TWENTY
"Whoever believes in the Son is not Judged: but whoever does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in God's only Son"
– Jesus' words JOHN 3:18, The Bible
"Errmmm… Excuse me"
The Doctor's face suddenly appeared over The Dark Messiah's right shoulder, his expression a concerned frown.
"He's not on his own, you know. Jay and me are still here… and we're not going to let you bully him into submission" He winked encouragingly at Martin and gave him the briefest of smiles.
The Dark Messiah turned his head slowly and stared at The Doctor with a look of hateful contempt.
"Will you not leave me alone with this man?" He said coldly "Are you so afraid that I will teach him the real Truth? Are you scared that I will show him the reality of your lies?"
"No, not at all… You go for it" The Doctor said confidently "I'm just reminding him that he's not on his own… That none of this is real… That you're not real… And that the voice of love is always the closest to him" He moved away from The Dark Messiah and, hands in trusty pockets, casually walked around to stand once more behind Martin. "We've had a little re-think and Jay and me are going to sit in on your little 'conversion' talk, after all"
The Dark Messiah's eyes followed The Doctor's every move and his face remained stony and yet enraged. "But I do not want you here!" He suddenly shouted angrily.
"Tough!" The Doctor shouted back with equal force "We're here and we're not leaving him alone with you!"
The Doctor rested his left hand on Martin's right shoulder and then, with his other arm, suddenly reached behind him and pulled forward the other deck chair. He placed it gently next to Martin, then lent down and brushed the seat twice with his right hand as if removing some imaginary dust. He then beckoned over to the campfire where the 'other Jesus'… the 'Light' Jesus… was stood. From where Martin was sat his figure was a perfect silhouette in front of the raging flames.
"C'mon, Jay" The Doctor said affectionately "We're on. Marty needs our help… He's obviously not quite ready to look at this on his own" He squeezed Martin's shoulder gently.
'Jay' walked calmly towards where Martin was sat. His eyes were transfixed on Martin's and his smile was as beautiful and as calming as ever. He walked right past The Dark Messiah without a hint of acknowledging his presence.
"I do not want this impostor here!" The Dark Messiah protested again as he raised himself up to his full height and moved towards Jay. "I will not have one who blasphemes in my name anywhere near me!" He reached a hand out to take hold of Jay's shoulder… And it passed straight through him. Confused The Dark Lord tried again. Again his hand passed clean through the still walking figure of 'The Light Jesus'."You see?" The Dark Messiah turned to Martin a look on confirmation on his face "He is not even real" He pointed accusingly at Jay who was slowly moving behind Martin. "My hands pass right through him! He has no substance! He is a phantom… an evil spirit!"
Martin was shocked and beyond confused now. How could this be?
But then, to his astonished relief, he suddenly felt Jay's warm comforting hand rest on his left shoulder. He felt his soft breath on his ear as the 'Light' Jesus whispered lovingly…
"Do not be afraid…I am here"
Martin smiled inside. He felt a slight 'echo' of his previous 'experience' and, in doing so, awoke a memory of the deep, residual glow of the love of God. He felt his confidence suddenly rise as if that touch and those words was all that he needed to feel and hear. He then pointed accusingly at The Dark Messiah.
"Well, I can feel him!" He said his voice rising in tone with every word. "So it must be you who is not real! You're the impostor!"
The Dark Messiah moved angrily to stand right before Martin. "You think I am not real, Sinner?" He stared threateningly into Martin's eyes and raised his hand palm outwards towards Martin's face. "Shall we see?"
He then slapped Martin hard over his left cheek. Martin reeled in shock and clutched at his face.
The Doctor moved forward grabbing The Dark Messiah's arm. "Now there's no need for that!" The Doctor said pushing The Dark Lord away from Martin's chair.
"Unhand me, demon!" The Dark Messiah shouted into the Doctor's face. He shrugged off The Doctor's grip and then looked the Time Lord up and down knowingly. "Ahhh… So it seems you are real at least!" He said letting out a slight, condescending laugh. "That means I can do this…" He raised his right hand once more and, this time, slapped The Doctor hard across his right cheek.
"Will you please stop hitting people!" The Doctor shouted rubbing his face whilst moving his jaw cautiously from side to side. He looked at The Dark Messiah with a condemning frown. "Blimey… what sort of example are you setting doing stuff like that?" He added in a high pitch tone.
"I am the Son of God and I can do as I please!" The Dark Messiah retorted sternly. He raised his hand again but this time The Doctor grabbed it.
"Ah ah…" The Doctor said wagging a finger in The Dark Messiah's face, "The first one was for free… You don't get another chance…" He said threateningly through gritted teeth.
The Dark Lord shrugged from The Doctor's grip once more, looked at Martin and then down at the ground beneath his feet. His eyes focused on 'The Book of Life' and, before anyone could stop him, he swooped down and picked it up.
"Look at this…" He said disapprovingly as he held the book out in front of him. "This is a book of lies! It is a tool of The Devil! There is only one Book of Life and every man's sin is written inside it. My Father in Heaven is it's keeper and on the Day of Judgement the book will be opened and each will be judge according to their actions"
He threw the book on the floor and raised his foot…
"No!" The Doctor shouted but it was too late. The Dark Messiah brought his foot down hard on the cover and Martin could hear the mirror inside crack and splinter with the impact.
The Dark Lord dug his heel into the cover and twisted it even more as bits of the fractured mirror started to fall out of the sides. He stared victoriously at both The Doctor and Jay as if by smashing the book he had defeated them.
"Oh you're lovely you, aren't you?" The Doctor said sarcastically. "Do you know how hard it is to come across a first edition copy like that?" He added pointing at the twisted book at The Dark Messiah's feet. "There's not another copy of that this side of the Forlax Nebula!"
"Worry not, Doctor" Jay said softly. "We don't need the book anymore"
"So… The Evil spirit speaks" The Dark Messiah looked down his nose at Jay. "He may have no substance… but he still has his voice. He still has his lies…"
Jay looked at The Dark Messiah for the first time, a look of pity etched on his face. "It is interesting that you call me evil… yet you are the one who has already demonstrated your violence" He said lightly.
"What I have 'demonstrated', Blasphemer, is my hatred of you and your Master" The Dark Lord almost spat his words out. "You worship Satan himself! I, however, love the Lord my God with all of my being and I will crush His enemies underfoot as easily as I destroyed your precious mirror!"
"Your threats are as empty as the love in your heart" Jay responded gently.
"And you have no heart to feel love" The Dark Lord whispered harshly.
"Blimey…. It's like handbags at dawn" The Doctor said dryly. He then looked down at Martin and winked.
Martin turned to his right and looked at 'Jay' who was now sat in the deck chair next to him. The 'Light' Jesus was sat perfectly still staring into The Dark Messiah's eyes with a look of complete calm and even, Martin noticed, a slight smile. Firelight danced inside his eyes as he was lit with a warm, orange glow from the campfire.
The Dark Messiah's face remained angry and agitated, almost as if he was in pain. With his back to the fire he was also in constant shadow, he features dark and threatening. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as they remained fixed on the other Jesus'.
The Doctor knelt down beside Martin's chair and then whispered excitedly in his ear.
"Well, here we all are, Marty… The Dark versus The Light… This next bit should be interesting!"
'Jesus said:
The images are manifest to man
And the light that is amongst them is hidden
In the images of the light of the Father
The light will reveal itself
And his image is hidden by his light'
- Logion 83, The Gospel of Thomas