Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 19:51:34 -0800 Subject: Sub: Valentine's Contest: "Mary's Love": Short Story There's still time to send your entry! Check out http://web.mit.edu/mbarker/www/val97/val.html for details. Please reserve all critiques on contest entries until after Valentine's Day! ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Mary's Love Mary sat in her chair and waited for him to return home. He was out preaching again, she knew. It was passover, after all. Ministering was in his soul, and he was in her soul. She would wait. Finally, she felt his presence, and he was there. She kneeled and kissed his hand. "Mary. Of all of them, you do not have to. . . you must not, do this thing." "Of course, Lord. I. . ." she stammered, standing tall, then bowing her head in shame. "Mary. My Father is called the Lord. Call me by the name my mother did, my birth name." "Yes, Jesus." He picked up her lowered head with his hand and looked into her eyes. His smile melted her shame, and she felt the need to speak. "Jesus. It is passover. John, and Matthew, and the others are planning the dinner as we speak." "Yes, I know." "Then, you must prepare to go," she said. "I should. But I am selfish this day. I do not wish to leave you." "But the supper. . ." "Worry not about it Mary. Know that right now is the most important time we will ever have. You know that I love you Mary." "Of course, Lord. As you love all your flock." "No, Mary. I Love you, as a man loves his wife. You, out of them all, treat me more as man than god. For this, I love you." He pulled her face to his and kissed her deeply. She pulled away. "Jesus, this is not right. You are. . .too important a man for a woman of my nature." He grew angry. "No, Mary. It is I that is not worthy of you. You have proven again and again that you are a true believer in my father. The others will never know the faith that you have. Even I have doubts, especially on this day, but not you." "I'm sorry, Jesus. I won't. . . No, I can't love you. Not that way." "But you do love me," he whispered. "You can hide it from yourself, but never from me." "Yes. I love you, as no woman has ever loved a man before. But I cannot become the whore who bedded Jesus. I'm sorry." Tears welled up in her eyes. Jesus nodded. "I understand. You are right, of course. I must prepare for the passover supper." He wiped the tears from her eyes and then turned to go. "Yes. Go and prepare." She smiled. "Make your offer another time, Jesus. And I might not say no." He looked back at her, and a sad smile crossed his face, and he shook his head. "I will not offer again." Mary was suddenly both angry, and confused. "I say no, and that ends it forever? Because I deny you your passion, you won't ask me again?" "No, Mary. Not won't. After tonight, I can't." He turned back away and walked out. Mary sat in her chair, and started softly crying. After a while, when she had no strength left, she climbed into her bed. But when sleep finally came, it was filled with nightmares. She tossed and turned, and then the voice came again. "Not won't. After tonight, I can't." She awoke with a start and sat up straight in her bed. "No," she whispered, and ran to the garden. As she approached, she saw the soldiers, and she saw a man, kiss Jesus. _Was_that_Judas_, she wondered. She heard Jesus speak, "Would you betray me with a kiss, Judas." And then, the guards grabbed Jesus, and there was a scuffle. Peter cut off a guard's ear with his sword, but Jesus healed it, and bade peter to put his sword away. Mary wanted to run to him, to save him. But her body would not move. She fled to her home, and again the tears came. _What happened? Why did it end now. He knew_, she thought. _And I denied him a last pleasure? A pleasure I gave to many men before him._ _No_, she scolded herself. _It was not the same. They were like animals. He was a king among men. I did what I thought was right for him._ _What if I was wrong?_ **************************** Mary stood beside him as he hung from the twice-damned roman cross. "Jesus," she cried. "Please forgive me." "Forgive you, Mary. For what," he sputtered, blood leaking from his mouth. "For choosing my virtue over my desire. I love you more for it Mary." Mary stood watch over him, and on the ninth hour, she cried as he screamed out, "E'li, E'li, la'ma sa-bach'tha-ni?" , for she knew the time was near. _His question has merit, lord. Why have you forsaken him?_ Jesus turned to her. She could barely hear his whispered voice, "No Mary. Those words were not meant for your heart. Curse me for uttering them." Mary brought him a sponge, and placed it on a reed, and gave him a drink. And soon afterward, she watched as his body collapsed and she knew he was gone. **************************** Mary stood watch over Jesus's tomb. It had been donated by Joseph of Aramathea, a rich man who believed in Jesus's following. There were other guards as well. Guards that Pontius Pilate allowed, to prevent the disciples from stealing the body of Jesus. Mary could not be angry at Pilate. _He did as he felt best._ Suddenly, she was thrown to the ground by a powerful force. The world was shaking! Then, she saw it. A creature of poor beauty stood before the cracked entrance to Jesus's tomb. Mary cried out to it, and it saw her and smiled. "Come her, favored one," the angel said. Mary walked over, almost tripping over the bodies of Pilate's guards. But she was not frightened. "Look at the place where he lay," and the angel pointed to tomb. Mary walked into the darkness, and the angel made the walls light up. Mary could see that the tomb was empty. She turned to the angel and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Where?" "He will show himself in Galilee. However, he waits for you alone, outside. Go to him." Mary ran out of the tomb, and he was there, sitting on a stone. "Mary," he said, rising to his feet. "Lord, you are risen," and she fell to her knees before him. "Yes, Mary. I am no longer of man. That is why I could not offer again." "I thought it was because. . ." "Because I would be dead. Then have no fear Mary, for I have risen. I will see you again, in my Father's kingdom, and you shall add glory to even that holy place. Tell the others, I will see them in Galilee." As Jesus walked away, Mary stood and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I will love you always, Jesus," she called to him. He never stopped, never turned to her. He simply said, "And I, you, sweet Mary," and he walked to Galilee. ------------------------------------------- Michelle winebird@inreach.com