The Light and the shockingly hostile "disciples"

"With these directions, I'll be there in no time!"

No one to hold me back. This large, booming expanse. Between the smell of sulfur and the sight of the grey-blue sea beside me, I was unsure whether or not this city wanted to be pretty. It's too bad I have a duty. Running freely across the lands beyond is just my treat!

Conveniently, his prediction was spot on. When the rotten stench faded away and the trail turned inland, there was... a wagon. Pulled by Donkeys of all things.

Strange. Paul said, "They'll be walking on foot."

Easy fix then. I ran past the vehicle and covered every piece of ground in the next 2 kilometres. I could now confirm.

Peering in from behind, they lounged inside the covered wagon's interior. From the inside, it appeared much larger than I had expected, as it could hold ten of them at once.

Alright! Let's do this!

"Good day, all!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" 

A cacophony of screams.

"WHERE THE HELL DID THAT THING COME FROM???"
"NO, DON'T ROB US, WE'RE GOOD!"
"PLEASE DON'T EAT US EITHER!"

Do I really give the impression of a robber?

"I SAID GOOD DAY!"

The only way I thought I could calm them down. It worked. Too well. Made me kind of nervous.

"Ah. Um. Sorry."

What were my lines again?

"Um... hello! I'm- I've been sent by Paul of Tazarus, to tell you that he's alive, and wants you back in Damascus!"

"Paul?"

"of..."

"Tazarus?"

"Who's that?"

Ehhh???

"He obviously means Saul." One of the men said. Wait. He?

"I'M A GIRL!" I kindly corrected. "And yes. That is who I meant. And thanks to the valiant efforts of yours truly..."

Here come the cheers. What a miracle by God, amiright?

"No. It can't be!"

"Surely it can't be true!"

Astonishment! Oh, how they missed him!

"I-I-I can't believe it!" One choked between sobs.

"Surely she's mistaken."

"Yes! This isn't good!"

Wait, isn't good? Oh, isn't good in the sense that they left him behind! How kind!

"Yes, this is HORRIBLE!"

The one sobbing softly started full-on crying, as the men bickered amongst themselves. Was Paul really that great of a man?

"What do we do about the carriage?"

"And the horse!"

"Do you think he's going to make us livrroch again?"

"I-don't-even-know ho ho!" the one crying added.

The chaos confuses me. Almost as much as that word. Livrroch. I wonder what it means.

But never mind that. I'll assure these bumbling tunic wearers and lead them back there myself!

"Guys, guys." I held my hands to either side until the screaming stopped.

"It's fine. He's not angry at anyone but me, ok? Listen, just follow me, and I'll light the way!"

...

"So it's your fault." One of them stated.

"What?"

Wait, what? No. Maybe they just use bad English.

"Your face. It looks like you're saying 'Wait, what?'. Why the confusion?"

"Well, you said 'fault', which would imply something negative."

Maybe they mean that in a neutral way?
"What indicated that we in any way liked Saul?"

I see.

"You don't like him? How could you not?"

Each face looked like a separate puzzle to solve. But I didn't feel very inclined this time. 

"Have you never heard of Saul at all?" One asked. 

"I am currently travelling with him, yes."

"Really? Yet you speak so down to earth. His haughty ways haven't rubbed off on you?" another sneered.

"Paul is in no way naughty!"

"He isn't just haughty. His arrogance is almost as suffocating as his pompous behaviour."

"The Hebrew of Hebrews. Walking around like he owned the land he walked on."

"Yes indeed. A spoilt brat at least. A conceited, insufferable man at most."

"Don't mince your words, Kasdah. Use that head of yours. He viewed all of us like ignorant dirt."

Their words got heavier and heftier. I can tell, fully, when someone means the insults they hurl.

"The nastiest vessel of ink that roamed the halls of Tarsus"

Wait, is it the walls? Is it the room? Is something actually afoot?

"I'm surprised he wasn't smitten sooner. And for him to survive. It's almost a cruel joke."

But... I don't see anything. Their words got more intense, and the ceiling looks higher. Everything is alerting me, and yet I feel nothing. Is the feeling... that familiar feeling, coming from me?

No. I have to focus. I've tuned out their insults far too long. I asked a definite question, and got a definite answer. There is nothing I can do.

They harmonise almost. Warmth of shared struggle left me frozen in the centre circle of obliviousness.

"Yes indeed. There's no dog I'd rather see dead more than Saul."

"Yes, Zadok! Exactly!"

I learnt nothing about Paul, and I learnt everything at the same time.

Nothing from the words or the cheers they now shared. Deep in laughter, adding extra expletives. 

I-

SMASH!

It fell into silence. The camaraderie. The silence was caused by my own staff. I don't even remember bringing it out. But there's a hole in the wagon now.

I could hear ragged, angry breaths. I think... they were coming from me.

"I-"

I don't know.

"I-"

"I thank you for your answer."

-

To them, I disappeared again. But I had simply trailed the wagon. Cautionary checks were somewhat necessary, as intense hate translates to intense emotions.

They were shaken at first. I wouldn't know why, as I'm just a little girl.

But there were no grand schemes. They were simply headed to Jerusalem. I left when the debate of what actually "happened" to Paul started stalling. Whatever answer they arrive on is what they'll tell whoever is in charge.

I didn't feel like soaking up the smells or the sights. I just returned straight.

There I found him. Sitting on a raised seat, scribbling in his notebook. Despite the gust of wind that followed at my stop, it took a few seconds for him to notice my arrival.

"AH! WHO- Oh. It's you."

He stretched his head above me and craned it around.

"Well? Where are they? I'm in need of more writing material."

"I could get that instead."

Eyebrow. "Did you not find them? Oh, don't tell me you failed at that. I gave you specific instructions."

"I don't know why... but they don't like you." 

The sentence cut through before his tirade could gain steam. Gears turned, and then words left his mouth.

"Yes. I know. Now where are they?"

"They aren't coming, Paul."

"Buuuut it's ok! I'm here. And I'm... I'm trouple the might of a 1000 men, Paul!"

Soft and untensioned were his hands.

...

He got down from his seat before retching his back.

"I- suppose- it's to be expected then."

It looked like a very unsatisfying stretch. His arms barely even went up high, like he didn't have the energy.

But at least he was fine now. And surprisingly unbothered.

"I'll have to keep going anyway. We go again tomorrow."

"Eh? No, you need to let me handle notes for you first!"

"Maybe... this is the way I'm meant to do it."

A lot of the words they used on Paul were frankly untrue. Maybe suffocating arrogance was the exception to that.