas myself and before I left the word, “Crucifixion” filled the mouths of the angry mob.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Jesus has been condemned to death, which he deserves.”

I said nothing, I didn’t care about my using my abilities during the day, I didn’t care about my hood flying