It was an ordinary day, just like any other. The wind was blowing a cool breeze over the sand between the boys feet. He liked the way it tickled him as he flexed his toes in rhythm to the howling wind. He loved being near water. It was peaceful and made everything seem okay. He laid back on the sand, not caring that there was no towel or blanket underneath him. Placing his baseball cap over his eyes to block out the sun, he listened to the seagulls sing their morning songs. This was his favorite time of day. Early morning, before the hustle and bustle of tourists clamoring for a good spot by the water. This was his beach and he hated the fact that so many strangers insisted on sharing it.
"Hey kid" He moved his hat away from his eyes, now that a man was keeping the glare of the sun off of him. He sat up, leary of returning the greeting. "Hey kid did you hear me?" The man said again now smiling. This made the boy smile. Okay he thought, maybe this guy was nice after all.
"Hello" The boy said in return. This made the big man, almost giant compared to the scrawny teenager, squat down beside him.
"It's nice out here isn't it?" The man asked. Now the boy was beginning to regret his decision to be friendly. He sat up, "Yes I like it" When strangers approach you, keep it short and sweet. That is what his brother always told him.
"Would you mind doing me a favor?" The man asked. Now the boy grew suspicious. This couldn't be a good thing, but because the man was so big, the boy shrugged. This brought a laugh out of the huge guy. A totally fake laugh. "It's okay, don't worry, I mean you no harm. I promise" For some reason, that didn't seem to ease the boys mind but still he found his own curiosity getting the better of him.
"Sure what is it?" The kid asked, once again shielding his eyes form the sun.
The tall man took out a piece of paper. It was yellow from age. Looked a little burnt too. The man handed it to the boy, "I would like you to deliver this for me" He said. The boy took it from the man and held it down so he could get a closer look. "It's a page from the Bible" The man said.
"Why do you want me to deliver this? Why don't you do it yourself?" The boy asked now beyond curious.
The big man seemed to ignore the question, he smiled "So will you do it? I'll give you $100" He held out a one hundred dollar bill and dangled it in front of the boys face.
"Sure" the kid said, "Why not" Once the big man got the answer he was looking for, he handed the money to the boy.
"Where does this go?" He asked, expecting to here a local address, maybe a short bike ride down the street. He never expected to hear..."Florida State Prison"
"Excuse me? I can't go in there, they would never let me in there" The boy said handing the old beat up piece of paper back to the man. Hundred dollars here and gone in a matter of minutes, he thought. "It's no problem really, look I will drive you there, all you have to do, is hand it to one of the guards and they will take care of the rest"
"You think it will be that easy?" The boy asked now laughing at the stupidity of the older man. The man came very close, almost touching noses and his once sunny demeanor disappeared into a dark dark mood. "It will happen just like I said, now let's go" The man said grabbing the boy by the shoulders and pushing him to his feet.
As the boy sat shaking in the man's car he kept looking at the paper. "What does this mean?" The kid asked, now almost near tears. "It is a message to my sister that I am back" He said to the boy, happy to see him that scared. "Do you know what it means?" He asked the kid, who now had tears forming in his eyes. The kid only shook his head.
The man didn't bother grabbing the paper to read the passage, he had it memorized, had for months in fact, "He has been raised from the dead and goes ahead of you to Galilee, where you will see him. That is the message I have for you" He said to the boy as he smiled.
"What does that mean sir?" The kid said in a small voice.
Joe looked over at him and now laughed again, this time more maniacal then before, sending the kid into a full on crying fit. "Trust me kid, you don't even want to know" He said as he drove away from he beach, the boys hat being left behind only to be buried in the sand until both the hat and the body would be found in unison a few days later...
