Page 30 of Judas

Chapter seventeen

The pink in the early morning sky faded as the sun crested over the horizon. It promised to be another hot summer day as Eliza stared at Judas. The revelation that he was, in fact,theJudas Iscariot from legend and lore, overwhelmed the exhausted woman. As if he could sense her fading skepticism, Judas offered one last gift of confirmation.

"I can prove what I'm telling you is true," excitedly he motioned for her to follow him to the kitchen. Taking the thin knife used for deboning out of the mahogany base, Judas held his forearm out exposing his wrist. Eliza saw the two small scars just below the palm of his hand only seconds before Judas shoved the knife into his wrist and pulled it toward his elbow. Exposed flesh flayed open and blood poured from the four-inch-long slice. The knife made a loud clang in the sink as Judas dropped it, yelling in pain.

Eliza screamed, "Oh my God! Judas! What have you done?!"

Panic set in as she frantically raced around him grabbing at what towels she could find to stop the bleeding.

"Eliza!" he roared. "Wait! Please calm down, I'm okay! Watch."

Judas held his arm over the sink as blood flowed in waves down the drain. But slowly, as he held his arm steady, Eliza saw the laceration was pulling itself together, and the flow of sanguine fluid became a trickle before her eyes.

"What in the hell…" She blinked and all that remained was a thin, dry scab.

Now she really might faint.

"You…you…" she stuttered in shock. "You're telling the truth."

Regret consumed him. By the expression on her face, it was looking like the truth may not have been such a good idea. Judas wanted to take it all back until he watched her face light into a smile.

"I have so many questions. I don't know where to begin. So…all of this," she pointed to the pictures and displayed art, "is all…real?"

Judas was astonished. Cool relief washed over him. Finally, for the first time in his long life, Judas felt comfortable and at ease seeing her acceptance. He didn't have to hide who he was or lie about his history. The sensation was completely exotic and wholly exhilarating.

His laugh was lighthearted, "Yeah. Stuff I've collected as I've moved around. This," he pointed to a mask painted green with antlers like a stag, "is a druid ritual mask from Britannia. And this.." Pointing at a healthy potted tree near the access to his balcony, "Is an olive tree I've cultivated. It's a direct ancestor from one I picked fruit from in Galilee."

Eliza's head was spinning. It was too much information, too little sleep, and too little food for her body. She wanted to know everything but the mountain of questions was insurmountable. How would she wrap her mind around all of this? It seemed likea fever dream. Grabbing the lukewarm cup of coffee from the bar, she gulped the entire mug in one large mouthful.

As though he could feel her vibration change, Judas took her hand, "Are you okay?"

"I need to sit down… and some water, I think," walking back to the sofa, she flopped on its soft cushions. Reality was nothing and everything. What did it mean to be immortal? He clearly bled, but did he get sick? Was he immune to diseases? Could he eat anything he wanted? The thought of him being able to have chocolate cake for every meal made her a little jealous.

Handing her a large glass of water, Judas sat on the floor in front of her, "I know you have questions… a lot of them. I want to tell you everything."

Eliza thought of the most basic thing to ask, "The story we've been told, the one the entirety of the Christian world believes… is any of it true?"

"About me?" Judas shook his head, "No, it's not. Yesh asked me to turn him in. He said it was part of his Father's plan. If I didn't, the world would fall into despair, and his message would never be heard. You have to understand, I didn't want him to do it! I begged him to reconsider. Mary and I both did, but he wouldn't hear us. After he died, the rumors spread… Simon, Peter, and James pointed their manipulative fingers at me."

"What about the thirty pieces of silver?" she was on the edge of her seat in anticipation. The entire worldview of millions, including her father, being a complete fabrication was spellbinding.

Judas huffed, "It was a setup to feed into their narrative. They told the priesthood I should be rewarded for my actions. I never took that blood money, but they sure as hell told everyone I did."

It took Eliza a few moments to think of something else to ask. She had so many questions and still didn't know where to start.

"Are there others… like you?"

"Immortal? I only know of one… Adam's first wife, Lilith. She and I met in Greece around the third century after Yesh died—"

Eliza raised her hand to stop him, "Wait a minute. Adam's first wife? That story is true?"

"Yeah, it is," Judas laughed. "But, she's no demon and she doesn't steal or eat children. Can she be dangerous? Absolutely. I definitely wouldn't piss her off."

"This is just so…" her eyes widened in awe. "Why would you tell me this? Why me?"

Inhaling deeply, Judas held his breath for a long moment. His chestnut eyes looked at her with a longing that melted her insides and she thought her heart would jump out of her chest when he finally spoke.

"Because…I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you."

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