" Guillaume…I…Jesus…he…he can help…" her eyes grew dimmer and closed
gently.
He scooped her up into his arms, kissing her hair as worry filled his mind.
" I think it's about time we found out how real this whole thing really is…" he said bitterly as he carried her through the garden and towards Jesus and the others.
* * * * * * * *
Jenny and Mark exchanged concerned looks as they awaited Guillaume's return, either with a no doubt annoyed 'Jochebed' or with Jo. He had been gone some time and they were all starting to worry. To add to their problems Judas had noticed the sudden disappearance of 'Jochebed' and had been less than happy about it. Judas had spent the best part of half an hour pacing around the garden, in and out of trees. A worried look etched on his face, raising his brooding eyes every time someone came into the garden only to wrench them away when he found it wasn't her.
" I think we might have a problem…" Lucy started, absent-mindedly twirling some of her long, dark, curly hair around in her fingers.
" I know – Judas is not a happy bunny! Rosie groaned.
" That's not what I meant," Lucy rolled her eyes, " Although I can see that he might be a little less than civil to our Guillaume!"
" I know what you mean…" sighed Phillipe. " You mean…" he paused as if the next few words simply didn't want to come out of his mouth. "…you mean that we may have to face the fact that it might not have worked…No offence Rosie but it was only an idea and…" Phillipe glanced nervously at Rosie who simply shrugged and sighed.
" I know! I just hoped it would work…" sadness entered her brown eyes and edged her voice.
" So…wh-what do we do if he…I mean...if Guillaume comes back…you know…without Jo?" Marius' voice trembled as he spoke, his eyes glancing around searching for an answer.
" Well…I suppose…" Jenny started, running a hand through her blonde hair. " …If Guillaume comes back alone…without her…then we go on…without her…" she finished quietly. An uncomfortable silence fell upon the group.
" But you can't just leave her here!" Amos suddenly said as he stood, an agitated look on his young face. " I mean, she doesn't know about her life…or…or anything! How can you just leave her?"
" Amos…" Martin said gently. " I know this will sound strange but this isn't the first time we've had to contemplate going on without Jo," Amos frowned as Martin continued, " Back in Artigat, Guillaume told the villagers that Jo was a witch…"
" She's a what?!" Amos yelled, Jenny quickly covered his mouth with her hand.
" Just listen and all will be explained…" she smiled sweetly as Amos' frown grew deeper.
" Anyway…" Martin coughed, "They captured her and were planning to burn her at the stake."
" There was no way to rescue her…" sighed Mark as he remembered that night back in the village and a tearful conversation in a candle lit room.
" She told us to go…leave without her before the villagers turned on us too…" recalled Bertrande in a faraway voice.
" So how come she's…I mean…how come you didn't go?" Amos' voice rang with confusion.
" We almost did…naturally we put if off as long as we could but we were about to leave…" Phillipe closed his pale eyes for a second remembering those frightening hours when they thought Jo had been doomed to die. " But Guillaume…he set her free, rescued her…he saved her life…" A gentle smile caught the corners of Phillipe's mouth as he reopened his eyes. " He rescued her once, I know he'll do it again!" Phillipe's voice held a tone of respect that the friends never expected to hear in connection with Guillaume. His pale eyes met those of the friends who, despite a desperate desire to believe him, looking sceptical. Phillipe smiled. " I know as well as you do that the chances of Jo returning to us fully restored are…" he sighed, "…Slim to none but I…we have to hope! Without hope…what do we have?" he asked, his baritone voice soft. Gentle, hopeful smiles spread around the group.
" You remind me of Jo…" Mark said suddenly. " …That's the kind of nonsense she'd come out with!" he grinned.
" I'll take that as a compliment!" Phillipe's face grew brighter and he laughed. Gasps from the disciples in the garden made the friends stop and turn around. Guillaume stumbled into the garden with Jo in his arms, apparently unconscious.
" H-help me!" he gasped as he dropped to his knees. The group of travellers dashed over to him and gently prised Jo out of his arms, laying her carefully on the floor.
" Well…?" Rosie looked down at her friend on the floor.
" Did it work…?" swallowed Lucy.
" Can she…you know…?" Mark looked anxiously at Guillaume and his mouth dropped open. The sleeve of Guillaume's top was red. Stained bright crimson from where Jo's head had been resting. Mark raised a shaking hand and pointed. " Wh-what is that…?"
" She hit her head…" Guillaume mumbled.
" Yes…that was the idea…" Jenny frowned. " Can she remember? Does she know who she is?"
" Y-yes…but her head…" Guillaume nodded.
" How hard did you hit her?!" Marius yelled as he noticed the ground beneath Jo's head slowly turning red.
" I didn't!" Guillaume's eyes began to fill with tears. " I missed her completely and we started fighting. I couldn't do it. I kept missing…then she lost her balance. She fell. I thought she was dead…I saw her hit her head…" his voice began to break and he swallowed, " But…but she wasn't…she knew who I was and who she was…then she…she started to black out and then I noticed the blood…" A tear fell down his cheek. " I came to get help…"
" She needs help fast!" Bertrande knelt next to Jo and felt for her pulse.
" She…she said Jesus might help…" mumbled Guillaume, stroking Jo's dark hair.
" Amos…go and get Jesus! Now!" Jenny instructed. Amos nodded and sprinted off across the garden. Judas frowned as the youth sped past him calling out Jesus' name. He glanced over at the group and gasped. They were stood, some of them knelt, in a circle. On the floor was laid 'Jochebed'. He found himself running over to them and pushing his way through so he could see what had happened.
" What happened to her?!" he demanded. Judas' eyes looking at each one of them in turn. His dark eyes fell upon Guillaume and the blood on his sleeve. Judas' eyes narrowed, as Guillaume looked up at him sorrowfully.
" Sh-she hit her head…" Guillaume started but before he could finish Judas had marched around to him and knocked him to the floor. " What the…?" Guillaume frowned.
" What did you do to her?" Judas's voice was dangerously quiet.
" I…I didn't do anything…" Guillaume pleaded. Judas stood over him and grabbed at his sleeve, ripping it away. He shook the blood soaked cloth in Guillaume's face.
" Really? And what is this?!" Judas snarled.
" It wasn't me…" Guillaume stood slowly, an expression of anger growing on his face.
" Really…" Judas raised a cynical eyebrow as he took a step nearer to Guillaume.
" Yes…really…Guillaume spat as he stepped closer to Judas.
" So why is there blood on your hands…and your clothes…?!" Judas flung the scrap of blood-covered material at Guillaume. The friends gasped as they watched it catch the side of Guillaume's face, leaving a bloody mark. Guillaume's dark eyes, so similar to Judas', flashed with rage as he glared at the leather-clad man in front of him. " What did you do to her…?" Judas repeated venomously.
" I didn't touch her!" Guillaume replied, a sneer covering his face.
" So her head…it just started bleeding did it?" Judas scoffed.
" Yeah," Guillaume put his head on one side, " That's exactly what happened!" Judas' eyes narrowed further as Guillaume stepped closer to him.
" I bet you're the one who hurt her before…" Judas muttered, " She was running away from you and your band of…of…" he looked at the others, a disapproving look in his eyes. " …Whatever you are!"
" We are her friends…" Rosie said firmly.
" Friends?!" laughed Judas, looking back at Guillaume. " Well…with friends like you…who needs enemies!" He shoved Guillaume backwards.
" Hey…!" frowned Guillaume, shoving Judas' shoulder in retaliation. " We had no choice…"
" So you admit it…you're responsible for doing this to her!" Judas punched Guillaume back, his eyes almost glowing in anger.
" No…just that with an idiot like you hovering over her…what else were we supposed to do?!" Guillaume hit him back.
" Stop it!" Lucy said in a frightened voice as Judas fist swung out and struck Guillaume's jaw. Guillaume retaliated, his blow connecting with Judas' nose. The two men glared at each other with pure hatred burning in their eyes and the punches began to fly, as did the insults. Their blows rained down on each other, hitting each other's ribs, stomachs and faces.
" Guillaume please…" pleaded Jenny. Judas froze mid swing and his mouth dropped open.
" You're…you're Guillaume?" his voice barely more than a whisper. Guillaume nodded, his chest heaving from their brief fight.
" Y-yes…what of it…?" Guillaume frowned.
" You're the one…the one who's name Jochebed could remember…" Judas mumbled.
" Her name is Jo…" Mark said in a firm voice. Judas opened his mouth to continue but the sound of Amos approaching broke through the angry atmosphere that hung over the group.
" She's over here…" Amos said breathlessly to Jesus as they arrived at the group of friends. Jesus cast his gaze over Judas and Guillaume, both starting to show the signs of their brawl. Judas nose was bleeding slightly and Guillaume had a small cut above his eye. Jesus shook his head sadly.
" Why have you been fighting Judas…?" Jesus' voice was calm and placating. Judas' face immediately became one of guilt and sorrow.
" Jesus I'm sorry…but he…" Judas started but Jesus held up a hand to stop him continuing as he knelt next to Jo. " Amos has already told me what has happened…" Jesus said quietly, laying his hand on Jo's forehead. He turned his face to Guillaume, his blue eyes piercing the dark ones before him. " What happened to her…?"
" She fell…she struck her head upon a rock…" Guillaume dropped to his knees next to Jesus. " It is true that I led her to the garden to…well…to try and get her memory back but I never meant to hurt her…" Jesus smiled softly.
" I know you didn't…" Jesus returned his gaze to Jo, a frown crossing his face. " She is hurt…very badly…" he said almost angrily.
" Is there anything you can do…?" Rosie's voice was full of anguish as she looked at the blonde haired man. Jesus looked into her brown eyes and sadly shook his head.
" It is beyond even my doing…" he sighed and a gasp went around the group of friends. " But there is a way…" Jesus' quiet voice continued.
" Wh-what is it?" Martin and Marius asked in unison.
" I saw it in a dream…" Jesus voice was breathy and it sounded as if he wasn't even there.
" A dream?!" Guillaume scoffed. " You want us to risk her life on something you saw in a dream!" Judas kneed him less than subtly in the back and growled.
" Watch yourself boy! Remember who you're talking to!"
" Judas please…" Jesus sighed and looked at Guillaume. " You must trust me…I had a dream the night before Judas brought 'Jochebed', or Jo as you call her, to meet me." Silence fell over the group and even the sceptical Guillaume listened carefully. " I saw her in pain, as she is now and I saw you all stood around her." A smile crossed Jesus' lips and he brushed a lock of his hair out of his eyes. " There was a cloud…a golden cloud. The like of which I have never seen before…" A pause followed.
" That's it? A cloud?" Guillaume frowned. " A cloud is going to save her life?!"
" Guillaume please…" frowned Bertrande.
" What did the cloud look like…?" Mark asked quietly.
" It had formed in a column, like the pillars the Romans decorate their buildings with…and it was spinning…spinning very slowly…" Jesus' voice was full of awe as he described the cloud to the friends.
" Does that sound familiar to anyone…?" Mark raised a dark eyebrow and his green eyes glinted at the others.
" A Gyratory…" breathed the others.
" Where? Where was the Gyra…I mean cloud?" Phillipe asked.
" In a garden…not this one…it looked like…" Jesus started.
" Gethsemane!" finished the friends.
" Well what are we waiting for…?" Amos stood and looked at them. " If help lies beyond that Gyratory then we need to get Jo through it sooner rather then later don't you think?!"
" I'm coming with you…" a voice came from across the garden. The friends looked to see Simon leaning against a tree.
" Simon…?" gasped Rosie.
" But why…?" Jesus looked confused for a second and then a warm smile covered his face. " If you feel you must go…then I shall not keep you here…" Simon walked over to them, his piercing blue eyes looking at each of them.
" You all know that I have not been truly happy here…and this sounds like the kind of adventure that might make the most of my skills!" He grinned, tapping the gun strapped to his leg. " I know you don't approve of violence Jesus but they need protecting and I am more than willing to do that!"
" Guillaume…?" a quiet voice could be heard from behind them. They span around to see Jo's eyes were open slightly. Guillaume dropped down by her side and lifted her into a sitting position, leaning her against him.
" I'm here…" he whispered, holding her hand tightly in his.
" Where…where is everyone?" Jo frowned,
" We're here…" Rosie smiled gently as Jo looked up at them all, a warm smile covering her lips.
" …Hey…" Jo grinned weakly as she looked at them all.
" You're going to be fine…Jesus has come up with a solution…" Lucy's voice was full of relief.
" Jesus has found a way to help you…" Mark smiled. Jo's eyes met those of Jesus and he knelt down next to her. She reached out a hand and laid it upon his cheek.
" Thank you…for my name…" she said gently. Jesus laid his hand on hers for a second.
" I'm glad I could help…" he smiled before standing once more. Jo looked up and she frowned as she saw a brooding Judas stood behind the others.
" Judas…" she said in an ever-fading voice, he made his way between the friends and dropped down next to her. Once more she reached out and took his hand in hers.
" Thank you for finding me when I was lost…" Jo's eyes looked into his. He reached out with his other hand and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Jo smiled and laid a hand on his face. " You saved my life and owe you everything…" Judas shrugged, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.
" You owe me nothing…" he said hoarsely, stroking her cheek.
" I'm glad I got to meet you…" Jo smiled weakly as the pain in her head grew.
" Me too…" whispered Judas, kissing her hand as he watched her green eyes close once more. " You take care of her…" Judas spoke to Guillaume firmly. Guillaume looked into his eyes and nodded.
" I will…I promise…" Guillaume scooped the unconscious Jo back into his arms and the friends, now joined by Simon, started to head back towards the garden of Gethsemane after bidding farewell to Jesus, Judas and Mary. In a matter of minutes they were stood in the glade where Jo and Guillaume had fought.
" Why are you so sure it'll appear here?" Jenny said breathlessly.
" Just a feeling…" Guillaume answered, his dark eyes looking up to the sky as if he expected the Gyratory to simply fall from the heavens. Suddenly a bolt of golden lightning struck the centre of the glade and the friends were thrown to the floor.
" Is everyone alright?" Guillaume quickly checked Jo to see if she was still breathing.
" Yeah…" came the groaned reply from around the glade quickly followed by gasps of surprise. In the centre of the glade, swirling gently was a Gyratory. The colour of summer sunshine, it was the largest Gyratory any of them had seen. The others had been no more than an arm span wide; this one almost filled the glade completely. The friends stood, Simon was completely taken aback by what he saw.
" Wh-what is that?" his voice was barely audible.
" This is a Gyratory…the cloud Jesus spoke of…" Phillipe said gently, " And this is what we must go through to get help…"
" This is how you came here….isn't it?" Simon looked at them in confusion and they nodded their reply.
" Don't be afraid…" Rosie smiled, trying to sound more confident than she was.
" It's perfectly safe…" grinned Martin. " Don't know about pleasant though…!" muttered Jenny under her breath. " Are we ready…?" Guillaume stood next to the swirling yellow mist, Jo held tightly in his arms. The rest of the friends joined him and took a deep breath. " Here's hoping help is on the other side!" he yelled, kissing Jo's forehead before stepping into the golden Gyratory followed by the others.
" Oh my god!" shrieked Simon once they were inside the tunnel. " You call this safe?!" The wind whipped at his blonde hair and pulled at his clothes.
" Trust me…" shouted Guillaume, " This ride will be over much sooner than you thiiiiink!" he yelled as the Gyratory came to it's usual abrupt ending. The friends landed in a heap with a groan. They untangled themselves and looked around, their mouths open wide in amazement. Wonder sparkling in their eyes, confusion evident on their faces.
" What the…?" started Lucy.
" How…?" frowned Mark.
" Where the hell are we now?!" Rosie yelled.
He scooped her up into his arms, kissing her hair as worry filled his mind.
" I think it's about time we found out how real this whole thing really is…" he said bitterly as he carried her through the garden and towards Jesus and the others.
* * * * * * * *
Jenny and Mark exchanged concerned looks as they awaited Guillaume's return, either with a no doubt annoyed 'Jochebed' or with Jo. He had been gone some time and they were all starting to worry. To add to their problems Judas had noticed the sudden disappearance of 'Jochebed' and had been less than happy about it. Judas had spent the best part of half an hour pacing around the garden, in and out of trees. A worried look etched on his face, raising his brooding eyes every time someone came into the garden only to wrench them away when he found it wasn't her.
" I think we might have a problem…" Lucy started, absent-mindedly twirling some of her long, dark, curly hair around in her fingers.
" I know – Judas is not a happy bunny! Rosie groaned.
" That's not what I meant," Lucy rolled her eyes, " Although I can see that he might be a little less than civil to our Guillaume!"
" I know what you mean…" sighed Phillipe. " You mean…" he paused as if the next few words simply didn't want to come out of his mouth. "…you mean that we may have to face the fact that it might not have worked…No offence Rosie but it was only an idea and…" Phillipe glanced nervously at Rosie who simply shrugged and sighed.
" I know! I just hoped it would work…" sadness entered her brown eyes and edged her voice.
" So…wh-what do we do if he…I mean...if Guillaume comes back…you know…without Jo?" Marius' voice trembled as he spoke, his eyes glancing around searching for an answer.
" Well…I suppose…" Jenny started, running a hand through her blonde hair. " …If Guillaume comes back alone…without her…then we go on…without her…" she finished quietly. An uncomfortable silence fell upon the group.
" But you can't just leave her here!" Amos suddenly said as he stood, an agitated look on his young face. " I mean, she doesn't know about her life…or…or anything! How can you just leave her?"
" Amos…" Martin said gently. " I know this will sound strange but this isn't the first time we've had to contemplate going on without Jo," Amos frowned as Martin continued, " Back in Artigat, Guillaume told the villagers that Jo was a witch…"
" She's a what?!" Amos yelled, Jenny quickly covered his mouth with her hand.
" Just listen and all will be explained…" she smiled sweetly as Amos' frown grew deeper.
" Anyway…" Martin coughed, "They captured her and were planning to burn her at the stake."
" There was no way to rescue her…" sighed Mark as he remembered that night back in the village and a tearful conversation in a candle lit room.
" She told us to go…leave without her before the villagers turned on us too…" recalled Bertrande in a faraway voice.
" So how come she's…I mean…how come you didn't go?" Amos' voice rang with confusion.
" We almost did…naturally we put if off as long as we could but we were about to leave…" Phillipe closed his pale eyes for a second remembering those frightening hours when they thought Jo had been doomed to die. " But Guillaume…he set her free, rescued her…he saved her life…" A gentle smile caught the corners of Phillipe's mouth as he reopened his eyes. " He rescued her once, I know he'll do it again!" Phillipe's voice held a tone of respect that the friends never expected to hear in connection with Guillaume. His pale eyes met those of the friends who, despite a desperate desire to believe him, looking sceptical. Phillipe smiled. " I know as well as you do that the chances of Jo returning to us fully restored are…" he sighed, "…Slim to none but I…we have to hope! Without hope…what do we have?" he asked, his baritone voice soft. Gentle, hopeful smiles spread around the group.
" You remind me of Jo…" Mark said suddenly. " …That's the kind of nonsense she'd come out with!" he grinned.
" I'll take that as a compliment!" Phillipe's face grew brighter and he laughed. Gasps from the disciples in the garden made the friends stop and turn around. Guillaume stumbled into the garden with Jo in his arms, apparently unconscious.
" H-help me!" he gasped as he dropped to his knees. The group of travellers dashed over to him and gently prised Jo out of his arms, laying her carefully on the floor.
" Well…?" Rosie looked down at her friend on the floor.
" Did it work…?" swallowed Lucy.
" Can she…you know…?" Mark looked anxiously at Guillaume and his mouth dropped open. The sleeve of Guillaume's top was red. Stained bright crimson from where Jo's head had been resting. Mark raised a shaking hand and pointed. " Wh-what is that…?"
" She hit her head…" Guillaume mumbled.
" Yes…that was the idea…" Jenny frowned. " Can she remember? Does she know who she is?"
" Y-yes…but her head…" Guillaume nodded.
" How hard did you hit her?!" Marius yelled as he noticed the ground beneath Jo's head slowly turning red.
" I didn't!" Guillaume's eyes began to fill with tears. " I missed her completely and we started fighting. I couldn't do it. I kept missing…then she lost her balance. She fell. I thought she was dead…I saw her hit her head…" his voice began to break and he swallowed, " But…but she wasn't…she knew who I was and who she was…then she…she started to black out and then I noticed the blood…" A tear fell down his cheek. " I came to get help…"
" She needs help fast!" Bertrande knelt next to Jo and felt for her pulse.
" She…she said Jesus might help…" mumbled Guillaume, stroking Jo's dark hair.
" Amos…go and get Jesus! Now!" Jenny instructed. Amos nodded and sprinted off across the garden. Judas frowned as the youth sped past him calling out Jesus' name. He glanced over at the group and gasped. They were stood, some of them knelt, in a circle. On the floor was laid 'Jochebed'. He found himself running over to them and pushing his way through so he could see what had happened.
" What happened to her?!" he demanded. Judas' eyes looking at each one of them in turn. His dark eyes fell upon Guillaume and the blood on his sleeve. Judas' eyes narrowed, as Guillaume looked up at him sorrowfully.
" Sh-she hit her head…" Guillaume started but before he could finish Judas had marched around to him and knocked him to the floor. " What the…?" Guillaume frowned.
" What did you do to her?" Judas's voice was dangerously quiet.
" I…I didn't do anything…" Guillaume pleaded. Judas stood over him and grabbed at his sleeve, ripping it away. He shook the blood soaked cloth in Guillaume's face.
" Really? And what is this?!" Judas snarled.
" It wasn't me…" Guillaume stood slowly, an expression of anger growing on his face.
" Really…" Judas raised a cynical eyebrow as he took a step nearer to Guillaume.
" Yes…really…Guillaume spat as he stepped closer to Judas.
" So why is there blood on your hands…and your clothes…?!" Judas flung the scrap of blood-covered material at Guillaume. The friends gasped as they watched it catch the side of Guillaume's face, leaving a bloody mark. Guillaume's dark eyes, so similar to Judas', flashed with rage as he glared at the leather-clad man in front of him. " What did you do to her…?" Judas repeated venomously.
" I didn't touch her!" Guillaume replied, a sneer covering his face.
" So her head…it just started bleeding did it?" Judas scoffed.
" Yeah," Guillaume put his head on one side, " That's exactly what happened!" Judas' eyes narrowed further as Guillaume stepped closer to him.
" I bet you're the one who hurt her before…" Judas muttered, " She was running away from you and your band of…of…" he looked at the others, a disapproving look in his eyes. " …Whatever you are!"
" We are her friends…" Rosie said firmly.
" Friends?!" laughed Judas, looking back at Guillaume. " Well…with friends like you…who needs enemies!" He shoved Guillaume backwards.
" Hey…!" frowned Guillaume, shoving Judas' shoulder in retaliation. " We had no choice…"
" So you admit it…you're responsible for doing this to her!" Judas punched Guillaume back, his eyes almost glowing in anger.
" No…just that with an idiot like you hovering over her…what else were we supposed to do?!" Guillaume hit him back.
" Stop it!" Lucy said in a frightened voice as Judas fist swung out and struck Guillaume's jaw. Guillaume retaliated, his blow connecting with Judas' nose. The two men glared at each other with pure hatred burning in their eyes and the punches began to fly, as did the insults. Their blows rained down on each other, hitting each other's ribs, stomachs and faces.
" Guillaume please…" pleaded Jenny. Judas froze mid swing and his mouth dropped open.
" You're…you're Guillaume?" his voice barely more than a whisper. Guillaume nodded, his chest heaving from their brief fight.
" Y-yes…what of it…?" Guillaume frowned.
" You're the one…the one who's name Jochebed could remember…" Judas mumbled.
" Her name is Jo…" Mark said in a firm voice. Judas opened his mouth to continue but the sound of Amos approaching broke through the angry atmosphere that hung over the group.
" She's over here…" Amos said breathlessly to Jesus as they arrived at the group of friends. Jesus cast his gaze over Judas and Guillaume, both starting to show the signs of their brawl. Judas nose was bleeding slightly and Guillaume had a small cut above his eye. Jesus shook his head sadly.
" Why have you been fighting Judas…?" Jesus' voice was calm and placating. Judas' face immediately became one of guilt and sorrow.
" Jesus I'm sorry…but he…" Judas started but Jesus held up a hand to stop him continuing as he knelt next to Jo. " Amos has already told me what has happened…" Jesus said quietly, laying his hand on Jo's forehead. He turned his face to Guillaume, his blue eyes piercing the dark ones before him. " What happened to her…?"
" She fell…she struck her head upon a rock…" Guillaume dropped to his knees next to Jesus. " It is true that I led her to the garden to…well…to try and get her memory back but I never meant to hurt her…" Jesus smiled softly.
" I know you didn't…" Jesus returned his gaze to Jo, a frown crossing his face. " She is hurt…very badly…" he said almost angrily.
" Is there anything you can do…?" Rosie's voice was full of anguish as she looked at the blonde haired man. Jesus looked into her brown eyes and sadly shook his head.
" It is beyond even my doing…" he sighed and a gasp went around the group of friends. " But there is a way…" Jesus' quiet voice continued.
" Wh-what is it?" Martin and Marius asked in unison.
" I saw it in a dream…" Jesus voice was breathy and it sounded as if he wasn't even there.
" A dream?!" Guillaume scoffed. " You want us to risk her life on something you saw in a dream!" Judas kneed him less than subtly in the back and growled.
" Watch yourself boy! Remember who you're talking to!"
" Judas please…" Jesus sighed and looked at Guillaume. " You must trust me…I had a dream the night before Judas brought 'Jochebed', or Jo as you call her, to meet me." Silence fell over the group and even the sceptical Guillaume listened carefully. " I saw her in pain, as she is now and I saw you all stood around her." A smile crossed Jesus' lips and he brushed a lock of his hair out of his eyes. " There was a cloud…a golden cloud. The like of which I have never seen before…" A pause followed.
" That's it? A cloud?" Guillaume frowned. " A cloud is going to save her life?!"
" Guillaume please…" frowned Bertrande.
" What did the cloud look like…?" Mark asked quietly.
" It had formed in a column, like the pillars the Romans decorate their buildings with…and it was spinning…spinning very slowly…" Jesus' voice was full of awe as he described the cloud to the friends.
" Does that sound familiar to anyone…?" Mark raised a dark eyebrow and his green eyes glinted at the others.
" A Gyratory…" breathed the others.
" Where? Where was the Gyra…I mean cloud?" Phillipe asked.
" In a garden…not this one…it looked like…" Jesus started.
" Gethsemane!" finished the friends.
" Well what are we waiting for…?" Amos stood and looked at them. " If help lies beyond that Gyratory then we need to get Jo through it sooner rather then later don't you think?!"
" I'm coming with you…" a voice came from across the garden. The friends looked to see Simon leaning against a tree.
" Simon…?" gasped Rosie.
" But why…?" Jesus looked confused for a second and then a warm smile covered his face. " If you feel you must go…then I shall not keep you here…" Simon walked over to them, his piercing blue eyes looking at each of them.
" You all know that I have not been truly happy here…and this sounds like the kind of adventure that might make the most of my skills!" He grinned, tapping the gun strapped to his leg. " I know you don't approve of violence Jesus but they need protecting and I am more than willing to do that!"
" Guillaume…?" a quiet voice could be heard from behind them. They span around to see Jo's eyes were open slightly. Guillaume dropped down by her side and lifted her into a sitting position, leaning her against him.
" I'm here…" he whispered, holding her hand tightly in his.
" Where…where is everyone?" Jo frowned,
" We're here…" Rosie smiled gently as Jo looked up at them all, a warm smile covering her lips.
" …Hey…" Jo grinned weakly as she looked at them all.
" You're going to be fine…Jesus has come up with a solution…" Lucy's voice was full of relief.
" Jesus has found a way to help you…" Mark smiled. Jo's eyes met those of Jesus and he knelt down next to her. She reached out a hand and laid it upon his cheek.
" Thank you…for my name…" she said gently. Jesus laid his hand on hers for a second.
" I'm glad I could help…" he smiled before standing once more. Jo looked up and she frowned as she saw a brooding Judas stood behind the others.
" Judas…" she said in an ever-fading voice, he made his way between the friends and dropped down next to her. Once more she reached out and took his hand in hers.
" Thank you for finding me when I was lost…" Jo's eyes looked into his. He reached out with his other hand and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Jo smiled and laid a hand on his face. " You saved my life and owe you everything…" Judas shrugged, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.
" You owe me nothing…" he said hoarsely, stroking her cheek.
" I'm glad I got to meet you…" Jo smiled weakly as the pain in her head grew.
" Me too…" whispered Judas, kissing her hand as he watched her green eyes close once more. " You take care of her…" Judas spoke to Guillaume firmly. Guillaume looked into his eyes and nodded.
" I will…I promise…" Guillaume scooped the unconscious Jo back into his arms and the friends, now joined by Simon, started to head back towards the garden of Gethsemane after bidding farewell to Jesus, Judas and Mary. In a matter of minutes they were stood in the glade where Jo and Guillaume had fought.
" Why are you so sure it'll appear here?" Jenny said breathlessly.
" Just a feeling…" Guillaume answered, his dark eyes looking up to the sky as if he expected the Gyratory to simply fall from the heavens. Suddenly a bolt of golden lightning struck the centre of the glade and the friends were thrown to the floor.
" Is everyone alright?" Guillaume quickly checked Jo to see if she was still breathing.
" Yeah…" came the groaned reply from around the glade quickly followed by gasps of surprise. In the centre of the glade, swirling gently was a Gyratory. The colour of summer sunshine, it was the largest Gyratory any of them had seen. The others had been no more than an arm span wide; this one almost filled the glade completely. The friends stood, Simon was completely taken aback by what he saw.
" Wh-what is that?" his voice was barely audible.
" This is a Gyratory…the cloud Jesus spoke of…" Phillipe said gently, " And this is what we must go through to get help…"
" This is how you came here….isn't it?" Simon looked at them in confusion and they nodded their reply.
" Don't be afraid…" Rosie smiled, trying to sound more confident than she was.
" It's perfectly safe…" grinned Martin. " Don't know about pleasant though…!" muttered Jenny under her breath. " Are we ready…?" Guillaume stood next to the swirling yellow mist, Jo held tightly in his arms. The rest of the friends joined him and took a deep breath. " Here's hoping help is on the other side!" he yelled, kissing Jo's forehead before stepping into the golden Gyratory followed by the others.
" Oh my god!" shrieked Simon once they were inside the tunnel. " You call this safe?!" The wind whipped at his blonde hair and pulled at his clothes.
" Trust me…" shouted Guillaume, " This ride will be over much sooner than you thiiiiink!" he yelled as the Gyratory came to it's usual abrupt ending. The friends landed in a heap with a groan. They untangled themselves and looked around, their mouths open wide in amazement. Wonder sparkling in their eyes, confusion evident on their faces.
" What the…?" started Lucy.
" How…?" frowned Mark.
" Where the hell are we now?!" Rosie yelled.