James' Return

It was just an ordinary Sunday morning, or so i thought. I was enjoying my breakfast when the usual rush to leave for church commenced.

"Is everybody dressed well? Fix your tie! Oh, we're going to be late!" shouted my mother. She seemed a little more concerned this morning than usual.

"Whats so special about this morning?" i asked.

"James, Mr Cunningham's oldest, has come home and is going to speak." she said. But she didn't just say it. Excitement poured out of her body. Of course i knew why. We hadn't seen James in years, and the stories about him were spreading like wildfire. Everyone was talking about him and how amazing he had become, practically worshiping him. Even crazy old Johnny liked James. I couldn't wait to see him.

We finally set out and walked briskly to church. Everyone in town was there, even the skeptics. We sang the usual hymns and recited the usual psalms. I always wished we had more than psalms to recite. Maybe some of the early Testament's stories or words of the prophets from the end of the Testament. But the Psalms were good.

Then James got up to speak. The church leaders handed him a copy of the Testament. He opened it to Isaiah and began to read:

"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS ON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM FREEDOM FOR THE PRISONERS AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT FOR THE BLIND, TO RELEASE THE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S FAVOR."

He gave the Testament back to the church leaders, and then looked at the crowd. I could tell every eye focused in on what he was about to say next.

"Today this prophesy is being fulfilled in me as i speak." Everyone in the church looked astonished that he would make such a claim.

"Isn't this Mr. Cunningham's son?" muttered dad, leaning over to me and mom. Then James continued.

"You probably are going to ask me to do all the wonderful things here that i've been doing around the countryside, but i won't be able to. No prophet is accepted in his hometown. If you recall the stories of Elijah and how he didn't perform miracles in Israel, then you'll understand."

This time my dad didn't mutter. He, along with the other townsmen, jumped up and started yelling at James. Then they started rushing at James like they wanted to kill him. It only took me a second to realized they did want to kill him. The church leaders apprehended him and started marching him to the outskirts of town; I even overheard Mr. Smith tell my dad they were taking him to Cain's Canyon, just north of the abandoned town hall where the town originated.

I didn't have time to think if this was right and wrong, but i had to see what was going to happen.

Finally, i learned they were taking him to Cain's Canyon. I didn't want to see James die, so i pleaded with my dad, "Look at him. What has he done?" He looked at me, then looked at James.

"I am looking at him, son," he said with hatred in his eyes, "and he might as well have publicly declared himself a traitor."

I looked over to see James' face one more time, but he was gone. I knew we were still a mile out from Cain's Canyon, so i didn't know what was happening. Turned out i wasn't alone. He had vanished into thin air. Everyone fell silent. All I could hear on the walk home was the sound of our boots knocking up the dirt that the wind carried on to the next town.