Darien - First Draft

The night of the crucifiction, all but one disciple, Darien, turned away from Christ. They submitted to old ways, grew fearful, slept, and blasphemed Him in many ways. One even sold him for silver. They became hecklers and traitors.

Now Darien was of a heavier, iron-like spirit. He saw mountains of the Lord and saw nothing but dust, he saw rain fall in the desert and only saw darkness, he saw the Lords miracles and thought about how they could not be true, but he always remembered the Lord in everything, and was among his most faithful servants. He believed Jesus was the Son of God, though he sometimes wondered who God was.

Christ told Darien "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And Darien tried, and he tried, but no acceptance could come to him.

All the disciples believed that Darien would not be saved, which puzzled them. Christ had told them that all but one, the son of perdition, would be saved. Judas had betrayed Christ for silver, to buy the potters field, and at the last supper had been indicated by Christ as the son of perdition. Their hearts heavy and their eyes tearful, they looked at Darien and his blazing brunette beard in the candlelight, remembering the times he had made life sweet for them, and then thinking about Judas, and trying not to judge. Jesus had also said that "those who believe in me will have eternal life." The disciples, troubled by this uncertainty, told Darien that they wished he'd leave, lest he be killed like them and brought, possibly, to Hell or non-existence. They said this, for they had not found the Comforter yet.

Then Darien walked away from their dwelling, carrying a sack of provisions they'd given him and a flask of wine. It was raining, and night time, and he was drenched in the desert cold. Christ had died one day ago, and Dariens heart despaired over the Lords death. He didn't know if Christ would rise again, even though Christ had told him. In the distance, he saw a small house with a fire going, its people still apparently awake. The Spirit whispered in his ears "go inside" and Darien, gifted with strength from above, warmed his heart to greet the strangers.

He opened the unlocked door and Christ was inside with two Angels, one male, and one female. "Friend, take a seat, and join us for some supper."

Dariens eyes swelled with tears. "Master..." He bowed before The Christ.

The Christ spoke: "Relax. You always approached me before. You shall approach me again. My angels have made some dinner for you. You must be hungry."

Darien obeyed his master. "I very much am. I'm so glad to see you alive again. Was worried there you might have..."

Christ laughs nervously. "NO!!!" Then He softened, and took a deep breath, and said: "I heard that your friends had cast you away."

Darien spoke truth: "They did it for my own good. They even left me with some provisions for the trip home, or wherever I go."

But The Lord said: "Where will you go Darien? In your hometown you would be murdered."

Darien affirmed The Lord, "Indeed master. Indeed."

Christ became tearful, and his heart filled with sorrow and rage, "Darien you hypocrite, you Satan! Can't you see you have to believe? I discipled you. Why did you leave my disciples?"

Darien sighed heavilly, and answered back the truth: "I thought it was over Lord, I thought that was it, that was done. I apologize, though I don't really know what to say."

Christ calmed a little. "Open your flask."

Darien opened his flask of wine. Then one of the angels took out three beautiful crystal goblets, unlike anything on earth, with a design that would inspire even the most savagely phillistine heart, and glistened in the near perfect candlelight, with a slight radiance from God Himself. "Pour!" Christ demanded.

Darien is taken aback, knowing Christs prophecy about not drinking the fruit of the vine until he shares it with his disciples in heaven. "You have done good by me Darien, but I know now you will not inherit heaven for a long time, your heart is too dark, but do not cry, for I have a different gift for you. You are much like Moses before you, but also perhaps like Shimei, who David spared the sword only for Solomon to destroy him. And in the end, when the earth is destroyed and mankind has died, like your David, you may be saved, but I promise you nothing.

The Lord continued: "I will not share this glass of wine with you, but my angels will. From this, and through this now blessed wine, I establish a new covenant with you, but only you, for the forgiveness of your sins, and only yours. You will not see me for quite some time, but neither shall you be condemned, and The Spirit will be with you and in you. I do not mean nonexistence Darien - rather I mean earthly existence. You have, in your hand, the original covenant God made to Adam, restored to you, to live in the flesh forever until such time as all flesh pass away."

Darien wondered how that could be, for weren't the world to pass away? The male angel answered his thoughts, directed from Christ: "Yes Darien, the world was to pass away soon, but it can last a little longer because of you. Handle yourself well, and a special place will be reserved for you by your Father, but don't and a multitude, including yourself, will be doomed and damned."

The Lord finished: "People cannot know of your presence here, for your work continues. You shall be a guiding force throughout the world, shall make kingdoms, and break empires, shall know much, and mean little in the hearts of men. You shall be like the butterfly that started a tornado, that little line of fine print that everyone ignored. Your friends have been instructed, under pain of eternal torment, to make no mention of you as a disciple, instead replacing you with a Phillip who never existed, but will be your alias as you make your way down to Africa to serve me there. Share this wine, and I will depart from here. Do not pursue me, but wait for my instruction through the one I said." And the Lord left, causing Darien to cry. The Angels reassured him, telling him of the greatness of this gift that, for the moment, he could not see.

Christ concluded, "Darien, your life shall be a sad one. Do not hold delusions. But know that the Fathers wrath is not upon you. Rather, this is necessary for the sick church to be made well. You are to be its permaneant physician - this is both your reward and your punishment."

The male angel spoke to Darien seriously. "Darien, if you wish to escape damnation, you must drink." When Darien had taken his head out of his hands, and almost spilled the wine, the female angel made a toast: "A toast to God's everlasting mercy, loyalty and love, and may Darien's quest go well for him."

And they clanked the glasses together, and the room exploded in a pure white light, while Darien saw dragons with seven heads and seven tails and two beautiful legs clad in silver and four wings leap forward out of the center singularity, praising the Lord with songs sung sweet as honey, and a whole new world, one of great wonders, distant places, and amazing people exploded out of the center at Darien, thrown aback and with terror, amazement, and excitement temporarily streaming from his heart, until his will kicked back in and he was himself again. Then he saw the Angels again, and the three of them drank, and the three of them ate, and the Angels followed him to Africa. Their names are Brutus and Monica.

Constructive commentary welcome. I may rewrite this later.