All Chapters in the Galilee Stories The next morning Frank opened my bandage and studied the cut. Using his goggles to magnify the image he gasped "What are those?" He made a short movie then shot it to my wire. I saw hundreds of nearly invisible dots, moving in and out of the wound.

"How small are they?" I asked.

"About 10 microns in length. They look almost like maggots although they're way too small."

"Can you take a sample?"

"Didn't work. Looks like they evaporate as soon as I remove them."

"Evaporate"

"They're just gone, it's too quick for my camera to resolve."

"What are they, nanotechnology, bioengineered parasites, alien bugs?"

"I've never seen anything like it. My guess is they won't stick around long enough for you to return home to a real lab. As soon as your wound heals sufficiently they'll be gone. So did he say anything to you? This guy isn't just a rabbi doctor."

I was torn. The memories were a little blurred almost as if I had been drugged. "Well he did speak English to me."

Frank said nothing, he just stared.

I continued "I know it sounds crazy but I'm sure it happened. He speaks fluent English."

Frank shook his head. "No Jim he didn't. Get that hallucination out of your head. You must have been dreaming. That's a deep cut, you were bleeding to death, in shock, your mind was making it up."

"So you can explain these parasites?"

"What are you saying, that Jesus is a time traveller?"

"Perhaps he's something else, perhaps he really is..."

"What, God ? Oh please, give me a break. If he's God then why does he need tiny bugs to cure your cut? Can't he just snap his fingers and heal you instantly?"

I waived my hands, dismissing the conversation. After a few hours I was able to walk, that evening the cut seemed to be healed. There was no sign of infection, and as Frank had predicted there was no sign of the bugs. We stayed one more night then left. With my wound healed our mission was unchanged. We had to visit the Temple Mount, lay down a spread of the locusts, then go home.

The walk from Caphernaum to Jerusalem would take 3 days. We stayed away from other people and saw no sign of bandits or Roman soldiers. We had too much time to talk and debate. Late on the second day I noticed Frank was slumping. I was tired too but he seemed ill. I put my hand on his shoulder and asked "You OK?"

He turned towards me with a look of sheer rage and began shouting in a garbled tongue I had never heard. He moved towards me as if to attack and I pulled back staying 5-10 meters away.

"Frank what is wrong?" I shouted. Again his reply was garbled. I pulled my wire and tried to get a translation. The analysis said "ancient variant of Sumerian, no translation available".

Suddenly he switched to Aramaic, shouting "We will kill you, we will kill you all." He picked up a sharp rock and he moved towards me this time breaking into a run.

I ran away and realized my leg was not even throbbing. Frank had not been chosen for this assignment based upon his athletic ability so I was able to pull away from him. When I was about 100 meters ahead of him I noticed a small village ahead. Frank was running directly towards it and I felt I needed to warn the villagers. As I neared the village I noticed about 20 people sitting down near the well. One man was standing speaking to them. I began yelling "Watch out, he's going to hurt someone."

About 10 meters away from the crowd I stopped. I was close enough to recognize the man standing. It was Jesus. I screamed "He's gone insane, he's going to hurt you."

Jesus began walking towards me. His calm Aramaic tone was soothing, "Do not be afraid. He cannot hurt you." He got between us and Frank ran to him screaming again in some mangled language. Jesus held out his hand and said "Stop." Frank halted but continued his rant. Again Jesus said "Stop."

Frank calmed for a few seconds then raised his rock in a vicious stance. He screamed in Aramaic "You cannot save these insects. We will kill them all. I know who you are Jesus of Nazareth. I know where you come from."

Jesus yelled sharply "Silence." Frank hesitated but did not lower his weapon. They stood there at odds for minutes eyes locked, feet apart, ready for battle.

The sun was setting on a cloudy day and darkness rushed upon us. I realized there was a faint blue glow in the space between them. My eyes widened and I rubbed them. "What?" I muttered as the haze did not disappear. Frank dropped his rock, slowly cupped his hands and appeared to be kneading something.

Jesus rolled his eyes upwards and the electric blue haze began to pulse around him. Frank opened his hands with palms pointed at Jesus. A faint yellow gush suddenly shot from Frank's hands crashing against Jesus who stood motionless. The rest of us however were blown off our feet as if by a violent wind. Dates fell from the trees and dust rose from the ground clouding our view.

Jesus raised his palm and yelled "Enough." Frank was blown backwards 5 meters. He crashed and rolled to the ground. Jesus ran to him and held him down with one hand, he raised the other hand in the air and then chopped sharply at Frank's chest.

The most terrible scream I could imagine came from Frank's mouth but then came from a point above him and rose into the air. The noise was like a thousand brutally tortured men. I looked up and again saw some type of blue haze accelerating towards the sky. The scream intensified for a few seconds. I covered my ears and dropped to the ground in pain. The sound faded to a loud roar and I watched the sky as the scream flew to the heavens.

I looked down at Frank who was unconscious, then up at Jesus who said to me in English "Go home, now, tonight." It was not a request.