Imagine. . .The Fall of Jericho Read online

  Some of the dream pieces made Jake remember being lifted off the ground and carried somewhere. Other dream pieces came together and reminded him of being placed in a dark place where light couldn’t enter. The last bits came back to him in the form of sound. Muffled voices and objects shattering.

  But even with his eyes open, the world was still black. He felt the hard ground beneath him and tried to think about where he was. He felt rested but couldn’t see anything. Maybe he was still dreaming.

  He pushed himself up to a sitting position. From this new angle he could see a thin sliver of light cutting its way into the shadows and landing on a rock opposite it. He put a hand on the light and felt the stone it was pointing to. He found that the rock moved. Using both hands, he slid the stone back and squinted at the light shining behind it.

  When he got his bearings, Jake saw that he had been sleeping in a hidden alcove. Levi must have shut the door after Jake fell asleep. So the dream had become reality….

  “Levi?”

  The first thing Jake noticed was that the ceramic bowl Levi had pulled the dates from was smashed to pieces all over the floor.

  “Levi?”

  Still no answer.

  Jake got up and walked around the tiny house and found no sign of the old man. In the middle of the broken pieces of the clay bowl, he saw something shiny. He bent down and saw that it was small, round, and golden, like a coin. He picked it up and turned it over in his hand. On one side it had a big tree with fruit like apples all over it, and on the other side was the letter K. Jake noticed that the K had a snake coiled around it.

  Ka’nah?

  Jake put the coin in his pocket and cautiously stepped outside. The faint light told him it was still very early morning. He looked around to see if anyone was watching. When he felt confident that no one was around, he headed off in the direction of the rooftop where he’d last seen Dair.

  Jake made his way to the section of the city where the wall houses rose the highest. After a few flights of stone stairways, he made it to the roof. He crept to the edge and marveled at the awesome view of the wide-open plain below. From the position of the sun, he made a mental note that he was facing east. He looked down and saw the main city gate he had entered yesterday.

  The plain was empty, with no sign of the marching Israelites. It was probably too early for them to be marching.

  Jake picked up a small pebble from the ground. He decided this would be how he would keep up with the number of days the Israelites marched around the city. Because on the seventh day …

  Someone was walking up beside him. Jake turned and saw a young girl, no older than eight or nine, standing there. The poor kid looked like she hadn’t bathed or changed clothes in forever. Her black hair was a tangled mess, and her light brown skin looked like it had been gift wrapped in dirt. She wore a baggy shirt and loose-fitting pants that were held up by a rope tied around her skinny waist.

  Looking closer, Jake noticed the girl had the same K marking on her pants that Jake had seen on the coin. He guessed the girl belonged to Ka’nah. This wasn’t right. The man didn’t have the right to make children do his evil work. He had to get Dair out.

  “I’m Jake. Who are you?”

  The girl just stared.

  The sound of a faraway train came on the wind, making Jake forget about the girl and wonder what could make the noise since trains didn’t exist yet. The rumbling grew louder. Jake looked back down to the plain and saw the wave of people coming around the southeast corner walls. The Israelites were marching again. Jake picked up a second pebble from the roof and dropped it in his pocket with the other one.

  Two down, five to go.

  “Ka’nah?” Jake pointed to the K on the kid’s pants. The girl considered Jake’s question. She nodded.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Ruth,” the girl said.

  “Hi, Ruth.” Jake thought for a second. “Do you know Levi?”

  Another nod.

  “Levi sent you to meet me?”

  A smile.

  “Okay, Levi sent you. Now what?”

  With that, the girl turned and took off. Jake followed.

  They crossed the uneven rooftops of Jericho in a counterclockwise direction. The girl was agile. Jake thought the kid was half gazelle, the way she jumped and climbed as they went. Although he was tired, Jake kept up. When they came to a roof that he guessed was in the northwest corner of the city, they stopped.

  “This is Ka’nah’s base.”

  Jake made a fist and yanked it back. Score!

  “Levi said you might need help.”

  Jake shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know what’s going on.” He gave Ruth a short summary of how one minute he had been sitting by the lake in North Carolina and the next he was walking into the great walled city of Jericho.

  “Let me tell you something. I believe everything happens for a reason. Levi told me you have a connection with my friend Dair.”

  “Yes! When I got here, I saw him being ignored by a large group of kids. It was the same thing that was happening to me back at the camp I told you about.”

  Jake could tell Ruth considered his words. She pointed down to the section of the city she called the base. “Down there are more kids who feel like you do. Ignored and pretty much forgotten. Ka’nah helps us feel wanted.”

  Jake looked down at the area Ruth indicated. More stone houses rising from the dusty ground with a large rectangular plot of land that was empty. It made Jake think of a soccer field. Boys and girls were walking back and forth across it, carrying bags. When they got to the end of the field that was farthest away from where Jake and Ruth stood, they dumped out the contents of the sacks. It looked like all sorts of items appeared: fruit, pottery, fabric, and other things that Jake couldn’t make out. “Ruth, what are they doing?”

  “Unloading. That stuff down there is all stolen. First, it all gets sorted. Then a team hauls it into a bunch of storehouses. Then different shops around the city will put in orders. Runners will take the supplies to those shops.”

  Jake interrupted. “Like FedEx?”

  “Fed what?”

  “Sorry, wrong century. Keep going.”

  “That’s how Ka’nah makes most of his money.”

  Jake watched as more kids entered the courtyard, each with a heavy burden of stolen goods. “And what is your job?”

  Ruth considered her answer for a second before she spoke. “I’m a collector.”

  Jake could only imagine what that meant. “A collector of what?”

  “People.”

  Jake’s silence was enough to keep Ruth talking.

  “Like you, Jake. I’m here to take you back home.”

  “North Carolina?”

  “What?”

  “North Carolina. It’s home for me, and you said you would take me there.”

  Ruth looked at Jake. “Not sure what North Carolina is, but I mean home as in down there in Ka’nah’s base.”

  “Do you know where Dair is?”

  “Yes, and the only way you will be able to see him is if you join the others and gather. Ka’nah has watchers all around the city, looking for new family members. Don’t turn around, but there’s a man behind us holding a stick. He’s a watcher. If you are seen gathering, and if you’re good at it, he will invite you back to the base. That’s when you will have the chance to meet Ka’nah and be given a place to stay.”

  “Gathering? You mean stealing, right?”

  “Jake, I don’t know how things work in your world, but here in Jericho we are trying to keep everything equal.”

  “In my world, stealing is illegal.”

  Ruth walked away, inviting Jake to follow, and headed toward a section of the roof that gave them a broader view of the action down in the base. “That’s where your friend is.”

  Jake squinted and could barely make out the figures of children digging through one of the unloaded piles.

  Jake was confused. “I don’t g
et it. How can this crazy place be better than your own homes?”

  “Jake,” Ruth said, “all of us working for Ka’nah share a story. All of us were unwanted.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think you know what I mean. Ignored. Pushed to the side.”

  Jake watched one of the kids grab something covered in gold and lift it high above his head. A handful of other boys and girls who had been rummaging through the other piles stopped what they were doing and made their way over to see what their friend had found.

  “Come on, Jake. We can’t stay here. Would you like to join our family and find your friend?”

  “Ruth, I’m starting to freak out a little bit. I don’t know why I’m here, and I’m glad you’re talking to me, but I’m not joining a group who steals.”

  Ruth started slowly walking away from Jake. “I understand. Good luck.” And as the last word was spoken, the girl took off in a sprint toward the base.

  Jake looked back to the base and saw the kids were now in a circle around the boy, arms outstretched, trying to grab the golden object that was still in his hands. Jake did want to be down there, a part of the action. He did want to help Dair escape. He took the two pebbles out of his pocket and held one in each hand. He thought about how this whole city would be a massive pile of rubble soon. He had to get Dair out.

  Jake clutched the pebbles and started making his way down the twisting paths in the direction of the base. When he had gone a good distance from where he started, he turned to see if there was a man following him.

  Just as Ruth had said, Jake saw a man holding a big stick behind him. The man had muscles big enough to make John Cena proud. This was the miracle that Levi said Jake would need to get into the compound. He wouldn’t need a cloak and a fruit basket. Jake just needed to make a decision.

  Jake put his pebbles back in his pocket and continued making his way down rock corridors and alleyways. When he reached the ground level, he saw the wall that hid Ka’nah’s base.

  “Help.”

  A weak voice came to Jake. He looked down and saw a bald-headed old man holding a large bowl filled with what looked like the dates that Levi had last night. Next to the old man was an open cloth sack that was filled with coins. Jake looked at the man’s face and noticed a big scar that cut across his right cheek.

  I have to rescue Dair.

  “Can you please help? My wife is very sick.” The old man held up the plate of fruit. “Please.”

  Jake studied the man’s face, committing the scar and bald head to memory. “Forgive me. I promise I’ll bring it back.” Before the old man could ask what he meant, Jake swiped the money bag and took off running. He found an alcove to duck into and catch his breath. Bent over, Jake felt someone standing over him.

  “Welcome to the family.”

  It was John Cena.

  CHAPTER 6

  The man’s grip was like a pit bull latched onto Jake’s arm. He pulled Jake through a small entryway in the main wall and finally let go.

  “Follow me.”

  Jake still clutched the money bag and had no problem obeying. He followed the strong man across the dirt courtyard and into a large stone structure that reminded him of one of those old church buildings from puzzles and country towns. The only difference was that the building didn’t have a steeple.

  Inside, there was a buzz of activity. Boys and girls holding big bags scurried back and forth while grown men and women sat on long benches that ran all along the perimeter of the building. The strong man guided Jake through the crowd to a small opening in the far corner.

  Now Jake found himself in a chamber that had a window cut out in the side wall that let enough light in to see. Unlike the other room, this one had only one person, a man with long black hair that came to his back, sitting on a bench. He was wrapped in a heavy cloak that matched the color of his hair. He had a very thick beard that reached all the way to his chest. Jake knew who he was without being told.

  “Hello, Jake. Levi told me all about you. So glad you could join us.”

  The John Cena dude stood off to Jake’s left.

  “Here’s my first bag of money.” Jake held the money bag up in front of him so Ka’nah could get a good look at it.

  The leader stood. “I don’t need your money. In fact, I would like to give you a gift for being brave enough to join us.” Ka’nah walked over to a table that was covered in bags. He picked one up and handed it to Jake. “Add this to the one you came in with as a little something to begin your savings. Nathal here will show you where to store it in the vault. I look forward to hearing about your progress.”

  He started to leave through the door Jake had entered.

  “Wait!” The command escaped Jake’s mouth before he could think about whether it was smart to say.

  “Excuse me?” The robed leader stopped and trained his dark eyes on Jake. “I’m the one who gives the orders here. I’ll let this go, considering that you are brand new and do not understand the rules.”

  Jake thought about Dair and Levi. He thought about the lake back at camp and how he should be there loading up a plate with french fries and an extra-large glob of ketchup. If this was just a bad dream, then Jake was not about to start worrying about rules. “Where’s Dair?”

  Ka’nah looked at Nathal. “He actually stole the money bag?”

  The bodyguard nodded.

  Ka’nah shook his head. “Young Jake, I like you. You’re not afraid to challenge the boundaries set before you. Your friend is in the sleeping hall. Go there yourself, and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a very busy day.”

  The man didn’t wait for a reply. He strolled out the same way Jake had entered the chamber. Nathal led Jake and his two money bags out a new doorway and down a long flight of stone stairs. When the stairs ended, Jake followed the bodyguard down a long, dim hallway illuminated by only a single candle that rested on a small wooden table. Nathal grabbed the candle and continued on through the stone corridor.

  “What is going to happen tomorrow?” Jake wondered where on earth he was being taken and figured getting the man to talk might bring some answers.

  “Master is leading the biggest gathering ever. The whole city will feel our presence.”

  They walked through another small doorway and stood in a room that had tables set up in rows. Jake guessed this was their dining hall. He didn’t feel like asking the guard any more questions.

  After navigating a second hallway, one much shorter than the first, Jake followed Nathal into another room, this one square in design. In the middle of the chamber stood a man at least three times the size of Jake’s current keeper. The guy reminded him of Drax the Destroyer from Guardians of the Galaxy. The walls were lined with shelves, and the shelves were lined with money bags.

  Drax looked at Jake and raised a hand, palm open. “Welcome. This is the vault. Your money is safe with me.”

  Jake handed his bags over and watched the behemoth place them on the end of a shelf close to the entry at the far end of the chamber. “Thanks.”

  Jake wondered who all the other bags belonged to, and how did Drax keep it all straight?

  “Come,” Nathal said. “I will take you to your room.”

  On the way out of the vault, Jake made a mental note where his money bags were located. Leaving the chamber through a different door, he followed Nathal out into another narrow passageway. They weren’t in this one very long before entering a new door.

  “This is where everyone rests. Your room is on the upper level.”

  The guide took Jake up a long flight of steps that curved around in a circle. It was very cramped. Jake was grateful they weren’t on the stairs for long.

  Nathal waited on the landing for Jake to catch up. When Jake made it to the upper floor, his guide led him down a hallway that was crowded with groups of boys and men. Some were standing, while others sat. They stared at Jake like he was some alien armed with a weapon that would annihilate them all. Jake scanned their fa
ces, trying to find Dair.

  “Your room is down here.” Nathal stopped when he made it to the end of the hallway. He pointed to the last room on the left. Jake noticed that none of the rooms had doors. He went into his room and cringed. There was one window, which was like the other one back where he had first met Ka’nah—nothing more than a square hole in the wall. No glass covered the windows here. There was nothing else in the room. The stone floor would serve as Jake’s bed.

  Jake went to the window and could see the dirt yard on the far side of the compound. Closer, just below his window, was another courtyard. This one looked more like a garden of two dead trees and a wild array of bushes that were silently screaming for a drink.

  “We have a meeting in the main yard at dusk. I will come back and get you.” Nathal nodded and left.

  Jake stared at the two trees and wondered about camp again. How would he get back there? Would he go to bed on the hard floor, close his eyes, and somehow get back to North Carolina? Even though a part of him was afraid and confused, Jake actually felt like he had a purpose here in Jericho. There were things going on here that needed his help fixing. He felt a strange connection to Dair and a clear desire to help get him out of this bizarre compound.

  Boys of all ages shuffled past Jake’s open door. There were conversations that Jake didn’t understand and others that he caught bits and pieces of that were mostly about who had captured the most treasure. Somewhere in the middle of what he could understand and what he could not, Jake clearly heard the name Levi. Jake jumped to the doorway.

  “Levi?” As Jake said the old man’s name, he scanned the faces closest to him to see if any of the boys would show a reaction. The conversations stopped, and the hall fell to silence. The boys looked at Jake as if they were trying to figure out how he knew Levi.

  “I met him yesterday,” Jake said to the staring faces. “We are friends.” That part was a stretch, but Jake didn’t know what else to say.

  A young boy stepped from the group.

  “He’s in the bad place.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Jake had to squat to be eye level with the boy. “What’s the bad place?”