Seventh Dimension - The King - Book 2, A Young Adult Fantasy (13 page)

Shale nodded. “That’s an understatement.”

I told her
about my past, that I was two or three years into her future, and
my thoughts about more than one reality or place existing at the
same time.

I shared a
little about my family. I couldn’t bring myself to talk about my
father’s disappearance, since Shale had her own father to worry
about.

When I told her
about Dr. Luke, she interrupted me. “You know Doctor
Luke?”

“Yes. You say
that as if you know him.”

“I saw him yesterday in a small town on the way
here.”

“Strange you
would see him also.”

Shale nodded.

I went on to
explain how I arrived at her father’s house and came to be a mentor
to Nathan. “So here I am,” I finished, “wondering why I’m here and
how I will ever get back.”

Shale laughed. “That makes two of us. Maybe we were
supposed to meet.”

I noticed Judd in the doorway. What had he done to
cause her such anxiety? When she realized Judd had been
eavesdropping, I explained, “He’s not the same Judd from your own
time. He’s a counterpart—he didn’t go through a door and travel to
this world as we’ve done.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I don’t get it either,” I admitted.

Shale shook her head as if disagreeing with me. “He
has to be the same person.”

“He’s the same
person, but it’s as if we’re in a parallel universe. Suppose you
had been born in this time and in this country? This would be your
world.”

“I still don’t understand,” Shale confessed.

“I’m not sure I do either, but some things seem to
stay the same.”

Shale’s eyes
narrowed. “Like what?”

I remembered
the ventriloquist’s words. Could there be a connection? “Maybe we
are here to make choices, deal with personal problems.”

“That’s philosophical,” Shale said. “So my father is
my problem?”

“Perhaps.”

“What’s yours?”

That was a
loaded question. Would I tell her even if I knew? “My family isn’t
here except for a sister who owns a small shop in Dothan. At least
I haven’t met anyone else. I’m related in some way to Mari, but she
won’t tell me how.”

Shale glanced at Cherios and shot a look at Baruch,
who was still in the back stall. “The animals—they keep talking
about a king.”

“I don’t know
anything about a king, except—”

“Except what?”

I hesitated. “I don’t know if it’s a coincidence,
but many years ago Herod killed all the babies in
Bethlehem—believing a king had been born in the small town.”

Shale readjusted herself on the bench, still
clutching Cherios. “What do you mean, he killed all the babies?
Why?”

“He was afraid another king would take over—the
prophets predicted a king would come from Bethlehem and that was
King Herod’s territory.”

I added, “When you put it into historical context,
it’s a little eerie. I mean, I know in first century Israel a false
prophet came on the scene that many called a king—Yeshua of
Nazareth.”

Shale glanced
away, as if becoming bored by my historical references, and changed
the subject abruptly. She clasped her hands and said excitedly with
a twinkle in her eye. “So tell me about you. You said you come from
2015—I want to hear all about 2015 and where you live.”

My father was
still alive in 2012. So much had changed. I grimaced. “I wouldn’t
want to be you and relive the last three years.”

Shale’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

I told her about the deepening rift between Israel
and the United States, the threat of war, and rising tensions. I
followed it up with the words, “When you reject God, bad things
happen. Judgment always follows.”

I studied the
ground, as I felt conflicted. Did I believe that? I wasn’t sure
what I believed anymore.

Shale’s voice brought me back to the present. “You
scare me, Daniel. I don’t know if I ever want to go back.”

I sighed. “It’s
not like we’re in paradise here.” My words hung over us. Could we
both get back to our own time and be friends—or maybe
more?

I glanced at
the door and lowered my voice so Judd couldn’t hear. “Where in the
U.S. are you from?”

“Atlanta, Georgia.”

I smiled. I
remembered the picture of my cousin on our refrigerator. “I have a
distant relative who lives there. I doubt that you would know her,
though.”

“Who is it?” Shale asked.

“Rachel Franco.”

Shale’s face
lit up. “You’re kidding me. Rachel is my best friend.”

I stared at
Shale. “Wow! That’s unbelievable. Is that the same Rachel who
couldn’t be your friend?”

Shale nodded. “Yes.”

There were so
many coincidences.

Shale reached her hand across the table and touched
my arm. “Daniel, do you miss home?”

I nodded. “I especially miss my computer.”

Shale nodded.
“Me, too. Toilets and showers”—she smirked and rolled her eyes—“any
running water. I hate that I have to fetch water every day. Women
spend far too much time doing stupid, mundane things
here.”

I laughed.

Her eyes grew
big. “I’ll never complain about emptying the dishwasher
again.”

I nodded. “I’d
sure like to take in a soccer game.”

Shale giggled.
“I’m not much into soccer, but a baseball game would be great, with
a couple of hotdogs layered with mustard and ketchup, and then
fireworks after the game.”

“We actually have a national baseball team in Israel
now, though I’ve never been to a game.”

Shale yawned.
“A strong cup of coffee from Starbucks would be awesome. I hate
getting up so early.”

We both laughed.

“That old witch
made me get up at the crack of dawn to fetch a pail of
water.”

I nodded. “I know.”

The smile left
her lips. I bet she was remembering Judd. Could I think of a way to
get her mind off him? Her spunkiness was uplifting. I wanted to
spend more time with her, but approaching hoof beats interrupted
our conversation.

“Your father is here.”

“Really? How do you know?”

“I perceive things. Like this morning at the well.
How do you think I knew something was wrong?”

Shale shook her head. “I don’t know.”

I stood. “Come and meet your father—maybe one of the
reasons why you’re here. By the way, your father is a kind
man.”

“Thanks,” Shale said.

I took Cherios
from her and put the rabbit in the stall with Baruch. Shale
followed me outside. The brightness was blinding after being in the
dark cave. Brutus had tethered his horse to the post. Shale touched
my arm.

I put my hand
on her shoulder. “If you wait, I’ll introduce you—if it would make
you less nervous. Right now I need to feed and water Brutus’s
horse.”

Shale nodded, as if she were willing to wait for
me.

Suddenly a crow appeared on the far post of the
portico. He flapped his wings and screeched annoyingly. I glanced
at Shale who seemed focused on the bird.

“You think I should go inside—he’s waiting for me?”
she asked.

The crow screeched back.

“Are you talking to that crow?” I asked.

Shale
nodded.

I shook my head in disbelief.

Suddenly the bird flew away.

Shale smiled, but didn’t say anything.

I glanced
around. Where was Judd when you needed him? I walked Brutus’s horse
to the trough for fresh water and food. When I returned to the
portico, Shale had already gone inside. I stood outside the door
and remembered my father.

I cracked the
door open but couldn’t hear anything. I was reluctant to eavesdrop
on what should be a private reunion between the two of them. I
decided to go back to the cave. Now that I knew what the animals
meant to Shale, I wanted to put Baruch in the front stall and move
Assassin to the back. No sooner had I done so than Judd opened the
door to the cave. When he saw the switch, he fumed. “What’d you do
that for?”

“That’s Baruch’s old stall.”

“How do you
know?”

I picked up a bucket and hung it on the wall. “I
just know.”

Judd frowned.
“How did you hit it off with Brutus’s daughter?”

“What?” I asked.

Judd ignored my question. “Whatever she told you
isn’t true.”

“She didn’t tell me anything about you.”

Judd shrugged.

“Why were you at the well?” I asked.

“I don’t have to tell you,” Judd said tersely.

He walked to the back and poured Assassin some oats.
I tried to read his mind.

Judd sneered,
“So did you lie with her, like you did Brutus’s wife?”

I shook my
head. “I never did any such thing with Scylla. Shale and I are just
friends.”

Judd’s jealousy
ballooned. “I don’t believe you. You’ve had your eyes on her since
the day she arrived.”

I stared at him. “Is that the only way you can look
at a young woman?”

Judd glowered.
“Family secrets. You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Like what?”

Judd got in my face. “Stay away from her.”

I shoved him
back. I didn’t need a fourteen-year-old kid treating me like a
turd.

Judd stormed out of the cave, slamming the door. I
waited a few minutes before leaving, to make sure he was gone.

A short while
later, Shale and her father walked outside the house to sit in the
portico. I wandered over to say “hi.” Brutus was smiling and Shale
seemed upbeat. We made small talk before they proceeded down the
road. Memories of my father returned, pleasant times on holiday
when I was young.

As I watched
Shale and her father in the distance, I lamented my father’s
disappearance. Suddenly I longed to visit Dr. Luke, but I also
worried about Shale and her animals. And why was she so afraid of
Judd?

The next day I stared into Baruch’s empty stall. I
ran over and checked to see if Judd had switched the donkeys, but
Assassin was still where I’d put him. At least Shale’s dog and
rabbit were in the cave. The animals followed me around. The dog’s
favorite pig was squealing. What was his problem?

I would have to
find out what Judd knew. I mumbled to myself a few choice words as
I tromped to his quarters.

I banged on the door. “Are you there? I need to talk
to you.”

When he didn’t respond, I rattled the handle. I’d
about given up when the door opened.

Judd looked
through the crack, sleepy-eyed. “What is it?”

“Open up, will you?”

He cracked it
more.

I grabbed his collar and pulled him close to me.
“Did you do something to that donkey?”

“What donkey?”

I let go of him. “You know what donkey—Baruch.”

Judd straightened his tunic, squinting in the sun.
“I just woke up. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I forced the door open and looked around his
room.

“Baruch is missing.”

“He’s probably out in the pasture.”

I shook my head. “No.”

Judd stepped
out and ran towards the cave. We inspected each stall and then
checked the pasture. The donkey wasn’t anywhere.

Judd said, “Someone could have stolen him, though I
don’t know why. It’s not like he’s a prize animal.” He scratched
his eyebrow. “Is Shale here?”

I remembered I
hadn’t seen her since yesterday. “I don’t know. I assume she
is.”

“Maybe we better check,” Judd said.

I didn’t think
she would go off with Baruch and leave Much-Afraid and Cherios
behind.

When we entered the back portico, Mari asked, “Is
Shale with you?”

Judd said, “No.”

I shook my head. “Baruch is missing.”

Mari appeared worried.

I still didn’t
believe she would take off without good reason. “We need to tell
Brutus.”

Who was going to volunteer?

I heard horses
approaching. “Is Brutus expecting visitors?”

“I don’t think so,” Mari said.

We walked to
the side gate. Two Roman soldiers galloped towards us.

“I’ll get
Brutus,” Mari said. She turned and went inside.

The soldiers
tied up their horses. “We need to see Brutus,” one of the Roman
guards said.

I motioned for
them to follow and took them to his study. “Wait here and he’ll be
with you soon.”

When Brutus
entered, he and the soldier spoke in Latin, which made it difficult
to follow the conversation.

Mari whispered, “Let’s go outside.”

Judd was still looking for clues.

“So as not to
alarm Brutus, I told him that Baruch and Shale had gone for a
morning walk. It could be nothing,” she reassured me.

That was true. Maybe I had panicked.

Scylla walked out and joined us. “Is something going
on? Why is the cave door open?”

“Judd, I thought you closed the door,” I said.

“Don’t go blaming everything on me now.”

In the pasture,
Much-Afraid was chasing sheep. Cherios sat preening on the
bench.

“Put the animals in the cave and tell Shale to come
see me, please,” Scylla said to no one in particular.