SEVENTEEN

'Come to the edge, he said.

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, he said.

They came.

He pushed them... And they flew' -

Guillaume Apollinaire

"Hello, Martin"

Jesus smiled back into Martin's face and met his gaze full on.

"Oh Jesus…" Martin suddenly averted his eyes, bowed his head and fell down onto his knees. It was an automatic reaction that seemed almost inbuilt inside of him. "Oh Jesus… Jesus…" He kept his head lowered and stared at Jesus' feet. Should he kiss them? Would that be the appropriate response? "I can't believe it… I can't believe you're here… And talking to me… I can't believe you just said my name!"

He suddenly felt a warm hand underneath his chin. "What are you doing down there?" Jesus said softly. "Do you think I want you to cower before me?"

He lifted up Martin's face so he could see him but Martin had his eyes slightly closed and kept blinking repeatedly.

"Please look at me properly, Martin" Jesus said gently. "I don't expect nor want you to be like this with me"

Martin allowed his eyes to open slowly and was met with smiling face of Jesus. He radiant blue eyes were full of kindness and understanding and his expression was calm and comforting.

He helped Martin up from the ground and patted sand off his jacket as he did so. "Now please stand up and treat me just as you would any other friend"

"Oh don't be telling him that, Jay" The Doctor interrupted "He'll be asking to borrow all sorts! DVDs, books…" He looked down at Jesus' feet "…Sandals. Before you know it you'll be walking barefoot with nothing to read or watch!"

Jesus laughed gently "He can have what he wants. What's mine is his"

"I'm sorry, lord Jesus" Martin said softly "Forgive me. It's just out of respect for you…."

"Martin please" Jesus interrupted "Forget all this 'lord' business. That's not who I am. I'm here as your friend not as your master. Despite what others may have told you… We are equal you and I" He nodded reassuringly at Martin who still looked in shock and on edge.

"I'm sorry it's just… In the time I come from… you're revered…and worshipped as a god… And…"

"Errrmmm, Marty" The Doctor interjected suddenly, almost whispering into Martin's ear "You'd best be careful what you say to him about your time…" He nodded at Jesus "Time lines and all that. We don't want any fractures in the space/time continuum"

Jesus looked at The Doctor and put a hand gently on his shoulder. "Oh, Doctor, I know all about the future, you know that. He doesn't have to guard his tongue with me"

The Doctor's mouth dropped at both sides "Oh… OK" He stuffed his hands inside his trusty pockets. "Yeah, of course you do… You know everything, don't you? I was forgetting" He leaned over and whispered once more in Martin's ear "Forget what I said. Tell him anything. Let the time lines be damned!"

Jesus almost frowned at the Doctor "That's what he's here for, isn't it? To get a new understanding of me and take it back to his time? That's what you brought the others here for too wasn't it? To help spread my real message?"

The Doctor looked almost guilty as if he'd finally been caught doing something he shouldn't really be doing. "Yeah… Yeah… It's just didn't want to make it that obvious…" He nodded at Martin. "Plus, you know, he's a 'fan'… He expects me to talk about the space/time continuum and all that 'Timey-Whimey' stuff!" He caught Jesus' eye "But thanks for spelling it out for him and pointing out the contradiction" He added sarcastically.

Jesus returned his gaze to Martin. "I'm here to give him truth… That's what he's here for. And, in the asking, so shall he receive" Jesus then turned around and moved towards 'The Book of Life', which was lying near one of the deck chairs. He picked it up respectfully and stroked the cover with the palm of his hand. "Ahhh… 'The Book of Life'…" He beamed happily at The Doctor. "I remember the first time you brought this for me to read. What a day that was!"

The Doctor laughed heartily "Oh yeah… I remember. I've never ran so fast in my life! And back then I was an old man! I've still got that photo Mary took!" He eyebrows raised suddenly "How is the wife, by the way? Is she still going on about you making those tables for her?"

"Mary is fine, Doctor. And I finished those tables last month!" He winked knowingly. "Now shall will get on with this and talk about my marriage and my carpentry some other time?"

The Doctor looked scolded "Yeah… Sorry, Jay. I've just got a mouth like a jibbering Donkey sometimes! Do carry on…"

Jesus gently laughed as he reached out to open the book. With his thumb and forefinger he slowly opened the cover and tilted his head as the book unfolded in front of him. He looked down into the book as a tranquil calm overtook his face. He stared into the mirror and began nodding his head slowly as if reading something he truly agreed with. He placed the book gently on the soft lump of crass by his feet.

He suddenly looked up at Martin. "Do you want to know my message, Martin? Do you want to know my real message?"

Martin's voice was soft as he spoke "That's what I'm here for, Jesus…"

"Then listen…"

'The most difficult thing but an essential one

Is to love life,

To love it even while one suffers,

Because Life is All.

Life is God

And to love Life

Means to Love God' -

Leo Tolstoy