Joseph Trance

By The Book

 
“Flying.    That’s the one that I want.”    I blinked my eyes and nodded my head slightly to affirm my decision.

“ Hmmm.”   He leaned on his elbows, interlaced his fingers and pressed them to his mouth.   He seemed to consider something before he spoke.  “We don’t really do flying…we can teleport…it gives you that unlimited space time continuum ability.  It’s better than flying. “   He smirked.   Davidson scanned my face before he asked the next question. I felt a build- up in my gut that I tried to suppress, but I couldn’t.
 
“Mr. Kanner,” did you read the manual before you came today?”  His eyes shifted to the red bound book in front of him.     I felt my face flush hot.
“Of course I did… from cover to cover.”   Davidson made a half-attempt to try not to smile.
“Fine then,” he said.  “Let’s continue.  May I have the evidence of your prep please?”
I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out the envelope of times and places of sacrifice. 
Davidson took it gently, pulled out the dated sheets and flipped through them.
He mumbled as he scanned;  “food diet; three weeks,  media diet ; one month,  decreased sexual activity;  forty days.  Dates…erasures and white –out corrections.”   He put the papers on the desk, folded his hands and closed his eyes.  I waited.

      Silence settled on us like a dark cloud.  Five minutes and I had enough.    He didn’t open his eyes the whole time I spoke.
“Look I know that it’s not exactly according to code.  All I want to do is fly.  I know it’s not in the manual and I don’t have any basis for it…but that’s what I want.  I want to do the ‘greater than He did thing.’    Why can’t I have what I want?  I want to break the mold.  Walking on water is boring.   Reading “others’ thoughts…a neuro-linguistic programmers’… trick.   Transmutation…Midas gold, wine water…eh.    I want something more grand…more…public.    I’ll pay extra.  I have the…”
“Then why not just go for the resurrection…not three days…make it a whole month underground than…burst out.”   He shook his head, but kept his eyes closed.   His voice was thick with sarcasm and scorn.  “How much more public can you get?”

      I got mad.  “Look…I didn’t come here to be insulted and mocked.  Let me just tell you…”
“No.”  His eyes popped open, they glowed fiery red.  “Let me tell you, Mr. Kanner.  The gifts are not parlor tricks.  You can’t just get what you want.  The whole point is you get what He wants to give you.    But you can’t manipulate dad or His gifts.    You want something more public. “  I shook my head yes.
“Why?”
“Be…because…I…I..” 
“Yes.  Exactly.  You…YOU.    You want them to see you.  See your magnificence, how beautiful you are...how glorious you can fly.”
“Yes.  That.”  I said.
“We’re done here.”  Davidson said.  He picked up my times and places of sacrifice, placed them into the envelope and gave them back to me.
“Wait.  Can’t we work something out?”  I asked.
“No.  We can’t.  Only you can.”
“Okay…okay..”  I said.   “What do I have to do?”
“You know.”  He said.
I slid my hand across the desk to the book.
“Not the whole book,”  Davidson said.  “Start with the Gospels then call me.” 
I slowly pulled the book to me and picked it up.  “How much?”  I went for my plastic.
“That’s free.  Our gift to you.” 
“Free?”   I flipped through the pages.  Big bold print, His words in red.
“Yes.”  Davidson said.  “But it will cost you everything you have.”
The uneasiness in my gut rose up and then settled.  “Yeah.  I know,”  I said.
I picked up the book, got up and slowly walked away.
“No you don’t,”   Davidson whispered.  He shut the door behind me.
  

All rights belong to its author. It was published on e-Stories.org by demand of Joseph Trance.
Published on e-Stories.org on 20.07.2012.

 
 

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