Thomson grinned as he stood in the shaded part of the cave. His red eyes fixed on Joshua, who had collapsed back into a sitting position by the fire.
“You must be hungry after ten days in this hell-hole! If you are the Son of God turn these stones into a couple of turkey sandwiches and eat,” he said pointing toward some rocks by the fire.
Joshua raised his head and gazed at Thomson. “Man shall not put thy lord God to the test,” he said.
Thomson laughed harshly as the flames of the fire shot up again and spread across the ceiling.
“And your God would let you starve in a cave?” Thomson asked from his new position: directly behind Joshua. “If you bow down to me, I will feed you,” he whispered conspiratorially into the man’s ear.
“My Father will feed me a thousand times over, in His house.”
Suddenly, they were standing on the viewing gallery of the Empire State Building. The lights of New York City twinkled into the dark distance in every direction. Joshua inhaled and then exhaled furiously as he grasped the safety fencing and glanced down. They were alone, the only noise came from the traffic below on the network of streets.
“So here we are again. A different age perhaps, but all this still belongs to me,” said Thomson as he stretched his arms wide, “I know what’s about to unfold and, to prevent the coming apocalypse, I say again: ‘I will give you all the world if you will bow down and worship me’.”
Joshua Collins turned his head and gazed at Thomson. “So that's what this is about.”
“Well, I told you I would be back at an opportune time!”
“Get thee behind me Satan; for it is written: ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord God, and Him only shall you serve’. The righteous will be saved.”
Next moment they were standing on top of the Lincoln Memorial Building in Washington DC.
The National Mall stretched out before them and the Washington Monument pierced the starless sky. Both men gazed down at the stairs, which led visitors from street level to the feet of the Lincoln Statue.
“If you are the Son of God cast yourself down from here,” said Thomson shifting his gaze from the steps to Joshua. “For it's written: ‘He shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you. And they will keep you from harm.’”
Joshua looked up at the night sky and said, “It is also written: ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’”
Suddenly he was back in the cave sitting alone by the fire, which needed some brushwood.
David led Matthew across the dusty landscape past Saguaro cacti and rocky spurs. The sun was setting, and the temperature was plummeting. A wind blew tumble weed across the desert floor.
“You sure we’re in the right area David?” Matthew asked as he stumbled over some small rocks.
“Yes! Keep going. I want to get there as soon as possible.”
Matthew stopped and put on a windcheater he had pulled from his backpack. He zipped it up to his throat, then took a drink of water from a clear plastic bottle and strode on in David’s footsteps.
After a long trek, with the silent dark around him, David stopped and gazed up a hillside where a light flickered in a cave. “Here we are!” he announced.
The two men clambered up the slope and entered the large crack in the rock. Matthew halted and gazed at a man in a dark suit sitting meditating by a campfire.
“Please enter and sit by the fire, said Joshua Collins as he raised his head and looked at the pair with placid eyes. He then threw more fuel on the fire as David and Matthew settled across the flames from him.
“I sense the battle of good against evil in both you gentlemen,” he continued. Then he stared into David’s red eyes. “Much stronger in you, my friend.” he said. Then, closing his eyes, he said, “I 27
know I’m in the presence of evil, yet I feel no fear. You have come in peace to help me, but as you can see, I need no help. You must know that I am not who you think I am–well not quite. I am the Lamb!”
“Has the one known to us as Grondin... Satan visited you?” David asked.
Joshua raised his eyelids, and Matthew watched the reflected flames dance in his eyes.
“The tempter has been here–yes. I sent him away; though he may return.”
Joshua eyed the two men and then said: “Now gentlemen, tell me your stories.”
“I'm David de Longford; I was born of the union of a monk and demon. I fight against an evil in me. I have lived for over 700 years and have battled the one who came to tempt you though I did not know he was Satan–in waiting.”
“I don’t understand, why don’t you side with him?” Joshua asked.
“Because my mother, the demon Hel, abandoned me, and I was reared by loving humans. And have considered myself, though not in looks or power, human.”
Then Joshua turned to Matthew.” And you, I sense more humanity–though there's a deep power in you!”
“Yes. I'm Matthew, I'm a descendant of David’s; I was born of two humans. I too have battled Grondin and will do again!
“Well, I will need you two friends as disciples in the upcoming battle!”
David raised his eyes from staring into the flames, and said, “You want a demon as a disciple?”
“Why not? Nothing says my followers have to be human.”
After a moment David, exchanging looks with Matthew, said, “This is a different world. There are forces of great power around. The country we are in controls vast fire power and agents trained in every type of infiltration and warfare.”
“I know well of the United States. I am a citizen,” Joshua said as he threw more brushwood on the fire. “There are also great and good people who desire peace and to feed the hungry are there not?” He went on.
“Well yes, but…."
“Then my quest is, as before: to prepare souls for entry to my Father’s house, and I will muster help from these great people,” interrupted Joshua, who then paused. “And now my friends, I must meditate,” he continued.
David looked at Matthew and raised his head in the direction of the cave mouth. Matthew nodded then rose and followed David out into the dark.
Outside, Matthew gazed up at the myriad stars and then said, “What are we to do about Grondin?
He’ll be back, and Christ, I mean the Lamb, sounds a bit… naïve!”
“I agree,” said David, “but he is the Son of God. Let’s rest then head back to the car at first light.
In the Bible Satan does not tempt Christ in the wilderness again!”
“Yeah but, who says it will be the same again?”
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